VOLUME 131, NUMBER 29 DISTRIBUTE JULY 18, 2020

Weeding With Grandma

©2020Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Please contact your ABC for pricing in Canada. 2051151038

For eBooks, go to Adventist-eBooks.com!

This beautiful magazine will introduce your kids to Jesus with true stories featuring kids their age, Bible characters, animals, and more!

Ask your Sabbath School teacher for your Our Little Friend magazine.

FREE DOWNLOADS

Ending Soon

“oink-oink”

God gave each of His creatures a different voice.Draw a line from each animal to the sound it makes.

“hee-haw”

“squeak-squeak”

“moooooooo”

“cock-a-doodle-do”

“baaaaaaa”

Weeding With GrandmaCathlynn Doré Law

J esse poked his head into the greenhouse. “What are you doing?” he asked.Grandma was on her knees, holding a digging

tool. “Do you see these kale plants?” Grandma lifted a leaf with her finger. “These are baby kale plants.”

“Oh,” Jesse said. He had seen the little green-and- purple crinkly leaves in his salads. And Mommy used kale in her yummy stir-fry. She used little chunks of onions and shredded carrots too.

“Weeds are trying to crowd out the kale plants,” Grandma said, digging in the dirt with her tool. “I am

pulling out the weeds so the kale can be healthy and grow well.”

Jesse looked closely at some of the tiny plants. Picking out one, he asked, “Is this a weed?”

“Yes,” Grandma replied. “That is a weed! Now do you want to know how to pull out the weed so it won’t come back?” Grandma asked.

“Yes!” Jesse nodded.“Watch,” Grandma said. She dug in the dirt.

“Now put your fingers way down on the stem of the weed. Carefully, move it back and forth, then pull.” Grandma held up a little green weed with a white string hanging below it. “This is the root,” Grandma explained, pointing at the little white string. “If you don’t want the weed to come back, you must pull up the weed with its root.”

Jesse nodded. Then he copied what he had seen Grandma do. Holding up the weed, he exclaimed, “Grandma, I got the root!”

Grandma grinned. “So you did! Good job, Jesse!”With each weed, Jesse proudly showed Grandma

the root. He began to notice spaces of dirt among the kale plants. They were getting many weeds out of the kale garden! Suddenly, Jesse jerked his hand back. “Ouch!” he cried.

Grandma looked where Jesse had pulled up a prickly weed. “Oh, that is a thistle weed, Jesse. It has tiny stickers on it. I’m sorry it hurt you.” Grandma brushed his finger lightly and kissed it.

“Jesse, do you know what?” Grandma asked as they began to pull weeds again. “Weeds are like anger and disobedience that Satan tries to grow in our heart gardens. Anger and disobedience can hurt us just as that thistle hurt you. We need Jesus to help us pull those weeds out of our heart gardens, don’t we?”

Jesse quietly thought about how his heart was like a garden. He thought about how anger and disobedience could hurt him just as the weeds could hurt the kale. Jesse grabbed another weed and yanked it out. “Jesus is stronger than naughty Satan, isn’t He?” Jesse asked.

“Yes, He is.” Grandma smiled. If his heart was like a garden, Jesse wanted Jesus

to help him pull all the sins out—by the roots! OLF

32

Activity

Lesson 1 for July 2020Memory Verse: “Little Samuel was helping the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:1, TLB).References: 1 Samuel 3:1–10; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 581, 582.The Message: We are God’s little helpers.

Samuel Listens to GodL ittle Samuel lives at God’s tent.

Little Samuel has work to do. He is Priest Eli’s helper.

(Make a little tent by draping a cloth over a table. As you make the tent with your child, sing, “Samuel was a helper, helper, helper. Samuel was a helper, helping at God’s tent.”)

See Little Samuel. See his broom. Little Samuel has a job to do. He sweeps around God’s tent.

Little Samuel is Priest Eli’s helper. Little Samuel is God’s helper too. (Make a tent and sweep. Sing, “Samuel was a helper, helper, helper. Samuel was a helper, sweeping at God’s tent.”)

