Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘angels’

Leave a Legacy

Today’s WordPress/JetPack prompt was:

What is the legacy you want to leave behind?

L oving

E thical

G racious

A ttentive

C ompassionate

Y ummy

If I could leave a legacy that exemplified these six words, I’d die happy!

First, I want folks to say, “She loved the Lord with all her heart ❤️ and she sincerely loved her family and friends.” 🥰

(Yes, my family is a huge part of my legacy… they will live on and on … and hopefully exemplify the values I hold so dear!)

Additionally, may they say, “She was ethical and lived a life of integrity. Trying to avoid hypocrisy, Jan lived to show her faith on her sleeve, striving to behave in a way that would be pleasing to God.”

Gracious living means extending to others the undeserved love and forgiveness, the acceptance, inclusion, and hospitality that we received daily from the Lord. May they say, “She was gracious.”

I hope my legacy includes the idea of attentiveness to others, attentiveness to the details of the responsibilities assumed, and daily attention to prayer and Bible Study. I happily shared those with others. A desired part of my legacy would include, “Jan was attentive.”

Daily I asked God to help me shine His compassion through me to others. My heart reached out regularly to family, friends, former students, neighbors, and others in need. Strangers were just “friends I hadn’t met yet.” I would like my legacy to include, “She was compassionate.”

Yummy? It’s not that I want to be considered yummy, it is that I love to cook. As part of my legacy, may I be remembered as someone who delighted in preparing yummy meals for Bob and for guests in our home. May I be remembered as someone whose greatest joy was in serving others.

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

Hebrews 13:2
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

When I leave this earth and join the heavenly angels,
I am counting on seeing all those saints who went on before me…
And we’ll feast on heavenly food and feed the scraps to
all my Boston Terriers who’ll be there at the pearly gates to greet me.


Yes, you’re in my life for a reason. Thanks for showing up on my blog!

Love,
JanBeek

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

Reblog #1 – Most Beautiful Things

Beautiful Things
Are sometimes visible things;
Most = Invisible!

This Persian’s pretty;
Her purr’s the absolute best –
And the love she gives.

These roses are grand,
But their fragrance is the best;
And their “giver” too!

This bird is gorgeous,
But its song is the greatest –
And its Creator!

This scene’s amazing;
But the peaceful feelings here
Are magnificent.

Adorable child –
She’s so beautiful to see,
Her trusting heart’s best!

The cake’s impressive,
But memories are more grand.
Beautiful moments!

(By the way that’s us: Bob & Jan… 57 3/4 years ago)

The moments, feelings,
The sweet smiles and the laughter –
That’s where beauty lives.

Life’s luxuriant
When people and places reign.
Beautiful visions!

Thank you for being
A beautiful part of my life
In my WordPress World.
You add JOY by your presence.

See you later!

Angels Watching Over Us

I have a guardian angel
Who is faithful – yes, indeed!
He’s saved me from disaster,
Been there for every need.

An angel guarded Angela,
Our Boston Terrier pup,
From dying when a rattlesnake
Bit her on her butt!

You have a guardian angel
Who’s watching over you.
I hope that you are grateful
And careful on your feet, too.

Sunday in church our pastor
Read a poem that touched my heart.
It conjured up my angel;
Who’s compassionate and smart.

Yours is, too!!
In fact, YOU may BE
somebody’s angel!
Serving love with glee.

“The World I Live In”
Mary Oliver

God of Grace, help us to see
Your angels at work among us,
lighting upon the unhoused in the street,
delivering cups of coffee,
Ziploc bags full of toiletries,
and deli sandwiches.

Help us honor Your angels
with our praise and gratitude –
the patient teacher, the loving parent,
the determined wildfire fighter,
the volunteer rescue worker,
the visitor of the elderly,
the sick and the imprisoned.

Give us eyes to see, O God,
your angels at work
and help us be among their ranks.

Click the link below and enjoy listening to Alabama sing for us “Angels Among Us.”

Our Angela –
saved by God’s angel!

Angela’s angel was a vet
Who was in his office on a Sunday.
He had the vaccine and loving care.
She’d’a been gone by Monday!

We never know when God
calls on us to be
the angel to a friend in need.
Open your arms and eyes to see.

God bless you!

Thanks for checking in today.
You’re my visiting angel.
Let me be yours!
Gotcha in prayer.
Tell me how to pray for you specifically, OK?

Love,

JanBeek

Angels Among Us

I believe there are angels among us.
I hope when you click on the link above,
you can listen to this gorgeous voice
singing this wonderful song.

Angels show us how to live
Sent down from somewhere up above
Angels teach us how to give
And they teach us how to love.

Listen to the words of Chris Rupp’s vocal.
Angels come to you and me…
I had one protecting me last Monday –
I am sure – it’s a guarantee!

Look at what I hit my head on when I fell over backward!

With the full weight of my body,
I hit that trailer hitch!
You tell me how I avoided a concussion-
How I walked away with just a stitch…

Actually, if you read yesterday,
You know my gash required eight…
And I was in the ER four hours,
Returning home rather late.

I didn’t even crack my skull-
And I didn’t break my neck.
I could have broken my back!
Where’s that angel hiding? Let me check!

You have angels among you, too…
At least one on duty at all times.
Tune in – you can feel the protection.
Look around, you’ll see the signs!

As the poem above tells us,
Angels sometimes are disguised as friends –
Sometimes family are our angels –
Angels are the love God sends.

Listen here to another beautiful song:
I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman – Chris Rupp A Cappella
I hope this link takes you there.

Who is always there for you?

Bob is an angel who is here for me.
It took a few minutes of screaming his name
To wake him from his nap, but I could see him there …
And when he heard me, how quickly he came!

Yes, my friends, angels are among us.
We need to open our hearts and our eyes
To see and to feel them around us.
Mine’s trying to teach me to be more wise!

In Hebrews 13:2, Paul said, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” That verse leads us to wonder if angels appear to us in human form at times. We know that they appeared to many in human form in the Bible. [See Genesis 18:2].

You may be blessed to have an angel living with you all the time, too!

Thank you, Sweet Bob –
For being my constant angel!

Psalm 91:11

“For He will command His angels
concerning you
to guard you
in all your ways.”

Bee well, my friends.
Bee safe, too.
May His angels guard you today and everyday.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

She’s Here!

Yes, my new little great-granddaughter is here!
Faith & Kyle named her Mable Iris.
Don’t you love old-fashioned names?

I tried to get them to name her Janet
(that’s JanBeek’s God-given name),
but I lost out to one they chose
simply because they both “like it.”

Oh well, I tried!

Choosing names for our children
is such an important part of parenting.

The last “child” I named is this little moose who sits on my bed every day. He is named “Faithful” because he was a gift to me about 15 years ago from my granddaughter, Faith. She bought it at the Yellowstone National Park gift shop. We had just seen the geyser “Old Faithful” erupt. Then we went into the gift shop and gave her and her three siblings each some money to buy a souvenir for their visit. She bought this moose and then gave it to me as a “Thank you for taking us to Yellowstone” gift.

What a thoughtful little pre-teen she was! Each day when I make my bed, I put “Faithful the Yellowstone Moose” back on my bed with a prayer. I say:

“Dear God,
Please tuck them together in love
and watch over Faith & Kyle today.
Amen”

When we named our son Ty (I have told you this story before), it was because I had a student named Ty in my kindergarten class in 1963. He was such an adorable little boy – and I loved him as well as his name. In 1965 when our son was born, Bob agreed to use Ty’s name for our little baby.

Today when Kyle let us know that he & Faith had named their little girl Mable, I asked, “Is there a history of that name in your family? Or is it just a name you both liked?”

Kyle texted back and said they just liked the name – no family history for it.

So, I told Kyle that I have a history with that name. The only other Mable Bob & I have know is Mable Cronan. She was the dear, sweet, compassionate, loving grandmother of Ty Stiles (that kindergarten student of mine). Mable attended our church in California with Ty’s aunt, Marilyn Sena. So now – come full circle: our Ty has a granddaughter named Mable – just like Ty Stiles had a grandmother Mable. I love it when things seem to be so synchronistic, don’t you?

Ty & Roxanne Stiles
with me & Bob

When I looked up the meaning of the name Mable,
Wikipedia said,

“Lovable, dear:
Mabel is an English female given name
derived from the Latin amabilis, “lovable, dear“.

I told Faith and Kyle that Mable Cronan (Ty Stiles’ grandma) was definitely lovable and dear. I am so glad they chose that name. It will be fun to live long enough to see this great-granddaughter’s personality and values develop, and to watch God bring out the “lovable and dear” qualities that were born in her.

I saw a picture of my new great-granddaughter, Mable, today. I won’t post it here – out of respect for the privacy of her and her parents – but here is her mom, Faith, when she was a baby:

Mable has a cute little pug nose like Faith’s
( I lay claim to that feature – and told them so).

Mable has parents who love her –
and an extended family who can hardly wait
to meet her in person
and give her and her parents great big hugs!

Yes, my friends, she’s here!
It’s been a beautiful April 1st.
I pray yours was a memorable day, too.
Thank you for your prayers and positive thoughts
as we waited for this baby to arrive.

Here’s Mable’s mom & dad,
Faith & Kyle.
Aren’t they adorable?

For some reason, I am hoping this lovable new baby, Mable, will learn to play a musical instrument someday – maybe the soprano sax like Kenny G. I dedicate this album to her and hope she grows up to enjoy music someday as much as her Great-Grama (GG) Jan does!


This baby was the highlight of my day, obviously!
Tell me about a highlight of your April 1st.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek tonight.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Daily Take-Aways

Do you take time each morning to read your Bible, pray, and study at least one devotional? It is such a powerful way to start each day.

Let God help you begin your day with your heart focusing on a message you receive during the time you begin with Him. I’ve been using Guideposts’ devotionals for over a decade now. I find it to be constantly spirit-lifting!



Daily Guideposts’ format includes a selected Bible verse, a reflection on that scripture, a prayer, and a couple of related scriptures in a section called Digging Deeper.

Before leaving the daily page, I write my “Take Away” on the page. It’s a message I carry with me that day – a lens through which I encounter what the day brings. Here are the daily take-aways from this month of March 2022:

Daily Take-Aways in March 2022

  1. Trust God’s Perfect Timing
  2. Wear Your Faith
  3. Enjoy a Grace-Filled Perspective
  4. Forgive Always
  5. Seek His Help First
  6. Where He Leads Me,
  7. I Will Follow
  8. Seek God’s Wisdom
  9. For Everything – A Season
  10. “Bee” Compassionate and Patient
  11. “Bee” a Servant Leader
  12. “Bee” Not Dismayed
  13. Stay the Course
  14. Pray for our Troubled World
  15. Give Cheerfully
  16. Trust His Perfect Timing
  17. Pray for World Peace
  18. Take Delight in Others
  19. Life is An Adventure
  20. Jesus Never Leaves Us
  21. Show Agape Love
  22. Believe: I Am Fearfully & Wonderfully Made
  23. Avoid Procrastination
  24. The Spirit Flies
  25. God Supplies Our Needs
  26. Focus and “Bee” Clear
  27. Adopt the Courage of the Cross
  28. He Equips Me
  29. Wake Up Eager
  30. Share Your Smiling Face
  31. Enjoy the Unexpected

If you follow my blog and have a read a few of my posts this past month, you recognize that many of those take-aways were the inspiration for JanBeek’s posts. Which of those topics resonated with you the most?

Will you consider creating a “take-away” from your Bible or devotional reading each day? Try it! See if it helps you focus in a new and different way.

Before I leave you this evening, I need to wish you a Happy April, my friends. Tomorrow’s a new day. It’s a new month. And as I write this my youngest granddaughter, Faith, is in labor – expecting my #4 great-grandchild. We are expecting a beautiful little girl. I am praying she is born quickly, as painlessly as possible, and as perfect as God creations can be. Won’t you pray with me? I’ll keep you posted.

Faith’s older sister, Hope, has given us two great-grandchildren:

Here is Xander
Great-grandchild #1
Here’s Sienna,
Great-grandchild #2

Faith’s brother, Jordan, has gifted us with great-grandchild #3 :

Here’s Cosette!
Look at the RunAway Bunny –
Too cute, huh?

I can hardly wait to meet
Great-grandchild #4.
Here is her mommy, our granddaughter,
Faith,
when she was a baby:

Aren’t I a blessed lady?

What’s your take-away today?
Happy April 1st, dear ones.
No fools among us!!

See ya later today
with my good news, OK?


Love,
JanBeek

Don’t take-away love!
Give it generously instead!
Good night!!

Focus!

Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

The word for today:
FOCUS!

The question for today:
FOCUS on what?

Photo by Wallace Chuck on Pexels.com

You know where I am going with this.
You know that I begin each morning in my sanctuary
where I focus on scripture, devotionals, and my angels.

I have a collection of these wonderful angels.
Most were given to me as gifts from dear friends.
Each has a story to tell – each reminds me of someone special.
Some have wings, others do not. I focus on their message.
“Lift someone up today.”
“Let the Chains of Love bind you to others.”

Photo by Binti Malu on Pexels.com

It was my first devo today that caused me
to choose the word FOCUS as my focus.

Then each scripture I read –
and each of the other devotionals
seemed to reinforce those thoughts
until I got to the last one for the morning.
It was in a book titled,
Ever Faithful” by David Jeremiah.

And what do you think the title for today is?
“Clouded Vision”

And the scripture for today?

1 Peter 3:8

Finally, all of you,
be of one mind,
having compassion for one another,
love as brothers,
be tenderhearted,
be courteous.”

The story accompanying the title and scripture could not have been more perfect!
(Thank you, David Jeremiah, for this!)

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of Heart!
Music that calms the soul…

Have a great weekend, my friends.
I am off to clean my windows.
I need to see the world around me more clearly.
How about you?

What’re you focused on today?

A Virtual Baby Shower

My granddaughter, Faith, is expecting a baby girl this April. This Sunday her mom is hosting a virtual baby shower for her. It’ll be my first ZOOM baby shower. Have you ever attended one?

In preparation for the event, we were invited to go on-line and offer advice using a variety of prompts. That was a fun thing to do. Fun to read each other’s responses! Also, Faith’s mom (our daughter-in-law, Monika) will be posting pictures of all the gifts as Faith virtually opens each one. How clever, huh?

Faith and Kyle were married in July of 2020. It was a fairy tale wedding.

Such a darling couple! They met at a Young Life Christian camping activity about 2018. They both have a strong faith. They have many ideals and activities they enjoy in common. One of their mutual activities is snowboarding. This photo gives you a glimpse into their personalities:

Hah! Sweet Kyle – Sassy Faith!

I am looking forward to attending the virtual shower tomorrow. Should be a fun, unique experience. I’ll post afterward to let you know how it went.

Faithy is an old fashioned girl. Her desires are simple. This is the bassinet/carrying case she chose for her baby!!

Fun, huh?

Don’t know how many months Baby McSparron will fit in there… but should be fun while it lasts!

This is a picture of Faith when she was a baby. She was a true gift from God! I have this photo framed and displayed up in my Angel room:

Precious baby!
Ty & Monika were blessed to be able to adopt her at her birth!!

I can hardly wait to hold my newest little miracle baby when she comes. She’ll be our 4th great-grandchild. Yes, I know… we are mighty blessed.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow(God willing)
Hugs…

Bye for now

Oh, before you go, I need to share with you a song that came to mind as I was writing this post. The Penguins went to the top of the hit parade in 1955 with this song. I was a sophomore in high school!! (Yes, I know… the dark ages!!) I loved dancing to this one … Thanks Phil & Benny – happy memories!

Peaceful Snowy Day

In the snow there’s light

When sun shines and leaves diamonds

Sparkling so brightly

Last night it snowed less

Than it did a year ago

But BRRRR, it’s colder

It was minus eight

When we woke up this morning

Back in bed we went

Climb up the staircase

To my angel room above

It’s much warmer there

Bob joined me upstairs

For peacetime to read God’s Word

Angels surround us


Each one has meaning

The name of someone on earth

Some already gone


But I know they’re near

In our hearts and in this room

Watching over us

Sue is SandAngel

GlassAngel is named Toni

Joe’s the wooden cross


Each item in here

Has a story to tell you

Holy Spirit speaks


Do you have a place

Where you can go and know peace

On cold snowy days?

Come join the Beekmans

Our home may be messed up, but

Not the Angel Room!

Come and sit a spell

On this peaceful snowy day

You’re always welcome

The Word of God brings comfort:

6 Do not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation,
by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Thank you for continuing to pray for Bob
as we work together trying to get the medication
he needs for his heart ailment.
Did I tell you that after co-pay the first month
of the medication costs over $3,000 ??
Pray that we can get assistance from Pfizer,
the manufacturer of the medication, OK?
This is a life-saving treatment plan
that we need… God knows that!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

No reason to be afraid!
Take peace… He’s in control!

Where do you find your peace, my friend?
I
hope it’s in your heart today!
Let faith rise up in you…

Embrace Angels

Do you believe in angels?
Do you have a Guardian Angel?

Fellow blogger,

A Star on the Forehead,

wrote the following on her post today:

“I remind myself of the agreement I have with my Guardian Angels.
They are allowed to take anyone and anything from my life
that it is not and will not be good for me.
No questions asked. It doesn’t need to make sense.”

Do you believe angels can actually work to save you from harm?

There is a story in the book of Acts about an angel who freed Peter from prison. It always has fascinated me. It’s hard to deny the presence of angels when you know things like this have happened:

Acts 12:5-17

Peter Freed from Prison

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but [a]constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were [b]keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”

16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.

I asked Bob this morning, “Have you ever been saved by an angel?”

“Oh yes,” he replied without hesitation.

“When?” (I knew what he was going to say.)

“When I fell asleep at the wheel of my truck with a load of honeybees on the bed of the truck… I went off the road and missed a culvert by 6″ before being jarred awake and slamming on the brakes. I know my guardian angel was working overtime!”

Psalm 91:11 assures us that our angels are indeed here to protect us.

My friend, Sue, and her husband, Jerry, had a similar experience.
They were driving back from Bozeman one rainy Saturday
when their car slid on a slick, rainy spot.
They were facing down the steep side over the railing
when Sue spontaneously said,
“God help us!”

Immediately, their car tilted backward and onto the road.
The two of them sat there astounded.
They drove home in awe and wonder.
They shared their experience in church the next day.
Yes, many nodded in a knowing way…
others shared their Guardian Angel stories
during fellowship that day.

Not all angels are celestial beings.
I believe God has put invisible wings on each of us!!
He asks us to “Love one another” just as He has loved us.

(I had fun posing in front of a myriad of wings that are displayed
in Redlands, CA at a spot dedicated to 58 beautiful souls who were gunned down.

“Live and Let Live
Live and Let Love”

I wrote a poem for a resident
of our Madison Valley Nursing Home
several years ago.
She had damaged her shoulders
in a fall and was unable to lift her arms.
For Christmas that year,
I gave her a Willow Creek angel with no wings.

Here is the angel and the poem:

“Angels on earth
Such as Gloria
Wear their wings
in their loving arms.
Though she may not
Be physically able
To reach out
And embrace you,
Her invisible wings
Stretch her heart
To reach miles
With warm smiles,
Sparkling eyes,
And words of grace –
Loving and wise.

Amen

EMBRACE THE ANGEL IN YOU!

Do you have a story to tell about
a time your guardian angel saved you?


See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek


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