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Archive for the ‘pets’ Category

Dec. 14 -Word of the Day

Using the prompts from @sanctifiedart,
I am enjoying the opportunity to share
the “Words for the Beginning”
each day with you during this Advent season.

Today’s Word is:
GOODNESS
When I put the prompt in AI, it generated
an assortment of blond, blue-eyed,
smiling 20-year-old females.
I kept asking AI to try again until finally it
generated something different.
I got this!

Goodness me!
That’s not what the word conjures up in my mind.
When I think of goodness, I think of the innocence
of babies and young children
and the unconditional love of our furry friends
(maybe that’s what that AI image is depicting).

These are the images that come to my mind
when I think of the word GOODNESS.

I also think of the goodness of a meal lovingly prepared
and shared generously with friends.

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

I asked Bob what image comes to mind
when he hears the word GOODNESS.
His answer surprised me. He said,
“Mothers… and the loving environment a good mother creates.
THAT’S GOODNESS!”

The goodness a good mother exudes
is certainly multiplied when she has
the support of her children’s father, too.
Loving families RADIATE goodness!

What does the Bible say about goodness?

There is more about the root word, GOOD,
than there is about GOODNESS.

So, goodness is a God-like quality in people.
It is a purity and innocence in children and animals.
It is a gift of delectable taste from a skilled chef.
It is a unifying force in a family.

You don’t have to be a 20-something, blue-eyed blond
to exhibit goodness!!
You are in the land of the living…
and goodness is in you
and all around you.
All you have to do is open your heart to it
and exhibit the goodness that is in you!

Aren’t you grateful for that?

What image does the word GOODNESS bring to your mind?

Join me again tomorrow for another
Word of the Day.

Love ya,
JanBeek

P.S. My maiden name is DeAngeles.
It means “Of Angels.”
Do you see the angelic goodness in me?

Category:

Bible Lessons, children, Faith, kindness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, pets, relationships

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Laundry Room Acrostics

What do you do
while the clothes
are fluffing in the dryer
and you are waiting
before taking them out
to fold them?

Do you have paper and pens,
color crayons and chalk
sitting on your table
where you’re waiting
to fold clothes?

I do.

I love to write Acrostics
while waiting in the laundry room
for the clothes to fluff
so I can fold them wrinkle free.

Here are a few of mine.
You can guess the topic
knowing these were created
within the last four months.

ANTICIPATING OWEN
2/14/24

O ur
W onderful
E specially
N ew

P resent
U plifting us:
P up!!

Screenshot

POOPY OWEN
3/18/24

P lease
O bey,
O wen!
P oop
Y our shit
O utside
W hen
E ver
N ecessary!

Please, Lord, help us figure out
how to train this puppy to go
outside – and to come when called!

OWEN LEO: HE’S LEARNING!
4/20/24

O odles of fun
W hen he behaves
E ven when he forgets, he
N ever ceases to bring joy!

L et us be patient and
E ncourage his good behavior.
O wen is such a love!

FUTURE PLANS
6/7/24

F irst
U p:
T rouble erupted
U nder our noses
R eally sad
E vent happened
P up Owen died
L anding outside the window
A ttached to his leash
N oose around his neck
S uffocated, hung himself.

Where do we go from here?
How do we keep living in this
empty, vacuous house
without Owen?
He filled all the empty spaces
in our home and hearts.
We are devastated.
Can’t think future plans right now.

DON’T GET STUCK
6/14/24

D isasters
O ccur
N ightmares
T raumatize
G oodness
E nters
T hrough
S ensitive
T rusting
U nderstanding
C aring
K indred Spirits

We have been so blessed this week
to have the love and hugs,
flowers and cards, calls and caring
of so many of our family & friends.
They have encouraged us to
grieve, of course, but
“Don’t get stuck.”
In Owen’s sweet memory
Move On… Laugh again,
Love again, Rejoice again,
Snuggle again with
Another Boston Terrier.

We’re not quite ready yet…
But God is helping us heal.
Thank you, God’s angels.
We love you!

