Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘friendship’

Sky Writing

Paul Holdorf clouds

The day began in wondrous splendor

With a sky of amazing hue

It carried on until the evening

Mixing gray with white with blue.

The sunrise was super amazing

Grab the camera! Catch the gleam!

Find the Angels in formation

Rays extend in glorious beam.

You might wonder at the Master

Who created all we see.

How’d He come up with these paintings

That He shares with you and me?  


Sharing Our Writing

Today my Writers’ Group friend, Janet Muirhead Hill, joined me to share what we’ve been working on. (I was disappointed that three others who might have joined us were unavailable today. Hopefully they’ll be here for our next meeting).

I was inspired to write the poem you see above. Janet shared the book she has just completed and published, Prism. It was started by her deceased sister, Joan Bochmann, who knowing she was leaving this earth before she could complete it, asked Janet to promise she’d finish it for her. Here it is… available on Amazon … I have my own autographed copy… yay!

Janet's Prism

Writing Together

During our time together, Janet and I used a prompt by

Clint Bulongo, life’s adventure world.

Hi — life’s adventure Zambia.

and we finished these two incomplete sentences:

  1. It is the world outside where we find …
  2. It is the world inside where we find …

Do click on Clint’s link above and see how he finished those sentences. His site is a new discovery. Living in Africa, his photos are phenomenal, and the way he helps us glimpse at his beautiful country through his words and photos is such a gift!

I wrote the following using his prompts:

“It is the world outside where we find
birds, trees, clouds, friends, travel opportunities, and space.
It is the world inside where we find
peace, God, self-confidence, acceptance, and opportunities.
We are especially blessed when
from the inside
we can hear and see the birds,
we can look out at trees, clouds and blue sky,
we can feel peace and acceptance from friends,
we can plan travel and invite friends to travel here,
and from the inside
we have space to grow spiritually
and the self-confidence to capture opportunities to do so.”

From the inside, we remain child-like,
free to paint as well as write,
free to dance as well as stand,
free to openly express our true selves.
Free!

Dance and Create

After that initial activity prompted by Clint Bulongo’s blog, we tried our hand at creating “Eifchen.” This form of poetry was introduced to me this morning by bigskybuckeyeLifeElfchen

Life’s Snapshots (Elfchen Series #19)

Using his definition of this German-inspired poetry, Janet and I wrote our own “Elevenies.” I wish I had saved hers to share with you. Richard, at bigskybuckeye had three of them on his post. Here’s one of his:

Change

Overwhelmed
Life’s pace
Quickens and races
Time to reorder life’s
Priorities

And here is one that I wrote:

Eleven

Numbers
Bear meaning
Forty is magical
Seven represents God’s completion
Prioritize

Try your hand at an “Eifchen”! Dance with it freely, like my Boston Terrier, Taze, is dancing up there. Don’t let anything stifle you!!

After sharing our “Elevenies,” we read to one another some samples we brought with us of writing we had been working on at home.

Share Your Writing

Janet shared an introduction she has written to go with her book, Prism.

Then I shared some of my journal writing. One of the things I shared was the peace prayer of St. Francis of Assisi sung by Susan Boyle. Janet was not familiar with Susan’s angelic voice. This is too beautiful to keep to myself. I’ve shared it with you before, but it is worth hearing again:

I sang along with the words to the song, written on a page in my journal. Janet listened – enthralled – to this gorgeous rendition of the prayer.

Then Janet said, “Oh yes, I used to have that prayer memorized. Haven’t thought about it in a while.”

Time to put those words in our souls, my friends.

Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, Lord.
Help me seek to console,
to understand,
to bring hope and light,
and to just love!

Do you have a place for writing,
and people who love to write
with whom to share your writing?
Tell me about it – and them.


See ya tomorrow.
Love, JanBeek

One More Sunset

After I posted a few sunsets tonight, my friend, Fran, sent me this photo of her sunset! She lives on the Madison River half way between me and Yellowstone National Park.

Take a look at this!! How would you like to have THAT view out your back door tonight?

Thank you Fran!

We Need One Another

None of us on earth lives alone.
Each of us is kin the the other.
We need one another –
You are my sister, my brother.

I will defend your right
To live in peace and justice.
I will work to be an example
Of the love we need, so you can trust us!

Trust us to work together
To make this earth a place of care,
Care for all God’s creation –
A place we equally share.

No man is an island
No man stands alone.
Each man’s joy is joy to me;
Each man’s grief is my own.

We need one another,
So I will defend
Each man as my brother,
Each man as my friend.

We need one another
So I will defend
Each woman as my sister,
Each woman as my friend.

Recently I posted this picture on my blog along with a series of photos that exemplified random acts of kindness. This woman could easily be me. The man she is standing beside is a friend from across the world whom she met playing Words with Friends.

I play Words with Friends with a myriad of people from all over the world. Some of them are busy chatting with me between plays, asking questions, helping us get to know one another.

I’d like to picture one of them wearing a “Love Felt” heartfelt t-shirt like that fellow … and then coming to visit me. I have WordPress friends that I invite to come to Montana and visit me, too.

Might you do that someday?

Each one of you is my brother/sister … each one of you is my friend. We need one another. What would it be like to be writing a blog everyday and have no one out there to read it and respond? Pretty sad!

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com

Thank you for reading over my shoulder.
Thank you for being my friend.
Thank you for being the holder
Of my heartfelt thoughts that have no end!

We need one another.

See ya tomorrow.

Virtual hugs from
JanBeek

Walk the Talk

My 2020 resolution is to “Walk the Talk.” It is a daily commitment. What was your 2020 resolution?

Try to “Walk the Talk.”
Try to live your commitments.
Express them daily.

Today I walked with my TOPS friends. Here are two of them with me: Cherrie & Jeannie. We walked in our Lion’s Club Park. Did a lot of talking as we walked. Tried to solve all the world’s problems!

Valais, Switzerland

No, this isn’t my walking path… it’s my daughter, DeAna’s, in Sierre, Switzerland. She walks this trail up into the Alps – often joined by one or two of her three sons. Yesterday she sent this photo. Our grandson, Chris, was her walking partner.

DeAna “walked the talk” with Chrissy as they navigated the trail on the terraced mountainsides and enjoyed the outdoor time together.

Here is DeAna, our daughter, with her new haircut.
No, she’s not in Paris. That’s just her “photo op!”

.

And before that haircut:

She says she’d like to be on a tropical island!
I’d say being in Switzerland is not a bad option!

Today De’s walk was with Christine, a friend who was one of their waitresses for almost 20 years in the restaurant they once owned on main street in Sierre.

Christine – on the balcony overlooking the Swiss valley

Half way up the Alps from their city is a beautiful little place called Vissoie, De and Andre’ have purchased a new restaurant… new to them, but with a long history in this Alpine village.

It has that typical Swiss chalet appearance with a hotel attached above and on the right. They take possession in October, I think.

Isn’t this an inviting spot? As they plan for this new venture, they get to “Walk the Talk” of trust. Trust that this pandemic world will not always keep people sequestered and afraid to go out and dine together. Trust that the people of Vissoie and the surrounding communities will accept them and frequent their dining hall. Trust that visitors will stay in their hotel.

My prayers are with them, of course, as I encourage them in this exciting new time on their lives.

Lion’s Club Park, Ennis, Montana

As my lady friends and I walked the trail in our beautiful park, we talked about family, commitments, future events, the racial injustice that is sparking protests all over the USA, and the COVID-19 situation that is far from over.

My goal is encouragement and positivity. I share my faith here on WordPress, and I share the Source of my Joy with my walking friends.

Photo by Andre Furtado on Pexels.com

Follow the sunshine
Follow the Almighty Son
Joy’s in commitment

Walk the Talk!
And be grateful for where you are!!


See ya tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Wednesday.

Love,
JanBeek

Image

Will You Be My Neighbor?

Two For Sale signs went up in our “hood” this week.

That Mercer sign is for a 7 acre parcel right next door to us.
We could be next-door neighbors!

The ERA sign is at the end of the cul-de-sac – just a stone’s throw away – down where you see the telephone poles in the first photo.

Mercer sign w our house

See, there’s our house up there –  just beyond the sign. Aren’t you looking for wide open spaces and Big Sky, fresh air and a friendly, cheerful, inclusive neighborhood? Here we are!! You can build your dream house right here.

Hocking House - blue sky

This beautiful home with the best neighbors imaginable, Rex and Penny, could be your neighbors … besides us, the Beekmans with the robin babies in our back yard. Hey, look closely! That one on the right has her eyes open!

2 baby robins

This nest is on this porch where I am sitting right now with my laptop, Rita and Robbie are coming and going, feeding their babies, paying no attention to me! I love it!!

The nest is in the shadow just left of the small bedroom window. My chair is in the sun with my tabletop in the shade. I have a bird’s eye view of the robin activity.

3 joggers - cartoon

This morning was a beautiful, sunny. warm, still day – perfect for a walk in Lion’s Club Park by the Madison River that is less than 5 minutes from us. I met a couple of TOPS friends and we walked around by the river, the baseball field, the playground…

Madison thru weeds

From this view of the river, there is a bench, a painted sculpted fish, and a gorgeous view of the Madison Range across the valley.

Come go for a walk with me. There are benches along the way, picnic tables, barbecue pits, a baseball field and a playground. Young children usually flock here. But, I was early. They started to arrive as I was leaving.

On the way to the post office after my walk, I passed another For Sale sign. Our friend, Niel, died recently after a long battle with cancer. His cozy little house in town is for sale. Maybe you’d prefer this. You’d be on a smaller lot in a more modest neighborhood downtown. Look at this lovely place. Interested? Call the ERA number on the sign at the top of this post.

Niel Kent house

Your neighbors across the street have this lovely tree – and these beautiful opium poppies. What a great little town our Ennis, Montana is!!

Driving home from there, I took the golf course route. Here’s the scene just a mile from our home:

They keep it well maintained and lots of our neighbors love getting out on the course on a day like today.

Peaceful, beautiful, clean, clear, friendly …
 … what more could you ask?

Oh, I forgot to add there’s a darling little lake at Lion’s Club Park where the kids can fish and keep the trout they catch. The Madison River has a “catch and release” policy to preserve the natives. And there’s an old tractor at the park where the kids can climb and pretend FARMER. We have a lot of cattle and wheat farming in our Madison Valley.

But it’s best known for the Madison River and the fly fishing.

fish on Madison - painting

Will you come and be my neighbor?
Caroline & Chuck are building right down the hill from us.
They’d be great neighbors for ya, too!!

CBD92DE9-1A2D-407B-9293-6BD4FCA70A8B
Have a Wonderful Wednesday.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

10 Ways to Bee Open to God

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Listening to God
Is a daily endeavor
It takes intention
His Words are clever

God speaks through Jesus
Jesus, His Holy Son
And He speaks through the Spirit
The Holy Spirit, that’s the One!

Listening to God
Takes a willing heart
It takes a willing spirit
Here’s the way to start:

  1. Bee still
  2. Bee open
  3. Bee teachable
  4. Bee attentive
  5. Bee humble
  6. Bee submissive
  7. Bee expectant
  8. Bee responsive
  9. Bee-lieve
  10. Bee-ware… and aware!
Yes, #1 on the list is “Bee Still!”
Bee silent – listen – and JUST LOVE!

Isaiah 50:4

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

    to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

Does the Lord “waken your ear” each morning to listen? Every morning my friend, Lisa, who lives across the continent from me – over on the east coast – sends me a picture of where she is and assures me that she has me in prayers. Her pictures show me a scene so different from my own.

Each One Has Their Own Way

In our different environments, each of us is listening and praying. Each of us in our own way. We are open to God’s word – and open to whatever message He has for our day. We share special prayers for one another. It is a beautiful way to start each day.

Do you have a special friend who helps you to Bee more open, teachable, and attentive?

Do you have a system for Beeing more expectant and responsive?

If so, I’d love to have you share with me ways you are open to hearing God speak to you each day.

Photo by Keilah Gepte on Pexels.com

Through His Word and through music, God speaks to me most clearly. How about you? Which of those ten “Bees” are most helpful to you when you want to tune in to God’s voice?

Have a Fabulous Friday, my friends.
Bee well!
See ya later.
JanBeek

The Best You

The best version of you
Is understanding and sweet.
You are loving and forgiving,
Compassionate to all you meet.

The best version of yourself
Is gentle and filled with peace.
You are an overflowing vessel
Of joyfulness that’ll never cease.

Your self’s very best version
Is an example of great patience.
You sparkle with faithfulness
And reflect the Holy Spirit’s radiance.

Our DeDe
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com

The best version of yourself
Is generous with everything you’ve got.
You reach out to feed and help others,
Never hoarding what’s in your pot.

When you look deep into your best,
You see a person who is humble and kind.
And if others don’t seem to see it,
Don’t worry, my friend. They must be blind!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com
Photo by Min An on Pexels.com
Photo by Roy Reyna on Pexels.com

The best version of yourself
Is mighty, strong, and wise.
Bee it, beelieve it, and beehave it …
Bee your best self… Never compromise!

I love my best self!
I love your best self!!
Hello, in there… Come on out!
Don’t keep your love trapped on a shelf.

Thank you for bein’ you!



Dog Days

There’s no time like now
To enjoy some great dog days –
So, sit down and smile!

Don’t need a Monday
for TazE to do this stretch.
We call her “Frog Dog!
TazE was perky
As a puppy in basket.
She’s a snuggler now.
Whether at home or
in the car, she’s a snuggler.
Loves to burrow in!
Burrows in the car
using my coat for blanket.
Hey, go get your own!
In this pandemic,
TazE’s a great companion.
Have you a dog pal?
Knowing a dog’s hug
is unconditional love.
It’s personified!
Today’s Hope’s birthday.
Happy 26th birthday
to Granddaughter Hope!!

There’s no sweeter love
than the love of a puppy!
It fixes all ills.
We’ve loved six Bostons
during our 58 years.
Each still part of us.
Boston Terriers
are always good and fun sports –
– in every season!
Is your dog lazy
with soulful eyes and sad look?
Or full of sparkle?
Photo by Goochie Poochie Grooming on Pexels.com

Whether sleek, fluffy,
great big, small, or in between,
dogs are good buddies.


A day with a dog
is a happy day, indeed.
I can testify!
Whether big or small,
dogs always make life’s journey
more joyful travel.

Do you have a dog
to ease your earthly journey?
I would love to hear.

Maybe there’s a cat.
They travel a different road!
Is yours a lap cat?

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com

If you’re like Derrick,
You have a bird’s company.
Their songs cheer your days.

derrickjknight has “Nugget.”
Have you met him?

I’m all about finding cheer and comfort and companionship in these pandemic days. Where is your happy source (besides your spouse or God)??

Have a Delightful Dog (or cat or bird) Day!!
See ya tomorrow.

Four Ways To Overcome Fear

Sometimes this COVID-19 feels like we’re walking through the “Valley of the Shadow of Death,” especially when we see the staggering statistics from Italy and realize how quickly the virus is spreading in places like New York City.

A friend told me today he feels we’re living in a period akin to the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl era. Songs are being composed about it. There are thoughtful essays being written. Scientists are creating impressive graphs showing the statistics of known contagions to death tolls and analyzing the relationships to age and climate. Novels will be written that will be classics in the decades to come.

How do we live through this “Valley of the Shadow of Death” without fear?

There are the usual responses: pray, sequester and meditate, have faith, bury your head…

But, while I do believe in the power of our Maker, and I pray daily for the Source of all comfort to bring us healing and peace, there are a few other ways I keep myself FROM feeling the gloom that seems to be enveloping so many. You probably have a list of ways, too. I’d love to have you share yours with me.

Here are my four favorite remedies for avoiding the paralysis of fear:

  • Music – sing, play, or listen to uplifting songs on YouTube or XM Radio. I love seeing those folks on their balconies in Italy making joyful music together, don’t you? I just listened to Bono and Will.i.am singing a song they wrote for/to the Italians. Google it! Music soothes the soul and uplifts the spirit.
  • Write – as a blogger, you know how therapeutic it is to put words on paper, in a journal, on a card to a friend, or here on WordPress. Write about what keeps you positive and passionate.
  • Connect – on the internet or by phone, through a window or across a fence. I just installed a new app on my phone and iPad. It’s called ZOOM. Do you know it? The basic version is free. It’s like FaceTime, but it works on other platforms besides Apple products. My friends in California and Bob & I had a great conversation. It was like sitting across the table from our friends who are 1200 miles away from us. We miss them and it lifted our spirits to see and reconnect with them.
  • Walk – when the weather permits, go for a walk with your dog or a friend or both. I did that yesterday in our Lion’s Club Park. Yes, we practiced social distancing, but we could chat and laugh and encourage one another. It’s good for body and soul. And TazE loved it, too.

Do tell your dog he’s gotta walk, too!

Tell me, what ways do you avoid walking in the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” these days?

What are your favorite ways of avoiding fear?

Thanks for dropping by.
Visit a while, okay?
Add your ideas below.
See ya tomorrow.

Hey World, Are You Awfulizing?

Chase unhappiness –
Just pursue awfulizing –
Make matters worse!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Psychiatrist, Albert Ellis, coined the phrase “awfulizing” and wrote that it is “engaging in the pursuit of unhappiness.” Is that what our nation is doing in this Coronavirus pandemic?

Dr. Ellis says,
“… when we look at circumstances and are overwhelmed by them, we become part of a society that has an abundance of illogical ideas and philosophies that lead to self-defeating patterns or neurosis.”

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Flood the toilet paper aisles
with frenzied shoppers
filling their carts
and fighting over
the last roll!

A couple days ago, my doorbell rang. When I went to the door, I found my neighbor standing there with a broad, silly grin, holding a long stick on which he had strung four rolls of toilet paper! Some friends come to the door of 70-80 year olds in their “hoods” with food or flowers or a book to read while we’re sequestered. This neighbor shared his most precious commodity: toilet paper! Who woulda thunk it??

Shop on-line
and fill your garage
with cases of
hand-sanitizer bottles!!

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

How many hands did that shopper expect to cleanse?
S’pose he intended to freely share them?
Nope, he was hoarding
with the intent of selling them
at some exorbitant price in the future –
gouging people!

Photo by Specna Arms on Pexels.com

Flock to places like Shedhorn Sports here in Ennis, Montana,
and purchase every last gun and all the ammunition you can carry!

Sure enough,
these behaviors
will solve
this awful
COVID-19 problem!

NOT!!

Try passing out love instead!!

James R. Hine, in his essay,
The Situation is Hopeless but not Serious ,
wrote the following:

“The decisions we make are rarely perfect. But if we make a decision based on our best judgment and with God’s help, we should let it stand.”

He was reminding us that we cannot go back and change the past. We can’t undo the mistakes that got us into this mess that sounds hopeless. But, we can look forward, learn from the past, and move into the future with greater wisdom, with love, and with a hope that keeps our spirits up.

In that same essay, Hine wrote,

“I will never preach like Peter nor pray like Paul,
but I can minister in my own way
and be acceptable to God in that role.

You and I are not perfect, but we are unique.”

Here I am with my accordion a few Christmases ago…
Unique, indeed!!
And so is Andrew with his trombone!

In your own unique way, avoid “AWFULIZING”
and move forward in hope.
This is serious, but it’s not hopeless!

James R. Hine,
The Situation is Hopeless, but Not Serious

Let me leave you with another quote from Hine:
“Through that which is deemed hopeless – the present – there arises a fresh hope, a new vision, and a world of creative possibilities.
It is in the dead of night. Sodom and Gomorrah, the evil city, is burning behind us. In that burning are all the tragedies of yesterday – the pretensions, the stupidities, the ambiguities, and the moral breakdowns. We have learned hard lessons, but we will not look back. Putting our hands in the hand of God, we will move toward the hills and the dawning of a new day.”

Morning sunrise from my friend, Lisa Glines

God bless you, my friends.
Tell me what you are doing this day
to “move forward toward the hills”?

Another friend, Penny Hall, said in a podcast yesterday,
“Embrace the good with the bad,
and know there is always more good than bad in this world.”

Amen, Penny!

No Awfulizing!!!

Spread positivity, my friends.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek