The killings of the 6 Asian women and the way some people in our country are treating other people troubles me deeply. I have posted about it, but not with as much poignancy as this article does. Maybe reposting this so you can hear from an Asian man directly will help. Please read and think and internalize and pray about this!! We MUST stop the hate!!!
All Lives Matter Is A Lie Until a year ago, I didn’t realize people have to worry for their life and safety for looking too Asian in America, even in the most diverse tolerant State like California. Not all of us knows Kung Fu and we all don’t look the same. We are NOT responsible […]
“On the Road to Easter” was the title of today’s sermon by Rev. Steve Hundley at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church in Ennis, Montana
Come join me as we EMBRACE the JOURNEY
Lent is upon us and Easter is only two weeks away. Next week we’ll celebrate Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem that day.
Jesus arrived in glory. Then, we see Jesus carry His cross to Golgotha. We’ll journey to where they’ll bury His body in the rocky tomb Before Easter will finally dawn. The journey is a painful one – A time when His family thinks He’s gone.
It reminds me that life Is a journey of great proportion And we have markers along the way. Some show where others made their fortune. But few of us have monuments Built to mark our stopping places – Like Lewis and Clark’s various markers And Jesus’ stopping spots – sacred spaces.
Our journey needs places of rest – Places where we feel lifted up The way Golgotha lifts us to Jesus Knowing His death & resurrection gifted us.
Jesus spoke about His death But the disciples didn’t want to hear. They thought of death as an enemy. Jesus said death means resurrection’s near.
Like a seed buried in the ground, We must die and be buried to rise. Jesus told His disciples He’d draw The world to Himself with words so wise.
He spoke of His death as if He had already died. He said His death would serve God’s purpose. His impact continues to grow – He is not dead!
As Easter approaches, we look At the cross and make our way To the Light; it illumines our path To His miracle that happened Easter Day.
Hallelujah! Easter is coming! Embrace the Journey. Amen
Morning’s Comin’ We can make it though the Night!
Thanks for joining me on JanBeek today. Have a beautiful Sunday afternoon/evening.
Eradicate hate! Hate has no place in our hearts. Just love each other!
Anti-Asian words Must come out of ignorance. Don’t “they” know we’re ONE?
We’re all God’s children… Created in His image. Authentically His!
Let your voice be heard. Speak with authenticity: Speak loudly with LOVE!
What can each of us do to help eradicate hate? What can we do to allow everyone to enjoy authentic freedom? What can we do to demonstrate our oneness? Embrace Authenticity!
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
Have a calm, thoughtful, and a purposeful Thursday. See ya tomorrow. JanBeek
3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Lisa Glines’ photo
Every morning, my friend Lisa and I exchange a prayer with/for one another Often it includes a photo of our morning scene. She lives on the east coast. Her sunrises usually differ from mine. Her sky beyond that iconic dead tree is full of life… full of promise for each new day. The lake beyond differs from my Madison Range here in my Montana morning.
Together we pray for one another… for God to guide us and grant us peace. I take such comfort in her prayers.
Do you have a prayer partner who lifts you up in prayer each morning? If not, I highly recommend you find one. Find a friend who will send you his/her sunrise. Enjoy beginning your day with a mutual prayer for love, joy, peace, health, happiness, and safety.
Turn your morning over to God and ask Him to guide your footsteps each day. Embrace Mornings. Embrace Prayer. Embrace Life.
Montana and North Carolina sunrises
Have a beautiful morning. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you! Didja make that corned beef recipe I shared yesterday? Mine’s in the crockpot.
Synonymous with American St. Patrick’s day celebrations, corned beef and cabbage is the perfect hearty meal for a chilly mid-March night. Though this slow cooker version can be done in 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high, the brisket cooks best low and slow. If you’re looking to venture outside the spice packet, try out the homemade blend on this corned beef brisket.
Add onion, carrots, celery and potatoes to bowl of your crock pot. Place corned beef on top and season generously with salt, pepper, and pickling spices. Scatter thyme and bay leaves over meat and fill slow cooker bowl with water until it is almost completely covering the meat.
Cook on low for 9 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until meat is tender. Add cabbage to crock pot and cook on high for 45 minutes to 1 hour more until cabbage is tender and cooked through. Remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker, slice and serve.
Hide a few 4 leaf clovers under the dinner plates… Good luck finding them!!
Pot o’ Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes I instantly think of Guinness cupcakes. This cupcake idea comes with a festive surprise inside to wow anyone who takes a bite.
By Alissa and Elise McGeehan Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Share: Pot o’ Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
Recipe Summary
hands-on: 1 hr total: 1 hr 45 mins Servings: 24 Nutrition Info
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup Guinness stout
¾ cup special dark cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s)
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
¾ cup sour cream
1 ½ cups butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur or caramel-flavor coffee creamer
⅓ cup butterscotch-caramel sauce (such as Mrs. Richardson’s)
½ cup assorted green and/or gold sprinkles
Directions
Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cupcake liners. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.
Step 2 – Melt the 1 cup butter in a saucepan over medium-low. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in Guinness, cocoa powder, instant coffee, and granulated sugar. Continue stirring until smooth.
