Psalm 34:10b “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
Isaiah 26: 3-4 “Those of steadfast mind You keep in peace— because they trust in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.”
My Ideal Day is filled with:
Enough
Peace
Trust
Faith
Love
Friendship
Affirmation
Health
Music
Writing time
Reading time
Blessings …. to fill my cup to overflowing so I can share.
Share hugs and love
An Ideal Day ends with:
Gratitude for today
Peace of mind
Hope for tomorrow
Joy abounding
Romans 15:13
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
And then I have a good, long, restful sleep- zzzzzzz
My ideal day ends with this peaceful music and these beautiful scenes (click on video/music below) as I fall asleep praying for you, my friend.
Bee well! Thanks for visiting JanBeek See ya tomorrow (God willing)…
Me with my daughter-n-law, Monika
P.S. We’re packing today and heading back toward Montana tomorrow after two weeks of recuperation time from RSV with our gracious, kind, generous son and his wife. God is good!
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Living peacefully Brings out the best in others – Invites harmony.
Beautiful to be Playing harmoniously – Embracing friendships.
As my outer world Reflects my inner spirit, Harmony abounds.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
Mahatma Gandhi
My friend, Elaine Forsberg, recently left this earth for her eternal home. The memorial service for her was last weekend. She was a woman who raised her children to love God, follow Jesus, embrace harmony, and play harmonically. She did all those things herself. She taught by example.
Her son, Jim, plays the guitar and the saw! Her daughter, Peggy, also plays the saw… and the violin (magnificently). If you had attended Elaine’s service, you would have come away knowing this was a woman of great integrity – a woman who loved God – a woman secure in her destiny.
The Gandhi quote above fit Elaine Forsberg to a tee!
Besides loving God, Elaine loved music. She played the piano and made it possible for her children to appreciate the beauty of harmony.
The video below with its beautiful harmonies and gorgeous scenes of nature would be a favorite of hers. It’s a favorite of mine, I sang in the A Capella Choir all four years at the University of the Pacific. It was one of my favorite activities in college – and those harmonies still live in my heart.
To survive in peace and harmony, united and strong, we must have one people, one nation, one flag.
O Lord, may we learn to live in harmony. May our world embrace harmonious unity. Help us, God of Creation, to learn to follow Your commandments. There is no better way, we know, to live peacefully. Help us “Embrace Harmony” and spread its beauty to all we meet. Today we focus on harmony, peace, wholeness, and joy. Embrace us, O Lord, as these thoughts flower in our consciousness – and bring our dreams of world-wide harmony to vivid life. Amen.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
May you feel the peace of harmony in your heart today.
On her September 26th blog, aroused calmkate posted this:
I think kindness is the key to all that I might be
if I’m kind to others they might be kind to me
if I live in kindness there will be more harmony
any kindness I convey radiates an awesome way
if no kindness in their heart for me move away, let them be
they are kind to others I will see just healthier for me to flee
please try your kindness key it might just set us free
I responded with, “…Kindness is indeed the key to living a meaningful, happy life. It is ours to give, whether or not it is reciprocated. The ones who lack the “Kindness Key” are locked out of so much joy, but they don’t have to rob ours! Our kindness is ours to give – and the more we give away, the more we have. It’s like love that way.”
The more we give away, the more we have!
The 6 Keys to Kindness
Yes, kindness is a key… but there are keys to kindness, too. Here are a few that come to my mind:
Self acceptance (it’s hard to be kind to others while being mean to yourself!)
Compassion (we need to open our eyes to others’ needs and exude empathy)
Courtesy (being kind involves being courteous – even in the face of rudeness)
Gentleness (yes, responding with a gentle heart is a necessary turn of the key)
Grace (this word is a gift from God… sometimes it is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that we can return kindness in the face of hurt)
Patience (often I need to count to 10, or 25, before I can respond with kindness… it’s not my human nature for my first response always to be kindness)
In today’s Daily Guideposts, contributor Shawnelle Eliasen shared a special moment she had with her “near adult son.” Even though they had experienced some growing gaps and family hurts recently, he invited her to come into the living room and listen to his latest musical creation.
Shawnelle wrote, “This invitation was everything… Finally my son invited me into a tender part of his life. The place where music lives and creativity runs free. A gentle place. A place of peace.”
She thought back to the days when he was young. When his fingers first curled around a pencil and later around a steering wheel. She thanked God for those fingers that now played the beginnings of an original song – and invited her to come along.
Where is your gentle, peaceful, tender place? What or who shares the place where your creativity runs free? Who might you invite to enter – to join you there? Someone who’d love to share your company in that place.
Think about it.
Open your tender place and let extra love come in.
Sermon Notes from the message
inspired by Colossians 3:12-17 “How Can I Keep from Singing?”
Delivered by Rev. Steve Hundley
today in McAllister, Montana
at our Little White Church in the Meadow
Why did God create this world?
We’ve given Him nothing but trouble.
It was enough that He created Adam,
Then the trouble seemed to double!
But Adam alone could not sing
In God’s perfect harmony.
He needed Eve and crickets, too.
Needed birds and waterfalls, and me!
Nature is awash with lovely sound –
Whipporwill and tree frogs sing.
I hear coyotes howling in the dark.
God made lovely sounds in everything.
God must have needed all those notes
From all Creation as they raise
Their voices in glory to Him.
He created us all to give Him praise.
If we don’t sing, we’re as good as dead!
Throughout history songs are recorded.
“Hallelujah” sang the angels on high.
We can read the songs the Psalms reported.
However, when we destroy the habitat
Of animals who sing and swing in trees,
Or the homes of God’s loving people,
We silence songs such as these.
How can we keep from singing?
How can we assure the continued song?
We must keep God’s creation alive
And praise our Lord as we sing along.
Join the birds, crickets, Joey and Rory
In beautiful songs of praise and love.
Join hands and hearts and keep alive
The melodies from God above.
Amen!
Our service in that little white church
was filled today with music and merriment.
Sing along with us as we have a great time
with “Daddy Sang Bass” (… Mama Sang Tenor).
Betcha can’t keep from singing!
Bob and I have been married more than 57 years. Our love for one another is more alive today than it ever has been. (I read that statement to him just now and asked if he agreed. Of course, he said, “Of course,” That’s part of the secret, guys! Ya gotta readily agree on things like that!)
How do we do it? How do we keep love alive after all these years? What is a healthy marriage anyway?
Jane Smiley, in her book, At Paradise Gate, wrote the following:
“You know what getting married is? It’s agreeing to take this person who right now is at the top of his form, full of hopes and ideas, feeling good, wildly interested in you because you’re the same way, and sticking by him while he slowly disintegrates. And he does the same for you. You’re his responsibility now, and he is yours. If no one else will take care of him, you will. If everyone else rejects you, he won’t.
What do you think love is? Going to bed all the time? Poo! Don’t be weak. Have some spine! He’s yours and you’re his. He doesn’t beat you or abuse you, and you’ve made the same bargain. Now that you know what it’s like to be married, now that all the gold leaf has sort of worn off, you can make something of it; you can really learn to love each other.”
I love that take on marriage by Jane Smiley. It coincides with my opinion on what it takes to make a marriage work. Here is my list: Ten Constant Steps toward Being Married Happily Ever After:
Accept and Respect one another’s differences, and celebrate your areas of sameness.
Stick by one another – even as you slowly disintegrate.
Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. Be forgiving.
Defend one another to a hostile world.
Be strong in your faith; pray and laugh and play together.
Be a diligent partner, doing more than your share without bitterness or resentment or complaint.
Praise one another for the little things.
Never take one another for granted.
Always be trustworthy; don’t stab one another in the back!
Practice the art of compromise – with God as your Constant Guide.
Keep Learning
Yes, when all the gold leaf has sort of worn off and you’re each comfortable in your own space, keep the space open and inviting. Invite one another in. Keep on learning to love one another as long as you both shall live.
You’re in this box together. You’re in it for the long haul. Enjoy the ride!
When you look at this picture, what do you see?
I see more than a dog and a girl and a tall, dark tree –
I see more than a grove and a road to light –
I see something for which I pray each night.
I see the peace for which I yearn – the Lord, to whom I turn – I see a road that lets me in – And the path where I begin.
In their song, “Somewhere Only We Know,” the Sons of Serendip sing of this place: “Why don’t we go somewhere only we know?” Some of the lyrics say, “I found the earth at my feet… Walked by a river and it made me complete… There’s a place we used to love; Is this the place I’ve been dreaming of?”
I’m dreaming today of that place on earth Where only peace abides; Where folks can hear differing opinions And find no need to take sides. . I pray to find at the end of the tunnel The Love of Christ everywhere on earth, The peace that passes understanding That was our gift when Mary gave birth. . I yearn to place my feet, my soul On the spot where only love can grow, Where labels end and hate is gone, Where love and compassion are all we show.
In their book, Spiritual Literacy, Frederic & Mary Ann Brussat
wrote this about Yearning:
“Follow your heart’s boundless desire. It takes you out of yourself and fosters an appreciation for the multidimensional pleasures of life.”
JanBeek 