Just as children are grateful for their parents, their homes, their teachers, their food, and so much more, so we as adults must remember to express gratitude for those same things and for one another.
How do you express your gratitude?
I really appreciate this video and express my gratitude by sharing it with you. No, you can’t click on this one… it’s just a photo.
Before you click on the video below, look up at that man’s face. See the kindness in his eyes. See the bit of a smile on his lips. Notice he is looking at his passenger in her pretty turquoise scarf. Anticipate what you think he may be saying to her. Notice the bouquet of red roses blurred in the foreground. Now – click on the video below … and be prepared to be touched!
You may not have been able to understand the words this Iranian man was speaking to his wife, but your understanding of the message was clear. Right? Didn’t it warm your heart and reinforce the need to be grateful for one another?
When I think of my family, gratitude bubbles up inside me.
1) I am grateful for my husband’s love… for me and for our children. 2) I am grateful for bouquets of roses. (I could see him passing a bouquet on to others to share love.) 3) I am grateful for the happy home my parents provided for me was a child. 4) I am grateful that my husband’s parents were faith-filled, loving parents, too. 5) I am grateful that my children provided loving homes for their children.
Pass it on!!
There is no greater gift we can give our children than to love one another. Be grateful for that love and keep it alive!
I am grateful for you, dear WordPress friends. I pray your day was blessed indeed. Merry Christmas!
ZOOM Christmas
Did you get to actually be with your family? Or did you ZOOM with them as we did? The picture above is Christmas Eve morning. Bob & I had the opportunity to see and talk with (left to right) our son, Ty, [then that’s us], group shot of our grandson and granddaughter with our son’s in-laws, then my niece, Jodie & her husband, Bill and son, Liam, from their home in PA, our daughter #2 Laina in the Baltimore area, and our daughter-in-law, Monika, in CA. We had a wonderful hour-long conversation. Next best thing to being together in person! Thank you, ZOOM!!
Bob gave me this wonderful, warm sweater.
Laina sent us this warm greeting this morning. She is such a thoughtful, loving daughter!
Our grandson sent us this adorable picture, thanking us for the slippers we sent to him and his adorable girlfriend.
My dear friend, Terry, gave me this Willow Creek angel for Christmas. You know how angels are an important part of my life. How sweet and thoughtful of her!
What are the gifts that brightened your day today? I hope you are feeling as blessed as we are.
A photo from our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland brightened our Christmas. So nice to see her with her hubby, two of her 3 boys, plus her mother-in-love.
Our dear neighbor, ,Scott, treated us to a very special bottle of wine. We are decanting it to enjoy it with our special dinner… a standing rib roast. Wish you could share it with us!
We’re looking forward setting up and learning to use this gift from our son and his wife. Technology continues to amaze us… the advances are amazing!
Bob & I are using our relatively new smoker to smoke a standing rib roast for our Christmas dinner. Like technology, things like smokers and cell phones require a learning curve. We’re on the uphill side of that curve!
We called our neighbor/friend, Whooter, for help this morning when we were trying to figure out how to do this. Dear Whooter texted us back, sent us a photo that made our day, and gave us the advice we needed. Love that guy!!
I’m sure he didn’t intend me to broadcast this photo, but you needed a good laugh, too, right?
Whooter gave us a great recipe for a rub to put on the meat, and meat thermometers to help us know we are headed in the right direction in the smoking process. God bless him! Do you have neighbors who are life-savers for you at times like this?
Our good friends, the Delektas, had a present under our tree today. It’s a gorgeous knife that will be the greatest tool for carving this roast if it ever smokes sufficiently for us to eventually eat it!
Don’t get in the way, TazE… it’s sharp!!
As we prepare for our Christmas dinner, we are listening to the horrible news about the bombing in Nashville this morning. So sad that there are such sick people out there! How could someone intentionally do something so devastating?
Our prayers go out for those who were injured and prayers of gratitude that there are no known fatalities. We have friends who live in Nashville- not far from this blast. And I have a cousin who lives there. My heart goes out to all those in Harm’s Way. We all are affected by such atrocities. It makes us all feel vulnerable. It saddens my heart.
God be with those firefighters who were injured. May they recover fully and be home with their families soon.
I am enjoying this beautiful pillow that our friends, Sue & Jerry gave us this Christmas. What’s a favorite gift that you have been given?
Thank God for each minute you are given to share the love, joy, and peace that are Jesus Christ’s gifts to us. Have a very Merry Christmas, my friends. Our standing rib roast WILL be done soon. I am counting on it.
Sigh… The smoker keeps shutting off. We may have to call Whooter again! (That’s just an internet photo!!)
Merry Christmas, my friends. What did you do today?
If you have followed my blog for a month or more, you have seen this journal before. The topics are inspired by life and living. I have written about: I CAN Volunteer Share Bee Hospitable Tackle Transitions etc.
Little did I know when I wrote some of those how difficult some would become. Hospitality requires guests, right? Well, so much for that! Most of our friends are afraid in this pandemic world to socialize.
Little did I know how hard it would become to volunteer. Most of my volunteer activities are forbidden right now. I can’t be a “Purple Lady” at the medical center desk. Our auxiliary couldn’t hold its fund raiser this year. We couldn’t earn the money to donate for new equipment and/or medical supplies as we have done in the past.
Yes, that’s right… $31,700. donated . And remember, we are a little town of about 1,000 residents!
We couldn’t have our usual Madison Valley Medical Center Christmas party.
Little did I realize how many opportunities I would have to “Tackle Transitions.” Back in June of 2018 when I wrote on that topic, God knew what was coming, but none of us had a clue. My transitions poem was prophetic:
Times of transition Can be disconcerting – Facing the unknown Running, dodging, skirting.
Life is full of changes; Nothing stays the same. Rolling with the punches – Listening for our name.
In the “roll call” of life, Showing up to be Ready for transitions Sometimes is difficult for me.
But I know the Leader Is my Maker who decides What my next assignment is. In Him my life abides.
So, embrace the coming changes; Set aside all fear and sorrow. Joyfully put your hand in His; He’s gotcha covered for tomorrow.
Choosing JOY in the midst of this pandemic is not easy. My list of “I Can” do’s has changed this year. But, I try to keep it positive:
I CAN Believe Only Imagine ReJOYce Whistle!
You recognize some of those. They became blogging themes. This morning’s I CAN prompted today’s post:
I CAN Keep it Simple
No large family gatherings No stockings stuffed with toys No sounds of giggling laughter From excited girls and boys
No trudging through the snow With accordion on my back No carols at windows Or St. Nicholas with his sack
It’s a different sort of year COVID-19 has changed us quite a lot We cancelled our travel plans And we altered what we bought
Christmas Day will be different We can mourn the things we miss Or we can vow to keep it simple Pray for those we cannot kiss
The virus and death took too many – They’re in Heaven with our Lord Let us focus on Christ Jesus And the grace He richly poured.
Believe the Christmas promise Jesus came to save our souls Eternity knows no endings His love comforts and consoles
Keep it Simple!
This nativity is over a hundred years old. It belonged to my grandmother. I treasure its simplicity.
My sister is one who went to her eternal home this year. Sally would have been 83 on December 20th. Eternity knows know endings. I will see her again someday. I Believe! Thank You, Jesus!!
Have a Beautiful Christmas Week! Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See you tomorrow.
On this day in the year 1937, Walt Disney’s animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was introduced to a delighted American public. My sister was one day old. I was born a year and a half later.
Yesterday I posted a poem about God whistling through the trees – and added some other whistlers to the post. Here’s one of my favorite tunes to whistle:
I grew up with loving this movie and the song…
The drawings that created the animation for the movie were mostly done by Bill Peet. I met Bill Peet in the late 1960’s at a California Teachers’ Association Reading Conference. What a delightful man! Bill worked for Walt Disney as an artist most of his career. In his early 50’s, he retired from Walt Disney Studios and began publishing children’s picture books. This was one published in 1967, the year my daughter, DeAna, was born.
Bill Peet
Have you ever heard of him? Are you familiar with any of his books? I think many of the more than 30 books he wrote and published for children are available today on Amazon Books… especially in the Used Books section. I don’t think any are still being printed. But, I should research that. His home page lets you see this creative author/illustrator: http://www.billpeet.net/
Many of my Bill Peet books were autographed. I bought them at the CTA conferences and had the author personalize them to me and put his signature on them. I have given most of those to my daughter-in-law, Monika, who home-schooled our four California grandchildren.
Looking at that list, I remember hearing Bill read to us “The Wingdingdilly.” I remember his infectious laugh. That”s such a cute story! Here are a couple of his books that I still have. All his books have a wonderful moral to them. Many of them are written in poetic rhyme. His wonderful sense of humor comes through, just as it did when he produced the drawings for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Don’t you love his whimsical artwork? Jennifer the automobile was already old in 1933… Her best friend was a scrawny, stray cat named Josephine.
This is the story of a timid, scrawny little squirrel afraid to come down out of his tree… Adorable!
How can tiny little gnats save those big animals of the forest during hunting season?
Another of Bill Peet’s books that I still have is Fly Homer, Fly – copyrighted in 1969, its pages’ edges are mouse chewed – don’t know how that happened – but not so bad it ate into any of the words! Homer is a simple farm pigeon who lives in an abandoned barn. Homer befriended a bedraggled sparrow who was blown by a storm into the barn. The adventures begin when Sparky, the Sparrow, convinced Homer to fly off to Mammoth City with him in search of Pigeon Park where every day was supposed to be a feast day.
And then on this day in 2020…
You just gotta try to find Fly Homer Fly… The pigeon & sparrow adventures reminded me of my youngest grandson, Chris, who arrived today in Colombia from Switzerland.
Yesterday Chris flew via Geneva – Madrid – Miami. And then he realized he had forgotten his American passport. He could not fly on from Miami to his next scheduled stop. So he had to go back to Geneva and have his brothers drive there from Sierre (a two-hour trip) to deliver his USA passport to him… and 52 hours later he finally got to his destination. Whew!! Can you imagine?? Might even beat Homer’s adventures!
I introduced you to our grandson, Chris, back in November of 2018 when he came to live with us for awhile and joined the Job Corps in Anaconda, Montana. Then COVID-19 hit and the government threatened to close the Job Corps centers that were run by the Forest Service. Anaconda was one of them. That was right about when Chrissy’s parents were here visiting. So, he decided to go back to Switzerland. He’s now studying to be a nurse. He met Natalia on-line… and I told you about their romance back in early 2019. Refresh your memory: https://janbeek.blog/2020/02/23/love-on-the-internet/
Bob & Jan with Chris in December 2018
A Day to Remember
Our grandson will remember this day forever… and someday he will laugh about it with his grandkids, just the way his grandparents are enjoying the story today. It was a surprise to us that Chris made this trip! I hope you are enjoying the story, too… and like us, I hope you are saying a prayer for those crazy kids who choose to fly across the world in this COVID environment. Ah, love knows no barriers! God bless them!
And God bless us all. Bee safe this Christmas week, my friends. Do yourself a favor and go check out Bill Peet! See ya tomorrow. Keep your sense of humor alive. It’s vital!
In my journal yesterday, I created a six stanza Haiku. It’s where I’m comin’ from on this day when I delivered Bob (my sweet husband of 58 years) into the hands of a surgeon. It’s a relatively straight-forward procedure… an angiogram to determine any heart issues that were not detected with the x-rays and EKGs. Bob is in good hands… and I am here in the hotel room relaxing:
What is Heaven like? I can only imagine. I see glimpses here.
The help of a friend The love of dear family Colors of sunrise
The pureness of snow Unconditional pet love Hidden surprises
Magnificent Son Thank you for your sacrifice So freely given
The warmth of welcoming hugs
Sending tight, heartbeat hugs to Bob as he undergoes his heart procedure
My daddy’s hugs were the tightest!!
… and eternal rest – That’s where my daddy is now. What is heaven like?
I can only imagine!
Hugging blankets works When hugging arms aren’t available
Just got a call from the hospital. Bob is out of surgery. Heart looks good. No blockages. No stents needed. Thank you, God, for hearing and answering prayer.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek and praying with me! You’re the best! See ya tomorrow.
Mark Collins‘ prayer in Daily Guideposts today spoke to me. He wrote:
“Lord, let me repurpose my own life toward Your will and not mine.”
What is your life’s purpose?
What have you determined to be your life’s purpose? Has it always been so?
Seems to me this pandemic has given us time to pause and reconsider what our life’s purpose is! This virus has been like a stop light – a red signal – “Wait here!”
As I paused and considered my life’s purpose this morning, I decided my purpose has shifted with each quarter century of my life. Have you considered how age, the passing of time, and the changing of circumstances have impacted your life’s purpose?
Maybe my purpose SHOULD always have been “to glorify God” – but did I know that? Did I live according to that calling? No!
Life seemed so simple as a child!
First Quarter
In that first quarter of my life, the innocence of childhood helped me see others with a purity of heart, but most of my purpose was pretty self-centered.
To be honest with myself and you, most of age 0 to 25 was devoted to serving self.
Second Quarter
Then in the second quarter, my life’s purpose shifted from self to family. With marriage and children, it was important to turn the focus from myself to my husband and our children.
These were the years when my career flourished and I spent a lot of time devoted to my job. But even as I did so, it all came back to bringing in the resources to provide a better life and more opportunities for us and our children.
Age 25 to 50 my life’s purpose was mostly devoted to serving family.
In the third quarter of my life, I moved from being a mom with kids at home, and being a teacher in the classroom working with children, to being a cheerleader for my young adult children and a leader for teachers.
Even after I retired, my role as a cheerleader for my children and grandchildren and as a leader in various organizations where I volunteered was focused on how I could reach out to help.
My purpose in life from age 50 to 75 seemed to be to serve others.
Fourth Quarter
And then came this fourth quarter of my life. The period from 75 to 100 is when I have come face to face with the purpose God intended for me all along: to glorify Him.
Everything I do these days is intended to fulfill the purpose the Lord intended for me: to serve God.
I look for ways to BEE what He made me to BEE… to use the talents He gave me … and to use them for HIS PURPOSES.
I look for ways to DO what God needs me to DO to BEE His hands and feet on earth.
I find places where the love, joy and peace that are mine are lacking… and I try to spread those Fruits of the Spirit wherever I go.
What Really Matters
How much more meaningful my life would have been if I had spoken this prayer by Mark Collins years ago:
“Lord, let me repurpose my own life toward Your will and not mine.”
Photo by Paulo Mu00e1rcio Dos Santos on Pexels.com
Don’t wait until the fourth quarter of your life to repurpose! Ask God today to help you discern what He has in mind for you. You can serve family and others more effectively if you:
1) Pray for God’s guidance 2) Listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you, and 3) Use your gifts, talents and time to serve God first.
In so doing, God will bless you in ways you can hardly imagine!
By using your time, gifts and talents for the glory of your Creator, you will find true joy, a true sense of fulfillment, and an REAL answer to: What is my life’s purpose?
Score what really matters NOW. Don’t wait until the fourth quarter!!
See ya tomorrow!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
A comment below telling me what you have defined as your life’s purpose would be so interesting to me. Do consider commenting!
Did you catch the twelve? I want to make them clear. Here they are spelled out – Obey and avoid fear!
Twelve Ways to Keep COVID-19 Away:
1. Be cautious
2. Trust in Science
3. Trust in God
4. Pray
5. Obey
6. Be aware
7. Take it Seriously
8.Wear a Mask
9. Wash Hands Often
10. Avoid Crowds
11. Socially Distance12. Don't Give the Bug a Test
God Bless You, my friends. May He keep you safe and healthy. May we all do our part to help keep this bug at bay!
Please pray for the Zufferey Family in Switzerland (my son-in-law’s cousin, who was our 1980-81 AFS exchange student). ZuZu, Celia, and Jeremy all have tested positive.
Pray for all those affected by this nasty bug. Dear Lord, may they beat it… And emerge with no lasting side-effects.
Please give them new strength, too.
DeAna
Lord, keep our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland and all her family safe.
Amen
(From “Best in Europe” Switzerland has become one of the worst in new cases this week. Pray for that country… and all those facing this virus.)
Do you have a loved one who is in Harm’s Way or is suffering from COVID? Tell me – and I will add his/her name to my prayer list.
Today my sis, Sally, died. She was only a year and a half older than I. As children, Mom often dressed us alike. People thought we were twins.
As adults we looked so much alike, too, that our long-time friends sometimes called me Sally.
When you lose your only sibling, A part of you dies with her. Sally came every Thanksgiving from CA To spend the holiday with us in Montana.
Sally with oregano
Sally always came with an extra suitcase. She filled it with oregano that grew in her back yard. She spent most of the week here at the kitchen table or counter Picking the leaves off the oregano stems.
I have a couple of quart jars left of her herbs. When they are gone, another part of her Will disappear – You can’t find oregano that fresh – Not in a store, that’s for sure! Can you smell it?
Sally with our son, Ty’s kids
Sally was a nut about holidays! She had a closet full of clothes Sorted by the holiday they represented And she loved every one of them.
She joined her nieces and nephews For Halloween and Christmas, For Easter and birthdays, and For special lunches and dinners.
Sam, Faith, Hope and Jordan with Aunt Sally at Burger King
Sally loved giving gifts and playing games
Sally & Jordan shared a Dec. 20th birthday
They continued to share even as Jordan entered his teens and young adult years.
Bonnie was Sally’s best friend. They enjoyed many River Cats games together.
Sally & Ty
Naturally Sally was there to celebrate her daughter, Jodie’s wedding. Here she is at the wedding reception, dancing with her nephew, our son, Ty, the daddy of those nieces and nephews. And she was there of course, for her grandson, Liam’s baptism.
Bill & Jodie Welge (Sally’s dughter) and their infant son, Liam
Sally loved spending time with her grandson, Liam. During the last few years of her life, she moved from California to PA to be near her daughter, son-in-law, and her dear grandson, Liam.
Besides her family and holidays, Sally had a love of dogs. She inherited her poodle, Gigi, from our mom after Mom died. Gigi was stolen from Sally when Gigi was about 4 years old. Gigi was gone nine years, but Sally never gave up the idea of finding her!
Sally & Gigi
Sure enough, nine years after the theft, Sally received a call from a veterinarian. Gigi had a chip, and when she was found wandering, dirty, toothless, and infected, the person who found her brought her to a vet. The chip had Sally’s number. Can you imagine her joy at that reunion after nine long years? Gigi lived to be 15. Dear friends of ours here adopted her and gave her a loving last 9 months of life when Sally moved to PA and could not take Gigi with her to the Masonic Home.
Sally & Jodie at Christmas in Pennsylvania
Sally with me at Christmas in California
Can’t deny we’re sisters, can we?
Last Thanksgiving in Sewickley, PA
Although Alzheimer’s robbed my sis of her memory and ultimately of her ability to converse, she was tuned in and enjoyed the concert Liam and I presented in her nursing home last Thanksgiving. I am so glad Bob & I were able to go – and we had that time with her. My life is filled with wonderful memories of times we shared together.
I’m pregnant with Ty – Bob’s next to Sally & Dave with Denise and that’s our Mom & Dad in front
Bob & me with Sally & Dave – one Easter waaaay back when!
Sally had a life filled with service to others through her church, the Hospital Auxiliary, the Girl Scouts (she led a troop for at least 50 years) and her favorite organizations, Rebekahs and Eastern Star.
Her life also was one of tragedy (her oldest daughter died at age 19 and her husband, Dave, was only 60 when he died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack). But Sally was a trooper. She continued to volunteer and give of her time and talents to others.
I was blessed to grow up with a sister who had such a big, giving heart, She will be missed by all of us who loved her. But her spirit will live on.
Sally and Jan at my daughter, DeAna’s wedding in 1987
I know her spirit will recognize mine when I join her in Heaven someday. Meantime, rest in peace, dear Sis. I will carry your love with me always.
Thanks for visiting today my friends. Treasure every sunrise. Enjoy every sunset. Tell your siblings how much you love them.
