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.
We thought we were bullet-proof; We thought we were too far out of it. Guess again, my near-sighted friends – This virus doesn’t know when to quit!
From lowest number of cases In all of the USA, We made miserable strides. We had 26 new cases in one day!
The percentage sounds so much worse Than telling you the number 26, But numbers can be deceiving – Just ask those who are newly sick!
Montana is a state with barely a million Total in its entire population, But when Yellowstone opened up, People came from the world, not just the nation.
We visited with friends in their yard yesterday, But we were able to socially distance easily. Look at the space between house and table And the blue sky – with God helping quite breezily!
We sat and watched the sunset Reflect on the gorgeous Madison Range, And thanked God for our open spaces; With the absence of hugs – feeling strange!
But when today’s news reported the increase In the number of cases in our state, We thanked God anew for our health – And the blessing to continue to feel great.
I pray you are being wise and safe too, my friends. Enjoy your social situations, But remember to wear a mask if you can’t distance And keep happy and healthy relations!
I’m off to the park to walk again with TazE. It’s another beautiful, blue-sky day. “Bee” happy and stay healthy, will you please? I hope our numbers go down – and stay that way!
Don’tcha love that fence post? See ya tomorrow. Virtual Hugs, JanBeek
This is a purple and yellow July 4th! Purple for all those people who are hurting on this day. Yellow for all the varied colors that make up our rich racial cultures (Asian, Native American, Black, Hispanic, etc.). Yes, Black Lives Matter. Yes, they endure untold prejudicial treatment… and so do toooo many in our world.
Do you know why purple and yellow look so nice together? Turns out they are what’s called complementary colors. They appear opposite each other on the color wheel. Other complementary colors are red and green, and blue and orange.
Interestingly, complementary colors are one primary color, and the color formed by a combination of the remaining two primary colors. Maybe you don’t find this as nifty as I do , but perhaps it explains why I like the images from “July 4th Morning in Glacier National Park” so much!
Not just red, white, and blue, but purple and brown and yellow … all the colors of the rainbow make up who we are.
Singing Sky Photography
Check out the gorgeous photography by Paul Holdorf by clicking on his name here.
As you know, July 4th is a national holiday in the USA. This year it takes on a different kind of meaning for us.
“Uncle Sam” gives us the “OK” sign… but everything is NOT OK. Too many people are dying of COVID-19 and too many people are suffering the injustices of prejudice. Too many people are not feeling “Free to Bee” (as I posted on my blog yesterday).
We’d bee “OKer” if we just “Love One Another” and respect one another and practiced the “All are Created Equal” beliefs that are part of our constitution.
My friend, Lynn Foreman, last year on this day.
A Haiku to Remember
Last year on this day Seniors served the parade crowd No parade this year
Last year on this day More than four thousand came here This year we are still
Stillness gives think time Time to ponder our blessings Figure how to share
Share the grace of God As He’s blessed you, bless others Love One Another
In this photo from last year, I can see I needed a haircut! This year I’m feeling perkier by the minute. Life is improving. Hallelujah!!
Thanks for your prayers! What are your plans for today? Let’s sing in unison and think UNITY!!
Saying no is hard I much prefer the word YES Do you understand?
Health is compromised Saying YES to everything So, learn to say NO
“Not yet” is better It doesn’t sound so harsh It keeps doors open
I like open doors Closed doors are a frustration You know what I mean?
But there are those times When limitations are placed On us – and we rest
Today is that day I say YES to getting help No to stubbornness
I let God define What I am doing today Happiness is rest!
I seek happiness By letting others help me Thank God for helpers!
Satisfying rest Is good for the heart and soul God bless you, my friends!
We had a wonderful sunrise this morning in our Madison Valley.
These are the beautiful roses Bob got for me yesterday to help with my healing. Aren’t they gorgeous?
The view from my bed is beautiful… and I brought a few of the roses into my bedroom so I could enjoy them while I rest and read my devotionals and say my prayers. My prayer list keeps growing! I started it in January… and just keep adding to it. This is just page one of two!
God is good. He hears our prayers… and He responds. I feel His loving comfort today. Thank you for being here with me as I recuperate from yesterday’s hernia surgery.
TazE is here in bed with me, too. Sweet puppy!
Have a restful day – if you can. Practice saying NO when the time is right!
This is Bob’s brother, Bill, with his wife Marge. The wonderful vehicle is one that Bob & Bill bought back in the early ’50s. Look at how wonderfully Bill has maintained and restored it! It is in great running condition, too – and is obviously well loved.
Aren’t those wheels magnificent?
Old Cars Haiku
Look at some old cars Forlorn – dilapidated While some others thrive
This one rusts away In a distant field of weeds It needs more than love
It’s like some of us Feeling secluded – rusty Needing more than love
But love is enough To shine up a human soul Try it on someone!
See not just yourself, but what matters is that we see the best in others, too!
Faith to FEEL…
Feel their anguish and pain as well as their joy and gratitude
Faith to DO…
DO reach out in faith and love to one another!
Faith to LIVE…
Live the peace of God… sow love!
We Need Faith
Words by John Thornburg
We need a faith so color blind, So free from time-worn lies, That when we look from face to face, We see the eyes of God.
We need an ethic of respect, An honest pledge of trust, That when we share the deepest things, We feel the warmth of God.
We need to act as well as speak, To see each other’s sweat, That as we we labor side by side, We do the work of God.
Come, Christians, look for character, And not for shade of skin, That as we rend the walls of race, We live the peace of God.
In the YouTube video below, hang in there through the introduction to the song, and then let the words, the music, the interaction of the performers, and the joy of the audience and children LIFT YOU UP… “Raise you up to more than you can be!”
With FAITH and God’s help, we CAN and we will be part of the healing solution for this divided world. We WILL be part of the change we hope to see in our world. We PLEDGE to be agents of UNITY!
All you need is LOVE, FAITH, and DETERMINATION to see the eyes of God, feelthe warmth of God, dothe work of God, and live the peace of God.
Together, we can be the change we wish to see in the world. Let’s get to work!
Thanks for joining me. See ya tomorrow. Love, JanBeek
None of us on earth lives alone. Each of us is kin the the other. We need one another – You are my sister, my brother.
I will defend your right To live in peace and justice. I will work to be an example Of the love we need, so you can trust us!
Trust us to work together To make this earth a place of care, Care for all God’s creation – A place we equally share.
No man is an island No man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me; Each man’s grief is my own.
We need one another, So I will defend Each man as my brother, Each man as my friend.
We need one another So I will defend Each woman as my sister, Each woman as my friend.
Recently I posted this picture on my blog along with a series of photos that exemplified random acts of kindness. This woman could easily be me. The man she is standing beside is a friend from across the world whom she met playing Words with Friends.
I play Words with Friends with a myriad of people from all over the world. Some of them are busy chatting with me between plays, asking questions, helping us get to know one another.
I’d like to picture one of them wearing a “Love Felt” heartfelt t-shirt like that fellow … and then coming to visit me. I have WordPress friends that I invite to come to Montana and visit me, too.
Might you do that someday?
Each one of you is my brother/sister … each one of you is my friend. We need one another. What would it be like to be writing a blog everyday and have no one out there to read it and respond? Pretty sad!
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò Titular Archbishop of Ulpiana Former Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America has written a letter to President Donald Trump:
In his letter, Archbishop Viganò addressed President Trump saying,
“In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I would call Biblical: the children of light and the children of darkness.”
He goes on to say, “On the one hand there are those who, although they have a thousand defects and weaknesses, are motivated by the desire to do good, to be honest, to raise a family, to engage in work, to give prosperity to their homeland, to help the needy, and, in obedience to the Law of God, to merit the Kingdom of Heaven.
“On the other hand, there are those who serve themselves, who do not hold any moral principles, who want to demolish the family and the nation, exploit workers to make themselves unduly wealthy, foment internal divisions and wars, and accumulate power and money: for them the fallacious illusion of temporal well-being will one day – if they do not repent – yield to the terrible fate that awaits them, far from God, in eternal damnation.”
I find it inconceivable that the good man, Archbishop Viganò, goes on to align the first side he has identified with President Trump and the Republican party. If I was into labels, I could easily align them differently. Who’s to say which people as a group fall into which category? And what good comes of such lumping and labeling as a practice anyway? His divisive language is appalling to me – especially coming from a man of God.
Archbishop Viganò goes on in his letter:
“In society, Mr. President, these two opposing realities co-exist as eternal enemies, just as God and Satan are eternal enemies. And it appears that the children of darkness – whom we may easily identify with the deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards, so to speak, by now revealing their plans.”
He ends his letter by suggesting that President Trump should …
“… not accept being deceived by a minority of dishonest people with unavowable purposes. It is necessary that the good, the children of light, come together and make their voices heard.”
My friends, we are in a state of division and chaos in the United States. With COVID-19 putting people in isolation and the marches and riots protesting racial injustice pulling people together in proximity too close for comfort, we are in need of healing.
To suggest and label a portion of our society as people who are in the business of serving themselves, not holding any moral principles, demolishing the family and the nation, exploiting workers to make themselves unduly wealthy, fomenting internal divisions and wars, and accumulating power and money, is uncalled for!
What we need is words of love and unity coming from the clergy. Not more divisiveness! Not labeling. Not ushering Donald Trump and his followers into heaven while he condemns those who do not support his actions and policies to “eternal damnation.”
I worship a God who teaches people have the right to disagree with one another without name calling.
I worship a God who teaches me not to be the judge. That’s Jesus’ job!
I worship a God who teaches us to love one another – “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He teaches that you ALL are my neighbors.
I am a “Child of the Light” – and I am not here to to point fingers at anyone.
My friend, Doris, who graduated from high school with me back in the Dark Ages, sent me an e-mail today with 48 pictures designed to demonstrate acts of kindness in the midst of this world-wide time of struggle with COVID-19 and racial injustices.
I selected my favorites from the 48 – and want to share them with you here as an encouragement to go out and do likewise. Pick your favorite from these seven that I have chosen. Tell me why it touches your heart.
Each of the seven (selected in random order) were important to me. They demonstrate our need for ONENESS, UNITY, RESPECT, GOODNESS, LOVE, and KINDNESS.
The numbers attached to the pictures were on the website… they are not in any way prioritizing. And that message above was part of the post… “Bored Panda” was the source. Their word “tolerance” is not mine. It seems condescending to me. I prefer “LOVE.” Don’t just tolerate me! Love me… and treat me as I am: your equal! One of God’s children!! Just love me!!
I love YOU!
Can you choose one from those seven? Tell me why it resonated with you.
The YouTube below was also sent to me by that same high school friend, Doris. It’s a wonderful children’s choir singing about the memories that will live on in their lives after this time passes. Click on the arrow, sit back, and enjoy the voices, the melody, and the message.
And don’t forget the message here: ONENESS, UNITY, RESPECT, GOODNESS, LOVE, and KINDNESS.
Bee well, my friends. I’m so glad I didn’t lose you… Memories bring back YOU!!
See ya tomorrow. Hugs, JanBeek
(Oh, leave me a note about your favorite of those seven, will you?)
