(The poem below was written on my flight back to CA after some 4: AM cuddles with my newborn grandson in Switzerland two and a half decades ago)
Two fellow bloggers wrote yesterday about their grandchildren – and how this pandemic has taken away their ability to visit and hug them. It reminded me of this poem I wrote 26 years ago… and how much I miss my hugs and cuddles with my grandkids (and the three great-grandchildren). I decided to repost my poem and give you an updated picture of my three Swiss grandsons.
Here’s Nicky, the 26 year old for whom “The 4 o’clock Cuddle” was written. I seemed to know even when he was a newborn that someday he would have a “bearded cheek!” Hah!
The Four O’Clock Cuddle
Recalling our precious time together, I wonder about Future four o’clock cuddles. Who will be there In a decade or three? Where will your bearded cheek Nuzzle in four decades?
Will your big, round eyes Remain innocent, And your heart remain pure, And with perfect trust, Will you find the world Always loves you As I do?
Wrap your fingers Around carefully chosen thumbs, My dear grandson. The world is yours, But here There will always be A four o’clock cuddle.
Nicky is in the middle of this adorable picture of my three Swiss grandsons today. Ah yes, a photo only a Grammy could call ADORABLE” … It’s a kiddie pool in the back of Nick’s new house that he’s sharing with two or three buddies in Switzerland. Here he is flanked by his brothers: Mike (28) and Chris (24)… Oh Lordy! I miss them!!
What kind of cuddles are you missing these days? Tell me about ’em!!
Today at d’Verse, Victoria Sloto asked us to write a Quadrille of exactly 44 words using the word Garden.
Derrick Knight can tell you Gardening is hard work. Ask his wife, Jackie, She’ll tell you he’s no jerk When it comes to their garden He’s the chief dead-header!! Jackie plants and tends the garden With utmost expertise And countless hours Of sweaty toil.
Today’s sermon by Rev. Steve Hundley was titled, “It’s a Miracle” BUT, he started his message by telling us how upset his congregation was (when he was a young boy) by a sermon debunking the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
Here are the notes I took while hearing the sermon this morning. The scripture inspiring it was Matthew 14: 13-26.
It makes me nervous To remember this text Because my memory goes back Fifty-four years. What’s next?
I was eleven when I heard This story of five-thousand men Being fed with five loaves and Three fish. What happened then?
The disciples passed their meager rations Out to the multitude of folk, And all those who packed a lunch Were inspired to share as Jesus spoke.
The quantity of sharing was such That twelve baskets were left behind. Was it in fact a miracle, or Generosity of an immense kind?
My eleven-year-old congregation Was disturbed by “Miracle Debunked!” It wasn’t Jesus multiplying food, But multiplying compassion. Who woulda thunk?
Jesus’ resource of compassion wa such That, like the Energizer Bunny, He kept Giving and sharing and healing. His love further demonstrated as Jesus wept.
Jesus’ compassion was apparent When He told His disciples to give The five-thousand something to eat – And so doing, He showed us how to live.
Live with the generosity and love Jesus was about. Live what He taught. He said, “You go and feed them.” Share what you have, as you ought.
Jesus could have multiplied the bread And the fishes by Himself – But He knew that mass of folks could Overcome hunger and share their shelf.
Open the door to the shelf of your heart, And give from your meager things. Watch how the Lord gives you a sense of plenty- And share your gifts as Jesus sings:
Thank YOU… and AMEN!
You are the disciple who gives From your shelf to those who need. Thank you for being the miracle Who obeys Christ’s command: Go and Feed!
God bless You!
See ya tomorrow. Have a beautiful Sunday evening. Love, JanBeek
There were two d’Versepoets.com prompts for today. The instructions are “Write a piece of prose (flash fiction, memoir, nonfiction) that is 144 words or less and includes, word-for-word, ONE of the lines indicated above from Carl Sandburg’s Jazz Fantasia. I chose this line: “… a red moon rides on the humps of the low river hills.”
Successful Independence Day
It is a hot July 4th afternoon. My husband and I are on the shady side of the bleachers. Across the arena sun-lovers shade their eyes and strain to see the gate open as the rider emerges on the hump of an angry, cinched bucking bronco.
One by one they buck out of the gates. The audience holds its breath as the rider tries to stay on the required number of minutes before the whistle blows and they are free to dismount. Too often, the rider is bucked off before the whistle. We pray no one gets trampled as the clowns emerge to divert the horse’s attention and the rider scrambles out of harm’s way.
Back home in the pasture, the horse nibbles its reward as a red moon rides on the humps of the low river hills. Another successful Independence Day!
We all are human So we all are imperfect Good and bad combined
Today’s sermon drummed home that point to us. Rev. Steve Hundley at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, Montana, used this scripture to springboard into the message for today:
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
You know I like to take poetic notes as I listen to the sermon each Sunday. Here are my notes, taken during today’s message:
The Message – “So What About the Weeds?”
Gardens are lot of trouble. The weeds grow more than flowers. The weeds choke out vegetables. Why do weeds have such powers?
Jesus says the garden is the world, And in it the devil plants seeds. His are never flowers or veggies; They are nothing but nasty weeds,
There has always been – and always will be – Weeds – the stuff planted by sin. Weeds, tares, or wild rye Looks like wheat and mixes in.
The wild rye is actually poisonous, But we can’t tell one from the other. Just like us – who try to judge The authenticity of our sisters and brothers.
Our “weed pulling” – ridding us of enemies – Is a job some think is ours. We try to separate the good from the bad, As if calling out evil is in our powers.
Trouble is we each have wheat and weeds. We’re all a part evil and a part good. Who is capable of separating the weeds? It’s not our job. Leave ’em. We should!
Sometimes trying to eliminate sin Is a process that has reverse effects. We inadvertently pull of the flowers, Those beautiful people our Lord protects.
Too much weeding can rob people Of the right to hear the Gospel and read The Words Jesus spoke to us all: “Do not judge.” Risk the weeds as you plant Good seeds.
Can you bee an artist? Maybe you already are! How about beeing a bee artist?
We may not all be endowed with the skill to play the piano like this, or … (hang in there and keep listening)… another guy plays the Flight of the BumbleBee on several different sized trombones. It just gets more and more unbelievable. WOW!!! It’ll leave you smiling. How does he do that?
Maybe your artistic talent doesn’t lean toward music, but you’re good at painting and drawing. You can bee a bee artist like Luisa Fernanda Otero Prada. Isn’t this colorful art enchanting?
Here is another bee by artist Luisa Fernanda Otero Prada
Sometimes it’s not music or painting or drawing that makes us artists, but the ability to write – to put words together creatively for entertainment or education, inspiration or just to vent. I recently found a new blogger named Amy who wrote about bees on her post:
I wrote her and told her she was “spot on” about the health benefits of honey, but honey doesn’t make good candles! They’re ineffective and sticky and they don’t burn. Nope! It’s the bees wax, not the honey. She was kind and wrote back to say she believed me :o)
I have written on the subject of bees many times, too, because (as many of you know), my husband Bob is a retired beekeeper. With a name like Beekman (Bee-keeper-man), how could he bee otherwise?
Bob grew up on a “Honey Farm” and learned the relationship between natural honey and good health at a very young age. “Bee”ing a good beekeeper is an art of its own!!
I found some pictures from the family farm on this search: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beekman-and-beekman-hughson But discovered that internet site name is “unclaimed.” Hmmm… I know they have a website that has been claimed. I’ll have to keep looking.
This is definitely the honey that was produced by the bees of Bob & his brother, Bruce, (and now his nephew, Matt) and it is bottled and sold at the ranch in Hughson, California in their tasting room. Bruce’s wife, Ann, is the brains and creativity behind the Tasting Room/Honey House and the Beekman&Beekman label.
Matt’s wife, Sarah, is actively involved with him as a beekeeper. She raises queens (that’s a topic for a future blog) and she travels with him to North Dakota where Matt & Sarah take some of their bees for the summer. She’s a wonderful example of a mom who cooks with honey!
It’s an art to create an attractive label and an inviting “Honey House” and it is an art to be a good salesperson! It’s an art to take beautiful photos of people, products and places.
California sage – by Beekman and Beekman
Beekman & Beekman Honey farm also has lavender products and a beautiful field of lavender just south of the house.
Bee Honey Wise
I kept searching and I did find the actual Beekman family website at http://www.beekmanandbeekman.com … It’s been 15 years since Bob retired as a partner in this bee business, but honey runs through our veins after a lifetime with bees and beekeeping!
On the Beekman website I found a link to another way to Bee an Artist… Culinary Arts! There is a link to “Cooking with Honey” that gives you tips on how to do so successfully.
Go to the website and learn more!
Bob reminded me that Bruce & Matt are not the only Beekman beekeepers and that I should not forget to mention his nephew, Bryan, who is one of California’s largest beekeepers. He has over 10,000 hives that he places all over California’s central valley, mid-coast, and southern CA. Bryan and his wife, Michele, also have a honey sales room. In the area outside Fresno, CA, the Honey Hut is a unique place in Sanger, CA. You should consider visiting it if you are ever in that area. You can learn more about Bryan at http://www.fcfb.org/About-Us/BoardMembers/Beekman.php
Bryan and his cousin, Matt, are members of co-op, Sioux Bee Honey.
You can Bee an Artist in so many ways – with:
Music
Visual Arts
The Written Word
Culinary Arts
Photography
What can you add?
Bee Clever!!!
Have a BEEutiful Sunday. Go to church and worship God! Thank Him for all the artists who enhance our lives!
Usually a person who sees the glass full, not just half-full, and seldom empty, this COVID-19 is getting to me. A friend wrote a poem called a QUADRILL. I decided to use its format to vent.
Quadrille – 44 words –
“Blue”
All the world seems blue Sadly holding its breath Some behind masks Some behind fear Some behind doors All afraid to breathe Lest virus droplets lurk Hanging in the air Waiting to land And infect Particularly blue Are the young Socialization matters Sooo Much
It’s a lonely path we’re on.
Reach out across the blue. Connect. We need one another.
It’s Sunday. It’s a day we set aside to worship God and listen to His Word. As I listened to Rev. Steve Hundley deliver his sermon today, I did my usual. I recorded on my bulletin what my ears took in poetically.
People flocked to Jesus. He began to preach from a boat. He had to distance from the crowd So he drifted out a bit to float.
Distanced from the multitudes, Jesus told the Parable of the Seed. The Seed is the Word of God, Spoken to the people in need.
Jesus warned that the Word Often falls on deaf ear. He explained that not all seeds Grow in all who hear.
But those who allow the seed to grow, Spend time to allow the seed to sink in, Let it bury itself in their hearts, Can bear fruit and juice they drink in.
The seed of the Word is like A Smoothie blended into thought and deed. Let the Word transform you And grow to the Faith we all need.
But we may carry a ball & chain of doubt That keeps us from letting go Of the seeds that need to be planted In Good Soil so they can grow,
Don’t hoard the Seeds of plenty That God has blessed in you. Sow them, grow them, harvest And blend them to a Smoothie. Do!
Every seed carries in its bosom the future. Trust God to make the seeds grow. Be the sower who trusts the Maker To find Good Soil wherever you go.
Matthew 13:1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:18“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
In her Annika Perry’s Writing Blog today, Annika posted this wonderful song:
Annika wrote, “The specially organised show in the Netherlands entitled ‘Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light’ was inspired by the song ‘Love Shine a Light’ by Katrina and the Waves which won in 1997 for the UK.
The pièce de résistance was the incredible finale; singing alone at home, the performers as a whole sung ‘Shine a Light’. There was not a dry eye in the house as the full impact of the One joining forces to create a unity shone out across Europe!”
There is no way my Monday morning “be like” this poor little pug, when I can “Pull Up a Pew” next to Annika and be inspired by her “images giving a hint of [her family’s] new lives.”
Check out Annika’s delightful blog and leave a comment. Tell her JanBeek sent you!
Blogs like hers are such a gift… …just as your visit to JanBeek and your comments are a gift to me!
Many thanks to Janice Salois and Daily Word from Unity Publications for this lovely poem.
Other Writers are Gifts
As I spend time reading my Bible and devotionals and spending time checking out the recent posts of the blogs I follow, I am especially cognizant of what a gift you writers are to me! You share from your souls – some grateful, some melancholy, some inspirational, others troubled or questioning, all are snippets of life in various parts of the world.
I love visiting, praying with, and walking with Donna “thefathersfeet” every morning:
I enjoy strolling through derrickjknight‘s garden and neighborhood with him & his wife (the head gardener) each day:
Derrick & Jackie take me on a wonderful journey in Great Britain each day.
I am endebted to Cristian Mihai for his daily blogging tips and inspiration. He never fails to motivate my desire to log in to my WP site and share with you. He “walks the talk” and always practices what he preaches. His titles are often quite intriguing:
I fall in love with poetry all over again each day I log intoRoth Poetryand read what Dwight has shared today. I love, love, love her “Life is a Poem” that she posted today. Click on “Roth’s Poetry” in blue up there to read the poem:
Love shines its light on me when I go to Pat Cegan’s “Source of Inspiration ” each day and dwell in the warmth of her poetry. I don’t have to do anything but just BEE there… and I feel healing love and peace radiate from her words.
If you want to practice shining the light of love on others, try going to:
Sharing the Gift the blog Pat posted a day ago. She has love to share! I took what I needed and a little extra for you!
I always enjoy Richard at BigSkyBuckeye and the ideas he shares so freely – his own as well as others. Today he shared his granddaughter’s poem in “Monday Memories:”
This poem is a guest post from my then 11-year old granddaughter. She wrote this poem for her Language Arts class, and she has given permission to post her untouched words just as she wrote them. Enjoy the gratitude that she shares.
Check it out… and share with me some of the blogs that are your daily go-to’s. Which bloggers inspire YOU the most?
I hope my posts add light and love to your world.
Have a Wonderful Week, my friends. I am shining the Light of Love in your direction today. God Bless You!! Virtual Hugs, JanBeek
