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Archive for the ‘Serving One Another’ Category

Kindness


The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen words with a break anywhere in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.

.
.
.
Kindness
Lovingly given
Gratefully received
Reap what you sow

We rise
Lifting others
Carry
.
.
.

What picture did those words create for you?




Here
is
the
picture
that
came
to
my
mind.



:o)

And this is the scripture that came to mind:

Luke 6:25
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Jesus is my inspiration.
God’s Word is my go-to for direction.
It inspires me to be kind,
not just to my family, friends, and loved ones,
but also to those who annoy me…
maybe most to them!

Thank you, David, from skepticskaddish.com,
for introducing me to this new (to me) poetry form.
It was fun to give The Septolet  a try.

Hey, WP Friends,
why don’t you try it, too?
I’d love to see your word picture.

Tim McGraw sings the message in a most beautiful song.
This is new to me, too.
Have you heard it before?
The images that accompany it
are so inspiring.
You’ll be glad if you
take time to see and listen!

Hugs to you…
Have a Wonderful Weekend.
Always be Humble and Kind!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, children, Faith, friendship, happiness, Jesus, kindness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, relationships, respect, Serving One Another, Spiritual Gifts, writing

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We’re Back!!


Hello, Montana Sunrise

Hello beautiful sunrise from my dear North Carolina friend!

Hello Montana Snowdrifts!

Hello, dear friend, who walked over the 3’ drift to come say,
“I’m here to plow you out!”
(Oh my, look how the snow came in the front door!)
God bless our helpers!

Hello Daughter#2 back in Maryland.
Thank you for your love, hospitality,
transportation, and luscious food!
We miss you already.

Hello Lacey!
You’re such a lucky pup to have your
“People Grama” taking care of you
while your parents are on their honeymoon!

Hello Daughter#1…
So glad you’re back safely in Switzerland,
enjoying a luscious dinner with your hubby. 👍🏽

Hello PicNick!
Hey, DeDe,
How fun that your #2 son
came to visit and to show you
his new car!
Congratulations, Nicky
(my #2 grandson).
We’re so glad for you!!

Hello again, Lacey!
Yes, I know, you need attention!!

Hello Montana sunset!
Another day gone by,
and we are so grateful for clear skies,
for friends, neighbors, WP contacts and their comments,
and for our local chiropractor who helped relieve my body aches!

(That was my first visit in my 83 1/2 years
to see a chiropractor.
I wonder why
I waited so long!)

Have you ever been to one?

Whew! Feeling like an Angel just touched me!
I hope you’ve had a blessed day, too, my friends.

Bee 🐝 well- and free of pain!

See ya tomorrow.
Hah! It’s tomorrow already…
I forgot to click “Publish” on this one yesterday ;o(

Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, Family, friendship, Gratitude, health, Life's Challenges, Love, Montana, nature, pets, relationships, Serving One Another

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Shared Talent


Today I was introduced to an artist I had never heard of before.
Tin Yan Chan’s art astounded me.
Here’s a sample:

Nature’s Wonders by Tin Yan Chan

To see more of his art, check out today’s post
at “Humoring the Goddess”
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/4496017/posts/4509265488

Tin Yan Chans art is amazing.
I was inspired to create this poem after enjoying his works.

Deep within the Rockies
Where no traffic flows
Is a peaceful hidden lake
Where gorgeous lupine grows

The lake is filled with fish
And if you know your way,
You can walk to find real joy
Come join me friends, let’s play

The lake is beautiful in every season
You can visit it for no reason
Other than to enjoy its beauty
Ot wait til its trees are fruity

It’s an artist’s paradise
The scenery is always nice
Sit quietly and wait for the butterflies
Look carefully – they’re a sight for sore eyes!

Claudia at Humoring the Goddess did some research and shared the fact that Tin Yan Chan, a master artist, had his God-given talents recognized in Canada in the late 20th century. She wrote, “… at 16 he was admitted to the Wuhan South Central China Academy of Fine Arts.”

I am so fascinated by this artist’s work that I intend to do a little research of my own. His website shows several additional paintings and about a dozen in a section labeled “sold.” Wouldn’t you enjoy having one of his masterpieces in your home?

Tin Van Chan has developed his artistic talent and made his creations available to the world. What talent do YOU have that you’ve developed and generously shared?

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’.” Erma Bombeck

Today I used my rusty talent (playing the accordion) at church. Our pianist was unable to attend, so I was asked to step up. My accordion has been dropped and some of the keys sound a bit weird – but I stepped up and did my best. Hopefully it was better than trying to sing all the hymns A Cappella!

