Loving One Another

Archive for the ‘Gratitude’ Category

Hold On!

What do you need to hold on to?

At this stage in my life, I don’t need to buy anything else
(except maybe food to sustain Bob & me
and a plane ticket or two to travel
to see our kids when it’s safe to do so)
… but I need to get rid of things instead.

How about you? If you were given this prompt,
“Hold on to your ____,”
how would you fill in the blank?
Ann Kaplow tickled my creative funny bone with her post today:

Day 2886: Hold on to your …

Posted on October 19, 2020 by Ann Koplow

Check it out and see some of the things she identified.
Here are a few things I think I should hold on to:

Hold on to your umbrella;
Let the wind carry you away.
Hang on and float high
To a joyous, better day.

Hold on to your future
Let it carry you to the sky,
To days of brighter sunshine.
Let it carry you up high.

Hold on to your faith;
Let it carry you to love.
Let it bring you greater wisdom
And powers from above.

Hang onto your head;
Keep your intellect intact.
Be cautious and discerning;
Know all you hear ain’t fact.

Hold onto your friends,
But remind them to wear masks.
That was Anne Kaplow’s prompt.
Be safe – is all she asks.

Hold on to earth’s hope
For a better, safer world.
Be kind to our planet –
Don’t let this virus stay unfurled.

What do your think we should hold on to?

I’m gonna hold on to Bob.
I’m feeling so blessed that he is feeling so much better.
Did I tell you that the afternoon my sis died
was the day he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure?

I’m gonna hold on to our wonderful doctor
who stayed long after her “shift” was over –
and ordered blood work, x-rays, and an EKG,
and stayed til the results came in.
Then she walked us up the stairs to the front door
to see how Bob did with climbing stairs.
Then called the next morning to
check on him and offer encouragement
and an appointment this week
for an echocardiogram.

Yes, I’m gonna hold on to that wonderful doctor!!

And this guy:

We have had so many friends
and family members praying for us.
God is good.
All the time.
He put a song of praise in my heart.
God hears and answers prayer!

Life is looking up.
We’re holding on!
{{{Hugs}}} to you.
You hold on, too.
Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, blessings, blogging, Faith, friendship, God, Gratitude, health, life, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, prayer, relationships

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My Sis, Sally, Died Today

Today my sis, Sally, died.
She was only a year and a half older than I.
As children, Mom often dressed us alike.
People thought we were twins.

As adults we looked so much alike, too, that our long-time friends sometimes called me Sally.

When you lose your only sibling,
A part of you dies with her.
Sally came every Thanksgiving from CA
To spend the holiday with us in Montana.

Sally always came with an extra suitcase.
She filled it with oregano that grew in her back yard.
She spent most of the week here at the kitchen table or counter
Picking the leaves off the oregano stems.

I have a couple of quart jars left of her herbs.
When they are gone, another part of her
Will disappear – You can’t find oregano that fresh –
Not in a store, that’s for sure! Can you smell it?

Sally was a nut about holidays!
She had a closet full of clothes
Sorted by the holiday they represented
And she loved every one of them.

She joined her nieces and nephews
For Halloween and Christmas,
For Easter and birthdays, and
For special lunches and dinners.

Sam, Faith, Hope and Jordan with Aunt Sally at Burger King

Sally loved giving gifts and playing games

Sally & Jordan shared a Dec. 20th birthday

They continued to share even as Jordan entered his teens and young adult years.

Bonnie was Sally’s best friend. They enjoyed many River Cats games together.

Naturally Sally was there to celebrate her daughter, Jodie’s wedding.
Here she is at the wedding reception, dancing with her nephew,
our son, Ty, the daddy of those nieces and nephews.
And she was there of course, for her grandson, Liam’s baptism.

Bill & Jodie Welge (Sally’s dughter) and their infant son, Liam

Sally loved spending time with her grandson, Liam.
During the last few years of her life, she moved
from California to PA to be near her daughter, son-in-law,
and her dear grandson, Liam.

Besides her family and holidays, Sally had a love of dogs.
She inherited her poodle, Gigi, from our mom after Mom died.
Gigi was stolen from Sally when Gigi was about 4 years old.
Gigi was gone nine years, but Sally never gave up the idea of
finding her!

Sure enough, nine years after the theft, Sally received a call from a veterinarian.
Gigi had a chip, and when she was found wandering, dirty, toothless, and infected,
the person who found her brought her to a vet. The chip had Sally’s number.
Can you imagine her joy at that reunion after nine long years? Gigi lived to be 15.
Dear friends of ours here adopted her and gave her a loving last 9 months of life
when Sally moved to PA and could not take Gigi with her to the Masonic Home.

Sally & Jodie at Christmas in Pennsylvania

Sally with me at Christmas in California

Although Alzheimer’s robbed my sis of her memory and ultimately of her ability to converse, she was tuned in and enjoyed the concert Liam and I presented in her nursing home last Thanksgiving. I am so glad Bob & I were able to go – and we had that time with her. My life is filled with wonderful memories of times we shared together.

I’m pregnant with Ty – Bob’s next to Sally & Dave with Denise
and that’s our Mom & Dad in front

Bob & me with Sally & Dave – one Easter waaaay back when!

Sally had a life filled with service to others through her church, the Hospital Auxiliary, the Girl Scouts (she led a troop for at least 50 years) and her favorite organizations, Rebekahs and Eastern Star.

Her life also was one of tragedy (her oldest daughter died at age 19 and her husband, Dave, was only 60 when he died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack). But Sally was a trooper. She continued to volunteer and give of her time and talents to others.

I was blessed to grow up with a sister who had such a big, giving heart,
She will be missed by all of us who loved her. But her spirit will live on.

Sally and Jan
at my daughter, DeAna’s wedding in 1987

I know her spirit will recognize mine when I join her in Heaven someday.
Meantime, rest in peace, dear Sis. I will carry your love with me always.

Thanks for visiting today my friends.
Treasure every sunrise.
Enjoy every sunset.
Tell your siblings how much you love them.

See ya tomorrow, God willing!
JanBeek

Category:

children, Family, God, Gratitude, Heartache, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, relationships

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World-wide Communion

Last Sunday was World-wide Communion Sunday. As a congregation, we were asked to bring a piece of cloth from another country. I wish I had some of the colorful cloth these darling girls are wearing!

Many folks in our church have traveled to various countries and have returned with cloth that represents their travels. Our communion table was decorated with some of them.

Here is Pastor Steve talking before church
with one of our talented musicians, Jim.
The communion table was
just beginning to see the results
of donors gorgeous pieces of fabric.

Photo by David Eucaristu00eda on Pexels.com

Rather than going up to the communion table, we each picked up a small plastic container on our way into the sanctuary. In it was a wafer (like those pictured above) under a thin cellophane covering. Beneath that, under another enclosure with the grape juice.

The wafer and grape juice represent the bread and wine which represent the body and blood of Christ broken and shed for our salvation. Christian people all over the world celebrated that tradition last Sunday. It had to be done differently in order to maintain social distancing and safety during this pandemic. But, where there is a will, there is a way. We did it!

How about you? Did you celebrate World Communion Sunday?

And if not, if your tradition of celebration is different, tell me about it. I’m curious.

Thanks for visiting.
I appreciate you.
Have a beautiful day!
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, God, Gratitude, Jesus, Love, music

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The Joy of Human Love

Oh, for the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild

Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Enjoy this beautiful hymn while you read the rest of this post. I love The Cambridge Singers directed by John Rutter. Sooooo beautiful!!

Yes, Lord, I raise this joyful hymn
in grateful praise to You!

Yesterday I had the privilege of spending time with my granddaughter, Hope, and her family: her husband, Drew, and their two children, Xander and Sienna. I am so grateful for their visit!

Here is Hope – with her beautiful smile.

I was so busy with the children while they were in the house, I didn’t have time to think about pictures. But once they were strapped in their car seats, ready to leave, I said, “Wait! I need to capture this visit!”

Sienna was tucked in, thumb in place, too tired to smile – ready for a nap on her way back to Big Sky.

This is the typical Sienna – big smiles – big appetite!

I actually captured this photo of Xander & Drew just before Xander was strapped in. His toy phone is his constant companion. He carried on very loud pretend conversations with his dad and Bob and imaginary friends!

This is a scene a mile from our house at the golf course. I bet Sienna was asleep before they got this far!

For the Beauty of the Earth
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies

Lord of all, to Thee we raise
Our voices in grateful praise!