Bob & JanBeek



Category:

Animals, blessings, Giving, God, Gratitude, Heartache, kindness, Life and Death, Love, pets, Poetry, relationships

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Notable Things

Each day’s notable
And so it pays to take note
Live life on the edge

Life’s an adventure
Live on “Edge of Adventure”
This day won’t come twice

Daily writing prompt
What notable things happened today?
View all responses

That’s our ATV
She’s “Lucille” and she’s a “Ball”
Time to let her go

Today we sold her
We found a wonderful home
Know she will be loved

We had lots of fun
With Lucille, TazE, and friends
Hate to see that end

Lucille and TazE
Our previous Boston pup
Were great companions

But, time to let go
Life moves on and so must we
Owen never rode

Our sweet pup we lost
So tragically this last week
Never rode Lucille

Notably we learned
Some things are not meant to be
And so we’ll move on

You move on or die
Do not let yourself get stuck
Life is too precious

Our hearts are healing
Every day the pain lessens
So, take note of that

You are blessed!

What notable thing happened to you today?

Love to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Animals, blessings, Faith, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, optimism, pets, Poetry

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Passionate About?

Today’s prompt asked about our passions.
What am I passionate about?
Children and animals…
How about you?

Daily writing prompt
What are you passionate about?
View all responses

As most of you know, I spent my career in education.
I taught all grades K-8
(except 3rd… don’t know why I skipped that one).
Children are my passion….
their education, their safety, their equal opportunities.
It breaks my heart when I see evidence of
neglect or abuse or (heaven forbid) sex trafficking.
Children are our most vulnerable humans
and they need our protection,
for they cannot protect themselves.

group of people taking photo
toddle wearing gray button collared shirt with curly hair
girls-children-kids-friends-50581.jpeg
boy wearing orange shirt blowing on dandelion
father and child s hands together

My passion for animals is especially poignant right now –
– especially after our horrific accident last week
when we lost our sweet puppy, Owen.
I still can’t stop crying. My heart aches.

He was such a little rascal,
but he wrapped himself around our hearts
and we miss his company
more than words can say.
I am passionate about having a pet.
Our house feels empty and vacuous without one.
Owen filled all the empty corners
of our hearts and our home.
He brought such joy.
How can we go on without a Boston Terrier
chewing on our rugs,
tugging on our heartstrings,
filling our days?

Rest in peace, sweet puppy.
You were an object of my affection,
the recipient of my passion.
Bob & I miss you so much!

My mom always quoted this saying:
“It is better to have loved and lost
than never to have loved at all.”

I don’t know its origin,
but I certainly believe it.

sensual black man covering face
Photo by Bruno Felix on Pexels.com

What are you passionate about?

Hugs to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, children, Heartache, Love, pets, relationships

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Writing is Therapeutic

When your heart’s breaking
Writing is therapeutic
Pour tears through your pen

Photo by Natalie B on Pexels.com

Through your broken heart
You may not have a plan
But it helps to vent

Photo by Allie Feeley on Pexels.com

A friend brought flowers
Weeping hearts to match my own
Hugs and prayers to heal

Another friend brought
A loving white weeping heart
To soothe my sad soul

He planted the hearts
In the ground near our front door
Owen’s reminder

Screenshot

Owen brought great joy
His death was a tragic thing
I am still in shock

Jumped through the window
While attached to a choke leash
Owen hung himself

I need that comfort
Wish He had been with Owen
Maybe He was there

Before Owen died
He had a wonderful day
Tumbling with Zeke

img_7615

Do you have a pet?
If so, cherish him or her
I am sure you do.

Thank you for reading
My heartfelt but sad ramblings
Writing brings relief

With the help of friends
We are smiling through our pain
God bless you, my friends

Love,
JanBeek
(and Bob)

Category:

Animals, Faith, Family, friendship, Haiku, Heartache, Life and Death, Love, pets, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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A Day From Hell

Have you ever experienced a day from hell?
We just had one.
We are devastated.
Our sweet, adorable, beloved Owen,
our 10 month old Boston Terrier,
died yesterday.
It was a tragic, bizarre accident.
He jumped out of the car window
while connected to a leash
and hung himself.
I can’t go into any more detail –
I can’t stop crying.
I can’t stop blaming myself.
With all the best of intentions,
with love for Owen as the motivation,
we left him in a situation
that we never in a million years
anticipated would turn out so horribly.
If you don’t hear from me for awhile,
you will understand why.
I am so so so sorry!!!!!
My heart is broken in a million pieces.

