Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘compassion’

Let’s Be Whole!

We are a divided country.
The words “they” and “them”
are heard more frequently today
than ever before in my 80 years of life.

What is causing this?
And what can we do about it?
Here is one man’s suggestion.
I think it is so true.

Right on!
It’s as true in China (where the Corona virus is rampant,
and citizens are bravely speaking out against
a government that acted slowly
on the knowledge of the virus),
as it is in the USA where
election rhetoric
is hateful and divisive.

So how do we begin to “fight for each other?”

From his prison cell in Rome, Paul wrote to the people of Colosse. He had visited there before his imprisonment. His letter to them in the book of Colossians was written to encourage them, just as we, the people of this divided world, need encouragement today.

Colossians 2: 1-3
“I want you to know how much I am struggling for you… and for all those who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart, and united in love, so they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Colossians 2:8
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of the world rather than on Christ.”

Colossians 3:12-14
“Therefore… clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive what ever grievances you may have against one another… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

Yes, the Bible has words of wisdom, words of advise for ALL in times of trouble. We need only open its pages to find scripture that directs our paths toward the unity we all seek. In Colossians, Paul tells us to put on:

  • compassion
  • kindness
  • humility
  • gentleness
  • patience
  • LOVE

… and in so doing, we will find the peace of Christ living in our hearts.
We are members of one body.
We are ONE.
We need to know that without a doubt
and act accordingly.

Don’t let hateful rhetoric divide our oneness
into the “they-them” and “we-us” mentality!

We’re all in this together.
Let’s be whole!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.


Have a Marvelous, Love-filled Monday!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Belief, books, Faith, friendship, Giving, God, health, Jesus, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, peace, prayer, respect, Serving One Another, Sharing

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What’s Important?

So, what’s really important?

Ask yourself that question.

What are the items, ideas, concepts, people, activities that come to mind?

It’s a sobering question in today’s world, an important question to address, and your answer really should direct your thoughts, time, and actions.

What’s My Answer?

Your answer to that important question most likely will be very different from mine. That’s okay, because it is a crucial question – and it needs to be answered personally. Here are my thoughts:

  • Our earth’s survival … especially in light of climate change and the way it is causing floods, earthquakes, forest fires, animal deaths, a reduction of safe human water supply, etc.
  • Our USA democracy’s future; the future of our adherence to the constitution, and the results of the 2020 presidential election
  • Morals… our ability as a people in the world to live in Christ-like love, treating one another with respect and compassion
  • Sharing our resources, caring for one another, using our sense of kindness and our resources and talents to be all God made us to be
  • Tell me what you would add in terms of “What’s Important to You?”

Making a Difference

Even though my list starts out with global and national concerns, and I am committed to doing whatever I can, the place where I feel we can do the most good is on that one-on-one contact. If we look at those giant problems, we sometimes conclude they are too big for us to do anything about them, even though they may be “most important” to us.

So, bottom line, while I support “Pure Love Does” to educate children in third world countries, and I reach out with “Clean Water” donations and other monetary ways to support worthy causes, what’s most important to me is what I do day after day in tangible ways:

What’s Most Important to YOU?

Here’s another of mine:

Share your ideas with me!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Serving One Another

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Sprinkle Kindness

When you can choose
Between being Right
And being Kind,
Always choose Kindness.
Then you’ll always be Right!

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Photo by Nishant Aneja on Pexels.com

What this world needs
Is more Kindness,
More Love,
More Compassion.
Sprinkle them generously!

It actually doesn’t need
A bucketful of Love
Or a bowl full of Kindness
Just a kind word does wonders!

My word for today is “Kindness.”
I pray God will help you and me
think only kind thoughts,
speak only kind words,
and
do only kind acts.

Share one kind thought
that sprinkles out of your mind today!

Category:

Living in Harmony, Love, peace, prayer

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Running Low

Are you running low?
Finding energy is scarce?
Go to your refuel.

Where’s your refuel place?
Is it visiting a friend?
I did that today.

Took time to converse
With a compassionate soul.
Did a world of good!

“Refuel” is a place
On the web by Bayside Church.
It’s one place to fuel.

Refuel by blogging.
Refuel by singing a song.
Refuel by walking.

It’s necessary;
Self-care’s a priority
Not a luxury.

If you’re out of gas,
You can’t help others or YOU.
STOP, rest, breathe and PRAY.

Let God fill you up
With His compassionate love.
It’s better than gas!

Have a Happy Wednesday!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, Giving, God, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another, writing

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Beautiful People

You are beautiful
You’re loving and you’re sincere
You care and you share

Love is palpable
With smiles on both their faces
Inner beauty shines


Beautiful people
Reach out to others in love
In all walks of life

People like Bob Goff
Reach out and help folks “Dream Big”
He knows that “Love Does”

Beautiful people
Look for those who are hurting
And they lift them up

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Pexels.com

You can lift them up
You don’t have to be a priest
To be used by God

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Just being yourself,
Your beautiful loving self,
Is more than enough

You are beautiful
Your unconditional love
Enlarges your heart

Hearts are expanding
With each act of sincere love
You exude pure joy

Beautiful person,
– Sami, Elko, Nevada –
Shares love at her work

Make the world better
Be the beautiful person
God made you to be

Do you know you are a Beautiful Person?
I do!

SEE YA LATER

Category:

Belief, friendship, Giving, God, Haiku, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Poetry, self-acceptance, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Six Kindness Keys

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

On her September 26th blog, aroused calmkate posted this:

I think kindness is the key
to all that I might be

if I’m kind to others
they might be kind to me

if I live in kindness
there will be more harmony

any kindness I convey
radiates an awesome way

if no kindness in their heart for me
move away, let them be

they are kind to others I will see
just healthier for me to flee

please try your kindness key
it might just set us free

I responded with, “…Kindness is indeed the key to living a meaningful, happy life. It is ours to give, whether or not it is reciprocated. The ones who lack the “Kindness Key” are locked out of so much joy, but they don’t have to rob ours! Our kindness is ours to give – and the more we give away, the more we have. It’s like love that way.”

The more we give away, the more we have!

The 6 Keys to Kindness

Yes, kindness is a key… but there are keys to kindness, too.
Here are a few that come to my mind:

  • Self acceptance (it’s hard to be kind to others while being mean to yourself!)
  • Compassion (we need to open our eyes to others’ needs and exude empathy)
  • Courtesy (being kind involves being courteous – even in the face of rudeness)
  • Gentleness (yes, responding with a gentle heart is a necessary turn of the key)
  • Grace (this word is a gift from God… sometimes it is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that we can return kindness in the face of hurt)
  • Patience (often I need to count to 10, or 25, before I can respond with kindness… it’s not my human nature for my first response always to be kindness)
What other keys to kindness
come to your mind?

Have a Marvelous Monday.
See ya later.

Category:

friendship, Giving, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry

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Are You a Natural?

Are You a Natural?

A Natural WHAT?
You want to be NATURAL…
But, NATURAL WHAT?

In today’s sermon, Rev. Steve Hundley at the Madison Valley Presbyterian Church used this as his sermon topic: “The Natural.”

If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, you know I have a habit of taking notes in poetry while listening to the sermon. It helps me listen better, and recall the message later on. I like to share my notes with you. Here are today’s:

The advertisement asked for
A new pastor for a tired church,
Worn down and worn out.
They were left in the lurch.

The Hebrew Church felt
The way this ad describes.
Weak knees and weak hands was
How they were depicted by scribes.

Jesus, the High Priest, is superior,
The scribes reminded them.
Pay attention to what He said and did.
They were given a long list from Him.

Be kind to strangers, remembering
You may be entertaining angels.
Be kind to one another, because
You, too, will someday be strangers.

Be kind and compassionate
Until that behavior is natural.
When people call you Christ-like,
Be sure that remark is factual.

Remember those who are suffering
As if you’re suffering, too.
Pay attention to those around –
They surely need love from you,

Behavior becomes a habit
If you practice it enough.
So, practice loving behavior
Until sharing it ain’t so tough!

Become a NATURAL Christian,
One who loves without a second thought.
Help us, Lord, to use our lessons daily –
Being as Christ-like as we’ve been taught.

Photo by Wendy van Zyl on Pexels.com

If I have the courage to “be myself” while realizing “I am a wonderful person,” then I need to be analytical. WHAT is it that I have been TAUGHT? And are all those lessons the ones I need in order to be a “Natural” at being a “Christian”? What does being a “Natural Christian” mean?

I need to ask myself, “Have you practiced loving behavior enough to be a natural at it? What’s your first response in the face of strangers?”

What do you think, friends, what are you a Natural at?

See ya later

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another

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The Road to Inner Peace

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“In today’s world,
despite ample material development,
too many lack inner peace.
One way to counter anger, jealousy and competitiveness
is to cultivate non-violence
and compassion towards others.”

-Dalai Lama

Cultivate Compassion

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When you have a friend who’s down,
You may not be able to physically lift them up,
But you can bend down to understand
And massage their heart and fill their cup.

Giving comfort to others who hurt
Seems to lift my spirit as much as theirs.
Compassion is directed in as well as out,
It’s a two-way street, an up-the-down stairs!

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Journey Inward

“And you? When will you begin that long journey inward?”
– Rumi

I am certain that my friend, Lilie, is on the road to inner peace. Yesterday she quoted the wisdom I copied above from Rumi on her WordPress blog, Tea and Toast with Kindness.

I learn a lot by reading the ruminations of others. This week I especially appreciated the writings of Dr. Perry in his blog,

Dr. PerrySep 15, 2019bloggingpositivitymotivation

Dr. Perry, posted a blog titled, It’s OK to Have a Bad Day. It caused me to internalize this inward journey for peace and think about the habits I have worked to develop in order to be my own best friend.

He quoted Emerson, who wrote:
““Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo by David Garrison on Pexels.com

Ten Habits of Peaceful Living

Traveling inward, looking for contentment, I have found that I need to consciously adopt habits that foster inner peace:

  1. Forgiveness
  2. Positivity
  3. Self-Acceptance
  4. Recognition of Limitations
  5. Confrontation of Temptations
  6. Elimination of Blame
  7. Hope in the Face of Despair
  8. Celebration of Where my Hope Lies
  9. Life-long Learning
  10. Prayer

Reflect

In the process of traveling the Road to Inner Peace, it is important to stop every now and then to look back. Consider your progress or regression. Have you every noticed when you’re traveling up a hill that you don’t realize how steep it is until you look back at the incline you have just traversed?

Likewise, when the road is on a decline, you may not realize how drastic the angle until you stop and look back up to the place you began. Reflecting on where you started and seeing how far you have improved or deteriorated can be very helpful.

Dr. Perry, in the post I referenced above says it this way,
“After a period of time, reflect on what you have learned and gained from the negative event or interaction in your life. More often than not you will find that you have learned something. Perhaps you will discover an inner strength that you were not aware of or a higher purpose for your existence.”

Find Purpose

In her September 27th, The Godly Chic Diaries posted a WordPress guest writer. She introduced Matik Nicholls by saying, “I’m a firm believer that if you have a pulse, you have a purpose. I say this with my whole heart, Everyone needs a blessing. And if you have the ability to bless others, be a blessing. And when you are a blessing to others, you will find ‘joy unspeakable’ in the process….”

Photo by Samantha Garrote on Pexels.com

Guest Blogger: Matik Nicholls wrote:
“Every gift, ability and blessing we have
is for the service of others.
We are blessers not blessees!
We carry the presence of God
wherever we go
for a greater purpose
than just for us to be happy.
It is our privilege and purpose
to transfer the blessings of God to others!”

Take Joy in the Journey

Photo by Bekka Mongeau on Pexels.com

Traveling life’s road,
I take joy in the journey.
Spreading it’s my goal.

With The Godly Chic’s help, I discovered this new website, and decided to subscribe to it. The author, Matik Amilcar Nicholls, has created an inspirational web blog at http://www.Authenticjoy.org. This handsome, positive-thinking young man resides in the beautiful islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
On his site, he shared, “I am an engineer by training, having graduated from the University of the West Indies with a B.Sc. Computer and Electrical Engineering (with honours). More recently, I completed an M.B.A. with the Heriot-Watt University. I also have a certificate in Applied Theology (class valedictorian) from the Millennium Bible Institute and currently I am pursuing an online programme with the International Coaching Academy to become a Certified Coach.”

Naturally, reading about him, I am inspired to want to learn more. My Road to Inner Peace is made more successful when I can join hands on the journey with people like Matik. People in other parts of the world. People whose life stories are far different from mine, but who share the common purpose of wanting to “Be a Blessing.” I encourage you to let Matik’s JOY infect you as I found it to be quite “catching” indeed!

Like me, spreading joy
– and the source of his joy (his FAITH) –
is what Matik says he is all about.
He wrote,
“I love Jesus. I love spending time with Him.
I love His mercy that keeps flowing endlessly in my life.
I love what He stands for:
love, grace, mercy, peace,
truth, freedom, humility and transformation.
I am committed to these values.
I’m committed to doing my part to preach the gospel,
heal the sick, feed the poor,
comfort the hurting and free the oppressed…
I enjoy seeing people walk in the fullness
of all that God has for them to be and do.“

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Walk in the fullness
Of all that God has for you
Find that Inner Peace.

Amen!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, blogging, contentment, Faith, friendship, God, Gratitude, Haiku, happiness, Love, peace, Poetry, writing

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No More Us/Them

twitter.com/dalailama/status/1183676726317965312

Category:

learning, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, respect

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7 Habits of Effective Lovers

Loving is Connecting.
Blogging is Connecting.

My blog, “Loving One Another” is all about how to love, encourage, and inspire one another. Cristian Mihai of “The Art of Blogging” says we need to be able to express in 6 words or less why we blog and what we blog about.

I answered his query saying,
“I spread love and inspiration daily.”
That’s six words.

I augmented my answer by adding,
“I plan to inspire, inform, entertain, and encourage.”

I find pictures to enhance my messages.
And I am inspired by other bloggers’ messages.
Hopefully we shine on one another.

If we want to shine, to inspire and encourage others, to be unconditional, effective lovers, are there some tips we need to keep in mind?

Yes, I believe there are habits that lovers of people, lovers of animals, lovers of nature and of God, need to develop. I think they include these SEVEN HABITS OF EFFECTIVE LOVERS:

1. Listening with Intent

Effective lovers perk up their ears and really hear the voices, the sounds, the cries and laughter, the heart of everything around them.

2. Seeing non-judgmentally

Effective lovers look for the best in others. They see what they’re looking for. They see the person, animal or object as the Creator intended them/it to be. They imagine perfection, wholeness, beauty. They bring out the love that’s embedded in what they see.

3. Feeling with Compassion & Empathy

Effective lovers feel what others are feeling. They are compassionate and empathetic … not sympathetic. They don’t look at someone or something and say, “Oh, I feel so sorry for you/it.” They try to put themselves in the others’ shoes. They look for solutions. They offer real help. They fertilize the dying bush or bring the parched animal a drink.

4. Reaching Out

Effective lovers extend a helping hand without being asked. Their “feelers” are out looking for ways to help. They have a servant’s heart.

5. Taking Time

A habit effective lovers develop is the act of taking time for others. Whether it is visiting a friend who’s sick, caring for a pet while its owner is away, watering a garden, going to a nursing home, building a birdhouse or helping to complete a project, the effective lover is ever ready.

6. Praying

Knowing your own power is limited, knowing we’re all imperfect mortals who need divine guidance, effective lovers pray for others, pray for world peace, pray for endangered species and help in times of disasters and seemingly insurmountable struggles. Effective lovers reach for help beyond themselves.

We know our own limitations, and we know our own weaknesses. We know we do not always exhibit the kindness, patience and gentleness that effective lovers need. So, we ask for divine guidance and help from the One who strengthens us.

7. Tenacity

Effective lovers have staying power. They are tenacious. They are in it for the long haul. They are not quick to let go. Instead, they continue to love through thick and thin.

Like this beautiful spider web that is covered with snow, but hanging on for dear life as the wind howls outside my sanctuary, this web has a job to do. It will capture any insects that survive the storm … it will provide food for the spider that created it. It hangs on and fulfills its given purpose.

Substitute “children” in the message above
for “friends” or “spouse”
or “pets” or whatever fits for you.
What is your purpose that you are living to fulfill?

Being an Effective Lover involves listening, seeing, feeling, reaching, taking time, praying, and being tenacious… and it’s worth all that effort because you know:

“What you bring into the lives of others comes back into your own.”

Do you agree with these 7 habits or qualities
for “Effective Lovers”?
Do you have others you might add?

Tell me!

God Bless You!

See ya tomorrow

Category:

friendship, Giving, God, Life's Challenges, Love, prayer, Serving One Another, truth

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