One of my blogging friends today wrote this message, “Wrote a tanka today to get into the rhythm of saying more with less. It’s a japanese short form poetry system with 5-7-5-7-7 syllable scheme. Give it a try!”
So I decided to do just that. How about you? You wanna give it a try, too?
I’m an open book Filled with whimsy and color Easy to be read Very hard to be ignored Noisy and provocative
God bless you, my friends. Have a Super Saturday. It’s “No Kings Day” here No, not “Hate America!” Protect our Constitution!
This is Hillsdale High School’s winning wrestling team back in the 1970’s. Bob was the wrestling coach. He also taught in the classroom (safety education and behind the wheel driver’s education). Matt Martinelli has ahold of Bob’s right leg. And our son, Ty, is down there looking up proudly at his dad. Ty just had his 59th birthday… and Matt is now in his 70s! Time flies, doesn’t it?
Here’s another of Bob”s former wrestlers from back in the ’70s. Peter is another who keeps in touch and lets Bob know that he made a difference in his life. What a joy it is to maintain those contacts!
Here’s our son, Ty:
Life is worth celebrating! Even though Matt is in CA (and so is Ty), and Peter in in Arizona, we are blessed to stay in touch with them. They let Bob know that Dad/CoachBeek is a champion still! He made a difference in their lives.
Galatians 6:9
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Making a difference can sometimes be challenging, and it’s easy to grow weary. However, this verse reminds us to persevere in doing good. Even if we don’t see immediate results, God promises that in due time, we will reap the rewards of our efforts. Therefore, we are encouraged to press on and not lose heart in our pursuit of making a difference.
1958
Bob feels badly that he doesn’t have the strength and stamina that he once had, but hey… don’t we all have to accept that? Our bodies change as we age, right? Bob’s with his brother, Bill, there… Looking mighty fit, wouldn’t you say? Both of them are blessed to be alive and functioning as “Champions Still” in their mid-to-late 80’s!! Not everyone has that privilege, right?
Blessed to be alive! Blessed to have one another. Blessed to continue to do good. Blessed to be a champion still!!
Choosing positivity brightens life; It keeps us happy and upbeat. Even though we encounter difficulties, We can choose victory, not defeat.
It’s up to us to decide the kind Of person we want others to see. If we keep our hearts open to love, We’ll be the best that we can be.
We can choose positivity again and again As we focus on the good things in life. Meet life eagerly as we tackle each task And ask God to take away any worry or strife.
“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth…”
Ah, TRUTH! It can be so evasive… But a positive attitude and an open heart and mind Can make Truth more discernible. Seek it out with questions wise and kind.
Positive people are filled with curiosity; They never stop asking when and why. You can’t stop an intelligent child From asking, “Why?” even if you try.
So foster that curiosity! Appreciate it in your own design. You are a Child of God, you know, So embrace your uniqueness and SHINE!
Thank you for visiting JanBeek today. Your positive remark in the comments below Will add to my joy today. Let your positivity show!!
“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Listening to me You will get a clear picture Hidden in plain sight
How would you describe yourself to someone afar? Tell me. I can’t see!
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Yes, JUST DO IT!!
Today’s prompt was this: “What things will improve with age?” I do! And fine wine!
Do you optimize The world that is around you? Make it more lovely?
An Optimizer Smiles and laughs and spreads sheer joy You do that daily!
I thank you for visiting JanBeek today. May I ask a favor of you? My blood pressure was through the roof this week and we can’t figure out why! 204/84 … “Stroke City!”
Please pray with me that we (the doctors and I) figure out what’s causing it, OK? We’ve optimized by blood pressure medicine… Dear Lord, help it to “improve with age” – OK? Amen!
“You will find enough of the abnormal in the so-called normal to meet your needs,” Mrs Wilhelmina Harbert said to me.
A Country Living quote shared by Sue Newell prompted me to remember that advice from my college counselor. I was majoring in music therapy. It was my junior year. I was having sleepless nights.
Music Therapy jobs were few and far between. Most were in State Hospitals where severely disturbed patients were. The thorns in my dear music therapy patients at the Stockton State Hospital where I was interning kept me from seeing their beauty. I only saw their distress. And I cared too much. I couldn’t leave the thorns behind when I left. I carried them with me.
Mrs. Harbert wisely suggested I switch my major to regular education. “You love people. You care about them. Our public school classrooms need people like you.” So, in my senior year, I began the work of obtaining my regular elementary education teaching credential.
Smartest move I could have made!
Sure enough- there’s a lot of crazy in each of us! Sometimes it’s our most lovable part!
