Look at this closely
Windmills and advertisements
Snow covered mountains
Leaving the desert
Sign asks, “Where are you going?”
Word below: Heaven
Yes, eventually!
But don’t send me there too soon.
First, we’re headed home.
Christmas still is there
Waiting to be taken down.
Can’t it last all year?
Keep on playing!
See ya later.
Ever wanted to
Wear your angel wings right now?
Why wait for heaven?
Here I am in wings
Before my heavenly home
How did that happen?
Sadly, fifty-eight
Beautiful souls were gunned down;
But their souls live on.
Riverside City
Has many wings on display
For would-be angels.
They’re just waiting for
Angelic folks like I’m not –
Ready to pose there.
Doesn’t it look fun
To pretend you’ve earned your wings
Long before you do?
Keep working at it!
You, too, can look angelic…
Now – try acting it!!
After our angel tour in Riverside, we went with Janet and Charley to the Mission Inn. The Christmas decorations all still were up – only of course, the outdoor light display was not twinkling. We could see all the light bulbs, though. Must have been a million of them.
I hope you had a happy Saturday, too.
You can see mine was quite enjoyable.
I think I already see some feathers growing …
See ya tomorrow.
Don’tcha just hate it:
The end of Christmas season?
Can’t it last all year?
Leave lovely lights on;
Keep the manger love alive.
Let the angels sing 🎶
Don’tcha just hate it:
The thought of putting away
The decorations?
Keep Christmas alive
In your heart and in your life
The entire year long.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
I pray your first day of the new year was wonderful.
See ya tomorrow.
From George & Kathy Goodrich
A poem by Madeleine L’Engle
First Coming
He did not wait till the world was ready,
till men and nations were at peace.
He came when the Heavens were unsteady,
and prisoners cried out for release.
He did not wait for the perfect time.
He came when the need was deep and great.
He dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. He did not wait
till hearts were pure. In joy he came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
he came, and his Light would not go out.
He came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word make Flesh
the Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Madeleine L’Engle
John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us,
and we have seen His Glory…
full of grace and truth.”
Meaningful Relationships
Meaningful Conversations
help lead to
Meaningful Relationships.
The grace and truth of “The Word”
are two of the most essential elements
of meaningful conversations.
“The Word” is Christ – His Love – and His Example to us.
The “thinking, talking, and acting”
in faith are essential elements of
meaningful relationships.
Importance of Intimate Words
Meaningful conversation is not small talk.
It is heart-felt, genuine sharing from your soul.
It’s transparent.
It doesn’t have to be long.
It has to be deep and authentic.
It has to be free of intimidation,
and opening intimate…
knowing it is spoken in TRUST.
From “This Day’s Thought,” an anonymous quote reminds us:
“The love in your heart wasn’t put there to stay,
love isn’t love till it’s given away.”
Stay Connected
Yesterday we went with Ty, Monika and Sam (our son, daughter-in-law, and grandson) to Amador County, California. Kevin (the one in the black jacket) was a high schooler – and friends with Ty in their teens. Distance cannot keep us from remaining friends with Kevin, his wife, Karen, and their beautiful daughter, Morgan.
Just as we stay connected with them through annual Christmas cards and occasional phone calls, and face-to-face visits whenever we can, we also stay connected with Kevin’s parents. Our honest, open, intimate sharing of life’s joys and struggles keeps our friendship alive and meaningful. It’s a blessing!
Family Dynamics
Just as “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we [see] … His Glory… full of grace and truth,” so it is that this son of our flesh, a gift from God himself, dwells among us full of grace and truth. We are so grateful for the way in which he and Monika open their hearts and home to the greater family … and allow us to converge on them en mass!!
We are a diverse group of people, connected by the Love of Christ, the Blessings of the Spirit, and the determination to remain open and honest with one another. It ain’t always easy. It ain’t always purrrdy! But, it is always worth it… and it is what God calls us to do.
Love One Another
I Corinthians … “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always TRUSTS, always HOPES, always preserves.”
May the love in your heart reach out in honest, intimate, trust-worthy conversation. May it protect and preserve your relationships. May it be
Tell me about a relationship
you are keeping alive with
intimate words of love and caring.
Thanks for being a sharing friend.
It’s Friday after Christmas –
The tree is standing there
With lights and ornaments sparkling
But underneath, it’s bare.
Presents all were given
To our loved ones with a smile,
But now the family’s leaving –
Traveling off many a mile.
We created quite a ruckus
As we laughed and reminisced.
Sisters and their families far away
Were in our hearts, but missed.
It’s a quiet Friday morning –
The family is mostly gone.
I sit alone with my memories
In this beautiful early dawn.
What memories of Christmas
Float in your heart this day?
I hope they all are happy ones –
As loved ones are safely on their way.
It’s not the Christmas presents
Given from under the tree;
It’s the present of love’s presence
That means the most to me.
God gave us His Son on Christmas morn.
We celebrate the JOY of Jesus’ birth.
Celebrate the gift of LOVE He gives to us
With our friends and family here on earth.
Merry Christmas weekend to you, my friends.
May Christmas live on in your heart.
May you always remember His gift of grace –
And pass that love and peace along – do your part!
Sending love and hugs…
See ya tomorrow.
Christ First at Christmas
Family, Food and Fellowship
Fun Around the Tree
I hope you had a Christmas filled with Family, food, and fun, too. I pray your memories are as sweet as mine. Merry Christmas, my friends. May the spirit of the holidays live in your heart and bring you joy – all year long!
Have a great day after.
See ya tomorrow.
Time for kids and joy
It’s Sunday before Christmas
Church and friends and love
The sanctuary
Is ready for the people
The Son waits with us
Fifth Advent candle
Waits with us for Christmas Day
Hope, love, joy, and peace
All are brightly lit
But not the center candle
It represents Christ
Flowers decorate
The stairs to the church’s front
Poinsettias tell all
Kathy and Jaime
Beautifully play the songs
That ring in Christmas
The smiles of children
Remind is of the Christ Child
Whose birth we await
Today’s sermon was told by Elaine Hundley, in her husband Rev. Steve Hundley’s absence. The sermon focused on Joseph, the baby Jesus’ earthly father.
We pray for Steve as he sits at his dying mother’s bedside way over on the other side of the USA. We pray for Elaine who is experiencing her first Christmas apart from Steve in 42 years! She remained here to carry on Steve’s ministry in our church. God bless her!
I listened carefully to capture the message as Elaine delivered a sermon Steve had written some years ago. To understand the introduction, you need to know that Steve and Elaine are adoptive parents.
Here are my poetic renderings:
“Feeling Good About Christmas”
The adoption agency checked us out.
They made sure we were okay.
I wonder what God did to check out
Mary and Joseph to parent Jesus His way.Joseph was a righteous man who
Believed the angel Gabriel who told:
“The baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
So Joseph didn’t desert her – nor scold.
He took her to be his wife,
And ignored what might have been said
By the town folks as they gossiped.
He knew she was pure and had not “gone to bed.”
Joseph was a good man, a believer,
Who read and understood God’s grace.
He saw through the Holy Spirit’s lenses,
And was able to accept this Holy Child
from God’s Holy place.
May we, too, know the Christ Child
as God’s gift to us. Amen!
Happy Fourth Sunday of Advent.
May the peace of Christ permeate your heart
and give you a peace-filled week.
Have a good Sunday night.
See ya tomorrow.
Most Valuable Player =
Motivate
Validate
Praise
That’s ME
(and all my TOPS friends!)
What is TOPS?
TOPS is a national organization designed to help folks like me Take Off Pounds Sensibly and keep those pounds off. It is not a diet program, but a supportive organization that focuses on Mind Over Platter. Sensible meal choices, portion control, and self-control are three of the ways TOPS encourages reaching and keeping healthy weight goals.
Why Join?
I joined TOPS in 2012 shortly after Bob & I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. I saw myself in those anniversary photos and said, “Who’s that???” I had gained 20 pounds in about twenty years – a pound a year. It just crept up so slowly that I didn’t notice how out-of-shape I was! See those chubby cheeks? I needed help to get back to my goal weight.
Accountability
Today I am back down those 20 pounds and am encouraged each week when I go to my TOPS meeting to keep the pounds off. I have to face the scale and tell my TOPS friends (most of whom are KOPS – Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) whether I gained, lost, or “turtled” this week. (Turtling is staying the same.) That accountability is important to me.
I was the happy TOPS “Best Loser” today.
Every 1/4 lb. counts. I lost 1/2 lb. (Yay!!)
It’s so easy to put the pounds on this time of year.
I think of my TOPS friends and that scale
every time I put a piece of candy
or a Christmas cookie in my mouth.
I am not asked to deny myself…
Just be smart about how much
and when I eat those sweets!
Is Weight Watching Part of Your Routine?
If, like me, you have to watch what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat – or you are prone to gain unwanted pounds, you might also look into seeing if there is a group like TOPS in your vicinity. The dues are only $5 per month. There are no foods you have to buy. No extra costs. Just a wonderful group of supportive friends. I am so grateful to my TOPS friends.
I encourage you to seek friends who are MVPs for you, too.
Motivators
Validators
Positive friends who Praise and encourage you.
Happy Holidays!
Hugs to You !!
Inspire to Love
Let the SonShine!
You inspire me to respond
Learning to Live; Living to Learn; Learning to Love; Living in Love
Written
on December 25, 2019