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Archive for the ‘health’ Category

Embrace Spontaneous Leisure


Elfchen or “Elevenies”
are poems with eleven words
in a pattern of
1+2+3+4+1


Embrace
Spontaneous Leisure
as you relax
and enjoy life today:
Sunday


Sunday
mornings always
are hurried “UP
‘N AT T’EM” days.
Rush!

Shower.
Get up.
And get dressed.
Then gobble your breakfast.
Church!

(Click the arrow below)

Listen
“Rush Hour”
for a minute …
Then click it off.
Frenzy!

Happy?
Not likely.
That “Happy Hardcore”
Destroys any residual sanity.
Yuck!

(Go back and click outta that sound!)

Repetitive,
nerve wracking…
Who needs it?
Put your feet up.
Relax!


Wallow
in silliness
for a while;
Find yourself some laughter.
Chuckle!

Find
some friends
to join you.
Good for your soul.
Laze!

A few friends took me up on my suggestion yesterday. My silly blog was titled, “Embrace a Camel” and I really went off the deep end. One little friend got into a box and joined the insanity club!

How about you?
Do you take a day
to just be silly
and relax
every now and then?

It’s called “Spontaneous Leisure”
and I recommend it!

Today we slept in.
We dressed in a casual, leisurely fashion.
We ate brunch at 10: am
(our church didn’t ZOOM the service today
or we would’ve tuned in to it)
and then we went up to our sanctuary
and had our own worship service up there.

It was just the break from routine that we needed!

Embrace
Spontaneous Leisure.
Just treat yourself
Take an unintentional break –
Relax

Jesus
Accepts worship
Wherever it occurs.
God condones taking breaks.
Recline!

Question: “What does the Bible say about rest and relaxation?”.
Answer: “Rest” is defined as “peace, ease or refreshment.”
“Relax” means “to become loose or less firm,
to have a milder manner,
to be less stiff.”
The Bible speaks quite highly of rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

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

Doctor
ordered relaxation:
Just sit back –
Put your feet up –
Chill!

Embrace Spontaneous Leisure

Do it today!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, Family, God, health, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, writing

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Embrace Stressing Less


Trying to arrange for a trip abroad in this COVID world today will guarantee stress.

Today I used links sent to me by a friend who just returned from a trip to Canada and from our daughter who is planning to join us next week in London, and I tried to make the arrangements for the COVID tests required. Oh me, oh my! Can they make it more difficult?

Seems to me they are just trying to send us senior citizens over the sanity edge ridge into complete derangement!

Not only do we have to have proof of our vaccines, but we have to prove we tested negative within 72 hours of our departure from the USA to London. Then when we arrive in the UK, we have to have a test there within 2 days – and it has to be ordered in advance. We have to prove (before we leave the US) that we have ordered the 2 day test to be delivered to our place of destination in London. Oh bludder!! And none of these tests are free, of course!

So, I took a break from all that computer stuff and spent some time with a few friends… a great antidote to hysteria and complete lunacy!

Back at home, I let my mind wander as I checked out some of my favorite bloggers. That was definitely a stress reliever! I especially enjoyed reading:

Gottfried, Banter Republic and Roth Poetry and derrickjknight and Big Sky Buckeye– four of my favorite guys!

Those guys’ blogs are great indicators of “where my heart is!”

Also it was fun to let my mind wander and reduce stress with three of my favorite gal bloggers:

Pat Cegan, Source of Inspiration and

Ann Koplow, The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally and

Phyllis Rogers, Life On The Lake



Are you looking for ways to embrace stressing less? Here’s a helpful list I found:

I’m smiling now … just asked for and got that hug.
It’s soooo good to have Bob back home again!
He returned Wednesday night
from his fishing trip in Alaska,
and I was quite worried about him.

We spent a lot of yesterday at our medical center
here in Ennis, trying to see how we can
reduce his fluid retention,
get his kidneys and heart
functioning normally,
and help him prepare for the trip
to be with our daughter next week.
See why I am posting
EMBRACE STRESSING LESS
?


What do you do to reduce stress?
Try playing this video in the background
while you go about your next task.

“Come to me all of you who are weary
and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you.
Let me teach you,
because I am humble and gentle,
and you will find much rest for your souls.
For my yoke fits perfectly,
and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

I found another resource on line today to reinforce today’s post:

marvaseatonLess News Might Reduce Stress

I totally agree with Marva. Watching less news is a GREAT way to reduce stress. But, don’t be an ostrich. Total lack of information can be a miserable stress inducer!

Photo by Eva Elijas on Pexels.com

Do they really stick their head in the sand?

Remember #4, 5 and 6 on that list above?
I’m headed off to do them right now.

What are some of your techniques
that help you
embrace stressing less?


I’ll see ya tomorrow (God willing).

Have a good night.


Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Family, God, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace

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Embrace Good Cheer


1 Thess. 5:16-18a

Let godly thinking shape your attitudes.

“16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances…”

With the right attitudes, we can be young at heart no matter what our chronological age may be.

No, we are still young…
Young at heart!
Can’t you see it?

Psalm 92:12-15

“12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

Psalm 70:4

Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You.
Let those who love Your salvation say evermore,
“God is great!”

Each day has its own personality.
There will be happy and sad days.
Some will be quiet and restful,
while others will be filled with activity.

Some will be brimming with health,
others will find you facing unexpected challenges.

But, whatever the circumstance,
you can find moments of delight –
and you can thrive as you see the
blessings hidden – even in the worst of times.

Photo by Khimish Sharma on Pexels.com

This week I learned that my friend, Paul,
who was scheduled to replace our wood floor
(while we are gone next month on a trip to Europe)
fell off a ladder and broke some ribs.
In addition to the body aches, he was suffering
massive headaches. So, the doctor took x-rays.

The x-rays revealed that Paul had a brain tumor!
If he had not fallen off that ladder, there might not
have been the x-rays to reveal the tumor.
He had brain surgery yesterday morning.
The report came that “all is well.”

I don’t know if that means the tumor was benign,
or if it means they got it all and he will be fine.
Maybe it means all three!
But, I know Who has the answers…
and I know He hears my prayers.

I know everything happens for a reason…
and I know God is in charge.
I am so grateful the tumor was discovered!
So, I can EMBRACE GOOD CHEER!

I am grateful for the faith I have that allows me to
behold life through the eyes of hope and positivity.

Colors are brighter,
laughter comes easier,
and the joy of simply being alive
sets the tone for daily celebration
of life’s infinite possibilities.

On this day of remembrance (9-11),
may you – with love and reverence –
embrace the good cheer of memories
that cherish the family members,
friends, co-workers, and tireless volunteers
who have made a mark upon your life.

May those memories inspire you
to live with such
integrity,
creativity,
faith,
and love,
that one day
the memory of you
will bring good cheer
to all who know you.

Be in prayer for those who are hurting.
Be in prayer for all who are in danger.
Be in prayer for all who live in fear.

Be in prayer for those who need
happiness to knock on their door today.

You’re in my prayers.
God bless you with good cheer!

Love and hugs,
JanBeek

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Gratitude, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, optimism, prayer, Serving One Another

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Embrace Getting Ready


If you’ve followed my blog
or seen my posts on FaceBook,
you know my husband, Bob,
has been facing some medical challenges.
I asked for prayers for his return to usual stamina.

Thank you for those prayers,
(if you offered them up to God for us).
He is feeling soooo much better –
and the doctor has okayed his trip tomorrow!!

So, Happy Labor Day weekend, my friends!
I hope you are enjoying a relaxing, fun-filled day.

Bob is getting ready to go
on a fishing trip with two of his buddies.
They leave at 5: am tomorrow for Anchorage
and then will spend a week at Kulik Lodge,
way up north on the peninsula of Alaska,
in the area called Bristol Bay.
Have you every been to Alaska?
Have you been fishing there?

His buddies told him he doesn’t need to
bring all his flies on the trip.
The lodge and guides where he is going
will provide for him all the flies he needs.

Doesn’t that look inviting??

If all goes well, he will not only be able to catch some whoppers,
but he will have at least one smoked and shipped home with him!

While Bob is getting ready for his trip,
I am getting ready for his absence.
In our 60 years of wedded bliss,
I cannot remember ever being
away from him this long!

Here we are in the mid-60’s with our son, Ty.
Here we are together with my parents
in the late 1960’s – or early ’70s.
Here we are with 22 family/friends
at Bob’s 80th.
That’s our daughter DeAna
with her arm around her daddy
and our son, Ty, next to her
with his hand on my shoulder.
You can see from this photo of us
on our 59th anniversary that
the years have been good to us.

So, as I get ready to be away from Bob for more than a week,
send me some ideas for how to avoid loneliness!
Tell me how to get ready to fix a meal for one…
and to eat alone for 9 days!

A friend is coming over
to keep me company
for awhile tomorrow.
(Thank you, Julie!)

What are you doing Tuesday?

TazE says, “Just relax, Mom. I gotcha covered!”

Thank God for our pets, huh?
I know TazE will be great company.

Have a good Sunday evening.
I send my love and hugs your way.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Category:

children, contentment, Family, Gratitude, happiness, health, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, pets, prayer, relationships, Travel

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Embrace Sunglasses


If you have been following my blog, you know
last Sunday I ran into the hatchback of our car.
Lesson learned: watch where you’re going!!

The bump was a really painful goose egg!

By Monday, the blood collected in that bump
started traveling down my face.
I thought it looked pretty bad on Tuesday morning.

But that was nothing compared to today!
My grandson, Sam, who lives in California,
texted and asked, “How ya doin’ today?”

I sent him a picture of the way I am looking today.

And what do you think his response was??

“Oh Grammy, just wear sunglasses!”

Do you s’pose I could pull that off?
Just cover the bruises with sunglasses?

My daughters, Laina and DeDe, look really cute in their sunglasses!

I tried it,
but the bridge of my nose
where the sunglasses would rest
is really sensitive.
I couldn’t stand
the pressure on the bruises.

So,
EMBRACE SUNGLASSES
if they work for you.

Stay tuned for what’s gonna help me.

I think it’s just a matter of time.
What do you think?
Do you have any advice for what you think I should do?



See ya tomorrow (God willing).
Have a good night.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

children, Family, health, Life's Challenges, Love, relationships

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Embrace Courage


Some days it takes courage to get out of bed!
Some days it takes courage to look yourself in the mirror.
Have you had days like that?
Today was one of them for me!

Oh my! Goose egg reduced –
– but eye suffering drained blood!

So, I could go back to bed and feel sorry for myself –
– or I could get up and face the day.
I had to ask myself, WWJD??
(What would Jesus do?)

So, I began with that simple prayer…

Jesus said to me, “Get up and face the day! Be courageous!”
So, I did… and by noon the one black eye was better
and the color had shifted so it was on the other eye, too.

Not near as frightening looking!

Matthew 9:22

“But Jesus turning and seeing her said,
‘Take courage, daughter…’ “

My devotional for today in Mornings with Jesus
reinforced the prayer response.
So, up and out I went!

We have been having day after day with skies filled with smoke
from the fires that are all around MT, ID, CO, CA, and OR.
The mountains have been invisible to us weeks on end.
But today I could see the mountains!

The view of the Madison Range
from our Pintail Ridge
here in Ennis.

By the time I spent a little time with a friend
and returned home this afternoon,
we had the clearest blue sky in months!
See, if you have courage to face the day,
God is good – and He will make you glad you did!

The beautiful view of blue sky
above and around our home…

The moral of the story is,
EMBRACE COURAGE!

Don’t let your hesitancy
keep you from facing the day.

Get up,
Get going,
Get out,
and
Get happy!

God is good.
Trust Him!

Oh, and remember those fires in CA?
They are not over…

Please keep the firefighters and those in Harm’s Way in your prayers.
Our son and his wife are sharing their home with a family of 8
who were evacuated from their home… but it is not destroyed…
just in the evacuation zone … and the fire is still headed toward
our granddaughter’s in S Lake Tahoe. So keep the prayers flowing!

See ya tomorrow – God willing!

EMBRACE COURAGE –
and reach out to do what you can
to help others…


Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, courage, Faith, Family, God, Gratitude, health, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, Montana, mountains, optimism, prayer, Serving One Another

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Embrace Hard Heads


Do you have a hard head?
Have you ever tested it out?

I tested out the strength of my skull yesterday!

Not on purpose, of course.

I was walking to the back of the car
to push the button that closes the hatchback.
Friends approached from my right, so
I turned to greet them as I kept walking.
Little did I know Bob had pushed the button
and the hatchback door was on its way down.
I walked right into it! Ouch!!!

I heard a loud crack when it hit.
A softer head would have split open
and (as head wounds go) it would have
bled profusely! But, I have a hard head, my friends!
The blood stayed inside and created a
black and blue goose egg!

Ah, thank God for friends!

Speaking of friends, Bob drove me home.
My head was throbbing like crazy!
I called our neighbor/friend, Janet, who is a nurse.
She came right over. Ice packs, pain killers,
Hugs and consolation… then alternating heat & ice.
Just what the doctor would have ordered!

TazE in my lap

As if the care of a friend wasn’t enough,
I was blessed with a very concerned, loving TazE.
She never comes and crawls in my lap,
but yesterday she wouldn’t leave my lap
(except to get up every now and then,
look me in the eye, kiss my cheeks and chin,
and then crawl back into my lap).
Aren’t animals amazing? So intuitive!
She knew “Mama” was hurting… and she
was there for me until the neighbors all arrived
to make sure everything was OK
and to pamper and feed me.
Then TazE was content to go back to her own bed!

This morning, after a shower and a couple of pain pills,
I was smiling once again… feeling no pain… and grateful
that the swelling had gone down and the bruising had not
traveled too far into my face.

Ah, my friends, EMBRACE HARD HEADS!
They come in handy at a time like this!

Oh, and by the way,
watch in the direction you’re walking today, okay?
Hah! No point in testing how hard-headed you are!!

It helps to comb my hair over the bruise.
You can hardly notice it, right?

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, friendship, Gratitude, health, kindness, Life's Challenges, Love, pets, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Embrace Helpers


Where would we be without the helpers in our lives?
Yesterday a young lady came and helped me clean my house.
Climbing ladders to get to light fixtures and getting down
on my hands and knees to do floors is just not in the cards
for this 82-year-old body any more. God bless my helper!

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

While I was getting help inside, Bob had two helpers out in the yard.
Like my inability to climb ladders and spend time on my knees,
Bob has discovered that his body has some new limitations, too.
It’s just not wise for him to try to trim the trees
or do all the weeding and hedging on his own.
Thank God for the young, strong helpers
who are willing to come and lend a hand!

Our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland,
had need of repair this week.
She had polyps in her uterus.
Thank God, they were benign,
but they needed to be removed.
Thanks to the “helper” who used her gold dust
to repair/scrape De’s uterus and bring her
back to full health… more beautiful than ever!

Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

Just as we need help with the physical work
as we add years to our bodies,
so do we need help with tasks
that are beyond our skill levels.

Today our daughter, Laina, discovered a problem she couldn’t fix.
A neighbor’s tree had lost a limb during a recent storm,
and the limb crashed through her guest bedroom window.
With the help of a gracious and talented helper,
she now has a new double-paned glass.
Thank God for helpers!

I am reading a book titled, “Life is Messy” by Matthew Kelly.
In it he describes the Japanese art of Kintsugi.
It is repairing broken objects with glue that has gold in it.

He wrote, “When a vase or bowl or cup is broken,
artists gather up the broken pieces and glue them back together.
…They mix gold dust with the glue. They don’t try to hide the cracks.
They own them, honor them, even accentuate them.”

Matthew Kelly’s point in bringing in the concept of Kintsugi
is that we all are broken and in need of repair.

He asks the question, “Can someone who has been broken
be healed, and become more beautiful and more lovable
than every before?”

And his resounding YES is illustrated by these repaired bowls.

He makes this point very clear:
“We are each other’s wounded healers.
We posses the gold dust needed to glue other people back together,
making them more beautiful and lovable than ever.”

Where would we be without the helpers in our lives?
Our broken souls would remain broken… and
Our sad hearts would break in two…
without those who love us with their gold dust of love
that glues us back together again!

Embrace Helpers…
Those who help us clean,
Those who help us garden,
Those who repair our cars
or fix our broken windows…
Those who help us heal…
God bless them all!

God bless YOU for being a helper.

I made sandwiches for those young people who
were out there helping Bob with his yard work.
We each can do our part – we all can be helpers!

How did you use your gold dust to help someone else today?

Category:

blessings, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, health, kindness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, relationships, Serving One Another, work

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Embrace This Moment


Embrace this moment;
It is all we surely have.
Make the most of it.

The best Olympic Games song in history (1988 Seoul, South Korea.).

Simone Biles did it:
She conquered her challenges.
Bounced back on the beam!

In this one moment,
I can feel eternity.
Congratulations!

Simone Biles

Embrace this moment.
You faced your fears; conquered them…
We all learned from you.

Don’t hang your head down
And ignore your mental health.
Stand up. Be honest!

We all have valleys –
Life’s not all on mountain tops.
Own your emotions!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Don’t cry for the gold.
Winners aren’t always first place.
Winners just show up!

Be in the moment.
Let your spirit soar and smile.
Guard your mental health.

Thank you, Simone Biles,
For being so courageous.
You are our hero!

Embrace This Moment!

We are proud of you, Simone!

I’ve lived to try my very best.
I’ve learned to accept defeat.
But, when all of my dreams
Are a heartbeat away,
I just take a deep breath
And keep on trying.


I AM more than I thought I could be…
God knew I could be all this and more…
After all, He made me!
Give me one moment in time…
And I will be all He made me to be.
I will be free.

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –
Embrace this moment!


Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Awards, Belief, courage, Faith, God, Haiku, happiness, health, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, self-esteem

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Embrace Swiss Beekeeping


In 2018 we were in Switzerland and our daughter, DeAna, arranged for our grandson, Michael Solioz, to visit a Swiss beekeeper with his Grampy Bob. Bob wrote up some questions ahead of time, and Mike translated them for the man who is the president of the Sion Beekeepers’ Club.

This video is so professionally done by Mike. I guarantee you will enjoy it. The beekeeper is such a delightful man – a retired physician!

So, what did you think of that?

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that Bob is a retired beekeeper… He did that for over 20 years after he retired from teaching/coaching.

Photo by FRANK MERIu00d1O on Pexels.com

No, that’s not Bob up there. He rarely dressed up like that! No suit, no gloves, just the hat and veil sometimes. He is the “bee whisperer” according to beekeeper hobbyists here who enlist his help with their hives occasionally.

Notice Bob’s short pants, bare hands, and hat without veil. Experienced beekeepers seem to know how to approach the bees with peaceful intentions that the bees can sense… unless they’re Africanized bees (that’s a whole other blog topic someday).

Anyway, it was fun to uncover that 2018 Swiss beekeeper interview. I hope you enjoyed it.

Bob & I wish you a Happy Monday
and a fun-filled, productive week.

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

Category:

Animals, food, health, Love, Memories, nature, work

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