I used my music 🎶 as therapy every day in the classroom with countless so-called normal kids. It helped calm the abnormal in them. I helped them appreciate their uniqueness. (I’ll write more about how music therapy worked in another blog later that week.)
Music helped my students appreciate the fun in those outside the norm parts of us.
I hope you appreciate the parts of you that are outside the norm, too. They make you special. Do you know what some of them are?
Tell me!
It’s fun to know I have a lot of the abnormal in my so-called “Normal” self!
I looked in the mirror, My face reflected there Showed lines of fear and worry, The strain of daily care. I looked into a quiet pool, Green branches framed my face. Snow-white cloud passed overhead, Some care seemed to erase.
I found myself in a shady nook My cares confessed to Him. I felt Him near and knew that He was looking deep within. I looked into His loving eyes; Reflecting back to me Was one I’d never truly known … The “Self” He’d helped me be. I looked into the mirror. Sweet peace reflected there. His perfect love had touched my life. He had erased all care.
He coined “Boldacious” And I immediately Claimed it as my own
Dwight: Roth Poetry Recognized the “Me” in it It’s a perfect word
Colorfully Boldacious!
Recklessly Boldacious!
Carelessly Boldacious!
Repeatedly Boldacious
Lovingly Boldacious
Spiritually Boldacious
 “The righteous are bold because they know that God is for them and what they have to say is important.”
(Hebrews 13:6)
Cautiously Boldacious
Consistently Boldacious
What does the Bible say about boldness? Being bold is having courage and speaking out against what’s wrong no matter what others think or say. It’s doing God’s will and continuing on the path that He put you on regardless of the hardship you face. When you’re bold you know God is always on your side so there’s never a reason to fear.
Are you Boldacious? You have every reason to be! You are unique! Use your uniqueness to the max!! You gotta be you!
1 Peter 4:10-11Â
God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.
Step out BOLDACIOUSLY You gotta be all God made you to be TO THE MAX!
Have a boldacious day. Love from BoldaciousJanBeek
Staying young while growing older begins with a mind-set.
Peace and partying Satisfaction and smiles in all circumstances at all ages
Notice I did not say, “Growing OLD.” Growing OLDER is not the same as growing old. I’m not OLD; at 82, I am simply in my advanced years – growing in wisdom and grace – with God’s blessings!
In the Natural Living newsletter, Dr. Z and Mama Z write the following:
“God will carry us through, even into our advanced years. Our Creator has had a plan for us since before we were born. He had our days numbered since the beginning of time and it is up to us to make wise decisions to help our bodies live a more vibrant and full life and to impart our wisdom to those placed in our lives.”
“Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age.”
I DO think about things differently… especially THINGS. Yes, I have my “treasures,” – those things I am reluctant to part with – but as time goes by, I realize the wisdom of knowing “I can’t take it with me.” And God don’t allow no U-Hauls in Heaven!!
Skip that store on your way outta town!
In my daily devotions today, Charles Stanley wrote in his In Touch entry, “Our culture is obsessed with youth… But… Unless death intervenes, growing old is inevitable.”
See that’s where I differ with him. But it is only a matter of semantics, I’m sure. He must have meant “growing older.” Because he went on to say, “We can be young in soul and spirit, regardless of our chronological age.”
Magnificence comes with age… Yes, the root word is “magnify” and that’s what age does for us. It magnifies our failures (if we let it) – It magnifies our faults (if we let it) – It requires magnification to see clearly!
The question we need to ask ourselves is, “What am I magnifying as I age?”
Charles Stanley’s devotional today reminded us, “Never stop listening to the Father and learning from His Word. Allow godly thinking to shape your attitude. Be thankful, never stop laughing, and rejoice in the Lord. Above all, keep believing and loving Him with all your heart.”
Making the most of the dash means we have to stop dashing! We’re not created to be honeybees, dashing from one bit of pollen to another!
“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is obtained by following a righteous path.” ~ Proverbs 16:31
We are created in the image of God, designed to glorify Him each day by following the righteous path… stopping along the way and taking time to pour out the honey of forgiveness, dish out the power of experience, and spray the gladness of grace on all we meet.
Ps. 119:103
The way Eugene Peterson paraphrased that verse in his study Bible, The Message, is this:
“Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.”
So, let’s return to the original premise here: “Staying young while growing older begins with a mind-set.”
Recognize those two? A younger Bob & Jan?
60 years later… Still young at heart!
What is your mind-set today?
Are you young at heart? Are you pouring out the honey of forgiveness? Are you dishing out the power of experience? Are you spraying the gladness of grace?
Here’s a spray bottle to help you out!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
