The Christmas cards are done They’re ready to be mailed But we can’t leave our home We’d surely be derailed
The winds were 40 mph gusts, and The drifts have blown like crazy I’ll have to ZOOM church tomorrow And it’s not cuz I am lazy
I’d attend if I could get out And after church I’d go To the post office to mail the cards But I can’t get through the snow
So we are at the mercy Of a kind and helpful neighbor When he comes with his bobcat blower We’ll watch him work and thank him later
He’ll blow out the driveway And clear a path for us So we can get to church Without shoveling and lots of fuss
But if you don’t see us And if our card to you doesn’t come, You might send out a sled team To rescue us… we’re frozen and numb!
That’s our driveway that’s the culprit The wind swirls the snow in piles Inside between the rabbit brush It blows in from many miles
That photo was a light snow This time it’s at least two feet tall After our neighbor plowed us out The piles were a five foot wall!
We haven’t seen a winter like this This storm has been a doozy It started way too early this year – The freezing wind makes me woozy
The Christmas cards are done They’re ready to be mailed But like I said, I’m stuck in here Our Christmas travel might be curtailed
Try coming in through the drifts I’ve some hot chocolate to share But if you don’t make it here Mr Snowman will be content floating there
Hope you’re having a happy December so far. God bless you! Stay in touch.
Love ya, JanBeek
Take a look at this photo I found! That’s me – pregnant with our 1st child, Ty. And that’s my sis and her hubby with my niece, Denise and my mom and dad… 1964 Christmas … Sweet memories!
Our hearts are hurting today. Yesterday we had to help our 12 year old Boston Terrier, TazE, over the Rainbow Bridge.
She was struggling to breathe, rasping… not eating or drinking for the last four days… and lost the use of her back legs twice during that time. Her organs were shutting down.
We were snowed in and unable to get out. It was terrible to see her suffer.
She had lost all kinds of weight since this picture was taken because even when she still was eating, it was very little.
We knew we were losing her, but we just didn’t want to let go. Who will be my walking partner?
Our wonderful neighbor, Rex, spent over an hour with the snow plow on his ATV here in our driveway yesterday plowing us out so we could take TazE to the vet. The ladies at Mountain View Vet Hospital in Sheridan/Twin Bridges were wonderfully compassionate, empathetic, and professional. TazE went peacefully in my arms.
My heart is breaking, but I know we did the right thing… and I believe when I get to heaven she’ll greet me at the pearly gates! It wouldn’t be heaven if our beloved furry family members aren’t there, too! Would it?
Bob won’t miss having the toenails to clip. That was a stressful job!! But he sure will miss his buddy when we’re out on our “Lucille” (she’s our ATV… a red head who is a Ball).
There is a part of Bob’s personality that only surfaces when he is with his Boston Buddy! I will miss that part of Bob!
Happy TazE
In Heaven our TazE will be forever young! Good-bye for now, sweet pup! See ya over the bridge… keep the light on!
That’s the luncheon at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club yesterday. 45 ladies showed up from our little Ennis community!
My dear friend, Susan P, came and helped me decorate our house from tree to…
…fireplace mantle and lotsa places around the house. She did things I could never do by myself. God bless her!
Those candles on the mantle are battery operated and can be set to change colors!!
Isn’t that fun? They can all be one of any choice of 8 colors or they can rotate. Good ole CostCo. They have lotsa fun things to get you in the holiday spirit!
But nothing depicts the Christmas season quite as well as this treasure that I found at our Christmas bazaar last Saturday. It’s a manger scene made by a darling lady in Nairobi. She used the bark from banana trees!!
It’s not Christmas unless we recognize the nativity as central to the holiday!
Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas at your house? Tell me about it!
Have fun fixing your home to reflect this holiday season in a way that is meaningful for you.
For me and my family, it’s Christmas…
Thanking God for the gift of Baby Jesus, sharing time with family & friends, sending out cards, decorating with trees, candles, music and presents…
and the fun has just begun!
Our TazE looks just like this Boston on the right. She has decided the blanket under the tree is her bed. She thinks the presents are for her. Help!
Have fun this Christmas season… and good luck keeping your dog, cat or kids out from under the Christmas tree!
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Today I woke after a good night’s sleep. Feeling a throbbing, I looked over at my hand; It was more swollen than when I went to bed. The pins holding the pinky in place were buried.
Yesterday I visited the occupational therapist. She put compression sleeves on the fingers. They are designed to reduce the swelling. Maybe it would have been worse without them.
Who knows?
It doesn’t do any good to complain, To mope around and feel sad and blue. You gotta keep on the sunny side of life – And a good way to do that is to let go!
Let go of the doubts and relinquish grumbles. Find someone who’ll hold your hand and assure you That everything is gonna be okay – be patient! Give your troubles to God and put on a smile.
Bob and I seem to trade off times for help. There I am holding his scarred up hand! Now it’s his turn to gently hold mine. We are so blessed to have one another!
I pray that you have loved ones beside you Who comfort and assist you when you need it. It’s easier to see the sunny side of life When God gives you family and friends who care.
So relinquish your troubles to those who can Be the hands and feet of God beside you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – and accept it! Let others share the sunny side of life with you.
We overdid ourselves today with five “not so simple” tasks: 1) Get helpers to reassemble our fridge, move it back into the kitchen, and hook it up to water, etc. 2) Move the downstairs rug & pad up into the dining room 3) Move the living room rug and pad back to its place 4) Hang a few pictures back on the wall in the hallway and entry 5) Vacuum the new floors in the living room, dining room, and kitchen & dust everything
It was harder than it sounds – even with wonderful helpers!!
I am going to go to Bob with #8 and then Take you up on #5
Which of those 9 pieces of advice do you think will work best for you today?
Tomorrow gotta clean that fridge and put stuff back into it (Oh – it’ll be so nice to have it accessible again!)
Good night!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today… See ya tomorrow (God willing)…
All talk and no action Makes for a sad friend indeed. A true friend steps up To help in our time of need.
All talk and no action Is a sorry commentary. We’re not called to pontificate; But what we do may vary.
Each situation’s unique And calls for a different plan. Jesus never hesitated – Likewise, do what you can.
Last Sunday a dear friend Fell in the parking lot at church. Someone fortunately saw her, So she wasn’t left in the lurch.
Friends jumped into action: Her son was called. “Come today!” Another brought her to the ER And got a wheelchair right away.
Their example of action – Stepping up when there’s a need – Was exactly what Jesus did. Remember the bread and fish feed?
Remember the blind man Who said he wanted to see? Jesus showed us how to act – His examples sure impress me!
I want to be like Jesus. I want to step up and be The person you can count on To act at each opportunity.
I’m grateful for the doctors Who saw Bob’s need and acted. Today they biopsied bone marrow. Yesterday a PET scan was contracted.
All talk and no action Allows health issues to grow. Emotional issues likewise fester When not addressed; don’tcha know?
Embrace action, my friends. Jump in when you see a need. Do it out of goodness – Not monetary greed!
Thank you for embracing action, my friends. Your prayers are faith in action. You’re the best!
Tell me about the last time you saw a need and jumped in! Could be as simple as what I did today. I was Bob’s chauffuess!! (He’s usually MY chauffeur!)
The woman’s husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer. As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, “My dearest, you have been with me all through the bad times. When I was laid off, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side. You know what?”
“What dear?,” she gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
“I think you’re bad luck.”
OK, LAUGH!! But, no, don’t take that seriously! Our spouses are such an important part of our support system!
But not all are blessed with a supportive spouse. Some live alone; some live in turmoil at home; and some just feel abandoned. Some just need a hand…
In “Mornings with Jesus,” my daily devotional today, the scripture featured was
Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands…”
The nail prints engraved on Jesus’s hands remind us that He died in our place. We can be sure He will never forget us, even if everyone else on earth does.
Have you ever felt abandoned by everyone else – left with nowhere to turn, looking for solace and finding it only in your faith?
I haven’t!
But I have friends and family who have experienced those emotions. And some of them don’t know how to turn to their faith, either. I had a niece who felt that way – and she committed suicide! So this topic of emotional support systems is very dear to me!
In the case of my niece, she isolated herself from family and friends. She suffered in silence. She left the rest of us wondering where we went wrong. How could we not have picked up the stress signals that let us know the depth of her despair? But we didn’t…
Don’t be deceived by outward appearances! Look deep inside. Be the friend in whom your family and neighbors can confide by asking questions and showing concern!
Yesterday I shared about the grief of losing a friend – – – an ATV buddy who died while we were on our trip. And I shared the difficulty of our news about my husband, Bob’s, health issues. The outpouring of love and support from friends on Facebook and blogging buddies here was heartwarming. I thank you for embracing my grief and sharing my hope and faith in good test results and clear diagnosis and effective treatments. Your emotional support is so appreciated!
This week is full of labs and scans, biopsies and various exams. In the midst of it all, I draw strength from my faith. I know God is with me and Bob. I know He is in control. I believe He works for our good. And I feel your love and encouragement. Thank you for being a part of my support system! I appreciate you!
None of you shared yesterday if there is a way I can pray for you… a specific need you have. Let me know, okay? And thank you for keeping Bob & me in your prayers as we take this one day at a time.
“You know it, deep down- you’re not made for ordinary. Your life is meant to be an adventure, fueled by grace and inspired by big dreams to make the world a better place. But, stuff gets in the way. Whether it’s people who tell you to be practical, a version of a faith that keeps you small, or a few bruises that take you out along the way– we all have a longing to break out of the status quo and get after the life we’re meant to live.” – Bob Goff
That quote came from one of my favorite people in the world, Bob Goff, author of “Love Does.” He has a new website:
I may look like those bruises took me out along the way with that eyelid swollen and the bruise running down my cheek, but I am far from “taken out!” Instead I am thinking this is an “extraordinary” bruise from an “extraordinary bang” and I am blessed not to have suffered a concussion! My knock on the head is not stopping me from planning some extraordinary days ahead!
Likewise, the fires in CA and the flooding on the east coast and the hurricanes in Haiti and the war-torn people in Afghanistan may have stopped some people from feeling like they are living the “life we’re meant to live,” but such catastrophes cause us to also to thank God for our survival. They cause us to evaluate what’s ordinary and what’s extraordinary – what’s essential and what’s fluff.
Don’t look down and say, “Poor me!” Instead, look up, and thank God for the blessings that are still yours! That’s what I am trying to do today as I put a hot compress on that goose egg that still sits on my forehead – and plan for an extraordinary trip to England to meet our blogging friends, Derrick & Jackie in person, and to travel on to Switzerland to see our daughter and her family there. We haven’t been able to do that since COVID raised its ugly head. Waaay too long between visits with our DollyWolly!
As Bob Goff said, “Life is too short to just go through the motions.” Embrace the extraordinary! Be extraordinarily positive! Look at the bruises and the challenges – and remember, “whether its the people who tell you to be practical, a version of a faith that keeps you small, or a few bruises that … along the way,” they don’t have to pull you down. They don’t have to keep your dreams small. As Bob Goff says on his website and in his books, “Dream Big!”
Smile the bruises away. Ignore those who put you in a box. Embrace the faith that makes you extraordinary!
What are you planning for your future that will keep you living those “Dream Big” ideas? Whatever it is, keep leaning on the One who answers your prayers!
The Fire Update in CA
Our son and his wife in CA still are safe from the Caldron Fire. They still are housing a family of 8 children and their mom who were evacuated from their home. They are living an extraordinary life right now, buoyed by all our prayers.
Our granddaughter in S. Lake Tahoe and her husband, Faith and Kyle, who were evacuated from their home, still are safely relocated for now in southern CA with their other grandparents. Today they received the gift of passes to visit Disneyland. It’s Kyle’s first visit there to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” The fire took a right turn just a mile from their house. Only God can control the wind! Answered prayers have saved their neighborhood. What an extraordinary God we have!
Continue to pray for extraordinary bravery and safety for our fire fighters.
