Our beautiful trip
Into Bozeman yesterday
Yielded great rewards
Reward #1:
Reward #2
Reward #3
Reward #4
Reward #5
Reward #6
Reward #7
Reward #8
Reward #9
Reward #10
Have you taken a beautiful trip recently?
What are some of your rewards?
Have a Terrific Tuesday!
See ya later.
Winnie the Pooh said,
“Sometimes the smallest things
take up the most room in your heart.”
Yesterday at church, the smallest people there took up the largest place in my heart… and the hearts of the congregants. I didn’t have my camera with me to show you a picture of the “Terrific Tuesday” children who sang Christmas carols to the congregation and recited a memorized Bible verse into the microphone. But, you just have to imagine these three darlings along with five others ranging in age from 4 to 10 – – – singing and reciting praises to our Lord. It was glorious!
Ruby, Cord, and Hailey were joined by five others yesterday as they sang, “Father Abraham,” and “Silent Night,” and synced hand motions to “I’ve Got Peace Like a River”… Oh my! Every face in the church was bursting with God’s JOY as we watched these darling little ones.
Elaine Hundley, our Pastor Steve’s wife, delivered the sermon. Steve is off in Virginia at his mom’s side as she lies dying. As we pray for Steve and his mom, Faye, our congregation also is mourning the death of Reverend Jean Johnson, who died after a difficult surgery and related difficulties. She had been the pastor here in the Madison Valley Presbyterian Church for 32 years.
If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know I take notes in poetry as I listen and internalize the sermon. Elaine called her sermon, “Second Chances” as she talked about Zechariah’s muteness due to unbelief – and the second chance he received after acknowledging his baby boy’s name is John. In my notes, I focused more on the message to Mary – and her response to Gabriel and to God. Here is what I wrote as I discerned the message yesterday. I called it Believe and Trust:
Based on Luke 1:26-56
Think about Gabriel’s messages
To Zechariah and to Mary.
He told each their child’s name
And spoke as if a voice from a fairy.
Zechariah was a priest and he
Should have believed the voice.
But he doubted – and became mute.
Like Zechariah, we have a choice.
We can believe as Mary did,
Or doubt as Zechariah chose to do.
The result of Mary’s faith
Was rich in blessings. So it is with you.
When God speaks to us, we know
Blessings are ours – if we trust.
Through faith, we are free to rejoice;
We are free to believe – We must!
Mary’s song speaks as if God
Already has done what He said.
She praises the gift of His Son.
She didn’t look on her fate with dread.
Sometimes, like Mary, we face unknowns.
Like her, we are called to accept
The challenges God gives us as gifts.
Know God’s in charge, so have no regrets.
Christmas is a season in which, as we light the Advent candle – there is a new focus each week. We await the birth of the Christ Child with a focus on JOY this week. I pray you find JOY in this day – and project nothing but HOPE, PEACE and JOY to all you meet.
As Pooh said, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” What’s taking up room in your heart today?
Look for the smallest ways to believe, trust, and spread the Good News! Wheeee!! Take JOY into your heart! (It’s no small thing.)
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
I hope it brought you JOY today.
See ya later.
Santa ’round the world
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Known by many names
In Pennsylvania
St. Nicholas was displayed
In his many forms
Santa Claus is also
St. Nicholas,
in the USA.
We have a song:
“Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,
lean your ear this way
Don’t you tell a single soul
What I’m going to say…”
Even if the display was “too early” in my estimation, if it had not been before Thanksgiving, we would not have been there to enjoy it and photograph it for you. I hope you enjoyed the display.
What are you up to today?
And which Santa- St. Nick – did you like best??
The season of Christmas is one of my favorites.
It’s a time to socialize with friends and to shop.
It’s a time to enjoy the great outdoors on the slopes.
It’s a time for cards and cookies and eat ’til you pop!
What are you up to?
What’s your favorite kind of fun this time of the year?
Have some “Christmas Time Fun”
and tell me all about it!
See ya later.
I have a dear friend in California who is sending inspirational scripture with music and devotionals each day during this season of Advent. Today she sent a link to a song that started my day with a smile.
The song, composed in the minor key, is perfect for this season.
Do you know it? The choir and soloists are superb:
“Come to set us free, come to make us your own.
Come to show the way to your people, your chosen.
Open our lives to the light of your promise.
Come to our hearts with healing, come to our minds with power,
come to us and bring us your life.”
You can click on this link and hear it if you like:
http://catholichymn.blogspot.com/2015/11/come-to-set-us-free.html
For me, Advent is the season of Adventure – a season of reaching out to others in love while we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ child each Christmas.
I know many of my readers are people of other faiths, and I respect your right to worship the One God in your chosen way. But, I hope you feel a sense of greater love, more generous giving, and the promised peace during this holiday time of the year. I hope the drama, the stress, and the conflict are minimized in your life… and you can find JOY in the hustle and bustle of the season.
Gracious God,
Be with my Word Press friends this season.
Bring them JOY and PEACE.
Help them live with compassion
and reach out in love.
In His name I pray,
Amen.
See ya later!
Happy Second Sunday of Advent, my friends!
It’s the Sunday devoted to the subject of JOY.
Last year at this time, as I looked forward to Christmas and New Years, I was thinking about what to give for presents. I also gave thought to what I was wishing for… what I was expecting for Christmas and for the year to come. I posted this wish for 2019:
Joyfully, I can report that we have been blessed with good health and a wealth of friends and loving family, and blissful days. Not EVERY day was perfect, of course, – we all face challenges from time to time – but I am eternally thankful – daily for the JOY and peace and the love that are mine.
And now we are back in that holiday season again – looking forward to Christmas and the new year. As a congregation of worshipers, we all were drawn into that expectant mood today.
Here are my sermon notes. (If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know I take notes poetically as I listen to the sermon each Sunday.)
Today in church, Pastor Steve Hundley’s message was titled,
“What Are You Expecting?”
What are you expecting for Christmas?
Reindeer on your rooftop or Santa Claus
Coming down your chimney?
Better reset your sights because…
Clyde came dressed up as Santa.
He was a crusty old guy,
And he looked like Ghandi.
But the problem was, he was high.
Clyde was high on Moonshine.
He was a jolly old soul,
But I was not impressed.
Clyde was far from my expected goal.
I was expecting the real Santa,
And I knew Clyde wasn’t he.
Like expectations of Santa,
The world is waiting expectantly…
For the birth of a Savior King,
And instead here comes a baby,
Born in a lowly stable.
He’s not the King He’s s’posed to be!
John the Baptist predeicted
The coming of this Royal King.
He spoke of confession and judgement.
He told the world about everything…
God’s prophets of old had proclaimed,
“A Savior of Priestly stock would come.”
John was so convincing, folks thought
He might in fact be God’s promised Son.
But John assured them Jesus was
The Savior King they’d waited for.
Even though Jesus was loving and kind,
Not the Leader with sword. They wanted more…
More of what they had expected.
“Are you really the One?” they inquired.
“Don’t look elsewhere; just see what I’ve done –
Go,” Jesus said. “Go and be inspired.”
Jesus reminded them that He was
Indeed doing what Isaiah said:
“The blind will see; the deaf shall hear;
The lame will walk. Believe I AM Christ.
GOD IS NOT DEAD!”
Have a Wonderful Sunday!
I hope you are expecting the Risen Christ!
He’s coming again, you know.
Merry Christmas!
See ya tomorrow.
Does temptation lift
Its ugly head around you?
Cookies and parties?
Do you look at fun
As life’s diversion from Christ?
That’s not His intent!
Christianity
Is built sure on nothing less
Than Christ’s love and joy
He intends for us
To experience His FUN
In the Spirit’s fruit:
Galatians 5:22-23
“When the Holy Spirit
controls our lives,
he will produce this kind
of fruit in us,
love, JOY, peace.
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, and self-control.
Yesterday I went
To a FUN cookie exchange
Temptation abounds!
In his book,
Daily Inspirations for the Purpose Driven Life,
Rick Warren wrote,
“God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice.
Integrity is built by defeating the temptation…”
When I learn, “No Thanks,”
I grow (through the temptation)
In spirit, not pounds!
Good luck with the fruit of self-control today!
See ya later!
Think of the reason
We love this Christmas season
The Main Character
Besides your thinking
Set aside some special time
To worship the Christ
Because, if not for
His birth and Resurrection
There’d be no Christmas
I’m headed up to my sanctuary to start my day off right.
A little time with Him and His Word…
You’re in my prayers.
See ya later.
Some favorite joys
During this Christmas season
Are fun to reveal
Lemon meringue pie
Is a favorite of Bob’s
He made one today
With trees and poinsettias
A joy of mine at Christmas
Is lights all aglow
Bells at Christmas time
Joyously ring the Good News
A Savior is born!
Some people travel
And find Christmas joy on shores
Far from their own homes
Remember tree lights
Are symbols of Jesus light
Shining LOVE brightly
Christmas means haircuts
Angel necklaces and RED
My favorite color
Back home from shopping
The clouds with silver linings
Tell me, “Time to Rest.”
Time to think about
What the Christmas spirit means.
What’s your CHRISTMAS JOY?
Thank YOU for visiting JanBeek.
YOU give me JOY with your presence here.
Take time to rest – and have a joy-filled December.
Tell me what brings you joy this Christmas season.
See ya tomorrow.
Colorful blue bird
Rests among the red berries
Waiting for Christmas
With his red cap on
The snow doesn’t affect him
He’s warm as can be
Let the birds send love
Then you can reciprocate
Spread love this Christmas
What’s your favorite bird?
Hugs to You !!
Inspire to Love
Let the SonShine!
You inspire me to respond
Learning to Live; Living to Learn; Learning to Love; Living in Love
