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Embrace Your Imperfections


Your imperfections
Are not the Creator’s fault.
Know, no one’s perfect!

We all have our faults.
And as we age, wrinkles show.
Otherwise you’re numb.

It’s our emotions
That birth our imperfections.
So, just embrace them!

In today’s Daily Guideposts, Bill Giovannetti ended his devotional with this prayer: “Lord, You alone are perfect. Help me be good with that. Amen.”

Bill shared that perfectionism lurks in the corners of his heart, always ready to pounce.

Do you have that problem? Do you expect yourself to write the perfect article, paint the perfect picture, bake the perfect cake, or create the perfect garden? Does the fear of making mistakes nag at you? Do your imperfections make you question your worth? Do you ever feel like covering your troubling issues by hiding in a box?

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Here are seven verses to help you lay down the idol of perfectionism and embrace your own weaknesses.

  • Romans 5:7-8. …
  • 2 Corinthians 12:9. …
  • James 3:2. …
  • Matthew 19:21. …
  • Galatians 1:10. …
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:4. …
  • Romans 8:15.

What does God say about perfectionism?

Romans 15:7
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

God/Jesus doesn’t require your perfection, because He is the only one who is perfect. His acceptance of you can help you accept others with their flaws as well.

In this season of Thanksgiving,
I invite you to sit quietly with yourself.
Thank God for the way you are “wonderfully made,”
And give yourself a break.

As you listen to these relaxing hymns
of Thanksgiving and worship,
count your many blessings.
Embrace your imperfections,
and know they simply prove
you are human!

Are you familiar with “Kintsugi” or “Kintsukuroi”? This is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The method is similar to the maki-e technique. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.

Like repaired pottery, Kintsugi style, our imperfections are those cracks that allow room for the power and grace of God to fill us with the gold of humility, repentance, and dependence on Him.

Bill Giovannetti wrote, “… my worth before both God and those I love doesn’t depend on me being perfect. It just depends on me being me.”

Me being me!

“Help me be who You made me to be.
Help me accept myself with all my imperfections.
Help me, Lord, to relax in Your promise of acceptance.
Help me love unconditionally, refraining from judging others,
just as You love and accept me – just as I am.
In Jesus name, Amen.”

Thanks for visiting today.
I pray you see yourself as God’s beloved creation –
imperfections and all!

See ya tomorrow (God willing).
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Family, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, prayer, self-esteem

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Embrace Confidence


Whence cometh your trust?
Where’s your confidence?
Who helped you believe?

From whence comes value –
Value you carry inside?
Who builds your self worth?

Insecurity
And self-doubt can invade you.
Do you lock them out?

Photo by William Eickler on Pexels.com

The keys to your trust
Are in God’s love and mercy.
He made and loves you.

Your value in Christ
Should give you great confidence.
Carry your head high!

As as Child of God,
You join His Royal Family.
Embrace confidence!

Embrace family love.
Gather and build others up.
Love one another.

Photo by August de Richelieu on Pexels.com

Family confidence
Comes from great togetherness
And sharing your love.

“See what great love
the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!”

1 John 3:1

As a child, my mom was the family member who built my confidence. She assured me that I could do whatever I set my mind to. She supported every effort academically, socially, and spiritually. She told me, “If you don’t accept your high value, you not only deny yourself, but you minimize your Creator.” Her confidence in my abilities made me sure of my capabilities.

Did you have a family member or friend, a Sunday School teacher, or a neighbor, an aunt or an uncle who helped you build up your confidence? Someone who reminded you, “God don’t make no junk”?

Photo by Elly Fairytale on Pexels.com

The Bible is clear
that I can’t do anything
to make my Father in Heaven
love me more or less.

Our confidence is built
when our earthly family
assures us likewise
that we are loved unconditionally –
and that they believe in us.

So, fully believe
In God’s mercy and His love.
There’s success in you!

God put success there!
He implanted confidence.
Believe your value!

Embrace Confidence!!

Is there someone in your life who could use a little confidence building?
Is there someone you can build up by assuring them of their self-worth?
Is there someone who needs to hear that you believe in them –
and that you think they can do whatever they set their mind to do?
Do they need to know “God don’t make no junk?”
Go out and raise ’em up!


