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Archive for November, 2019

Music Increases Intelligence

Music increases
Intelligence, I am sure;
Especially strings!

Science bears it out!
Or is it that violins
Attract the wise ones?

Does music enhance natural intelligence?
Just look at these bright youngsters!

Today at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club, there were about 75 women present to enjoy a variety of homemade soups for lunch while being entertained by Katie Coyle’s violin students.

These seven students were delightful!

Teacher, Katie, said she was not a trained teacher, but no one else in our little town of less than 1,000 residents was teaching violin. So, when Katie (who to played the fiddle when she was a youngster) was asked, she stepped up to the plate. There is no way you would agree with her when she says, “I don’t know how to teach violin.”

The students giggled when told they should play kneeling.
They squealed with joy when told to play lying down!

Katie obviously knows how to teach violin in a way that brings the students back each week clambering for more.

Smart to begin with; smarter still with music lessons!
Bright eyes, open minds, and ready smiles!

Our MVWC donates money annually to Katie’s Music and Art Academy. Our donation made it possible for 3 families to attend Fiddlers’ Camp last summer. Next summer Katie hopes 6 families can attend.

We have 150 members!

Our “Collect” or “pledge” that we resign together each month at the start of our meeting tells you a little about our mission:

We put into action our better impulses!

Today I was one of about 8 ladies who provided the crock pots of soup for the lunch. Each month a different volunteer committee provides the meal and decorates the tables with seasonal themes.

This wasn’t the one I made, but it was my choice for lunch.
It was yummy!
There were about 8 choices of soup
plus cornbread and yummy desserts.
The desserts were gone
by the time the serving committee
got to that part of the meal.
Oh well… I didn’t need the calories!
Happy November, my friends.

Do you play an instrument?
Is it your conviction that music enhances intelligence?
I may be a little prejudiced in that regard!

I hope you can access this gorgeous music.
I found it by Googling it on YouTube.

Just listening to beautiful violin music makes me feel smarter!
How about you?

My cousin, Cliff, who had surgery yesterday to remove his esophagus (due to cancer) loves sending me jokes about my instrument of choice: the accordion. I ask you to pray today for Cliff’s recovery and return to strength and humor. I think of him as I listen to this beautiful music.

One of the jokes Cliff sent me was a picture of St. Peter welcoming someone to Heaven saying, “Here is your harp.”
And Satan welcoming someone to Hell saying, “Here’s your accordion.”

Thanks, Cliff!! In spite of your sarcastic humor, I love you!! (Maybe it’s because of your humor??) Even in your strapped down, hooked up, post surgery posture, I can see that devilish smirk and the twinkle in your eyes!

Please pray for Cliff!

Listen to music. It’ll make you smarter.
And bee sure your kids get music lessons!

Bee well!
Always Bee Grateful for your health!!
See ya tomorrow, my friends.

Category:

art, food, Giving, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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As I Get Older

As I get older, I realize:

  • things aren’t so urgent
  • laughter is a great anecdote for stress
  • it’s okay to be a bit off color
  • forgiveness is imperative
  • friends are priceless treasures
  • love dissolves distances
  • I may not always be right
  • But then again…
Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Groucho Marx was one of my favorite comedians. He and Red Skelton always made my dad laugh. I can still remember him sitting in front of our black and white picture on the TV back in the late 40s, laughing til his eyes were teary at Groucho’s jokes. As I recall a few I am reminded that humor really is a way to share kindness because when we laugh, the “endorfins” brighten our spirit and feed the corners of our brains.

As I grow older, I remember it’s important to
Lighten up and laugh more often! Groucho said,

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend,
inside a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

“Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them…
well, I have others.”

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble,
finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly,
and applying the wrong remedies.”

“Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.”

“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening.
But this wasn’t it.”

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Don’t you love that Santa picture? Reminds me that everyday is a gift…
And we shouldn’t wait for once a year to open it.
Keep the sparkle alive as you grow older –
And make every day a day of
… kindness
… gratitude
… and remembering why you walked into that room!

See ya later!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Christmas, Family, Gratitude, happiness, Love, mental health

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Worse Things Could Happen

Tripped over a board

Looking out on Halloween

I should have looked down

I must have strong bones

Lesser women would have cried

Only broke a nail

Could have been much worse!

What’s the worst thing that happened to you this week?

Category:

Love

Turquoise Haiku

With pools of turquoise

The cross hangs in memory

Raku pottery

Have a wonderful Wednesday

Category:

Love

A Daughter’s Tribute

In the center of this photo is Marcelle Zufferey. To her left is her dear daughter, Sylvianne, who wrote the tribute below. On Marcelle’s right is her beautiful granddaughter, Lorianne.