Step 3 – In the bowl of an electric mixer combine brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Add melted butter mixture and beat on medium-low until cooled. Reduce to low. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until eggs are incorporated.
Step 4 – With mixer on medium, add flour mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (They will be nearly full.)
Step 5 – Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes; remove to wire rack. Let cool.
Step 6 – For frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the softened butter on medium-high until creamy. Reduce speed; add powdered sugar, liqueur, caramel sauce, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Step 7 – Push the large end of a large pastry tip into center of each cupcake, twist to remove a plug of cupcake; set plugs aside. Fill each cupcake with approximately 1 teaspoon of the sprinkles. Trim off half the cupcake plugs and place in holes to seal in sprinkles. Pipe or frost cupcakes. Makes 24 cupcakes.
A refreshing drink to go with your dessert!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow! See ya then… Tell me how your day goes!
Don’t forget to look for that pot o’ gold under the rainbow!
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Yesterday I delivered some paperwork to a friend who is doing Bible Study with me once a week. It was a quiet Saturday morning – no wind (unusual for our windy valley). My friend wasn’t home, so I left the papers on her doorstep and texted her. When she returned home, the paperwork was long gone. The wind had come up and blew the packet to heaven only knows where!
Today’s sermon at the ZOOM meeting of Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, Montana was titled, “The Wind Blows Where it Will.”
Inspired by the scripture: John 3:1-17 (the story of Jesus & Nicodemus & the Holy Spirit) here are my sermon notes taken as I listened to Rev. Steve Hundley this morning:
The Wind Blows Where it Will
In the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, two worlds collide. One is worldly and the other is Focused on where the Holy Spirit abides.
We often try to shrink our God Into something we can understand. But, we can’t fit God’s image Into something in this earthly land.
The dilemma we face is that We can’t think of God beyond Our own human capacity. That’s why it’s hard to respond.
John paints a picture of Nicodemus As a man of great knowledge. “Rabbi, we know…” he says, Addressing Jesus with a nudge.
Nicodemus thinks he has God Sized up and understood. He’s sure he knows how He fits Into this world… Oh, that we could!
Nicodemus tries to rope Jesus Into the narrow realm of “We know…” But every attempt fails. Jesus is a mystery – a wind that’ll blow.
It blows beyond our knowing. The Spirit blows beyond our capacity To understand with our finite minds. Does that surprise you and me?
We all have questions about the hereafter. No one can refute the image we hold, For our God’s life-giving grace Is bigger than can ever be told.
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light. But we cannot see clearly What God makes possible in His sight.
This scripture asks Nicodemus To let the Spirit carry him to A place beyond his imagination. It asks the same expansion of you!
“Rabbi, we know…” Ah, such assumptions!
John 3: 1-17
3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f]15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g] 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Let’s try to embrace The beauty of God’s Spirit As it blows in us!
That’s a Bob Goff quote. His Spirit is Love personified. His book is “Love Does.” Do you know it?
And how about this oldie but goodie? Blowin’ in the Wind… Questions Nicodemus might have asked Jesus:
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. And with Easter upon us, the answer was hangin’ on a cross. Praise God, He is risen indeed!
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light.
The Wind Blows Where it Will
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. May the Wind of the Spirit Blow Light into your darkness today. See ya tomorrow.
This quote came in the mail today from Billy Mills, national spokesperson for “Running Strong for American Indian Youth” – a project associated with Christian Relief Service.
The synchronicity of the arrival of this in mailbox today was not lost on me. I already had spent my hour up in my sanctuary reading my Bible, devotionals, and praying for you – and other family and friends on my prayer list (yes, you are there!). Among the names on my list is “Native American Youth.” Lord knows their needs and yours.
The word that was my “Take-Away” from that time upstairs today was “Perseverance.” And that’s BEFORE the mail came with this gift! Go back up and read it again… “Collective Perseverance…” and HOPE …Resilience and Certainty in tomorrow – – – Tomorrow: a better day!
Persevere in those choices!!
It’s perseverance That changes maybe’s to YES. Chase the doubt away!
To make an impact Just practice perseverance. Keep your dreams alive.
God says you are Unique… Designed for Greatness!!
Being persistent As you work to problem solve: The road to success!
I can’t just sit here Expecting success to come. Gotta go get it!
It’s perseverance – Working to make it happen That completes the goal.
What are you working To complete with great success? Live with that purpose.
Persevere with Purpose
But tenacity Ain’t easy when we don’t see The results we need.
Positivity Is hard to always maintain When we keep failing.
But unless we fail, We’re not trying hard enough! Gotta fail to learn.
3 “Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance,character;andcharacter,hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.…”
Romans 5:3-4
Don’t let the fact that There’s certain failure keep you From taking chances!
Folks who developed The vaccines we are using Failed many times.
Before succeeding, They conjured up their courage And kept on trying.
That’s the way it is! So Embrace Perseverance And live your purpose.
1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” Hebrews 12:1
Ethan Calabrese 
Share: Pot o’ Gold Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
