October | 2019 | JanBeek

Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for October, 2019

Footprints in Your Heart

True Friends - footptints

A friend sent this card
with “Your friendship means the world to me”
written on the inside.

She wrote,
“I can feel your footprints
in my heart everyday.
Do you mind is I
walk all over your heart, too?”

Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

Those footprints are not just ON my heart,
they are IN my heart.
I feel her love deeply.
It keeps me buoyed on days
when I might otherwise be feeling down.

I subscribe to “Someone Cares” cards from Guideposts. I love these cards because they always include a pertinent scripture reference, an uplifting message, and a pertinent story on the back of each.

This last mailing of Guideposts’ cards had the message
I used in my last post,
“Whenever we’re together,
and even when we’re not,
warm and caring thoughts of you
make me smile a lot.”

Guideposts “Someone Cares” cards are available
at shopguideposts.org/someone-cares-greetings.
I highly recommend them.
They are unique and special.
When I open the package of 12 every 6 weeks or so,
the cards call out the names of friends
for whom I feel that card would be most appropriate.

The back of this particular card
had a wonderful story on it
– written by Lisa Bogart:

“When my best friend came to New York to visit me, I wanted to pack all the sights, food, and fun I could into our four days together.

On the first morning, we took a 10:00 train into Manhattan. We walked crosstown, hopped on the subway, and headed uptown to the Cloisters… then to the Metropolitan Museum of Art… farther downtown to my favorite barbecue place… window-shopped and gawked at the towering buildings. Finally, we took a train home at 10:30 that night.

My friend was pooped and asked if we could stay closer to home the next day. When she came down for breakfast, she had her knitting with her. She suggested we sit on the patio and knit for awhile. I put on a pot of tea, and we spent the morning catching up and renewing our friendship.

We went on a few more adventures before she left, but it was that quiet time together that I remember best. It makes me smile and feel close to her even when we’re miles apart.”

Do you have a special friend who has left footprints in your heart? Why not send a card to them today letting them know you are thinking of them in a special way? Sending snail-mail cards does not have to be a “lost art.” Keep it alive with your footprints today!

Thinking of you

I love you, dear WordPress friends.
You leave your footprints in my heart
each time you visit and leave a note.
God bless you!

Jan sends cheers!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, happiness, Love, mental health, Sharing, writing

Tagged with:

God Hears

Yesterday when I Googled my symptoms, if you read my blog you know that Google said I just need more flowers.

I was busy asking for prayers for healing from this “bug” that attacked my throat and brought on coughing and sneezing spells.

But, God knew Google was right. He sent a friend with flowers!

There’s nothing so fine
as a friend who comes bearing flowers
right when you need them most!

A message to my friend:
I am thinking of you
in a special way.
Whenever we’re together
and even when we’re not
Warm and caring thoughts of you
make me smile a lot.

Friends penetrate the “Veil of Illusion”

Friends are in my heart
I ‘m on a “Friends” kick this week
Because I need them!

Where would we be without these?
We all need them – – – all the time!

Thank you for visiting.
Your comments and “likes”
make me feel so much better!
You’re an answer to prayer.

See you again soon, dear WP Friends.

Category:

Family, flowers, friendship, God, Gratitude, Haiku, health, Love, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Google Your Symptoms

I sniffle and sneeze –
I cover cough and hide my wheeze;
No one needs these bugs.

My husband had it.
He generously shared it.
Thanks a lot, dear Bob!

Told my FaceBook friends-
They offered lots of advice:
Gargle. Honey. Rest.

I have tried them all.
The drippy nose continues.
Please pass the Kleenex!

Friends offer to help.
Invitations are declined.
Don’t want to spread this.

Snuggle up in bed
With the friend who doesn’t care
If you sneeze on him.

My TazE loves me
Whether I am sick or not.
Her kisses are free.

Sometimes I wonder
Where my dog gets all of them.
Wonder who’s kissing her now…

Hah!
Stay healthy, my friends.
Let your best friend comfort you.

Category:

Animals, Family, flowers, friendship, Giving, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Love, pets, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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Tender Place

In today’s Daily Guideposts, contributor Shawnelle Eliasen shared a special moment she had with her “near adult son.” Even though they had experienced some growing gaps and family hurts recently, he invited her to come into the living room and listen to his latest musical creation.

Shawnelle wrote,
“This invitation was everything…
Finally my son invited me into a tender part of his life.
The place where music lives
and creativity runs free.
A gentle place.
A place of peace.”

She thought back to the days when he was young. When his fingers first curled around a pencil and later around a steering wheel. She thanked God for those fingers that now played the beginnings of an original song – and invited her to come along.