Family Connections

Sylviane (we call her Syli) is our “Swiss Daughter.” She lived with us for a year in California when she was 17 or 18. The next year our daughter, DeDe, went to Switzerland for a year and lived in Syli’s family. Marcelle was such a loving, compassionate guide. Our daughter fell in love with Syli’s cousin, Andre’ (who became our son-in-law)… and to say De needed guidance is putting it mildly! God bless Marcelle and her husband, Antoine, for their loving understanding.

This last couple of years Marcelle has been in a care facility. That dreaded disease, Alzheimer’s, captured her memory and her health. Syli was there to spend quality time with her almost every day.

The Tribute

DeDe’s “Swisster” wrote this tribute to her mom in French (her native language). It was translated by Facebook and posted today. Some of the words may be translated strangely, but the beautiful sentiment is clear:

“Mom… you went to join dad this afternoon on his birthday.

I was able to accompany you to your last breath.

Thank you for giving us so much love.

For passing us through your eyes and your beautiful smile the meaning of family, respect and love.

You are part of the love of each of us.

From up there with dad you can be proud …

We had the extraordinary chance to have you as parents.

For having you as a mom, grand mom and great grand mom.

You are in my heart my little mom, I love you

And even if i will miss your beautiful eyes and your smile deeply, I know that now you don’t suffer anymore and that with dad you are forever present in our hearts.”

An Acrostic

I wrote this acrostic today as my tribute to this special lady… remembering her as she will always live in my heart:

M arvelous
A wesome
R adiant
C ompassionate
E mbraceable
L ovable
L oyal
E ndearing

Marcelle and me – circa 1985

Rest in peace, Marcelle. I love you.

Will you write an acrostic using your name and describing yourself? I’d love to see it. Mine would be:
J oyful
A nimated
N atural (or maybe “Nutcase”??)

See ya tomorrow. Have a good night.

Category:

Family, friendship, Life and Death, Love, Memories, Poetry

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In Your Life

There is a reason
I am in your life right now
You are blessing mine

It’s Gratitude and Kindness month
I am grateful for your kindness:
Reading JanBeek,
Joining me on this blogging journey,
Caring enough to leave a comment –
Writing your own inspirational posts –
Ah yes, you are a blessing!

Thank you!
What feels like a blessing to you today?

See ya later!

Category:

blessings, blogging, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, Sharing

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Dancing in Heaven

I danced in the morning

While the moon lay low

I danced at the sunrise

While the winds began to blow

I danced in the noontide

When it started slow to snow

And I danced in the evening

In the sunset’s glow

sunset from Welnas

Dance, dance,

Wherever you may go;

Dance and spread love

To everyone you know.

Dance, dance with a joyful heart –

Go, dance now… it’s a good time to start.

 

Marcelle Zufferey is dancing in Heaven with her husband, Antoine, today!

Today is Antoine’s birthday!! He went to his eternal home a couple of decades ago. Marcelle suffered this last couple of years from that awful disease, Alzheimer’s, that robs us of our minds – our memories. But, right to the end, she was that beautiful, blue-eyed mother who gave her children everything they needed for a full life.  She is the mother of our 1980-81 AFS student, Christian Zufferey, and his sister, Sylviane, who lived with us for a year in 1983-84. Our daughter DeDe, married their first cousin, Andre’. That’s why DeAna is a Swiss citizen and our 3 grandsons were born and raised in that beautiful country. We owe Marcelle a deep debt of gratitude! Our hearts go out to the Zufferey and Solioz families today, as we mourn their loss. But we know they are faith believers … and they recognize God’s perfect timing in this earthly departure.

I can play a Swiss polka today … and celebrate the reunion of Marcelle and Antoine.

Dance, my friends. Heaven awaits, and God’s timing always is perfect!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, blessings, Faith, Family, Life and Death, Love, Memories, Poetry, Promises

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Quilts of Valor

Today our Ennis Arts Association had a guest speaker, Kathy Coontz, who represents the Federation, Quilts of Valor, in our state of Montana. Kathy is such an inspiration!! I love her quilts and her enthusiasm.

Happy Kathy Coontz

Can you see what a delight she is?

The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a nation-wide service effort that delivers quilts to service members and veterans. Its mission is to cover service men and women and veterans touched by our war(s) with comforting and healing hugs in the form of beautiful, warm, red, white and blue quilts.

Kathy w quilt

Kathy told us the recipients do not have to have served in a “declared war.” Regardless of the conflict or the branch of service, the rank or the job (Clerk Typist Specialist 4 – behind a desk in Germany in 1961-2 was my husband’s job), we owe them a thank you for their service to our country. The quilts are stitched with love, prayers, gratitude, and healing thoughts. It’s the quilters’ way of saying, “Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and valor.”

