Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for July, 2022

EAA Art Festival – Ennis, Montana

Hello, dear blogging friends.
It’s been a busy weekend for me.
Saturday was our Ennis Arts Association Festival.

How’s the weekend been for you?
What were your weekend highlights?

Saturday was a beautiful day
In Ennis, Montana for our 26th annual
Ennis Arts Association
Madison Valley Art Festival

The Madison Valley Art Festival is an outdoor event (held rain or shine) on the historic trail between Yellowstone National Park and Virginia City, a path well-traveled by tourists visiting the state’s national parks and historic landmarks, and fly fishing on the Madison River.

Our Presbyterian Women hold their annual fundraiser at the festival.
They sell baked and canned goods donated by the MV Presbyterian Church members.
There were three tables full of goodies, but by 2:00 pm, this is all that was left!
We enjoyed the left-overs at fellowship after church today!

The Li’l Hog Pit had a wonderful menu
and they served the record crowd
with efficiency and delicious food.
We’re grateful to Benny and her hubby
for their expertise and availability.

Bob enjoyed his lunch with our friends, Bonny & Joel.

From 10: am to 5:00 pm,
the Tune Tanglers provided music
for the art enthusiasts.
We’re grateful for their shared talent!
They spread the gospel message
with their musical choices
as well as good ole western songs.

Artists such as talented painter, Kathleen Van Driessche,
come from far and near.
We had 61 artists in 54 booths this year.
Something for everyone!

I walked around and admired all the
paintings,
pottery,
photography displays,
jewelry,
woodworking,
metal sculptures,
etc.

If I wasn’t saving my money
for or upcoming Swiss trip,
I might have convinced Bob
to get this wooden vase
(with a glass insert)
for me.
I love it!

But the price tag said,
“Not this year, Jan!”

As the afternoon wore on,
the shade was especially appreciated.
We had an unusually calm day
(without our typical Madison Valley wind)
and the temperatures reached into the 90s.

We were happy to return home to our home
where we had opened it up to the cool (50 degree) night air
and closed it up during the day. Ah, God is good!
Life is good! Praise Him for our artists, musicians,
Ennis Art Association workers who set up and took down,
and all the people who came out to support the event.

Maybe next year you can plan to come join us for the last weekend in July.
Ya think?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Maybe later today…

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

art, blessings, food, Gratitude, Love, Montana, music, photography, Poetry

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SHARE JOY!

The joy that’s comin’
Is here if you’re hummin’
Git yer guitar and start strummin’
Yer smile’s quite becommin’

I found the beauty today
In weeds I saw along the way.
Many folks would probably say
Pull ’em out – or douse ’em with spray!

Joy is a part o’ yer make-up.
It’s inside ya ready to take up
Residence and cause a shake-up;
So smile and light yer face up!

And a joyful face
is good medicine fir others!

Just let yer heart glow
With the joy that ya know
Is inside; Let it show!
Let yer love flow.

Luke 8:16

A Lamp on a Stand

16 “No one lights a lamp
and hides it in a clay jar
or puts it under a bed.
Instead, they put it on a stand,
so that those who come in
can see the light.”

I let my light shine.
It’s part of my design.
Lips aren’t a straight line –
They should curve up real fine!

Smilin’ makes ya feel better;
So, my friends, be a trend setter!
Turn off sorrow; don’t be a fretter.
You look so much better when you SMILE!

Let yer joy be real clear.
Share it with those you hold dear.
Give it to those far and near
Who need your brand of cheer.

Picture it radiating
And wiping out all hating.
Picture it pulsating
And erasing what’s frustrating.

Yup, this bears repeating:

Joy is a part o’ your make-up.
It’s inside ya ready to take up
Residence and cause a shake-up;
So smile and light yer face up!

Spread Joy!

How do you plan to do that today?
Just smile!!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Joyfully,
JanBeek

Bye for now!

Category:

Bible Lessons, friendship, Giving, God, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Git Walkin’

This is the week to git walkin’ –
It’s time to git off m’ butt –
Time to leash the pup.
Git outta this home-bound rut!

So off to the park
On this beautiful day –
Git walkin’ before the sun
Warms too much and I wanna stay.

Git m’ hubby to come
And join me in the park.
We’ve got a gorgeous place –
Let’s go before it gits dark!

Take the pup to the river
And enjoy the midday sun.
Let the hubby walk her –
They’ll both have fun!

Bob & TazE
@Lion’s Club Park

With my trusty camera
I’ll git some photos fir ya.
Come walk a spell with me.
Come close – let me stir ya!

Ready? Let’s walk!!

It’s a gorgeous blue-sky day.
There’s not another soul in sight.
We’ve got the park to ourselves –
The day looks mighty bright!

Ya gotta come in person
If you wanna read this sign –
Can’t tell ya about it
Not even the upper headline.

It’s so peaceful to be
In this place with only me
And my hubby and my dog.
Let’s sit a spell and just BE!

Didja bring along a snack?
We could sit here and eat.
Give our pup a treat
And get off our weary feet.

But, no that’s not why we came.
We came to just git walkin’ –
So git a move on, Jan,
And quit yer silly talkin’!

TazE says the day is heating up
So we gotta keep on movin’ –
Whistle a tune as you jog.
Exercise the dog and get groovin’!

Around the back side of the park
The scenery changes a lot.
Fields of baled hay and no shade –
Now it’s starting to get hot!

Don’t you love these round ones?
They were square in fields back home.
Things are done differently
When you git out and roam.

Looking beyond the hayfield,
You can see a ridge halfway up.
That’s where our place is located.
It’s a great neighborhood, yup!

Walking back into the shade
Of the tree-lined park, we see
A gazebo on the lawn out there.
Wanna come sit a spell now with me?

No, it’s heating up; let’s move.
I was surprised as I walked on
To see my friends from the Manor
Having a picnic out on the lawn.

That’s some of the folks
That I lead Bible Study with weekly.
When they saw me out of context,
Some greeted me quite meekly.

Isn’t it wonderful that friends
From our local nursing home
Can get into the van and travel
To the park and watch others roam?

When I saw a couple of the kids
From our neighborhood at play,
Their greetings were robust!
Their smiles and hugs made my day!

Time for a potty stop before
Heading home to get some rest.
I’m so grateful to the Lion’s Club
For their park. Kudos to Cherrie and the rest

Who work to keep it pristine.
It’s a gift to our community.
We plan to walk there most days.
Aren’t you glad today you joined me?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Walk with me
through the darkness.
Pick me up each time I fall.
You’ll bring light and erase the starkness!

(Love Randy’s invitation in the song below)

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, Faith, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, health, life, Love, Montana, music, nature, peace, pets, photography, Poetry

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Things Take Longer

Have you had more than a few candles put on your birthday cake?
Ever had trouble blowing them out?
My friends, Kathy & Ron, served a cake at fellowship after church today.
They didn’t put all 83 candles on it, thank God…
don’t wanna burn the church down!
But, they put on a LOT – – – and I could not believe
how long it took me to blow out those sparkling candles!!!!

This is just a very brief clip of the process…
It’s OK to laugh with me as you watch it!

As you can see, there were only a few left to extinguish at this point…
I had been at it for awhile…

Kathy & Ron are on my right.
Am I praying I can do this?
I don’t know…
This was about try #5 to get them all blown out.
My friend, Alex, is there encouraging me!

Yes, things take longer as time goes by…
And yet time seems to go by faster
as the years progress. How do you figure that?

It was a happy birthday.
I celebrated in Bozeman yesterday with Bob.
He got me a new travel purse
for our upcoming trip to Switzerland.
We had a lovely dinner at The Mint in Belgrade.

Today I enjoyed exchanging messages with over a hundred of my friends from far and near on FaceBook. Also, had a wonderful FaceTime exchange with daughters, DeAna & Laina. It’s days like this when most friends and all of our family are far away that I especially enjoy the internet.

Couldn’t sit down face-to-face with DeDe
and enjoy a cup o’ java –
but we could talk and see one another.

And Laina could share her java with me virtually!

Our son, Ty, and his wife Monika, were not able to be here with us this year,
but they FaceTimed this evening… so my heart is full.
It took longer for them to reach out this year
because Ty was on a Mission trip to Mexico.
But I received a card from them…
and this evening’s call was
the frosting on the cake!

Yes, it takes longer between visits
to see our family and friends these days,
but thanks to the internet,
we can FT and text,
message and e-mail.
In those cases,
communication takes shorter –
not longer!

Yes, I tilted toward the computer
and my cell phone today!

Where do you tilt these days?
And what things do you find take longer?
I’m not alone in this, I bet!

Thanks for visiting!
Have a great Sunday night –
and a wonderful week.

Love, JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, Family, friendship, happiness, kindness, Life's Challenges, Love, relationships

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Enough!

The poem above is an edited version of an original by Bob Perks. I first read his poem about two decades ago. It spoke to me. Like the one above, it did not give credit to the poet, so I credited “Anonymous.” I posted it on my FaceBook page or somewhere (I wasn’t on WP yet at that time).

I heard from Bob Perks. He was irate! People were posting his poem, tweaking it, and not giving him credit. I had done so innocently. Maybe others were as unknowing as I.

Is it OK to use someone else’s words without acknowledging them? Bob Perks said, “No, that’s plagiarism!”

But if you saw the poem posted as I did, without an author’s name, how would you go about researching who wrote it?

In today’s world, I just “Googled it!” I found this version:

Is that really Bob Perks’ original version? How can I tell? And is it ok for some company to put it on a plaque and sell it for profit without the poet getting some kind of royalty? Did Bob Perks copyright it? I don’t know.

I have mixed feelings on this subject – because I have always believed that when someone steals your idea it is a form of flattery. After all, they liked it that much, right?

People have been doing that with Jesus’ words and ideas for centuries.

Did Nancy DeMoss really create that idea?

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

People always are rephrasing Jesus’ words.
There are countless translations of the Bible
and dozens of books that paraphrase it.
But, they do not take the ideas
without giving credit to the creator,
do they?

So, is it OK to be a copycat
without acknowledgement?

Depends… depends on who you’re copying and why!
Sometimes copying is considered a cheap form of imitation.

As an elementary school principal, I used encourage my teachers to share their good ideas with others – and be happy if someone copied their method, stole their lesson plan, or imitated their teaching style. It’s OK to go beyond admiring an idea. It’s OK to use it, embellish it, improve upon it, personalize it. Is it enough to just recognize the other for their inspiration? If you copy, do you need permission?

In our WordPress world, we try to ask permission before reposting someone’s idea. If we don’t get an answer, is it enough to just acknowledge the source?

Lee Ann Womack advocates originality.

I believe Bob Perk’s poem is a beautiful original.
He deserves to receive credit for it.
I wish him ENOUGH accolades
to satisfy his heart’s content.
I love following his ideas
even today on FaceBook.
https://www.facebook.com/bob.perks

His website is about
Starting Over…
New Beginnings

I bet Bob Perks has had ENOUGH of this rewriting of his poem and people copying and tweaking it. I bet he is ready to move on… start over … reinvent his image. As a writer, he now says he is a “Speaker” and a “Vocalist.” He’s said ENOUGH of that old life. Let’s begin again. His website says, “Starting Over Again” at the top of it.

I am an orginal.
You are an original.
There is no one else on earth like you.
Your eyes are only yours.
Your fingerprints are only yours.
Your voice is an original – only yours!
Celebrate your originality!

Cheers!

Loved having you visit today.
Come back again tomorrow
and celebrate my birthday with me, OK?
I wish you enough!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

blogging, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, relationships, respect, self-esteem, teaching, writing

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Angels Among Us

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=2QF0IEU8EcQ&feature=share

I believe there are angels among us.
I hope when you click on the link above,
you can listen to this gorgeous voice
singing this wonderful song.

Angels show us how to live
Sent down from somewhere up above
Angels teach us how to give
And they teach us how to love.

Listen to the words of Chris Rupp’s vocal.
Angels come to you and me…
I had one protecting me last Monday –
I am sure – it’s a guarantee!

Look at what I hit my head on when I fell over backward!

With the full weight of my body,
I hit that trailer hitch!
You tell me how I avoided a concussion-
How I walked away with just a stitch…

Actually, if you read yesterday,
You know my gash required eight…
And I was in the ER four hours,
Returning home rather late.

I didn’t even crack my skull-
And I didn’t break my neck.
I could have broken my back!
Where’s that angel hiding? Let me check!

You have angels among you, too…
At least one on duty at all times.
Tune in – you can feel the protection.
Look around, you’ll see the signs!

As the poem above tells us,
Angels sometimes are disguised as friends –
Sometimes family are our angels –
Angels are the love God sends.

Listen here to another beautiful song:
I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman – Chris Rupp A Cappella
I hope this link takes you there.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ub8AHSYdWk8&feature=share

Who is always there for you?

Bob is an angel who is here for me.
It took a few minutes of screaming his name
To wake him from his nap, but I could see him there …
And when he heard me, how quickly he came!

Yes, my friends, angels are among us.
We need to open our hearts and our eyes
To see and to feel them around us.
Mine’s trying to teach me to be more wise!

In Hebrews 13:2, Paul said, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” That verse leads us to wonder if angels appear to us in human form at times. We know that they appeared to many in human form in the Bible. [See Genesis 18:2].

You may be blessed to have an angel living with you all the time, too!

Thank you, Sweet Bob –
For being my constant angel!

Psalm 91:11

“For He will command His angels
concerning you
to guard you
in all your ways.”

Bee well, my friends.
Bee safe, too.
May His angels guard you today and everyday.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, health, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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Slow Down!

I’ve been telling myself – and you – to have faith,
To step out in faith and begin a new journey.
I’ve been telling myself to lean in and listen
To what God is whispering to me.

Well, He has been telling me to slow down.
“Stop and watch where you are going.
Slow down and move more intentionally.
Sit in the boat awhile – enjoy how life’s flowing.”

Looks like I did that for awhile, right?
But then I stepped on shore, running –
Flitting from one spot to the next,
I didn’t stop to just enjoy the sunning!

In April I fell and broke a finger.
In June I tripped and bruised my knee.
And yesterday I fell over backward –
Needed stitches to the head – Woe is me!!

Not a pretty sight!

I was dashing from garage to house
Carrying groceries in three sacks.
I couldn’t see my feet, so missed the step,
Lost my balance, and fell flat on my back!

My head hit the hitch on the trailer
And gashed my scalp an inch wide,
Two inches long – requiring 8 stitches-
More hurt than my head was my pride!

So the Lord said, “Third time’s the charm.
Be humble and listen to me please.
Be wise about what you carry and where you step –
People can die with falls like these!”

Okay, dear God, I got the message!
Slow down and watch where you walk!
Carry with your good hand, not your left…
Eyes open, steps secure, mind your own talk!

I’m sharing this advice with you, friends,
Because I hope you are wiser than I.
I hope you don’t have to have three mishaps
Before you heed the warning and comply!

SLOW DOWN AND WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING!!

My Daughter#2, Laina, sent me this poem
after hearing this morning
about what happened:

Oh my! Remember this?
About a year ago…
Walked into the closing hatchback on our car!!
Slow learner I am!

Yes, indeed!
I need to slow down and watch where I’m going…
How about you??

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, God, health, learning, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, Poetry

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The Interview

Why I left my last job? The company shifted the office and didn’t tell me where it was. Where I see myself in five years? I’d say my biggest weakness…

The Interview

I just have to pass this along today. It gave me more than a few LOLs😂 and chuckles. I needed that this morning. It’s more than a little zany!! Have a great week my friends.

Thanks, Gottfried. Love, JanBeek 🙃😂

Category:

blogging, happiness, humor, Life's Challenges, Sharing, work

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Harsh Words of Jesus

If you’ve followed my blog for a while,
You know I attend church every Sunday,
And I usually try to take sermon notes.
As I listen, I try to record the message poetically.

Our pastor, Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds,
is doing a bold sermon series.
She’s asking our church congregants
to send her scripture that puzzles or troubles them.

This week the scripture passage she used
is from Luke 9:57-62. A weird one indeed!
I’ve often thought Jesus was rather harsh
with these two men who wanted to follow Him.

Luke 9:57-62

New International Version

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Is Jesus saying
You have to leave your family
and forget your livelihood
to be a Christ follower?

Today’s sermon notes:

The mid-west mecca of modern architecture
Is Columbus, Indiana. Ever been there?
I watched the movie, “Columbus,” recently.
Jinn & Casey meet and share.

Ultimately the movie is about
Staying or leaving – choices we make.
Casey needs to go, but doesn’t want to.
Jinn convinces her to leave for her own sake.

Jesus may have been telling the men
To leave for their own sake.
Their situations were different,
But departure was what it would take.

Jewish burial rites have many parts:
Wrapping body, burial, dig up, burn, urn…
In this scripture a man wants to tend to his father.
Jesus prompts, “Come now and learn.”

We don’t know at what point in the rites
This man’s father may have been –
But it seems harsh for Jesus to tell him
“Let the dead bury their dead.” Such chagrin!

Another man wants to go back to his family,
But Jesus says, “Do not do an about face!”
This passage is all about priorities.
Jesus asks us to put Him in first place.

Love is not selfish, sinking in its talons.
Love is generous – love always is kind.
There often is sadness in leaving,
But when God calls, listen, decide, and mind!

Don’t get stuck looking back (like Lot’s wife).
You’ll become a pillar in your own tears and grief.
It’s all about priorities and obedience.
Hear God’s call and follow your belief!

Amen?
Amen!

What is it that determines your values and beliefs?

Perhaps Jesus was not being harsh with those two men after all.
Perhaps, like Jinn and Casey in the movie, “Columbus,”
He was telling them to leave for their own sake –
even though they didn’t want to go quite yet.

Sometimes God’s perfect timing doesn’t seem perfect…
… at least not at the time He jerks us out of our comfort zone!
But often, looking back, we can say, “Aha! Now I see…
God always knows what is best for me!”

Jesus’ words may seem harsh at first glance,
But He always has our best interest at heart.
I need to trust His encouragement to step out…
And what better time than now to start?

Go ahead … Step Out!!
Here we are with our pastor,
Mary Grace Reynolds.
Thanks, MGR, for a great sermon!

See ya on the road to success tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Jesus, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, optimism, sermon notes, Sharing

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Treasure the Journey

Life is a wonderful journey
Of ups and overs and downs
It’s filled with joy and sorrow
With more smiles (I pray) than frowns!

As I travel this road of life,
I weather the storms and bumps
I look for roses and buttercups
And try to jump over the humps

I look for butterflies and bees
And appreciate the beauty I see
I share the joy and the peace
That God daily gives to me.

Our WordPress friends
share their joy with us everyday.
For example:
Roth Poetry.com
posted about butterflies today.
He wrote:

“I just could not help myself today, when I saw these beautiful butterflies on my Zinnias. I kept shooting and shooting. and they stayed around flitting from flower to flower, poetry in motion! With my 200mm zoom, I was able to focus all the way in on them. These are some of the most beautiful butterflies I have seen!

Beauty flits lightly
from yellow to red buffet
Basking in sunshine

Check out Dwight’s gorgeous photos at:
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/50171962/posts/4138042931

Life is a journey of beauty
Take time to allow it to sink in
Don’t let the ugliness and discord
Make your vision a stink-in!

There’s plenty of garbage out there
It’s not what God asks us to see
God says to focus on the beauty
There’s plenty of it in you and me!

Don’t let anyone tell you
You’re not up for this journey!

You might have to take a few pit stops,
you might get a flat tire here and there,
you might go through a few thunderstorms,
but through all your experiences,
fruit is being built.
You are becoming stronger,
and your faith and reliance
on God is growing.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4cugbmQVHyw&feature=share
I hope when you click on this link,
you can hear this wonderful song
by Jake Owen.

Laugh a lot and keep it light
Let sorrow just roll off your back
Turn a blind eye to the ugly sites
And give the love that others lack

“And no matter what dreams you’re chasing,
Never get above your raising.
May the simple things be amazing
On the journey of your life.”

Treasure the journey!

“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”

Proverbs 3:5–6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 
and do not rely on your own understanding. 
Acknowledge him in all your ways, 
and he will make your paths straight.”

Years ago I wrote a poem that was published in the International Library of Poetry annual publication. The title of the book in 2002 was “Chasing Revelation.” My poem was titled, “Have Faith and Step Out.” You can find it here: https://janbeek.blog/2020/01/02/have-faith-and-step-out/ It is as poignant in my life today as it was 20 years ago… maybe more so. How about you? Does it apply? Are you up for the next step of your journey?

Step Out!
And Treasure The Journey!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, courage, Faith, flowers, God, happiness, Life's Challenges, Love, music, peace, Poetry, prayer, relationships

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