Loving One Another

George Floyd & M.L.K. Jr.

May 29, 2020

George Floyd

George Floyd and his mother

My Heart is Hurting

My heart is hurting.

No comprehension.

Just sadness, dismay, and anger.

Pray for peace and racial equality.

This rampant racism and blatant injustice must stop!

Pray for “Giant George” (nicknamed “Big Floyd”) and his family.

Reread MLK’s “I Have a Dream.”

It’s well overdue.

Screen Shot 2020-05-29 at 9.17.27 AM

I Have a Dream

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28th, 1963. Fifty-seven years later, it is time to revisit this unfulfilled dream. LET’S MAKE THIS DREAM COME TRUE!! Be a catalyst for long overdue change and racial equality. Let’s reach out, dissolve all divides, and just love one another!!!!

Time to revisit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream, hear his peaceful pursuit of racial equality, and time to MAKE THIS DREAM A REALITY!

(The bold print in this speech are my emphasis. I feel those statements are so appropriate to the injustice and the reactions seen today – May 29, 2020… a sad time in America’s history amidst this George Floyd travesty and the COVID-19 that sees not color or class, but preys on areas of density and poverty).

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.

And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men – yes, black men as well as white men – would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual…

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom…

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, when will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality…

We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. …

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day down in Alabama … little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.

With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims’ pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when we see this happen, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

Here is American civil rights leader Martin Luther King (1929 – 1968) as he addressed crowds during the March On Washington at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, in 1963 where he gave his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech.

Do not let Martin Luther King Jr’s dream die. Do not let George Floyd’s death be in vain. Let your righteous anger spur you to action. Pray that God will show us what He wants us to do next in the memory and honor of MLK,Jr. and “Big Floyd.” Make their lives count. Make the dream a reality!

We can do it… one loving act at a time.

Have a meaningful Friday. See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, Faith, Family, God, Heartache, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, prayer, relationships, respect, Serving One Another

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Expand Your Peripheral Vision

May 28, 2020

adventure conifer daylight desert — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Expand your peripheral vision
To see blessings in unexpected places.
How could Jonah in the whale do so
While he was down under – sleeping?

Reading the first chapter of Jonah,
I discovered Jonah sleeping below deck.
The sailors found him there, too.
They found he was the cause of the storm.

They tried to save the ship and him
By aggressively rowing toward shore,
But God turned up the turbulence.
Finally, they had to throw him overboard.

The storm ceased. The seas calmed.
God sent a whale to swallow Jonah.
Inside the big fish, his vision widened!
Jonah was able to see the big picture.

You can’t hop a ship to get away
From the tasks God puts before you.
You have to stay and face the storm.
He sends turbulence to teach us.

We are in the midst of a storm today.
There is no end in sight for this virus.
God needs us to grow spiritually, and
Learn to rely on Him for our rescue.

Take comfort in knowing He’s in control
Of every storm that comes our way.
His mighty power and unfailing love
Governs whatever comes your way.

1 Timothy 4:4 helps us realize the truth:
“For everything God created is good,
And nothing is to be rejected
If it is received with thanksgiving.”

Are we to understand that this storm,
This COVID-19 is sent by God? No!
No, I do not believe God wills evil.
I believe He uses it to teach us lessons.

I do not understand the reasons why
Bad things happen to good people
Or why death rains down on our world.
But, I know God’s love surrounds me.

I know if He can send a whale
To swallow up Jonah and save the crew,
He can send a vaccine to cure this virus.
That’s how much He cares for me and You.

Expand your peripheral vison.
Look around you, don’t focus on what was.
Look to see the ways God is at work today.
Focus on what we have, not what we’ve lost.

Thank God today for all your many blessings.
Thank Him for the people who step up,
The courageous ones who make lives better.
Don’t get caught down under – sleeping!

photo of brown dog lying on throw pillow — Photo by Enrique Hoyos on Pexels.com

It’s not the “Dog Days of Summer!”
Wake up to a new day –
A new chance to live and serve Him.

See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Gratitude, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another

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Will You Be My Neighbor?

Image

Two For Sale signs went up in our “hood” this week.

That Mercer sign is for a 7 acre parcel right next door to us.
We could be next-door neighbors!

The ERA sign is at the end of the cul-de-sac – just a stone’s throw away – down where you see the telephone poles in the first photo.

See, there’s our house up there – just beyond the sign. Aren’t you looking for wide open spaces and Big Sky, fresh air and a friendly, cheerful, inclusive neighborhood? Here we are!! You can build your dream house right here.

This beautiful home with the best neighbors imaginable, Rex and Penny, could be your neighbors … besides us, the Beekmans with the robin babies in our back yard. Hey, look closely! That one on the right has her eyes open!

This nest is on this porch where I am sitting right now with my laptop, Rita and Robbie are coming and going, feeding their babies, paying no attention to me! I love it!!

The nest is in the shadow just left of the small bedroom window. My chair is in the sun with my tabletop in the shade. I have a bird’s eye view of the robin activity.

This morning was a beautiful, sunny. warm, still day – perfect for a walk in Lion’s Club Park by the Madison River that is less than 5 minutes from us. I met a couple of TOPS friends and we walked around by the river, the baseball field, the playground…

From this view of the river, there is a bench, a painted sculpted fish, and a gorgeous view of the Madison Range across the valley.

Come go for a walk with me. There are benches along the way, picnic tables, barbecue pits, a baseball field and a playground. Young children usually flock here. But, I was early. They started to arrive as I was leaving.

On the way to the post office after my walk, I passed another For Sale sign. Our friend, Niel, died recently after a long battle with cancer. His cozy little house in town is for sale. Maybe you’d prefer this. You’d be on a smaller lot in a more modest neighborhood downtown. Look at this lovely place. Interested? Call the ERA number on the sign at the top of this post.

Your neighbors across the street have this lovely tree – and these beautiful opium poppies. What a great little town our Ennis, Montana is!!

Driving home from there, I took the golf course route. Here’s the scene just a mile from our home:

They keep it well maintained and lots of our neighbors love getting out on the course on a day like today.

Peaceful, beautiful, clean, clear, friendly …
… what more could you ask?

Oh, I forgot to add there’s a darling little lake at Lion’s Club Park where the kids can fish and keep the trout they catch. The Madison River has a “catch and release” policy to preserve the natives. And there’s an old tractor at the park where the kids can climb and pretend FARMER. We have a lot of cattle and wheat farming in our Madison Valley.

But it’s best known for the Madison River and the fly fishing.

Will you come and be my neighbor?
Caroline & Chuck are building right down the hill from us.
They’d be great neighbors for ya, too!!

Have a Wonderful Wednesday.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Written

on May 27, 2020

Why Me?

May 26, 2020

Stop asking “Why me?”
Ask, “What’s this goin’ to teach me?”
Then open your heart.

Your heart can reveal
Your purpose, goals, and vision –
Show you your next step.

You aren’t a victim,
You are creative and wise.
Focus on learning.

I am positive
That you are positive, too.
That’s why you are here.

That’s why you visit
JanBeek and love each other
And live happily.

You know happiness
Comes from an internal shift.
Not “Why me?” but “Yes!”

Yes, I’m a learner.
Yes, I invest energy
In finding new ways.

We must be willing
To replace being victims
With being VICTORS!

Are you willing to
Do something new and different
To learn something new?

Don’t wait for the new year to resolve to do something new!

What will you do??
Think about it.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Giving, Haiku, happiness, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Poetry, relationships, teaching

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Love those Bostons!!

May 25, 2020

Did you know Boston Terriers are the one breed created in the USA?

The Boston terrier breed originated around 1875, when Robert C. Hooper of Boston purchased from Edward Burnett a dog named Judge (known later as Hooper’s Judge), which was of a bull and terrier type lineage. … The American Kennel Club cites Hooper’s Judge as the ancestor of all true modern Boston Terriers.

It’s very appropriate that this adorable furry friend should greet you on Memorial Day 2020. The Boston Terrier is a lively little companion recognized by his tight tuxedo jacket, sporty but compact body, and the friendly glow in his big, round eyes. His impeccable manners have earned him the nickname “The American Gentleman.”

Our TazE brings us such joy. We bought her from a breeder in Indiana after seeing her with her four siblings in a picture on-line. We were going to name her “Angel,” but then we met her two weeks later when she was delivered to us by a http://www.U-Ship.com helper. (That’s a story I wrote about a couple of years ago on JanBeek at https://janbeek.blog/2018/08/26/a-love-affair-with-bostons/)

Meeting her, seeing her bounce and be in constant motion, we realized she was no “Angel.” With the help of our son’s creative advice, we named her “Taz” (for the Tasmanian Devil) and “E” the ears that dominated her presence. She has calmed down now. Her sweet soul kept me company today and helped me have a very Happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope you had one, too.

On behalf of our sweet TazE (notice how she is turning white around her eyes as she ages) – and us (the 2Beeks) we wish you a very meaningful Memorial Day evening. God bless you, dear friends.

Did you have a memorable Memorial Day weekend?
Tell me about it.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Animals, friendship, holidays, Love, pets, relationships

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Free to Do, Free to Bee…

Thank you, Guideposts, for your inspirational daily messages. On this Memorial Day that is so different from those past, I am grateful for the men and women who sacrificed for our freedom.

Free to Live and Build

I am grateful for the freedom to live in this beautiful place in Montana where the robins sing, build their nests, lay their eggs, and feed their babies right outside my dining room window! I’m free to just bee… free to do nothing but sit and watch today… if that’s my choice!

I see that wall to the north of my dining room table. The window there leads to our bedroom.

I watched Rita and Robbie, the robin duo, build the nest and lay the eggs. Fifteen days later, they hatched!

Now Rita Robin brings worms to the babies.

They are hungry little robins, begging for more.

Rita Robin leaves… and Robbie Robin comes to feed them next! Robins mate for life. It is such fun to watch them take turns caring for the nest. Rarely is it left uncovered like this these days.

Free to Bee… Free to Recover…

I found this beautiful, stunned bird sitting on the front porch this morning. Is it a wren? It’s really tiny. Even when TazE (our Boston Terrier) went out to sniff at it, it didn’t move. It was free to just bee… bee still for a while. A half hour later, it was recovered – and thankfully flew away. Free to recover. Free to fly.

Free to Marvel

As I sit here and watch the robins take turns in the nest, I am eternally grateful to those service men and women who gave their lives that I might enjoy the peace I have today. Peace to sit here and marvel at nature. Free to enjoy the peace, and to FaceTime with my daughters across the continent and across the Atlantic.

Peace to watch Bob head off with a neighbor to fish the Madison today.

I hope he is free to catch a big one, like my friend Susan Phillips did this week… and then free to catch and release so someone else can be free to have the thrill of catching this beauty! Our Madison River has a “Catch & Release” policy because the trout all are natives… no “planting” allowed. It’s a world-class fly-fishing mecca!!

The pristine Madison River in Madison County, Montana

What are you free to do today?
Tell me about it.
And what are you most grateful for?

