You Matter
I hope you know
How much you matter to me
Your presence in my life
Whether real or virtually
Makes my life better.
Thank you!
Have a really Merry, Healthy, Happy, Blessed Christmas!
Sending lotsa love,
JanBeek
Archive for the ‘relationships’ Category
Just for Fun
Today’s prompt was, “What was the last thing you did for play or fun?”
The last thing I did for fun was to hold my newest great-grandchild, Christian Beekman (born yesterday) and revel in his tiny hand holding my finger. Life doesn’t get more fun – more special – more blessed than this!!
What joy to welcome this little boy into our Beekman family!
Here’s our son (Grandpa Ty) and our daughter-in-law (Grandma Monika) with their newest grandchild. They have six now!! that makes six great-grandchildren for us. Can you believe it??
Doesn’t that look like fun to you?
Here are Christian’s mom & dad (our grandson, Jordan with his wife, Josniah). God bless them! And God bless Christian’s big sister, Cosette. She’s gonna love having a baby brother … and has to learn he’s not a dolly she can toss around!!
What have you done for fun this week?
Sending love your way. Merry Christmas!
Hugs, JanBeek
Power Up!
You have access to all the power you need
You just gotta be sure to plug in
Connect to the source of your power
It’s available to you even if you’re shut in
Like a mighty wave or hurricane
Power can evoke awe or cause destruction
What’s the source of your power?
There’s a ready source… what’s your deduction?
I bet you know where I’m going
With this line of reasoning.
Yup, the power I have in mind
Is filled with the best spiritual seasoning!
“And they were filled with the Holy Spirit…”
Acts 2:4
In yesterday’s
Mornings With Jesus devotional
comments by Karen Sargent,
she shared an experience she had with power cords.
She was preparing for a presentation
using various technology.
Thinking she might need an extension cord,
she added it to her equipment.
However, after setting everything up,
she realized she didn’t have
the part she needed.
Sargent wrote,
“… There was a problem. In one hand I held a three-prong plug on my laptop cord. In the other, a two-prong plugin. I checked the projector cord. Three prongs. Without the ability to tap into the electrical source… my technology was useless. I couldn’t power up.”
Sargent extrapolated, “That wasn’t the first time I’d failed to tap into a power source. Sometimes I function on two-prong faith. I know Jesus can do anything… And through Christ who strengthens me, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). But how often do I connect to the power of the Holy Spirit, the mighty third prong?”
Karen Sargent’s message spoke to me.
Yesterday friends helped us install
Our Christmas tree here at home –
Tucked in along the north-east wall.
We plugged the lights in after
A lot of struggle to assemble it.
Look closely at the lights there
A section is missing … do I resemble it?
Do I lack a portion of my power
Because I’m not plugged in totally?
The message hit me with a jolt.
It fit my plight anecdotally!
Karen Sargent ended her reflections with these thoughts:
“After His resurrection,
Jesus breathed on the disciples
and said, ‘Receive ye the Holy Spirit’
(John 20:22).
But it wasn’t until Jesus ascended into heaven
that the Holy Spirit empowered them.
Unlike that useless extension cord…
the ultimate power source,
The Holy Spirit,
is always on hand.”
What stops you from plugging in?
Sargent invited her readers to
“Ask Jesus to reveal what being empowered
by the Holy Spirit would look like in your life.”
Enjoy the most awe-inspiring
Christmas season ever
as you fill yourself with
the Holy Spirit.
And let Him provide you with the
strength you need to reach out
in love to all those you connect with.
Power Up, my friends!
Love & Blessing to you,
and hugs from
JanBeek
Just “Bee”
It’s okay to “Bee”
Just “bee” without any fret
Just “bee” contented
Release any pain
Let go all uncertainty
Turn over the keys
Relaxing is hard
Whence comes the ability
To just simply “bee”?
Psalm 42: 5-11
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
To “Just bee” in peace
Gratefully receive God’s good
Live life without lack
Gratefully receive
The grace God is giving you
To see your blessings
“Just a little more”
Is not the way to JUST BEE
Praise God for your gifts
The real truth is
We have more than enough
To live gratefully
Take a look around
You might just be overwhelmed
When you really see
See all your blessings
We are so much better off
Than most other folks
Let Us Pray
(from In Touch devotional by Charles Stanley)
God, it is easy to focus on that is wrong in my life
rather than what is right.
I find myself overwhelmed
by all the injustice, pain, and division in the world.
Forgive me for the times I’ve chosen to feed negativity,
to spread hopelessness among my friends and family.
But I’m not alone in my grief,
You are heartbroken by these things, too.
So Lord, I pray for Your guidance in sorrow.
I want to lament all that is wrong –
without being consumed by it.
Teach me to balance grief
with the assurance of Your love.
May my heartbreak, empathy, and faith
play a role in Your healing of the world.
Amen
So, let us just “bee”
Bee friends; Reach out to others
Live life without lack
We’ve more than enough
Of God’s love and compassion
Jesus gave it all!
Let’s distribute what we have
To make life better…
for everyone!
To just make your world
“bee” a better place today,
What can you just give?
Love,
JanBeek
Recommended Books
Today’s prompt was:
What book are you reading right now?
Haha!! No, I’m not isolated…
And no, I didn’t color three books…
Only two!!
No, seriously,
The question should have been “What bookS…”
I can never limit myself to just one at a time!
I love reading!
So, what bookS am I currently reading?
Let me list a few:
- The Bible (always … daily)
- Devotionals that help me understand better and apply the Bible lessons to my life:
a. In Touch by Charles Stanley
b. Ever Faithful by David Jeremiah
c. Mornings with Jesus and Walking in Grace and Strength & Grace by Guideposts
d. Today in the Word by Moody Bible Institute
e. These Days by Presbyterian Publishing Corp. - The Last Caretaker: A Novel by Jessica Strawser
I have Jessica Strawser’s book on my Kindle reader. I prefer having a paperback or better yet, the hardcover book, but Kindle books are so affordable – – – and I can enlarge the print to make deciphering easier. So I am getting used to reading from my laptop. The Last CareTaker is a gripping story about a lady who agrees to be the caretaker at a remote nature preserve, but finds herself in the throes of a secretive shelter for battered, abused, and at-risk women. I’m enjoying it.
How about you? What bookS are you reading right now?
Bye for now…
I’m off to read some more.
(Oh, and by the way,
Happy Birthday to my mom.
11-15-15
Elizabeth (Betty)Totten DeAngeles
She would have been 108 today!)
Here we are when I was about 2 or 3.
Quite the hairdo, huh?
Sweet!
Love,
JanBeek
Calling All Sinners!!
Calling All Sinners!!
Yup, my friends – that’s me.
Yesterday I really screwed up;
Of course, not intentionally.
We sinners never mean to
Cross over the kindness line
Into lack of compassion.
We don’t commit sin by design!
So when we sinners mess up,
As God knows we always do,
How do we learn to forgive ourselves?
Does this happen, my friend, to you?
Yesterday’s “Today in the Word”
by the Moody Bible Institute,
dealt with this subject
right when I needed it most.
The scripture for the day was:
“For I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Matthew 9:13
What do I need to let go of?
What did I do that was so bad?
I made Bob feel like a burden
Instead of making him feel glad.
I was mad that he left me
At the church without a word.
He was that mad that I left him.
Now, isn’t that absurd?
It’s all about communication.
Yes, I know, he should have said
“Hey Honey, let’s go home now,”
But he just left instead.
Yup, we butted heads over
The slightest misunderstanding.
I found another way home.
Oops… that was a crash landing!
He’d only gone to the post office
And then he came back to get me.
I didn’t know where he had gone
And his absence really upset me.
Earlier he had wanted some help
On a simple music interpretation task.
I was in the middle of something else
And irritably made him sorry he’d asked.
Today we’re back to talking
In civilian tones to each other.
Yesterday’s behind us; we’ll forget
How we rankled one another.