I pray that one day my great-grandchildren will grow to become young people who can sit and listen to a story, a poem, a wise parent… as Hope and Drew share “The Great Realisation” with them. God Bless “Tom Foolery” for his beautiful poem and the timely message he is sharing in this video with his child. If you have not heard this before, please take time to to listen. It is WONderful!!

Thanks for visiting today.
Have a WONderful week.
See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Enjoy the coolness
of these beautiful Fall Days!

Category:

children, Faith, Family, friendship, God, Gratitude, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, Poetry, prayer, relationships, trees

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Try Tanaga

‘Tanaga’ is a traditional Filipino poetic form comprising four lines of 7 syllables with an AAAA rhyming sequence. I learned about it today at:

https://jemverse.wordpress.com/2020/09/18/six-poetics-5-tanaga/

I decided to give Tanaga a try. You might enjoy having a go at it, too. Since my JanBeek topic is about Loving One Another, I decided to use love as my Tanaga rhyme.

For my country I have love
It’s not peaceful like a dove
Democracy needs a shove
We need help from God above

I need a yard sign that reads
Love is all the help one needs.
“Unity is Power” Plant seeds.
Turn off all divisive feeds.

Love, unity, and respect
Go farther than you suspect.
Wear them so others detect
The LOVE than others neglect.

Have a Fabulous Friday.
TGIF is my day
To stand for the straight and gay
In UNITY every day!

Just Love One Another – Say:
“Do it the Tanaga Way!”
Poetry tells you what may
Spill from your dear heart today.

How will you show your love today?
Try it with Tanaga!

Oh, by the way,
I told you Bob’s former student, Peter, was visiting, right?
He left today. Coach Beekman and I
really enjoyed the visit.

Nothing makes a former teacher feel more loved than to be remembered and respected, loved, and visited by a former student. Do you have a favorite teacher you could honor somehow today? Maybe that could be your Tanaga topic!

See ya later.
Love ya, JanBeek

P.S.
Bob lost a cap on one tooth.
It looks strange; that is the truth!
Don’t tell him he looks uncouth.
Ready for Halloween booth!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, children, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Poetry, relationships, writing

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Never Stop Dreaming

Photo by Karyme Franu00e7a on Pexels.com

John 1:16

“For of His fullness we have all received,
and grace upon grace.”

As we approach life through the lens of grace,
dreams are possible, dreams come true,
and we learn to never stop dreaming.

My husband, Bob was scheduled to go on a once-in-a-lifetime fishing trip to Alaska this year. Except for this pandemic, he would have been there right now.

Ah yes, he was going with two buddies. One of the buddies used his fly miles to arrange for Bob’s transportation. That financial help made the trip possible, because even with that help, Bob was out of pocket over $6,000 in various reservartions.

When the pandemic hit – and masks are required at the lodge and restrictions were going to compromise the enjoyment of the experience, the guys decided to cancel.

The company gave them credit, not a refund. Good for 2021. They keep the money until then.

Unfulfilled Dreams

Both of Bob’s buddies are at least a decade younger than he is. They were fine with the idea of a credit… and waiting to use it in 2021 when we dream of this CORONA-19 Virus being under control with an effective vaccine.

BUT, Bob said, “At 81, how do I know what my health will be like in a year? How do I know if I will be able to fly to Alaska and enjoy the rigors of a fishing trip?”

He wanted a refund. “That’s a long time to keep that much money of mine,” he told the fishing company.

I overheard the conversation. My response was, “It’s okay, Bob. Let them keep it. Let them give you a credit. Plan that 2021 trip, and look forward to it! Know that your health will be fine – and you will be strong enough to go and enjoy he experience. It’s important to live with unfulfilled dreams. When we stop dreaming, we stop living!”

Dream Big

Dream big, Bob! Imagine catching that big one! Imagine spending a week or two with your good buddies. Imagine being healthy and strong and holding that big one all by yourself!

Pray for God’s grace as you look forward to each tomorrow. Live with gratitude for the health and happiness He gives you each day. Know that He cares for you… and that “of His fullness” we have received – and will continue to do so.

Dream Big. Never Stop!
Live with unfulfilled dreams.
Let them keep you moving forward.

