PHILIPPIANS 4:8 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.
Keeping Philippians 4:8 in your heart and focusing on the positivity of the NOW will make you smile!
Are you smiling?
Stay in the moment Take notice of little things And you will be blessed!
Tell me, what are you focusing on NOW?? What’s making you smile??
Do you have sunshine in your pocket? Do you have that happy feeling in your body? I dare you to watch this video without smiling!!
O for a world where everyone respects each other’s ways,
Where love is lived and all is done with justice and with praise.
O for a world where goods are shared and misery relieved,
Where truth is spoken, children spared, equality achieved.
We welcome one world family and struggle with each choice
That opens us to unity and gives our vision voice.
The poor are rich, the weak are strong, the foolish ones are wise.
Tell all who mourn, outcasts belong, who perishes will rise.
O for a world preparing for God’s glorious reign of peace,
Where time and tears will be no more, and all but love will cease.
And all but love will cease!
And no more hail storms will destroy our beautiful geraniums!!!!
We came back from our trip to Bozeman today and found our beautiful baskets of flowers and boxes of geraniums were TOAST!! Look at what we found on our front porch:
Yes, those are hailstones. Hey God, it’s August!! Not December…
This is not okay!!
They were so beautiful just this morning!!
Look at the size of them!! We’re grateful Bob’s pickup wasn’t dented!
O for a world preparing for God’s glorious reign of peace, Where time and tears will be no more, and all but love will cease. And August hailstorms will cease to be… and our flowers will thrive – – – Lord, please!!
They’ll come back like this, right?
Have a wonderful end of your week, dear friends.
There’s my beautiful Thursday sunset. Ready to post where All But Love Will Cease.
Job 5:9 “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
Every day is a MIRACLE!
The fact that I was able to go on that ATV ride yesterday on those bumpy, rocky trails is in itself a miracle. You know I had hernia surgery on my mid-section last month. To enjoy yesterday with Bob & our friends was a WONDER, for sure! And today I am no worse for the wear… Thank God!
I remember now The terrible destruction And our lack of help.
I wonder why we Didn’t do more to assist? Do you wonder, too?
Google says, “The Micronesian nation offers beautiful white beaches, exotic wildlife, and intriguing culture and history.”
Through the miracle of You.Tube you can take a virtual trip to Guam and you can learn about its history and see its beauty… and you will WONDER how many of these gorgeous places might have survived or been destroyed by that hurricane. This video was created in 2016 and the hurricane was in 2019.
Like me, you will WONDER why this site doesn’t list the PEOPLE who died in this tragic event. Certainly they are more important than the $3.3 million in damage. And you want to hear stories of the MIRACLES of survival in the midst of such devastation, right?
As I quoted from the Bible at the beginning of this post, in Job 5:9 it says, “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”
Everywhere we look in this world, there are wonders and miracles to behold. Open your eyes to them, my friends.
I told you some of the ones I see and some I would like to travel and see. How about you? What miracles do you see? What wonders do you want to see?
How do you see yourself? Do you know YOU ARE A MIRACLE? How alert is your funny bone?
Are you ready for the miracle of laughter that brings healthy endorphins into your body?
Are you laughing?
Keep on laughing. It does wonders for your mental health! Love ya, JanBeek
Bee kind to yourself – You are a special person. You “moose” treat yourself with love.
Bee kind to yourself – Wrap yourself in perkiness. Smile in the mirror.
Bee kind to yourself – Find the most perfect head wrap. Wrap yourself in love.
Isn’t she beautiful? Go to 720Royal.com and treat yourself … Be Kind to Yourself!
There’s where I found those beautiful head wrap pictures. I may have to “Shop Now” to find that perky, beautiful fabric. Will you teach me to tie it that way? Will they make me a gorgeous as those lovely ladies?
Our daughter, DeAna’s a perfect “head wrap” for her hubby, Andre’
Bee kind to yourself – Hug your sweetheart every day. Don’t let life skunk you!
God bless Ed Coyle, Photographer extraordinaire!
Bee kind to yourself – And share your love with others. Reach out to loved ones.
Sharing through a plexiglass screen
With today’s virus, Social distancing’s a must. Don’t let it stop you!
Sharing’s essential – And loneliness is rampant. Kindness is two-way!
Phyllis safely visited with her kids!
Share kindness with friends. ‘Cuz what you give blesses you. Imitate Jesus!
Kindness lifts others. Just as Jesus lifts you up, Imitate His love!
Be kind to yourself – Go find a beautiful spot, And share it today.
Julie and Lisa Shared with each other the view And walk in the park.
Beauty’s more lovely When shared with one another. Who might walk with you?
Or who might visit, Enjoy the flowers and porch? Reach out to someone.
Lisa shared her lake view in South Carolina
Let your love brighten The life of those around you. Be kind to them, too.
Share your gorgeous views And notice how your love shines And kindness returns.
