Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for December, 2019

Sunday before Christmas

Time for kids and joy
It’s Sunday before Christmas
Church and friends and love

The sanctuary
Is ready for the people
The Son waits with us

Fifth Advent candle
Waits with us for Christmas Day
Hope, love, joy, and peace

All are brightly lit
But not the center candle
It represents Christ

Flowers decorate
The stairs to the church’s front
Poinsettias tell all

Kathy and Jaime
Beautifully play the songs
That ring in Christmas

Ruby, Cassidy and Cord

The smiles of children
Remind is of the Christ Child
Whose birth we await

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com

Today’s sermon was told by Elaine Hundley, in her husband Rev. Steve Hundley’s absence. The sermon focused on Joseph, the baby Jesus’ earthly father.

We pray for Steve as he sits at his dying mother’s bedside way over on the other side of the USA. We pray for Elaine who is experiencing her first Christmas apart from Steve in 42 years! She remained here to carry on Steve’s ministry in our church. God bless her!

I listened carefully to capture the message as Elaine delivered a sermon Steve had written some years ago. To understand the introduction, you need to know that Steve and Elaine are adoptive parents.

Here are my poetic renderings:

“Feeling Good About Christmas”

The adoption agency checked us out.
They made sure we were okay.
I wonder what God did to check out
Mary and Joseph to parent Jesus His way.

Joseph was a righteous man who
Believed the angel Gabriel who told:
“The baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
So Joseph didn’t desert her – nor scold.

He took her to be his wife,
And ignored what might have been said
By the town folks as they gossiped.
He knew she was pure and had not “gone to bed.”

Joseph was a good man, a believer,
Who read and understood God’s grace.
He saw through the Holy Spirit’s lenses,
And was able to accept this Holy Child
from God’s Holy place.

May we, too, know the Christ Child
as God’s gift to us. Amen!

Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent.
May the peace of Christ permeate your heart
and give you a peace-filled week.

Photo by Alexandro David on Pexels.com

Have a good Sunday night.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, children, Christmas, Faith, flowers, God, Haiku, holidays, Jesus, Love, peace, Poetry, prayer

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Making Memories

Lunches on Wednesday

Very special memories

Never forgotten

Burger King – a favorite with my 4 grandchildren – around 2003.

Back in 2003 Sam (the oldest) often chose McDonald’s for our Wednesday lunch date. It was always fun… especially when Ronald McDonald showed up!

See the older granddaughter in those pictures up there? Here she is today – with her adorable son & daughter.

Bob & I had lunch with our granddaughter and two great-grandchildren today – McDonald’s revisited- but we were missing the old Ronald McDonald atmosphere. Just ain’t the same!

Sienna & Xander with their great-grandma – that’s me!

Taking your grandkids (and great-grandkids, if you’re blessed to live long enough) to lunch is a wonderful way to make memories.

Grampy doesn’t get to join us very often. Sienna was not sure about this guy! (Isn’t her expression a riot?)

It was so nice to be together… and to have the children’s paternal grandma join us, too. Four generations!

Isn’t she adorable? Don’tcha just wanna kiss those chubby cheeks?

Sienna’s shirt says, “Eat, sleep, and be merry!” It’s easy to be merry when 4 generations get to share and make memories at McDonald’s.

Happy Christmas weekend, dear Blogging friends!

What did you do to make memories today?

Take pictures.
Someday they’ll look as archaic as this one:

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
Have a good night.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, children, Christmas, Family, food, Haiku, happiness, Love, Memories, Poetry

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Quote

Akiane’s Reunion with The Prince of Peace — Life On The Lake

This post is sooo inspirational. Soooo beautiful. Sooo timely. I cried as I viewed it. I just have to share it with you. DO take time to view the video. You will be blessed.

The original painting of Jesus painted by Akiane Kramarikat age 9 was hidden from her for over a decade. Finally she was able to reunite with it for a moment before it shipped to its new owner. She is an amazing artist.

via Akiane’s Reunion with The Prince of Peace — Life On The Lake

Written

on December 21, 2019

Don’t Wait

Don’t wait for later;
Tomorrow may never come.
Do whatever NOW!

Taking my advice –
Taking it for me right now –
I am outta here!

Go do it!

See ya tomorrow!

Category:

Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, work

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Strong women aren’t simply born. They are made by the storms they walk through. – Anonymous

Photo by Matt Hardy on Pexels.com

Strong women aren’t simply born. They are made by the storms they walk through. – Anonymous #BeStrongQuotes #BeStrongQuotesImages #BeingStrongQuotes #FamousWomenQuotes #InspirationalQuotesForWomen

Who is a STRONG woman who inspires you? What makes her strong? Mine is Gloria Wilson. She was diagnosed with metastacized cancer and given a limited time to live. She is a fighter, a prayer, a believer, and a walking miracle who lives on with God’s grace to inspire us all.

Who is a strong woman who inspires you?

Source: Strong women aren’t simply born. They are made by the storms they walk through. – Anonymous

Category:

Love

Live With Intention

What’s your intention?
Is it clear to you today?
Is it apparent?

Have you defined it?
Does “it” have a single word?
For me, it is PEACE.

Actually PRIDE
Has nothing to do with it.
It’s HUMILITY.

It is sincere love
Given with no thought to gain
Anything returned.

Anonymity
is the most beautiful way
Share your loving heart.

Set pride aside and just live intentionally to spread PEACE in these troubled times. Speak no ill of another. Pray for those who disappoint you. Pray for those who hurt you. Sincerely care for the transformation of those who sow seeds of hate. Be the LOVE you wish to see in the world. It starts with YOU and me!

What will you do intentionally to share your love today?


I am headed to my Writers’ Group.
I’ll share this blog with them.
Where are you headed?

See ya later.

Category:

Christmas, friendship, Giving, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another, writing

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Down the Up Staircase

Sanctuary time
Starts with prayer and devotions
Up the down staircase

Jesus prays with me
Angels surround me up here
Dark changes to light

Look out the window
The mountains can’t hide the Son
Where I am He is

12 Step Program

On my way down the up staircase, after an hour that begins my day with the JOY of God’s Holy Spirit guiding my thoughts and helping me plan my actions for the day ahead, I recite my own “12 Step Program.”

  • Thank You for the LOVE,
  • JOY,
  • and PEACE that are mine.
  • Help me with PATIENCE,
  • KINDNESS,
  • GOODNESS,
  • FAITHFULNESS which brings blessings,
  • GENTLENESS, and
  • SELF-CONTROL.
  • Help me live HUMBLY with an attitude of GRATITUDE
  • and a response of GENEROSITY, FORGIVENESS, OBEDIENCE, and INTEGRITY.
  • In Jesus name I Pray
    AMEN

And on that AMEN, I am on the floor of my foyer, over which the sanctuary waits for tomorrow where I have my Bibles, Daily Guideposts, Thankfulness Journal, inspirational books, and a collection of crosses and angels.


Bob just came up the stairs, so we will have some quiet time together.
Come join me!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
God bless you!
Have a PEACEful Thursday.
See ya later.

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Faith, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love, peace, Poetry, prayer

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TOPS – Take Off Pounds Sensibly

Most Valuable Player =
Motivate
Validate
Praise
That’s ME
(and all my TOPS friends!)

What is TOPS?

TOPS is a national organization designed to help folks like me Take Off Pounds Sensibly and keep those pounds off. It is not a diet program, but a supportive organization that focuses on Mind Over Platter. Sensible meal choices, portion control, and self-control are three of the ways TOPS encourages reaching and keeping healthy weight goals.

Why Join?

I joined TOPS in 2012 shortly after Bob & I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. I saw myself in those anniversary photos and said, “Who’s that???” I had gained 20 pounds in about twenty years – a pound a year. It just crept up so slowly that I didn’t notice how out-of-shape I was! See those chubby cheeks? I needed help to get back to my goal weight.

Feb. 11, 2012

Accountability

Today I am back down those 20 pounds and am encouraged each week when I go to my TOPS meeting to keep the pounds off. I have to face the scale and tell my TOPS friends (most of whom are KOPS – Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) whether I gained, lost, or “turtled” this week. (Turtling is staying the same.) That accountability is important to me.

Today’s meeting was our annual Christmas party.
My friend, Devonna, came dressed as Santa!
Molly and Jeannie are the leaders of our group. They have been KOPS for over ten years. A real inspiration… real MVPs!!
Our party included fruit, juice, coffee, and healthy low-cal muffins.
We have food at our meeting only a couple of times a year.
Each person brought a gift (under $5 value) and we each picked one. Such fun!

I was the happy TOPS “Best Loser” today.
Every 1/4 lb. counts. I lost 1/2 lb. (Yay!!)
It’s so easy to put the pounds on this time of year.
I think of my TOPS friends and that scale
every time I put a piece of candy
or a Christmas cookie in my mouth.
I am not asked to deny myself…
Just be smart about how much
and when I eat those sweets!

Is Weight Watching Part of Your Routine?

If, like me, you have to watch what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat – or you are prone to gain unwanted pounds, you might also look into seeing if there is a group like TOPS in your vicinity. The dues are only $5 per month. There are no foods you have to buy. No extra costs. Just a wonderful group of supportive friends. I am so grateful to my TOPS friends.

I encourage you to seek friends who are MVPs for you, too.
Motivators
Validators
Positive friends who Praise and encourage you.

Happy Holidays!

Have a Wonderful Week!
See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek

Category:

Christmas, food, friendship, health, Life's Challenges, Love, Serving One Another

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Peace Within

Peace within yourself:
An important possession.
It is contagious!

Savor Inner Peace.
Taste its succulent flavor.
Share it with others.

How will you share that inner peace today?
Think about it.
Pray about it.
Dish it up!

See ya later!

Category:

friendship, Giving, Haiku, life, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, prayer

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“The Trouble is You think You Have Time” — The Soul Searcher

I am sending along the following blog to you because I think it is so timely – and so well written. I appreciated it. I am sure you will, too.

“The trouble is you think you have time” by Jack Kornfield. These words are massive and they ignite endless thoughts. We reflect on them today. And we almost forget tomorrow.

“The Trouble is You think You Have Time” — The Soul Searcher

The Soul Searcher is a new find for me. I am grateful for the posts I found at this site. I hope you find them inspiring, too.

Have a great day!

‘Tis the season…

Hugs,
Jan ;o)

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Belief, blogging, Family, friendship, Giving, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, writing

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