Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘AFS’

Valued Trait

Today’s prompt on WordPress was:
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?

Each of us is given special gifts.
The trick is to recognize yours.
When you find it, then
make it your favorite trait.

And use it to the fullest!

This scripture is one of my favorites…
and it reveals a trait I cherish:

Hebrews 13:2

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for by this some have entertained angels
without knowing it.”

My special gift is hospitality.
I love having family and friends
come to spend time with us.
Here is our dear 1980-81 AFS son,
Christian Zufferey (ZuZu), from Switzerland.
No, he’s no stranger to us!!

(Our DeAna married his first cousin!!
What a love story that is!)

This week DeAna, and her hubby, Andre’
surprised us by arriving with ZuZu
and his wife, Celia, for a four day stay.
Here they are this morning… leaving us (boo-hoo!)

But, we were blessed to have them
come and spend those days
(just not nearly long enough) –
and to have Chef Andre’ prepare great meals!

How wonderful it was also
to have our grandson, Mike,
and his wife, Tania, with us for a week
this month. They were so helpful!!

Now this hospitality business
would have a full opportunity
to be put into practice IF our son
Ty & his wife, Monika, would come!

The good news is that Peter,
one of Bob’s wrestling students
from back in the 1970’s in CA,
will be joining us in October for awhile.
Yay!

Why don’t you consider
Letting me use my favorite trait,
HOSPITALITY,
On you one of these days?

What’s your special gift – your favorite trait?

Love to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, Family, friendship, Giving, Living in Harmony, Love, relationships, Serving One Another, Spiritual Gifts

Tagged with:

We Need More Empathy

Sympathy = “I feel FOR you.”
Empathy = “I feel AS you.”

Ah, we need more empathy!
We need more people who are willing
to put themselves in another person’s shoes…

Not just feel sorry for the one who suffers, but feel his/her suffering
– and try to do something to alleviate it.
I discovered a new blogger today (new to me) – “Ly-die” –
who wrote an eloquent post on this topic.
I really appreciated it, and I think you will, too.

Click below:

EMPATHY AND HELPING OTHERS
Have a terrific Thursday! Our daughter, DeAna, and son-in-law, Andre’ are with us this week. They surprised us by bringing along with them our 1980-81 AFS Exchange student (Christian Zufferey) and his wife, Celia. Chris (ZuZu) is Andre’s cousin… and he has not been to the USA in over 30 years! You can imagine our pure JOY at seeing him and his dear spouse at our door!

Yesterday we toured Ennis and stopped at “The Long Branch” for a few libations.
That’s De & Andre’ on the left and ZuZu with Celia on the right.
I’m the happy camper in the middle!

Bob stayed home and then joined us later when we a went to our neighbors’ place (the Ducsays) for “TMW” – (what’s that – you ask?) – Hah – “Too much wine!” The picture doesn’t show our joy! We were having a grand time!

Today our Swiss guests are spending time in Yellowstone Park.
It’s a beautiful blue sky day here.
What are you up to??

Enjoy your Thursday…
I send my love and empathy your way.

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, blogging, Family, friendship, Living in Harmony, Love, relationships

Tagged with:

Embrace Need

When you think of the word, NEED, what comes to mind?
Do you think of what YOU need or what OTHERS might need?
Have you internalized the difference between NEED and WANT?

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

Often “Wanted” signs express what someone thinks is a NEED.
Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

Daily there are folks who think they NEED
their Starbucks coffee first thing each morning
or they can’t get through the day.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

T’was a time when folks thought they NEEDED
toilet paper stacked up in their garages.
Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava on Pexels.com

Now there’s a belief in some parts of the USA
that gas cans NEED to be filled and waiting for future use.
Because of a security breach, stations were shut down.
Folks NEEDED gas to get to their jobs or wherever…



What is on your NEEDS list?

I NEED hugs.
Physical touch is sooo important!
My husband thinks he NEEDS ice cream after dinner each night.

Learning the Difference
Between Necessity and Luxury

When our son, Ty, graduated from high school, he spent a year as an AFS (American Field Service) foreign exchange student in what was then Yugoslavia. He lived with a family who was communist. They wanted their son to learn English because the next year he intended to travel to the USA to attend college.

The family was “well off” by that country’s standards. The father was head of what we might call our EPA: “Environmental Protection Agency.” They lived in a small (less than 500 square feet) apartment in Beograd (Belgrade). The family of four had two bedrooms (one for the parents and one for their daughter), a very small kitchen, one bathroom, and a living room which converted into a bedroom at night for their son. Ty shared that space with the son.

Our son learned very quickly how very privileged he was growing up with us in California with plenty of space and a swimming pool in the back yard. He learned overnight the difference between necessity and luxury. He learned his NEEDS were much smaller than he once thought – and people could live happily with soooo much less.

We all NEED a friend-
and if you have a true friend,
you are rich, indeed!

Happiness does not NEED a big house, a fancy car, or a lotta money in the bank.
But, it does NEED at least one true friend… and a bunch of ’em is a bonus!!

Happiness does not need a room full of toys.
Children who can build their own tent,
play together in the woods,
and go home at the end of the day of play
to a loving family
and a nourishing meal
are blessed indeed!

I used to think that I NEEDED
a glass of wine and a sushi meal
every now and then…

… or a cucumber roll

But then I googled my needs and I discovered:

Hah! What do you NEED?

A pup to snuggle with?
All you NEED for Christmas
is your two front teeth?
Maybe all you need is
a blanket and a good book!
Sometimes all I NEED
is a nice warm bath!!
A baby only needs
milk, loving hugs, a clean body,
and a swaddling cloth!

And we all need a dream –
Someone who believes in us –
and encourages us –
and teaches us how
to live our dreams.

I NEED time in the wide open spaces,
time each morning in my sanctuary to pray
and to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance,
and I NEED music in my life…
because it lifts my spirits and strengthens me.

I don’t NEED a tattoo!
But, isn’t that a hoot?
I NEED laughter!

Hah!

See ya tomorrow.
Have a great rest of your day
wherever you are.

Embrace NEEDS.
See the needs of others –
and fulfill them if you can!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
I NEED your comments!

What are your NEEDS?

Category:

blessings, children, Family, friendship, Giving, God, happiness, Love, mental health, music, pets, prayer, relationships

Tagged with:

Music from Switzerland

Our daughter, DeAna, sent us this video this morning of her duet with Sylviane, her “Swisster.” It warms my heart to see and hear them singing together. De is the one in red.

“Syli” (as we nicknamed her) lived in our home/became our daughter and De’s “Swisster” in Modesto, CA when De was a senior in high school. DeAna then lived with Syli’s family in Sierre, Switzerland the next year. When she came home, she brought Syli’s first cousin, Andre’, home with her! They were married a year later.

Seeing and hearing these two sing together is such a joy!
(Sit back a couple minutes and enjoy)

De & her “Swisster”

Our grandson, Chris, was named after Syli’s brother, Christian.
Christian was our AFS exchange student in 1980-81.
That’s how this whole Swiss connection got started.

If you have followed my blog for awhile,
you met our grandson, Chrissy,
when he came to Montana last year
and attended the Job Corps program.

And you saw Chris
with his girlfriend, Natalia from Colombia,
in this related post:

Love on the Internet

In this next video, De and Chrissy are singing a duet to Natalia.

It’s a beautiful day here in Montana – and a wonderful way to start the day with these videos from my DeDe. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Here’s my view yesterday afternoon.
Today the clouds are gone and the sky is blue blue blue:

Those antelope babies I showed you a couple days ago were back yesterday afternoon, crossing that field between us and the “next door” neighbors. We call that path “The Antelope Highway.”

Look carefully. There are four little ones with a yearling. That one trailing is not old enough to be the mama. Must be a babysitter!

One of the little ones ran on ahead. They are so cute!
OK, enough cuteness for this morning…
I gotta get busy.