Bee grateful
You are free…
Free to
Bee silly…
Free to just Bee!

See ya tomorrow.
Have a Meaningful, Peaceful Monday.

Category:

Animals, blessings, children, contentment, Family, Fishing, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, holidays, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, nature, peace, relationships, Serving One Another

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The Earth Heals Me

May 24, 2020

I am so grateful for the stars and wind,

The trees and birds sing to me.

The sunshine and nature comfort me.

And I listen to the earth’s words of comfort.

I trust the words the earth speaks to me.

My ears hear the voice of God in the

stars
wind
trees
birds
sunshine, and
nature

Let God tell you, “You are not alone.”
Let God gently hold you.
Let God listen to your pain and sing your worries away.
Let God remove the darkness.
Remember, He accepts you as you are.
God is nature. He created the earth and you.
You are never alone.

God bless you, dear friends.
Listen to His healing words of love and let Him hold you.
Have a beautiful Sunday evening/night.
I’ll see you tomorrow.

Love and virtual hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, Faith, flowers, friendship, God, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, nature, peace, Poetry, prayer, trees

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You: Kind, Smart, Important

May 23, 2020

Yes, you is!!
And you is well, too.
Hooray!!

You is smart like a fox!

Thank you, Paul Holdorf, for your beautiful photography.

Yup. you is so smart –
And you is intelligent –
You make a difference!

You is courageous –
And you is adventuresome –
You is goin’ places!

You is not perfect
But you know perfect moments,
And you make them count!

So now bee grateful
For all that you know you is –
And go change the world!

You is gonna tell
How is you gonna do that…
Tell me one thing NOW!!

Category:

Belief, blessings, Giving, Gratitude, Haiku, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, Serving One Another

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Must We Die for Freedom?

History of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is an American holiday. This Memorial Day weekend feels very different from years past. Even though we are not having lock-down, stay-at-home orders in Montana, still most of us don’t feel free to have a large gathering with a picnic potluck as we usually do. We need to find new ways of honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.

Memorial Day is this Monday, May 25th, a day for us in the USA to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. It was originally known as Decoration Day after the tradition of decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers. Women in Pennsylvania began this practice as early as 1864 following the end of the Civil War. Soon other states and cities did the same.

Waterloo, New York, held an annual community-wide event beginning in 1866. This led the town to be recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day by the federal government in 1966. Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971. In 2000, Congress passed a resolution, urging Americans to set aside 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day “to observe a national moment of remembrance to honor the men and women of the United States military who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.”

Thank you, Shutterstock, for this image.

Do You?

Do you celebrate Memorial Day? If so, how are my fellow Americans planning on celebrating Memorial Day this year?

I’m curious: How do those of you in other countries remember the people in your nation who have served in your military (or do you)?

Photo by Markus Spiske temporausch.com on Pexels.com

Wonderful Dream

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful dream-come-true to have us all just love one another? No fences, no walls, no borders, no nation against nation… just one world, unified, working in tandem for a better life for everyone?

Wouldn’t it be a dream-come-true if we all felt a sense of freedom without anyone having to die to maintain it?

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful dream if everyone stopped hoarding and just shared generously? Share toilet paper! Share the Good News! Share LOVE!

… a pet, and toilet paper
and a lotta LOVE!

Our military generously give their ALL.
The least we can do is give them a day of Gratitude for their service…
and a dream that one day we will all live as ONE,
end all wars, and live in PEACE!

God bless you, my dear Blogging family.
I pray that you have a peace-filled weekend.
I’ll see you tomorrow.

Hugs, JanBeek

Wait, don’t leave until you comment!!
Tell me about how you honor your military
or tell me about your dreams for ONE WORLD of LOVE!

Category:

Giving, Gratitude, holidays, Life and Death, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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10 Ways to Bee Open to God

May 22, 2020

Listening to God
Is a daily endeavor
It takes intention
His Words are clever

God speaks through Jesus
Jesus, His Holy Son
And He speaks through the Spirit
The Holy Spirit, that’s the One!

Listening to God
Takes a willing heart
It takes a willing spirit
Here’s the way to start:

Bee still
Bee open
Bee teachable
Bee attentive
Bee humble
Bee submissive
Bee expectant
Bee responsive
Bee-lieve
Bee-ware… and aware!

Yes, #1 on the list is “Bee Still!”
Bee silent – listen – and JUST LOVE!

Isaiah 50:4
“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

Does the Lord “waken your ear” each morning to listen? Every morning my friend, Lisa, who lives across the continent from me – over on the east coast – sends me a picture of where she is and assures me that she has me in prayers. Her pictures show me a scene so different from my own.

Each One Has Their Own Way

In our different environments, each of us is listening and praying. Each of us in our own way. We are open to God’s word – and open to whatever message He has for our day. We share special prayers for one another. It is a beautiful way to start each day.

Do you have a special friend who helps you to Bee more open, teachable, and attentive?

Do you have a system for Beeing more expectant and responsive?

If so, I’d love to have you share with me ways you are open to hearing God speak to you each day.

Through His Word and through music, God speaks to me most clearly. How about you? Which of those ten “Bees” are most helpful to you when you want to tune in to God’s voice?

Have a Fabulous Friday, my friends.
Bee well!
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, God, Jesus, Love, music, Poetry, prayer

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Help! Get Me Outta Here!

May 21, 2020

My friend, Doris sends me chuckles each day.
They help keep me looking at life’s lighter side.
I thought I’d share a few with you this evening.
x

Don’t laugh about my stomach.
It’s no laughing matter!
Read on, I’ll tell you why…

My buddy, Doris, who send me these is a friend who graduated from high school with me in Turlock, CA back in 1957!

We go back to the Stone Age together!

She lives in Texas part of the year.
These billboards came from a place in Austin, TX called “El Arroyo.”
She said that translates to “The Ditch.”
Do you know Spanish? Is she right??

Go ahead and laugh, my friends. I am told it’s good for what ails ya.

By the way, what’s ailin’ ya?? Read on… I’ll share what ails me. (Ya, I know you may not want to know, but I’ll share anyway!)

Do you have a COVID-19 funny bone you can share with me? I already laughed at these. I need a new one.

I have a hernia that may need removing. That’s not as bad as a kidney stone! But that’s what ails me. Day before yesterday I had an ultrasound to be sure it’s JUST a hernia. Yesterday I had a CAT scan to see that lump more clearly. Today the doc called to schedule an appointment with a doctor who will interpret all these tests. He’s not available til June. Oh well… it’s probably nothing… but I pass this along to you asking for your prayers and a laugh. OKAY?

Pass a laugh along, will ya??

And have a good, restful night.

I‘ll see ya tomorrow.
Virtual Hugs,
JanBeek

These are my friends, Chuck & Caroline.
Come back tomorrow.
I’ll show you the house they are building.
It’s just down the hill from our house.
Oh man! I love this couple of friends sooo much!

OKAY, I’m outta here for tonight.
Have a good sleep!

Category:

friendship, health, humor, Love, relationships

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I Love Good Art

May 19, 2020

“Good art is as close as people get to overcoming mortality.”
Nick J. Wood

How do we recognize “Good Art”?

Nick J. Wood wrote on his WordPress blog, Artfully Bridging The Ages — The Nature Of Art,
“… although the styles of expression change, it is the way it (art) touches the inner-self, the part normally obscured by mundane routine that confirms it as having artistic value.”

Architecture is art as much as creating sculptures or painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I believe “good art” preserves history in a myriad of ways.

Sewing is an art. I have a quilt hand-sewn by Bob’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in 1933. Talk about history preserved!

Photography definitely is an art. The way it preserves history is evident.

Yes, art takes on many forms; and artists come in every color, age and size. Who decides if you are an artist or not?

Is poetry an art? Nick J. Wood posted this video on his blog. I love the poem and the voice recording it. Listen! You’ll love it, too.

How about gardening? Is it an art? Ask my friends, Lexi Sundell or Nancy Smrka, with their greenhouses… They’ll tell you! Ask Bob as he tends our spring flowers.

What about cooking? Yes, they call it “culinary arts” for a reason! My son-in-law, Andre’ is a chef who creates the most delicious, artistic plates imaginable. (This isn’t one of his… but you get the idea)

Music is an art, too. Through their gift of song and instrument, musical artists live on long after they have left this earth. Karen Carpenter died young. She suffered from anorexia. But she has overcome mortality – her voice lives forever in my heart.

Karen Carpenter
“How Could Anyone Mean More to Me than You?”
“One Love”

I love good art –
art in all its many forms.
And I love artists.
They are so predictable …

Hah! Don’t be fooled. This is a cute little cartoon/meme, but with artists being as diverse as they are, believe me, they are ANYTHING but predictable!

Here is an artist I love. He has a special spot in my heart. He and his wife, Lexi paint, garden, make jewelry, and create art by their very existence. Bernie Sundell is one of the first persons we met when we moved here. He helped Bob select and buy and go to Idaho Falls to buy his drift boat. He tutored him on rowing and casting and catching fish on the Madison and he painted a fabulous picture of Bob that hangs in our dining room. Here’s artist, fisherman, friend Bernie:

And here is the painting of Bob on the Madison River.
Bernie created it after one of their memorable outings.
It’s a beautiful rainbow trout –
but here it’s only catch and release!
Toss it back in, Bob!

Can you see why this painting
touches my “inner self”?
Bob & Bernie will live immortally in it!

Do you have a favorite form of art?
A favorite artist?
Do you create art?
Tell me about it.

Have a Terrific Tuesday.
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

art, Fishing, flowers, food, friendship, Love, Montana, photography, relationships

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Switch the Channel

May 18, 2020

Your mind is like a radio –
You can tune it as you like:
Rap or blues, talk or news,
Sadness of a virus spike.

Your mind has endless channels.
It’s a miraculous machine.
It can distort the truth and scare you,
Or explain what “Do Love” can mean.

Our Bible feeds our radio
With thoughts from God above.
He tells us to tune carefully
To the stations that spread love.

Philippians 9:8

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,
think about such things.”

Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com

This verse in Philippians got me to thinking.
What are the things that I would consider in these categories?
Think about them… add your thoughts after each word.
Where do these words take you? What is:

true
noble
right
pure
lovely
admirable
excellent and/or praiseworthy

Lift your thoughts to the highest peak.
Let your mind’s radio tune in to the thoughts that are
uplifting and worthy of consideration.
I tried that this morning.
Here is what I came up with.
I encourage you to come up with your own.
How are your thoughts different from mine?

Think on things that are TRUE:
a) The Bible
b) The love of my family
c) The need for friendship
Think on things that are NOBLE:
a) Active, Honest, Capable and Fair government leaders
b) Bob Goff’s “Love Does”
c) The work of doctors, nurses, caregivers
Think on things that are RIGHT:
a) The innocence of little children
b) Agape Love (as demonstrated by the unconditional love of my pup, TazE… and my devoted spouse, Bob)
c) The obligation to reach out and help the needy
Think on things that are PURE:
a) The motives of devoted, loving friends
b) The love of Christ for us sinners
c) Blessings from heaven
Think on things that are LOVELY:
a) Signs of spring = green leaves, daffodils, crocus, tulips
b) Kisses from my grandchildren (and great-grandchildren)
c) Phone calls, letters, texts from our children
Think on things that are ADMIRABLE:
a) The work of classified staff (such as nurse’s assistants and custodians) in nursing homes and hospitals
b) The volunteer work of pastors, elders, deacons, and others who give so much time/effort to the church
c) The donations of those who give time, food, and resources to help the needy
Think on things that are EXCELLENT or PRAISEWORTHY:
a) The efforts of teachers who are committed to continue helping students learn via ZOOM and other technology during this pandemic
b) The scientists who are working tirelessly to find a COVID-19 vaccine
c) The dedication of people who continue to serve in spite of the virus – – – food service workers, truckers, pharmacists, etc.

Your mind is like a radio –
You can tune it to what’s good.
Find the Philippians 9:8 channel
And think of love. You should!

Change Your Mind’s Channel
to Thoughts of Gratitude

Thanks for tuning in to JanBeek.
Tell me about your uplifting thoughts
based on Phil. 9:8

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, Giving, God, Gratitude, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another, truth

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Find Contentment

May 17, 2020

Paul Holdorf – Singing Sky Photography

Contentment

Paul Holdorf posted the following beautiful, eloquent essay on FaceBook today to accompany his wonderful photograph above. Do yourself a favor and take time to live in the scene with Paul and me for awhile. I am still there… in the arms of love and contentment.

No further comment from JanBeek necessary. Just savor Paul Holdorf’s creativity. ❤

“I can’t help but wonder what life was like for the occupants of this home. One might at first say that life sure is easier now, but is it? To be sure, it was a hard life, but it must be so rewarding to directly benefit from hard work. Very few things had to be purchased. Most things were made from whatever was available. A hard days work did not have to be converted to cash in order to benefit the family. The same soil that had to be scrubbed out from under fingernails, when properly tilled and watered, grew food for the table. It also grew food for the livestock that in turn also provided sustenance for the inhabitants of this home. As I stood there, I could hear the life that once resided here. A chair scraped on the rough wood floor as Dad got up to go make sure all was well outside before darkness settled in. The children helped clear chipped and faded dishes from the table as Mom brought in a pale of water to rinse things off. There was enough light left for several hours of exploration, so soon the distance sounds of laughter blended in with the clanking of dishes and the splash of dirty dishwater being thrown out the open door. Next to the door, in the corner of the room, stood an old broom, patiently waiting to remove the gravelly evidence of an evening well played. Later, after the children were all played out and tucked into a crowded bed, a silhouette could be seen in the warm light of the setting sun. Out in the yard, next to the swing hanging from a tree, a tired but fulfilled couple sat on an old log bench with their arms around each other. She leaned her head on his strong shoulder, and he thankfully leaned his head over hers. They watched the golden light dip behind the distant mountains and spread a blanket of oranges and reds over the high mountain valley much like the bedspread that would soon bring warmth and comfort to this couple. They work hard, they sleep when the sun sleeps and rise with it in the morning but it is a good life. Nothing is wasted, and everything is wisely used. I walk away from my daydream as they drift off to sleep. Stars begin to twinkle and an owl calls from its roost out in the forest. Rest and rejuvenation fill weary bodies with readiness for the next day, when they’ll do it all over again with joy and contentment in lives well lived.”

Category:

art, blessings, blogging, contentment, Family, Gratitude, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Montana, peace, photography, relationships, writing

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Love Does

May 16, 2020

Love Does

“Ambitions don’t flow from the quantity of our ideas or our uninterrupted drive; they gush out from our kindness and willingness to take a genuine interest in others.” Bob Goff

Taking a “genuine interest in others” is what Love Does!

Sometimes we wonder what we can do to make the world a better place. We want to help, but we don’t know how. Let me share an idea that works for me:

Bob Goff’s “Love Does” is an organization devoted to making the world a better place through education of people in places where schools did not exist before they came. Bob Goff wrote a “runaway New York Time’s best seller” book titled, Love Does. In it he spelled out his philosophy of DOING LOVE. Since its publication in 2012, I don’t know how many thousands of copies have been sold … but it is a whole lot!! And Bob’s LOVE DOES organization has raised millions to help thousands of children and adults in Uganda, India, Iraq, Iran, and Somalia have a better life.

In his quote this week on his FaceBook page, Bob talks about the courage to step out in faith:

Love Does

May 7 at 9:35 AM · 

"‪Sometimes God asks us to step out (or through). 
We don’t know what we’ll see 
until we go through the deluge. 
It’s scary to step into the unknown, 
but it’s also where we find Jesus; 
and wherever we find Jesus, 
we find life. 
Fear calls out our doubts; 
God calls out our names." ‬

Bob Goff

Helping to educate people from birth on … helping parents learn better parenting skills… helping to provide nourishment for the soul, the body, the spirit… that’s what Love Does! They built “Restore Leadership Academy” and sponsor the education of future leaders in Uganda.

Love Does

May 10, 2018 · On average in the states, it costs about $20,000 a year for college tuition. In Uganda through Restore Leadership Academy, it costs $700. Our college-aged interns here at Love Does have created a campaign to help fund our Launch students!! Visit lovedoes.org/launch to sponsor a student! Sponsor a student today or make a one-time donation and receive a bag of wildflower seeds and a cool sticker in the mail to help “Plant the Seeds of Education!” #LaunchUganda #LoveDoes #HappyG… See More— in Uganda.

Through Love Does, help moms be better moms – and help children not only survive, but thrive.

There are many ways in your own neighborhood as well as around the world to show your love and compassion and to make the world a better place. We don’t need to sit at home and feel helpless in this COVID-19 world. We can reach out and let our love “gush out from our kindness and willingness to take a genuine interest in others.”

I donate a small amount monthly to this organization. It comes directly out of my retirement check. Not enough that I even notice it! But, if each person who heard about Love Does did the same thing, together our offerings can change lives! Lives of all ages… lives in many parts of the world. Here are a couple of darling children in Somalia who are being helped through Love Does donations.

How adorable are these two little friends in the baby home? We love watching these kiddos grow up here! To learn more about what we’re doing in Somalia, visit lovedoes.org/Somalia

I pray you and I will visibly
gush with kindness and willingness
to take a genuine interest in others.

BOTTOM LINE: LOVE DOES!
Try it!

See ya tomorrow.
Have a Beautiful Sunday.
{{{Hugs}}} from JanBeek

Category:

children, Giving, Love, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Hello Dolly!

I was gonna write about Dolly
With a link to her song
That is titled, “Hello God”
But something went wrong.

Instead of it pasting
The link to that selection,
The thing that you see allows
You to play a whole album’s collection!

What a treat you are in for,
It’s not just #4 that you can hear,
But click on any one of these
And enjoy Dolly for a year!

Be sure and click out of the selected song when it’s finished or you will get a bunch of commercials!

I had not heard “What a Heartache” before…
It’s a song for those of you who have been deceived.
But, my preference is to listen to “Hello God,”
He’s on speaking terms with all who believed.

The words to “Hello God” include:
“Do You love some more than others?
… If we’re still on speaking terms,
Can You help us like You’ve done before?”
It’s a song for our times.

“Dear God, we’ve learned our lessons…
We really need You, we can’t make it without You…
Hello God, give us one more chance
To prove ourselves to You.”

Thank You, Dolly Parton, for your music
and the way it inspires.
And thank you, WP friends,
for tuning in.

I hope you have a
Wonderful Week.

Love,
JanBeek ;o)

Category:

Belief, God, Life's Challenges, Love, music

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The Best You

May 15, 2020

The best version of you
Is understanding and sweet.
You are loving and forgiving,
Compassionate to all you meet.

The best version of yourself
Is gentle and filled with peace.
You are an overflowing vessel
Of joyfulness that’ll never cease.

Your self’s very best version
Is an example of great patience.
You sparkle with faithfulness
And reflect the Holy Spirit’s radiance.

The best version of yourself
Is generous with everything you’ve got.
You reach out to feed and help others,
Never hoarding what’s in your pot.

When you look deep into your best,
You see a person who is humble and kind.
And if others don’t seem to see it,
Don’t worry, my friend. They must be blind!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The best version of yourself
Is mighty, strong, and wise.
Bee it, beelieve it, and beehave it …
Bee your best self… Never compromise!

I love my best self!
I love your best self!!
Hello, in there… Come on out!
Don’t keep your love trapped on a shelf.

Thank you for bein’ you!

Category:

Belief, contentment, Faith, friendship, Giving, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, self-acceptance, Serving One Another

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Anxiety Antidotes

Is this pandemic making you feel anxious?

Do you wonder when it will be over and what the “new normal” will look like?

Are you concerned about the new form of the virus that is attacking children? MISC = Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Do you feel anxious because the number of deaths continues to grow and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to stop it?

If so, you are not alone.

The meme at the top of this message tells us that we are not totally at the mercy of helpless anxiety. There are some things we can do to reduce our anxiety:

Go outside
Ask for help
Create something
Drink water
Write about how you feel
Take a deep breath
Listen to soothing songs
Stay present
Find a positive distraction

All those ideas are fine and dandy if all we care about is reducing our own anxiety. But what if what we care about is helping to alleviate others’ suffering? What if we want to play some role in shortening this COVID-19’s life-span?

One of those items on the list hit me as an action that can do more than just alleviate MY anxiety… and it can help others as well. Which one do you think it is?

Here are a couple of clues:

Photo by Yaroslav Danylchenko on Pexels.com

CREATE SOMETHING!

I have a several friends who are eliminating their feelings of helplessness in the face of this virus by using their creativity – – – they are making masks and sending them to the local hospital, the nursing home, and sending them to places where masks are in short supply.

Also, other creative people are using the internet to draw people together, creating inspirational videos to lift spirits. Check this one out:

There are so many ways people are using their creativity to relieve anxiety, bring hope, and send out messages of love and faith.

We are not helpless.

We are not hopeless.

We don’t need to sit idly at home feeling anxious.

Let’s put our heads together safely,
activate our creativity,
find an anxiety antidote
that uses our talents
to help ourselves and others
get through this period
with love and encouragement.
What we do matters!

Tell me,
what will you do today?

Category:

Giving, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Lay Me Bare

May 13, 2020

I want to lay bare.
Unwrap all my coverings;
Lay bare my soul, Lord.

It is a process –
Unwrapping our gifts –
Being all we are.

Photo by Henley Design Studio on Pexels.com

I want to be clean,
Free of all the barriers
that keep me from God.

Photo by ALLAN FRANCA CARMO on Pexels.com

Life can be twisted,
Locking out our special gifts.
Unlock barriers.

Rid yourself of them –
The chains of security.
Be vulnerable!

Only when your shell
Is cracked open and you flow
Can your gifts be used.

Lord, lay bare my soul.
Unwrap my coverings, Lord.
Reveal my gifts.

Let them be useful
As I reach out in kindness
And share all my gifts.

Blog title and ideas inspired during my devotional time this morning with Strength & Grace, Daily Devotions from Guideposts

James 1:17

“Every good thing given
and every perfect gift
is from above,
coming down from
the Father of Lights,
with whom there is no variation
or shifting shadow.”

“Lord,
I pray for Your grace and strength
as You unwrap the layers of these gifts.
May we be blessed to become
all that You would have us to be.”
Amen

(Prayer for today from
Strength & Grace)

Lay me bare!
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, Giving, Haiku, Jesus, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, prayer, Promises, Serving One Another, Spiritual Gifts

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One Small Act

May 12, 2020

If you see someone
Who desperately needs your help,
Of course you’ll reach out.

But most people seem
Afraid to really let on –
They hide what they need.

Too proud to reach out,
They act like everything’s fine.
Sharpen your feelers!

Reach out secretly.
It’s like that wine meme I saw:
Make it a fun game!

Hah, I did just that!
But was surprisingly caught!
Yup, laughter is good.

What is one small act
You can do to cheer a friend?
How about a card?

When you mail a card to a friend,
consider inserting a tea bag or a seed packet.

Lord, make me a channel of Your peace…
This is Susan Boyle at her best –
So pure, so sweet, so inspiring.

To be loved – as to love with all my soul –
It is in giving to all that we receive –

Where there is darkness,
Only light;
Where there is sadness,
Ever joy!

Virtual Hugs to you
from me and my daddy!
Hah! I used to have dark hair like his was.

See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

What’s that “One Small Act” for you today?
Tell me!

Category:

blessings, Family, flowers, friendship, Giving, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing, writing

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Monday Musings

May 11, 2020

It’s already past noon here. I really needed that Monday morning coffee!! It was a really different kind of Mother’s Day yesterday.

We couldn’t travel to see our son and family in California.
And they couldn’t come here.

We couldn’t fly to see our daughter and family in Switzerland.
And they couldn’t fly here.

We couldn’t even go into the Madison Valley Manor nursing home to give our friends there a hug.

BUT, we could go and see our dear Elaine Forsberg through the window! And the CNA came to the door and took my balloons and delivered them to three dear friends there: Elaine, Phyllis and Kitty. The latter two couldn’t come to the Sun Room to greet us at the window, but Elaine did. Yay!

It’s a sad sign of the times when this pandemic keeps us from the warm hugs that brighten our days. We will never take those hugs for granted again!

As a group of family and friends, we gathered outside the Sun Room window and sang “Happy Mother’s Day” to Elaine.

Elaine’s son and daughter-in-law, her daughter and son-in-law, and a few grandkids and friends braved the gray, cold, windy spring Montana day to cheer her. It cheered us, too.

“Whatever you bring into the lives of others
comes back into your own.”

My mom always told me that.
Did you hear that as a child, too?

That smile was worth a million bucks.

If I coulda done so, I woulda delivered a basket of tulips to each of the Manor residents… and I’d send a basket of flowers to each of you, too. Thank you, my blogging friends, for visiting JanBeek today. I hope you had a memorable, happy Mother’s Day.

Our daughter, DeAna (who lives in Switzerland), called on FaceTime yesterday. She and her “Mother-in-Love” Denise were having a glorious Mothers’ Day. My son-in-law, Andre’ and three grandsons made a fabulous dinner with a beautiful dessert for their mom/grandmama and even cleaned up all the dishes afterward!

DeDe and Andre’ are going through some tough times right now. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken away their jobs. They are weighing some difficult decisions about their future. I keep them in my daily prayers. Thank God for the Internet so we can stay connected.

Ty and Monika called us on one of those social media apps (FaceTime or WhatsApp …) and we had a wonderful chat. Their lives are kinda topsy-turvy right now, too. I hope you were able to talk yesterday with all the people who matter most to you, too.

It must be especially difficult for people like Phyllis’ daughters, Lisa, Avis, and Julie. Phyllis is one of my dear friends at the Manor Nursing Home. Her daughters are scattered states away from their mom – – – and unable to visit her right now. My heart goes out them.

There was a beautiful blog written about that very subject yesterday:

Audrey Kletscher Helbling, Minnesota Prairie Roots

The title of her post was: “Gratitude for Mother’s Day photos & the love of a rural Minnesota care center staff”. It was a lovely tribute to the care givers who are such a treasure!!

Take my hand, dear friend.
Let’s share and muse together.

What is on your mind
this Monday?

See ya later.

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, Family, flowers, friendship, Giving, health, Life's Challenges, Love, peace, relationships, Serving One Another

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Life is Like a Teeter-Totter

May 10, 2020

Remembering Back

I first posted this poem back in 2012 on this JanBeek blog. I have revived it today because most of you were not my followers to see this back 8 years ago!

In 1991 I wrote a poem for my mom to wish her a Happy Birthday. With the framed poem, I gave her the ceramic teeter-totter you see pictured above.

The piece is a wind-up music box that plays “Playmates” as the little mice go up and down. She always had the poem and music box with her the next fourteen years as she was in and out of hospitals, rehab facilities, and nursing homes. When she died, I inherited them – and I treasure the memories they bring to mind.

Mom’s Cousin

My mom had a cousin close to her age, Madge Pickering, who lived with mom’s family when she was a child. Eventually Madge married and moved into a home of her own. She and her husband had two sons, Ronnie & Donnie.

Mom married and moved to California where my sister and I were born. I loved meeting and spending time with my cousins when we would go to spend Christmas vacation back in Washington with Mom’s family.

Stayin’ in and Losin’ Touch

Through the years I have stayed in touch with the older of those two cousins, Ronnie. He is near my age. However, I had lost touch with Ronnie’s little brother, Donnie, until a Saturday about a decade ago. Found out Donnie also lives here in Montana now!

Donnie, whom I had not seen in 60 years, and his wife, Patti, came to spend Labor Day weekend with Bob and me about ten years ago. What a treat! We reminisced and told stories and went through family photos and various family “artifacts.”

One of my inherited treasures is a letter written on the occasion of our mutual great-grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary. They were married September 1, 1875. The letter is “A Saga of the Valley” – the valley in and around North Bend and Fall City, Washington where my mother and Donnie’s mom were born and raised. The letter was typed on onion skin, is brittle and faded, and hard to read – but is is legible.

I retyped it and sent it to my newly reacquainted cousin, Donnie. I trust he shared it with his daughter who is into the study of genealogies.

Treasuring Memories

As I was headed into the office to my computer, I spotted the ceramic teeter-totter music box. I realized I had forgotten to share that artifact with Donnie. His mom, like mine, was a devoted mother who was wonderfully supportive of her two sons. I hope he appreciated this funky little poem. I didn’t hear back from him. But, now – a decade later, it is more true than ever… and I know he will concur:

Life is Like a Teeter-Totter!

Life is like a teeter-totter –
Full of ups and downs.
Kids learn to roll and toss with it,
To shake away the frowns,
If they have a loving home
To lean back and reminisce on when they roam.

Life is like a teeter-totter –
Full of bounces and of bumps.
Kids learn to rock with a jolly jump
And shake away the lumps
If they have a loving mother
To hug them tight and with kisses smother.

Life is like a teeter-totter –
It works better in pairs,
They keep each other balanced
And handle love in shares
If they have had their mother’s arms
To guard against abuse and harms.

Life is like a teeter-totter –
Full of laugh and silly giggle.
Full of noise and wonderment –
Girls to squeeze and boys that wiggle –
If they have been secure in love
Both from home’s hearth and God above.

Thank you, Mom, for filling my life
With love… more ups than downs, for sure.
You seemed to know my every need;
For every hurt you had a cure.
Happy Birthday, Mother dear –
I thank God each day that you are near!

God Bless our Moms!!

Mom, me, Dad, and my sis, Sally
(Hah, some things never change…
I wore that necklace with a new blouse just yesterday)

I hope you have had a Memorable Mother’s Day.
What memories do you treasure of your mom??
JanBeek ;o)

Category:

blessings, children, Family, Gratitude, Love, Memories, Poetry, relationships

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Marvelous Moms

Our marvelous moms

Their unconditional love

Speaks eternally

Love to moms whose children are distanced by this pandemic

Love to our adopted moms/ AFS moms/ chosen children

Our son, Ty, and his beautiful spouse, Monika, mother of 4 of our grandkids

Special love this day to wanna-be moms who would’ve if they could’ve

And extra love ❤️ this day to all the guys who made us moms… and grammies…

Love to all future moms on this day, too. I pray they marry first!!

Happy Mum’s Day!

Category:

blessings, children, Family, God, Gratitude, holidays, Love, relationships

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7 Qualities of Great Leaders

May 9, 2020

Coming Election

During this period of time from now to November 2020, we in the USA will be looking carefully for the qualities we seek in a good leader… wanting to elect a great leader … someone worthy of following.

Our Ideas & Biblical Principles

I asked Bob this morning, “If you had to name just seven qualities you think are essential for effective leaders, what would they be?”

His answers didn’t totally match the Biblical principles that prompted this blog title, but some were right on. I was reading 1 Timothy 3:1-3 during my devotional time up in my angel room this morning. This is what it said:

“… If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. Now the overseer must be above reproach… temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”

An overseer is one who sees over his followers. A supervisor, head, manager, head honcho! And s/he must lead with qualities worthy of emulation.

Photo by alexandre saraiva carniato on Pexels.com

Bob said,

Honesty
Integrity
Intelligence
Experience
Compassion
Interdependence (not someone who thinks s/he can do it all alone)
Respect

The Bible went on to say in 1 Timothy 3:6-7 (The parenthesis are my additions):

“He must not be a recent convert (in other words, s/he needs experience in his/her area of leadership), or he may become conceited… He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace…”

Photo by Sippakorn Yamkasikorn on Pexels.com

If the leader’s reputation is tarnished, it is like handing his/her followers a handful of worms. They just come crawling out…

1 Timothy 3:8-10 says,

“Deacons, likewise, are to be [persons] of respect, sincere… and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.”

Being a deacon is often considered synonymous with being an “elder.” In the Catholic church, it is a position below that of priest. In the protestant church, an elder is part of the ruling or decision-making body. A deacon is a part of a group of leaders elected to reach out in service to the congregation and the community at large. All religions have “deacons” whose job it is to be the hands and feet of God – serving those in need. Deacons are respected leaders whose job it is to serve those who count on them.

Your Ideas & Mine

So have you come up with your own list of seven qualities a good leader needs? Will you let those qualities guide your decision when you vote in your next election?

Before you read on, make your own list. What are the seven qualities you deem most important in an effective leader?

These are the ones I gleaned from my study of the third chapter of 1 Timothy:

competent (gained from applicable experience)
wise (wisdom borne of Godly counsel, intelligence and study)
mature (mentally and spiritually solid)
gentle (compassionate & not quarrelsome)
self-controlled (exhibiting peace and unity)
respectable (leading a life worthy of emulation)
generous (always giving his/her best to/for followers)

Photo by Anastasia Zhenina on Pexels.com

May we each live a life
That is worthy of emulation –
A life that is an open book.

Tell me, what are the qualities
that are on your list for great leaders?
See ya tomorrow.

Have a Super Saturday!
Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, God, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, peace, relationships, respect, Serving One Another, truth, work

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Dog Days

May 8, 2020

There’s no time like now
To enjoy some great dog days –
So, sit down and smile!

Don’t need a Monday
for TazE to do this stretch.
We call her “Frog Dog!

TazE was perky
As a puppy in basket.
She’s a snuggler now.

Whether at home or
in the car, she’s a snuggler.
Loves to burrow in!

Burrows in the car
using my coat for blanket.
Hey, go get your own!

In this pandemic,
TazE’s a great companion.
Have you a dog pal?

Knowing a dog’s hug
is unconditional love.
It’s personified!

Today’s Hope’s birthday.
Happy 26th birthday
to Granddaughter Hope!!

There’s no sweeter love
than the love of a puppy!
It fixes all ills.

We’ve loved six Bostons
during our 58 years.
Each still part of us.

Boston Terriers
are always good and fun sports –
– in every season!

Is your dog lazy
with soulful eyes and sad look?
Or full of sparkle?

*Photo by Goochie Poochie Grooming on Pexels.com*

Whether sleek, fluffy,
great big, small, or in between,
dogs are good buddies.

A day with a dog
is a happy day, indeed.
I can testify!

Whether big or small,
dogs always make life’s journey
more joyful travel.

Do you have a dog
to ease your earthly journey?
I would love to hear.

Maybe there’s a cat.
They travel a different road!
Is yours a lap cat?

If you’re like Derrick,
You have a bird’s company.
Their songs cheer your days.

derrickjknight has “Nugget.”
Have you met him?

I’m all about finding cheer and comfort and companionship in these pandemic days. Where is your happy source (besides your spouse or God)??

Have a Delightful Dog (or cat or bird) Day!!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Animals, blessings, Family, friendship, Haiku, happiness, Love, pets, Poetry, relationships

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Don’tcha Hate it?

May 7, 2020

Just love each other.
Hate ain’t s’posed to be in here.
Don’t say what you hate!

Don’t tell me that it
May not fit everybody…
Hate pessimism!!

It’ll be new and it’ll be better.
Don’tcha think?

Category:

Haiku, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, Poetry

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What the World Needs Now

May 6, 2020

What the world needs now
Is just a huge dose of love –
Oh, a few more things…

So many bloggers
Are giving us great ideas
About the world’s needs.

One thing is for sure:
We are all very needy.
What is it you need?

The world needs sweet love,
Not just one, but everyone.
What else do we need?

During this Coronavirus , we need to reach out.
Be the hands and feet of God on earth. He needs us to give:

food – to remove malnourishment
laughter – to remove anger
tissues – to remove sadness
rest – to remove fatigue
a clean bath – to remove dirt
chicken soup – to remove sickness
play – to remove boredom
conversation – to remove loneliness
prayer – to remove hopelessness
flowers – to remove dreariness

See how these flowers
Brighten the space where they are?
Share what you can give!

Even if all you have to give
is a smile,
Do not underestimate its worth!

What can you do now
To reach someone in kindness?
Make the world better!

I’m off to leave a pizza on a friend’s doorstep,
ring the bell,
and dash away.
See ya later!

Category:

blessings, flowers, food, friendship, Giving, God, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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A Crappy Day

May 5, 2020

It’s a crappy day
A gray and cloudy Tuesday
There’s no place to go

California’s far
For a one day drive in car
And flying is out

Switzerland’s too far
To drive, fly, or even swim
It’s a crappy time

I want to hug them
I want to see my grandkids
One has a birthday

This week is her day
To celebrate twenty-six
No, I can’t be there

Are you feeling it?
Is your separation tough?
Is your day crappy?

We just want to love –
Love one another right here
Is there a good way?

Thank God for the Net
Thank God for phones and e-cards
Thank God for your life

Gratitude’s the key
For changing crappy to good
Do you feel thankful?

Thank God you’re alive
Thank Him for your daily bread
Reach out to your friends

Write a card today
Put it in the mailbox
Brighten someone’s mood

Personalize it
With a special note from you
Let shared love cheer you

And if you live close,
You might deliver a piece
Of your berry pie

Or the cinnamon
Sticks you learned to make from Mom
Who never wasted

The left-over dough
Does that memory bring smiles?
It does that for me!

Day’s not so crappy
When you reach out with a smile;
So, try it yourself!

Don’t think of crappy
Think of happiness instead
You are what you think!

Thanks for visiting
JanBeek
and sharing below a little bit
about what you did
to change
crappy to happy
for you and your loved ones today.

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Family, food, friendship, Giving, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Where Did It Begin?

The wonderful video above was posted on Facebook – – – and should be viewed around the world (It says it can’t be previewed while I have it scheduled to be posted… but I hope when it actually posts, you can see this). Let’s help it go viral… and work to make it come true!

Another take on when this whole Coronavirus mess began was posted with this quote from CS Lewis “Screwtape Letters” today:

It doesn’t really help to blame Satan or China or Trump or any other place or person for this virus. We know it was not man-made… and blaming won’t make the world a better place. Only love and compassion can do that!

How will it all End?

It will take each of us individually
working for a brighter tomorrow …
and each of us acting in concert with others
to create the world we all want to see.
Let’s stand hand in hand!

Hand in hand…

Keep dreaming and working for
a brighter, more compassionate world.
What’s one thing you can do to help?
Make this a Happy Cinco de Mayo
with something positive you do today
to bring a smile to a friend.
What will it be?

You can bring a smile to my face
by sharing your ideas for
how you celebrate the 5th of May today …
and what you’ll do for a brighter tomorrow
in the comments section below.

See you later.
Hugs from JanBeek

Category:

happiness, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, relationships

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Where ya Headed?

May 4, 2020

Philippians 3:13

“… forgetting what is behind
and straining toward
what is ahead,
press on toward the goal
to win the prize
for which God has called me
heavenward…”

Looking Back

I need you to see a photo of my youngest granddaughter when she was a little baby. Read on and I’ll tell you why I want you to see this on a post that’s all about where you’re headed. Here’s Faith Austynn Beekman:

Faith was adopted at birth by our son, Ty, and his wife Monika. The story of her adoption is a good one for another day. But for now, let me fast-forward:

Faith has grown to be a woman of great faith. This photo of her between her two grandmothers was taken two years before she graduated from High School. I tried to find my photo of her at her graduation, but this was as close as I came to it.

Ah, tenacity… it paid off… I found it! Here Faith is with us on the day of her graduation. Look at how much taller she is! Or did I just shrink?

Why do you think it was so important to see Faith on her graduation day – on this post titled, “Where ya Headed?” Well, a scripture with ta similar message as Philippians 3:13 – was printed on the top of her commencement hat! Hebrews 12:1 …

Looking Ahead

Fast forward again. Here is Faith with her fiance’, Kyle McSparron, on the day of their engagement:

And here they are at the rehearsal dance the day before their wedding:

Faith’s life so far is a fairy tale of love and success and faithful direction. Obedience to God and to her parents’ teachings, adherence to Biblical Principles, and the tenacity to “run with endurance the race God has set before [her]” are criterion that characterize her young life.

Living the Race

Faith and Kyle joined her parents (our son) Ty and Monika with their dog, Nakota at our home for Thanksgiving last year. Kyle has an electrical business that is suffering the downturn caused by this COVID-19 pandemic. He needs our prayers as he works to keep the company afloat.

Faith is working for the state of Nevada as a “Disaster Preparedness Advisor” (that may not be the exact title, but you get the idea. Her job is particularly vital right now… and much can be done on-line. Moving forward, we can see the two of them are living Hebrews 12:1 as fully as possible.

Bob & I are in our pj’s in that photo because it was very early on the morning they were leaving to head back to California.

“Don’t look back. You’re not headed that way!”

Looking Forward

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”

I don’t know to whom I should attribute that quote, but it sounds like somebody like Billy Graham would have said it… or Mother Theresa.” And I know it is so true. God is in charge of where I’m headed. If today’s world and our circumstances are any indication, then we know the path to where we’re going is a rocky one. The only way to navigate it is through faith and prayer.

See that moose on my bed? When Faith was about 6 or 7, she and her family came to visit us. We spent a day in Yellowstone National Park. It’s ony an hour’s drive from our home. At the end of the visit, she and her three siblings were given the opportunity to go into the gift shop and buy themselves something to help them remember the trip. Faith bought this moose – and then gave it to me! She has such a loving heart!

If you saw my tribute to Ken Hall on my blog
a few days ago, you saw that photo above the bed,
but I didn’t show you “Faithful” – my moose.

Each morning when I make my bed, I place “Faithful,” this little moose in front of the pillows, and I say a prayer for Faith and Kyle. I thank God for Faithful, my reminder of my granddaughter Faith – and I thank Him for her and her faith, for her beautiful marriage to Kyle, and I ask God to watch over them.

May God watch over you today, too, my friends.
And may He guide you as you
“Run with endurance the race He set before you.”
Look to a bright future…
It’s coming!
Face Forward –
That’s where you’re headed.

See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, Family, God, happiness, life, Love, Memories, Montana, prayer, relationships

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Let the Shepherd Lead Us

May 3, 2020

Rev. Steve Hundley
delivered the prayers and
inspirational message below
by way of ZOOM to a “screenfull”
of appreciative worshipers this morning.

Fran McNeill
selected the songs.
I am pleased to share
parts of this service with you today.

Come, let us worship!

Call to Worship: Psalm 116: 12-13

God invites us into His healing presence with these words: “I am the Lord, who heals you.”

Diseased, depressed, dysfunctional, defeated, we come hungering for health that only God can provide.

God calls us to bring open eyes, hearing ears, and tender hearts turned towards Him, the Great Physician.

We worship our God with faith and expectation.

Come and sing along!

Opening Prayer

O God, our Rock, our refuge, our resting place, we come to You out of another week of mostly sheltering in place. We come out of our desire to find some meaning in this strange, unusual, and frightening time. We come out of our desire to meet You and know You as the center of our being. We gather in spirit and in the security of Your love. Fill our hearts and prepare us for service and for the living of these days. Amen.

Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray – Bible Hubbiblehub.com › isaiah
“We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

A Children’s Message for Adults, too!
(a true story)

When we were teenagers, my brother bought an old wooden canoe with the intent of restoring it. Ridge spent one entire summer re-conditioning it. He stripped the wooden ribs and re-varnished the interior. He “re-fiberglassed” the outside and even painted it to resemble an Indian birch bark canoe.

For its maiden voyage we decided to take it out on the James River for a day of fishing. After what turned out to be a banner day of catching a passel of smallmouth bass and sun perch, we reached the designated take-out point. Pulling the front of the canoe up on the shore, we jumped on my brother’s motorcycle that we had left there and headed back up river to retrieve the pickup truck.

When we drove back to get the canoe, it was nowhere to be found. Searching the river bank, we spotted it floating off downstream. Running along the bank and crashing through the underbrush, we were able to draw even with it. Grabbing the longest tree branch we could find, we strained to reach out to it, but with every attempt, it moved further out into the main current of the river, gaining speed as it drifted away.

Then came the moment of truth! It was clear that one of us would have to strip down and swim after the canoe. Looking at each other, we knew who it would be. HEY, IT WAS NOT MY CANOE! Don’t look at me like that! If I had offered to strip down and drive into the icy water to recue “his” canoe, he would not have learned anything about the responsibility of ownership. I did, however, cheer him on as he dove into the frigid water.

There is no greater blessing in life than to have someone who is willing to strip down and dive into the dark and icy waters of this world; particularly when what is disappearing down the river happens to be us. especially during this life-altering virus outbreak. Yes, we belong to Jesus, who has redeemed us with His life on the cross. Like my brother who was willing to dive into the icy waters to save his canoe, Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd, and I lay down my life for my sheep.”

SONG: Shepherd Me O God Sm 2058

Prayer for Illumination:

Lord, open our hearts and minds by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we may hear Your Word with joy. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer:

O Lord, our Shepherd, who leads us by still waters and into green pastures, we thank You for the times in our lives when life is strong, good, affirming and everything happens for the best. Teach us to remember, though, that You are with us at all times, even in the midst of this ongoing pandemic when the waters are not still and the pastures are not green, when our days are fraught with danger and difficulty and we eat our bread in the presence of a silent killer called COVID 19.

Remind us that Your loving kindness surpasses even this and Your faithfulness is to all generations. Help us to recall Your undying love for us in these days of adversity and disappointment, so that even this misfortune may but strengthen our sense of Your presence and encourage us in faith.

Though we are still sheltering in place, O Lord, we continue to pray for each other. Hear our individual prayers as we lift up to You all those we love who need your comfort and strength and healing today.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Go now – and bee the heart, ears, and hands of love.
Thanks for joining us in worship today.
God bless you!

See ya tomorrow.

{{{{HUGS}}}}
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, peace, prayer

Doing Your Best

May 2, 2020

Parents As Teachers

In today’s COVID-19 world, a lot of parents world-wide have become their child’s primary teacher. Even though many of the students have access to on-line classes, still parents discover they must oversee the learning process. Most parents are not prepared for this role. Are you one of them who sometimes feels overwhelmed by it??

Do Not Despair

You’re not alone! Many parents who are on this “Stay at Home” routine find themselves thrust into a much more intense teacher role than they ever bargained for. Your time spent with your child/student during this time is precious. You’re making life-long memories. Make them happy ones!

I am a retired educator. I spent more than two decades as an elementary teacher and administrator. During that time, I had the opportunity to experience first-hand how the expectations of others affects our self-evaluations. Our expectation for ourselves affects our self-esteem, too. Just know you are doing your best! Hang in there!

Do Your Best

How do you know when you have done your best? Who helps you determine what your best is?

I learned from a wise educator (Madeline Hunter) in an in-service once upon a time eons ago that the question is not, “Are you smart?” The question is, “How are you smart?” What a difference that makes!

As teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, friends, our task is to look for the natural strengths in others (as well as in ourselves). We all have them. Dig! Find the positives. Build on successes. Learn from, but do not emphasize, failures. Reward achievement.

Build On Strengths

Did you read my blog a couple days ago when I told you about our adventures on “Lucille” our Polaris Razor? She is a red-head who is a “Ball” – but she required a whole new level of “Do Your Best” when Bob took her into snow that was too deep for her body. Lucille high-centered and Bob was stuck. His best efforts at digging I her out were not good enough. She was not budging!

Nope, Lucille wasn’t going anywhere. She was stuck!

What does this have to do with “Build On Strengths?” Well thank God, we had friends with us – and one of them, Rex, has a wonderful Boy Scout skill: “Be prepared.” He had the necessary equipment to hook up a rope to his ATV and latch the other end of it to Lucille. He pulled our ATV out of that snow… and “saved our bacon!”

Bob & I can learn from Rex’s strengths. Be prepared! Carry a rope and the necessary winch in case of emergency in the future. And when the rope came loose at the end of the reel, Rex taught Bob how to secure it with a set pin so that it would not come loose again. God bless Rex! And as for us… we’re never too old to learn!

Focus on the Positive

My favorite expression when I was counseling teachers was one with poor grammar, but with great truth: “What you pay attention to is what you get more of.”

Want success? Find the best effort and praise it! Find what the student does best and teach through that strength. Sometimes our teaching is by example – people just watch what we do. Certainly our kids are perfect examples of that! It doesn’t work to tell them “Do as I say, not as I do!” They WATCH!!

Teaching is a JOY!

After I retired, I had the fun of teaching adults who had not learned yet how to read. I joined the volunteers in the “Stanislaus Literacy Program” in Modesto, California.

When I met her, Grace was an illiterate adult. She was nearly 40 and she had spent the last 30 years avoiding the world of print. Her “best” was sorting clothes from the dressing rooms at JC Penney and putting them back on the proper racks. No words needed for that task. But she hated being unable to read. She hid it well, but it made her feel “less than.” You can imagine!

Grace enrolled in the adult literacy program and I had the privilege of working with her to unlock the world of print. Sorting letters was a lot like sorting clothes. Matching capital to small case letters, sounds to letters, classifying vowels and consonants. One step at a time, backing up to the beginning, building on her strengths, we did it. The joy in Grace’s life when she discovered she could read menus, street signs, and billboards was palpable! Next step: books. A whole new world opened up to her.

Have you ever watched the light glow in a learner’s eyes when the key to a previously locked skill is found and the door opens? “I did my best” took on a whole new meaning for me!

You can watch that key unlock new learning, new ideas, new attitudes for your child. These days offer parents great opportunities.

Help Break Down Tough Concepts

When anyone is asked to perform at a level above their capabilities, frustration abounds. I’ve had that happen to me. I was put in a place where I was supposed to lead a ZOOM group. Be the host. What? At that time, I didn’t even know what ZOOM was!

But, I WOULD have been capable of that performance, if somebody took the time to show me how.

You have a chance to be that somebody for your child… or for a neighbor or friend. With love and patience, and confidence in his/her ability to catch on, be the somebody who breaks it down. Step by step, lead him/her through the process of knowing how, trusting that s/he CAN.

People need to know that we believe in them. Believe in yourself as a teacher. Do your best! Watch the light dawn. It’s a thrill!

Learn Something New

Everyday is a new opportunity to DO MY BEST. My mother-in-law always said, “No day is complete until you have learned something new.”

There is no better way to encourage a student to continue learning than to be the example who is a life-long learner.

What will I tackle with confidence today?

How about you?

Tell me about a skill you want to acquire.
Then, Just do it!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

children, Giving, happiness, learning, Life's Challenges, Love, Serving One Another, teaching, work

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The Change

It was a snowy, blowy day –
How the wind blew!
How the trees shook!
How the temperatures dropped!

It was a calm and blue-sky day –
How the icicles hung!
How the snow sparkled!
How the birds sang!

It was an emerging, awakening day –
How the earth breathed!
How the buds swelled!
How the world smiled in relief!

Spring is here!!

Praise God!
The daffodil tells us
The welcomed change
is here at last!

Have a Beautiful spring day.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

Tell me how the changing seasons affect you.
I love hearing from you.

Category:

flowers, Haiku, Love, Montana, nature, Poetry

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Remembering May Poles

May 1, 2020

The Way it Was

When I was a child at Bonita Elementary School in Crows Landing, California, May Day was a very special occasion. We always created a May Pole around the flag pole at the front of the beautiful, two-story brick building. We dressed in colorful clothes and practiced days in advance to be sure we knew how to weave the ribbons properly. Parents came to watch as students assembled in the front of the school. The band played. The principal spoke, and teachers did special art projects in the classrooms.

I especially remember Mrs. Horwedel, my 4th grade teacher, who had us go out into the fields near the school and pick wild flowers. Then we made paper baskets, filled them with the flowers, and created unique cards.

They weren’t as pretty as the one pictured here, of course, but we thought they were! Some of us took them home to give to our mom. Others hung them on a doorknob of a friend’s house as they walked toward home. (You hang it, ring the doorbell, and run to hide). It’s a surprise! A few decided to hang them on the door of a favorite teacher’s classroom.

Today’s World

In today’s world, there are few schools surrounded by fields with wildflowers, and buying flowers is too expensive. So, the tradition of the May Day baskets has pretty much gone by the wayside, right?

But May Poles didn’t cost much. Just a few bucks for some crepe paper or ribbon strips, and time to practice. I think it’s a shame that in most places we seem to have forgotten this day’s history and we have failed to preserve it.

History of May Day Celebrations

According to Wikipedia, “May Day is a public holiday usually celebrated on 1 May or the first Monday of May. It is an ancient festival of Spring^[1] and a current traditional spring holiday in many European cultures. Dances, singing, and cake are usually part of the festivities.”

Moving Forward

Let’s get back to dances, singing, and cake! Let’s reinstate the celebration of spring. Let’s recreate the May Pole. Let’s make it a part of our “new normal” once this VOVID-19 pandemic allows us to go back to our schools and hug our neighbors. What do you think?

I hope your day was a happy, memorable one.

What are your favorite May Day memories?

See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Category:

art, children, flowers, friendship, Giving, holidays, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, relationships

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A Fascinating Job

Bob had a student at Hillsdale High School
Back in the 1960’s who now lives in Australia.
Pat Martin-Vegue worked at Marine World USA.

He now lives in Gold Coast, Queensland
He trains and cares for the tigers at Dreamworld Australia
This is a magnificent tiger that Pat raised in his house.

Here is Kai… Pat raised him as a cub …
in a *padded, secure, special room* in his house.

Pat took this photos of Kai
with one of the other trainers.

You can see more of Pat and his tigers at Pat’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.martinvegue

Doesn’t that look like a fascinating job?
I love it that we personally know this great guy!!
Job security during the COVID-19 pandemic:
The tigers must be fed and cared for.
Not just ANYBODY can do that!

Heck, you just throw the meat in his mouth, right?
Ah, there’s more to it than that?
Uh… ya!!
It’s not a job I could handle.
How about YOU?

Coronavirus Springtime at DreamWorld Australia
Social Distancing!

What’s the most fascinating job you’ve ever had?

Mine was teaching K-8
in a juvenile hall near San Francisco,
It was back in the days when
kids waiting for foster care placement
were incarcerated along with older kids
who were jailed because of violent behavior.

But that’s a fascinating story for another day.

Tell me the story of your fascinating job…
or one you know about
because a friend or family member had it.

I’d love to hear from you.
Have a Fabulous Friday.
See ya later.

Tiger hugs from JanBeek – (and Pat ‘n’ Kia)

Category:

Animals, friendship, Love, Memories, pets, photography, relationships, teaching, work

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Empathy and Compassion

April 30, 2020

It takes compassion
To have honest empathy;
Takes a loving heart.

In a World of Need
by Terry Waite

“O Lord:
In a world where many are lonely,
we thank You for our friendships.
In a world where many are captive,
we thank You for our freedom.
In a world where many are hungry,
we thank you for our provision.
We pray that You will:
enlarge our sympathy,
deepen our compassion,
and give us grateful hearts.
In Christ’s name,
Amen”

Notice that in the first quote, Roger Ebert wrote EMPATHY is the most essential quality. In Terry Waite’s lovely poem, he asks God to “enlarge our SYMPATHY.”

What the difference between EMPATHY and SYMPATHY?

Oh, you poor, poor thing!
I am so sorry for you.
You hurt. What a shame!

I walk in your shoes,
Genuinely share your pain.
I understand you.

Lord, enlarge our empathy.
Help us know how to reach out with compassion.
Teach us to love, seek to understand, and share.
With God’s grace … teach us!

And help us remember
LOVE IS WHAT WE DO!
Reach out in empathy and compassion today!

And don’t forget as you reach out
to do so with a GRATEFUL heart!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

A Tribute to Ken Hall

This morning I received this wonderful photo of a very talented and compassionate man, Ken Hall. It was attached to a beautiful tribute
written by his wife, Penny. You just need to read it! Click the link below.

https://www.pennyhall.life/ken/

Above our bed, Bob & I have a photograph taken by Ken. It captures a gorgeous sunrise above our Madison Range. On a good day, we can see that sunrise out our bedroom window. But, on cloudy days when the sun is hidden, thanks to Ken’s creative lens, we still have our sunrise.

As Penny mentions in her tribute, one of Ken’s talents was music. He played the Indian flute magnificently. I think he may have had a heavy dose of Native American in him. Here is the video Ken produced shortly before his untimely, unexpected death. I hope it will open for you.

I leave you with the peace
that only God can give.
May you live in such a way
that a tribute to you
is this heart-warming
after your unexpected, untimely death
(hopefully that’s after you’ve lived a healthy 100 years).

See ya later.
God bless you.
Bee well!!

Category:

Faith, Family, friendship, God, Gratitude, Life and Death, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Montana, music, peace, photography, Poetry, prayer, relationships, respect

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Launching Lucille

April 29, 2020

Lucille is our ATV. We named our “all-terrain vehicle” after the popular 1950’s to ’70’s comedian, Lucille Ball, because she has a red head and she’s a “ball!” Look carefully at that photo and you can see Bob, TazE (our Boston Terrier), and me… ready to have a Montana springtime ball!

Just as a ship is launched to the sea,
Bob & I launched Lucille on the mountains today.
It’s not her maiden voyage; she’s a veteran for sure.
But it was her first 2020 opportunity to play.

On our way to North Meadowcreek
in the Tobacco Root Mountains

We went with two other couples;
It’s a good thing we had them along
Because when Bob got stuck in the snow,
Rex was prepared for what went wrong

He had a long rope, and equipment galore-
So he pulled old Lucille out in a flash.
Us gals kept our 6 feet distance and watched.
We didn’t want to intrude or do something brash.

CG Feldman helped pull our ATV back to safety after Rex Hocking used his four-wheeler and a lot of rope to pull our "Lucille" out… she had high-centered in the snow! pic.twitter.com/MMLIIarvGl
— Jan Beekman (@GrammyBeek) April 29, 2020

This video shows the end of the trial…
CG pulled the rope by hand at the end,
But Rex used it connected to his ATV
To pull Lucille out – way beyond the bend!

We had a wonderful ATV day on top of the Tobacco Root Mountains with this spectacular view. pic.twitter.com/WoVLbvSQo7
— Jan Beekman (@GrammyBeek) April 29, 2020

We went to the very top of the mountain
Where the sky was unbelievably blue –
And there we had lunch – a spectacular view –
Wish we could share this four-wheeling ride with you!

That snow-covered peak is gorgeous Mt. Baldy.
From here, it’s a much different sight
Than the way it looks from our house
Where it seems rounded and shines ever bright.

Beautiful ranch tucked into the hillside

The weather could not have been
More perfect for this ATV outing.
Life in the Montana mountains is grand!
Keeps me from sitting home – pouting!

TazE hangs out the side, enjoying the views

Back in McAllister
Lucille rides the trailer home

TazE loves taking rides on Lucille,
but now she’s ready to head home now!

Home again…
See Mt. Baldy out there?
I told you it looks rounded from our home.
Strange, huh?

I’m so glad you came to JanBeek today
To join our 2020 launch of Lucille.
Now it’s time to get in the kitchen;
Bob needs a hearty dinner meal.

Bee well!
Bee safe!!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, friendship, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, peace, pets, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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Love is Levitating

Love lifts me higher
Yes, love is levitating
Love lifts others, too

Let love be your name
May your words and actions lift
Be “Love in Action”

Be love mindfully
Be in a state of presence
You are a present!

God empowers you
With open heart, just connect
Feel the resilience

Love’s stabilizing
It is God’s underpinning
A sure foundation

Be a messenger
With words of love, peace, and hope
Embody God’s love

A Prayer for Grace
from Strength & Grace
by Guideposts

“Loving God,
Lead me to be a vessel
of Your healing love
in a hurting world.
Help me make a difference
here on earth
by loving people
the way that
You love them.”
Amen

…and have a Wonderful Wednesday!
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

Faith, God, Haiku, Love, Poetry, prayer, relationships

7 Comments

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Let’s Go to Switzerland

April 28, 2020

Today at d’Verse Lillian challenged us. Since we are not able to travel now because of the Covid-19 pandemic, write a poem that takes every one along with us on a trip we have taken in the past. Here are the directions:

Write a poem that is a travelogue of sorts.

2) The TITLE must include the name of the place we’ll be visiting

3) Post the poem to your blog AND add the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.

4) REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse

So, travel with me to Switzerland where or daughter and her family live.

Let’s Go to Switzerland

Switzerland is a wonderland
Where visitors love to go.
Springtime’s filled with flowers;
Winter – with magical snow.

We rode the tram to the top of the Alps
And stood on the mountain’s summit.
A trail for skiers led to the base,
But we stood back; no desire to plummet!

A favorite meal in the state of Valais
Is raclette, luscious melted cheese.
It’s made with milk from sweet Swiss cows.
Come and enjoy a day with us, please!

(https://dversepoets.com)

Category:

food, Love, Memories, mountains, Poetry, Travel

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Just Blossom

Spring’s around the bend
It just turned the long corner
Yes, hooray, it’s here!

Some seek the ocean
Some will stay inside the house
Others will garden

Some head to kitchen
Eating to oblivion
Where is it you go?

Isolation can
Distort our sense of wellness.
Make yourself a list!

Blossom where you are.
Let spring fill your heart and soul.
Spread sweetness today!

Bee in someone’s thoughts.
Put someone into your prayers,
And watch flowers bloom!

The shaded daffodil take longer to bloom

I have a friend, Lisa Glines, who sends me wonderful photos of her surroundings.

Here are Lisa and her mom, my buddy, Phyllis Wasick,
who is our local nursing home.

And now – go outside
And pick some flowers to give
To a lonely friend

And if you can’t go
Be like Derrick and send them
Over World-wide Web!

Phyllis can’t go out
And I can’t go and see her
So I’ll send her hugs

What will you do to “Just Blossom” today?

I’m sending you virtual hugs
and a toast to your health today.

Have a Terrific Tuesday.
Just Blossom!!
See ya later.

Category:

blessings, blogging, contentment, flowers, food, friendship, Giving, Haiku, happiness, health, humor, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, nature, peace, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

7 Comments

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The Reason

April 27, 2020

The God of hope brings peace and joy.
He fills my heart with song.
No matter what sorrow today may bring,
I can sing His praises all day long.

My heart overflows with God’s sure hope
That comes by the power of His Spirit.
When troubles mount; fear fills my heart –
I lean on Him and know He’ll clear it.

I trust today in God’s promises;
I know His joy and peace.
His love o’erflows within my heart
His power is sure to all fears release.

So when the fear in storms erupt
Sending troubles to your life,
Just turn to Him and see beyond –
Where Hope resides and Joy melts strife.

He is the reason I can sing today.
He is the reason I have peace in my soul.
He is the reason you can live with joy.
Let the power of His Spirit make you whole.

After listening to the John Anderson YouTube version of this song, I wrote this comment: “What a gorgeous rendition of this song. Previously I had enjoyed only the Josh Grobin version. Beautiful as it is, this choir adds extra beauty to it with their gorgeous harmonies… such an important message in this troubled world! Yes, let Him lift you to His shoulders… and let’s BEE more than we can ever BEE without him!”

Let the Lord lift you;
Let Him raise you up to Him –
Strong on His shoulders!

Your faith empowers
You to be more than you’d be
Without His presence.

Michael Solioz Photography
Tania on the mountaintop

My grandson, Mike, in Switzerland, sent me this photo that he took of his girlfriend, Tania, high in the Alps, overlooking the Rhone River Valley where they live. Lifted up… high into the heavens … with the sun streaming down, the peace of Christ permeates the world.

May that peace be yours today, my friend.
May you find joy and comfort in Him.
May He be the reason you can “sing His praises all day long.”
God bless and keep you.

Share with us your reason
for a sense of peace and hope
in today’s troubled world.

Bee well!
Love, JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, mountains, music, peace, photography, Poetry, prayer, relationships

8 Comments

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God Loves Vintage

April 26, 2020

Yes, God loves Vintage
He’s into restoration
Strips away the old

Finds the rust pockets
Things we never knew we had
Old is gone; new’s here!

2Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
the new creation has come:
The old has gone,
the new is here.”

Does that mean we need to discard the old and buy the new instead?

Not necessarily!
God is into restoration, remember?
Some old things are priceless!

Photo by Yaroslav Danylchenko on Pexels.com
And these priceless treasures should not be tampered with!
(Well, I guess a chuckle is needed in these trying times!)

There are some aged ones who are wise beyond imagination.
They deserve to be heard!
(Well, this grandma isn’t really aged… is she?)

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas on Pexels.com

Wizened aged ones
deserve to be preserved
and appreciated
.
However, I learned that my grandmother’s old Victrola
was worth much more in its original state – before I had it restored!!
Preservation and restoration are not always one in the same.

But, I believe every soul is in need of constant restoration. Just as we need to remove the rust from the old cars to restore and preserve them, we need to remove those rusty spots from our hearts. You know what they are:

greed
anxiety
lust
jealousy
hatred
grudges

God can help us replace the rusty spots with:

generosity
peace
Agape love
compassion
joy
forgiveness

Ask the Lord to help you.
Train your mind –
Restore your soul.

I’m like Vintage wine.
I think I improve with age.
God grants me wisdom.

James 1:5

“But if any of you lacketh wisdom,
let him ask God,
who giveth to all liberally
and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.”

Yes, the Bible is old … a Vintage Book …
and the language of the King James version
really is old.

Gratefully, the old scripture, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and ancient copies of the Torah or the Tanakh were not discarded. And as scholars are busy writing new, modern translations of the Bible, we still have the old language. It sings to me and rings true, and teaches me to study and keep learning. When I come to an archaic word that escapes me, I use http://www.dictionary.com and I increase my vocabulary. I may be vintage, but I am a life-long learner… constantly renewing my mind and seeking to learn.

Upbraideth:
root word: upbraid
to find fault with or reproach severely; censure

Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com

Like this wise, old owl,
let’s keep our eyes open to new opportunities.
Let’s keep our minds open to new learning.
Let’s keep our spirits open to renewal.
Let’s keep our hearts open to restoration.

I may be vintage, but I’m not old in my eyes.
My mind and spirit and heart are ready for daily restoration.
How about yours?

See ya later!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, learning, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, peace, Poetry

7 Comments

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Positive Mindsets

April 25, 2020

Today I read a wonderful post on this blog,

A Star on the Forehead, Blessed with a Star on the Forehead

Be a honeybee and not a fly

Today’s message included a You Tube video that caught my eye. It is worth watching. You can see her total post – and learn why this video spoke so loudly and meaningfully to her by clicking on the link above. And you can see the video posted below on this blog.

Learning from Bees & Flies

I was attracted to this video because (as many of you know) my husband is a retired beekeeper. Honeybees have been an important part of our livelihood – and Bob’s family’s income – for three generations. What can we learn about the importance of positive mindsets from honeybees and flies? Here’s the video:

The Choice is Ours

I think all of us would rather gather nectar and pollen to produce sweetness rather than choose to focus on the negative, gathering/spreading garbage and filth. The choice is ours!

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com
Live with positive purpose –
Gather nectar while you may!

Sweet thoughts
Sweet actions,
Sweet focus,
**Good for your soul!**
Good for others, too.

Photo by Leonidas Takao Ishikawa on Pexels.com
Garbage in –
Garbage out!

Photo by Nixon Johnson on Pexels.com
**Pest, nuisance, scavenger** …
Not for me!!

Proverbs 24:13

“My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste…”

KEEP A POSITIVE MINDSET!

BEE a honeybee, not a fly!

What will you do today to gather
the nectar of love
and spread it to your
friends and community today?

I send you lots of love…
Virtual hugs,
And Honey for your soul today.

Bee well!!
See ya later.

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, food, Giving, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, nature, relationships, truth

3 Comments

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Press Mute!

Oh my, those are such important questions!
When I was in second grade, my teacher wrote on my report card,
“Janet must learn she can’t talk ALL the time!”

Contemplate Silence

While I was up in my sanctuary this morning, that subject of the mute button was raised by one of the writers of a devotional. I contemplated the importance of silence.

I was reminded of my mom’s frequent cautionary quote,

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool,
than to speak and remove all doubt.”

I’m sure that wasn’t invented by her!
But I attribute it to her.
And it is reinforced when I read in the Bible,

Proverbs 17:28
“Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”

So, I pressed my mute button and sat in God’s presence without a word. Not easy for me… but I am cautioned often to practice the art of holding my tongue. And as I did so, this poem came to me:

Intention

Intention creates reality –
What do I intend to do today?
I set a goal to be loving
In everything I do and say.

Intention creates awareness –
I realize opportunities are near.
I want to do with grateful focus
The work that God has shown me here.

Intention creates commitment –
I’m determined to do His will.
But first I’ll read His Word and listen;
To hear His voice, I must be still.

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, truth

15 Comments

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Give to a Worthy Cause

April 24, 2020

Today is a Good Day to Reach Out.

Reach out in love!

Show Your Love

There are plenty of people out there who want to show their love to others. They want to give to make a difference. You are probably one of them.

Besides giving to those we love around us, there are “causes” we care about. We want to give love to those, too. Especially while staying at home during this COVID-19 pandemic, I have felt the need to reach out more than ever.

But, how do you know the cause is “legitimate,” and if you donate to a cause, then the money is going to its intended purpose – and not to line some executive’s pockets – or make an advertising company wealthy?

Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah on Pexels.com

Intermountain is a nationally recognized nonprofit providing Hope & Healing for children, youth, and families.

On their website, this is INTERMOUNTAIN’s mission statement,

“When families need help
with the complex emotional challenges
children and teens sometimes face,
Intermountain offers innovative treatment
developed from years of experience.
Our caring professionals
rely on our relationship-based approach
and client-centered treatment solutions
to meet the individual needs
of each child and family
and help them heal.
Our goal is to help
every child and family we serve
thrive and grow.”

Commitment

Because I believe Intermountain is committed to meeting its goal – and I have visited its campus in Helena, Montana, and seen first-hand the enormous good they do, I am signed up for an automatic deduct from my retirement stipend each month to send a donation to Intermountain. It’s a small contribution, not enough for me to even miss it, but it is consistent. It adds up to real help when it happens month-after-month, year-after-year. I am committed to doing my small part.

If everyone who heard about Intermountain donated a small amount every month, just think of how much more they could do to help needy children and their families!

Assurance

I have the assurance that my donation has arrived and is being put to good use because every single month I receive a thank you letter from Beth, the Sr. Development Officer there who is in charge of Special Events (and obviously also in charge of written acknowledgements). Here is a copy of the letter we received in January from Intermountain:

You can go to their website at
https://www.intermountain.org/home/
to learn more about them.

Where’s Your Heart’s Passion?

As an educator for 36 years, I have a passion for children – their health and well-being, their safety and their enlightenment.

I know there are children out there who are facing complex emotional challenges. I am not equipped to help each of them (but I wish I could). Their problems are beyond my resources of time, money, and skills.

Some face separation anxiety with parents who were abusive, or parents who are in prison, or parents who are deceased, or… well, you name it!

I can’t help them all, but I can do a little to support this place in Montana that DOES have the facility, the love, the skills and materials to make a difference.

Reach Out

God has blessed you to BE A BLESSING. If giving to Intermountain is not in your future, then look for a place in or near your community – a place that is legitimate – a place that pools its resources, love, and skills to make a difference in the lives of others in need. There are so many … so many less fortunate than we are … Reach Out to bless others in whatever way you are able!

It’s never too late to
capture the 2020 vision…

Make it a year of 20/20 clarity of purpose!
Think about your passions,
think about your blessings,
and with gratitude,
consider your giving.

Tell me some way you are giving in love to share your blessings with others in need. I’d love to have you write your ideas in the comments section – and inspire others to give in love, too.

See ya later.

Category:

children, Giving, God, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, Montana, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Plant a Tree!

Let’s celebrate Arbor Day!!

If you live in the USA and you click on this link, https://www.arborday.org/states/ , you will find a map that tells you what kinds of trees grow well in your area.

Photo by Asad Photo Maldives on Pexels.com
Are you in a tropical area?

Does it get real cold and snow where you live?

Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com
Do fruit or nut trees thrive where you are?

The Arbor Day Foundation suggested other ways, besides planting, to celebrate the proliferation and appreciation of our trees. Here are things we can do from the safety of our homes:

Connecting with teachers in your area to raise students’ awareness of Arbor Day with online lessons related to trees.
Researching the history of the day.
Writing a poem about trees, or drawing a picture of your favorite tree.
Sponsoring a contest of students’ drawings using photos of their artwork submitted by the students.
Reading a book about trees and then donating it to a library, a school, a teacher, or a child.
Educating yourself and others about caring for trees, proper pruning, and planting times.
Bringing Arbor Day inside with container gardening, herb plants, or a bonsai tree.
Making plans for planting projects, so that when you can execute them, you’ll be all set to go!

Favorite Trees

What are your favorite trees? Here are some of mine:

Evergreen – they are solid and unchanging, providing shelter for birds and small animals, giving us a sense of greenness year round.
Aspen – Aspen trees are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high-altitude areas such as mountains or high plains. They are all medium-sized deciduous trees reaching 49–98 ft. tall. The Aspen is noted for its ability to regenerate vegetatively by shoots and suckers arising along its long lateral roots.
Bur and Chestnut Oak Tree – Bur oak or mossycup oak is a North American deciduous tree widely distributed across the U.S., Southeastern Montana, and Northeastern Wyoming. Chestnut oak is a member of the white oak group with chestnut-like leaves. The chestnut oak is noted for its ability to survive on steep, rocky sites where other oaks in its range cannot. Foliage unfurls pink and becomes silvery before finally becoming dark green. The chestnut oak is also known for its beautiful silvery-white bark.

Photo by Kirill Belotserkovsky on Pexels.com
Evergreens… pine, spruce, juniper and cypress

Beware, though, because they grow tall and spread out!
When these trees were planted around our house,
the house was visible… not anymore!

We have an aspen in the front of our house –
It rarely changes color to this beautiful gold.
The leaves just freeze before fall comes in full glory.
But the ones planted a little farther from the house are beautiful.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Are these Aspen?

These are Aspen, for sure.
We see groves like this when we go riding on our ATV in the fall.

This oak tree had to have been planted at least a hundred years ago! They grow slowly… but they become massive and majestic. See why they are treasured for the shade they provide?

What is YOUR favorite tree?
Better get started now…
Happy Planting.
Happy Arbor Day!

Give some tree the gift of green again.
Let one bird sing.
—From “When Autumn Came” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz
translated by Naomi Lazard

See ya later.
I’m gonna go sit under a tree and sing.
Virtual Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Love, nature, Poetry, trees

23 Comments

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When is it Enough?

April 23, 2020

Caught Enough?

Have you caught enough?
Not everyone in this world
Has caught enough fish.

Many without jobs
In this COVID-19 world
Are short of supplies.

Not every pantry
Is filled to overflowing.
Some have no pantry.

So what must we do?
Sit back and enjoy our life?
No, we’re called to share!

There is enough food
On this, our beautiful earth,
To provide for all.

The secret is: SHARE!
Just count your many blessings;
Reach out to others.

You will discover
The more you give, the more you
Have to give. That’s TRUTH!

Accumulation

Accumulation as a definition of success fails to realize that if you store up treasures on earth in excess of what you need, you may discover they bury you… and you really can’t access it all, anyway. How is that bunny gonna get that carrot outta the ground, huh?

On the other hand, if you’re all show and no growth, you won’t have enough to feed yourself, let alone give any away!

“All show” is that fancy car, extra large TV, more shoes and purses or wallets or clothes than you need, elaborate houses, etc. You get the picture. Spend it all on the “things that pass away” – and you will be one lonely fisherman!

Generosity is the Key

It was the little things you did
The sacrifices that you made
The small donations from your little
The generosity from your abundance
That made such a difference
In the lives of others

Generosity is the key
To a richer, fuller life
Not the number of your barns
Filled to overflowing,
But the love you freely gave
From the depths of a grateful heart

I wish – Bob Perks

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life
appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.

I wish you enough gratitude to help you live with joy.
I wish you enough generosity to help you give generously.
I wish you enough health to give you strength to serve.
I wish you enough love to give it all away.

Whatever you send into the lives of others,
comes back in to your own.
But, do not give for what you can get,
give because you have been richly blessed.