Bob & I went wine tasting with our son, Ty & daughter-in-law, Monika.
Winderotter Winery in Plymouth, Amador County, California has a wonderful selection of wines.
We tasted both reds and whites ended up taking some of each home with us.
Our visit to Runquist Winery, in that same area, was a delight, too.
Later, we returned to Placerville and had dinner at a delicious Thai Restaurant. Our grandson, Jordan, joined us.
If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Amador County, I hope you will make it a point to visit those two wineries and enjoy a meal at the Tasty Thai. I know you’ll be as delighted as we were.
Now, I gotta get off my computer and join the fun. My family gives me a bad time when I am on the internet instead of interfacing with them!!
Is it hard for you to ask for help? Some people find it very difficult. Some people feel like they are a burden. They want to be self-sufficient.
Bob and I have learned Self-sufficiency is harder as you age. Asking for help is imperative, Especially when you are stuck!!
That red dot out there is the back – The back light of our car. We high-centered in.a snow drift. That’s about 50 yards out.
It is freezing out there – Brrr! We walked home and left the car. Brrrr… Help! We can’t do it – Can’t dig ourselves out.
It’s not the first time We needed help this week – Not the first time this year. What would we do alone??
Thank God for friends and neighbors. Thank God for Bobcats & snow blowers And friends who come to help. We would be toast without them!
Tomorrow’s sunrise promises us A better day – a chance to get out A chance to go to church and thank God For the HELP we receive from so many
Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Do not be afraid to ask Do not be too proud to admit You need help – can’t do it all yourself Let others help… and ask God for help, too!
No request is too small.
We reached out yestersay We asked our friend, Joe, for help He came and helped Bob Unbury our snow fence
Earlier this month I reached out And asked my friend, Susan P, For help with my Christmas decorations She came – we did it together – God bless her!
I couldn’t have done this without her!
May the Lord bless and keep you May your neighbors and friends Be the help you need when in distress Don’t be afraid to cry out: HELP!!
There is no joy in aloneness When you are craving assistance People want to help you They want to be asked. So do!
Do ask for HELP when you need it Ask for HELP when you want it You will be blessed and so will your helper We all need to be needed!!
This is my adorable 10-year-old friend Hailey helps to give me a sense of purpose Each week she joins me in my sanctuary We study scripture and read devotionals
I am so grateful for her and her mom They let me know they needed something In helping them, I am the one who is blessed You, too, can be the helper as well as the one who’s helped
Reach out today and make someone’s life better In the process, you will make your own richer, too. Help is a two-way street – Don’t miss it! God bless you, my dear WP friends… you help
You help by reading my blog and commenting You help by posting your stories and inspiration You never know just who needs what you write You never know who you’re he[ping today! Thanks for dropping by JanBeek today.
Your “likes” and comments lift my spirits. I’m headed to go see your blog right now, too. Thanks for your HELP!!
Yesterday Bob & I were treated to a wonderful opportunity. Our friends, Ann & John, drove us in to Bozeman to enjoy the phenomenal “Christmas Spectacular” by the Bozeman Symphony.
The players were joined by the Symphony choir and an amazing tenor soloist, Tamar Green. I broke the rules, held my phone down where no one could see it, and recorded a bit of Tamar’s extraordinary voice. You just have to hear him!!
I held the phone down in front of the chair… Oh, please listen. His voice is amazing!!
His personality is as enchanting as his singing voice. When he is not here, he is in New York, on Broadway, playing the part of George Washington in the musical, Hamilton!!
I had to peek between two tall heads to see him – and lean over between two other heads to see the amazing conductor, Norman Huynh, but I managed… and was mesmerized by the lighting, the staging, and the quality of the musicians.
We are so blessed to have this delightful, talented conductor here with us in Bozeman, MT. He is such a gift to our music community! Thank you, Norman!!
The light show on the walls left, right, above, and on the stage was such an enhancement to the show!
As you can tell by the menorah, the music was varied and celebrated many of this season’s traditions.
The concert ended with a rousing singalong. I wish you coulda been there with us!
Did you sing along? Could you hear it?
Try not to let my scratchy alto voice distract you from the fun of an auditorium of music lovers singing with gusto!
Silent Night is my favorite carols. What is yours?
I hope you have a chance to attend a spectacular Christmas concert in your area, this season.
God bless you, dear friends! Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas!
The Christmas cards are done They’re ready to be mailed But we can’t leave our home We’d surely be derailed
The winds were 40 mph gusts, and The drifts have blown like crazy I’ll have to ZOOM church tomorrow And it’s not cuz I am lazy
I’d attend if I could get out And after church I’d go To the post office to mail the cards But I can’t get through the snow
So we are at the mercy Of a kind and helpful neighbor When he comes with his bobcat blower We’ll watch him work and thank him later
He’ll blow out the driveway And clear a path for us So we can get to church Without shoveling and lots of fuss
But if you don’t see us And if our card to you doesn’t come, You might send out a sled team To rescue us… we’re frozen and numb!
That’s our driveway that’s the culprit The wind swirls the snow in piles Inside between the rabbit brush It blows in from many miles
That photo was a light snow This time it’s at least two feet tall After our neighbor plowed us out The piles were a five foot wall!
We haven’t seen a winter like this This storm has been a doozy It started way too early this year – The freezing wind makes me woozy
The Christmas cards are done They’re ready to be mailed But like I said, I’m stuck in here Our Christmas travel might be curtailed
Try coming in through the drifts I’ve some hot chocolate to share But if you don’t make it here Mr Snowman will be content floating there
Hope you’re having a happy December so far. God bless you! Stay in touch.
Love ya, JanBeek
Take a look at this photo I found! That’s me – pregnant with our 1st child, Ty. And that’s my sis and her hubby with my niece, Denise and my mom and dad… 1964 Christmas … Sweet memories!
I was up in my sanctuairee this morning reflecting on the subject of waiting, anticipating the coming of Christmas – and I realized, Oh Lord, help me my God!! I mixed up Lent and Advent!! I said we had 40 days of waiting for the Christ Child during Advent! No, no, no… Lent is the 40 days of waiting for Easter, Advent is the 4 weeks before Christmas with 4 Sundays to celebrate the coming of the Baby in the manger. It might be the period of time the Wise Men followed the star to find the manger scene and present their gifts to the Savior.
But there is a mystery about the Wise men and their travel to follow the star. The wise men arrived after the birth. If they saw the star at the moment of Jesus’ birth, then it would have taken at least a few months for the wise men to arrive.
Regardless of the time it took the Wise Men to travel, since when did Nov. 27 to Dec. 25 equal 40 days?? Sheesh!!
The season of Advent is celebrated over four Sundays before Christmas – this year, those Sundays are Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, 11, and 18. The Advent season ends at sundown on Christmas Eve. The end of Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical or church year for Christians.
So, this season of “Waiting” is a time when my Jewish friends wait, too. They celebrate Hanukkah. The word Hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedication,” which refers to the rededication of the temple after the Maccabees’ victory. They need to wait for that season to begin on December 19th. Hanukkah, (Hebrew: “Dedication”) also spelled Ḥanukka, Chanukah, or Chanukkah, also called Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, or Feast of the Maccabees, Jewish festival that begins on Kislev 25 (usually in December, according to the Gregorian calendar) and is celebrated for eight days. Hanukkah reaffirms the ideals of Judaism and often involves a festival with lighting of candles each day of the festival. Although not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah came to be widely celebrated and remains one of the most popular Jewish religious observances. Hanukkah is celebrated from Monday, December 19 to Monday, December 26 in 2022.
The menorah is a symbol of Hanukkah. The menorah is meant to spread light to others. It is traditionally placed in a window,on a table or outside your door. Jewish faithfuls are supposed to light the menorah just after dark each night of Hanukkah.
As Christians, we pause and take time to put up our Christmas tree, decorate our home, our church, our community, and purchase the presents we want to give to our loved ones. Santa Claus has usurped the place of Jesus Christ as the central Christmas figure in many homes. It’s not Santa’s birthday we wait for and celebrate, however.
It’s not 40 days til Christmas! It’s coming sooner than you think… sooner than I imagined! We need to approach this season as innocent children… a Child of God … waiting expectantly. Focusing on the real Reason for the Season.
Jesus actually tells us to be like children and to come to Him full of faith and trust. The popular children‘s song “Jesus Loves the Little Children” reminds us that “all are precious in His sight” and no matter your race, gender or nationality, God wants to see all children come to Him.
So, forgive my “Ooops!” from yesterday… and get busy, my friends. Finish up those Thanksgiving leftovers, and get in the spirit! And let’s look – as through the eyes of a child – at what Advent really means:
Thanks for visiting JanBeek and my OOOPS today! See ya tomorrow.
Hugs to you and your loved ones!
By the way, I am missing the Bell Choir this year. Our director, Jan Thomas, is moving from Ennis to Bozeman. Tomorrow the moving van comes. Keep her and her hubby in prayer, wouldja? They are going to be sorely missed in our community.
We are WAITING for a new bell choir director to emerge. Got any recommendations?
Time with family is memorable, indeed We’re grateful for the ones who embrace the holiday mood We’re blessed to have them open their home And share their love and delicious food.
Our daughter, De, in Switzerland shared photos of their beautiful meal Imagine how plates like these enchant your guests (think how they feel)!
The family in far-off Europe included our grandsons with our De I’m grateful for the internet and the pictures she shared with me.
Nick, De, Mike & Chris
Here in California Eleven of us gathered round – add two big, rambunctious dogs and laugh as kids and animals clowned.
Christmas Day was a time for fun with love and gifts exchanged Friends shared photos of their day Our family did, too … we got arranged!
Thank you, Ty & Monika for your gracious hospitality – we’re blessed to have our son & spouse share their life & love with Bob & me.
I pray your day was blessed and you celebrated Christ’s birth with those you love gathered round – good food, warm hugs, and lots of mirth!
A note for this day-after-Christmas-morning: Faith (our granddaughter) and Kyle were headed home to S.Lake Tahoe last night and about 3 hours later had to turn around and come back to Placerville. The road ahead was closed due to heavy snow and lots of accidents ahead. The good news is that they were not involved in one of them… and we’re all safe and sound… feeling blessed!
Merry Christmas! Bee 🐝 well! Bee blessed!
Keep the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in your heart year-round! May Jesus remain alive in you!
JanBeek 