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Archive for the ‘relationships’ Category

Valued Trait

Today’s prompt on WordPress was:
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

Each of us is given special gifts.
The trick is to recognize yours.
When you find it, then
make it your favorite trait.

And use it to the fullest!

This scripture is one of my favorites…
and it reveals a trait I cherish:

Hebrews 13:2

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for by this some have entertained angels
without knowing it.”

My special gift is hospitality.
I love having family and friends
come to spend time with us.
Here is our dear 1980-81 AFS son,
Christian Zufferey (ZuZu), from Switzerland.
No, he’s no stranger to us!!

(Our DeAna married his first cousin!!
What a love story that is!)

This week DeAna, and her hubby, Andre’
surprised us by arriving with ZuZu
and his wife, Celia, for a four day stay.
Here they are this morning… leaving us (boo-hoo!)

But, we were blessed to have them
come and spend those days
(just not nearly long enough) –
and to have Chef Andre’ prepare great meals!

How wonderful it was also
to have our grandson, Mike,
and his wife, Tania, with us for a week
this month. They were so helpful!!

Now this hospitality business
would have a full opportunity
to be put into practice IF our son
Ty & his wife, Monika, would come!

The good news is that Peter,
one of Bob’s wrestling students
from back in the 1970’s in CA,
will be joining us in October for awhile.
Yay!

Why don’t you consider
Letting me use my favorite trait,
HOSPITALITY,
On you one of these days?

What’s your special gift – your favorite trait?

Love to you,
JanBeek

We Need More Empathy

Sympathy = “I feel FOR you.”
Empathy = “I feel AS you.”

Ah, we need more empathy!
We need more people who are willing
to put themselves in another person’s shoes…

Not just feel sorry for the one who suffers, but feel his/her suffering
– and try to do something to alleviate it.
I discovered a new blogger today (new to me) – “Ly-die” –
who wrote an eloquent post on this topic.
I really appreciated it, and I think you will, too.

Click below:

Have a terrific Thursday! Our daughter, DeAna, and son-in-law, Andre’ are with us this week. They surprised us by bringing along with them our 1980-81 AFS Exchange student (Christian Zufferey) and his wife, Celia. Chris (ZuZu) is Andre’s cousin… and he has not been to the USA in over 30 years! You can imagine our pure JOY at seeing him and his dear spouse at our door!

Yesterday we toured Ennis and stopped at “The Long Branch” for a few libations.
That’s De & Andre’ on the left and ZuZu with Celia on the right.
I’m the happy camper in the middle!

Bob stayed home and then joined us later when we a went to our neighbors’ place (the Ducsays) for “TMW” – (what’s that – you ask?) – Hah – “Too much wine!” The picture doesn’t show our joy! We were having a grand time!

Today our Swiss guests are spending time in Yellowstone Park.
It’s a beautiful blue sky day here.
What are you up to??

Enjoy your Thursday…
I send my love and empathy your way.


Hugs,
JanBeek

Life is Wonderful!

m.facebook.com/story.php

Check out today’s wonder on my Facebook post!

We All Lead

Today I decided to FOLLOW the PROMPT:
Do you see yourself as a leader?

Whether we know it or not, we all lead –
at least sometimes.
And whether we know it or not, we all follow
at least sometimes.

What is a leader?
That’s the question.

If you read David Jeremiah’s “Turning Points”
you will learn the trademark secrets
of great leadership and
of being a faithful follower.

These following pictures
from September’s Turning Points
introduce the various topics
of leadership by logo or trademark.

The not-so-secret to leadership
is LOVE worn in behavior.
Don’t we all want to follow
the person who exudes love?

We all wear our logo
on our sleeve or our faces,
in our hearts,
and in our actions .

Your identity as a follower is important.
It’s Who you follow that counts!
Follow the wrong leader
And you end up in the dumps!

Get the copy RIGHT!

Leaders often don’t realize they are.

Some leaders quietly go about
being great by caring for others.
Their example leads others
to want to follow in their footsteps.

I wish Jesus lived next door to me.
He’s the leader I choose to follow.
Where He leads me,
I want to obediently go!

My faithful Leader helps me
By putting upright friends
In my life – in my neighborhood –
Friends whose love I want to emulate.

Who do you follow?
Who leaves footprints on your heart?
When do you lead?
We all do both, right?

Hebrews 13:7 

“Remember your leaders,
those who spoke to you the word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way of life,
and imitate their faith.”

Leader or follower?
Which are you?
Did you answer the prompt?
What did you say?

Thanks for visiting today.
Let me hear from you!
And have a Fabulous Friday!

Look up for your purpose!

Love,
JanBeek


Oh, and by the way,
I love “following” my WP friends.

You all inspire me to blog with love.
And I thank you who “follow” me.
I love you!

Sunflower Power

As the sunflower
faces toward the sun
so my face must turn to Thee
You are my Source of FUN!

