Do you enjoy keeping in touch with long-time friends?
This morning I posted “No Friend Like an Old Friend” with pictures of the long-time friends I met with yesterday.
Among the long-time friends I posted pictures of was Ly, my favorite hair stylist, whom I have known since 1979. Today she gave me a new hair cut and helped me get my “perky” back.
Also, today I had the privilege of reconnecting with dear friends from my years of working in the Ceres Unified School District. I was Caswell Elementary School’s principal from 1988-1997. Some of my favorite people to work with met me today for lunch. Most of them also are retired now. What a joy!!
Jackie (wonderful 3rd grade teacher), Maudie (extraordinary instructional aide), Fernando (he and his brother, Louie, were the world’s greatest custodians) & Marge (Support staff leader & Resource Teacher who helped coordinate this gathering)
Dora (impressive & dedicated first grade teacher) and Kim (superb sixth grade teacher)
Jess (loving special ed teacher) & Candy (beloved special ed instructional aide)
JoAnn (one of the best secretaries anywhere) & JoAnn’s son, Kenny (I remember him as a kindergartener!)
Me (before haircut) with Peggy (everybody’s favorite Reading and Resource Teacher) She was my go-to person whenever I screwed up and needed help recovering from some difficult learning experience!
Have you had the opportunity to reconnect 20 years later with co-workers who were instrumental in tour personal and professional growth? If so, you know what a JOY and a privilege this day was for me.
If not, I pray you will live 20 years into your retirement and have the delight of reconnecting the way I did today. It was indescribably wonderful. I wish you this kind of joy.
Thank you, dear Caswellians, for a wonderful day. I love you!
There is an old saying that goes like this, “There’s no friend like an old friend.”
I choose to say it this way, “There’s no friend like a long-time friend.”
Can you spot me smiling there in the midst of my buddies?
We’re not old… we’re forever young at heart! We, the heart of the “Turlock Union High School Class of ’57” Met at Latif’s Restaurant in Turlock yesterday. Doris and I came from out of state. It was such a joy to see everyone doing so well. None of us used a walker or came in an electric wheelchair. That’s actually pretty amazing given the fact we’re all in our 80’s.
This is my “old” high school sweetheart (such a nice guy) with one of my best girlfriends, Sally. He actually is one of the people who introduced me to my husband, Bob. Sally is the one who sends out the e-mails to get this reunion group together.Arlene is another of my best high school buddies. She had a “gym” behind her house where we used to gather on Friday nights to dance. My friend, Phil, is one of the guys who taught me to dance. We have kept in touch through the years. Such a sweetheart!!Betty, Linda, and Nelda are girlfriends who actually knew my husband, Bob, before I met him. Bob went to a neighboring high school, but attended church in Turlock. Some of these gals were in his Sunday School class from day one!Doris, Jeannine (she won’t like this picture), and Mary are girlfriends with whom I never have lost touch. Doris joined this reunion, coming from her home in Texas. Jeannine and I see each other annually. Mary is the one I’ve known the longest. We went to elementary school together and were “neighbors” in Crows Landing, California. (Neighbors can be 10 miles from each other when you grow up out in the country!)
Do you have “long-time friends” with whom you stay in touch? It is such a blessing!!
This long-time friend is Ty and his wife, Roxanne. Ty was my kindergarten student in 1963!! I love this “kid” so much that in 1965 I named my son, Ty. Ty & Roxanne came in 2018 to visit Bob & me in Montana.
And this long-time friend was my first grade student in 1961. Can you believe it? Talk about JOY! Lorei and I have maintained our relationship for HOW MANY years??
And this long-time friend is Ly, my hairdresser since 1979. This afternoon I have an appointment with her in Modesto. Whenever we return to California and are going to be in the Turlock-Modesto area for a day or more, I make a point to see Ly again.
No post about long-time friends would be complete without a picture and mention of my dear Marcie. She’s here in Turlock. We stay with her when we come back to the valley. We are soul-sisters. She’s a gift from God.
I pray that as you read about these long-term relationships, you are inspired to reconnect with long-time friends of your own. Maybe there is a person out there that you have lost touch with. Someone you care about. Reach out today!
I decided I’d like this month of travel in California to be safe, fun, full of family and friends, and memorable. I prayed to God for an answer to this prayer.
BELIEVE
I believe God hears prayer, and answers it.
Of course, I know it is not always YES.
Sometimes He says, “NO!” because He has something better in mind for us.
Sometimes He says, “NOT NOW… be patient. WAIT!”
But, He answers… I believe He gives us what we ask for if we ask in faith with His Will in our hearts.
When I want what He wants for me, it’s easy to BELIEVE in the power of prayer!
TRUST
Trust in the JOY of His Love.
Trust in the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Listen carefully!
Live in the COMFORT of His promises.
Live in the SERENITY of His peace.
Live in the TRUST that dreams do come true. We are living ours.
I discovered today the site linked in the title above and I was so impressed by it that I just HAVE to share it with you. Check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
About 25 years ago Bob and I met Gérald Theurillat in Valais, Switzerland.
He and his wife, Celia, are friends of our daughter and her husband.
In the years since we first met “Theu,” he has retired and has become a phenomenal photographer of birds in his region.
Gérald Theurillat has a FaceBook page where you can see more of his wonderful photos and learn the names of these gorgeous animals. I recommend you visit him there if you love birds as I do, and if you want to learn more.
Leave a comment on Theu’s FB page – and tell him “JanBeek sent me.”
Have a Wonderful Weekend, my friends.
Today is the day Bob & I pack and get ready to leave this beautiful spot.
Canadian geese in Rancho Mirage – I wish Theu could photograph these birds. You’d see them a lot better through his camera lens!
We’ll leave early tomorrow morning. Pray for our safe travels, okay? Next destination is Turlock, in central California, where I graduated from Turlock Union High School back in 1957 (yes, I know… that makes me ancient!) – But, no, I don’t feel old!
(BTW, I get to meet on Monday with a bunch of my class of ’57 girlfriends. Ain’t that a fun thing to anticipate?)
Like Theu’s beautiful birds, I still am soaring high and loving every minute!
Visit Gérald Theurillat ‘s website and let him know you appreciate his wonderful photography as much as I do.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek. Send your friends, will you?
I’d like to have 1,000 followers for the fun of celebrating the announcement of my 1,000th post.
Cristan Mihai is a blogging guru who started his blog within a month of when I did in 2012. His posts on “The Art of Blogging” have taught me so much about how to create and continue to improve my JanBeek, Loving One Another website. A constant piece of advice that Cristian repeats at least weekly is: “Punch Those Damn Keys.”
In his “About” introduction to himself on his website, Cristian wrote:
“Cristian Mihai (born 25 December 1990) grew up in Constanta, Romania. And he’s still growing up, or at least trying to. Sometimes he writes. Sometimes he gets lucky and writes something good. He can’t, however, draw a straight line. No matter how much he tries. Not even with a ruler. And, please, don’t ever ask him to sing.”
You can tell by that introduction that he has a wonderful sense of humor. You know he is an English-as-a-second-language blogger. You would never know that by visiting his website. His English is perfect! And his tips, ideas, lessons about how to improve are priceless. He offers his services in a number of ways – and he is sponsored by several companies on his website. He’s a full-time blogger. He tells us that TENACITY is one of the most effective qualities if you want to grow your blog.
What’s ironic about his “The Road to 1,000th Order” blog?
He posted today “The Road to 1,000 …” the same day I received this notification of congratulations from WordPress:
Posting for Readers
I am not selling anything on my blog, so I won’t get 1,000 orders… But I would love to get 1,000 followers! And I am pleased to know I have posted that record 1,000 number of times – pleased because I know my posts and my readers have grown and improved through the years.
I post for my readers… and to my readers. I post to encourage, inspire, educate, and occasionally just to share my love, to share my joy or to entertain.
I post to show you the scenery, people, activities, and animals in whatever corner of the world I am today, knowing it may be very different from your surroundings. I enjoy seeing where you are and what you are doing.
Each day one or two new folks join us. Each day between 70 and 120+ folks from around the world visit JanBeek. Of those an average of 15 to 20 click “like” to let me know they have been there. If I am lucky, 8 or 10 will leave a message (usually it is only 2 or 3 comments, however). Usually I have no idea who more than 75% of my visitors are (except that WordPress tells me where they are from).
Encouraged or Discouraged?
Are those numbers typical? Are they encouraging or discouraging?
They are neither. They just are what they are. The “Discover” site on WordPress has 42,500,197 followers!! What would I do with that? I’d have to hire several private secretaries to keep up!!
It is not the numbers that keep me posting. One thousand posts since 2012… of those, the last 148 have been consecutive. It is not the numbers… it is the contacts, the friendships, the connections with people I have come to love here – or conversations with those I love in other walks of my life, as well. I hope to meet face-to-face someday the new friends like Derrick and Richard who are so kind with their messages of affirmation.
It was 148 days ago when I decided to make blogging a priority after my devotional time each morning.
My sanctuary where I meditate, read, pray, and write each morning (when I am home in Montana)
Get Serious
It was 148 days ago when I committed to taking that part of Cristian Mihai’s advice, that “Get serious about it,” very seriously.
Just “Punch those damn keys!” Say what you mean – and mean what you say. Get passionate! Share what you care about. Be the change you want to see in the world … one word, one post, one action, at a time.
Cristian Mihai – The Art of Blogging
Cristian has 131,548 followers and often offers them perks… like today, “A random person will be selected among those who order until we reach #1000 will receive six months of reblogging, one sponsored post per month for a duration of six months, and a one-on-one Skype chat with me.”
I am one of Cristian’s 1,000. I ordered his on-line book, “The Art of Blogging,” and I subscribed to some one-on-one tutoring from him. He gave me some great advice about formatting, headlines, content, and networking. I recommend you take him up on his offered perk today. Who knows, maybe you will be the 1,000th person! He’s offering a great reward!
I was sitting quietly reading friendly posts When my dog, TazE, jumped like she heard a ghost. The FedEx truck had just left our house – The driver crept in our entry as quiet as a mouse. Before I could get to the door, he was gone. He left a box with a basket – no name upon.
Inside a note said “Thank you, Bob & Jan” But no greeting or signature of woman or man. The return address was Jorge Garcia of Amigo Foods. A clue might be Florida – It’s where I know a couple of dudes. So, Sofia, might this have been from you? The place where Vanessa & Federico live is a little clue.
Sofia in Palisades
If it is you, then here’s a return of Thanks… But, I hope you let us know so we can fill in the blanks! The card should have acknowledged who The box was from – so I could appropriate thank you!
Since I posted this blog originally, I received acknowledgement from Sofia’s parents, Adrian & Laura. They are the ones who sent it. Today, several months later, on a WONDER-ful Wednesday, I thought it would be fun to re-post this… because it IS another beautiful Wednesday … and the message below is as pertinent today as it was back in August of last year.
Loving elephants
It’s a beautiful Wednesday here, Blogging friends. I hope your day is going well, too, and transcends All your expectations. Pen on… read on… live and play! Wrap your arms around someone and hang tight today.
Listen for the FedEx truck or mailman He/She may deliver a basket to you from a fan!