Little Samuel has a job to do. He polishes the candlestick.

Little Samuel is Priest Eli’s helper. Little Samuel is God’s helper too. (Light a candle on a table, out of reach. Let your child blow the candle out. Clap and affirm your child for helping. Sing, “Samuel was a helper, helper, helper. Samuel was a helper, polishing the candlestick.”)

It is night at God’s tent. (Make two beds on the floor with quilts.) Priest Eli sleeps in his bed. (Lie down as if you are Eli.)

Samuel snuggles in his bed. (Have your child lie down.) Samuel is not asleep. He is looking at the curtains. (Sing, “Samuel, little helper, helper, helper. Samuel, little helper, now it’s time to sleep.”)

Shh! Eli is sleeping. (Snore softly.)“Sam-u-el!” (Call out, then whisper.) Shh!

Who is calling? (Pause.) “Samuel!” (Call loudly again.) It must be Eli.

VOLUME 131, NUMBER 29 DISTRIBUTE JULY 18, 2020

(ISSN 0030-6894)Managing Editor: Anita Seymour

Art Direction & Illustration: Kim Justinen, GoodSaltDesign & Layout: Steve LantoCirculation: (800) 545-2449

Published weekly by Pacific Press® Publishing Association, a Seventh-day Adventist publisher, 1350 North Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687-3193, USA. Single subscription rate in the United States and its possessions: $31.04 for one year. All other countries: $39.04. All prices at US exchange. Periodicals postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. For a change of address, please send both old and new addresses.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Our Little Friend ®, PO Box 5353, Nampa, ID 83653-5353.Bible credits: Scriptures credited to TLB are from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ICB are from the International Children’s Bible ®, copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Tommy Nelson. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.Letters and author queries: anita.seymour@pacificpress.com or Our Little Friend ® Editor, PO Box 5353, Nampa, ID 83653-5353. Web pages: www .ourlittlefriend.com; www.adventistbookcenter.com. Credits: Baby Steps (p. 5) is written by Eric Stoffle. The Sabbath School lesson material, including art, on pages 4–6 (except for Baby Steps) is provided by the General Conference Sabbath School Department. Art credits: Pages 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 © Kim Justinen and Justinen Creative Group. Page 3 © Mary Bausman. Copyright © 2020 by Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Printed in the USA.

Beg

inne

r

4

Parents: Ensure that this Bible story becomes part of your child’s spiritual heritage by reinforcing it at home all week. The Baby Steps story and the “Do and Say” activities will help you.

55

Little Samuel runs to Eli. “Here I am!” he says. “You called me.”

“No,” Priest Eli replies. (Shake

your head.) “I did not call. Run back to bed.” (Repeat this twice, making Eli sound

more emphatic each time.) “Go back to bed, Little Samuel,” says Priest Eli. “Next time say, ‘Speak, Lord. Your helper is listening.’ ”

So Samuel goes back to bed. (Have your child pretend to sleep.)

“Sam-u-el,” God calls again. Samuel sits up and says (Wait for your

child to sit up.), “Speak, Your helper is listening.”

And God gave special messages to His little helper. (Hug your child as you whisper in your child’s ear, “Samuel was God’s little helper. And you can be God’s helper too.”) OLF

Do and SayStudy these suggestions for something to do each day besides reading the lesson story. Select those that are appropriate for your child’s developmental stage, and repeat them often. The Baby Steps story complements the third suggestion.

• Review the memory verse. Sing the memory verse song if you can.

• Read the Bible story interactively with your child.• Read the Baby Steps story together, and have

your child help you clean the house. Work together to put things away, sweep, dust, and carry out the trash.

• Prepare and decorate a box in which your child can put away clothes or toys. Decide where you will keep it.

• Play a game such as Simon says to help your child practice listening to and following directions.

Daddy does the dishes.Mommy washes clothes.Kianna picks up all of her dolls.Shanice picks up her big blocks.When everyone gets busy,Cleaning house is fun and easy.

This Baby Steps story can help teach children they are God’s little helpers.

Busy Helpers

Lesson 3 for July 18–24, 2020Memory Verse: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9, NIV).References: 1 Samuel 3:1–10; Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 581, 582.The Message: We serve God when we listen to His voice.

Ears to Hear

When someone calls you to come, do you go quickly? Or do you move slowly or not at all? Little Samuel heard someone calling him. What do you think he did?

E li, the old priest, slept peacefully in his bed. The boy Samuel slept soundly nearby.“Samuel! Samuel!” the Lord spoke.Samuel opened his eyes. Had someone

called him? He hurried to Eli’s bedside.

“Here I am!” Samuel said, entering Eli’s darkened room. “You called me.”

Eli opened his eyes. “I didn’t call you,” he said sleepily. “Go back to bed.”

Samuel did as he was told and quickly fell asleep again.

“Samuel! Samuel!” the Lord called again.Samuel’s eyes popped open. He hopped out

of bed. That surely must be Eli calling him. He hurried to Eli’s room. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”

Eli opened his eyes again. “I didn’t call,” he whispered. “Go back to bed.”

Samuel walked slowly out of Eli’s room. Someone had called him. If it wasn’t Eli, who could it be?

Samuel did not recognize the Lord’s voice, because he had never heard it before. Samuel lay back down. Very soon he was sound asleep again.

“Samuel! Samuel!” the Lord said a third time.

Samuel opened his eyes. Once more he hur-ried to Eli. “Here I am; you called me,” he said.

Suddenly, Eli knew who was calling the boy. “Go back to bed,” Eli said. “If He calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.’ ”

Samuel’s heart may have begun to beat faster. Could it really be the Lord speaking to him? Why? Why would the Lord call his name? Samuel went back to bed. But this time he probably lay there with his eyes wide open. He waited. He listened.

“Samuel! Samuel!” the Lord called again. And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your

servant is listening.” Samuel, even though he was still a child,

would listen to the Lord. Samuel truly wanted to be His helper.

God wants you to listen to Him today. He wants you to be His helper too. You listen to Him when you listen to His words from the Bible. You listen to Him when you learn your memory verse. Listen carefully to God’s words when you read the Bible. They will help you to be His helper every day. OLF

Big, Scary SoundsRob Robinson

M ama!” Jaime called. “Mama! Come here.”Mama came running into Jaime’s bed-

room. He was curled up, hiding under his blanket.“What’s the matter?” Mama asked. “I thought

you were already asleep.”“I heard something outside my window,” Jaime

explained. “It sounded big and scary.”Mama peeked outside Jaime’s window. She

looked and listened carefully.Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit is what she heard.“Those are just some frogs down by the creek.

They’re still awake, and they’re just calling out to other frogs—kinda like looking for their friends,” Mama explained. “The frogs are nothing to be afraid of; they can’t hurt you in any way. You’re safe in your bed. I love you. Good night.” Mama leaned over and gave Jaime another good-night kiss.

Jaime closed his eyes and tried really hard to fall asleep. But before too long, his eyes were wide open. He pulled the blankets up and over his head.

“Mama!” he cried out. “Mama—come here!”Once again Mama came and sat down on the

edge of Jaime’s bed. “What’s the matter?” Mama asked.“I heard something outside my window. This

time it sounded really big and scary.” Jaime peeked out from under his blankets to watch Mama look out the window again.

Mama looked, and she listened very carefully. Then she heard it too!

Whoo, whoo, whoo, whooo! When Jaime heard the sound, he ducked under his blankets again.

“I told you it sounded big and scary!” Jaime told his mother.

“It’s just an owl, sitting way up high in the pine tree in our backyard. Owls are awake all night long. You’re safe inside your bed,” Mama reassured Jaime.

Mama sat down on the edge of Jaime’s bed. “I can tell you’re a good listener. You remind me of another little boy we read about that was a good listener too.”

Jaime’s eyes lit up. “Do you mean Samuel?” he asked.

“That’s exactly who I was thinking of,” Mama answered. “But Samuel wasn’t busy listening for frogs or owls. Do you remember who he was lis-tening to?”