See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, Family, friendship, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships, self-acceptance, self-esteem, Serving One Another

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Embrace Motivation


Find motivation
Whenever it is present
Multiple sources

Denzel Washington
Is a great motivator
Choose testimony

Find time to listen
Choose the points that touch your heart
And then pass them on

Here are the points that touched my heart:

“Just because you’re doing a lot more,
doesn’t mean you’re getting a lot more done!”

“Don’t confuse movement (activity)
with progress!”

“It’s not how much you have,
it’s what you do with what you have!”

“I pray you put your slippers
waaay under your bed tonight,
so when you get up in the morning,
you have to get on your knees to get them!”

“And while you’re down there…
say thank you …. [for all your blessings] …
in advance for what is already yours!”

“Anything you want, claim it!
Work hard to get it… when you get it,
reach back. Pull someone else up!”

As you search within yourself,
know that the Holy Spirit lives in you!

When you tune in to what God
through the Spirit is saying to you,
your motivation to rise above your circumstances,
and your ability to help others do likewise
will be pure in heart!

The video with Denzel Washington
demonstrated that kind of
motivation to me.
Did you also hear it
as from a pure heart?

The Bible tells us that our motivation
should not be selfish gain
or seeking approval based on our own merits;
rather, our motivation should come from God
and a desire to obey and honor Him.
Our first priority should be
our relationship with God.

Yes, that was one of Denzel’s quotes,

“Don’t just aspire to make a living,
aspire to make a difference!”

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, …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.”

You are blessed to be a blessing.
Remember these motivating words,
“It’s not how much you have,
it’s what you do with what you have!”

What can you DO
to motivate someone’s
positive thoughts and actions
today?

Go out and do it!!


God bless you –
Sending my love your way-
See ya tomorrow (God willing).
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, optimism, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another, teaching

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Embrace Generosity


Give from your big heart
Embrace generosity
Use Christ’s example

Our Lord gave His all
So we’d have Life Eternal
It’s available

All you need to do
Is open your heart to Him
And embrace His love

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know that I have a habit of taking notes in poetry as I listen to the weekly sermon. Sometimes it’s easy to do that… other times the poetry escapes me. Today the message came to me in rhythm and rhyme quite easily! It was an inspirational take on this very familiar scripture. I hope it speaks to your heart as it did mine.

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Pexels.com

Today’s sermon
at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
by Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds
was based on this scripture:

Mark 12:38-44

As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Sermon Notes

Usually this scripture
Is used on Stewardship Sunday;
But, relax! This is not
What I’ll talk about today!

Who among us will go to the bank,
Empty it, and put it in the offering plate?
I wouldn’t expect that of tou –
Not today… not on any date!

But, let’s look at the lofty ones,
The ones who act like priests,
But are not… and moreover,
They righteously parade and gorge on feasts.

Jesus isn’t just ranting, but teaching.
He tells the disciples about the widow’s life.
He praises her for her generosity
And coveys her years of trouble and strife.

He scold the scribes and pharisees
For giving out of their spare change.
While the widow gave all she had,
He admonishes the limits they arrange.

These two teachings arre Jesus’s last.
From here Jesus will face His fate.
Chist encourages us to learn
There’s no pay grade low enough to be ingrate.

The widow is a victim of the system.
But, in spite of that, she gives all –
Knowing her money will help someone.
That widow certainly stands tall!

As part of the sum of many,
She gives out of sacrificial love.
Likewise, Jesus gave His all, so we
Can learn from Him and join Him above.

“God so love the world
That He gave His only begotten Son
That whosoever believeth in Him
Shall not perish
But have everlasting life”

That marvelous rendition of this hymn by St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir reminds me of the men and boys’ double choir that we heard last month at Westminster Abbey in London. Sitting next to our daughter, who cried buckets of emotion all the way through it, I remembered my years as member of the University of Pacific’s A Capella Choir. We sang this version of the song at most of our concerts. I love it! I hope you are blessed by it, too. Soooo beautiful!!

Have a blessed rest of your Sunday
and a wonderful week!

I send you my love
and lotsa hugs.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Embrace Generosity…
and generously give as you are able…

Love,
JanBeek

That’s me with our pastor,
Mary Grace Reynolds
She’s a gift from God!!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Giving, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another, writing

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Embrace Amazing Grace


Choked up with emotion,
Speechless, but obligated
To say something meaningful,
Barack Obama sang!

Now he won’t get any awards
For his pitch or tone,
But for his bravery,
A gold medal, indeed!

For his faith and love,
And for his ability
To inspire the crowd,
A blue ribbon!

When I meet my maker,
And you gather to cheer
My entry into Eternity,
Please sing Amazing Grace!

But, you might want to
Avoid the microphone
And let the Spirit lead
The others to drown you out!

Hah! God bless Barack –
I miss that guy in the White House.
I miss his family and
His Amazing Grace!!

There is something special
About that You.Tube
And its spontaneity.
Don’t you agree?

In contrast, this nearly lily white
Choir of perfect harmony,
Is beautiful for sure,
But somehow it seems stiff.

Or is that just me?

Maybe your taste for Amazing Grace
Turns more toward country.
There are as many versions
Of that song as you can imagine.

What’s your favorite?

The amazing story of the song
Is described beautifully in this video.
I totally enjoyed all 15 minutes of it.
I didn’t know what an influence he had
on the abolition of slavery!

I hope you will enjoy this video, too.

“The Lord gives us many blessings,
But unless we are grateful for them,
We lose much of the comfort from them.”


May God’s Amazing Grace
give you enormous comfort today
and always…

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Faith, God, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry

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Embrace Action


All talk and no action
Makes for a sad friend indeed.
A true friend steps up
To help in our time of need.

All talk and no action
Is a sorry commentary.
We’re not called to pontificate;
But what we do may vary.

Each situation’s unique
And calls for a different plan.
Jesus never hesitated –
Likewise, do what you can.

Last Sunday a dear friend
Fell in the parking lot at church.
Someone fortunately saw her,
So she wasn’t left in the lurch.

Friends jumped into action:
Her son was called. “Come today!”
Another brought her to the ER
And got a wheelchair right away.

Their example of action –
Stepping up when there’s a need –
Was exactly what Jesus did.
Remember the bread and fish feed?

Remember the blind man
Who said he wanted to see?
Jesus showed us how to act –
His examples sure impress me!

I want to be like Jesus.
I want to step up and be
The person you can count on
To act at each opportunity.

I’m grateful for the doctors
Who saw Bob’s need and acted.
Today they biopsied bone marrow.
Yesterday a PET scan was contracted.

All talk and no action
Allows health issues to grow.
Emotional issues likewise fester
When not addressed; don’tcha know?

Embrace action, my friends.
Jump in when you see a need.
Do it out of goodness –
Not monetary greed!


Thank you for embracing action, my friends.
Your prayers are faith in action.
You’re the best!

Tell me about the last time you saw a need and jumped in!
Could be as simple as what I did today. I was Bob’s chauffuess!!
(He’s usually MY chauffeur!)

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, God, kindness, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another

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Embrace Hopefulness


Psalm 119:114.

“You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.”



Life can beat us down
with trials, sorrows and debilitating worries.
God’s messages about our future hope
can deeply encourage,
inspire, uplift
and motivate us.

Don’t worry; be happy!

“Therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoices;
my flesh also will rest in hope.”

Psalm 16:9

“‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’”

Lamentations 3:24

H ang
O n to
P ositivity and
E ncouragement

As we prepare to return to Bozeman today for more lab work and a bone marrow biopsy for Bob, our hearts are full of gratitude for all the love and support extended to us during this time of tests, unknowing, waiting, and hopefulness. Our faith is strong and our prayers are many. Your prayers for Bob’s good results and proper/effective treatment are heard, we’re sure. Our God cares. Our God’s got this! We can rest in this knowledge. We can feel His loving arms around us. Thank you all!

I will keep you posted as we learn more. Yesterday the gastroenterologist (GI doctor) confirmed that the blood in the stool is not colon cancer… and the cause is more superficial. That was an answer to prayer. Today we are praying the bone marrow scan confirms that this is not AL Amyloidosis (a cancer in the marrow). The doctors are busy trying to rule things out so when they send us to Mayo Clinic, the experts there can move on to finding what type it IS (if in fact it IS that rare disorder)… and then a proper treatment can begin. The symptoms include a lower functioning of both the heart and the kidneys resulting in lack of stamina. That’s really hard for this guy who is used to hard, physical work and never having to think twice about what he is capable of doing!


Meantime, we start each day with grateful hearts for our friends here on WP, our supportive neighbors and family, and our God who holds us all in His care.

God bless you.
Have a wonderful Thursday.
Embrace Hopefulness!

Love, JanBeek

The Bozeman Library is a great place to be while I wait for Bob’s procedures to be finished!

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Family, God, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

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Embrace Grief


Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Jesus began to weep.
So The Jews said, “See how He loved him.”

John 11:35-36

This week we attended the funeral of a friend who died while we were off in Europe enjoying life. My friend, Jeannie, was grieving while I was obliviously enjoying life. We attended his memorial service when we returned. Many tears were shed. He was dearly loved and will be sorely missed. Over the past decade or so, Bob & I enjoyed many hours of four-wheeling on our mountain trails with him.

As many of you know, if you have followed my blog a couple weeks or more, we visited Jackie & Derrick Knight while on our three week excursion. If you follow Derrick’s blog, too, you know he had just lost his dear mom… and he took a break from planning for her funeral in order to host us. We understood the sacrifice of time and emotion that this delay involved… and we appreciated it so much! It was good to hear later that he was able to facilitate a very meaningful funeral for his mum.

A good funeral
Shared grief in community
Be sad together

Lie down in green pastures

Read 23rd Psalm
Sing Amazing Grace with friends
Embrace your grieving


Engaging in the grieving process with a friend
caused me to do a lot of introspective thinking.
What if this was my husband?
How would I be handling this?
How could I cope?
Do I realize how blessed I am
to have had these 60 years together?
Do I cherish each minute
we have together
or do I take these blessings for granted?

1960 – at Bob’s sister’s wedding
1962 at our wedding
Us at our 59th anniversary last Feb.

Embracing grief also means embracing news that grieves us- learning to accept that news – and learning to give it to God. Last week we learned that Bob’s compromised heart & kidney functions are probably caused by “Amyloidosis.”

Oh my! Have you ever heard of that? It’s a condition that causes extra deposits of protein in your weakest organ(s). As I understand it, in some cases the weakest organ is the brain, so the extra protein gathers there and can cause dementia. In Bob’s case, the weak organs were heart & kidney.

The extra protein stiffens the heart muscles and causes them not to pump as efficiently. There are several kinds of amyloidosis. One is genetic. To the relief of our children and grandchildren, that one’s been ruled out!

Next week Bob will have a full body PET scan Wednesday and he will have a bone marrow exam on Thursday. The attempt is to rule out bone marrow Amyloidosis (we were told that version of it can be cancerous). So, the challenge is clear: Don’t grieve unnecessarily by worrying needlessly! Worrying about things over which you have zero control is a waste!

Only embrace grief when such sadness is called for! We weep when we see the depth of sadness in those around us. We all need space to be in our sadness. But don’t invite it! Don’t anticipate it! Take time for “good grief” when it is right to do so, just as Jesus seeped beside us when my friend’s husband died. But know Jesus is beside you, sharing your grief, but also fueling your hope.

Believe His power to create change.


Maintain your hope, dear friends.
When disturbing news is shared with you,
don’t imagine the worst.

Instead, give it to God,
knowing He is with you,
working for your good.

Trust in His Light
which shines in the darkness.

Turn to our Savior in prayer!


Lord, grant us the courage to open ourselves fully
to your word’s power and lean on your mercy.
Amen

Lord, thank You for sharing our suffering.
Help us channel our pain toward you.
Help us embrace grief when appropriate,
but focus on HOPE and Your MERCY always.
Amen

Do you have a prayer request that you are willing to share with me?
I’d be happy to pray for you.
Please add Bob and his situation to your prayer list.
Thank you!

Have a lovely Sunday …
and a Happy Halloween 🎃

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, Poetry, prayer

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Embrace Daily Plans


Photo by Breakingpic on Pexels.com

How do you plan your days?
There are so many different ways.
Some fly by the seat of their pants.
They do everything by chance.

How do you plan your days?
Do you go with the latest craze?
Do you map days out in advance?
Or do you run with happenstance?

Blessed with a Star on the Forehead
Posted about planning ahead
Then finding something instead
And proceeding with a little dread.

She wrote, “To stop doing something
I had planned to go do
something totally different
and unplanned is exciting and new.”

Check out her blog with the link below:

https://blessedwithastarontheforehead.com/2021/10/30/a-colorful-change-in-plans/

I have a habit of making
A list – so there’s no mistaking
How my day will proceed.
Getting done all that I need.

