It is three lines of 14-16 syllables each, for a total of 44-46 syllables.
Here is my news in a Sijo:
Our six-month Boston puppy, Kenny, arrived on Saturday He is not house trained, nor crate trained, so don’t turn your back But he’s so cute, cuddly and loveable that we’ll keep him!
Only once have we seen his ears straight up!
No, this is not him. He’d never tolerate a hat! But ain’t she cute? We love Boston Terriers!!
He loves that chew toy… and stretches out full length to get it! That’s a long body for a six-month old! He already weighs nearly 12 pounds. Gonna be a big boy!
Oh, he’s squirming… Time to take him out. But it’s snowing and ccccold! Oh Kenny, I don’t want to go out either! But we better. See ya later.
How shall we use our tongues? That was the question posed by James McGuire in today’s devotional in “These Days.”
These Days, Daily Devotionals for Living by Faith, published especially for Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
James 3:10 says, “From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.“
Ah, my friends, t’is so true… we all are a combination of good and evil! Capable of great love and alas, of ugly hate. Which dog wins? The one we feed!
James McGuire elaborated on the subject. “The development of speech was a unique human accomplishment,” he wrote. “Other creatures communicate by grunts, growls, and touch. Humans use many languages.”
He went on to ask, “How shall we use our power of speech? Shall we bless others, or shall we curse? What shall we do with our ability to write?”
That last question brought me to my blog. Here I write with the purposes explained in my heading: I intend to spread “Love, joy, peace, faith and unity.” I believe there is too little of each of those in our world.
James McGuire asked, “What about the ideas that pour forth through television and videos?”
Here in the USA, this week more than 67 million people tuned in to the Harris-Trump debate. Lordy, Lordy, what a fiasco! What is this world coming to??
James McGuire ended his devotional with this prayer: “Holy God, forgive us when we misuse our tongues. Teach us to choose words wisely as we communicate with each other and the world.”
Like Old Testament proverbs, the Letter of James offers wise teachings for Christians of every age. We who write (and speak publicly), teach, and lead have a particular responsibility for our use of language. We who read and who listen to public speakers must be attuned to the Holy Spirit as we read and hear others.
“Moreover,” James McGuire and James reminded us, “we must be wise in choosing what we view on big and little screens.”
Words, words, words! They are so important!! A BLESSING OR A CURSE? Do both come out of your mouth? “My brothers and sisters, this ought not be so.”
Join me, won’t you? Let’s try to use our tongues and our arms and our lives to spread Only Love.
What do you do while the clothes are fluffing in the dryer and you are waiting before taking them out to fold them?
Do you have paper and pens, color crayons and chalk sitting on your table where you’re waiting to fold clothes?
I do.
I love to write Acrostics while waiting in the laundry room for the clothes to fluff so I can fold them wrinkle free.
Here are a few of mine. You can guess the topic knowing these were created within the last four months.
ANTICIPATING OWEN 2/14/24
O ur W onderful E specially N ew
P resent U plifting us: P up!!
Screenshot
POOPY OWEN 3/18/24
P lease O bey, O wen! P oop Y our shit O utside W hen E ver N ecessary!
Please, Lord, help us figure out how to train this puppy to go outside – and to come when called!
OWEN LEO:HE’S LEARNING! 4/20/24
O odles of fun W hen he behaves E ven when he forgets, he N ever ceases to bring joy!
L et us be patient and E ncourage his good behavior. O wen is such a love!
FUTURE PLANS 6/7/24
F irst U p: T rouble erupted U nder our noses R eally sad E vent happened P up Owen died L anding outside the window A ttached to his leash N oose around his neck S uffocated, hung himself.
Where do we go from here? How do we keep living in this empty, vacuous house without Owen? He filled all the empty spaces in our home and hearts. We are devastated. Can’t think future plans right now.
DON’T GET STUCK 6/14/24
D isasters O ccur N ightmares T raumatize G oodness E nters T hrough S ensitive T rusting U nderstanding C aring K indred Spirits
We have been so blessed this week to have the love and hugs, flowers and cards, calls and caring of so many of our family & friends. They have encouraged us to grieve, of course, but “Don’t get stuck.” In Owen’s sweet memory Move On… Laugh again, Love again, Rejoice again, Snuggle again with Another Boston Terrier.
We’re not quite ready yet… But God is helping us heal. Thank you, God’s angels. We love you!
Owen Leo Beekman Born 7-24-23 on my 85th birthday! (We’re both Leos!!)
Just look at that face! Doesn’t he look innocent?
Guess again! That “Ducky” used to have a head!
First to go at the expert chewing of our destructive pup was the beak… then the whole head!
And next, the wings had to come off, and all the stuffing out of the body!
So, I cut the limp body off of the rope, and as you can see, he loves his rope!
We’ve had Boston Terriers all of our married life, 62 years worth, with about six different pups in those six decades. But none was as destructive as this guy!!
See that collar on him? It is to prevent him from pulling the stitches out from the surgery he had last Monday.
Suppose getting him neutered will calm him down? We hope so!!
He really is a sweetheart… when he’s asleep! But he is such a live wire when he’s awake… Always into something! Will not sit still in Bob’s arms to have his toenails trimmed the way our last Boston, TazE, did!
But, Owen’s just 10 months old today… and so he is still learning, still a puppy. Give him time, huh? Owen is destined to be an angel…
We just pray that he makes that transition while he is still here on earth. Right?
My mom loved poetry and she saved those she liked the most when she saw them in the newspaper back in the 1930’s. I have the cardboard on which she taped her favorites.
It’s inside my kitchen cabinet door. So faded you can just barely read it. The date says 1936! One of my favorites of that collection is:
My dog is a nuisance, an absolute pest, With him in the house there is truly no rest. He leaves dirty tracks on the mirror-bright floor, And scratches the paint from the tidy front door.
He slobbers his water and spills half his food; The rugs are all gnawed and the slippers are chewed. He sheds tufts of hair and he scatters his fleas; He buries his bones under bushes and trees.
He keeps me awake every night with his yaps; The neighbors all cuss him for spoiling their naps. I’ll stand it no longer. I’m getting fed up. I won’t be a slave for that bothersome pup.
Er, pardon, excuse me – but what did you say? You ask if I’m giving my puppy away? You’ve the nerve to suggest that you’ll take him with pleasure. Well, certainly not – he’s an absolute treasure!
…Margaret Macprang MacKay, poet
Here’s mom… with my dad … back in 1936 At the time she collected those poems, Before my sister and I were born. Aren’t I the lucky one? To have such parents?
Thank you, Mom, for your love of poetry And your love of dogs, and your tolerance. Er, pardon, excuse me, but what did you say? You ask if I’m giving my Owen away?
Well, certainly not! I’ll keep him with pleasure. He’s an absolute treasure!!
Today I am being prompted to post this n that… a little about a lotta things. Today would have been my dad’s 113th birthday if he were still alive. So, May 14th has a special ring in my heart. My daddy was a very special, very kind, very positive influence on my life. Happy Birthday, Dad!!
He gave the best hugs in the world!!
And today he would have loved to have been here with us in Ennis, Montana to witness the influx of antelope on our golf course’s driving range!
I am in touch each morning with our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland, and our “adopted daughter,” Laina, who lives in Glen Burnie, near Baltimore. Today Laina sent me this photo of her “grand-dog” on her daughter’s lawn. Laina said the grass was foot high. She just finished mowing it! What a wonderful, thoughtful mama she is!
Our daughter, De, in Switzerland, sent us this picture of the flowers her middle son, Nicky, gave her for Mother’s Day. Isn’t it nice when our kids remember us on Mother’s Day and call or send flowers?
I was treated with flowers from De and Laina, and a phone call from our son in CA. Bob & I treated ourselves to a Mother’s Day buffet at “The Mint” in Belgrade. It’s a delightful restaurant not too far from the Bozeman Yellowstone Airport. I highly recommend it. Bob gave me a lovely card and the restaurant handed out flowers.
Just look at that happy smile and the beautiful plate of prime rib, potatoes, bacon, and asparagus. The Mint also had a section where there were salad fixings. All around us were families with their young children. I love watching little kids with their attentive parents, don’t you?
While we were in the restaurant, our pup Owen, stayed in his crate in the car. He is such a good traveler! On the way home he decided he wanted to travel on the floor between my feet, He usually sits in my lap. Go figure! Owen is 9 months old! He’ll be 10 months on the 24th. That’s the day we’ll get him neutered and have a chip installed.
Our waitress at The Mint was “Solaira.” Isn’t that a pretty name? She said her mom made it up. I had never heard it before. She was a very attentive, efficient waitress.
💋 Today Owen was happy to be in my lap as we traveled to the Post Office to pick up our mail. It’s a gray, cool (56 degree) day. We’ve had a little rain. Can use some more moisture here. We haven’t seen the last of our snow yet!
Well, that’s enough of my rambling this n that for today. I hope you had a Terrific Tuesday and the rest of your week goes well, too. What are your plans for this week? What are you looking forward to?
Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Tune in to God’s Plan. It’s definitely the one I wanna go with! Have a blessed week. Love, JanBeek
Yes, you Owen! You chewed and shook and squeaked and rampaged that toy to death!
But Mom, it’s such fun!
Ya, well it isn’t made of cast iron, you know.
Can I chew this foot off of it?
Obviously you can, Owen. And you did. And then the ear. And then the other feet. And finally got a piece of the stuffing. And then the squeaker. What a mess!
It’s okay. I have other toys!
Uh-huh! But how long will they last!? You are hell bent on destruction!
But you love me, Mom, right?
Yes, Owen, I love you! But you definitely need some training … and some cast iron toys!
Boston Terriers are such fun!
Owen keeps us on our toes! He’s quite a character. My blogging has had to take a back seat to his care and attention. This week we’ll begin some intense training for him. Do you have any advice!?
You want me to ring that bell? What a silly idea!
Yup, ring the bell. Do your business outside. Don’t chew on the furniture. Stop grabbing your dad’s shorts off the bench in the bedroom and carrying them to the living room.
“Enjoyable Job” – hah! For some that’s an oxymoron! But not for me. My job (as an educator for over 30 years) was mostly enjoyable! 👌🏽
I submit that I would be lying if I said I enjoyed my job every day! Some days, as a teacher, I didn’t have enough corners in the classroom to separate the trouble-makers! Then after 24 years in the classroom, I changed my job to educating teachers… and mentoring parents. That’s what principals do as effective administrators! Some days I didn’t have the patience I needed in order to enjoy the role of principal when it came to disciplining a recalcitrant teacher or suspending a troublesome, disruptive student and helping the parent know how to follow-through at home.
My job now is to take care of my hubby and our home – and to house-train our new puppy, Owen.
Owen and Bob
Do I enjoy those jobs? Not always! I’d be lying if I said wiping up “mistakes” always is enjoyable. But, do I feel blessed to have them both? You bet!
Every job is a blessing!
“Enjoyable” is not always the most important definition for an important, successful job. How do you define it?
Owen is our new Boston Terrier. Seven months old, born on my birthday last July 24, he is an 8 lb. bundle of energy. Our home is new territory for him. He was part of a kennel litter of seven in Springfield, MO. Being in a home with snow covering the outside areas is new to him. My job is to teach him to be a reliable family member. Teach him to walk on snow. Teach him to signal us when he needs out!
His jobs are to learn how to live inside, how to play with his new parents, how to communicate with us, where to “go” and where not to. His favorite spot is my lap! I’m learning to “read” his needs. It’s a challenging, but rewarding job!
Meet Owen!
Sweet pup! You are bringing such joy into our family!
What are your current jobs? Don’t try to convince me that they’re always “enjoyable” 🤪 !!