You alone are my source of power
and I long to “bee” with Thee
You accept me with “shower head”
And love whatever You see

You created each thing on earth
I love the sweetness of your Being
Turn my eyes to Your Face, O Lord
Set my feet on The Path You’re seeing

You alone are my source of power
So I pray to You today
Let me “bee” as the sunflower
and look to You EVERY day!

Amen

Have a wonderful weekend!
What will you do this beautiful day?


We’re having friends for dinner
before they move away next week.
Bitter sweet times…
Look to the Son for comfort ;o)

Friends always show their love.
What are brothers for if not to share troubles?
~ Proverbs 17:17

What do I call “Troubles” today??
It’s when a dear friend moves away.
Oh, how my heart aches already…
But, true friends stay in touch, come what may!!
How do you stay in touch
with those Sunflower people
in your life
when they move away?

Love to you,
JanBeek

Gratitude for Workers

Today is Labor Day in the USA.
It’s a day to thank our workers.
Thank all who make life better
By their diligence … never shirkers!

Regardless of the job they have,
They perform with willing heart.
I’m filled with gratitude for them.
They carefully do their part.

During COVID we took special care
To thank our healthcare workers all.
We should continue to thank them
And all the others whether large or small.

No job is less important than another.
All are crucial for the bottom line.
Teamwork, passion, determination
Are ingredients that make the results shine.

Photo by Maria Orlova on Pexels.com

Proverbs 10:4

“Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.”

The after effects of COVID-19
Have left some workers unwilling
To return to the office or work space;
They find teleworking more fulfilling.

woman in gray shirt sitting on bed
Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

But the worker who inspires me most
Is the on the job person who strives
To make the world a better place
By interacting with others’ lives.

Yes, it can be done at home sometimes,
But what about when you want to dine out?
The chef and wait staff better be there,
Or you’ll be high and dry… without!

So, today I want to shout out a thanks
To all the workers who make life sweeter.
Here is one… our Dolly Wolly in Switzerland.
You should go to her place and meet her!!

This is what it looked like then they bought it.
Now the restaurant has taken on a new look.
And De’s husband, Andre’ is the chef who
Puts out superb dishes – he’s quite the cook!

Here are De and Andre’ with some family
Sitting down to enjoy a meal…
You can tell by the empty plates and smiles
How good it was; how it made them feel!

So, Happy Labor Day, all you workers
Who strive to serve the public with care-
Whether out in front and quite visible
Or hidden in back rooms, with work to share!

We appreciate the way you aim to please
With passion and with determination.
What you do is important and beneficial
Regardless of your chosen occupation.

Thank you!

Hugs from
JanBeek
(volunteering at the Food Bank)

Volunteer work counts, too!
Stay-at-home Mom work counts double!!

Blogging Friends

Why do you blog?

Today’s prompt made me pause and reflect on the why.
Why am I here? Why have I posted “stuff” here for so many years?
It’s not for rewards or recognition.

The title up there tells the story.
It’s my place to stay connected
with Derrick & Dwight,
Ann & Sue,
Richard & Donna,
Caralyn & you!!
It’s blogging friends old and new
who take the time to comment,
who post their own inspirational messages …
that’s why I’m here.
I care about you.

Thank you for also blogging and for staying in touch!

Love,
JanBeek

What’s in a Name?

Daily writing prompt
Where did your name come from?

Names are funny things
They help to define us
Our parents named us
Without a lot of fuss

Did they realize
When they made their choice
That the name they chose
Would give us a life-long voice?

My parents chose Janet
She was an actress superb
First female Academy Award Winner
My name is indeed a verb

Janet is a lady of action
The name means “God’s Gift”
It comes with a lotta ham
“Jan” is quite an audacious lift!

So, what’s in YOUR name?
Did your parents tell you why
They gave you the handle they did?
Does it make you bold or shy?

Mine gave me permission
To climb up on the stage
Janet Gaynor was her name
She was quite the rage!

(Back in 1939 that is! Hah!)

Tell me your name’s story.
Thanks for checking out
JanBeek today
Give your name’s sake a shout!!

Man’s Best Asset

What do you consider man’s best asset?

mondo backside
Photo by Tazz Vaughn on Pexels.com

Well, it depends on how you’re looking at the word, huh?
ASSet?
Or maybe who you are and what you do?

If you are a gastroenterologist,
(a GI doctor)
like Dr. Gentry,
who last Sunday performed Bob’s colonoscopy,
then you’re looking for a clear anus!!

Oh my!
TMI ??
Too much information!!

BUTT (oops!) BUT,
hey, we just went through this weekend from hell…
and if you’ve read my previous coupla blogs,
you know what I mean.
And maybe you are waiting for an update?

Bob received wonderful care at
the Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.
The nurse, Ann-Marie, was the reason
he was smiling like this!
She was as efficient as she was beautiful!

What’s a woman’s greatest asset?
She was kind, caring, efficient, and professional.
A real delight!
Aren’t those the perfect qualities for a nurse?
(Or any of us, for that matter!)

Let me digress for a minute, OK?
While Bob was waiting and waiting for his procedure,
(it was scheduled for 8:00 am
and got bumped twice because of emergencies),
I decided to go get something to eat.
Neither Bob nor I had anything solid for about 48 hours!

I was sitting at the counter at Jam!
(my favorite breakfast place in Bozeman)
when the hostess seated a coupe next to me.
I glanced up from the CA church service
that was live-streaming
on my cell phone
and said, “Hi!” to the couple.
Then I went back to listening
to our son, Ty, who was delivering
the sermon at his church
in Placerville, California.
(Isn’t modern technology wonderful?!)

That’s Ty with me – taken last summer…
We’re so proud of his decision to pursue the ministry.


Anyway, I digressed…
What I wanted to share with you was the way
God worked miracles in our lives
every time we turned around last weekend!

persons left hand doing hand gesture
Photo by Anna Nekrashevich on Pexels.com

I was listening to Ty’s sermon
when I heard the customer recently seated to my left
say, “Hello, Mrs. Beekman.”

Surprised, I looked up…
and I studied the handsome young man’s face.
“Neighbor? Crowley?? Are you Cole?”
I had not seen him in a coupe of years.
He and his family live right across the road from us.
He’s been away at college.
What are the chances in a restaurant with 100+ people
that Cole would be seated right next to me??

“When things happen in your Christian walk of faith
and you say to yourself what a coincidence,
you should know that it’s not, 
it is God’s hand in your life.”


James 1:17 
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
coming down from the Father of lights
with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Open your hands
and your heart
for God to fill them!

Cole and I chatted for a while,
got caught up on what’s new
with him and with us…
and I went back to listening to
Ty’s sermon on-line.
Cole & his girlfriend said their good-byes
with “Let me know if you need anything.”

When the sermon was over
and it was time to get back to Bob
before he went in for his procedure,
guess what?
I asked for the bill…

“That couple that was next to you
paid for your breakfast!”

Every time I turned around,
God was working His miracles
through the generosity,
kindness, professionalism,
and compassion of others!!

See that latte pictured up there?
Do you think it was a coincidence
that a happy bee is floating on the top?

Remember, Bob is
a retired beekeeper/almond farmer.
No accident that they made my dirty chai latte
with almond milk and God sent the bee here to say,
“Hah! Here I am to remind you
Bob is in good Hands!
I’ve gotcha covered!”

I got back to the hospital in time
to say a prayer with Bob
before he was wheeled in.

It was only a short time when
he was wheeled back to the room.

Shortly, the doc came in with the good news,
“You have a beautiful anus for an 84 year old!”
(See, there’s that asset I was telling you about)
Only a GI doctor with 25,000
colonoscopies under his belt
would be so observant, right?


“Everything is OK!
Whatever was causing the bleeding
(no doubt diverticulitis)
has healed itself.
No surgery needed.
Eat more fiber.
Drink more water.”


Bob was given his marching orders
with instructions to follow-up
in a week with his primary care doc here in Ennis.

But before they checked us out
and sent us happily on our way,
Bob was given solid food
(ah, a turkey sandwich never tasted so goood!)
We were sent home with grateful hearts.
Praise the Lord!!

I believe in miracles.
We just experienced more than one.
Look for God’s miracles.
Expect them.
He is busy delivering them every day!

God bless you!
Thank you for all your prayers.
We love you.
Bee well!!

Oh, by the way,
what do you think is
Man’s Best Asset?

Watch What You Say!

Words are impactful
They last longer than you do
Have consequences

“Be careful with your words.
Once they are said,
they can be only forgiven,
not forgotten.”


-Author Unknown

My words lamented
My friend’s weak immune system
Sorrow for her health

Didn’t realize
That I came across as smug
My immune’s better?

Pow! Ouch! Boomerang!
What you say and do
Also impacts YOU!

strong muscular adult sportsman in gym during break in training
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I have heard it said
When you point a finger out
Three come back at you

Maybe this flu bug
Who attacked me Sunday night
Was sent to teach me

You’re not perfect, Jan
Go grab some humility
Don’t knock someone else!

I didn’t mean to…
Impact is often hidden
Never meant to hurt

Four days of the flu
Is enough to wake me up
And teach me this fact:


You better…

“Words are seeds that do more than blow around.
They land in our hearts and not the ground.
Be careful what you plant and careful what you say.
You might have to eat what you planted one day.”

-Unknown

assorted color alphabet on black background
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

Lots has been written
Words used to convey meaning
Words sung to inspire

Words are impactful
They last longer than you do
Choose them carefully

Don’t let them give you a back eye!
Hah!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya again soon, I hope.

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