Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘helping others’

Tenacity

two brown bears on grass field
Photo by Francisco Cornellana Castells on Pexels.com

On this day after Mother’s Day,
I was enchanted by this video
of a Mama Bear and her cub.
The parenting style astounded me!

I hope you can see it when you click on the link beow:

fb.watch/ky20qiVPmf/

This is “Tenacity Personified”.
Watching it is “Patience Personified”.
Mama Bear is “Confident Parenting” personified.

Would I have been that confident?

Would I have had the tenacity
to hang in there long enough
to let my child succeed
on his/her own?

Nope, probably not!

I’d no doubt have rushed down to rescue.

How about you?

Have a Marvelous Monday!

Love,
JanBeek

This picture of us was taken yesterday on Mother’s Day by our friend Ted. He is a 95-year-old retired photographer who is temporarily at the Manor Nursing Home recovering from a broken back. It’s good of Bob, don’t you think? Usually when I get a picture of him smiling, his eyes are closed! Thank you, Ted!

A Valentine Message

I first posted this message 4 years ago, but it is timeless – – – and it is worth reposting as February 14th is tomorrow and we all are thinking seriously about the topic of LOVE, right?

What is TRUE love? And how do we exhibit it? How do we receive it? What is its origin? Poets have written of love for centuries. None resonates more perfectly to me than the words of love in the Bible, like Romans 12.

“Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Share with God’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.”

…. Romans 12:9-13

No better Valentine’s message of love ever has been written. To add to it, go to your Bible and read the next few verses, Romans 12:14-16 … and get caught up in the wonderful message of Jesus’ love!

Of course, the scripture that often is read at weddings is also one that must not be forgotten:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
New International Version

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

My blogging friend, Sue Dreamwalker, wrote today, “So, keep love in your hearts for each other and all living creatures.  And remember to love yourself…”
This was popular in the 50’s when I was growing up. It is one of my all-time favorites!

Love is more than just a game or two.
Two in love can make it…
Take my heart and please don’t break it!

Have a wonderful, love-filled Valentine’s Day!

Hugs to you and your loved ones,
JanBeek (& Bob, too)

Help!!

Is it hard for you to ask for help?
Some people find it very difficult.
Some people feel like they are a burden.
They want to be self-sufficient.

Bob and I have learned
Self-sufficiency is harder as you age.
Asking for help is imperative,
Especially when you are stuck!!

That red dot out there is the back –
The back light of our car.
We high-centered in.a snow drift.
That’s about 50 yards out.

It is freezing out there – Brrr!
We walked home and left the car.
Brrrr… Help! We can’t do it –
Can’t dig ourselves out.

It’s not the first time
We needed help this week –
Not the first time this year.
What would we do alone??

Thank God for friends and neighbors.
Thank God for Bobcats & snow blowers
And friends who come to help.
We would be toast without them!

Tomorrow’s sunrise promises us
A better day – a chance to get out
A chance to go to church and thank God
For the HELP we receive from so many

Matthew 7:7

“Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Do not be afraid to ask
Do not be too proud to admit
You need help – can’t do it all yourself
Let others help… and ask God for help, too!

No request is too small.

We reached out yestersay
We asked our friend, Joe, for help
He came and helped Bob
Unbury our snow fence

Earlier this month I reached out
And asked my friend, Susan P,
For help with my Christmas decorations
She came – we did it together – God bless her!

I couldn’t have done this without her!

May the Lord bless and keep you
May your neighbors and friends
Be the help you need when in distress
Don’t be afraid to cry out: HELP!!

There is no joy in aloneness
When you are craving assistance
People want to help you
They want to be asked. So do!

Do ask for HELP when you need it
Ask for HELP when you want it
You will be blessed and so will your helper
We all need to be needed!!

This is my adorable 10-year-old friend
Hailey helps to give me a sense of purpose
Each week she joins me in my sanctuary
We study scripture and read devotionals

I am so grateful for her and her mom
They let me know they needed something
In helping them, I am the one who is blessed
You, too, can be the helper as well as the one who’s helped

Reach out today and make someone’s life better
In the process, you will make your own richer, too.
Help is a two-way street – Don’t miss it!
God bless you, my dear WP friends… you help

You help by reading my blog and commenting
You help by posting your stories and inspiration
You never know just who needs what you write
You never know who you’re he[ping today!

Thanks for dropping by
JanBeek
today.


Your “likes” and comments
lift my spirits.
I’m headed to go see your blog
right now, too.
Thanks for your
HELP!!

Angels Watching Over Us

I have a guardian angel
Who is faithful – yes, indeed!
He’s saved me from disaster,
Been there for every need.

An angel guarded Angela,
Our Boston Terrier pup,
From dying when a rattlesnake
Bit her on her butt!

You have a guardian angel
Who’s watching over you.
I hope that you are grateful
And careful on your feet, too.

Sunday in church our pastor
Read a poem that touched my heart.
It conjured up my angel;
Who’s compassionate and smart.

Yours is, too!!
In fact, YOU may BE
somebody’s angel!
Serving love with glee.

“The World I Live In”
Mary Oliver

God of Grace, help us to see
Your angels at work among us,
lighting upon the unhoused in the street,
delivering cups of coffee,
Ziploc bags full of toiletries,
and deli sandwiches.

Help us honor Your angels
with our praise and gratitude –
the patient teacher, the loving parent,
the determined wildfire fighter,
the volunteer rescue worker,
the visitor of the elderly,
the sick and the imprisoned.

Give us eyes to see, O God,
your angels at work
and help us be among their ranks.

Click the link below and enjoy listening to Alabama sing for us “Angels Among Us.”

Our Angela –
saved by God’s angel!

Angela’s angel was a vet
Who was in his office on a Sunday.
He had the vaccine and loving care.
She’d’a been gone by Monday!

We never know when God
calls on us to be
the angel to a friend in need.
Open your arms and eyes to see.

God bless you!

Thanks for checking in today.
You’re my visiting angel.
Let me be yours!
Gotcha in prayer.
Tell me how to pray for you specifically, OK?

Love,

JanBeek

Expectations

Frank Solanki

in his blog titled

Marriage Is A Strange Equation

published yesterday, April 24, 2022,
wrote this poem:

Marriage is a strange equation where
You take 1 Person
Add another Person
You get a Couple
So far so good
Now you add 0 Expectations to it
And you get infinite Love
Mind-boggling!

I wrote to Frank saying, “Hmmm… zero expectations? How do you do that?”
He responded, “I guess we should try and reduce it little by little. Eventually, it will get to zero.”

What do you think? Do you agree that zero expectations = infinite love?

Bob & me on our 59th

I follow Frank’s blog along with over 22,700 other admirers of his poetry. If you will forgive me, I wish to rewrite his latest. It seems to me that marriage does not have to be a strange equation. It can be:

The Perfect Equation

Marriage can be a perfect equation when
You take one person
Add another person
And get a couple
Then you add the Love of Christ
Next place the Holy Spirit in the center
You add God’s expectations of compassion
Mix in the joy of respect and faithfulness
And you get unconditional, infinite love
Now, that’s Mind-boggling!

Celebrated 60 years in February

True Friendship requires the same equation!
Take one person, add another, stir in Christ’s love
Center the Holy Spirit between you and
Sprinkle generously with compassion and respect
Remain faithful to one another, and
Keep a confidential, active, listening ear
You get unconditional, infinite love.
Isn’t that mind-boggling?

If you were asked to create a collage of true friends who epitomize that equation, who would you include? Long-time friends, family, neighbors, church friends, internet friends, friends in heaven, those you haven’t met yet? Think about it! My collages below are by no means complete… but for starters:

Are you a reliable friend?
Do you see yourself fitting into the equation?
Does your collage of friends include
those neighbors who stick “closer than a brother”?

Marriage and Friendship
are related!
They both carry with them
great expectations!

Proverbs 18:24

24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Knowing I was hurting physically because I fell and disclocated/broke my pinky finger, friends sent cards, delivered food, sent texts, called, and dropped by. Did I EXPECT such an outpouring? Not at all! But did it do the trick? You bet! Those friends delivered the cheer and encouragement that we all need when we are feeling blue or tired or sick or (as in my case) a little stupid and careless.

Knowing my granddaughter and I were hurting emotionally because she just learned of and shared with me the news of her miscarriage, friends called, wrote, texted, responded on my blog & on FB, and reached out to Hope as well. Did we expect such an outpouring? No! But was it helpful and appreciated? You bet!

Thank You – It does help!
Does God EXPECT us to do so?
Yes!

Hebrews 10:24-25
Let us think of ways to motivate one another
to acts of love and good works.
And let us not neglect our meeting together,
as some people do,
but encourage one another

The Bible is full of expectations for us.
God expects us to lift one another up.
He commands us…
The greatest of these is
LOVE.
His last and final commandment:
Love one another!

Reach out to a friend today.
Reach out in love.
Do you do it because you expect something in return?
Of course!

My mom always told me,
“Whatever you send into the life of others
comes back into your own.”


(I’m sure she read that
in the Bible somewhere!)

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

Love & Marriage –
Go together like
a horse & carriage!


Who’s in your collage of friends today?
Tell ’em about it!


(
Share my blog with ’em!!)

Equipped!

Photo by sergio omassi on Pexels.com

Ephesians 2:10 (a & b)

“For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.”

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

As often happens to me,
I read the first devotional
this morning in Daily Guideposts,
and I was inspired to choose
the word for my blog today.
EQUIPPED!

Then when I opened
the next devotional,
“All God’s Creatures,”
the March/April
Daily Devotions for Animal Lovers,
and the word “equipped”
showed up twice on that page.

What are the chances, you ask?
Pretty good batting average, I’d say.
There it was again:

Ephesians 2:10 (a)

“For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus
for good works.”

The story in “All God’s Creatures” was about a woodpecker who was “beautifully equipped for his unique purpose in life…” as he aggravated the writer with his incessant tapping on the tree trunk outside his window.

The writer, Terry Clifton, mused that he, too, is “a result of God’s handiwork – equipped with talents and skills that have meaning and purpose for [his] life.”

What has God equipped you with?
What unique gifts and talents do you possess
that allow you to let God’s workmanship
shine through you to fulfill His purpose in your life?

On the Daily Guideposts’ page for today
Jerusha Agen wrote,
“All I have to do is walk with God
through each day,
confident He will provide
all I need to accomplish His work.”

Heart made of sand

It all sounds so theoretical, doesn’t it?
About as solid as that sand in the hand.
But, what scripture is telling us
is that our hearts are not made to be solid.

We are not expected to look at tasks
from our earthly perspective.
Tasks are formed for us beforehand
by our Maker in Heaven.

Don’t eliminate the second part
of the Ephesians 2:10 scripture:
“…which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.”

Photo by Werlley Meira on Pexels.com

Like a skilled woodworker
Who sees the image inside the log,
God chiseled our lives and purposes
Before the world saw us.

The tasks placed before us
Are designed with us in mind.
Look at them with Jesus glasses
And see their infinite possibilities.

Do not be overwhelmed
by the world’s naysayers.
Walk with God through each day
Confident you are equipped.

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

He’s gotcha in the palm of His hand.
He directs your path – and hears you.
He sees your needs and equips you.
Rely on Him – and step out in faith!

What tasks are you equipped to accomplish today?
“If you see someone falling behind, walk beside them.”

Let love pour from your heart
like sand from your hand.

I’m off for a walk in faith.
Join TazE & me?


See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love to you,
JanBeek

Be Not Afraid

Be Not Afraid
Easier said than done
Especially if you have
Bombs blocking the sun

Raising up prayers
For people in Ukraine
Seeing their dismay
Feeling their pain

Wanting to help
Feeling helpless and weak
Praying that our country
Provides the aid they seek

I can’t do much
I pray and I do what I can
To support the people
Do you have a plan?

Check out this possibility
(I hope the link works):
https://kingef.com/products/ukraine-glass-hummingbird-suncatcher—i-stand-with-ukraine—support-ukraine

I will hang this stained glass
In my window when it arrives
It will remind me to pray daily
For the dear Ukrainians’ lives

It’s a worthwhile purchase
It makes me feel like I am doing a little to help.
A portion of the sale price
Will go to recovery efforts
And another part of the money
Will help the artist rebuild her studio
When she finally is able to return home.

This song and prayer are for them –
The dear, innocent victims of this war –
I pray for their safety and their courage
For their lives and their ultimate victory.
Join me in prayer … and sing along:

Sending love and visions of HOPE to you
and to the people of Ukraine…
God, give them peace.

Love, JanBeek

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Unbelievable!

What is happening to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters is unbelievable! My heart hurts for them. What can we do to stop Putin’s madness? It is unprovoked murder. God, stop this madness!!!

It is impossible to imagine why these atrocities are occurring. Pray for peace. Pray for God’s miracle to save this country and its people and stop the bloodshed.

What else besides prayer can we do? Donate to a trusted organization such as UNICEF or Presbyterian Relief Fund or Doctors Without Borders where we know the money will go to the intended targets – the people of Ukraine and the helpers sent there to provide aid.

These kinds of unprovoked attacks and deadly occupation have got to be deemed unlawful – a war crime – punishable in the world courts. Enough already!! Stop the madness!!!

What do you think we ordinary concerned citizens should do? What would help the Ukrainians the most?

This is all surreal. Unbelievable!!

Life’s a Storm

Life is a snow storm
Each moment a falling flake
Some flutter slowly down
Others dash in piles and cake

Life’s a raging storm
Snow piles high and deep
Troubles mount and stack up
Creating challenges so steep

Friends who saw our plight
Came to lend a hand – Woohoo!
Thank God for Whooter,
the Welnas & Knapton two.

All around the world
Reach out to take a stand
You may not need a snowplow
Just a shovel and a hand

Our ramp was filled with snow
That froze and turned to ice
Those neighbors came to save us
So helpful – yes, so nice!

We couldn’t be more grateful
They cleared a pathway, too
So we could back the car out
We’re doubly blessed; aren’t you?

Photo by Anna Tarazevich on Pexels.com

As world-wide neighbors we see
Friends far and near needing aid
We step up whenever we can
Not expecting to be paid

But in today’s troubled world
We see the flakes raging high
The snow storm of war creates
Ice mounds pounding the sky

No bobcat or shovel budges
The pile of flakes turned to ice
Sending in helpers costs lives
We weigh options and think twice

Will things be alright
In Ukraine and the USA?
What can we do to stop
This mournful storm today?

Pray for this stormy crises to end
Pray for a true world peace
Pray for leaders with malicious intent
To come to their senses. Release!

Release intentions to kill
Release the need to do harm
Disperse the storm clouds today
Commit today to disarm.

Photo by Snapwire on Pexels.com

Pray for Freedom and Peace in the Ukraine

Pray for:
Freedom over tyranny
Peace over war
Calm over storm
Life over death
Love over hate

In Jesus name,
Amen


Be warm,
be safe,
be well,
and pray for peace
in today’s stormy world.
Hugs!

Thank you for visiting JanBeek today
See you tomorrow (God willing)

Embrace Willing Helpers

Today a team of five willing helpers moved every bit of our furniture and appliances from our kitchen, dining room and living room. It was a monumental task!

Beekmans’ bare house

New wood flooring will be installed over this old, soft fir, scarred floor while we are gone to CA for Christmas and New Years. This is what the new/old wood will look like when it is finished:

That’s our friends, Julie & Mike’s new floor.

The wood is from a hundred year old silo in Malta, Montana. Bob saw it and fell in love with it. He decided it is what our house needs. When all is said and done, I hope it is as lovely as he anticipates – and it is worth the time, money, effort, and stress involved in such a major renovation! Our existing floor doesn’t look bad in the video, but it really is in bad shape – and the wood is soft – scars really easily. The replacement wood (going right over the top of this) will give us a brighter, lighter look. Happy New Year!

God bless our willing helpers who are making all this possible!

1921 silo in Malta, Montana

The crew who did all that work to move things today are saints! As I said, it was a major task! And the man who is harvesting the wood from this old silo is a wizard! His name is Paul. Do keep in in prayer. I just pray he maintains his health and is able to finish the project. It was originally planned for when we were on our trip to England and Switzerland last September, but Paul, FELL while doing the wood harvesting and broke some ribs and had other health issues that required surgery. So, of course, our project was postponed while he recuperated.

1921 silo

It’s fun to know the history of the wood – and to look forward to a new look in our home. But, it involves a whole lot more than what meets the eye… because one thing always leads to another, you know? I am reminded of Derrick & Jackie Knight’s recent renovation of their kitchen and entry and upstairs rooms. Derrick shared the step-by-step, day-by-day progress with us on his blog. Quite an undertaking!

We’ll be gone and Paul will be living here in our absence – – – doing his magic. I’ll show you the finished product (God willing) when we return next year, mid to late January. Meantime, do keep our safe travels in your prayers, will you? I’ll keep in touch along the way.

Have a Blessed Sunday. Bob & I will attend church this morning … and then do a little clean-up in our kitchen area to have it cleared and ready for Paul’s arrival tomorrow. What are your Sunday plans?

Us – looking forward to fun with family in sunny California

God bless you and keep you safe.
See you tomorrow (God willing)

Tomorrow is our day to pack!
Love,

JanBeek

Tag Cloud

%d bloggers like this: