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Posts tagged ‘confidence’

Bee Confident

Let’s bee confident
Bee in partnership with God
Ask for world peace

Let’s take a lesson
From our wise honeybee friends
Work for common good

Let’s circle our hive
Let’s make honey and not war
Let’s bee confident

Beelieve when we pray
That God hears and He responds
Know that He’s in charge

Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it will bee given you;
search, and you will find;
knock, and the door will bee opened for you.”

People in Ukraine
Are questioning sanity
How can all this bee?

Why this aggression?
Last month they lived peacefully.
No one suspected.

How could anyone
Imagine atrocities
As bad as these are?

James 4:10

“Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and He will lift you up in honor.”

Lord, we are humbled
Bee merciful to us now
Hear our earnest pleas

Terrifying bombs
Are killing and destroying
Please send protection

PUTIN, take lessons
From our wise honeybee friends
Work for common good!

WordPress friends,
Pray to God, our Father, with me:

Let there bee peace
The peace that was meant to bee
I am confident

Confident, my Lord
That You can make peace to bee
Bring peace to Ukraine.


BEE at PEACE!!

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Where two or more are gathered,
There our God is with us…
Working for our common good.

Praise God
from whom
all blessings flow…

Lord, thank you for our blessings.
Please bless the Ukrainians with peace.
Please.
Amen!

Embrace Confidence

Whence cometh your trust?
Where’s your confidence?
Who helped you believe?

From whence comes value –
Value you carry inside?
Who builds your self worth?

Insecurity
And self-doubt can invade you.
Do you lock them out?

Photo by William Eickler on Pexels.com

The keys to your trust
Are in God’s love and mercy.
He made and loves you.

Your value in Christ
Should give you great confidence.
Carry your head high!

As as Child of God,
You join His Royal Family.
Embrace confidence!

Embrace family love.
Gather and build others up.
Love one another.

Photo by August de Richelieu on Pexels.com

Family confidence
Comes from great togetherness
And sharing your love.

“See what great love
the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!”

1 John 3:1

As a child, my mom was the family member who built my confidence. She assured me that I could do whatever I set my mind to. She supported every effort academically, socially, and spiritually. She told me, “If you don’t accept your high value, you not only deny yourself, but you minimize your Creator.” Her confidence in my abilities made me sure of my capabilities.

Did you have a family member or friend, a Sunday School teacher, or a neighbor, an aunt or an uncle who helped you build up your confidence? Someone who reminded you, “God don’t make no junk”?

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The Bible is clear
that I can’t do anything
to make my Father in Heaven
love me more or less.

Our confidence is built
when our earthly family
assures us likewise
that we are loved unconditionally –
and that they believe in us.

So, fully believe
In God’s mercy and His love.
There’s success in you!

God put success there!
He implanted confidence.
Believe your value!

Embrace Confidence!!

Is there someone in your life who could use a little confidence building?
Is there someone you can build up by assuring them of their self-worth?
Is there someone who needs to hear that you believe in them –
and that you think they can do whatever they set their mind to do?
Do they need to know “God don’t make no junk?”
Go out and raise ’em up!


See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek

Embrace Confidence

These two little darlings exude happiness, confidence, pure joy…
I can’t help but smile when I look at them. (I bet you’re smiling, too)
I’ve been saving this photo for just the right time.
Today is it!

In my devotionals this morning, I read an article by Brenda Wade, Ph.D.
Brenda is based in San Francisco. She hosts a radio talk show, “Modern Love”
and she facilitates trainings on relationships. Her article in the Jan.-Feb. Unity magazine,
Daily Word, is titled, “Overcoming Racism, Healing from Shame, Opening to Love.”

“The love and peace we want to know in our lives begins inside of us,” Dr. Wade wrote.
“This has been on my mind lately as I’ve dug deeply into … my work, leading anti-racism trainings.”

In her article, she went on to describe an incident in her life that deeply affected her self-image. She was only 6-years-old.

“One day at school, my classmates and I were told to line up two by two and hold hands. I extended my hand, but the girl standing next to me refused to take it. ‘I can’t hold your hand,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘My mother told me your skin is brown because it’s dirty.’ I was confused. My skin was brown, but it certainly was not dirty.”