Bob just left to go fishing, and…
my Writers’ Group is coming to the house this morning.
It’ll be our first meeting since all this COVID-19 stuff.
We can socially distance in my living room.

I’ll tell you all about it this afternoon.
Come on back!

See ya later.
Love ya!
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, children, Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, Montana, music, relationships, Travel

Tagged with:

A Daughter’s Tribute

In the center of this photo is Marcelle Zufferey. To her left is her dear daughter, Sylvianne, who wrote the tribute below. On Marcelle’s right is her beautiful granddaughter, Lorianne.

Family Connections

Sylviane (we call her Syli) is our “Swiss Daughter.” She lived with us for a year in California when she was 17 or 18. The next year our daughter, DeDe, went to Switzerland for a year and lived in Syli’s family. Marcelle was such a loving, compassionate guide. Our daughter fell in love with Syli’s cousin, Andre’ (who became our son-in-law)… and to say De needed guidance is putting it mildly! God bless Marcelle and her husband, Antoine, for their loving understanding.

This last couple of years Marcelle has been in a care facility. That dreaded disease, Alzheimer’s, captured her memory and her health. Syli was there to spend quality time with her almost every day.

The Tribute

DeDe’s “Swisster” wrote this tribute to her mom in French (her native language). It was translated by Facebook and posted today. Some of the words may be translated strangely, but the beautiful sentiment is clear:

“Mom… you went to join dad this afternoon on his birthday.

I was able to accompany you to your last breath.

Thank you for giving us so much love.

For passing us through your eyes and your beautiful smile the meaning of family, respect and love.

You are part of the love of each of us.

From up there with dad you can be proud …

We had the extraordinary chance to have you as parents.

For having you as a mom, grand mom and great grand mom.

You are in my heart my little mom, I love you

And even if i will miss your beautiful eyes and your smile deeply, I know that now you don’t suffer anymore and that with dad you are forever present in our hearts.”

An Acrostic

I wrote this acrostic today as my tribute to this special lady… remembering her as she will always live in my heart:

M arvelous
A wesome
R adiant
C ompassionate
E mbraceable
L ovable
L oyal
E ndearing

Marcelle and me – circa 1985

Rest in peace, Marcelle. I love you.

Will you write an acrostic using your name and describing yourself? I’d love to see it. Mine would be:
J oyful
A nimated
N atural (or maybe “Nutcase”??)

See ya tomorrow. Have a good night.

Category:

Family, friendship, Life and Death, Love, Memories, Poetry

Tagged with:

Dancing in Heaven

I danced in the morning

While the moon lay low

I danced at the sunrise

While the winds began to blow

I danced in the noontide

When it started slow to snow

And I danced in the evening

In the sunset’s glow

sunset from Welnas

Dance, dance,

Wherever you may go;

Dance and spread love

To everyone you know.

Dance, dance with a joyful heart –

Go, dance now… it’s a good time to start.

 

Marcelle Zufferey is dancing in Heaven with her husband, Antoine, today!

Today is Antoine’s birthday!! He went to his eternal home a couple of decades ago. Marcelle suffered this last couple of years from that awful disease, Alzheimer’s, that robs us of our minds – our memories. But, right to the end, she was that beautiful, blue-eyed mother who gave her children everything they needed for a full life.  She is the mother of our 1980-81 AFS student, Christian Zufferey, and his sister, Sylviane, who lived with us for a year in 1983-84. Our daughter DeDe, married their first cousin, Andre’. That’s why DeAna is a Swiss citizen and our 3 grandsons were born and raised in that beautiful country. We owe Marcelle a deep debt of gratitude! Our hearts go out to the Zufferey and Solioz families today, as we mourn their loss. But we know they are faith believers … and they recognize God’s perfect timing in this earthly departure.

I can play a Swiss polka today … and celebrate the reunion of Marcelle and Antoine.

Dance, my friends. Heaven awaits, and God’s timing always is perfect!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, blessings, Faith, Family, Life and Death, Love, Memories, Poetry, Promises

Tagged with: