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Archive for the ‘optimism’ Category

The Joy of Being (in Switzerland)


The joy of just being

Is certainly joy enough

But the joy of being in Switzerland

Is a joy that’s hard to beat – it’d be tough.

While friends and family back home

In California and Montana are roasting

We were enjoying comfy mid-seventies

And lovely meals and yummy wine toasting

Then the weather changed!

.

We were having ham with salad & sausage

At De & Andrés wonderful chalet

I came back to our room to post

And left Bob to finish dessert, but hey…

.

There were two girls outside

Hunkered under umbrellas in the rain

So I pointed to our inside table

And sent them to Bob – let me explain

He was having sorbet; I was done

My place at the table was free

He will love getting acquainted

And they will love his company!

This morning we cooled it in our room

Bob read and I enjoyed reading posts

The day started off rather quiet

More alone time than Swiss’s most

We went for a walk in Vissoie

And enjoyed every sight and each sound

We visited the local church and had

Time for prayer, finding God all around

“Daily Word” gave us the scripture

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice”

Let nothing keep your joy from you-

Respond with a song; raise your voice!

Like a well that can never run dry

My joy is a wellspring from the Lord

I deal with whatever life brings me

With a smile – and I never am bored!

Keep your sense of humor alive

Find the joy in whatever you see

That poor bunny hit the door with a bang

Oh come on, have a good laugh with me!

There he is on the other side!!

.

The joy of being in Switzerland

Is part of the happiness of being alive

Well enough to travel and adapt

Thanking God each day we survive!

Thank you for traveling vicariously with us!

We love sharing with you. Take joy!

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –

Love, JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, God, Gratitude, happiness, Jesus, Love, optimism, Poetry

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Stress Less


How do I stress less?
Will meditation do it?
Find stillness is me.

Luke 12:22

“Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life,
what you eat,
or about your body,
what you will wear.”

Photo by Valeria Ushakova on Pexels.com

Clasp your hands and pray
Ask God for peace, joy, guidance
Just be still and know

Know that God is there
Filling your heart, hearing prayers,
Really listening

We can take the time
Peace and calm are within grasp
Seek serenity

Move forward with peace
Pass it along to others
Pause and stay focused

Meditation is
Time set aside to focus
Beware your focus!

Focus on being loving
Not stress and anxiety
Let peace be your core

If you are so inclined, listen to Hope Darst sing “Peace Be Still” …
and be inspired!

I will trust the voice I heed…
that is my focus on my Lord who calms the seas
and He calms me when I let faith rise up in me.

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=lsIpGiz3SfQ&feature=share

It is my faith that
Lets me slough off any stress
And live in God’s peace.

I hope you can do that, too.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.
What will you do to bring less stress into your life?

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Bye for now

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, optimism, peace, Poetry

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SHARE JOY!


The joy that’s comin’
Is here if you’re hummin’
Git yer guitar and start strummin’
Yer smile’s quite becommin’

I found the beauty today
In weeds I saw along the way.
Many folks would probably say
Pull ’em out – or douse ’em with spray!

Joy is a part o’ yer make-up.
It’s inside ya ready to take up
Residence and cause a shake-up;
So smile and light yer face up!

And a joyful face
is good medicine fir others!

Just let yer heart glow
With the joy that ya know
Is inside; Let it show!
Let yer love flow.

Luke 8:16

A Lamp on a Stand

16 “No one lights a lamp
and hides it in a clay jar
or puts it under a bed.
Instead, they put it on a stand,
so that those who come in
can see the light.”

I let my light shine.
It’s part of my design.
Lips aren’t a straight line –
They should curve up real fine!

Smilin’ makes ya feel better;
So, my friends, be a trend setter!
Turn off sorrow; don’t be a fretter.
You look so much better when you SMILE!

Let yer joy be real clear.
Share it with those you hold dear.
Give it to those far and near
Who need your brand of cheer.

Picture it radiating
And wiping out all hating.
Picture it pulsating
And erasing what’s frustrating.