Where is your gentle, peaceful, tender place?
What or who shares the place where your creativity runs free?
Who might you invite to enter – to join you there?
Someone who’d love to share your company in that place.

Think about it.

Open your tender place
and let extra love come in.

Thanks for visiting
my “Tender Place” here on WP.

See ya later.

Category:

contentment, friendship, happiness, Love, peace, Sharing

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Be the Friend

My mom always said

“To have a friend, be a friend.”

Friends bring love and joy.

Tell your friends often

They are important to you.

Keep your friendships fresh!

Which of your friends would
Send such a greeting to you?
Who needs it from you?

Send a love letter to a friend today!

Category:

Love

Faith Grows

Faith grows just as my faith grows

Girl to wise woman

Psalm. 90:14 “With every sun’s rising, surprise us with your love, satisfy us with your kindness. Then we will sing with joy and crkebrate every day we are alive.”

How does YOUR faith grow?

z -intimate relationship-thoughts See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Love

Wait 5 Minutes

We have a saying here in Montana:

“If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes!”

So don’t waste your time complaining about the weather, just brush the snow off the chairs…

… brush off the barbecue, and just maybe…

… before the gorgeous sunset ends,

you can sit down to a cozy meal inside.

No need to complain. It is what it is…

May be back to 70 degrees tomorrow.

Only God knows…

See ya tomorrow! (Keep smiling!)

Category:

contentment, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Montana, nature

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7 Habits of Effective Lovers

Loving is Connecting.
Blogging is Connecting.

My blog, “Loving One Another” is all about how to love, encourage, and inspire one another. Cristian Mihai of “The Art of Blogging” says we need to be able to express in 6 words or less why we blog and what we blog about.

I answered his query saying,
“I spread love and inspiration daily.”
That’s six words.

I augmented my answer by adding,
“I plan to inspire, inform, entertain, and encourage.”

I find pictures to enhance my messages.
And I am inspired by other bloggers’ messages.
Hopefully we shine on one another.

If we want to shine, to inspire and encourage others, to be unconditional, effective lovers, are there some tips we need to keep in mind?

Yes, I believe there are habits that lovers of people, lovers of animals, lovers of nature and of God, need to develop. I think they include these SEVEN HABITS OF EFFECTIVE LOVERS:

1. Listening with Intent

Effective lovers perk up their ears and really hear the voices, the sounds, the cries and laughter, the heart of everything around them.

2. Seeing non-judgmentally

Effective lovers look for the best in others. They see what they’re looking for. They see the person, animal or object as the Creator intended them/it to be. They imagine perfection, wholeness, beauty. They bring out the love that’s embedded in what they see.

3. Feeling with Compassion & Empathy

Effective lovers feel what others are feeling. They are compassionate and empathetic … not sympathetic. They don’t look at someone or something and say, “Oh, I feel so sorry for you/it.” They try to put themselves in the others’ shoes. They look for solutions. They offer real help. They fertilize the dying bush or bring the parched animal a drink.

4. Reaching Out

Effective lovers extend a helping hand without being asked. Their “feelers” are out looking for ways to help. They have a servant’s heart.

5. Taking Time

A habit effective lovers develop is the act of taking time for others. Whether it is visiting a friend who’s sick, caring for a pet while its owner is away, watering a garden, going to a nursing home, building a birdhouse or helping to complete a project, the effective lover is ever ready.

6. Praying

Knowing your own power is limited, knowing we’re all imperfect mortals who need divine guidance, effective lovers pray for others, pray for world peace, pray for endangered species and help in times of disasters and seemingly insurmountable struggles. Effective lovers reach for help beyond themselves.

We know our own limitations, and we know our own weaknesses. We know we do not always exhibit the kindness, patience and gentleness that effective lovers need. So, we ask for divine guidance and help from the One who strengthens us.

7. Tenacity

Effective lovers have staying power. They are tenacious. They are in it for the long haul. They are not quick to let go. Instead, they continue to love through thick and thin.

Like this beautiful spider web that is covered with snow, but hanging on for dear life as the wind howls outside my sanctuary, this web has a job to do. It will capture any insects that survive the storm … it will provide food for the spider that created it. It hangs on and fulfills its given purpose.

Substitute “children” in the message above
for “friends” or “spouse”
or “pets” or whatever fits for you.
What is your purpose that you are living to fulfill?

Being an Effective Lover involves listening, seeing, feeling, reaching, taking time, praying, and being tenacious… and it’s worth all that effort because you know:

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