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Archive for the ‘blessings’ Category

Valued Trait

Today’s prompt on WordPress was:
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

Each of us is given special gifts.
The trick is to recognize yours.
When you find it, then
make it your favorite trait.

And use it to the fullest!

This scripture is one of my favorites…
and it reveals a trait I cherish:

Hebrews 13:2

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for by this some have entertained angels
without knowing it.”

My special gift is hospitality.
I love having family and friends
come to spend time with us.
Here is our dear 1980-81 AFS son,
Christian Zufferey (ZuZu), from Switzerland.
No, he’s no stranger to us!!

(Our DeAna married his first cousin!!
What a love story that is!)

This week DeAna, and her hubby, Andre’
surprised us by arriving with ZuZu
and his wife, Celia, for a four day stay.
Here they are this morning… leaving us (boo-hoo!)

But, we were blessed to have them
come and spend those days
(just not nearly long enough) –
and to have Chef Andre’ prepare great meals!

How wonderful it was also
to have our grandson, Mike,
and his wife, Tania, with us for a week
this month. They were so helpful!!

Now this hospitality business
would have a full opportunity
to be put into practice IF our son
Ty & his wife, Monika, would come!

The good news is that Peter,
one of Bob’s wrestling students
from back in the 1970’s in CA,
will be joining us in October for awhile.
Yay!

Why don’t you consider
Letting me use my favorite trait,
HOSPITALITY,
On you one of these days?

What’s your special gift – your favorite trait?

Love to you,
JanBeek

We Need More Empathy

Sympathy = “I feel FOR you.”
Empathy = “I feel AS you.”

Ah, we need more empathy!
We need more people who are willing
to put themselves in another person’s shoes…

Not just feel sorry for the one who suffers, but feel his/her suffering
– and try to do something to alleviate it.
I discovered a new blogger today (new to me) – “Ly-die” –
who wrote an eloquent post on this topic.
I really appreciated it, and I think you will, too.

Click below:

Have a terrific Thursday! Our daughter, DeAna, and son-in-law, Andre’ are with us this week. They surprised us by bringing along with them our 1980-81 AFS Exchange student (Christian Zufferey) and his wife, Celia. Chris (ZuZu) is Andre’s cousin… and he has not been to the USA in over 30 years! You can imagine our pure JOY at seeing him and his dear spouse at our door!

Yesterday we toured Ennis and stopped at “The Long Branch” for a few libations.
That’s De & Andre’ on the left and ZuZu with Celia on the right.
I’m the happy camper in the middle!

Bob stayed home and then joined us later when we a went to our neighbors’ place (the Ducsays) for “TMW” – (what’s that – you ask?) – Hah – “Too much wine!” The picture doesn’t show our joy! We were having a grand time!

Today our Swiss guests are spending time in Yellowstone Park.
It’s a beautiful blue sky day here.
What are you up to??

Enjoy your Thursday…
I send my love and empathy your way.


Hugs,
JanBeek

Life is Wonderful!

m.facebook.com/story.php

Check out today’s wonder on my Facebook post!

Love Returned

In his prompt today, David at

ben Alexander

ben AlexanderThe Skeptic’s Kaddish 

invited us to try our hand
at a poetry form
that is new to me:

Sijo

A Korean verse form related to haiku and tanka and comprised of three lines of 14-16 syllables each, for a total of 44-46 syllables. Each line contains a pause near the middle, similar to a caesura, though the break need not be metrical. The first half of the line contains six to nine syllables; the second half should contain no fewer than five. Originally intended as songs, sijo can treat romantic, metaphysical, or spiritual themes. Whatever the subject, the first line introduces an idea or story, the second supplies a “turn,” and the third provides closure. Modern sijo are sometimes printed in six lines.

David did a fantastic job with the form. Click on his name & blog title above to read his contribution.
I told him I was not sure I was even going to try… it sounds too complicated! But… with the following meme as a prompt, here goes:

Your mind will always believe, if you are ever truthful;
But when you are deceitful, you feed it sorrow, deep grief.
Feed your mind sincere love and truth, and it will be returned to you.

Bob & I send our love and deep peace
to you and your loved ones today.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
Will you try your hand at Sijo?

Time for Pie

What’s a good time for pie?

Well, if you ask Bob,
He’ll say, “Any time!”
Is there another piece available?
PIE FOR BREAKFAST? Not a crime!

Today there’s a festival
Here in Peter T Park
Our Presbyterian Women
Sell pie from 5: til dark

Come support our mission
The proceeds go for causes
That are important to support
Your purchase earns applauses

Pies are gifts
Romans 12:6-8  

“Having gifts that differ according to
the grace given to us, let us use them:
if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
if service, in our serving;
the one who teaches, in his teaching;
the one who exhorts, in his exhortation;
the one who contributes, in generosity;
the one who leads, with zeal;
the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

How about the gift of cooking or baking?
That’s Kathy Humphrey’s gift!
She baked that delicious, beautiful lemon meringue pie!
Here we Presbyterian Women are
– in some years past –
selling our pies at
the Madison County Fly Fishing Festival.
Today’s the day again…
Come buy a pie!!

Thank you, Kathy, for sharing your baking gift!
See you at the Festival, my friends.
Don’t miss out!

Love,
JanBeek

Marvelous Montana Morning

It was a marvelous Montana morning.
The sun wasn’t up yet, but the doves were.
They cooed and wooed and greeted the day.
I was happy to be up before the sun.

Note the puddle on the rock there.
It rained a little last night.
Everything is so fresh and green.
Welcome to Terrific Tuesday!

As the sky brightened, so did my spirits.
Looking at the purple mountain majesty,
How could anyone not be happy here?
Montana is such a beautiful place to be.

Good morning, sweet Montana sunrise.
Thank you, Lord, for another day;
A day to rejoice and be glad in it,
A day to sing God’s praises….

Sing along with me and the children:

Have a Terrific Tuesday!
How will you celebrate life today?

Sending my love,
JanBeek

Man’s Best Asset

What do you consider man’s best asset?

mondo backside
Photo by Tazz Vaughn on Pexels.com

Well, it depends on how you’re looking at the word, huh?
ASSet?
Or maybe who you are and what you do?

If you are a gastroenterologist,
(a GI doctor)
like Dr. Gentry,
who last Sunday performed Bob’s colonoscopy,
then you’re looking for a clear anus!!

Oh my!
TMI ??
Too much information!!

BUTT (oops!) BUT,
hey, we just went through this weekend from hell…
and if you’ve read my previous coupla blogs,
you know what I mean.
And maybe you are waiting for an update?

Bob received wonderful care at
the Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.
The nurse, Ann-Marie, was the reason
he was smiling like this!
She was as efficient as she was beautiful!

What’s a woman’s greatest asset?
She was kind, caring, efficient, and professional.
A real delight!
Aren’t those the perfect qualities for a nurse?
(Or any of us, for that matter!)

Let me digress for a minute, OK?
While Bob was waiting and waiting for his procedure,
(it was scheduled for 8:00 am
and got bumped twice because of emergencies),
I decided to go get something to eat.
Neither Bob nor I had anything solid for about 48 hours!

I was sitting at the counter at Jam!
(my favorite breakfast place in Bozeman)
when the hostess seated a coupe next to me.
I glanced up from the CA church service
that was live-streaming
on my cell phone
and said, “Hi!” to the couple.
Then I went back to listening
to our son, Ty, who was delivering
the sermon at his church
in Placerville, California.
(Isn’t modern technology wonderful?!)

That’s Ty with me – taken last summer…
We’re so proud of his decision to pursue the ministry.


Anyway, I digressed…
What I wanted to share with you was the way
God worked miracles in our lives
every time we turned around last weekend!

persons left hand doing hand gesture
Photo by Anna Nekrashevich on Pexels.com

I was listening to Ty’s sermon
when I heard the customer recently seated to my left
say, “Hello, Mrs. Beekman.”

Surprised, I looked up…
and I studied the handsome young man’s face.
“Neighbor? Crowley?? Are you Cole?”
I had not seen him in a coupe of years.
He and his family live right across the road from us.
He’s been away at college.
What are the chances in a restaurant with 100+ people
that Cole would be seated right next to me??

“When things happen in your Christian walk of faith
and you say to yourself what a coincidence,
you should know that it’s not, 
it is God’s hand in your life.”


James 1:17 
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
coming down from the Father of lights
with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Open your hands
and your heart
for God to fill them!

Cole and I chatted for a while,
got caught up on what’s new
with him and with us…
and I went back to listening to
Ty’s sermon on-line.
Cole & his girlfriend said their good-byes
with “Let me know if you need anything.”

When the sermon was over
and it was time to get back to Bob
before he went in for his procedure,
guess what?
I asked for the bill…

“That couple that was next to you
paid for your breakfast!”

Every time I turned around,
God was working His miracles
through the generosity,
kindness, professionalism,
and compassion of others!!

See that latte pictured up there?
Do you think it was a coincidence
that a happy bee is floating on the top?

Remember, Bob is
a retired beekeeper/almond farmer.
No accident that they made my dirty chai latte
with almond milk and God sent the bee here to say,
“Hah! Here I am to remind you
Bob is in good Hands!
I’ve gotcha covered!”

I got back to the hospital in time
to say a prayer with Bob
before he was wheeled in.

It was only a short time when
he was wheeled back to the room.

Shortly, the doc came in with the good news,
“You have a beautiful anus for an 84 year old!”
(See, there’s that asset I was telling you about)
Only a GI doctor with 25,000
colonoscopies under his belt
would be so observant, right?


“Everything is OK!
Whatever was causing the bleeding
(no doubt diverticulitis)
has healed itself.
No surgery needed.
Eat more fiber.
Drink more water.”


Bob was given his marching orders
with instructions to follow-up
in a week with his primary care doc here in Ennis.

But before they checked us out
and sent us happily on our way,
Bob was given solid food
(ah, a turkey sandwich never tasted so goood!)
We were sent home with grateful hearts.
Praise the Lord!!

I believe in miracles.
We just experienced more than one.
Look for God’s miracles.
Expect them.
He is busy delivering them every day!

God bless you!
Thank you for all your prayers.
We love you.
Bee well!!

Oh, by the way,
what do you think is
Man’s Best Asset?

How Many Ways?

How many ways can you say Thank You?


This prompt made me wonder about the ways we show our appreciation. Before I had a chance to get on my computer and augment the post, my dear friend, Peter, responded with a delightful answer. Ah yes, animals know best! Their wordless acts of appreciation tell the whole story! Which of these speaks most loudly to your heart?

gazelles
Photo by Bas van Brandwijk on Pexels.com

Peter suggested a lick on the cheek… Oh yes!

One way I like to say thank you
is by inviting a generous, helpful friend
to come for dinner.

It doesn’t need to be Thanksgiving when we express our gratitude with a meal!

Daily in prayer
I thank my Maker
for all the ways
He has blessed
our lives.

Express Gratitude in song!
It’s such a good way to say Thank You!

“Do not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.”
(Philippians 4:6)

Thank you for visiting JanBeek

How many ways do you say Thank You?

Expressing Gratitude

Today’s prompt was:
How do you express your gratitude?

Whenever I feel grateful
Which is certainly most of the time
I cheerfully, freely express it
Often in cards I write in rhyme

I’m grateful for the animals
That come and rest in our space
But when they eat branches or flowers
I shoo them off – give them chase!

I thank God for our sunsets
That reflect on the mountains east
The beauty of their presence
Is for my eyes a heavenly feast!

I express to our sweet visitors
Who came from Switzerland to here
How much we enjoy their presence
Creating memories so dear

Here they are on the Madison
Fishing with Bob on the shore
The peacefulness and the beauty,
Made up for no catches, zero score

Our hostess was Fran, the musician
Who entertained us with lunch and a song
We thanked her with hugs and elation
With such beauty, what could go wrong?

I thank God for USA’s freedom
For the way we celebrate each year
Parades, the rodeo, barbecues… what a crowd
All came to see the bronc riders and to cheer

Our Swiss guest, Laszlo, really caught the mood
Donning a cowboy hat, he weathered the rain
He enjoyed all the cowboys and cowgirls
Watched many get bucked off- lose the rein

Saskia smiled at the chance to be here
Their first USA trip – They chose this Montana spot
I’m expressing my gratitude for their visit
And thanking God for perfect weather -not too hot!

Of course, you can count on huge crowds
On Independence Day every year
The parade is the main attraction
Literally thousands come to view and to cheer

Horses are plentiful, some large, some small
And the floats are the old fashioned type
Throwing candy, waving flags, squirting water,
They live up to all the hype!

The Bible says:

“Rejoice always, pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”

1 Thessalonians 5:16 -18 (NIV)

If you’ve gotten out of the habit of being thankful, it’s time to get back into spiritual shape. Every morning, as soon as the alarm goes off (or you wake up on your own… this side of the grass), make a habit of thanking God for a new day — and ask Him for guidance as you embark on new victories and challenges in the hours ahead.

We began our day at the nursing home
Grateful we could help the residents out
Pushed them in their wheel chairs
Where they could hear the crowds shout

We thanked Madison Valley Manor
For placing a row of chairs at road’s side
We had first class seating to view
All the cars, horses, floats… want a ride?

Back home we were treated
To our own neighborhood parade & song
The neighbors’ grandkids rode their bikes
“Happy Birthday, Uncle Sam!” Sing along!

How do you express your gratitude
When you are overwhelmed with glee?
I wish you could have been here
To say Thanks to the kids with me!

Thank you for the daily prompt
That encourages me to write
I don’t get at it every day, but often…
You inspire my muse’s light!

How do you express your gratitude
To those who touch your heart
I hope you do it daily & often –
If not, now’s a good time to start!

Thanks for visiting
JanBeek

(Happy Independence Day!
and
Happy Birthday to our pastor,
Mary Grace Reynolds,

28 today!
Hooray!)

I’m grateful for her
presence in our lives!

God bless you, MGR!!

Wonderful People

I so love people
And I really need people
More as I’m aging

Certain things I do
I can do all by myself
If I remember

Other things I need
Someone’s help to accomplish
Like cleaning my house

a person cleaning a toilet bowl
Photo by Liliana Drew on Pexels.com

Toilets are the worst
And the most necessary
What’s the worst for you?

Bob says it’s weeding
He loves having help for that
Wonderful helpers

Wonderful helpers
Worked in the back yard with Bob
Priceless dear family

Wonderful Janet
Came to help today
Priceless kind neighbor

Make sure blood pressure
Is an accurate measure
Bob needed her help

Learning to request
And accept the help you need
Is not a “Guy Thing!”

Set aside ego
Admit you can’t do it all
It’s OK to ask

We all need each other!

It’s not so easy
To admit we need some help
Even for children

Our great-granddaughter
Needs help learning what to eat
Blocks are not the best!

But it’s not her fault
She just doesn’t know better
Wonderful folks teach

But not all folks learn
Oi, some adults still eat blocks
Or equivalents

Wonderful people
Never stop trying to teach
Always offer hope

Wonderful people
Tell us of HOPE’s origin
They are Living Hope!

Who are your true friends?
Who are the wonderful folks
Who’ve left their footprints?

Be sure to reach out
Tell them how much you love them
Yes, do it today!

So, “Thank you, Laina!”

And thank you, Jodie & Melissa!
You’re wonderful!

Love,
JanBeek

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