“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?
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.
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.
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?
“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!
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?
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!
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?
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?
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!!
