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Posts tagged ‘home’

Blessed to Be Home


Travel is wonderful
It takes us to friends
It connects us with family
Our little world extends

DeDe, our daughter, was a wonderful chauffeur

Visiting family is a treat
Especially on special occasions
Participating in events
Receiving honored invitations

Our oldest grandson, Mike
Married the love of his life
We were blessed to be there
When they became husband and wife

Mike and Tania were sweet –
Sent us photos from their honeymoon
Some of the scenery was
Enough to make us swoon

Love is beautiful when it’s new
Full of promise and creating dreams
God blesses those who build hopes
On His Word and what it means

1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“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.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.”

While we were blessed
To be able to go and see
Our loved ones who live afar,
Home is indeed a great place to be.

I loved being able to go
Up into my sanctuary again
To spend time with my angels
And time in prayer – Amen!

(Yes, I know you can pray
Anywhere you are – every day –
But there’s something about a place
Set aside for that in a special way)

We loved being able to have
Bob’s former student and his wife
Come and spend time with us –
Sharing our home – sharing our life.

So glad Peter & Alice Martin came to visit!

Returning to our church family
Was a treat for us as well –
There is comfort and joy
Being where Christian friends dwell

One of my dear Ennis buddies
Took care of my plants while we were gone
Another came and took care of our yard
Checking the flowers and mowing the lawn

Enjoying the company of our pup
Is another bonus of being home
Our TazE is twelve years old now
She’s loved by dear friends when we roam

Ah yes, it’s a blessing to be home
We appreciate from the bottom of our heart
All that our family and friends did
But we miss our bed and pillow when we’re apart!

We certainly enjoyed Andre’s phenomenal cooking
All the Swiss cheese and bread it contained…
But it’s time to return to my cooking each day –
While we take off the pounds we both gained!

Come visit us, dear friends.
We’d love to see you here.
We’ll take you to Dave’s Sushi –
In Bozeman – a city that’s pretty near.

Or… just feed you here at home –
It’s a blessing to be here, you know.
And a blessing to travel and see family –
Where is a spot that you’d like to go?

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Family, friendship, Gratitude, Love, Memories, music, pets, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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Wonderful Weekend


Enjoying Sunday
Remembering Saturday
And Fish on Friday

Sunday began
with this prayer-filled
good morning photo
from my friend Lisa
in North Carolina

After church,
Sunday continues
with our TazE
needing attention
and us
trying to
just relax!

Saturday memories
include a wonderful evening
shared with Bob
and dozens of friends
at the Madison Valley Ranchland’s
annual “Noxious Weed Dinner and Auction.”

Check out
Bonny Morningstar Guzzo
on Facebook
to see her wonderful pictures
of that highly successful event.

Friday memories
include our walk
along the Madison River
in Lion’s Club Park
where this beautiful
painted fish sculpture
greets us.

The painting on the fish inspires the Haiku poet in me.

“Father, please teach me
I want to learn how to fish
To fish like you, Dad“

Back home, the clouds keep the day cooler
as the sun plays peek-a-boo
The trees provide welcomed shade
And the birds serenade you

The breeze causes the wind chimes
To sing a lullaby
Reminding me of my sis, Sally
She’d love this place as much as I

The deer come quietly to rest
Beneath the shade of verdant trees
They promise not to nibble
But who can trust deer like these?

Time to think about a meal
Don’t know what I’d like to cook
Need to go check out the fridge
Maybe left-overs -Have a look!

Mmmm… I can see shrimp
Waiting for the coconut
Time to make the sauce

Hope all is well with you.
Thanks for sharing
my weekend memories
vicariously with me.

Now it is your turn
What are your best memories
Of this great weekend?

Sending love your way…
Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, Family, Fishing, food, happiness, Love, Memories, Montana, Poetry, trees

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Come Visit Us in Montana!


If I had space in my WordPress photo gallery, I would show you a series of photos of this place in Ennis, Montana where we are blessed to live. BUT, to add more photos, I have to erase older photos. The program tells me I am at 100% capacity! How does Derrick Knight manage to post so many beautiful photos of his garden on https://derrickjknight.com every day without running out of space? I need to discover his secret!

Meantime, what I did was put the photos on a Facebook post – and give you the link here so you can go there to see where we are inviting you to come visit. I hope you will/can check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/jan.beekman/

I’ll put one here as a teaser – hoping you’ll click that FB link and go see more, OK?

Bob & Jan love company… and now that my hand is better and I can be a hostess again, I hope you will consider a trip! We are just one hour from Yellowstone – and the entrance (nearest us) to the park is open now – and the road that takes you to Old Faithful is open, too… following those terrible floods a few weeks ago. Beekman B&B is full July 2-6, but after that, July is clear on our calendar!!

Our kitchen windows with the gorgeous lilac bush

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. It’s our daughter’s 35th anniversary this weekend… DeDe, the one who lives in Switzerland. We look forward to visiting them in the end of August.

Meantime, my devotional today in “Mornings with Jesus” encouraged me to “Find a quiet place. Write down any problems that surround you. Thank Jesus for being bigger than those problems.” It is not hard to find a quiet place here… and it is easy to live gratefully for daily healing of my broken finger and hurting hand, and to thank God for the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of this place. Come see for yourself!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek

Tell me what you’re doing this lovely weekend…
See ya Monday (I’m taking a day off tomorrow)
Hugs,
Jan Beekman

Category:

blessings, blogging, Fishing, flowers, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Montana, mountains, peace, Travel, trees

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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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Stay the Course


Happy Sunday, my friends!
Did you get to go to church this morning?
Our church here in Ennis, Montana began today
to resume in-person fellowship after the worship service.
So good to be back in communication with our friends
over a cup of coffee or tea and some wonderful refreshments.

This is Jo & Jim Forsberg who created these beautiful and tasty refreshments. I’m providing the fellowship refreshments next Sunday. This is a hard act to follow!

And now, back home in the comfort of our newly painted dining room, I am reviewing our sermon message today and wish to share it with you. As you know, I have a habit of taking notes in poetry as I listen to the message each Sunday. Here’s what Rev. Mary Grace Reynolds’ sermon at our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church said to me today:

Stay the Course

The road goes on –
Listening each morning –
A long, grueling journey –
The road goes ever on.

It doesn’t seem hopeful –
But, Jesus is on the road.
We stand in solidarity
With Him and His suffering.

Tolkien was encouraged –
Lewis was hopeful, too.
In a world of World War I,
There was great disillusion.

The death toll was great
In Europe and the US, too.
The statistics kept rolling
On the road – ever on…

Humanity tries to cheat
And to wield power –
Tries to play God –
A dark, dangerous journey.

There is some good here
In this world – and
It is worth fighting for.
Jesus knows no short cuts.

Only the long, grueling road –
A journey that ends not
In death, but in victory.
We are on the road to Oneness.

Oneness with God
Is the journey’s end.
We stand in solidarity
With Him. Stay the course!

(Quoting from Lord of the Rings?)
“See the road roll past your doorway
Calling for your feet to stray
Like a deep and rolling river
The road may sweep you far away.

BUT

Just beyond the horizon
Like a waiting world unknown
Like the dawn its beauty beckons
With a wonder of its own.”

Oneness with God

Is the journey’s end.

We stand in solidarity

With Him. Stay the course!

Let’s journey together in love!

Thanks for joining me on today’s journey.
Continue, my friends, to pray for the
people of Ukraine. Pray for their journey
to lead toward Oneness with God –
and a peaceful Oneness with us all.

God speak of your love and peace to Putin.
God help us all!

STAY THE COURSE!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Faith, God, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, peace, Poetry, sermon notes, writing

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A Half a Dozen Passions


Bloganuary#16 asked us to write about something we are passionate about. I can’t pick just one! Can you? Do your passions include some of the six things I am passionate about?

Here are a half a dozen of mine:

1. Let’s start with my love of home and family and the delight at being safely back here again. That’s passionately on my heart right now after being gone 3 weeks, getting a miserable respiratory virus, and being cared for so lovingly by our son, Ty & his wife Monika:

Home Sweet Home

2. If you have read any of my blogs before this one, it will not surprise you that I am passionate about Jesus and His sacrifice that saved my soul. I love the Lord with all my heart and pray daily for His Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts and actions, and to guard my tongue, and to inspire my writing. I read His Word daily and am passionate about inspiring others to Trust also in His promises.

3. I am passionate about music. Often I include a YouTube music clip at the end of my daily message here. I love to sing. I used to play the clarinet (was quite good once upon a time before arthritis bent my fingers so badly – my skill was thanks to years of private lessons my parents provided for me and hours of happy practice during those ages from 10 to 18 – – – I also play the accordion (you can find posts about that by putting “accordion” in the search bar in the upper right of my blog). I still am passionate about sharing the joy of the accordion with others – – – it’s like carrying a party on your back!

Here’s a wonderful video clip of a great song sent to me by a dear friend this morning:

4. I am passionate about cooking – and providing homemade meals for Bob and me that are pretty as well as nutritious and tasty. Besides music and writing, cooking is one of my favorite hobbies. It’s one of the reasons I love following Caralyn’s posts on BeautyBeyondBones. If you haven’t followed her blog, do yourself a favor and check her out.

5. That’s another thing I am passionate about: finding things, places, people, books and blogs I love and sharing them with others. Here’s a link I hope will take you to the source of the picture below = (Thank you, Caralyn) https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/36990166/posts/3768091539

Isn’t that mango salsa
over a nice piece of flakey,
cooked-to-perfection halibut
enough to make your mouth water?

What are you passionate about?
I’d love to hear.

There I am in those days when I was able to serve as a volunteer at the Food Bank. (I can’t right now… until I am sure this RSV is all gone … and until Bob & I return from our trip next week to Mayo Clinic). BUT, that’s #6 on my list of passions: using the time and talents God has given me to serve others with love and compassion.

I bet you do that, too (or are you waiting until you retire?)… Don’t!
Begin now… it’s so rewarding! In this COVID world, find a way!
Your talents are in passionate need out there!!



God Bless You!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Category:

blessings, blogging, Faith, Family, food, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, happiness, health, Jesus, Love, music, relationships, Serving One Another, writing

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Happy Wordless Wednesday


Wordless in Placerville

See ya tomorrow

Category:

contentment, Love, Montana

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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

Category:

blogging, Family, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Love, Montana, prayer, Serving One Another, work

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Embrace Company


Invite the neighbors.
There’s no need to be lonely;
They’re good company!

Also, go on out –
Invite your friends to join you.
Embrace company!

Kalena’s Tea House:
a great place for having lunch.
Sit outside -enjoy!

Be happy with your own company, too!

Headed to pick up
Bob & his buddies
at the airport today.

It’s been 9 long days
without him…
but I survived it!

Thanks to friends here
And my blogging friends out there,
I was never lonely!

Thanks for your company!

See ya tomorrow (God willing!)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Family, friendship, Haiku, happiness, kindness, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, Montana, relationships, Serving One Another

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Embrace Your Last Best Place


Embrace your last best place
It’s where you call your “Forever Home.”
It’s the place you’re destined to stay
When you decide to land – not roam.

“Our Last Best Place” is written on
Our Montana license plates.
It’s a motto for Bozeman,
But Ennis is our place that rates.

It rates a forever stay.
It’s where we want to be
Until it’s time to eventually
Leave for Eternity.

Our neighbors have a sign –
It says home is a collection.
It says home is a story –
One with happy recollection.

I say home is a heartfelt
Place where love is true –
A place where when you have you go there,
They always have room for you.

It’s a place where happy memories
Have seeped into the wall
And everywhere you look,
Is a story to recall.

Grandpa DeAngeles’ cheese press
(or is it an apple press – I wonder)
Reminds me of my dad who had
These treasures out in rain & thunder!

We had the piece restored
And found a grape press to match.
They sit in dining room corners –
This one came without a scratch!

If rocking chairs could talk
This would have stories galore.
Bob’s great-grandma used it
And our grandkids rocked some more.

This clock has a great history –
It hung in Bob’s mother’s school.
That was back in 1908-16
His mom was certainly no fool.

When the school house caught fire
And the kids were evacuated,
A lot of stuff ended in a pile.
His mom saved this… she was elated.

The clock is not the only thing
We inherited from our folks.
Our house is full of those memories –
Full of love and life and hopes.

The horseshoe has a history –
The mortar Dad found in Merced River does, too.
The pestle that goes with it
Has seen more than a grind or two!

The books that line the living room
Have stories – some written by friends,
And the picture from Grimentz
Has Swiss memories without ends.

I love the little angels
On tables, counters and floor.
Each one has a story
And there’s always room for more.

That first one is from Terry,
A friend who has my heart.
The next one’s from our Laina –
It’s meant for garden art.

Up in my sanctuary,
There’s an angel in a dish.
She’s playing the accordion –
And she came with a great wish:

I wish you happy memories
In this “Last Best Place” of yours.
I know you’ll live here happily,
Welcoming strangers through your doors.

It’s true, we love our Last Best Place –
And we’ve welcomed many a guest.
And we’re not through inviting them –
Come – sit with us – we’re truly blessed!

Embrace Your Last Best Place

Are you in it now?
Or do you anticipate where it will be…
the one on earth, that is…

Tell me about it!

See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Roy Rogers was my favorite as a kid…
And never did I imagine I’d
find a Home on the Range
where the deer and the antelope play
as my Last Best Place
someday.
Yup, antelope…. right here in my Last Best Place

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, Family, happiness, Love, Memories, Montana, music, peace, Poetry, relationships

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