He filled all the empty places in our heart and home…
he was such a sweetheart…
learning and growing…
and now he is gone.
A day from hell…

I can’t stop blaming myself.
We were gone less than 5 minutes.
We never should have left him…
Woulda, shoulda, coulda…
Heaven help us!

kid hiding on pillows
I wanna hide
and never come out!

Devastated…
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, Life and Death, Love, pets

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Our Nuisance, Owen

Owen Leo Beekman
Born 7-24-23
on my 85th birthday!
(We’re both Leos!!)

Just look at that face!
Doesn’t he look innocent?

Guess again!
That “Ducky” used to have a head!

First to go
at the expert chewing
of our destructive pup
was the beak…
then the whole head!

And next,
the wings had to come off,
and all the stuffing
out of the body!

So, I cut the limp body
off of the rope,
and as you can see,
he loves his rope!

We’ve had Boston Terriers
all of our married life,
62 years worth,
with about six different pups
in those six decades.
But none was as destructive
as this guy!!

See that collar on him?
It is to prevent him from
pulling the stitches out
from the surgery he had
last Monday.

Suppose getting him neutered
will calm him down?
We hope so!!

He really is a sweetheart…
when he’s asleep!
But he is such a live wire
when he’s awake…
Always into something!
Will not sit still in Bob’s arms
to have his toenails trimmed
the way our last Boston, TazE, did!

But, Owen’s just 10 months old today…
and so he is still learning,
still a puppy.
Give him time, huh?
Owen is destined to be an angel…

We just pray that he
makes that transition
while he is still here on earth.
Right?

My mom loved poetry
and she saved those she
liked the most when she saw them
in the newspaper back in the 1930’s.
I have the cardboard on which
she taped her favorites.

It’s inside my kitchen cabinet door.
So faded you can just barely read it.
The date says 1936!
One of my favorites of that collection is:

My dog is a nuisance, an absolute pest,
With him in the house there is truly no rest.
He leaves dirty tracks on the mirror-bright floor,
And scratches the paint from the tidy front door.

He slobbers his water and spills half his food;
The rugs are all gnawed and the slippers are chewed.
He sheds tufts of hair and he scatters his fleas;
He buries his bones under bushes and trees.

He keeps me awake every night with his yaps;
The neighbors all cuss him for spoiling their naps.
I’ll stand it no longer. I’m getting fed up.
I won’t be a slave for that bothersome pup.

Er, pardon, excuse me – but what did you say?
You ask if I’m giving my puppy away?
You’ve the nerve to suggest that you’ll take him with pleasure.
Well, certainly not – he’s an absolute treasure!

…Margaret Macprang MacKay, poet

Here’s mom… with my dad … back in 1936
At the time she collected those poems,
Before my sister and I were born.
Aren’t I the lucky one? To have such parents?

Thank you, Mom, for your love of poetry
And your love of dogs, and your tolerance.
Er, pardon, excuse me, but what did you say?
You ask if I’m giving my Owen away?

Well, certainly not!
I’ll keep him with pleasure.
He’s an absolute treasure!!

Hah!

img_7459

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, pets, Poetry, relationships

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Keep Hope Alive

If you have followed my blog in the past, you know I used to post sermon notes every Sunday afternoon. I’ve not done that for a while. Today I decided, on a snowy May 23rd in SW Montana, that I have nothing better to do than to share with you my notes from last Sunday’s sermon… because with winter weather in late May, I need encouragement to “Keep Hope Alive”… and I thought maybe you could use a little encouragement, too. So here’s what Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds preached last Sunday (as filtered through my ears to my brain to you)…

Sunday’s sermon on hope was inspired (not by Jeremiah 29:11 which is one of my favorite scriptures) but by Romans 8:22-27.

Romans 8:22-27
New International Version

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

(Bold print added by me)

Paul wrote this a couple of decades
After Christ descended and ascended.
Paul addressed the anxiety of
Those who questioned Christ’s return.

We who have the First Fruits of the Spirit
Are saved by the HOPE of what we do not see.
God, who searches our hearts, knows…
God knows our every mood and emotion.

And with that scripture in mind, Mary Grace shared her sermon. Here are my notes:

KEEP HOPE ALIVE

Calvin Coolidge’s young son
Passed away because of a toe infection.
It was over 100 years ago –
Before the discovery of penicillin.

Today we have the promise of
A new vaccine to retrain cells
Of a brain tumor to attack the tumor.
The narrative of lives is being changed.

People who walked with Jesus
Had interpreted Him as saying,
“I’ll be right back…”
But Jesus was taking too long!

Paul wrote to tell the early Christians,
Who had been given the Holy Spirit,
To be patient … and keep HOPE alive.
Maybe Hope isn’t a whisper, but a shout!

Hope is more active than faith.
It is a fighter and a screamer.
The world is groaning, crying out in pain,
And people who’ve been stepped on must also.

Don’t accept the pain life throws at you.
Cry out in pain. Bark as a threatened dog.
Hope is harder to lose than faith
Because it is louder… and persistent.

We hope for things beyond our reality.
Hope gives us the strength to wait –
To be cheerleaders who, with discipline,
Keep HOPE (through the Holy Spirit) alive.

Hope feels like pain, burns like passion
When we see all the world’s injustices.
But HOPE is alive and will not give up.
Keep it alive in you. Expect its miracles!

I love this meme!

Keep hope alive!
If you have time, go to YouTube
and select one of the renditions of
“It Took a Miracle”…
and absorb those words.
So profound!
(For whatever reason,
I couldn’t imbed that song here.)
I love it…

moon in wonderful blue sky in evening
It Took a Miracle

To hang on to HOPE in a fallen world may take a miracle…
But that miracle is yours for the taking.
Take HOPE
And keep it alive!
Amen?

That’s my granddaughter, Hope, with me…
and her daughter, Sienna,
my great-granddaughter, who will be 5 next month,
and our last Boston Terrier, TazE.
HOPE is alive and well in our family.
How about yours?

Love to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, children, Faith, Family, God, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, optimism, pets, relationships

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Happiness

What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?

It’s not THINGS that bring me happiness. It is people and our new furry friend, Owen. Here are five of my many:

Owen, our vivacious new puppy

Bob, my life-long partner and joy-maker

DeDe, our precious daughter, who lives in Switzerland, and with whom I communicate daily

Tyroneeee, our wonderful son, with one of our great-grandchildren (sweet Mable Iris).

Laina with Pat

Our daughter#2 Laina, and our daily communication via WhatsApp bring such happiness!

Friends are the flowers in our garden of life. I can’t stop with five sources of happiness!
Jim & Terry – chosen family!

Oh, I could go on… friends bring such happiness. It is their love and sincerity that makes my heart swell.

I hope you are blessed with the joy of people who bring you happiness, too.

Cheers!

Love, love & laugh!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, children, Family, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, Love, pets, relationships, Serving One Another

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Let’s Play!

Life is made for play
Invite your friends to join you
Will your pals come out?

Hey you! Come out!!

Owen sees his playmate
He invites him to come out
What a character!

Do you cherish laughs?
Need more of them in your house?
I recommend pups!

They bring you good cheer
Joviality for sure
Come on friends, let’s play!

Love, joy, cheerfulness
All of these things can be yours
All you need’s a dog!!

Of course I’m partial
To black and white pug-nosed dogs
But all dogs will do

They all will cuddle
Chase their tails and make you laugh
Let your chuckles out

Let’s Play!

Do you have a furry, four-legged friend
who brings love and laughter
into your home?

Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, Haiku, humor, Love, pets, Poetry

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