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Embrace Birthdays (stay 39!)


Dear Friends,

I really appreciate all the Happy Birthday wishes extended my way this past weekend. Thank you so much!

Even though I am happy to tell you I am starting my 83rd year on earth, I am also happy to tell you that I am a fan of Jack Benny. Now, if you are too young to remember who Jack Benny was (or you are in another country where Jack Benny was not a nationally known figure), let me tell you: Jack Benny was a comedian who embraced 39 – and decided to stay that age forever more!

Actually, I embrace aging (I wrote a blog using that title once) – I I have no desire to be stuck at 39 or any other age.

How about you?

http://www.janbeek.blog/embrace-aging

Each year brings new insights. Each year brings new joys. Each year brings new challenges. I don’t want to miss any of them.

How about you?

“Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.”

Each day I pray for wisdom. Each day I ask God to increase my understanding and I thank the Holy Spirit for the fruits of the spirit that are mine: LOVE, JOY AND PEACE. And I ask God to help me with the other fruits of the spirit: patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… those that I work to increase as I mature in my faith.

How about you?

As I gather up those birthdays and mature in my faith, I remember to keep a child-like spirit. Enjoy that song. Sing it often. Teach it to your grandchildren. Sing it with your great-grandchildren. Put it in your heart.

You can’t be a lemon or a grape if you wanna be a fruit of the spirit!! Who wants to grow up to be a lemon anyway?

Work on that patience, Jan … your great-grandchildren need to see you model it! And your grand-dog needs you to exercise that gentleness and kindness, too. Ain’t always easy.

How about you?

My great-grandson, Xander, needs my love and joy,
and I need patience, kindness and gentleness in abundance!

On my birthday, Ty (our son) and Bob went out fishing (not catching… just fishing) … and that required a lot of patience! I went along for the joy of the ride. It was cool on the water in the morning, but the afternoon warmed up.

That evening Ty and our daughter-in-law, Monika, Bob & I went in to Bozeman for dinner and dessert. We had a delightful time at a table out front of “Hooked Sushi” enjoying the music being played down the sidewalk a half a block, and the people and dogs walking by. Such fun!

Only in a college town would you find this kind of vibrancy. I love it!

We went after dinner to a very popular ice cream store … and had great fun with some college students who were in line ahead of us. Look at this cute kid! (Ya, I had fun teasing him …)

Bob, our new friend, Jan (me), Monika & Ty –
Pretty sky, huh?
That’s our son, Ty, with me
We enjoyed the fun of chatting with our son & Moni while we waited.
Back home we found a wonderful
bottle of wine waiting for us –
a gift from our dear neighbors.
Thank you, Charlie & Janet!
Birthday roses from my granddaughter –
Thank you, Hope and Drew!
Flowers from our friends, Kathy & Ron-
with a really cute card!
Such fun! So nice of them!
Happy Birthday wishes from our #2 daughter, Laina…
I loved hearing her sing to me – from Maryland to Montana ❤
And our #1 daughter, DeAna, sang Happy Birthday and
sent us a picture of her beautiful flowers at
their restaurant in Switzerland.
Lovely, huh?

Sunday afternoon Bob, Ty & Monika went kayaking/paddleboarding while TazE & I found a shady spot and relaxed.

TazE found some cool grass and took a nap until…
Eloise and her Grandma Susie came.
With such good company, I put my book aside
and TazE left the shade to get acquainted.
It was a smokey day in the Madison Valley…
Lots of forest fires in the area –
and the wind blows the smoke into our
little piece of Paradise on Earth.

You can barely see the mountains outlined back there… not a typically beautiful day on Ennis Lake. Pray for the forest fires to be contained and the firefighters to be safe!

My friend, Caroline Feldman, took this photo
at Ennis Lake last year with the swans clustered.
Here’s my photo taken from that same area
at Ennis Lake last winter…
See, you’re supposed to see the mountains!
Meantime, the paddleboarders returned –
And we returned home
to enjoy our last evening together.
Ty & Monika left this morning…
Thank you, Dear Ones,
for coming to help make
my 82nd birthday so memorable and special.
Now TazE and I are stretched out,
relaxing, and looking forward to an evening
watching the Olympic swimmers.

What are you doing this Monday evening besides surfing the net?

