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Posts tagged ‘Christmas’

Let Us Celebrate!

Let us celebrate
Every reason and season
Thank God we’re alive!

It’s Bob’s 84th
We’re celebrating big time
With his brother, Bill

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Time to visit friends
Time to enjoy each other
Just let your light shine

Our great-granddaughters
Well… two of the three of them
Shine their light on us

Friends from long ago
Ignite the memory’s light
So blessed to see them

At that magic hour
On that very special day
With very dear friend

Bob’s known Monica
Since he was about fourth grade
She’s my high school friend

Time with Bob’s nephew
And wonderful wife, Sarah
So special, indeed!

Adorable pair
People we have loved so long
Welcomed our visit

Then we visited
Bob’s younger brother and Ann
So good to see them

Bob and I are blessed
With so much to celebrate
We hope you are, too

Let your light so shine
That others can feel its glow
Celebrate each day

Today, Bob’s birthday
We are feeling very loved
We hope you are, too

God bless Bill and Marge
They’re fixing us some meatballs
Bob’s birthday dinner

It smells delicious!!!
I’m outta here.. gonna eat
Happy New Year, Friends

Let Us Celebrate!
Love and hugs to you,
JanBeek

Family Christmas

We are very blessed
To be with family today
A Merry Christmas

Four generations
With fourteen of us in all
God bless our family

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Generation One
With sweet Generation Four
Thank God for babies

Children grow so fast
Remain babies a short time
Enjoy while you can

As a babe Christ came
Helpless and vulnerable
To live as we live

Mary and Joseph
Provided a loving home
Knowing He’s Special

Peace- John 14:27

So when did they know
The Truth of His intentions
Did God prepare them?

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I can’t imagine
Raising a loving child
For Him to die young

Some friends are hurting
On this day after Christmas
They lost a child, too

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Maybe their lost one
Is a sweet four-legged friend
That breaks your heart, too

On this Christmas night,
let’s reflect with my loved one from Zimbabwe
on Christmas Meaning:
God’s Plan by Taking the Human Form
– Birth of Jesus –

John 3
16 : For God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not die but have eternal life.

17 :
For God did not send his Son
into the world to be its judge,
but to be its savior.

11 :
“I am the good shepherd,
who is willing to die for the sheep.

It’s not about the day
as no one knows for certain when Jesus Christ was born.
It is a celebration of why He was born.

Here’s to our Salvation celebration
through the birth of Baby Jesus.
Let us make room for Him in our hearts 💕

Blessed Christmas beloved ones of God.
Shalom 🙏🏽❤️

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God Bless You, dear friends.
I pray you had a wonderful, family-filled Merry Christmas!

Love,
JanBeek

Merry Christmas!!

It’s not Santa and elves, teddy bears and presents. That’s the fluff!!

It’s the Christ Child, Emmanuel, God With Us! It’s new birth and the Virgin Birth. It’s the promise of Eternal Life!

Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Pexels.com

It’s peace on earth and good will toward all God’s creations.

So, when I say “Merry Christmas” it us not a Merry Xmas! Don’t “X” Christ out of CHRISTmas!!

Love and hugs to you, my friends.

Have a faith-filled weekend!

Hooray for Destinations!

Love destinations
Especially arriving
Thanks for safety prayers

Stopped to deliver
Thank you gifts to our neighbors
Then we’re on our way

Leaving Montana
The bitter cold Arctic blast
Headed for our son’s

Clear roads were ahead
Beautiful scenery, too
Later came the drifts

Stopped for our breakfast
At Bella’s Coffee Shop, Wells
Enough food for three!

Fascinating skies
Entertained us on our way
Sun tried to peek out

Blue skies in Reno
Promised sunshine up ahead
What a welcomed sight!

O’er Donner Summit
Evidence earlier snow
Roads were passable

Praise God we arrived
All your faith-filled prayers answered
God hears and responds

So good to be here
Blizzard conditions at home
Warmth and love are here

Morning coffee’s hot
Family’s well and welcoming
Merry Christmas Friends!

Hooray for Destinations!

Summers here are great
When more of our family comes
Love those gatherings!

May your holidays
Be filled with love and laughter
May God bless you all

May God bless your life
With love, joy, peace, and laughter
Stay healthy, my friends

May you get to all your destinations safely.

Love and Best Wishes,
JanBeek

Montana Snow

The Christmas cards are done
They’re ready to be mailed
But we can’t leave our home
We’d surely be derailed

The winds were 40 mph gusts, and
The drifts have blown like crazy
I’ll have to ZOOM church tomorrow
And it’s not cuz I am lazy

I’d attend if I could get out
And after church I’d go
To the post office to mail the cards
But I can’t get through the snow

So we are at the mercy
Of a kind and helpful neighbor
When he comes with his bobcat blower
We’ll watch him work and thank him later

He’ll blow out the driveway
And clear a path for us
So we can get to church
Without shoveling and lots of fuss

But if you don’t see us
And if our card to you doesn’t come,
You might send out a sled team
To rescue us… we’re frozen and numb!

That’s our driveway that’s the culprit
The wind swirls the snow in piles
Inside between the rabbit brush
It blows in from many miles

That photo was a light snow
This time it’s at least two feet tall
After our neighbor plowed us out
The piles were a five foot wall!

We haven’t seen a winter like this
This storm has been a doozy
It started way too early this year –
The freezing wind makes me woozy

The Christmas cards are done
They’re ready to be mailed
But like I said, I’m stuck in here
Our Christmas travel might be curtailed

Try coming in through the drifts
I’ve some hot chocolate to share
But if you don’t make it here
Mr Snowman will be content floating there

Hope you’re having a happy December so far.
God bless you! Stay in touch.

Love ya,
JanBeek

Take a look at this photo I found!
That’s me – pregnant with our 1st child, Ty.
And that’s my sis and her hubby with my niece, Denise
and my mom and dad…
1964 Christmas …
Sweet memories!

Peace of Mind

How do you find peace of mind?

Photo by Jonathan Meyer on Pexels.com

In my devotional studies today,
the Moody Bible Institute’s “Today in the Word”
asked that question. What is peace and where do you find it?

If you go to Pexels.com
and put in the word “peace”
you will find many images
that suggest answers to those questions:

Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com

What does this one suggest to you?

Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi on Pexels.com

Of course, this suggests prayer…

Photo by Nandhu Kumar on Pexels.com

… and this has a Zen origin, right?

Photo by M Venter on Pexels.com

Many folks find peace by going out into nature and finding seclusion.

Photo by Anastasiya Lobanovskaya on Pexels.com

Others look for peace in communication
with others who are seeking the same goals.

Photo by Fernando Arcos on Pexels.com

Music provides a source of peace for me and many others.


My greatest sense of peace comes from my faith.
As a Christian, PEACE is not a place.
It is not an unattainable emotion.
Peace is a person!

My peace comes from God’s grace
in the person of Jesus.


John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you;
my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I find evidence of that joy-giving peace all around me…
and I am assured of it as I read my Bible
and study the devotionals that reinforce my faith.

Today in the Word
has a study of The Gospel of Luke
titled, “Peace on Earth” this month.

In his introductory pages,
Dr. John Koessler wrote,
“This promise of peace belongs to
those upon whom His favor rests.”

Does His favor rest on you?

Photo by mododeolhar on Pexels.com

Thousands of years before His birth, Isaiah predicted Him:

Isaiah 9:6

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”

Then, when Isaiah’s prediction came true,
Jesus came to earth… the Prince of Peace,
Here to show us how to find His peace,
Here to show us how to live.

Ephesians2:14 put it this way:

“Jesus is our peace”
Because Jesus “came and preached peace to you
who were far away and those who were near.”

Photo by Rodolfo Clix on Pexels.com

Jesus came, lived to show us and teach us, and died to save us.
Believing that is the road to His grace.
Believing that is the way to Eternal Life.
Believing that is the path to peace.

Dr. John Koessler wrote:

“Those who know the peace of Christ
become agents of peace themselves.
When Jesus first sent His disciples
to proclaim the kingdom,
He told them,
‘As you enter the home, give it your greeting.’


Matthew 10:12
(the traditional Jewish greeting, Shalom)

This was more than a social formality,
Christians are offering peace through
faith in Christ to others.
The shalom of Christ is more than a greeting.
It is a promise.
There is more to peace than a personal experience.
For the Christian, peace is a person.
Jesus is our peace.”

Photo by Josh Hild on Pexels.com

Reach out!
Touch Him!
He is the Holy Spirit in you.
He is the King of Peace,
here to give you His peace.
Take it!

In Him is my peace of mind.
Where is yours?

I pray you find it in Him.
Merry Christmas!
He came to save you and me.

Love and peace to you,
JanBeek

Thank you, God, Lord, Christ Jesus, Holy Spirit
for the love, joy, and peace that are mine!

It’s Beginning

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

From my toes to my head … see that hat?

Christmas parties have begun

That’s the luncheon at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club yesterday.
45 ladies showed up from our little Ennis community!

My dear friend, Susan P, came and helped me decorate our house from tree to…

…fireplace mantle and lotsa places around the house.
She did things I could never do by myself.
God bless her!

Those candles on the mantle are battery operated
and can be set to change colors!!

Isn’t that fun?
They can all be one of any choice of 8 colors
or they can rotate.
Good ole CostCo.
They have lotsa fun things
to get you in the holiday spirit!

But nothing depicts the Christmas season
quite as well as this treasure
that I found at our Christmas bazaar last Saturday.
It’s a manger scene made by a darling lady in Nairobi.
She used the bark from banana trees!!

It’s not Christmas unless we
recognize the nativity as
central to the holiday!

Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas at your house? Tell me about it!

Have fun fixing your home
to reflect this holiday season
in a way that is meaningful for you.

For me and my family, it’s Christmas…

Thanking God for the gift of
Baby Jesus,
sharing time with family & friends,
sending out cards,
decorating with trees, candles, music
and presents…

and the fun has just begun!

Our TazE looks just like this Boston on the right.
She has decided the blanket under the tree is her bed.
She thinks the presents are for her.
Help!

Have fun this Christmas season…
and good luck keeping your dog, cat or kids
out from under the Christmas tree!

Love,
JanBeek

OOOPS!!

Ooooops! In yesterday’s post on “Waiting” I made a real boo-boo!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I was up in my sanctuairee this morning reflecting on the subject of waiting, anticipating the coming of Christmas – and I realized, Oh Lord, help me my God!! I mixed up Lent and Advent!! I said we had 40 days of waiting for the Christ Child during Advent! No, no, no… Lent is the 40 days of waiting for Easter, Advent is the 4 weeks before Christmas with 4 Sundays to celebrate the coming of the Baby in the manger. It might be the period of time the Wise Men followed the star to find the manger scene and present their gifts to the Savior.

But there is a mystery about the Wise men and their travel to follow the star. The wise men arrived after the birth. If they saw the star at the moment of Jesus’ birth, then it would have taken at least a few months for the wise men to arrive.

Regardless of the time it took the Wise Men to travel, since when did Nov. 27 to Dec. 25 equal 40 days?? Sheesh!!

The season of Advent is celebrated over four Sundays before Christmas
– this year, those Sundays are Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, 11, and 18.
The Advent season ends at sundown on Christmas Eve.
The end of Advent marks the beginning
of the liturgical or church year for Christians.

Photo by Kevin Bidwell on Pexels.com

So, this season of “Waiting” is a time when my Jewish friends wait, too. They celebrate Hanukkah. The word Hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedication,” which refers to the rededication of the temple after the Maccabees’ victory. They need to wait for that season to begin on December 19th. Hanukkah, (Hebrew: “Dedication”) also spelled Ḥanukka, Chanukah, or Chanukkah, also called Feast of Dedication, Festival of Lights, or Feast of the Maccabees, Jewish festival that begins on Kislev 25 (usually in December, according to the Gregorian calendar) and is celebrated for eight days. Hanukkah reaffirms the ideals of Judaism and often involves a festival with lighting of candles each day of the festival. Although not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah came to be widely celebrated and remains one of the most popular Jewish religious observances. Hanukkah is celebrated from Monday, December 19 to Monday, December 26 in 2022.