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It took years for that little 6-year-old to deal with the hurt. Her young brain just didn’t understand. She felt immediate rejection, pain, and the sting of shame. The notion that there was something wrong with her kept her from telling the teacher or her parents. She just carried that message of inferiority with her and it was reinforced by a high school principal who ignorantly expressed surprise that someone of her color could score so high on her tests.

It was further reinforced in graduate school when a department chair “was more interested in my race than my qualifications” – and as an adult when “a landlord candidly admitted he was denying me housing because I am African American.”

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

How does someone overcome
such prejudicial treatment
and regain the confidence
that ALL PEOPLE deserve?


That is the question Dr. Walker
deals with in her profession.
She conquered it in her own life with
“years of psychological work,
spiritual practice,
self-care, and healing.”

Dr. Brenda Wade wrote,
“When we feel too hurt or afraid
to let ourselves out,
it becomes impossible
to let others in.”

Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com

Embrace the confidence
that there is
hope and a future
and a return of self-confidence
when self-insight
and self-love
can be applied.

The pain of those early wounds go deep.

We know that
we ALL have a responsibility
to respond to one another in love,
with compassion and respect,
and to stand together hand-in-hand
to obliterate oppression and prejudice.

Embrace that future
with
confidence and determination!

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Pastoral Prayer

Yesterday during our ZOOM church service, our pastor, Steve Hundley, offered the following prayer. It is just what I needed to hear as I embrace with confidence the power of prayer and the belief that God hears, God cares, and God answers us when we cry out to Him:

“How many times in Your earthly ministry, O Lord, did You touch the fevered brows of those who were ill; or, the trembling hands of those who were afraid; or, the sagging shoulders of those bowed down in grief?

Walk among us now, we pray, and touch us for the same reasons…
* Let those who are ill in body or in spirit feel the power of Your presence, and sense that healing is taking place.
* We pray for all those sick with COVID throughout our nation and world…
* Give those who are constricted by fears and anxieties a feeling of relaxation in Your grace.
* Let peace flow over them like a river, carrying them away from self-preoccupation and into the openness of love and sharing…
* Pour out the hope of Your resurrection upon those who are grieving the loss of loved ones…
* May they walk the Emmaus Road with You and feel their hearts strangely and wonderfully warmed…
* In the chaos and uncertainty of the coming weeks and months, give us confidence of faith in knowing that You are Lord of our lives and Lord of this world, and that You are working Your purpose out…
* As Your children, O Lord, You know how often we recoil from those things that should not frighten or upset us in this world. Comfort us with Your presence, and teach us so to live within the disciplines of faith, so that, we are never without You.”

Amen                         

Embrace with Confidence,
my friends,
the knowledge that you
regard all God’s Children as equals…
and determine never to inflict on anyone
the pain of rejection
or the sting of shame.

As God’s children…
Let us live as One.
Let’s just walk around makng the world a better place!
Embrace Confidence!

Hugs to you.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Protected

I’m told Mother’s milk
Protects a baby at birth
And provides comfort

Photo by Cleyder Duque on Pexels.com

It’s a bit risque’
To post such a photograph
But it proves a point

Innocent Babies
Who nurse on their mother’s milk
Have immunity

Like that babe in arms
We, too, are safe – protected
In the arms of God

Job 11:18

“And you will have confidence,
because there is hope;
you will be protected
and take your rest
in safety.”

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com

Prayer of Protection

The light of God surrounds me
The love of God enfolds me
The power of God protects me
The presence of God watches over me
Wherever I am, God is.

My Sanctuary

I repeat that prayer
As I begin every day,
Standing in this spot.

I turn off the light
And let God’s light shine through me –
Reflecting His Love.

Everywhere I go,
I have faith that everything
Has His protection.

My view from my sanctuary

The Bible is full
Of protection promises
Here’s three hours worth!!!

No, I don’t expect you to sit here for three hours
and listen to all these scriptures, but they prove a point…
just as that nursing baby proves a point.
Protection is out there.
Protection is yours.
“Wherever I am, God is.”
Believe it! Own it!

God is my refuge… my Savior.
Jesus said, “Never will I leave you.
Never will I forsake you.”

I pray you feel His protection this day, too.

God bless you!

I hope you found comfort here.

The Lord is my Shepherd….
He refreshes my soul
and guides me along the right path.
Fear no evil…

See you tomorrow.
Hugs, JanBeek

Major Setbacks

How many setbacks
Has life tossed your way?
Have they made you stronger
And more confident today?

What kinds of setbacks
Add quality to your life?
Do you gain ultimate happiness
By walking through major strife?

What constitutes a setback?
Loss of a job, death of a spouse,
Disappointment at a missed goal?
Losing a bid on your dream house?

How do setbacks make us stronger?
COVID-19 is a world-wide setback.
Will this pandemic make us better?
Will it teach us the compassion we lack?

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

We are one…
We all have setbacks…
We need to reach out to one another…
We need to help one another – pull each other up –
And be sure this setback teaches us the lessons we need to learn.
What are they?

See ya tomorrow.
Hugs,
JanBeek

Doing Your Best

Parents As Teachers

In today’s COVID-19 world, a lot of parents world-wide have become their child’s primary teacher. Even though many of the students have access to on-line classes, still parents discover they must oversee the learning process. Most parents are not prepared for this role. Are you one of them who sometimes feels overwhelmed by it??

Do Not Despair

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You’re not alone! Many parents who are on this “Stay at Home” routine find themselves thrust into a much more intense teacher role than they ever bargained for. Your time spent with your child/student during this time is precious. You’re making life-long memories. Make them happy ones!

I am a retired educator. I spent more than two decades as an elementary teacher and administrator. During that time, I had the opportunity to experience first-hand how the expectations of others affects our self-evaluations. Our expectation for ourselves affects our self-esteem, too. Just know you are doing your best! Hang in there!

Do Your Best

How do you know when you have done your best? Who helps you determine what your best is?

I learned from a wise educator (Madeline Hunter) in an in-service once upon a time eons ago that the question is not, “Are you smart?” The question is, “How are you smart?” What a difference that makes!

As teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, friends, our task is to look for the natural strengths in others (as well as in ourselves). We all have them. Dig! Find the positives. Build on successes. Learn from, but do not emphasize, failures. Reward achievement.

Build On Strengths

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Did you read my blog a couple days ago when I told you about our adventures on “Lucille” our Polaris Razor? She is a red-head who is a “Ball” – but she required a whole new level of “Do Your Best” when Bob took her into snow that was too deep for her body. Lucille high-centered and Bob was stuck. His best efforts at digging I her out were not good enough. She was not budging!

Nope, Lucille wasn’t going anywhere. She was stuck!

What does this have to do with “Build On Strengths?” Well thank God, we had friends with us – and one of them, Rex, has a wonderful Boy Scout skill: “Be prepared.” He had the necessary equipment to hook up a rope to his ATV and latch the other end of it to Lucille. He pulled our ATV out of that snow… and “saved our bacon!”

Bob & I can learn from Rex’s strengths. Be prepared! Carry a rope and the necessary winch in case of emergency in the future. And when the rope came loose at the end of the reel, Rex taught Bob how to secure it with a set pin so that it would not come loose again. God bless Rex! And as for us… we’re never too old to learn!

Focus on the Positive

My favorite expression when I was counseling teachers was one with poor grammar, but with great truth: “What you pay attention to is what you get more of.”

Want success? Find the best effort and praise it! Find what the student does best and teach through that strength. Sometimes our teaching is by example – people just watch what we do. Certainly our kids are perfect examples of that! It doesn’t work to tell them “Do as I say, not as I do!” They WATCH!!

Teaching is a JOY!

After I retired, I had the fun of teaching adults who had not learned yet how to read. I joined the volunteers in the “Stanislaus Literacy Program” in Modesto, California.

When I met her, Grace was an illiterate adult. She was nearly 40 and she had spent the last 30 years avoiding the world of print. Her “best” was sorting clothes from the dressing rooms at JC Penney and putting them back on the proper racks. No words needed for that task. But she hated being unable to read. She hid it well, but it made her feel “less than.” You can imagine!

Grace enrolled in the adult literacy program and I had the privilege of working with her to unlock the world of print. Sorting letters was a lot like sorting clothes. Matching capital to small case letters, sounds to letters, classifying vowels and consonants. One step at a time, backing up to the beginning, building on her strengths, we did it. The joy in Grace’s life when she discovered she could read menus, street signs, and billboards was palpable! Next step: books. A whole new world opened up to her.

Have you ever watched the light glow in a learner’s eyes when the key to a previously locked skill is found and the door opens? “I did my best” took on a whole new meaning for me!

You can watch that key unlock new learning, new ideas, new attitudes for your child. These days offer parents great opportunities.

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Help Break Down Tough Concepts

When anyone is asked to perform at a level above their capabilities, frustration abounds. I’ve had that happen to me. I was put in a place where I was supposed to lead a ZOOM group. Be the host. What? At that time, I didn’t even know what ZOOM was!

But, I WOULD have been capable of that performance, if somebody took the time to show me how.

You have a chance to be that somebody for your child… or for a neighbor or friend. With love and patience, and confidence in his/her ability to catch on, be the somebody who breaks it down. Step by step, lead him/her through the process of knowing how, trusting that s/he CAN.

People need to know that we believe in them. Believe in yourself as a teacher. Do your best! Watch the light dawn. It’s a thrill!

Learn Something New

Everyday is a new opportunity to DO MY BEST. My mother-in-law always said, “No day is complete until you have learned something new.”

There is no better way to encourage a student to continue learning than to be the example who is a life-long learner.

What will I tackle with confidence today?

How about you?

Photo by Tim Gouw on Pexels.com

Tell me about a skill you want to acquire.
Then, Just do it!

See ya tomorrow.

Have Faith and Step Out

Life Swirls Around You

Back in 2012, shortly after I first started blogging, I posted this poem that I wrote at least 20 years ago. It is more true today than it was then… and fits perfectly into the theme of the blog I posted earlier today.

Have Faith and Step Out

Don’t overlook your life’s importance
or minimize your worth.
It doesn’t matter if you’re on an allowance
or on Social Security;
No matter where you are in life,
You have so much to give.

The vital part of your life
Never disappears or fades away.
Each of us is vital to God.
He gives us the courage to go out and live,
to heed His call and step out in faith
on a new journey today.

In faithful obedience, lean forward
to hear Him; He doesn’t shout.
His call is quiet and personal.
Get serious. Listen carefully.
Are you up for a new journey?
Have faith and step out!

Yup, step out!

Thanks for checking back in with me.
See ya tomorrow.

Dreams

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Harriet Tubman

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Christopher Reeve

“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon seem inevitable.”

Denis Waitley

“Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire—you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.”

Walt Disney

“The secret of making dreams come true can be summarized in four C’s. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy; and the greatest of these is Confidence.”

Henry David Thoreau

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”

Photo by Just Name on Pexels.com

John Lennon

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”

I believe in dreams –
And I believe in you!

Time to go to bed
Off you go into dreamland
Make your dreams come true!

Sweet dreams, my friend!
See ya tomorrow.

Yet Another Day

This little 3″ x 5″ book titled,
Yet Another Day
was copyrighted in 1905.

 

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My mother-in-law bought it at a flea market for $1.00
in about 1959. I inherited it from her.
This note is in the inside front cover:

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The title page tells you the book, written by Rev. J.H. Jowett, M.A.,
is intended to be used as a prayer for every day of the year.

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The copyright page gives valuable tips,
as valid today as they were 113 years ago!

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Today is December 22nd.
The prayer for today is one I want to share with you.
(I pray I am not breaking copyright laws by sharing this!)

Pray with me, will you?
(And enjoy the beautiful, lyrical language of 113 years ago.)

“Lord of all life, wilt Thou quicken me in the ministry of Thy life-giving Spirit? May no part of my being remain in deadly insensitivity. May I be alive unto God! May all my powers aspire after Thee, as flowers after the sun.”   AMEN!

 

summer garden yellow petals

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O = Opportunities

Day #15 in my A – Z series of “What Makes Me Happy?”

OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities

Should not ever be wasted

Grab onto one now

.

What opportunity might you take advantage of today?

.

Share with me an “O” word that makes YOU happy.

.

Oh, and Happy Halloween!

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