July 26, 2025

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News
June 25, 2025
How do we handle discipline?
By MARY MORRIS HENRYETTA RESIDENT,

1 Chronicles 21:8-12 - Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’” So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord - days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

1 Chronicles 21:8-12 - Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” The Lord said to Gad, David’s seer, “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’” So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Take your choice: three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the Lord - days of plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel.’ Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

King David had called for a census, and he had done so without consulting the Lord. But when he realized what he had done, he owned up to his error in judgment, asked forgiveness and accepted the discipline due him. That meant the innocent were punished, too. How can that be from an all-loving God? King David loved his people greatly, so with the harsh choices before him, the king chose the shortest in duration. Of course there would still be a great deal of pain and suffering, so the memory would remain both of what he had done and what had happened to the people. And that is how discipline is supposed to work: We remember not only what happened but why. If we do not learn from our mistakes, we do not stop making them. And while we laughingly say that the definition of insanity is to repeat the same action while expecting a different outcome ... well, just finish that for yourself. We need to understand that Satan has filled our world with temptations that are meant to ensnare us to the point of no return. Many times it is blatantly obvious how bad things could get but often the devil is much more conniving and subtle. Our part in this is to use the lessons from God’s Word to maintain discipline over ourselves to avoid those traps. It is a daily routine, fighting against evil, so our study should be daily as well. To say we never have the time is, frankly, a lame excuse, especially when we can find that much time and more to spend in front of one size screen or another. Read a page, a chapter, or even a verse, hold that in your mind for the next 24 hours, then continue to do that each and every day. After a time, much like a runner or body builder, you will find that disciplining yourself built you up and is much easier than if it gets handed down as God had to with David. You can handle it!

New HPS Board Member Welcomed
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New HPS Board Member Welcomed
July 26, 2025
Willem Vandenborn is welcomed by Henryetta Public Schools Superintendent Jason Price after he was sworn in to fill the Ward 2 seat on the HPS board. The action came during a special meeting Thursday, ...
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Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
A: Main, Lifestyle...
Patrons Bank warns community of rising phone scams
July 25, 2025
Patrons Bank is urging the community to be on high alert as phone scams targeting bank customers continue to rise across the country - and right here at home.Scammers are spoofing legitimate bank phon...
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Christmas in July is today
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Christmas in July is today
July 25, 2025
Downtown Henryetta is set to come alive with holiday spirit and summer sunshine today, as the Henryetta Chamber of Commerce presents its annual “Christmas in July” celebration. The event, scheduled fr...
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Back-to-School excitement builds
July 25, 2025
As summer winds down and the school year quickly approaches, Henryetta Public Schools and Dewar Public Schools are rolling out the red carpet for students and families with a series of exciting back-t...
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
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Main Street Crossing Temporarily Closed
July 25, 2025
The City of Henryetta has announced that the Main Street railroad crossing is currently closed to all traffic. Residents needing to cross the tracks are encouraged to use the Trudgeon Street crossing ...
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Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
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Sales Tax Holiday returns Aug. 1-3
July 25, 2025
Shoppers across Okmulgee County and throughout the state will soon get a much-needed break on back-to-school expenses, as Oklahoma’s annual Sales Tax Holiday kicks off Friday, Aug. 1, and runs through...
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Editor Picks
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Historical Museum open Saturday
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Historical Museum continues to welcome guests through its doors this summer with its special every-other-weekend schedule - and this Saturday is no exception. The museum will be open Jul...
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News
OCEM Report
July 25, 2025
This report is a summary of activities Okmulgee County Emergency Management participated in and does not reflect all activities performed by or participated in by Okmulgee County Emergency Management....
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Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
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Plans underway for Okmulgee County Fair
July 25, 2025
Planning is in full swing for the much-anticipated 2025 Okmulgee County Fair, with the event officially set to take place Sept. 4-6 at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds.Members of the Fair Volunteer Com...
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Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
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Lions Club celebrates new members, history and upcoming events
July 25, 2025
The Henryetta Lions Club held a lively and productive meeting on Thursday, July 17, at The Shack 2.0, welcoming new members, celebrating local heritage and preparing for several key community events o...
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Preston Schools announces Child Nutrition Program
July 25, 2025
Preston Public Schools announced they are participating in free lunch and/or breakfast program for the 2026 school year. All students enrolled in the district or the listed sites may participate in th...
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