“He was listening to God,” Jaime said. Just then Jaime wrinkled up his eyebrows and added, “But Mama, I can’t hear God like Samuel did. All I can hear at night are frogs and owls! How can I listen to God?”

“You use your ears to listen at Sabbath School. You use your ears to listen while Papa reads Bible stories at worship time,” Mama explained. She

stood up and walked over to the CD player on top of Jaime’s dresser.

“And you can use your ears to listen to some pretty music about Jesus,” she said as she began one of Jaime’s favorite quiet time CDs.

“I really like that way,” Jaime said with a sleepy smile. “I’ll listen to God that way and not worry about the frogs and owls.”

And soon Jaime was sound asleep, listening to pretty music about Jesus. OLF

Kindergarten Lesson Message: We serve God when we listen to His voice.

6

Kin

derg

arte

n

Parents: Daily lesson activities can be found in the Kindergarten Bible Study Guide (quarterly). The page 7 story will help you help your child apply the lesson story to his or her life.

77

Betty Kossick

T roy loves to sing about Jesus. When Troy’s baby brother, Trey, was born, Troy started singing Jesus

songs to him.Mom and Dad always smile when Troy sings to

Trey. “You make Jesus happy by singing songs to your brother,” they say.

When Trey was seven months old, Dad asked Troy to help wheel Trey’s crib into Troy’s room. “When will Trey and I get our bunk beds?” Troy asked. When Trey was born, Mom and Dad promised Troy that he and Trey could share a bedroom and have bunk beds.

“It will be a while, Troy. Trey needs to grow up some before he can sleep in a bunk bed,” Dad said. “But when he is ready, we will take you with us to the furniture store to help us choose the beds.”

“That’s a deal, Dad!” Troy smiled. Troy hoped he wouldn’t have to wait too long.

Troy was excited to have Trey as his roommate. That night, Mom bathed baby Trey, dried him, and dressed him in his pajamas. Then she tucked him into his crib.

“I’ll be right back, Trey,” Troy said, “as soon as I get my bath.” However, by the time Troy came back to the bedroom, Trey was asleep. Mom read the story of David and Goliath to Troy. “Thanks, Mom. That’s one of my favorite Bible stories,” Troy said.

“Thank you, Troy, for listening,” Mom said. Then she helped him learn his memory verse and pray. As they said, “Amen,” Troy added, “I’m glad that Trey can share my room.”

Then Troy started singing loudly, and Baby Trey whimpered in his sleep.

Mom put her fingers to her lips and said, “Shh, Troy. You are singing too loudly. You will wake Trey.”

Troy bent his head and looked down at his hands, rubbing them on the knees of his pajamas. His feelings were hurt. If he had to be quiet, he wasn’t sure he was going to like having Trey in his room after all. “But Mom, it’s the way I always sing songs to Jesus. How can Jesus hear me all the way up in heaven if I don’t sing loud?”

“I’m sorry, Troy, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, but Jesus can hear you even if you whisper. He hears everything you say or sing. You know when you and I sit on the rocking chair and I hum, ‘Jesus Loves You,’ I don’t even say the words when I hum. That’s very quiet, but Jesus hears. So let’s try again.”

Troy straightened up, looking happy again. He softy sang, “Jesus Loves the Little Chil-dren.” Mom smiled, Troy smiled, and Dad came around the corner smiling. He lifted Troy up in a big hug. Baby Trey slept soundly because they all spoke quietly.

“Remember, Troy, your Sabbath School class will be singing for church service this week. You can sing to Jesus to your heart’s content. Remember that one of these days, Trey will be singing with you,” Dad said.

Troy smiled, “Goody! I’ll teach him how to sing to Jesus, and we will sing together.” OLF

Singing to Jesus

8 *OLF200718*OLF200718

©2020Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Please contact your ABC for pricing in Canada. 2051151038

For eBooks, go to Adventist-eBooks.com!

This beautiful magazine will introduce your kids to Jesus with true stories featuring kids their age, Bible characters, animals, and more!

Ask your Sabbath School teacher for your Our Little Friend magazine.

FREE DOWNLOADS

Ending Soon