It was a very Happy Birthday…
Forever 39 at heart…
Thanks to all the friends who sent greetings.
I love you!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, children, Faith, Family, flowers, food, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Montana, music, pets, relationships

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Embrace Butterflies


Embrace Butterflies
Yes, it’s so easy to do!
Figuratively.

Butterflies represent emergence to me

Build a chrysalis –
Then sequester for a while.
Pop! You’re beautiful!

No longer a worm!!

We all sequestered –
We had to during COVID-
Now we’re emerging.

Coming out brilliantly

Some folks are fearful –
Thinking COVID’s not over.
Maybe it isn’t.

Is the pandemic behind us?

With the variant
Running rampant in places,
Some crawled back inside.

Tiptoe outside carefully

Some still wear their masks;
Some won’t go to restaurants –
Prefer home dining.

Depends where you live

Remaining inside
Is important for some folks –
Others spread their wings.

Unique!

Like these butterflies,
Each situation’s different.
So, to each his own!

One of the lessons I learned during this past year and a half or so is that no two people react exactly the same to the same stimulus. We hear through our own filters. We see through our own past experiences. We can’t lay our trip on someone else! We all built our own chrysalis and stayed inside as long as we felt we needed to. Some are inside still. We all will emerge more beautiful in our own sweet time, if we allow our “feelers” to engage with our own needs while respecting the needs of others.

Embrace the butterfly.
Fly when you’re ready.
See ya in Big Sky!

Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

flowers, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, relationships

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Embrace Your Pastor


Embrace Your Pastor.
He or she needs your support –
And needs your feedback!

Photo by Binyamin Mellish on Pexels.com

Your pastor plants seeds
With each sermon presented.
You fertilize them.

You add nutrients
To the soil where they’re resting
By watering them.

Water the ideas
By ruminating on them.
What was the message?

Each week I take notes.
I capture the main ideas
As they resonate.

Today’s seeds that Pastor Mary Grace Reynolds sowed were inspired by Ephesians 2:11-22 and enhanced by the experience she had Friday night and Saturday morning with a group of young bicyclists who were traveling 4000 miles for cancer research. Here are my notes that I took while listening this morning.

TENACITY

Serving 400 hours as a hospital chaplain
Was required in my seminary studies.
Why God – why? What’s the answer?
With integrity and stamina, just serve!

Ephesians 2 is not about empty connections.
It’s talking about the death of our worst instincts.
It’s talking about getting on board with Christ.
Paul believed Christ would come back yesterday!

We’re still here thousands of years later…
Wondering when that victory over death
And division will come to this earth.
The Kingdom of God didn’t come in Paul’s time.

It hasn’t come in our time, either.
Addictions, abuse, fires, death, wars continue.
Where is the world where all divisions are erased?
We’re here to put our feet on the ground and be hopeful.

Moments of hope will come to you.
The U of Austin bike riders were my moment.
Stories of lodging needs and cancer research,
Tenacity, friendship, and HOPE scenarios entered.

Hope is a screamer and fighter.
Sometimes it works out for the good.
HOPE is the reality that God is love.
Evil will not win. God’s hope will!

Say YES to what pulls on your heartstrings.
Say YES to the reality of God’s hope.
Say YES to Truth and love and reaching out.
Say YES to cancer research and to helping.

Every inch gained in the fight against cancer
Is an inch toward life and hope.
We are building the Kingdom of God here
Where violence and oppression will be foreign to us.

With tenacity, hang in there.
With tenacity listen to God’s response to
Your questioning… Why God? Why?
With tenacity and stamina and love, just serve!

Amen


Let’s just grow flowers of love.

Embrace Your Pastor.
He or she needs your support –
And needs your feedback!

Happy Sunday.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing).

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, flowers, Giving, God, Haiku, happiness, Jesus, kindness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, Poetry, sermon notes, Serving One Another, writing

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Embrace Morning Light


Embrace Morning Light
Streaming brightly through windows
Every day is new


Embrace Morning Light
Let it follow you inside
It illuminates

Embrace the Sunlight
Appreciate its brightness
Flowers follow it

Flowers turn to find
Sustenance in the Sunlight
We should turn also

Turn to the Maker
Of sun and light and wisdom
Let His LIght lead you

Psalm 43:3

“O send out your light and your truth;
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling.”