I sit in my sanctuary
Where my space is clean and airy,
And I pray for direction.
But sometimes, I need correction!

I know the best laid plans
Can fall into careless hands,
So, I keep my mind open –
Flexibility is copin’


Pexels.com

Take a look at tomorrow –
It’s a day we can borrow
Plans from years before.
But this year there’s more…

More trouble trick or treating;
Because the folks you’re meeting
May not have open doors.
COVID’s changed the scores.

Instead of making plans
For reaching out your hands
And filling bags with treats,
Let’s take those little sweets

And put them in a bowl…
Safe distribution’s the goal.
Be sure your treats are wrapped
And all precaution’s tapped.

This year Halloween is Sunday.
It’s supposed to be a fun day.
Is your costume ready to wear?
Will some kids join you there?

My sis always loved that day.
She embraced it in every way.
My grandkids loved her style.
Doesn’t she make you smile?

Embrace your daily planning
Pray this year no one’s banning
The fun of Halloween!
Save me a jelly bean!

See ya tomorrow… Happy Halloween!
What’s your favorite Trick or Treat?

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

children, Family, holidays, Poetry, Serving One Another

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Embrace Chalet Dreams


I have always loved Swiss chalets. How about you? I copied the picture of this one off the web at the time Bob & I were dreaming about the possibility of building a chalet of our own in California. (That was before we traveled to Montana, fell in love with the wide open spaces, the wild animals, and the Rocky Mountains – and bought our home here in Ennis).

As you know, we just returned from a trip to Switzerland because our daughter married a Swiss, has three of our grandsons there, and now has a Swiss chalet of her own! We needed to see her in her new setting.

DeAna remembers that when she was a child, we had a Swiss chalet music box. When you opened its lid, it played Edelweiss. Maybe she dreamed of one day having a real one. You think?

Ah, great it is to believe

by Edwin Markham

Ah, great it is to believe the dream
As we stand in youth by the starry stream;
But a greater thing is to fight life through
And say at the end, the dream came true!

Yes!! It is De & Andre’s chalet
Relais des Melezes Hotel and Restaurant

Here are some photos of chalets that we took on our trip to Switzerland this month. The first one of De & Andre’s! It has 4 hotel rooms above with the restaurant below. De & Andre’ live in one of those rooms and rent the other three. We stayed in one of them. Such fun!!

Which one would you dream of having for your vacation home? (I couldn’t afford to live there year-round… oh my, the cost of living is wonderful, but prohibitive unless you work there. The exchange rate for USA dollars to Swiss francs was – oh my!!)

You can see that we were very happy to be blessed to visit Switzerland, to see all those beautiful chalets and tour villages like Grimentz. W do not take this privilege for granted, believe me. God is good! We are living to see our dreams come true – and to witness our daughter’s dreams being fulfilled, too. What more can we ask?

He Had His Dream

He had his dream, and all through life,

Worked up to it through toil and strife.

Afloat fore’er before his eyes,

It colored for him all his skies:

The storm-cloud dark

Above his bark,

The calm and listless vault of blue

Took on its hopeful hue,

It tinctured every passing beam —

He had his dream.

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

How about making your dreams come true? Dreaming of a trip to Switzerland, too? Why not go stay in one of De & Andre’s rooms?

Trip Advisor says:

5.0Excellent10 reviews#1 of 2 B&Bs / Inns in Vissoie Family-owned & family-operated auberge/restaurant in the heart of the Val d’Anniviers close to the resort destinations of Grimentz, Zinal, St. Luc and Chandolin. Rooms and restaurant have recently been renovated. André and DeAna have created a cozy, warm, and friendly atmosphere to make your stay/meal in our corner of the world one to remember.

Check it out! Here’s what Booking.com has to say:

www.booking.com › hotel › chRelais des Mélèzes, Vissoie – Updated 2021 Prices

Located in Vissoie, Relais des Mélèzes has a bar, ski-to-door access, terrace, and free WiFi. This 3-star hotel offers a concierge service. The hotel features family rooms. At the hotel, the rooms are fitted with a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. All rooms will provide guests with a wardrobe and a kettle.

We’re not prejudiced… We’re her parents!

Go have a cup of coffee with DeDe.
I’ll tell her to leave the light on.
You tell her we sent you!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
I hope I fueled your chalet dreams!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)!

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Family, flowers, Love, Memories, music, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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