An easier talent to share is the one that has a harder time getting rusty: Teaching! On Tuesdays I share my love of scripture with my 10-year-old friend, Hailey, and in the evening with my lady friends at our local nursing home. Through the years I have developed my spiritual gift of teaching, and as you have heard many times, I’m sure, “Once a teacher, always a teacher.” Like Erma Bombeck, I want to “use everything [God] gave me.” Our talents are given to us to be shared.

So, share your talent
Your talent’s God’s gift to you
It’s meant to be shared.

For many of you, it’s writing prose or poetry.
For some of you, it’s photography.
For others, it’s music or public speaking.
I really appreciate those whose talent is
fixing my car or unplugging the drain on my sink!
Some are math wizards or skilled carpenters>
All God’s gifts of talent are meant to be shared,
What’s yours?

Share with me what talent you thank God for giving to you.
How are you sharing it?

Musically Yours –
With Love,
JanBeek

Category:

art, Bible Lessons, blessings, Fishing, flowers, Giving, God, Gratitude, Love, music, nature, Poetry, Serving One Another, Sharing, Spiritual Gifts, trees, writing

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Choose to Trust


Isaiah 43:4-5a.

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men to exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid for I am with you…”

I knew where we were going… HOME! And I knew God was with us, guarding and guiding us. I learned as we were at the “41 miles to go” mark that a woman about my age had died in a tragic accident the day before on this very stretch of road. Her demise was a jack-knifed semi. She hit black ice and slid into it when she was trying to turn and avoid it. It was a clear day – at 4: o’clock in the afternoon. We were traveling home on that two-lane road in the dark. A host of family and friends were praying for our safe travel. We TRUSTED God’s guidance as we crept along, blinded by the bright headlights of on-coming semis.

At about the “20 miles to go” mark, if I had my window down, I could have reached out and touched the big doe that was preparing to cross the road in front of us. We didn’t see the deer until we were almost on top of it… or it on top of us! You can imagine how we prayed prayers of gratitude all the rest of the way home!!

This morning, in my wonderful upstairs space that I call my “sanctuairee,” I was reading a commentary by Rev. Dr. David Jeremiah. It was for me!!

“Praising God for Miracles”

“Among the stories connected to the memory of Francis of Assisi is this one: One day Francis gathered his friends at a remote monastery in central Italy. When he asked them about their journeys, each brother had an exciting tale to report. One had been riding his mule across a narrow bridge that spanned a deep gorge. When the mule bolted, the man was nearly thrown into the ravine. He praised God he hadn’t been killed.

Another brother had nearly drowned fording a river, but he said, ‘God in His grace provided a tree that had fallen across the water. I was able to grasp a branch and pull myself to safety.’ Other brothers expressed similar stories of God’s protection.

Then someone asked Francis about his trip. ‘I experienced the greatest miracle of all,’ said the famous friar. ‘I had a smooth, pleasant, and uneventful journey.’

We should always remember to praise God for His miracles in whatever form they come. He blesses, heals, rescues, delivers, helps, and uplifts more times every day than we can count. We should always be saying, ‘Thank You, Lord!’

Psalm 121:2
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth”

Thank you, David Jeremiah, for your timely message this day. It’s a perfect one!

So, on this journey called life,
I choose to trust God.
I may not know
where He is taking me tomorrow,
but I know if I trust in Him,
and ask for His guidance,
and look for His direction,
He will not fail me.

Choose to TRUST

Looking again at the scripture Dr. Jeremiah chose for today’s devotional,
I am reminded of Martin Luther King Day yesterday…
and the way he gave his life for his principles
of Freedom, Equality for all,
and Non-violence.

Yes, God said, “I will give men to exchange for your life.”

I pray we all will remember the men and women
who gave their lives so that we might enjoy the peace we have today.
It is still going on in those war-torn places around the world.
God bless our faithful warriors who fight to keep us free
and those servants of God world-wide
who choose to TRUST in God’s protection
as they fight to maintain their county’s freedom.
Amen

Thank You, God, for the way
You bless,
heal, rescue,
deliver, help,
and uplift us
more times every day
than we can count.

Help us follow Your example of love
and spread Your Good News
with Trust and Assurance
every day.
Amen

Friends: Jan & Hailey
We help one another

God bless you, my friends.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, courage, Faith, Giving, God, Gratitude, Jesus, Life and Death, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, peace, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, Travel

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A Merry Heart


“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance,
but by sorrow of the heart
the spirit is broken.”

Proverbs 15:13

Use your merry heart
To be like an umbrella
Protection in storms

At the end of day
Your sweet, merry countenance
Is a lovely sight

Your positive view
Shines through the dark clouds of gloom
Lifting others’ hearts
💕

You’ve an extra dose
Merriment is contagious
You infect others

David Jeremiah’s entry in today’s devotional
in Ever Faithful was titled “A Merry Heart.”
It gave me the incentive for today’s post:

“After Richard Norris was badly disfigured
by a gunshot wound in 1997,
he remained hidden at his parents’ home for years.
They covered the mirrors
to keep him from glimpsing his face.
But a team of doctors…
gave Richard a new countenance.”

The scripture selected, Proverbs 15:13, fit the story perfectly.
Richard’s spirit was broken.
His sorrow of the heart was understandable.
David Jeremiah went on to link
Richard’s sorrow to us all:

“While Richard’s story is unusually dramatic,
there’s a sense in which we all need a new countenance.
Study the faces of people you meet every day…”

Oh how I love those
Last two pictures of my friends
Study every face

David Jeremiah goes on to suggest,

“Steal a quick glance at your own face
as you pass a mirror or reflective window.
…Our emotions inexorably flash through
the forty-three muscles in our face
and we communicate our feelings
through our eyes, brows,
and the set of our mouths.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“One smile can light up a room;
one frown can darken a day.

“The Bible tells us a merry heart
makes a cheerful countenance.
Rejoice in the Lord today
and let the joy of Jesus shine through.”

I dare you to listen to this and not smile!!
You know I play the accordion, right?
Well this is a concertina… buttons on both sides.
Aren’t these kids adorable?

Open up you Merry Heart!
Mine is open for you!!

Love ya,
JanBeek

Open heart + Open hands = Merry, Cheerful Countenance

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, Family, friendship, God, Haiku, happiness, Jesus, kindness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Help!!


Is it hard for you to ask for help?
Some people find it very difficult.
Some people feel like they are a burden.
They want to be self-sufficient.

Bob and I have learned
Self-sufficiency is harder as you age.
Asking for help is imperative,
Especially when you are stuck!!

That red dot out there is the back –
The back light of our car.
We high-centered in.a snow drift.
That’s about 50 yards out.

It is freezing out there – Brrr!
We walked home and left the car.
Brrrr… Help! We can’t do it –
Can’t dig ourselves out.

It’s not the first time
We needed help this week –
Not the first time this year.
What would we do alone??

Thank God for friends and neighbors.
Thank God for Bobcats & snow blowers
And friends who come to help.
We would be toast without them!

Tomorrow’s sunrise promises us
A better day – a chance to get out
A chance to go to church and thank God
For the HELP we receive from so many

Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Do not be afraid to ask
Do not be too proud to admit
You need help – can’t do it all yourself
Let others help… and ask God for help, too!

No request is too small.

We reached out yestersay
We asked our friend, Joe, for help
He came and helped Bob
Unbury our snow fence

Earlier this month I reached out
And asked my friend, Susan P,
For help with my Christmas decorations
She came – we did it together – God bless her!

I couldn’t have done this without her!

May the Lord bless and keep you
May your neighbors and friends
Be the help you need when in distress
Don’t be afraid to cry out: HELP!!

There is no joy in aloneness
When you are craving assistance
People want to help you
They want to be asked. So do!

Do ask for HELP when you need it
Ask for HELP when you want it
You will be blessed and so will your helper
We all need to be needed!!

This is my adorable 10-year-old friend
Hailey helps to give me a sense of purpose
Each week she joins me in my sanctuary
We study scripture and read devotionals

I am so grateful for her and her mom
They let me know they needed something
In helping them, I am the one who is blessed
You, too, can be the helper as well as the one who’s helped

Reach out today and make someone’s life better
In the process, you will make your own richer, too.
Help is a two-way street – Don’t miss it!
God bless you, my dear WP friends… you help

You help by reading my blog and commenting
You help by posting your stories and inspiration
You never know just who needs what you write
You never know who you’re he[ping today!

Thanks for dropping by
JanBeek
today.

Your “likes” and comments
lift my spirits.
I’m headed to go see your blog
right now, too.
Thanks for your
HELP!!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Christmas, Faith, friendship, God, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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Waiting


Photo by Gary Barnes on Pexels.com

There is more than one way to interpret the word “wait.”
The photo above shows you a waitress who is “waiting” on a table.

Some waiting is defined by
an expectation of something
or someone to come…
like a good friend.

Other waiting is short-term, self-imposed, self-defined…
…. like waiting for your food to digest before
that next meal or dessert after a huge Thanksgiving dinner!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

What are you waiting for?

Today is the first day of Advent.
As a Christian, that means we have 40 days of waiting.

The season of Advent lasts through Christmas Eve.
When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday,
it is the last or fourth Sunday of Advent.
In Eastern Orthodox churches,
which use the Julian calendar,
Advent begins earlier, on November 15,
and lasts 40 days, rather than 4 weeks.

40 days of waiting for the coming of the Christ Child
… waiting for Christmas.

Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

The word “Advent” stems from the Latin word adventus,
which literally means “coming” or “arrival.”
Our sermon at my church this morning
dealt with this topic of waiting…
waiting for that special arrival.

Pastor Mary Grace Reynolds
spoke about a children’s book
(I think it was a Dr. Seuss)
that depicted a “waiting place”
as a “useless place”
but she encouraged us
to view waiting differently.

She asked us what we do when we are waiting.
Some people find something to read.
Others play on their phones
or engage in conversation with a friend.
Some write letters or cards
or they reach out to help a neighbor.
Spend the waiting time productively.

I wrote this conclusion as I listened:

There is a lot we can do while we wait.
Think about the good things we can do.
Gracious God, help us make waiting useful.
Let’s fill it with good things for me and You.

We can live during this time of waiting
With love and hope in our heart.
We have control over our actions.
We can spread peace – today’s the day to start.

Ready? Begin!

Psalms 27:13-14
I believe that I shall look upon
the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
Wait for the LORD;
be strong,
and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
Have a wonderful season of Advent.

Love and hugs to you!

Make your waiting a time of love and compassion!
Reach out today!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, Giving, God, Gratitude, holidays, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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Reblog #13 – Hug Your Neighbor!


Welcome to JanBeek and my month of reblogging.

Who is your neighbor?


This post was originally blogged last year.
I was inspired to repost it for you today
because Dr. David Jeremiah wrote this in his devotional today
in response to the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37:

Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

“Jesus’ point was this:
Your neighbor is anyone with a need
that you are able to meet.
Look for a neighbor whose need you might meet.”

People may excite in themselves a glow of compassion…
by going and seeking an object that requires compassion.
Henry Ward Beecher

The post was part of my “Embrace” series
and it was titled. “Embrace Everyone.”

Photo by Trinity Kubassek on Pexels.com
Photo by August de Richelieu on Pexels.com
Photo by Gabby K on Pexels.com
Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com


Embrace Everybody
and
Recognize our Commonality
while we
Celebrate our Differences

Know that
We are more alike
than different.
More binds us than separates us.

Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com

Embrace Everybody.
Work to make this world
A better place because
You are in it.


May tomorrow
be a new day of new hope
and greater unity.
Let’s each do our part
to make it so.

Embrace Everybody.
Oh, and take care of our bees.
We need them!

Who will you meet who needs a hug from you today?
Reach out, my friends … here’s a virtual one from Bob & me!

See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, happiness, kindness, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, relationships, Serving One Another

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Reblog #3 – Montana Sunrise


NanoPoblano2022 invited us to reblog an old post each day during this month of November. I’m having fun going back through some of my first posts… Here is one from 2013 … as pertinent today as it was 9 years ago…

A New Day Shines Before Me

A New Day

A new day shines before me –
Bright as the morning sun.
It’s stretched out on the horizon –
A happy, “Good Morning, everyone!”

A new day shines before me –
But first I must be still.
Listen for God’s voice within –
And prepare to do God’s Will.

A new day shines before me –
Full of promise, full of needs.
I pray and ask, “What can I do
To be Your Love in thoughts and deeds?”

A new day shines before me –
I hear the Holy Spirit within
Saying, “Go – and see the world as Christ did.
Be Love, Joy, Peace. Ready? Begin!”

Have a Fabulous Friday, my friends.
Thank you for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow for Reblog #4.

Category:

Faith, God, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another, writing

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Reblog #2 – Reflections


NanoPoblano2022 asked us to reblog an old post during this month of November. One a day. I’m going to try to do that.

I added this image to the 2012 post. Back then, I did not understand how to use WordPress to its greatest advantage with memes and images that enhanced the words. My purpose in blogging today remains the same a it was a decade ago: to encourage love, joy, peace, faith, and unity among my blogging friends and to inspire us all to live a happier, more purpose-filled life.

My 2012 post:

.

“My confession, admission, and plea to God today is this:

None of us lives to just self alone;
Each of us lives for the other.
Whatever we do, be it rosy or blue,
Reflects on our sister and brother.

None of us sits on the judgment seat.
We’re not assigned to decide
If someone’s dull or bright, wrong or right,
Sending them to a corner to hide.

None of us lives a faultless life,
Though we try our utmost to seek
The humble hill to fulfill Your will
In our deeds and the words we speak.

We stumble and fall and fail to be
Examples of the upright and strong.
Try as we may, we know that someday
We’ll have to account for each wrong.

We’ll each have to stand before Your judgment seat
And review how we’ve spent every minute.
So, Lord, help us give every day that we live
All the love and the grace You put in it.

Help us to generously welcome all
To be part of whatever we do.
None of us lives to ourselves alone;
We always reflect on You.

Amen?

Amen!”

Happy Reblogging, my friends.
See you tomorrow.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, blogging, Faith, friendship, Giving, God, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, self-esteem, Serving One Another, Sharing

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