Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘Haiku’

Procrastination

Procrastination –
Is it an issue with you?
I have mastered it!

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

I’ll get to it next.
That”s just what I tell myself.
But, when does next come?

I often delay
Doing what needs to be done –
With good excuses.

Is that familiar?
And I’m not the only one.
Bob knows that routine!

“Just put a towel out –
It will soak up the water.
I am going skiing.”

That’s two years ago.
A sump pump is what’s needed.
Will a snow fence work?

This is it last week –
After putting up snow fence –
Before last snow fall.

Please get me a towel
To soak up the melting snow
Before it warms up!

Procrastination
Lives in my part of the world
Inside – not just out!

No, not my office –
But it certainly could be.
Mine’s almost as bad!

Do you have places
That you are sure to avoid?
Rather do your blog?

You are not alone.
It’s an immortal problem.
Procrastination!!

The Bible addressed the issue:

“Be strong and courageous,
and do the work.
Do not be afraid
or discouraged,
for the Lord God…
is with you.”

1 Chronicles 28:20

Pray for God to help
You and me do what we must
That we’re avoiding.

Get it off your chest.
Step up – Act wholeheartedly –
Just tackle the mess!

I promise I will –
After finishing coffee.
Hah! Ignore the mess…

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
Now, go get busy!!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

P.S. By the way, did you realize as you were reading this that every three line stanza is a kind of Haiku with a syllabic pattern of 5-7-5? If you didn’t that’s OK. It means I didn’t force it. That was fun!

Category:

Bible Lessons, Haiku, humor, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another, work

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1st Day of Spring

It’s first day of spring.
You may have some daffodils –
But we have some snow!

It’s cold and blowy –
Not inviting to go out –
But what about drifts?

Just inside this door
The carpet’s vulnerable –
Melting snow flows in.

No, Bob, don’t shovel!
Our neighbor is young and strong.
Pay him for the job.

He hauled sledfulls out
After the last heavy storm;
He has a system.

“No, I won’t bother –
I want to do it myself.”
Not good for your heart!

But, does he listen?
Oh no! He’s independent.
Happy Springtime, folks!

Inside the foyer,
Looking out at blowing snow,
It’s pretty – but cold!


Come back inside, Bob.
Tomorrow’s a better day.
Snow won’t melt tonight!

What’s YOUR springtime like?

Praying for sunshine.
Whatever the weather is
Praying for world peace.

Join me!

With Love & Hugs,

Bob & Jan


Category:

Haiku, Life's Challenges, Love, Montana, nature, Poetry, work

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A Little Talk With Jesus

Have a little talk
Share with Jesus when you’re sad
Tell Him your troubles

Jehovah Shalom
African Academy
Lifts my spirits high

You cannot listen
To these six talented guys
And stay sad for long

Just a little talk
With Jesus makes me feel whole
Makes me feel alright

Just like that small lamb
Jesus holds me in His arms
Wiping away tears

Like a mother hen
Jesus tucks me in His wings
Covers me with love

Have a little talk
With Jesus – share your troubles
Let Him comfort you

Heed Jesus’ advice
Take time to sit at His feet
You’ll be glad you did

The dinner can wait
The dishes will still be there
Do what’s important

Have a little talk
With the One who can help you
Quietly listen

With ears to listen
And a heart that’s full of love
Your troubles will flee

Reach out to others
Hear them tell their troubles, too
Share a little talk

Share a talk today
Say a prayer for ones you love
Lift and be lifted

Amen!

Have a little talk with Jesus.
What will you decide to say?
Share from your heart’s depth.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See you tomorrow (God willing) –
Hugs & Love to you.

Bye for now!

Category:

blessings, Faith, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, optimism, peace, Poetry, prayer

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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!!

Photo by Michael Hodgins on Pexels.com

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!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, relationships

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Place of Refuge

“Any place can be a place of refuge if you have inner peace.”

My “Take-away” from today’s Daily Word

Reading Daily Word,
Sitting in my rocking chair
My place of Refuge

Feeling perfect peace
In my settled surroundings
I rethink my quote

“Any place can be
A place of peaceful refuge”
Really, are you sure?

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I’m not in Ukraine
I’m not hearing bombs explode
Where’s their inner peace?

Standing in the storm
As it threatens life and limb
Where’s a refuge place?

“The peace of God is mine to call upon always.”

Daily Word, Thursday, March 3, 2022

In the boat on a raging sea,
the disciples were afraid.
They woke Jesus and pleaded with Him.
Save us! How can you sleep through this?
Then simply by saying,
“Peace, be still,”
Jesus calmed the angry waves,
and the disciples were amazed.

“I take the lesson to heart, realizing inner peace is not about being calm in settled surroundings; it’s about standing in the tempest steady, strong, and centered in faith.”

Daily Word – http://www.unity.org

“If a storm rages in my mind or heart, I envision the choppy waves being calmed by the love and light of God [or the Holy Spirit] within me. As the sky clears, dark grey yields to vivid blue. Trusting the presence of God is in and through all things.”

Daily Word – “Inner Peace”
The Madison Range view from my sanctuary…
and my dining room…
and my living room…
and my bedroom…
(Yes, I am blessed!)
“dark grey yields to vivid blue.”

“Now may the Lord of peace Himself
give you peace at all times in all ways.
The Lord be with all of you.”

2 Thessalonians 3:16

PRAY FOR PEACE!!!

Let’s think again about that “Take-Away” from today’s devotional:
“Any place can be a place of refuge if you have inner peace.”
Can it?
Is inner peace accessible to war-torn Ukrainians?
Is that PollyAnna thinking?

Who are those soldiers?
Did they survive?
Where is the baby who was in that stroller?
Do those soldiers and that baby’s parents have inner peace?
Where is God for these warriors?
Where is God for the man who is ordering this destruction?
Where is inner peace?
Where is their place of refuge?


Love, JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Jesus, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, peace, Poetry, prayer, relationships

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Love, Joy & Peace

Do you ever doubt your niche?
Yesterday I posted excerpts from
Gottfried’s Banter, a blog whose niche
is humor. No, I wasn’t suggesting
that my blog should try to fit that niche.
Humor like Gottfried’s doesn’t come
naturally to me like it does to him.

Gottfried has an oversized funny bone!

No, it’s not numbers,
It’s my purpose that dictates
My niche and my style.

It’s my gifts that spell
The reason for my blogging.
How about your niche?

My niche is “Inspiration.”

What’s your intention?
Do you need one hundred one
Questions to find out?

The Art of Blogging,
Cristian Mihai, has questions
Yes, one hundred one!

Check it out
(if you doubt your intentions!!)

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai, The Art of Blogging

marketingBlogblogging

My purpose focuses on positivity.

My by-line tells you
What my purposes here are:
Love, Joy, Peace and Faith

Add Unity, too
I aim to help us just love
Keep God’s love centered

I aim to inspire
Often I use poetry
As chosen genre

My mind seems to think
In this lovely Haiku form
Yes, five-seven-five

I love to share others’ poetry here, too.

Often my pictures
Feature our diversity:
Yesterday’s children

Not a melting pot
But a colorful salad
Each adds its color

Each adds the beauty
We’d miss if we’re all the same
Call it gratitude

In that attitude
Of gratitude I can find
The peace God gives us

It is peacefulness
That defies understanding
I pass it to you

My purpose is peace
My goal is spreading the joy
And love from Jesus

Some say religion
Is the main focus I have
But it’s more than that

Love, joy, peace, and faith
Are the stepping stones I climb
To find unity

Sometimes religion
Gets in the way of all that
Sometimes it divides

I’ve heard the saying,
“Sunday mornings are the most
Divided of times.”

Some use religion
To ensure their salvation
But Christ is much more

He is more than church
More than denominations
He’s universal

Luke 2:10
And the angel said to them,
“Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.”

My blog’s main purpose
Is to unite everyone
In a common love

I blog of respect
Blog of the Source of my joy
Blog to inspire you

Blog to encourage
Live in constant hope
Believing in God

There is just one God
You may see Him differently
But we all see Him

We know He’s in us
We know He created us
We see His great works

We know a Big Bang
Didn’t make a butterfly
Nor create the world

So, I aim to lift
All our eyes to see the Lord
As a part of God

Just as I see you
A child of the Creator
We’re born to inspire

That’s my sole purpose
That’s why I am blogging here
Why are you here, Friend?

You are given a purpose.
Can you define it?

Have a blessed day.
Stay warm! It’s 2 degrees, snowy and blowy here!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.

Bye for now!
Don’t forget to comment below…
Tell me, how do you define your purpose here?

Category:

Bible Lessons, blogging, Faith, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, Serving One Another, writing

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Dressed for Success

Dressing for success
Means a lot of things to me
It’s more than clothing

Dressing for success
Means emerging peacefully
Clothed in righteousness

This lovely woman
Is dressed for certain success
Only needs a smile

Put on compassion
Don the right mood for your heart
Wear love on your sleeve

Photo by Nina Uhlu00edkovu00e1 on Pexels.com

Put on your hope-pack
Wiggle into shoes of strength
Cinch the belt of truth

Wear armor of grace
And the bonnet of bounty
Trash the coat of wrath

Burn the clodhoppers
Of worry and of anger
Just dress for success

Well, they ARE beautiful as they wear…
But it’s not the clothing of cloth that counts!

Ephesians 6:14-15
New International Version

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness
that comes from the gospel of peace.

Eight things to add to that list:
1. I have my health.
2. I have love.
3. I have faith.
4. I have trust in God who hears and answers prayers.
5. I have friends who faithfully join me in prayer.
6. My daughter-in-law, Monika had her gall bladder successfully removed and she is at home recuperating… dressed for comfort.
7. Her feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of faith.
8. I am blessed.

I am dressed for success.

Are you?

Here’s my bonnet of bounty!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Hugs!

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, prayer, truth

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Windows to the Soul

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Windows to the Soul
That’s what your eyes have been called
May I look deeply?

I want to see you
Know you at your heart’s level
Open your windows

Seek and you will find
But what are you looking for?
Look into my soul!

Every week I have the privilege
of doing a Bible Study
with a few of my favorite
residents at the Madison Valley Manor,
our local nursing home.

We spoke about the importance of
EYES,
SEEING,
FOCUS,
UNDERSTANDING.

The lesson from In Touch,
daily reading for devoted living,
was based on Gen. 25:19-34.
The title was “Spiritual Shortsightedness.“

The lesson demonstrated how focus on the temporal
rather than the eternal can cause us to make decisions
based on today’s desires or needs without considering
tomorrow’s consequences. Notice the focus here:

This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son, Isaac, his wife Rebekah, and their twin boys, Esau and Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

The consequence of Esau’s shortsightedness was disastrous for him.
If what we choose to focus on is temporal and selfish,
our lives can be turned upside-down, too.
What are you looking at?
What are you looking for?

My friends at the nursing home and I interspersed music with our Bible reading and sharing. I played my accordion. They sang along. Do you know this one?

“Open my eyes, Lord,
I want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him
And say that I love Him.
Open my ears Lord,
And teach me to listen.
Open my eyes, Lord,
I want to see Jesus.”

When I look deeply
Into your open windows
Will I see pureness?

When looking at me
Seeing into my soul’s depths
Do you see the Lord?

He lives inside me
He helps me practice restraint
Who lives in your soul?

Open your eyes, Friend
Let me see into your heart
I know I’ll find love!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
I send you love from my soul’s depth.

Look in my eyes – Hah!
(No, that’s not current!)

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Love, music, Poetry

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Peaceful Snowy Day

In the snow there’s light

When sun shines and leaves diamonds

Sparkling so brightly

Last night it snowed less

Than it did a year ago

But BRRRR, it’s colder

It was minus eight

When we woke up this morning

Back in bed we went

Climb up the staircase

To my angel room above

It’s much warmer there

Bob joined me upstairs

For peacetime to read God’s Word

Angels surround us


Each one has meaning

The name of someone on earth

Some already gone


But I know they’re near

In our hearts and in this room

Watching over us

Sue is SandAngel

GlassAngel is named Toni

Joe’s the wooden cross


Each item in here

Has a story to tell you

Holy Spirit speaks


Do you have a place

Where you can go and know peace

On cold snowy days?

Come join the Beekmans

Our home may be messed up, but

Not the Angel Room!

Come and sit a spell

On this peaceful snowy day

You’re always welcome

The Word of God brings comfort:

6 Do not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation,
by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Thank you for continuing to pray for Bob
as we work together trying to get the medication
he needs for his heart ailment.
Did I tell you that after co-pay the first month
of the medication costs over $3,000 ??
Pray that we can get assistance from Pfizer,
the manufacturer of the medication, OK?
This is a life-saving treatment plan
that we need… God knows that!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

No reason to be afraid!
Take peace… He’s in control!

Where do you find your peace, my friend?
I hope it’s in your heart today!
Let faith rise up in you…

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, nature, peace, Poetry, relationships, writing

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The Rhone River Valley

We went down the Alps

On public transportation

Spending the weekend

Don’t let the sheer cliffs scare you. This driver knows what he’s doing! Thank God!!

You’d enjoy the ride

Putting trust in the driver

He’s quite talented

We’re just relaxing

In Grandmaman’s lovely home

So blessed to be here!

Here’s Nick & Céline

They treated us yesterday

Pink Asian in Sierre

Great breakfast again

At Grandmaman’s lovely home

Sierre, Switzerland

Listening to bells

Is such a rare privilege

I wish you were here!

Our DeDe is such a blessing!

This is a typical scene of flower boxes in Vissoie. They are beautiful at De & André’s chalet.

Did I show you that brief video earlier? It was in my saved drafts.

This afternoon we had a wonderful lunch with Theu and Célia. Their son, Aurélien, lived with us in 2004-5 when we took a motorhome trip from CA to MT and UT and found our Ennis home. We have such wonderful memories of that year with him as he gained air hours to get his pilot’s license 

Live sweet memories 
of beautiful days gone by 
cherish the friendships
Thank you, Theu & Célia!

There you see Denise happily engaged in conversation with Célia who was across the table from her. They hadn’t seen each other in a while. We had not seen Theu & Célia since Aurélien’s wedding 8 years ago!!

I hope you are able to maintain long-term relationships like this one. Tell me about a special one you treasure.

Did I tell you yesterday about Sylviane? We started calling her Syli in 1982-3 when she lived for a tear with us in California. She took DeDe to live for a year with her family after she left us.

Young, naïve, beautiful, impressionable DeDe!

The lesson learned here: unless you want your daughter to go off to a foreign country to live the rest of her life, do not invite a foreign exchange student into your home when your dollywolly is young and impressionable!

Here I am with ZuZu, our 1980-81 Swiss son.
So… on the other hand…

… if you want to enrich your life exponentially, you might consider just that! Check out AFS and tell them what country you’d like to have change your life!!

My friend, Dana, said she wanted to hear more alpenhorn. Here you are, Dana:

Thanks for vicariously traveling with us one more day! See ya tomorrow. Meantime, have a blessed Saturday.

Love, JanBeek

Category:

children, Family, Haiku, holidays, Love, mountains, music, Poetry, Travel

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