Ed Coyle Photography
Love and prayers sending your way. Bee well … Bee Safe … Bee Kind!
What did you do to “Bee Kind” to yourself or others today? (Or what do you plan to do?) Live intentionally.
Angels are with us In every walk of our life Most have hidden wings
My angel friend, Terry, sent me this Jana Stanfield video. She said I am her angel. Truth is: she is mine!
Can it be that we serve one another As angels here on earth? Can it be that you are one, too?
Look at these darling children. Each of them is an angel here on earth. They just keep their wings hidden! (Except for the cymbalist… I think I see his wings peeking out!)
“Somewhere amongst them, or betwixt them, or gazing adoringly up at them just like you, here I am.”
That was a sentence I captured on a blog yesterday, but didn’t get the author’s name. I apologize. If you know who wrote this, please tell me in the comments below and I’ll add it. It is angelic writing, don’t you agree?
Sending God’s love to you, my friends.
I have a host of angels here on earth who bring God’s love to me on a daily basis. I bet you do, too. Think about them today. Reach out and thank them today for the joy they bring to you.
Some of my Angels
My daughter, De
Our #2 daughter Laina, and my hubby, Bob
This is Bob’s older brother, Bill, with his wife, Margie. Bob’s family members are angels in our lives.
With them is our son, Ty, and daughter-in-love, Monika. We are so blessed to have Tyroneee and Moni as angels among us.
Here is Terry (the friend who sent me Jana Stanfield’s angel song) with her husband, our friend, Jim. Can you just see what angels they are? We call Terry “SPARKLES!” She sparkles with love and compassion.
When I came home from the hospital after my recent hernia surgery, Terry sent Bob to get me at the hospital with this angel blanket that’s now draped over my bedroom chair. That’s what angel friends do: they wrap you warmly in their loving arms… and send you kisses!
This collage of photos from my sister, Sally, has several angels pictured on it. My dad to start with – bottom center – what an angel! My sis and my niece, Jodie with her son, Liam and husband, Bill. They are angels in my life, too.
And if you look closely, you can see Sally with TazE… our Boston Terrier. She was going to be named “Angel.” I had that name all picked out for her – until we met her!! TazE was a Tasmanian Devil (Taz) with E for Ears to match her bouncy personality and oversized ears. No, she was not an angel at all. But she has quieted down in her old age (she’s nine now) and maybe she qualifies as an angel in my life at this time. You think?
Chris is one of my three Swiss grandsons. He lived with us for a while last year … and was such an angel in our lives. Our seven grandchildren continue to be angels. Here is my youngest granddaughter, Faith (now 24) … Of course, she’s an angel in our lives!
I hope you have a BFF – (Best Friend Forever) – a long term angel friend – someone you can count on in all circumstances – someone like my friend, Marcie:
She just called me while I was creating this blog… just to express condolences about my cousin, Cliff. What a thoughtful, sweet, angel friend Marcie is!!
We all have angels in our lives. People we will love until the end of time… people who exude God’s love. They are compassionate and considerate. They seem to know when we need them and they are there at the most important times. God bless the angels among us!
Each of you who comes to JanBeek and bothers to read and comment is An Angel of Mine!
What you mean to me, you’ll never know…. You came at just the right time into my life- and I want to share it with you… I appreciate you so much!
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Come on in! I can have a meal ready for you in minutes. Our home is a place where we welcome all who welcome all! We want you to feel at home here!
Come sit on the porch and enjoy the view to the north!
Turn your head to the east and enjoy the Madison Range.
Come to the front door and knock!
Or just walk right in – because we don’t have a solid wood door where I can put a beautiful knocker. Our front doors are glass. The entry welcomes you with words on the wall that say “The greatest of these is love.” The word art was a Mother’s Day gift from our son & his wife, that first May after we moved here.
Hah! You can’t read it… it’s backward for some reason… and it’s blurry… but trust me, it says, “The Greatest of These is Love” right above the windows.
Those are the stairs that lead up to my sanctuary – my “Angel Room.”
A few years later I asked my friend, Lexi, to paint a red rose next to those words.
So, that is what you see when you enter our home here in Ennis, Montana.
Our Dream House
But, this house has not always been my “dream home.” I don’t have a photo of my original dream house. It was in Heber City, Utah. I lived with that house on my screensaver in California for a year. We were ready to retire, looking for a place away from the growing congestion of California. We saw it near Salt Lake City, Utah. We toured it, fell in love with it, put a bid on it, and I dreamed of living there. But, the Lord had other ideas, I guess. The owner never responded to our perfectly generous offer, even after we went back a year later and put another bid on it.
The house was made of logs from the 1988 Yellowstone fire. Many of the logs still had the scorch marks on them. The front door was a massive wood entry with no handle. It had a lovely knocker like the one pictured at the top of this blog.
When you knocked on the door and someone came to let you in, a painting of Jesus (clearer and more beautiful than the one below) was on the wall just inside. The scripture from Revelations 3:20 was written beneath the painting.
The house seemed God-inspired – and I longed to live there.
However, it seems that Utah was not the place God had in mind for us.
This house, in this Pintail Ridge neighborhood, with lovely neighbors, this church in Ennis with these friends… this was (is) God’s dream house for us. When we put in a bid here, everything went like clockwork. (By the way, the trees were much smaller 15 years ago, and you could see the house from Mallards Roost Road clearly. Now we have a lovely forest!)
You can even see the sanctuary windows and that back porch where I invite you to sit with me.
In God’s Will
Have you ever noticed that when you are walking in God’s will, the path seems smoother?
When you are walking in God’s will, deals ultimately work out better than you could have dreamed.
When you tune in to God’s will for your life, you end up in a better spot than any place you could have imagined for yourself!!
So, come on in, my friends! Mi casa es su casa!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
Sending Love ❤
Thank you – so many of you- who sent your love following yesterday’s blog when I told you about my heavy heart following the death of my cousin, Cliff. Your outreach warmed my heart.
Don’t laugh at others Who are faced with challenges. Seek to understand.
We are divided In this world that’s filled with hate. Why can’t we just love?
It’s intolerance And a lack of compassion That sows evil seeds.
People point fingers At those they see as different. Let’s see their beauty!
People point their guns At differing opinions. Let’s just live and learn!
Learn to see others As God’s children; we’re the same. Let’s make love “catching!”
I had not heard this song before Peter, Paul & Mary made it famous (I think it was back in the late 60s – early 70s). I love their version of it, but some of the words were hard to understand. Now that I have heard the song writer, Mark Willis, sing it, and I have seen the lyrics, I logged on to the Peter, Paul and Mary version and wondered why I ever had trouble understanding.
With their chosen video clips on this You.Tube, I dare you to listen and look and let it soak in and NOT cry!!
Oh, my dear blog friends, How can we bury the hate? Make love contagious!
Look at these dear ones – See into their hearts and souls Through Jesus glasses.
Look at your neighbors; Really see the ones in need. Then reach out in love!
Photo by Judita Tamou0161iu016bnaitu0117 on Pexels.com
My heart is hurting For the disenfranchised ones. What’s YOUR handicap?
I’m short… I’m dense… I barely matter at all… Don’t laugh at me!
See ya tomorrow. I’m headed to my follow-up appointment with my surgeon. You have a safe, healthy, and meaningful day… And see who’s out there who needs a helping hand.
Yesterday I posted my sermon notes on a blog titled, “We All are Good AND Bad.” Today’s devotional in my Daily Guideposts was a wonderful follow-up to that topic… and a terrific antidote!
In today’s Daily Guideposts 2020 devotional, Erin Janoso shared a story about her daughter finding an owl pellet. She wrote:
“Owls don’t have teeth, so they often swallow their food whole.Because of this, they end up eating things like feathers and fur that are indigestible – and some stuff like bones – that could puncture their tender digestive systems. Luckily for the owl, it has a gizzard that acts as a shield… sifting what is nourishing from what is not.”
“… unlike the owl, whose body acts involuntarily, I can forget how desperately I need God’s help sorting what’s nourishing from what’s not. “I looked again at the gray mass lying on the table (the owl pellet). If an owl’s gizzard could put such an end to the things that would harm it, imagine what God could do for me, if ony I remembered to ask.”
We all are human So we all are imperfect Good and bad combined
Today’s sermon drummed home that point to us. Rev. Steve Hundley at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, Montana, used this scripture to springboard into the message for today:
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
You know I like to take poetic notes as I listen to the sermon each Sunday. Here are my notes, taken during today’s message:
The Message – “So What About the Weeds?”
Gardens are lot of trouble. The weeds grow more than flowers. The weeds choke out vegetables. Why do weeds have such powers?
Jesus says the garden is the world, And in it the devil plants seeds. His are never flowers or veggies; They are nothing but nasty weeds,
There has always been – and always will be – Weeds – the stuff planted by sin. Weeds, tares, or wild rye Looks like wheat and mixes in.
The wild rye is actually poisonous, But we can’t tell one from the other. Just like us – who try to judge The authenticity of our sisters and brothers.
Our “weed pulling” – ridding us of enemies – Is a job some think is ours. We try to separate the good from the bad, As if calling out evil is in our powers.
Trouble is we each have wheat and weeds. We’re all a part evil and a part good. Who is capable of separating the weeds? It’s not our job. Leave ’em. We should!
Sometimes trying to eliminate sin Is a process that has reverse effects. We inadvertently pull of the flowers, Those beautiful people our Lord protects.
Too much weeding can rob people Of the right to hear the Gospel and read The Words Jesus spoke to us all: “Do not judge.” Risk the weeds as you plant Good seeds.