But making peace ain’t easy
When you’ve crossed the kindness line.
We hate to admit we’re wrong.
But repentance helps us align.
Align our will to our loving call
To be responsive to each need
Expressed by those around us.
That’s our call, our mission. Agreed?
“Let love be genuine,
Abhor what is evil;
Hold fast to what is good.”
Romans 12:9
In my devotional yesterday, “All God’s Creatures” by Guideposts,
the writer, Jerusha Agen, reminded me of the importance
that unconditional love be exhibited. She wrote about
“Simon’s Love” telling about a cat who acted like a dog.
Jerusha’s favorite pet had died.
It was the first time in her life
She was without a dog to cuddle.
But her cat took away the strife.
Her cat started acting like a dog,
Meeting her at the door when she got home,
And sitting in her lap to comfort her.
Letting her brush him with a comb!
Her cat, Simon, knew to mourn with her.
Simon seemed to know what she needed.
In grief, Jerushah had been neglecting him,
But Simon forgave that sin; with joy conceded.
“Rejoice and mourn with others,
According to what they need,”
Jerusha wrote to her readers.
Ask Bob for forgiveness – with speed!
I’ll ask God to help me be more
Loving and responsive to Bob.
Help me with my impatience, Lord.
Help me show genuine love to my heart-throb!
Here’s my heart-throb when I met him
He was in the army at the time.
Happy Veteran’s Day on Saturday.
Ours is a long-term love sublime.
That doesn’t mean we don’t argue
Or make each other mad at times.
But, God tells us sinners to forgive…
Just as He does – ALWAYS, not just sometimes!
You can probably relate to my “Faux Pas” –
You’ve probably blundered some, too.
But, God is calling us sinners:
Let love fill the dog-shaped void in you!
Let forgiveness be your guiding star,
Since we all forget to be compassionate – ’tis true.
I’ll look for ways to show love like Simon.
And God’s calling you, my dear sinner, too!!
God bless You!
Love,
JanBeek
Can you just kiss and make up, too??!!
Something Good
Something wonderful
Something good
All God’s blessings
Not always understood
Keeping eyes open
For ways we are blessed
Sometimes they come to us
In difficult tests
The blog I accidentally deleted
Explained how this teddy bear
With all its bandaged boo-boos
Hid triumphant scars under there
Something good happens
When healing of wounds is complete
I hope something good happens
Today to you and those you meet
Storm clouds may come and gather
You might anticipate a growing storm
But God will send you rainbows
And the sun to keep you warm
God will send you beauty
In the skies and on the land
Look for His surprises everywhere
Many of them really are quite grand
It’s hunting season here in Montana
So the deer and antelope are convinced
If they come here to our yard
They’re protected as if they’re fenced
Something good happened here today
The doe and the buck stuck around
I enjoyed their company – you would, too
Shhh… don’t scare them. Don’t make a sound!
They see me; they hear my steps
Off they go – but they’ll return
Good things happen here
You’re safe, my friends. Come and learn!
What can we learn from our animals?
Go where you’re protected and free
I’ll watch out for your best interests
And I bet you’ll watch out for me
God has blessed you, I know
What’s something good
that happened to you today?
Did you thank God for it? (I knew you would!)
Love,
JanBeek
I’ve always loved the song,
“Something Beautiful.”
If you have time,
click on it here
and enjoy this beautiful music.
It’s “Something Good” for you today!!
Feeling Uncomfortable?
Why did my Bible study this morning suggest
it’s not just OK,
but advisable
that sometimes we feel uncomfortable?
I thought of my son-in-law, Andre’,
when I thought of discomfort!
But then I realized,
No, not that kind of discomfort!
The scripture that prompted the remark
about being uncomfortable is this one:
“The Samaritan woman said to [Jesus],
‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.
How can you ask me for a drink?’
(For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).”
John 4:9 (NIV)
Obviously, the woman was uncomfortable talking to Jesus. But Jesus intentionally engaged in conversation with the woman. According to Ericka Loynes, who wrote the commentary for the devotional in Guideposts “Mornings With Jesus,” His intent seemed to be to “change the landscape of the current culture.”
“Embracing change can be difficult,” Loynes went on to write. She acknowledged, “The more often I get out of my comfort zone, the easier it will be to adjust to the changes around me.”
Stepping out may seem scary, but as this meme reminds us, it is imperative if we want to become stronger and grow. So, Loynes ends her commentary by asking the reader to take a faith step: “Ask Jesus to help you get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
It’s worth thinking about, don’t you think?
Like Jesus, who can you step out
and talk to today
who is not among those
you generally hold in conversation?
Try it!
Try stepping out of your comfort zone.
There are plenty of folks out there
who could use your brand of positivity!
Do you see folks
who look like they could use
some encouragement?
Follow Jesus’ example!
You may find some comfort in being uncomfortable.
I’m gonna try it.
You with me?
Love,
JanBeek
Cricket
My fellow blogger
Parted with her dog today
Lived a long fourteen
I have had to part
With more than one furry friend
It’s never easy
Send condolences
To my grieving friend, Rachel
Today’s a tough one
Farewell to Cricket
But only for a short time
We’ll all meet again!
Check out Rachel’s blog here…
Cricket’s Last Weeks
Rest in peace, Cricket.
When I get to the pearly gates,
I will expect to see my furry friends
who have gone on before me
Jumping with glee to meet me.
If not, I’ll keep moving on
Cuz I’ll know I haven’t reached
The right gate yet!!
Every day we miss our pup
She was a darling Boston
Was great company
Going for trail rides
Was just not the same without
Her cheerful presence.
Can you sympathize with Rachel today?
Click on her blog and leave a note.
I know she’ll appreciate it.
That’s what our WP community does…
We reach out to support and comfort one another.
Right?
See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting
JanBeek
Rest in Peace!!
I Can Share!
Each month our Madison Valley Woman’s Club meets for lunch and a business meeting. My role in the organization is to be their “Inspirational Leader.” As such, I share a message with the ladies – – – and this year I have chosen a selection each month out of my journal titled, “I Can, and I Will… Watch Me!”
Today’s “I Can” message was titled, “I Can Share.” And what I shared was the ideas from a link my friend, Lee, sent me titled “Embrace Values.”
Embrace Values
- Wearing a $300 or a $3 watch –
– They both tell the same time.- Whether they carry a $300 purse or a $3 handbag from the Nearly New –
– The amount of money on the inside is the same.- Whether we drive a $150K car or a $30K car,
– The road and distance are the same
and we get to the same destination.- Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine (if we drink it all)
– The hangover is the same.- Whether the house we live in is 300 sq. ft. or 30,000 sq. ft,
– The loneliness is the same.- You will realize your true happiness does not come from
– the material things in this world.- Whether you fly first class or economy,
– If the plane goes down – you go with it.- Therefore… I hope you realize
– When you have mates, buddies, and old friends,
brothers and sisters who you chat with, laugh with,
talk and pray with, sing songs with,
talk about north, south, east, and west,
that is true happiness! And they will share
and agree with you on these:
Five Undeniable Facts of Life- Don’t educate your children to be rich,
– educate them to be happy so they will
know the value of things, not the price.- Best awarded words in London:
– Eat your food as your medicine –
otherwise you will have to eat your medicine as food.- The ones who love you will never leave you for another
– because even if there are 100 reasons to give up,
he/she will find one reason to hold on.- There is a big difference between a human being
and being human,
– only a few really understand it.- You are loved when you are born.
You will be loved when you die.
– In between, you just have to learn to manage!
NOTE:
If you just want to walk fast, walk alone!
But if you want to walk far, walk together!
– Thank you for walking together with one another here in this,
Our Madison Valley!! God bless you!!
Our ladies in the Madison Valley Woman’s Club are those kinds of friends.
We are so blessed to have one another to work with, laugh with,
meet with, and care for. Thank you, Ladies! I love you!!
Hugs,
JanBeek