3 veterans - QOV

In their brochure explaining the program, QOV quoted one recipient, a veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan from ’05 to ’07.

Spc. JMcK, US Army, wrote,
“As silly as it might sound for a soldier with over three years in Iraq and Afghanistan to say, that blanket became a true item of comfort and peace for the road ahead.”

If you know a U.S. service man or woman or a veteran who might appreciate a Quilt of Valor, you can log on to http://www.QOVF.org and fill out an application. You also can discover on that site how to donate to the cause, join the organization, or designate a gift for a specific QOVF group or particular state.

It was a wonderful presentation. I wish more people in our Madison Valley had been there to hear Kathy’s message.

Do you have a Quilts Of Valor organization near you? Or do you know of a veteran who’d benefit? Think about it! There’s nothing like a warm blanket hug! My daughter DeDe sent me a blanket hug for Christmas last year. I love it!!

Jan - blanket hugSee ya later.

 

 

 

Category:

art, Awards, Giving, Gratitude, Love, Montana, Serving One Another

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Six Kindness Keys

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

On her September 26th blog, aroused calmkate posted this:

I think kindness is the key
to all that I might be

if I’m kind to others
they might be kind to me

if I live in kindness
there will be more harmony

any kindness I convey
radiates an awesome way

if no kindness in their heart for me
move away, let them be

they are kind to others I will see
just healthier for me to flee

please try your kindness key
it might just set us free

I responded with, “…Kindness is indeed the key to living a meaningful, happy life. It is ours to give, whether or not it is reciprocated. The ones who lack the “Kindness Key” are locked out of so much joy, but they don’t have to rob ours! Our kindness is ours to give – and the more we give away, the more we have. It’s like love that way.”

The more we give away, the more we have!

The 6 Keys to Kindness

Yes, kindness is a key… but there are keys to kindness, too.
Here are a few that come to my mind:

  • Self acceptance (it’s hard to be kind to others while being mean to yourself!)
  • Compassion (we need to open our eyes to others’ needs and exude empathy)
  • Courtesy (being kind involves being courteous – even in the face of rudeness)
  • Gentleness (yes, responding with a gentle heart is a necessary turn of the key)
  • Grace (this word is a gift from God… sometimes it is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that we can return kindness in the face of hurt)
  • Patience (often I need to count to 10, or 25, before I can respond with kindness… it’s not my human nature for my first response always to be kindness)
What other keys to kindness
come to your mind?

Have a Marvelous Monday.
See ya later.

Category:

friendship, Giving, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry

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Be Ready!

Today’s sermon by Rev. Steve Hundley
at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church in Ennis, MT
was based on the story of Zacchaeus.
Do you know the story?

If not (or even if you do),
here it is in a nutshell:
https://youtu.be/Fe7dTNID6h8

(When you click on that link
and hear the story creatively told
in delightful, child-like cartoon format,
be sure to click the back arrow and return here!)

Find Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10

Pretend you are short (I don’t have to pretend).
Pretend your name is Zacchaeus and you are hated.
You are hated because you are a lying, cheating tax collector.
You are lonely.

Then you learn that Jesus is coming to your town.
You’ve heard about Him – and you want to see Him.
But, to do so, to see above the crowd, you have to climb a tree.
Pretend you are up in that tree … looking down at Jesus.

Get in the mood for today’s message!

Be Ready!

There is a growing epidemic
Of loneliness in society today.
Surprisingly, the loneliest are young adults.
Next are empty-nesters, they say.

A third group are the elderly
Who are often seen sitting alone.
Checking an empty mailbox,
They nurse their ailments and groan.

People out there in our world are lonely.
Often it’s for a reason they can’t control.
Other times, it seems to be choices they make –
Like Zacchaeus, who chose his greedy, tax-collecting role.

Loneliness affects all kinds of folks, good and bad.
We cannot overcome loneliness by ourselves.
It takes the love and compassion of someone else
Who notices our empty emotional shelves.

If you are struggling with loneliness,
And you have come to church to heal it,
Look around and know the love of Christ
Is in the hearts of those around you. Can you feel it?

Zacchaeus climbed a tree so he could see Jesus.
This lonely, short, little man wanted a view
Of the man he had heard so much about.
Would you climb a tree to see Christ? In faith, will you?

Be ready – if you are lonely and you look
For God and love by goin’ somewhere strange.
Be ready – because God will find you there.
He’ll find you where you are; and you will change!

Be ready!

I’m lookin’ up to find you!
Reach out to the lonely.
Reach out in prayer, in hugs,
in compassion.

Have a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Look up!!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, friendship, God, Jesus, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another, Sharing

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