The Okahumpka Psalm Lady: Introduction to Psalm Lessons for Big n' Little 'Kids'

The Okahumpka Psalm Lady Story:  Introduction to Psalm Lessons for Big n' Little 'Kids'

Before we dive into the Psalm Lesson Intro, Psalm One and Psalm 150 here is the reason why I began this lesson sequence.  Listen to the story:

In Lake County, Florida is a little unincorporated town named Okahumpka.  Now Okahumpka is the Indian name Okehumpkee meaning "the hidden spring."  This tiny town according to the 2010 census has about 270 people altogether.  It also has a few stores, a crossroads area, and a very small post office as well.  And just across the street is a little church-- a little church with a red door and a colored pole outside its door.  On a side road that crisscrosses the one through the town is another church with an ordinary door that gave out little red New Testaments with Psalms to its newcomers.

It was at that church I first met the Psalm Lady a.k.a. Jean Stern.  Jean was a gracious lady, and so kind.  Being about twenty years older than I at the time she took to mentoring me with wise advice.  Oh, and she shared she loved the Psalms especially the longest one Psalm 119 and it was her desire to memorize the entire chapter--yes, all of its 176 verses!

Once when my husband had severe facial neuralgia Jean would often phone to pray with me for his healing.  For Jean was not only a Word lover, but a powerful pray-er!  And the Lord heard our prayers and shortly thereafter my husband was healed from the throbbing pain!  Later Jean moved away, and I kept in touch with until I heard no more.

Always, I'll remember the small church, the red NT with the Psalms, and Jean and others.  Always, when I passed through Okahumpka I'd wonder exactly what Okahumpka meant, and its history.  So intrigued was I with the small church with the red door that I took a photograph of it.

Recently, I was drawn to writing lessons on the Psalms.  Immediately I checked to see if I could locate the little New Testament with the Psalm section.  Happily, I found it.  Would I find the old photo of the church with its red door too?  Amazingly, I did! 

   

Then and there I began to mark down the various Psalm verses and chapters I'd encountered in my lifetime giving them titles as "The First and the Last Psalm, "The Shortest and Longest Psalm," and "Jeanie's Psalm" and so on.

Immersing myself in Psalm One I noted the very first verse advised for a happy life one should not hang out with the ungodly.  Rather, one should desire God's word and ponder it day and night.  It is this person that will find happiness in life for he or she will follow the way of the righteous.

Here was a little place with two churches one if entered you'd find true meaning based on God's word, and the other if entered, you'd find those who although well intentioned, desire to follow man's way.  It's a choice.  And Psalm One says the winning way will be the way of the those who follow the Lord wholeheartedly.

A bit later I used my small red Testament and the photos as I told the story to some young people asking them questions as I did.  And thus, my Psalm lessons and con-verse-sations began.  Read the lessons beginning with the Introduction to the Psalms, The first and final Psalms, and many more following those!

Psalm 1:1-2:  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

Lois Putnam, May 2024