Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘contentment’

Embrace Aloneness

Yesterday was a day to read, relax, and mind the advice of my Unity devotional… rest, recharge my battery, my whole being. I didn’t blog… but I took time to slow down and take breaks. I wasn’t totally alone. My friend, Julie, came by for a few hours and helped me empty my china cabinet in preparation for when we have to clear out all our dining/living room furniture to have the floors redone. Here is the inspirational message that asked me to “experience the peace and tranquility that rejuvenates me.”

The view from my bathroom window

Summer’s behind us
Leaves are turning bright colors
Welcoming Autumn

Before he left on his trip to Alaska Sunday,
Bob spent some quiet time
up in my sanctuary with me

Quiet’s essential
To hear the angels singing
Rejoicing in God

Sitting on my porch,
I glory in the sun’s rays
Rejoicing daily

Aloneness is grand
If you realize one thing:
You’re never alone!

Take time to wander
An imaginary path
Jesus by your side

Know that your friends are
praying for you every day
Watching the sunrise

(Thank you, Lisa, for this)
Imagine flowers
Covering every hillside
Singing God’s glory

Treasure the silence
Embrace precious aloneness
Feel the Holy One

He’s in Swiss mountains
He’s sitting beside rivers
Keeping company
Hear His bubbling voice
Calling from flowing waters,
“Come, find rest with Me!”

Recall beginnings
Embrace blessed aloneness
Rekindle yourself


Watch the trees embrace
The changing of earth’s seasons
Change your season, too

Let Autumn return
In all its wondrous splendor
And color your world
Photo by Ikowh Babayev on Pexels.com

Know you are perfect –
Made in God’s perfect image.
Embrace Aloneness!



Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See you tomorrow (God willing).

Sending gentle hugs and quiet moments of peace
(My bruises are almost all gone!!)

Jan – alone today –
with painting of Bob fishing in the background.

Bob’s in Alaska for the next 7 days.

Pray for his health and safety, please.

And remember … walk on with hope in your heart
and you’ll never walk alone!

Thank you, Andrea Bocelli, for the gift of your voice, your music, your heart!!

Embrace Contentment

Romans 12:18

“If it is possible,
so far as it depends on you,
live peaceably with all.”

With all the strife in the world today,
the least we can do is to live in peace
with ourselves, our neighbors, our families.
And if we see someone in need,
reach out a helping hand.
Heaven knows, regardless of how bad
things seem to be for us,
it never is hard to find someone
who is worse off than we are.

He complained about
Having no shoes for his feet
Others had no feet

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Be contented with the little things.
They really aren’t so little after all!

Philippians 4:11-13

“Not that I am speaking of being in need,
for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
I know how to be brought low,
and I know how to abound.
In any and every circumstance,
I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need.
I can do all things
through him who strengthens me.”

These photos were sent to me by Daughter #2 in Maryland.
That tornado and car pile-up were about 8 miles from her home.
She is thanking God for the fact that the strong winds
she had at her house didn’t knock down trees
or create a power outage.

Philippians 4:6

Keep praying!

Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Pray with Me

God Almighty, I honor and praise You
for the works of Your hands,
for the beauty of the earth,
for the love You have for Your people
and for the animals.
I ask you now to protect
those who are ravaged by tornadoes
and floods, fires, and hurricanes,
wars and injustices.
Help us to know and trust
that You are with us
and You hear and answer
the fervent prayers of Your people.

Save us, Lord.
Bring peace.
Bring safety.
Bring rain to those who need it
and sunshine to those
who need freedom from flooding.

Help us find contentment
in Your care and promises.

Amen

Jan’s black eye fading

Find contentment in little blessings (some of them are not so little):

  • my black & blue eyes are healing
  • the bump on my forehead is decreasing
  • our smoky valley has cleared a little (we can see the mountains again)
  • the firefighters are diligently working to contain the wildfires
  • my grandson, Chris, made it safely to Colombia (that’s him & his girlfriend, Natalia’s picture behind me there)
  • so far our granddaughter’s house in South Lake Tahoe has not caught fire – and they are safely evacuated to stay with their other grandparents in southern CA
  • our son & his wife’s house is safe from the fires (and they are graciously housing a family who were evacuated from theirs)
  • my husband’s doctor has okayed his fishing trip to Alaska (he leaves next Monday) – in spite of some health scares this week – he is better :o)
  • you came to visit my blog and share the message of contentment in your life (in spite of challenges) – I look forward to your comments <3

God bless you!
See ya tomorrow (God Willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Embrace Today

If you knew today
Was your last day to be here
How would you spend it?

Lao Tzu:

“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”

“Respond to anger with virtue.
Deal with difficulties while they are still easy.
Handle the great while it is still small.”

Today is the day
It’s the only day we have
How will we spend it?

More from Lao Tzu:

“Your own positive future begins in this moment.
All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.”

Productivity
Is not always busyness
Take time to settle

When difficulties
Nag at you from every side
God is growing you

Take time to be still
Hear His gentle voice; listen
Think before flying

Caterpillar waits
Inside a tight chrysalis
Time is transforming

Embrace your today
Spend it busily waiting
For the right flight time!

Time keeps on slippin’
Slippin’ into the future
So, Carpe’ Diem!!

Embrace Today!

Photo by Frans Van Heerden on Pexels.com

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today
See ya tomorrow.

Embrace Short Trips

With COVID-19 limiting our travel right now
We need to embrace short trips so
We don’t become so isolated that we
Think we have no where to go.

We can go safely to see the areas
Around the place where we live.
Don’t miss the beauty around you.
They have so much joy to give.

On our way to Ennis Lake

Jack Fences,
dilapidated remnants of an old chimney,
hay rolls and cattle in the field
made our trip toward Ennis Lake
full of beautiful sights to behold.

Ennis Lake was totally covered with ice a few weeks ago.
Now the ice is starting to melt
and the wind has blown it
into ridges along the lake’s edge.

The rock sculpture is amazing
and the snow in the ridges
on the Tobacco Root foothills
is so pretty~

Headed back toward home,
we enjoyed the view of Bear Trap Canyon
and the sunrises and sunsets
God gifts us with here in Ennis, MT.

Ennis is a wonderful place to be…
So if all we can do for now
Is to make short trips around here,
That’s OK.
Let’s just count our blessings,
shall we?

Embrace Short Trips
(until longer ones are safe again)
Be contented where you are!
<3
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow.

Embrace Wisdom

Thank you, dear blogging reader, for tuning in to Day #40 of my “Embrace” series.

Forty is a meaningful number in the Bible.
But its significance is not limited to biblical application.
Forty days:

  • is mentioned 146 times in the Bible.
  • is used to designate important time periods in the Bible.
  • is the number of days before his temptation, that Jesus fasted: “forty days and forty nights” (Matthew 4:2, Mark 1:13, Luke 4:2).
  • is the period from the resurrection of Jesus to the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:3).
  • carries significance in today’s world: Minus 40 degrees, or “40 below,” is the only temperature that is the same in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
  • was important in the Middle Ages: when the bubonic plague gripped Europe, ships would be isolated in harbor for 40 days before passengers could go ashore.
  • is the origin of words we use in today’s pandemic: The Italian word for 40 is quaranta—hence quarantine.
  • is the number of weeks a typical pregnancy actually lasts – Forget nine months!

The wisdom of Jesus’ emphasis on 40 came from God.
Our wisdom has the same source.
All we need to do is tap into it!

James 3:17

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

Proverbs 1:7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Colossians 3:16

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

That state of peaceful happiness,
that contentment,
comes from our ability
to seek wisdom
and to follow the leading
of those words of instruction.

Photo by nappy on Pexels.com

Daniel 1:17

“As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”

Wisdom is not relegated to the aged.
Daniel was a boy of 17 when he was chosen.
You are chosen today to tap into
The wisdom God has for you!

Proverbs 13:20

“Walk with the wise and become wise.”

God gives us true friends
Who are wise and wonderful.
They are His gifts to us
To help us EMBRACE WISDOM

He has chosen friends for us
Who are wise and full of grace.
They walk into our hearts
And leave their footprints all over it!

Watch for those friends
as God puts them in your path!

In today’s Daily Guideposts, Ginger Rue wrote, “…you become like the five people you spend the most time with.” She told a story about how her husband, “Sweet Dwight,” is a person she wishes to emulate. “I hope someday to have a heart like my husband’s: wise, and full of grace… and always looking for the best in people.”

Who is a star in your life, an example of wisdom and grace? Are the five people you spend the most time with people whose lives you wish to emulate? Can you name them?

Bob is a star in my life… and so are CG & Caroline
Terry & Jim are stars in my life
Marcie is the friend everyone wishes s/he had!
She always looks for the good in everyone.

Daniel 12:3

“And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Psalm 147:4

“He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them. “

If the God of Heaven and Earth has named the stars,
And if He has created all that is seen and unseen,
How surely can we count on His wisdom, and
How assured we can be of His Wisdom if we but ask.

Look for the wisdom in the friends you choose.
Embrace the love in their hearts that shines
Like the stars in the sky – and reflects
The wisdom of their Maker who is alive in them.

EMBRACE WISDOM

I pray you have the JOY
of wise and loving friends.
They truly are God’s gifts to us.
Terry & Elaine are two of my wise stars.

Thank You for them, God!

Thank you for visiting JanBeek today.
May the words of my blog
And the thoughts in my heart
Inspire you to reach out to your life’s stars.

(They can be friends we spend on-line time with…
especially in these days of COVID-19 social-distancing!)

Thank them…
and thank God
for His wisdom
that sent them to you!


Remember, we become
like the five
we spend the most time with.
Choose wisely!!

See ya tomorrow.

I’ve Got Peace

I’ve got peace like a river…
Do you?
Sing along!!

Don’t worry if you get the words mixed up.
I did!
I’m singing alto.

I hope you hear Alexa
with the melody in the background.
Add your voice to mine…

I love this song!

Take Peace!
Have a Terrific Tuesday.

Bye for now!
See ya tomorrow.

You got peace like a river
in YOUR soul?
I pray you do…

Hugs,
JanBeek

Find Peace

I can find peace –
It’s here in my heart.
Living in trust
Is a good place to start.

Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels.com

I can find peace
In stillness and prayer.
Don’t need to go far –
Peacefulness is there.

Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

Find peace in the world –
Find oneness with all.
Find joy and contentment –
No need for a wall.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Peace in relationships –
Peace from above.
Just radiate inner peace –
And reach out in love.

Isaiah 32:17

“The effect of righteousness will be peace,
and the result of righteousness
will be quietness and confidence forever.”

Photo by Ololade Masud on Pexels.com

Pray today for
peace,
trust,
stillness,
unity,
joy,
and
contentment .
They are waiting for you…
Just ask!

Sending my love.
Hunkering down.
How about you?

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow.

Too Many Birthdays

Every time Bob and I see someone who is driving like they don’t have a brain in their gray and wrinkled head, we comment to one another, “Too many birthdays!” We’ve been doing that for years. And guess what? Now we are they!!

Gray and wrinkled Bob with graying TazE…
Hey, her butt didn’t used to be gray!!!

Well, at least HE is they! At 81 (he’ll be 82 in December), Bob is 5 months ahead of me. He’ll always be older! I can smile in the rear view mirror, wear a hat to cover the gray, and pretend I’m still a young chick! Heck, age is just a matter of how you feel, right? HEALTH is everything! Love is essential. God is good!

Yup, today is my birthday…
and for the next 5 months,
Bob & I are the same age.
No way!!

The hair may be gray, and the face has a few added wrinkles with “too many birthdays,” but age is a matter of the MIND. Right? If you don’t mind, I don’t mind!

Just don’t call me old!!

Tell me I’m “bee-YOU-tiful”
like this card I received yesterday
from Bob’s sister!
(Thank you, Bonnie)

And pick a few flowers from your garden to decorate your table…
like my neighbor, Sue, did yesterday.
(God bless her)

Keep singing and dancing
(ya gotta keep movin’),
writing and blogging your thoughts,
dreaming and making those dreams come true,
living your passions,
and you’ll never have
“Too Many Birthdays” –
no matter how many years
the calendar tells you!!

It’s time to open presents,
sing the birthday song,
blow out a few candles (don’t try to count them!)
and praise God for the years
he has given me “Too Many Birthdays!”
I’ll take ’em all – gladly!

I’m happy to be in the passenger seat!
I thank God every day for my health,
and for my driver, Bob!

Have a Fabulous Friday!
I’ll see you tomorrow
and tell you all about
my “Happy (not too many) Birthday!”

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Pexels.com

Come on, friends, sing along.
I’m listening!!

(When I get old, I’m gonna wear more purple…
Just don’t rush me!)
Love,
JanBeek

Having it All

What is it you have?
What is it you want to have?
Ask and you’ll receive.

Is it that simple?
Is that really all it takes?
Why isn’t it mine?

Why isn’t WHAT mine?
A yacht – a million dollars –
A villa in Italy?

Do those things matter?
If I have love and my health,
I DO have it all!!

Photo by Alex Azabache on Pexels.com

Ponder that!
See ya tomorrow.

Hugs,
JanBeek

Little Things

What are the Little Things?

  • blossoms
  • strawberries
  • wine
  • tomorrows
  • joy
  • today

Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine,
I’ll taste your strawberries, I’ll drink your sweet wine.
A million tomorrows shall all pass away
‘Ere I forget all the joy that is mine, today

Photo by Posawee Suwannaphati on Pexels.com


I’ll be a dandy and I’ll be a rover
You’ll know who I am by the song that I sing.

  • music
  • songs
  • singers (like Johnny Denver)


I’ll feast at your table, I’ll sleep in your clover,
Who cares what tomorrow shall bring.

I care what tomorrow may bring!

I can’t be contented with yesterday’s glory.
I can’t live on promises winter to spring.
Today is my moment, now is my story;
I’ll laugh and I’ll cry and I’ll sing.

  • promises
  • winter
  • spring
  • this moment
  • stories
  • laughter
  • tears
  • singing

Play it again… sing along… think about the little things.

Rejoice in the JOYS that are yours today.
And don’t forget to thank God for all your blessings.

I’m praying for your health and safety,
and asking God to watch over you and your loved ones.


What “little things” can you add to that list
of things for which you are grateful?

Have a Wonderful Wednesday.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek

Share our site with your friends who need a lift!
See ya tomorrow.


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