Go out in the Light.
Have a sun-filled day, my friends.
Where will the Light lead?

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Faith, flowers, God, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, Montana, mountains, music, nature, optimism, peace, Poetry, prayer

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Embrace Montana Vistas


Here is the Madison Valley and Range
as seen from the Gravelly Range

We went on an adventure today into the Gravelly Range
with our friend, Julie, and her dog, Zeke.
Come enjoy the Montana Vistas with us!

The Gravelly Range is just south-west of Ennis. We were looking for wildflowers. This is the time of year when they usually are prolific. However, it has been a relatively dry spring and summer so far, so the flowers were not as colorful or plentiful as usual.

This field of flowers is irrigated –
so they’re not the “wildflowers”
we were looking for.
See that line up the mountain?
That’s where we are headed.
We drove the pick-up with trailer
to the base of our destination
and took the ATV up from there.
Julie & Zeke rode in the back.
TazE sat in my lap.
Bob’s the driver.
TazE enjoyed the views.
That mountain above TazE’s head
is called the Sphinx.

The clouds made the sky
so beautiful and interesting today,
but they also threatened rain.
Fortunately we had about an inch
or two of rain last night,
so it settled the dust.
And it held off until
we were headed back
home this afternoon.

On the way up, we saw a lot more cattle than usual.
Definitely more cattle than wildflowers!
Zeke was quite interested in the beauty
of the Madison Valley vistas.
This is Caroline’s tree!
We always think of her when we see it.
Caroline loves tree skeletons!
As we climbed, the clouds moved
out from the Madison Range
and began to cover the valley.

This is a purple sticky wild geranium. Julie has an app on her iPhone that allows her to take a picture of a flower and then have the phone tell her the name of that flower. What a cool app! “Picture This” is the name I think. I need to check it out.

I can’t remember the name of this hairy wildflower.
Isn’t it interesting?

We reached a place where the road was closed
and we could go no further.
So, we stopped and rested a while
and let TazE and Zeke run around.

Julie took our photo,
and while we were distracted,
Zeke went out exploring.
Zeke found some wet, runny cow poop
and thought it was great fun to roll in it!

Like I said, there were more cows than wild flowers,
so of course, there were plenty of places
for an inquisitive pup to explore!!

Julie was intrigued by some of the leaves.
I walked beyond the closed gate and
took this photo of the US Forest Service sign
and the field of wildflowers beyond it.
They were more brilliant than this photo shows.

Heading back down the mountain, the cows bellowed at us!
They were not happy that we were disturbing their peace.

The one we enjoyed earlier was still there on our way down.
TazE continued to enjoy the views with us.
The sprinkler systems keep the fields green
in spite of our near drought conditions.

The storm clouds threatened … and we got a few raindrops on our way back to the pickup.

See the squall on the other side of the valley?
You can see that it is raining there.

Ah, home – with great memories of beautiful Montana Vistas!

And a beautiful sunset ended our day…

Thank you for sharing our
beautiful Montana Vistas with us.

I hope you had a beautiful day, too.
Embrace Montana Vistas.
Come visit us!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, flowers, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, pets, Travel, trees

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Embrace Beauty


Vistas
Broad, expansive
Ridge to Valley
Valley, Mountains, Big Sky
Beauty

Poetry
Embrace Elfchen
It’s eleven words
Set in number pattern
Fun!

View from Pintail Ridge at Ducsay’s

Montana
Mountain Majesty
Expansive blue sky
Delightful precious generous friends
Home

Our neighbors’ new flagpole
A great addition to the “Hood”

Neighbors
Beautiful “Hood”
Always making improvements
Delightful to have around
Friends

Look carefully!
That’s the Hockings’ flagpole
from a different angle

Changes
Always beautiful
As evening came,
The shadows grew longer
Moon

Sundown
Pink reflection
in the north-east
Cool, crisp, refreshing air
Beautiful

Mmmm… steak and wine!

Invitation
To dinner
On Father’s Day
Couldn’t have been better
Delicious

Thank you, Charley & Janet
for your food, your friendship,
and your love!



Visitors
From Alaska
Friends from Pakistan
Young man I tutored
Gratitude

Zahid & Maryam with cup of gratitude

Gifts
Beautiful Friends
Staying in Touch
Long after they move
Blessings

Meantime
Back Home
Father’s Day roses
Showing evidence of love
Forever

Father’s Day Roses

Flowers
God’s Beauty
In full bloom
They always are appreciated
Roses

Elfchen is a form of poetry
Sometimes called Elevensies
Because it consists of 11 words
In this configuration:
1+2+3+4+1 = 11
(You probably figured that out by now.)

Write an elfchen for me in the comments below, will you?
Be sure and use the word BEAUTY in your poem!!

Home
Embrace Beauty
Come visit us
We’d love seeing you
Welcoming

Music
Tells stories
Ed Sheeran sings
In a musical video
Beautiful

Define
What’s beauty?
I’m not beautiful…
Beauty’s as Beauty does
Hugs

Charm is deceptive,
and beauty is fleeting;
but a wo(man) who fears the Lord is to be praised. …
Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor Him, for He is your lord.

~ Psalms 45:11.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Family, flowers, food, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, holidays, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, music, Poetry, relationships

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Embrace Cherished Memories


Go back to your past
Embrace cherished memories
Cherish family

Yesterday we celebrated family as we gathered at our son, Ty’s place in Placerville, CA.
It was Ty’s mother-in-law, Ruthie’s birthday (behind me on the left with hubby, Darrell).
We are so blessed to have such a close, loving family! That’s my niece, Jodie,
on the right with her hubby, Bill, and son, Liam. Monika’s in back right.
Ty & our grandson, Sam are front left.

We were gathered not only to celebrate Ruthie’s birthday,
but the day before we all gathered at the cemetery
to honor the life of my sister, Sally.

Here is Sally on the right with her best friend, Bonnie Dauley, at a River Cats game.
Bonnie & many of Sally’s friends from the Sacramento area
joined our family & friends in Turlock for the lovely memorial.
It had to be postponed last December due to COVID.

It was a lovely, blue sky day. Here I am reading my poem about my sis to the gathering.
Sally’s ashes joined those of her husband and eldest daughter
in this beautiful spot where my parents’ ashes also are.

Bob & I have a “drawer” right next to this one where my parents’ ashes are.
You may think this is morbid, but I find comfort knowing
this detail is taken care of.
Do you relate?

Ty introduced the various speakers who remembered the best qualities of my sis.
The remarks helped solidify for us all what a unique person Sally was.
She was very devoted to her Rebekah and Odd Fellows Lodges,
so those organizations were well represented in the service.

Sally’s daughter (my niece, Jodie) has a best friend, Melissa,
who came from Utah to celebrate and honor the memory of Sally DeAngeles Butters.
Melissa has been Jodie’s best friend since early high school days.
What a blessing best buddies are!

My best CA buddy, Marcie, invited us to stay at her place –
and had a mini-class of ’57 gathering the night before the service.
What a joy to see my old high school buddies!
I was so busy enjoying them, I didn’t take any pictures that night.
Amazing!

Here’s Marcie out on her patio.
And below there is Bob… enjoying the beautiful California sunshine.

After the service, Jodie & Bill invited everyone to lunch at El Jardin in Turlock.
It was great food, and a wonderful opportunity for family and friends to connect.

Marcie & Ty with Monika’s parents and Bob’s brothers & sisters-in-law.
Below are three of my cousins, Jan DeAngelis Jones, Maria DeAngelis, and Leni Assali.
I had not seen them in waaaay too long!
(behind Jan is Tim Allen, who enhanced the ambiance with his music)

Jodie, me & Melissa… so good to have time together!

For dessert, we remembered my sister’s love of holidays
with cupcakes decorated with all her favorite days.

Wasn’t that a clever idea?

Before returning here to Ty’s in Placerville,
we stopped by my cousin,
Adrian’s in Modesto,
for more visiting time.

Adrian DeAngelis

Leni Assali & Laura DeAngelis

God bless Jodie & Bill!
They worked so hard to make this a memorable occasion –
One that honored my sister’s memory
and will live in our memories
for as long as we live.

We wish our daughter, DeAna, and her hubby Andre’ could have been here –
but they are in Switzerland. Too far to come … and they are busy with their restaurant right now.
But the picture above is De & Andre’ with Ty & Monika two years ago.
You can see they enjoy one another’s company!
My hope is that someday Ty & Monika can go to Vissoie
to visit De & Andre’ and their gorgeous Swiss Auberge.

Sante’, my friends.
Thank you for visiting JanBeek today
and sharing this important family time with me vicariously.
Today is more chance to spend time here in CA with loved ones.
We will have two of my other grandchildren
plus my sweet great-granddaughter,
Cosette, joining us today.

I hope you have a blessed weekend.
What are you planning to do?

Cheers!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)!
Love, Jan

Category:

blessings, children, Family, flowers, friendship, holidays, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, relationships, Travel

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Embrace Going Home!


Today we went to Bob’s old homestead.

This property on Geer Road in Hughson, CA
(just north of Turlock) is where Bob grew up.
His mom & dad started the Beekman Honey business
when Bob was a kid.
His mom moved to this place
from Pasadena when she was a small child.

Now Bob’s brother, Bruce, and his wife, Ann, have the place.
They have made so many improvements,
including the change of the old “Rumpus Room”
into a Honey and Wine Tasting Room.

The old windmill still stands,
and the hollyhocks that Bob’s mom planted
are thriving.
The bees love them!
Ah yes, this smells and feels like home!!

The Ranch is home to about 9 cats with nine lives each!
They all came to greet us when we arrived!

Out in the field Bruce & Ann have planted lavender.
It is a popular commodity in the Honey Tasting Room
along with other items such as honey-scented soaps,
various honey samples, and bee related items.

That house below – beyond the lavender field –
is where our daughter, De, and her husband, Andre’,
lived when they were first married.
Ah, memories!

Back at Bruce & Ann’s home,
which is just a quarter of a mile
through the almond trees from the bee ranch,
their oak tree has grown so large,
it hides the house
as you approach it from the driveway.
And the almond trees in the driveway are laden with nuts!!

But, as you get closer, you see the beautiful home –
And behind the house, the landscaping pulls you in!

It’s a gorgeous day here.
Wanna join me for a swim?
I’m outta here.
Too pretty to be at my computer.

See ya tomorrow. (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Family, flowers, Love, Memories, relationships, trees

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Embrace Gladness


What has made you glad today?
Are you thanking God for this day?

I will reJOYce for He has made me glad.
This is such a beautiful spring day –
The weather is a gift from God
and
My dear husband, Bob, has our yard
Looking like a very inviting park.

Come sit awhile with me.
Enjoy the birds singing.
Enjoy the sunshine.
Let the peacefulness
of the mountain vistas
Make you glad!

Our robins are such a treat.
They make me glad!

Let your heart sing with the music of the birds!
So beautiful!

I had a yellow chested blackbird singing to me this morning-
-and while up in my sanctuary, a pair of doves
landed on the garage roof
and sang their hearts out.

(Thank God
it wasn’t those
“common cranes”
or the “snipe”
or the “corn crepe.”
Those would have driven me crazy!

(If you glide your cursor over the red line on the video,
it will tell you what kind of bird you are listening to.

The European turtle dove sounds like those we have here.
They make me glad!

Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

Our friend, Jim, took a break
from his yard work today
and came to visit for awhile.

Friends who drop by to visit
make my heart glad!

Tomorrow I get to spend time with his wife,
my good friend, Terry.
We’ll share a lunch and catch up on life.
Sharing life with friends makes me glad!

This blanket’s a gift from Terry.
Seeing it, wrapping myself up in it,
that makes me glad!

“Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before His presence with singing.”

Psalm 100:2

What makes you glad?

Share with me…
Your comments make me glad!


EMBRACE GLADNESS!

See ya tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, flowers, friendship, God, Gratitude, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Montana, music, nature

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Embrace Majestic Calmness


Happy June 1st to you.
The “Official” start of summer!
And we finally have springtime in the Rockies.

Life can be hectic
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Play some “Spa Music”


Life can be stressful
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Take a walk outside

Life is difficult
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Take some time to pray

A life filled with faith
Embraces Everyday Calm
Knowing Who’s in charge


Have a Terrific Tuesday, my friends.
I hope you’re enjoying that spa music
And it is calming your soul.

What other ways do you have for finding calmness?

See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Faith, flowers, God, Haiku, health, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Montana, mountains, music, nature, peace, Poetry, prayer

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