The menorah is a symbol of Hanukkah. The menorah is meant to spread light to others. It is traditionally placed in a window,on a table or outside your door. Jewish faithfuls are supposed to light the menorah just after dark each night of Hanukkah.



As Christians, we pause and take time to put up our Christmas tree, decorate our home, our church, our community, and purchase the presents we want to give to our loved ones. Santa Claus has usurped the place of Jesus Christ as the central Christmas figure in many homes. It’s not Santa’s birthday we wait for and celebrate, however.

It’s not 40 days til Christmas! It’s coming sooner than you think… sooner than I imagined! We need to approach this season as innocent children… a Child of God … waiting expectantly. Focusing on the real Reason for the Season.

Jesus actually tells us to be like children and to come to Him full of faith and trust. The popular children‘s song “Jesus Loves the Little Children” reminds us that “all are precious in His sight” and no matter your race, gender or nationality, God wants to see all children come to Him.

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com



So, forgive my “Ooops!” from yesterday… and get busy, my friends. Finish up those Thanksgiving leftovers, and get in the spirit! And let’s look – as through the eyes of a child – at what Advent really means:

Thanks for visiting JanBeek and my OOOPS today!
See ya tomorrow.

Hugs to you and your loved ones!

By the way, I am missing the Bell Choir this year.
Our director, Jan Thomas, is moving from Ennis to Bozeman.
Tomorrow the moving van comes.
Keep her and her hubby in prayer, wouldja?
They are going to be sorely missed in our community.


We are WAITING for a new bell choir director to emerge.
Got any recommendations?

Embrace Christmas Memories

Time with family is memorable, indeed
We’re grateful for the ones who embrace the holiday mood
We’re blessed to have them open their home
And share their love and delicious food.

Our daughter, De, in Switzerland
shared photos of their beautiful meal
Imagine how plates like these
enchant your guests (think how they feel)!

The family in far-off Europe
included our grandsons with our De
I’m grateful for the internet
and the pictures she shared with me.

Nick, De, Mike & Chris

Here in California
Eleven of us gathered round –
add two big, rambunctious dogs
and laugh as kids and animals clowned.

Christmas Day was a time for fun
with love and gifts exchanged
Friends shared photos of their day
Our family did, too … we got arranged!

Thank you, Ty & Monika
for your gracious hospitality –
we’re blessed to have our son & spouse
share their life & love with Bob & me.

I pray your day was blessed
and you celebrated Christ’s birth
with those you love gathered round –
good food, warm hugs, and lots of mirth!

A note for this day-after-Christmas-morning: Faith (our granddaughter) and Kyle were headed home to S.Lake Tahoe last night and about 3 hours later had to turn around and come back to Placerville. The road ahead was closed due to heavy snow and lots of accidents ahead. The good news is that they were not involved in one of them… and we’re all safe and sound… feeling blessed!

Merry Christmas!
Bee 🐝 well!
Bee blessed!

Keep the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in your heart year-round! May Jesus remain alive in you!

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –

Love,
JanBeek

Embrace Baby Jesus

jesus christ figurine
Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com

 

If you look for Me at Christmas

You won’t need a special star-

I’m no longer just in Bethlehem,

I’m right there where you are.

You may not be aware of Me

Amid the celebrations-

You’ll have to look beyond the stores

And all the decorations.

But if you take a moment

From your list of things to do

And listen to your heart, you’ll find

I’m waiting there for you.

You’re the one I want to be with,

You’re the reason that I came,

And you’ll find Me in the stillness

As I’m whispering your name.

Love, Jesus

 

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Photo by Artem Bali on Pexels.com

Merry Christmas, dear Blogging Friends.
May your day be filled with
love, hugs, and opportunities
to reflect on the real Reason for the Season.

I first posted this poem in 2018.
I decided it was worth posting again this year
because many of you are new followers,
and some of you who saw it three years ago
may have forgotten it … I did!

Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

Merry Christmas to you!

Celebrate that precious baby today.
Put Jesus in your heart to stay-
Carry Him with you in a blessed 2022…
We’re counting on it to be better each day!

What are your post-Christmas plans?
We’re getting ready to celebrate
my girlfriend, Sue’s birthday the 28th
and Bob 83rd b’day – the 29th the date.

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

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