Yup, this bears repeating:

Joy is a part o’ your make-up.
It’s inside ya ready to take up
Residence and cause a shake-up;
So smile and light yer face up!

Spread Joy!

How do you plan to do that today?
Just smile!!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Joyfully,
JanBeek

Bye for now!

Category:

Bible Lessons, friendship, Giving, God, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Harsh Words of Jesus


If you’ve followed my blog for a while,
You know I attend church every Sunday,
And I usually try to take sermon notes.
As I listen, I try to record the message poetically.

Our pastor, Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds,
is doing a bold sermon series.
She’s asking our church congregants
to send her scripture that puzzles or troubles them.

This week the scripture passage she used
is from Luke 9:57-62. A weird one indeed!
I’ve often thought Jesus was rather harsh
with these two men who wanted to follow Him.

Luke 9:57-62

New International Version

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Is Jesus saying
You have to leave your family
and forget your livelihood
to be a Christ follower?

Today’s sermon notes:

The mid-west mecca of modern architecture
Is Columbus, Indiana. Ever been there?
I watched the movie, “Columbus,” recently.
Jinn & Casey meet and share.

Ultimately the movie is about
Staying or leaving – choices we make.
Casey needs to go, but doesn’t want to.
Jinn convinces her to leave for her own sake.

Jesus may have been telling the men
To leave for their own sake.
Their situations were different,
But departure was what it would take.

Jewish burial rites have many parts:
Wrapping body, burial, dig up, burn, urn…
In this scripture a man wants to tend to his father.
Jesus prompts, “Come now and learn.”

We don’t know at what point in the rites
This man’s father may have been –
But it seems harsh for Jesus to tell him
“Let the dead bury their dead.” Such chagrin!

Another man wants to go back to his family,
But Jesus says, “Do not do an about face!”
This passage is all about priorities.
Jesus asks us to put Him in first place.

Love is not selfish, sinking in its talons.
Love is generous – love always is kind.
There often is sadness in leaving,
But when God calls, listen, decide, and mind!

Don’t get stuck looking back (like Lot’s wife).
You’ll become a pillar in your own tears and grief.
It’s all about priorities and obedience.
Hear God’s call and follow your belief!

Amen?
Amen!

What is it that determines your values and beliefs?

Perhaps Jesus was not being harsh with those two men after all.
Perhaps, like Jinn and Casey in the movie, “Columbus,”
He was telling them to leave for their own sake –
even though they didn’t want to go quite yet.

Sometimes God’s perfect timing doesn’t seem perfect…
… at least not at the time He jerks us out of our comfort zone!
But often, looking back, we can say, “Aha! Now I see…
God always knows what is best for me!”

Jesus’ words may seem harsh at first glance,
But He always has our best interest at heart.
I need to trust His encouragement to step out…
And what better time than now to start?

Go ahead … Step Out!!
Here we are with our pastor,
Mary Grace Reynolds.
Thanks, MGR, for a great sermon!

See ya on the road to success tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Jesus, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, optimism, sermon notes, Sharing

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Be Upbeat


Too many downers
Try to pull us asunder
Let’s be resisters

Let’s just be upbeat
Just look on the sunny side
Let’s resist darkness

Find good in others
Let’s shine light in the darkness
We need your sparkle

Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.com

“When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.”

Psalm 94:19

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The world needs your cheer
Be excited for today
Be inspiring

You can lift others
Out of their pessimism
Make joy contagious

Faith is the power
That helps you stay connected
To joy that abounds

So, just keep the faith
Keep letting God shine through you
He’ll keep you upbeat!

Cheers!

What are you feeling positive about today?
Share your good news!
We all need your smile.

(My good news is that my hand is healing.
The swelling is going down.
I was able to get my watch on today…
It fit over my hand for the first time
since the fall and broken finger April 20th.
The fingers are learning to bend again.
That’s my good news. What’s yours?)

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, Haiku, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Suck it Up!


Come on! Suck it up!
Surely, it can’t hurt that much.
On with therapy!!

You expect some gain?
Expect flexibility?
Well, stretch the limits!

Beyond comfort zone
Lies the land of Great Promise.
Let’s strive to arrive.

Photo by Vlad Cheu021ban on Pexels.com

I went to occupational therapy today. A compression glove should help reduce the swelling on this hand now that the pins are out and the hand can move again. But just wearing a glove isn’t going to get my fingers back to being functional again. I gotta work at it!

Darci, the therapist gave me a glob of silly putty. Do you remember playing with that when you were a kid? Rolling and squeezing the putty is the order of the day. It feels like I am rolling a bale of hay and trying to squeeze it! Ouch! The little finger (the one that was broken) and the ring finger next to it (the one that was taped to the broken pinky to give it stability) both are hyper-sensitive and stiff. Suck it up, Jan! You can do this! No pain, no gain, remember?

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

Have you tried putting on a sweater with just one functional hand? Or better yet, pulling your pants up single-handed? No fun! Can’t play my accordion. Have trouble cutting a piece of meat. Try folding the laundry with only one hand. Oh, brother, suck it up, Jan! There are a whole lot of people in this world worse off than I am. Think positively!!! Grab that silly putty and get to work!

I can do this!
Grin and bear it!!

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
He enables me to tread on the heights.”

“Finally, be strong in the Lord
and in his mighty power.”

What kind of struggle do you face these days?
Are you needing to just “Suck it up” and do it?
Have you prayed to the Lord for help?
I’ll pray for your strength and tenacity…
You pray for mine, OK?
Thanks!

Have a great weekend.
See ya tomorrow (God willing).
Love,
JanBeek

Photo by Designecologist on Pexels.com

Category:

Bible Lessons, courage, Faith, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, optimism, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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Renew & Express Hope


The word for 2022 (that I chose on January 1 before I knew how MUCH I would need it) is STRENGTH.
What kind of strength do we need each day in order to survive and thrive? I asked myself that question today as I realized it’s been the longest stretch of non-blogging that I have had in several years. My last post was when I dug to the bottom of my strength barrel and pulled out “Speechless.”

The deaths in Ukraine and that ongoing conflict drained me. The Texas mass shooting sucked the drops that were left. I felt lifeless. Then I discovered that two of my dear friends I do Bible Study and Bingo with each week in our nursing home – two of them – died this week. My heart is hurting!

Where does my strength come from?

Isaiah 41:10

“God strengthens you
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
God has promised us His strength.
He will never give you a trial you are unable to handle.”

Personal Strengths Defined

  • Wisdom. Creativity. Curiosity. Love of learning. …
  • Courage. Authenticity. Bravery. Persistence. …
  • Humanity. Kindness. Love. Social intelligence.
  • Justice. Fairness. Leadership. Teamwork.
  • Temperance. Forgiveness. Modesty/Humility. Prudence. …
  • Transcendence. Appreciation of beauty and excellence. Gratitude. Hope.

Notice that the last of those personal strengths defined is “Transcendence,” and the last of its characteristics is Hope. Seems to me those should be first. They transcend all the others in my mind!

Without hopefulness
Life has no sense of purpose
Can’t cope without hope

Hope renews our strength
Hope helps us face tomorrow
Hope is essential

Take my life, Lord.
I give it to You.
Take myself.
Renew my strength.

Take my hand – and let it move – please!

Take my hand – and let it move – at the impulse of your love!
I pray the pins come out easily!
(One more week til that appointment)

I pray the joints move with ease as I exercise them
in the ways I have been taught to do.
I pray I am able to use my life again
consecrated to the Lord
and the work He has for me.

Let’s hear that hymn again…
and let’s internalize it.
Let’s renew our sense of HOPE
and let’s express it in ways that
encourages others to give –
Give HOPE for this day,
Hope for all healing,
Hope for His Love
to flow through us always!
Sing along!!

I’m back…
the one-handed bandit…
Back to send words of
faith, love, joy, hope, and unity
to a hurting world.
Pass it on, my friends!
The world needs the strength you have to give.

See you tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blogging, Faith, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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Relinquish


Let’s just relinquish
Let’s give away our troubles
Let’s trust our Maker

It’s easier said
Easier than to be done
But it’s what we’re told

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me,
all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.”

Today I woke after a good night’s sleep.
Feeling a throbbing, I looked over at my hand;
It was more swollen than when I went to bed.
The pins holding the pinky in place were buried.

Yesterday I visited the occupational therapist.
She put compression sleeves on the fingers.
They are designed to reduce the swelling.
Maybe it would have been worse without them.

Who knows?

It doesn’t do any good to complain,
To mope around and feel sad and blue.
You gotta keep on the sunny side of life –
And a good way to do that is to let go!

Let go of the doubts and relinquish grumbles.
Find someone who’ll hold your hand and assure you
That everything is gonna be okay – be patient!
Give your troubles to God and put on a smile.

Bob and I seem to trade off times for help.
There I am holding his scarred up hand!
Now it’s his turn to gently hold mine.
We are so blessed to have one another!

I pray that you have loved ones beside you
Who comfort and assist you when you need it.
It’s easier to see the sunny side of life
When God gives you family and friends who care.

So relinquish your troubles to those who can
Be the hands and feet of God beside you.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – and accept it!
Let others share the sunny side of life with you.

Photo by Dio Hasbi Saniskoro on Pexels.com

God bless you!
“Bee” well…
Reach out and “Bee” someone else’s helping hand!!


See ya tomorrow (God willing)-

Love,
JanBeek

17 more days til the pins come out!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, friendship, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Some Healing


We all have some wounds
Some are visible, some not
All need some healing

God teaches us in His Word
To maintain positivity
Expect and work toward healing

Session two of occupational therapy
Hand is swollen; bending is painful
Progress measures slowly

This too shall pass, my friends
Keep smiling; keep praying
Keep noticing some healing

18 day countdown
until the pins come out

Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

No pity party allowed!

Thank you for your healing prayers.
Time to go ice & elevate this hand.
What can you do to increase your healing?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Sending love your way.
Bee well!!
What specific healing prayer
can I offer for you?

Hugs, JanBeek




Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Gratitude, health, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, optimism, prayer

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How’re You Aging?


Some people seem to have aged like fine wine.  I aged like milk…. I got sour and chunky.

Is 82 old? I’ve spent my life and my blogging career (over a decade now) denying “old” and encouraging vim & vigor!

Now, all of a sudden, as I nurse my bruised and broken left hand, try to type with one hand, and I struggle to cut my pain meds in half so I can welcome normal bowel movements again, I am feeling sour, chunky, and sorry for myself. Ever been there?

Photo by David Garrison on Pexels.com

I have blogged only once or twice in the weeks since my careless trip over the curb and my broken and dislocated left pinky. I try to make light of it.

But I challenge you: Tie your non-dominant hand to your waist. Make it inoperable/immobile. Then leave it like that for two weeks. Try taking a shower, washing your hair, changing the sheets on your bed, slicing meat for a stir-fry, putting on socks, or pulling up your pants. How’s it working?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Believe me, it’s worse than having a finger in a trap! The whole arm and hand are out of commission!
But… true to form, I find comfort in knowing it could be worse!

I drink a toast to the blessings! It coulda been worse! It coulda been the dominant hand or the head or a hip! It coulda been permanent damage. This, too, shall pass!!

So, after all, count your blessings, Jan; you had just gotten a manicure – and you didn’t even break a nail! Now I ask you, how lucky can you be?

Happy Cinco de Mayo came and went! Our granddaughter’s birthday came and went! Mother’s Day came and went! Neighbors and friends came and are still coming to help with meals and household chores. So, I’m smiling and grateful.

I’m aging pretty well! Don’t you think? How about you?

See ya tomorrow, God willing…
Have a Terrific Tuesday.
I send my love,
JanBeek

Guess what? Looking on the bright side and putting on a happy face is NOT the end of your generation!!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, contentment, Gratitude, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, optimism

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