Thanks for stopping by today.
I send you my love and best wishes for a DREAM BIG day!
What are your unfulfilled dreams?
Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Fishing, God, Gratitude, happiness, health, life, Life's Challenges, mental health, nature, Travel

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Shalom

John 14:27
(The Living Bible translation)

[Jesus said]
“I am leaving you with a gift –
peace of mind and heart!
And the peace I give isn’t fragile
like the peace the world gives.
So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Shalom

The peace that Jesus Christ gives us is “Shalom.” It is a deep peace, filled with health and joy, security and contentment. It is a deep, lasting peace that sustains us through any circumstance. Thanks to Jesus, we can have peace with God, with one another, and with our own spirit.What a priceless gift!

Peace in Quietness

In silence, I commune with my Maker each morning. In that quietness, I find strength and wisdom. In His Word, I find reassurance.

Isaiah 55:3 (KJ version)

“Incline your ear and come unto Me.
Hear and your soul shall live.”

In the stillness of the 9-11 Friday morning, Bob and I took our TazE and headed with our ATV to meet friends and spend the day communing with them and with nature.

In the quietness of the morning,
the roar of 5 ATV’s pierced the air.
Headed to McAtee Bridge and on to Ruby Creek,
five couples left the Madison Valley,
glanced across the landscape
to the glory of the Sphynx Mountain,
and climbed to the 9,400 ft. level
to enjoy God’s creation.

Up, up we went to the look out – high above the valley floor.
A perfect, blue sky day. We were blessed!

Up we climbed –
high enough to find snow at our favorite outhouse!

Time for a picnic
Lunch break with the Asbergs, Feldmans, and Washburns

Pictures don’t do it justice!
The red rock ridges were spectacular!!

Don Asberg & Barbara Washburn
Dinner time – a BBQ at Ruby Creek Campgrounds

Barb Asberg with Charley Brown and me –
A beautiful spot right by the river

And then Saturday afternoon
we had the privilege of another river view

Steve Hundley fishing the Madison
right below Fran McNeill’s deck

Bob & Steve discussed which flies
would be best on that stretch of the river

Elaine Hundley and I enjoyed visiting with Fran McNeill
at her lovely home on the river

Fran has this plaque on her wall –
and we enjoyed an invincible summer day together.

Psalm 46:10

“He says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.”

Compassion and Gratitude

In the stillness of this Sunday afternoon, I treasure the blessings of this weekend. The time in the mountains, the camaraderie of friends, the health we enjoy, the beauty of the river, the peacefulness of cloudless blue skies. And I don’t take any of this SHALOM for granted! I know there are others whose homes and businesses are burning right now. I have a heart of compassion for those in Harm’s Way – and I pray for their safety.

Our valley is covered with smoke from fires that are ravaging this western part of the USA. I know there are people for whom “Shalom” is a distant image – a feeling they long to see return. I pray that it will. I pray that my happy pictures gave you pause to smile – and gave you hope for a blue-sky, peace-filled future.

Another of Fran’s plaques…
filled with great promises.

In the midst of COVID-19 and fires,
racial injustice and political unrest,
may you find SHALOM
in your heart.

You are blessed to be a blessing –
So share your joys –
And count your blessings.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow.
Gentle Hugs ❤
Shalom!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Fishing, friendship, God, Gratitude, happiness, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, peace, pets, prayer, relationships, Travel

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Another Angel in Heaven

Phyllis Wasick and me –
about 10 years ago

The older we get,
The more ready we must be
For our angel friends
To leave you and me.

They ascend to heaven
Where loved ones wait
To greet them in song
At the pearly gate.

When our hair turns silver
And wrinkles show our age,
We have to be ready
To turn the eternal page.

The eighties are great;
It’s a decade of reflection
And a time to appreciate
Every earthly connection.

But it also is a time
When we look at this season
As the winter of our years,
And we search for life’s reason.

We look at life differently
Than we did in our teens.
We see through our experience
What life is – what purpose means.

It’s not about what we can get,
Or what riches we acquire.
It’s about the love we give
To the people we admire.

It’s about reaching out to strangers
Who are falling between the crack.
It’s about filling their needs –
Helping give the things they lack.

Reaching up in prayer and praise
I thank the Lord for all His gifts.
As long as I have life and breath,
I’ll reach out to give others lifts.

I hope you’ll use your senior years
To do the same – to spread your love –
Because we are blessed to be a blessing.
For every day, I thank. God above.

My Prayer for You

When your time comes
To say good-bye to earth,
May the angels welcome you
And your friends rejoice at your New Birth!
Amen

Welcome to Heaven, Phyllis.
I miss you here…
But I rejoice at your Eternal Reunion.
May all who were blessed by your presence
And who entered the pearly gates before you did
Be there to welcome you HOME.
God bless you!
Keep the light on!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Belief, blessings, Faith, Family, friendship, Giving, God, Gratitude, life, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Wish You Were Here

Hello, my blogging friends!
I wish you could be here in Montana with me.
It’s a beautiful day – and yesterday was equally as wonderful.
I took a video to share with you the gorgeous view.

Life is good!

Here’s to friendship, fresh air, and perfect views!
Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

food, friendship, Gratitude, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, relationships

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Scared of Getting Older?

Do we have an obsession with image? More concerned about the outside than the inside? As a nation… as a world?

Photo by Eternal Happiness on Pexels.com

Are you fed up with it? Do you feel it is robbing us of our sense of purpose and our wisdom?

These are some questions I gleaned from Scilla Elworthy, the elderly South African woman in the Ted Talk above:

Are you fully alive in your body? Do you have energy and attractiveness in your soul? Are you content with what is? Can you remove the mask, let the wrinkles show, and still like yourself?

Self-acceptance is a great, great gift!

Obsession with image is tiring… Yes, I believe that!

What makes you feel electric? Does the world see your energy? Do you have real aliveness?

Health, exercise, purpose, usefulness… those are the keys!

Many people struggle to find purpose in life. Scilla Elworthy said, “Most people fear pain and loneliness.”

We worry about what will happen when we are no longer able to care for ourselves and must rely on other people.

Dementia is a real fear for me. My mother was diagnosed with it before she died. My sister is in a home today – a nursing home – being cared for because she has Alzheimer’s. It is in my family. Is it in my future? I cannot dwell on that! I must live in the NOW and love myself so I can love others. The keys are:

gratitude,
prayer and meditation,
time in nature… being outside with things that are alive

What about death? It is inevitable. Approach it with curiosity. Think through it. Know that death is not finality.

What are the gains of growing older? We can speak out! Dare to speak up about those things that we think are wrong! Stand up for those things! Make a contribution by making a difference – by being true to ourselves.

Know that with age comes wisdom. Wise, experienced leaders are a gift to the world. As we age, we can be that older, wiser person who sees beyond the horizon. The world need us!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

But age and wisdom are not synonymous. Wisdom does not come automatically. We can’t live in a foxhole and gain wisdom. We need to go out and risk adventure. Risk rebuke. Risk the world hating you. We need to be true to ourselves as we lift our heads to what is happening around us and seek the solutions to the challenges we all face. We can’t be ostriches with our head in the sand.

Photo by Frans Van Heerden on Pexels.com

A friend of mine said she has decided that the best way to avoid dissension is just to avoid having an opinion. “I try to remain totally objective – with no opinion expressed. Opinions just garner arguments,” she said.

We can’t let ourselves live in that kind of fear! Avoidance invites stagnation.

“Whoever is free from all fear will always be safe,” Scilla Elworthy said in the Ted Talk above. So, we must let go of any fear we have of speaking out.

What do you care about? What’s your opinion about aging? Let’s hear it!!

Derrick told me I earned every wrinkle.
I told him, “… and every silver hair, too!”

I’m not afraid of growing older.
Just don’t call me old!!
See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, contentment, Family, Gratitude, happiness, health, life, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, peace, relationships, respect, self-acceptance

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janbeek

Loving One Another

Archive for the ‘Gratitude’ Category

My Sis, Sally, Died Today

World-wide Communion

The Joy of Human Love

Try Tanaga

Never Stop Dreaming

Unfulfilled Dreams

Dream Big

Shalom

Shalom

Peace in Quietness

Compassion and Gratitude

Wish You Were Here

Scared of Getting Older?

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Loving One Another

Archive for the ‘Gratitude’ Category

Day 2886: Hold on to your …

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Unfulfilled Dreams

Dream Big

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Shalom

Peace in Quietness

Compassion and Gratitude

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My Prayer for You

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Recent Posts

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You Are Loved!

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JanBeek

Love, Family, Living in God’s Family, Compassion, Judgment, Giving, Forgiveness, Generosity

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