Faith & Kyle
Please continue to pray for Faith and Kyle and their neighborhood… and for Ty & Monika and their big hearts which are open to such Christ-like help for their friends.
Monika and Ty – an extraordinary couple
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today.
See ya tomorrow(God willing)
Stay tuned! And continue to be the extraordinary person God created you to be!
If you can laugh at yourself, Laughter will always be with you. We do the darndest things!!
Flight Attendant
On our trip home from Eugene, Oregon via Seattle, WA, we “lost” our carry-on suitcase. Because of a shortage of overhead bin space, we were asked to leave our carry-on at the entrance of the plane. At the end of the flight, the cart rolled out with all the luggage and ours wasn’t on it. There was a blue bag like ours, but it had a strange-looking lock on it, and it was a little bigger than ours, and the color wasn’t exactly right.
We figured somebody had accidentally picked up the wrong bag. We reported the missing bag to the flight attendant.
“You’re sure this isn’t yours?” she asked.
“We’re sure!” we both chimed in.
So, this gracious masked flight attendant escorted us to the Alaska Airlines Passenger Assistance desk. On the way we exchanged pleasantries. She discovered we’d been married 59 years. She asked about our destination. We asked about her life. We had plenty of time to share. It was a long walk to the help desk.
At the customer service desk, the attendant took our phone number and other contact information and assured us that we’d be contacted when the person who mistook our bag for theirs realized their mistake and returned it.
We thanked her again and got her contact info from her. Later she sent us a picture of herself unmasked so we’d recognize her if she came to visit us in Montana. We really hope she will!!
As we were headed for our next departure gate to continue our travel home to Bozeman, MT, we saw another flight attendant wheeling a blue carry-on toward the help desk. Something caused us to turn around, follow him, and inquire about that suitcase when he got to the Alaska Airlines customer service area.
Our sweet and helpful flight attendant still was in that area. She came over to see the blue bag that was left behind and get an update on what was happening. The two attendants looked at the bag, turned the tag on it over and examined the name/address on it.
We felt soooo stupid! We BOTH had denied that bag could be ours. We had created a hassle for the flight attendant and ourselves. NEEDLESSLY. We felt like such morons! We profusely apologized. They chuckled. We laughed out loud… a laugh filled with embarrassment.
Our sweet flight attendant patted us on the back. Gave us a comforting smile and said, “It could happen to any of us. Don’t worry!”
She said she wanted to adopt us as her “Marriage longevity role models.”
Thank you, Lisa!!
Ah, 59 years together! We often tell folks it takes the two of us to complete one another… two halves make a whole.
At that moment we thought we had both become slightly senile. Neither of us felt like half of a whole!! Maybe a quarter?
We can’t afford to have BOTH of us lose a few marbles. HELP!!
As we rolled our bag – hmmm… why hadn’t we noticed that lock on there before? Hmmm … was it really this size? Hmmm … why hadn’t we noticed the shade of blue?
We got the giggles. We laughed at our own feeble-mindedness and decided what we needed was a good glass of wine, a taco snack, and a chance to just sit and relax before we boarded the next flight.
I received a text from our dear flight attendant. She assured us that we were the highlight of her day. She sent us a picture of her beautiful family and invited us to come visit her if we are ever in the area where she lives. I can just hear her sharing the story about this “adorable old couple, married 59 years, not recognizing their own suitcase” and getting a good laugh for years to come.
We’re able to laugh about it, too. We hope she really will take us up on it and come to visit us in Montana!
The moral of the story:
The next time you do something stupid, give each other a high five. Get a good laugh at yourself, and realize:
You are not alone! Laugh together. No one can laugh AT you, if they are laughing WITH you!
And, by the way, do you have some kind of bright florescent ribbon that we can tie onto our luggage?
Something that we can’t mistake for someone else’s?
Send it along to us!! And have a great Thursday!
Love, JanBeek
Hah!!
Oh- and by the way, that girl at the top with her tongue out? That’s Bob’s niece, Tammy. She has a great sense of humor. As a nurse – especially during this COVID-19 pandemic, Laughter has been a saving grace! Gotta keep your spirits up!!
JanBeek 