Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for the ‘blessings’ Category

Personal Goals

Do you set personal goals for yourself?

Of course I set goals for myself. Doesn’t everyone?

  1. Bee loving
  2. Bee compassionate
  3. Bee as Christlike as possible
  4. Bee healthy
  5. Bee intentional

What goals have you set for yourself?

We are sooo blessed to bee here! Bee present in the moment. Love life!

Those are our “Swiss daughter and Swiss Son” (Sylviane & Christian Zufferey). They are the reason we have such a deeeelightful family here in Switzerland. In the 1980’s each of them spent a year living with us as AFS exchange students- and our daughter, DeDe, married their first cousin after she spent a year here living in their family.

Here are De & André. They live intentionally too!
And here is De with her sweet mother-in-law, Denise.

We just had a lovely lunch prepared by Syli. Bee grateful!

Mmmm!
Bee grateful!

Our son, Ty, and daughter-in-law, Monika, had a great Saturday. Fun with a friend. Flying and experiencing the opportunity to be the pilot!! They are staying in touch. For that we are very grateful. Staying in touch is another of my goals. How about you?

Love, JanBeek

Category:

Belief, blessings, Family, Gratitude, Love

Tagged with:

Fun in Switzerland

Yesterday we attended a wine/raclette/music festival in Sierre, Switzerland. Our grandson, Mike, was there with his wife, Tania, and our great-grandson, Ethan. Today we are Celebrating Ethan’s 2nd birthday. Here is Mike… and here’s the fife & drum corps:

Fife & drum corps

After the festival we had the privilege of visiting with Chantal. She is our son-in-law, André‘s cousin. She lived with us for about 10 months in CA back in the ‘70’s when she was about 17. Such fun to catch up with her again! Being with family & friends is what this trip to Switzerland is all about!

Chantal with us

I went to church this morning with Denise (André’s mom). It was a beautiful morning.

Sierre’s Catholic Church
There is their apartment building. And this display of water fountain and flowers is right behind/beside their apartment building:
That round building with the bell tower is right across the street from where Grandmama Denise & De/André are living.

It’s such a pretty day here!

It’s rare to see these buildings in disrepair… even the ones built in the 1700’s! But sometimes they do show their age.
More typically, the buildings are in pristine condition… like at this winery.
De helped Bob select the perfect bottle to share at today’s party.
Yes!

Santé, my friends. Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See you tomorrow.

Here I am with Syli.

Ciao!

Category:

blessings, Family, flowers, friendship, Gratitude, holidays, Love, music, relationships

Tagged with:

Hello from Switzerland

Yay! We are in Sierre with our DollyWolly!

It’s a beautiful Thursday morning

Sierre, Switzerland
Grandmama (Mammie) Denise was happy to see us!
We were delighted to have all 3 of our Swiss grandsons join us last night
Céline (Nicky’s significant other) joined us briefly. Such a sweetheart!
André (our son-in-law) fixed a gourmet dinner for us. Yummmm!
Which grandson is craziest!?

We spent from 6:30 am Tuesday to 7:30 am Wednesday on 4 different flights to get to Geneva. De & André picked us up there. The 2 hour drive to Sierre was gorgeous! Pictures don’t do it justice. Zoom in on those terraced mountainsides covered with vineyards!

That side of the valley is more rugged…
There are the vineyards on the north side of the valley.
The southern side of the valley doesn’t get the afternoon sun. No vineyards there.
This is the view from our 4th floor patio
“Grampy” Bob is sooo happy to be with our daughter, DeDe, again!
So am I!

See ya tomorrow.

Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Family, food, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, mountains, relationships, Travel

Tagged with:

A Night Out

So nice to be able to treat ourselves to a nice dinner every now & then. Continental Divide is guaranteed to satisfy. Wish you could have joined us‼️

First the salad
Then shrimp with pasta – mmm
And next salmon with pasta

Great atmosphere. Excellent wait staff. We love having Deb as our waitress!

Pretty drive home
Beautiful autumn leaves are destined to turn brown and fall off this weekend. Predicted to have 4” of snow on Sunday. I wish autumn lasted as long as winter does around here!
I wish our geraniums can survive the snow. But good luck!

It was a great night out. I hope you can treat yourself to a night out soon, too!

Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, food, Gratitude, Love, trees

Tagged with:

Suddenly October

Where did September go?

Sunflowers turn their faces

To the bright October sun

A new month is upon us

A time to have some fun

Enjoy TMW with friends

Too much wine (TMW)

Gives way to NEW

Never enough wine

For the likes of me & you!

Under a Montana sky

We enjoy our time with friends

We’re looking forward to

October and all its trends

Pumpkins and Halloween
Pexels.com

A time for trick or treaters

But we’ll be off to Switzerland

No tricks and for sure no cheaters!

Ah, October… time to be with our DeDe and family!

What are your October plans?

Can’t beat October in the Alps. Stay tuned!

Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Family, holidays, Love, Poetry, relationships

Tagged with:

64 Years of Love

Screenshot

Who would have guessed
When we married in 1962
That our love would last so long
I prayed it would, did you?

Every autumn I stop to recall
The day Bob proposed to me
He was far away in Germany
I joined him the next February
The fall and winter season
Were busy times for me and Mother
She dove knee-deep into helping
Prepare for a Valentine’s like no other

Have you ever seen a cake
More beautiful than this one?
It was a February 11th wedding
Friends, family, students all had fun

And now, every day is a day
To celebrate being in love and alive
We’re so grateful for family and friends
Who join us and help us celebrate and thrive


Sending love your way
With prayers for your days
To be filled with boundless blessings.
Keep in touch with the God we praise!
Amen?

Amen!
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Family, friendship, Gratitude, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Poetry

Tagged with:

Friends, Friends, Friends

Nothing like friends

Friends from long ago

Friends to laugh with

Friends who take it slow

Friends who know us well

Friends who love to tell

Stories fun – that swell

To new heights … no one fell

No, we all survived

The great elaborations

Remembrances exaggerated

Enhancing celebrations

This occasion yesterday will long be remembered with enormous joy

Congratulations to our grandson

Who popped the question true –

“Will you marry me, Natalia?

I will always love you!”

Congratulations, Chrissy. We wish you & Natalia a lifetime of marriage bliss. Take it from your parents & grandparents: marriage is a forever promise. God bless you. Be friends as well as lovers!

Friends, friends, friends

Bringing love and laughter

Growing dearer every year

Spreading joy forever after!

Hugs from JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Family, friendship, happiness, Love, relationships

Tagged with:

Mmmm

Scallops – yum!
Fresh crab legs! Yum!!
Dig right in! Enjoy!!
Chef John at the Continental Divide here in Ennis, MT is a master!
Bob enjoyed his Rosé, too
Meantime our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland, was enjoying some yummies at her choir party. And…
… our daughter, Laina, was enjoying the opportunity to celebrate her grandson’s first birthday with a trip and yummy food and fun rides In DisneyWorld.
Happy Birthday, Leo! Winnie the Pooh is a favorite Disney character for many of us.
Kenny wishes Leo a Happy 1st birthday while he celebrates his 2nd! Yum!!

What “Yum” have you experienced recently? Tell me about it!

Live, Love, and Enjoy all the mmmm you can!

Hugs,

JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, children, Family, food, happiness, Love

Tagged with:

Change

“Change is a powerful, sacred force… The transitioning landscape is a testament to the Creator’s steady hand in a chaotic world.” (A quote from today’s devotional in These Days)

The snow capped mountains soon give way to barren mountain tops … but each season has a beauty of its own.
“The environment is a living sanctuary…”
In sunshine or rain, give thanks for the natural world’s beauty.

“The psalmists frequently personify the natural world, giving mountains, forests and seas anthropomorphic attributes…”

The trees clapped their hands!

The hills were singing 🎵

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Pexels.com

The Lord reminds us we are new every morning! Embrace change!

Happy Autumn to you, my friends. Embrace the day. May the majesty of the natural world remind us all that God is in control. Breathe deeply in the holy refuge of creation.

Amen?

Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, contentment, Gratitude, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, trees

Tagged with:

R.I.P. Dolly

The world lost a very special lady today. Dolly Parton was only 80. Much is being said and written about her today. She had more than 25 number one hits. Song writer, singer, philanthropist, generous friend to all … and so much more. Books for children: that’s one of her legacies. A great lady for many reasons, but she loved Boston Terriers just like we do. So of course I love her and will miss her.

See, there’s a pup like our Kenny!
Sorry Kenny never met her!
A very special lady!

God bless you, Dolly. May your songs bless your heavenly friends, too. Sing on!!

Love, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Life and Death, Love, music

Tagged with: