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Archive for the ‘life’ Category

No Authority

The prompt today was:

“On What Subject are You an Authority ?”

We just said good-bye to our guests from Switzerland who stayed with us for a week. We did a lot of sharing with one another while they were here. But, even though each of us has had a lifetime of experiences in various fields (technology, social work, teaching, coaching, and beekeeping), none of us tried to come across as an authority on anything! What a turn-off that attitude would be!!

If you have the attitude that you have more knowledge than anybody else around you on a certain subject, and you speak with unabashed authority, I hope you’re being asked to do so, and you’re paid a lot for your opinion! I hope that knowledge gives you an opportunity to have authority with your authority! But…

… in my experience, the one who flaunts his authority (rather than living as an open-minded, humble, life-long learner) seldom finds life very satisfying. Tim McGraw spells it out pretty clearly in his song, “Always Stay Humble and Kind.” You can listen to it below.

Proverbs 22:4 
ESV

“The reward for humility
and
fear of the Lord 
is riches and honor and life.”

I am rich in friends
I am rich in love of life
Christ is my life’s authority.
Where do your riches lie?

It was an interesting prompt today.
How would you have answered it?

Look up for your purpose!

Keep looking up!
Keep learning.
Stay humble and kind!

Thanks for your visit today to
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, Jesus, kindness, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Love, music, relationships, respect, Sharing, Spiritual Gifts

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Don’t Understand

What’s something most people don’t understand?

If “most people” are folks like me,
they don’t understand
why bad things
happen to good people
and some “bad people” seem to prosper.

Evil is not cute!

Why do some evil folks
seem to accumulate wealth & comfort
while the righteous suffer poverty, loneliness, and pain?

I want the bad to be punished
and the good to be rewarded.

Why doesn’t it seem to work that way
in too many cases!?

Let Justice Reign!

Amos 5:24 
ESV

“But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Amen?

Thanks for visiting today
and letting me know:
What’s something YOU don’t understand?

JanBeek

See ya tomorrow.
Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Category:

life, Life's Challenges, mental health, relationships, Serving One Another

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Born Singing

When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was born singing – well, I sneezed first before I cried. Then I cooed – a humming song! By the time I was five, I wanted to be in an all girls’ choir and tour the world!

No, I didn’t end up doing that. I’m not in that choir! But, you can understand why I was so enamored by the unique sounds of this girls’ choir, Jitro (Daybreak) from the Czech Republic! What a privilege to hear them! And they ARE touring the world!!

I posted a couple of short videos from the second half of their concert this week. Here are a couple from the first half. Listening to them will cause you and all who hear to want to ask “Alexa” to play some of their music for you! I did that. They are recorded on Spotify.

One of the girls told us during the fellowship time after the concert that she’d been singing all her life, too. And she joined the choir when she was four! See, I could have lived my five-year-old dream!

When you were five, what did you want to grow up to be?

What do you think you were born to be?

Thanks for joining me at JanBeek today. Have a lovely 🥰 rest of your Friday – and enjoy your weekend!

Hugs and happy music to you!

Category:

children, life, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, music

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It’s Tomorrow!

I said yesterday,
“See ya tomorrow.”
But today is tomorrow
And it’s almost gone!

Photo by Allie Feeley on Pexels.com

Today
Is Tomorrow
It’s February First
How’d your day go?
Swish!!

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

Today
Buzzed by
Snowplows were working
Week’s mail was overwhelming
Whew!!

Matthew 6:25
Therefore I tell you,
do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink;
or about your body,
what you will wear.
Is not life more than food,
and the body more than clothes?

Today
Is gone
Tomorrow is coming
Plan for the best
Relax

See you tomorrow…
For sure!
What will you be doing?

Lots of Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Gratitude, life, Life's Challenges, Poetry

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Boldacious

He coined “Boldacious”
And I immediately
Claimed it as my own

Dwight: Roth Poetry
Recognized the “Me” in it
It’s a perfect word

Colorfully Boldacious!

Recklessly Boldacious!

Carelessly Boldacious!

Repeatedly Boldacious

Lovingly Boldacious

Spiritually Boldacious

 “The righteous are bold 
because they know that God is for them
and
what they have to say 
is important.”

(Hebrews 13:6)

Cautiously Boldacious

Consistently Boldacious

What does the Bible say about boldness?
Being bold is having courage
and speaking out against what’s wrong
no matter what others think or say.
It’s doing God’s will
and continuing on the path
that He put you on
regardless of the hardship you face.
When you’re bold
you know God is always on your side
so there’s never a reason to fear.

Photo by Sachin Bharti on Pexels.co

Purposely Boldacious

Are you Boldacious?
You have every reason to be!
You are unique!
Use your uniqueness to the max!!
You gotta be you!

1 Peter 4:10-11 

God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts.
Use them well to serve one another. 
Do you have the gift of speaking?
Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you.
Do you have the gift of helping others?
Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.
Then everything you do will bring glory to God.
All glory and power to Him forever and ever!
Amen.

Step out BOLDACIOUSLY
You gotta be all God made you to be
TO THE MAX!

Have a boldacious day.
Love from
Boldacious JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, courage, Faith, God, Haiku, life, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, self-acceptance

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Reblog #2 – Reflections

NanoPoblano2022 asked us to reblog an old post during this month of November. One a day. I’m going to try to do that.

I added this image to the 2012 post. Back then, I did not understand how to use WordPress to its greatest advantage with memes and images that enhanced the words. My purpose in blogging today remains the same a it was a decade ago: to encourage love, joy, peace, faith, and unity among my blogging friends and to inspire us all to live a happier, more purpose-filled life.

My 2012 post:

.

“My confession, admission, and plea to God today is this:

None of us lives to just self alone;
Each of us lives for the other.
Whatever we do, be it rosy or blue,
Reflects on our sister and brother.

None of us sits on the judgment seat.
We’re not assigned to decide
If someone’s dull or bright, wrong or right,
Sending them to a corner to hide.

None of us lives a faultless life,
Though we try our utmost to seek
The humble hill to fulfill Your will
In our deeds and the words we speak.

We stumble and fall and fail to be
Examples of the upright and strong.
Try as we may, we know that someday
We’ll have to account for each wrong.

We’ll each have to stand before Your judgment seat
And review how we’ve spent every minute.
So, Lord, help us give every day that we live
All the love and the grace You put in it.

Help us to generously welcome all
To be part of whatever we do.
None of us lives to ourselves alone;
We always reflect on You.

Amen?

Amen!”

Happy Reblogging, my friends.
See you tomorrow.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, blogging, Faith, friendship, Giving, God, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, self-esteem, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Reblog #1 – Most Beautiful Things

Beautiful Things
Are sometimes visible things;
Most = Invisible!

This Persian’s pretty;
Her purr’s the absolute best –
And the love she gives.

These roses are grand,
But their fragrance is the best;
And their “giver” too!

This bird is gorgeous,
But its song is the greatest –
And its Creator!

This scene’s amazing;
But the peaceful feelings here
Are magnificent.

Adorable child –
She’s so beautiful to see,
Her trusting heart’s best!

The cake’s impressive,
But memories are more grand.
Beautiful moments!

(By the way that’s us: Bob & Jan… 57 3/4 years ago)

The moments, feelings,
The sweet smiles and the laughter –
That’s where beauty lives.

Life’s luxuriant
When people and places reign.
Beautiful visions!

Thank you for being
A beautiful part of my life
In my WordPress World.
You add JOY by your presence.

See you later!

Category:

blessings, blogging, children, contentment, Gratitude, Haiku, life, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, peace, pets, photography, Poetry, Serving One Another, writing

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Back in the Swing

I’m getting back into the swing of things.
It’s not easy after being gone so long.
The 8 hour time change took its toll.
Awake at 2:30 AM feels so wrong!

Back to sleep a few hours later;
Waking at dawn feeling tired.
Gotta get my zip back again.
Connect to the Source and get wired!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Wired to what, you may be asking…
Well, my home, faith, and community –
Thankful for those things and my family –
Grateful for vaccines and immunity.

A COVID outbreak occurred here
Exposure at a church funeral Saturday.
We were still in recovery mode, so didn’t attend.
Grateful we decided to stay home that day.

Daughter De and her husband, Andre’
Went on a road trip after we left.
I’m missing her lots already …
Knowing she’s OK, I’m not bereft.

Mike and Tania, the newlyweds,
Have been so kind to stay in touch.
They send us pictures from their honeymoon,
Knowing we miss the two of them so much!

Today I returned to my favorite volunteering
At the nursing home here in town.
I helped with the residents’ fun with Bingo.
Helping others picks me up if I’m feeling down.

Getting back into the swing of things –
Cooking, cleaning, laundry, volunteering
Catching up with the lives of dear friends –
Even on a gray, cold day makes me feel like cheering!

Mike & Tania’s beautiful silhouette in Italy

I can look back at the fun we had
And I can see my family from afar.
I can thank the Lord for safe travels
And thank them for letting us see where they are.

I can treasure the opportunities to travel
And share the highlights of our trip…
But it’s time to get back into the swing
Of things here in Montana. Come and sit!

Come walk in the park
and go for a swing with me!

Enjoy your Friday, my friends.
Have a great weekend.

I’ll see if I can get back with you Saturday.
Tell me what you’re up to…
What are you doing that makes you cheer?

I’ll keep you in my prayers.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Family, happiness, life, Love, Memories, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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Terrific Tuesday

Yesterday and today we woke to the magical sound of children across the road from our bedroom here in Vissoie, Switzerland. What a joy!

Yesterday evening we were treated to an Alphorn concert. Nine dear people (one being our grandson, Mike) played this age-old instrument. I became acquainted with it when I was a child. My Uncle Hans was my mom’s oldest sister’s husband. He was a young German-Swiss cheese maker when he moved from Switzerland to Washington back in the 1930’s. He & Aunt Evelyn had 3 children. He taught them all to yodel and he taught his son, my cousin, Hanslie, to play the alpenhorn.

Mike is on the left.

My mom would be so proud to know her great-grandson is following in the musical tradition of her family! I get sentimental and cry when I hear these instruments and think of how mom & my aunt and uncle would have adored hearing this!

Today our friends, Jim & Terry, are here to enjoy a few days with us in this marvelous place. Last night they were able to meet Mike & Tania and we all celebrated Jim’s 75th and DeDe’s 55th together. André fixed an incredible dinner of ribs with a medley of vegetables. Yum!!

Here is yesterday’s delicious roast beef lunch.

Last night’s ribs

It is so wonderful to have my forever friend, dear Terry here to share these experiences with us.

This is Vissoie’s Main Street

Later this morning we’ll walk down that street and get a few groceries at the store. Wish you were here to go walking with us!

See ya later! Thanks for traveling vicariously with me. Hugs, JanBeek

Category:

blessings, children, Family, food, friendship, God, Gratitude, life, Love, mountains, music, relationships, Travel

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Git Walkin’

This is the week to git walkin’ –
It’s time to git off m’ butt –
Time to leash the pup.
Git outta this home-bound rut!

So off to the park
On this beautiful day –
Git walkin’ before the sun
Warms too much and I wanna stay.

Git m’ hubby to come
And join me in the park.
We’ve got a gorgeous place –
Let’s go before it gits dark!

Take the pup to the river
And enjoy the midday sun.
Let the hubby walk her –
They’ll both have fun!

Bob & TazE
@Lion’s Club Park

With my trusty camera
I’ll git some photos fir ya.
Come walk a spell with me.
Come close – let me stir ya!

Ready? Let’s walk!!

It’s a gorgeous blue-sky day.
There’s not another soul in sight.
We’ve got the park to ourselves –
The day looks mighty bright!

Ya gotta come in person
If you wanna read this sign –
Can’t tell ya about it
Not even the upper headline.

It’s so peaceful to be
In this place with only me
And my hubby and my dog.
Let’s sit a spell and just BE!

Didja bring along a snack?
We could sit here and eat.
Give our pup a treat
And get off our weary feet.

But, no that’s not why we came.
We came to just git walkin’ –
So git a move on, Jan,
And quit yer silly talkin’!

TazE says the day is heating up
So we gotta keep on movin’ –
Whistle a tune as you jog.
Exercise the dog and get groovin’!

Around the back side of the park
The scenery changes a lot.
Fields of baled hay and no shade –
Now it’s starting to get hot!

Don’t you love these round ones?
They were square in fields back home.
Things are done differently
When you git out and roam.

Looking beyond the hayfield,
You can see a ridge halfway up.
That’s where our place is located.
It’s a great neighborhood, yup!

Walking back into the shade
Of the tree-lined park, we see
A gazebo on the lawn out there.
Wanna come sit a spell now with me?

No, it’s heating up; let’s move.
I was surprised as I walked on
To see my friends from the Manor
Having a picnic out on the lawn.

That’s some of the folks
That I lead Bible Study with weekly.
When they saw me out of context,
Some greeted me quite meekly.

Isn’t it wonderful that friends
From our local nursing home
Can get into the van and travel
To the park and watch others roam?

When I saw a couple of the kids
From our neighborhood at play,
Their greetings were robust!
Their smiles and hugs made my day!

Time for a potty stop before
Heading home to get some rest.
I’m so grateful to the Lion’s Club
For their park. Kudos to Cherrie and the rest

Who work to keep it pristine.
It’s a gift to our community.
We plan to walk there most days.
Aren’t you glad today you joined me?

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Walk with me
through the darkness.
Pick me up each time I fall.
You’ll bring light and erase the starkness!

(Love Randy’s invitation in the song below)

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, Faith, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, health, life, Love, Montana, music, nature, peace, pets, photography, Poetry

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