Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘inspiration’

Blogging Friends

Why do you blog?

Today’s prompt made me pause and reflect on the why.
Why am I here? Why have I posted “stuff” here for so many years?
It’s not for rewards or recognition.

The title up there tells the story.
It’s my place to stay connected
with Derrick & Dwight,
Ann & Sue,
Richard & Donna,
Caralyn & you!!
It’s blogging friends old and new
who take the time to comment,
who post their own inspirational messages …
that’s why I’m here.
I care about you.

Thank you for also blogging and for staying in touch!

Love,
JanBeek

Shipwreck Poem’s Inspiration

Hi! Welcome back… Two blogs in one day. Unusual for me! But I wanted to share with you one of the devotionals I was eluding to in my last post when I told you several readings this morning were dealing with ships, boats, storms, etc. This one is worth your time, too… Have a read:

I read this one this morning….
Saturday, August 12, 2023
I was inspired by it. I think you will be, too…
Now you are a wrecked ship, broken at the bottom of the sea. All your merchandise and crew have gone down with you. Ezekiel 27:34 (NLT)
AFTER ENJOYING A WEEKEND AT the coast, my husband and I headed home. As I drove along the highway, we spotted a large roadside sign. Its words read, “Life is a shipwreck. Sing in the lifeboat.” We exchanged a glance and smiled, reflecting on the previous several months.Together, we’d weathered a shipwreck of our own. After Dave suffered a life-altering accident, we slowed our pace. He needed to be taught a few basic skills and to learn appropriate emotional responses. Speech challenged him. Like a metaphorical bird, words perched at the tip of his tongue, then flew away before he could capture them.I became versed in the true meaning of caregiving. Caring and giving. As I looked after Dave’s needs, I saw in his eyes a new level of love—richer, more complete. Just as his trust in me grew, my faith in Jesus deepened.I felt panic as waves crashed against our boat of the life we’ve made for ourselves. For a time, I wondered if the ship Dave and I sailed was sinking. But when I cried out, Jesus was there. He wasn’t asleep, because God never sleeps (Psalm 121:4). He calmed our waves and guided our vessel to a safe harbor. This tempest hasn’t drowned our faith. It strengthened it (Proverbs 10:25). Yes, we are singing in the lifeboat—singing praises to Jesus, our Captain, and we always will. —HEIDI GAULFAITH STEP: Are you sitting in a lifeboat? Ask Jesus to settle the waves of your life and find rest on His calming seas. He’ll never let you sink.
I hope you are inspired, as I was, by this post to abandon the shipwreck and “Sing in the lifeboat!”

Hugs to you … and love,
JanBeek

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!

Family Christmas

We are very blessed
To be with family today
A Merry Christmas

Four generations
With fourteen of us in all
God bless our family

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Generation One
With sweet Generation Four
Thank God for babies

Children grow so fast
Remain babies a short time
Enjoy while you can

As a babe Christ came
Helpless and vulnerable
To live as we live

Mary and Joseph
Provided a loving home
Knowing He’s Special

Peace- John 14:27

So when did they know
The Truth of His intentions
Did God prepare them?

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I can’t imagine
Raising a loving child
For Him to die young

Some friends are hurting
On this day after Christmas
They lost a child, too

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Maybe their lost one
Is a sweet four-legged friend
That breaks your heart, too

On this Christmas night,
let’s reflect with my loved one from Zimbabwe
on Christmas Meaning:
God’s Plan by Taking the Human Form
– Birth of Jesus –

John 3
16 : For God loved the world so much
that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not die but have eternal life.

17 :
For God did not send his Son
into the world to be its judge,
but to be its savior.

11 :
“I am the good shepherd,
who is willing to die for the sheep.

It’s not about the day
as no one knows for certain when Jesus Christ was born.
It is a celebration of why He was born.

Here’s to our Salvation celebration
through the birth of Baby Jesus.
Let us make room for Him in our hearts 💕

Blessed Christmas beloved ones of God.
Shalom 🙏🏽❤️

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God Bless You, dear friends.
I pray you had a wonderful, family-filled Merry Christmas!

Love,
JanBeek

Unlock Your Creativity

There’s a muse who lives inside you
She is clever, strong and cute
She is lonely there and waiting
For your visit – she’s not mute

When you meet her, she will speak up
She will help you find your voice
Pick up pen and grab a paper
Writing is your muse’s choice

You’ve a muse who lives inside you
She is waiting to be free
Free to help you find your own voice
Unlock your creativity

Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com



My muse just woke me up tonight
She was screaming for expression
Turned my sniffles into giggles
Lifted me from my depression

She can laugh at my incessant cough
She can find light in the dark
Turn her loose and let her be, please
All she needs is one small spark

Don’t you wonder how she does it
How she keeps her spirit light
My muse is just an angel
Her encouragement is bright

You’ve a muse who lives inside you
She is ready to inspire
Unlock her full potential
She will raise your spirit higher

Creativity that’s hidden
Under cover we create
Needs our angel muse to lift it
Unlock it now – you’re great!

Let’s be the spark that lights another!

Have a great Thursday, my friend.
Unlock your muse – and go create!

Love & hugs to you,
from JanBeek

A Humble Heart

My blogging friend, Donna, The Fathers Feet, posted this song today. I am going to sing it all day long. Listen, be inspired, and sing with me!

Give me a humble heart! Make me pure and true… Make me more like You!

🙏🏽❤️👍🏽

Melt my pride away…

Have a Marvelous Monday!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Enough!

The poem above is an edited version of an original by Bob Perks. I first read his poem about two decades ago. It spoke to me. Like the one above, it did not give credit to the poet, so I credited “Anonymous.” I posted it on my FaceBook page or somewhere (I wasn’t on WP yet at that time).

I heard from Bob Perks. He was irate! People were posting his poem, tweaking it, and not giving him credit. I had done so innocently. Maybe others were as unknowing as I.

Is it OK to use someone else’s words without acknowledging them? Bob Perks said, “No, that’s plagiarism!”

But if you saw the poem posted as I did, without an author’s name, how would you go about researching who wrote it?

In today’s world, I just “Googled it!” I found this version:

Is that really Bob Perks’ original version? How can I tell? And is it ok for some company to put it on a plaque and sell it for profit without the poet getting some kind of royalty? Did Bob Perks copyright it? I don’t know.

I have mixed feelings on this subject – because I have always believed that when someone steals your idea it is a form of flattery. After all, they liked it that much, right?

People have been doing that with Jesus’ words and ideas for centuries.

Did Nancy DeMoss really create that idea?

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

People always are rephrasing Jesus’ words.
There are countless translations of the Bible
and dozens of books that paraphrase it.
But, they do not take the ideas
without giving credit to the creator,
do they?

So, is it OK to be a copycat
without acknowledgement?

Depends… depends on who you’re copying and why!
Sometimes copying is considered a cheap form of imitation.

As an elementary school principal, I used encourage my teachers to share their good ideas with others – and be happy if someone copied their method, stole their lesson plan, or imitated their teaching style. It’s OK to go beyond admiring an idea. It’s OK to use it, embellish it, improve upon it, personalize it. Is it enough to just recognize the other for their inspiration? If you copy, do you need permission?

In our WordPress world, we try to ask permission before reposting someone’s idea. If we don’t get an answer, is it enough to just acknowledge the source?

Lee Ann Womack advocates originality.

I believe Bob Perk’s poem is a beautiful original.
He deserves to receive credit for it.
I wish him ENOUGH accolades
to satisfy his heart’s content.
I love following his ideas
even today on FaceBook.
https://www.facebook.com/bob.perks

His website is about
Starting Over…
New Beginnings

I bet Bob Perks has had ENOUGH of this rewriting of his poem and people copying and tweaking it. I bet he is ready to move on… start over … reinvent his image. As a writer, he now says he is a “Speaker” and a “Vocalist.” He’s said ENOUGH of that old life. Let’s begin again. His website says, “Starting Over Again” at the top of it.

I am an orginal.
You are an original.
There is no one else on earth like you.
Your eyes are only yours.
Your fingerprints are only yours.
Your voice is an original – only yours!
Celebrate your originality!

Cheers!

Loved having you visit today.
Come back again tomorrow
and celebrate my birthday with me, OK?

I wish you enough!

Hugs,
JanBeek

“Who are you most inspired by and why?” 

Bloganuary #6 asks us to consider the main Source of our inspiration.
That’s a no-brainer! As a Christian, the answer has to be Jesus!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

With the inspiration provided by scripture, prayer, daily devotionals, and a constant walk with my Lord, I am inspired every day be seek His Will for my life. I am inspired to seek His Truth. I am inspired to share His Love. I am inspired to share the Good News!

16 For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

I pray that Jesus inspires you, too.

Now, if I have to choose someone who is on earth today… a living human who inspires me, I would not be able to narrow is down to one person! Here are a few:

  1. Derrick Knight – he inspires me to blog every day as he does, and to respond to all who leave a comment on my post (just as he does).
  2. Ty and Monika – our son and daughter-in-law – they inspire me with their big hearts and open hospitality, their love for one another, their family and neighbors, and their faithfulness. They inspire me to be more open and communicative about my faith in Christ.
  3. Marcie Fernandes – my long-time friend – she inspires me to be more forgiving, more open to seeing the good in others, less quick to be judgemental.
  4. DeAna & Andre’ – our daughter and son-in-law – in Switzerland – they inspire me to be more “in the moment.” Carpe’ Diem!

It would be fun to have those six folks together here at Ty & Monika’s in California right now, but they are spread from here to England to Tennessee to Switzerland! They all live in my heart and my prayers each day, though.

Who inspires you and why?
It’s a thoughtful question, don’t you agree?

Jesus inspires me
to rely on Him

Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Embrace Kind Thoughts

Today I am reblogging a post by Pat Cegan… It touched me … and inspired me to want to be sure my palette is comprised of the kind thoughts of compassion, love, and other gifts of the Spirit Pat describes.

Thank you, Pat!

Unkind Thoughts — Source of Inspiration

An unkind thought is a double edge blade. It cuts the sender and receiver. If our thoughts covered receivers with visible colors, what colors would the world be? Am I creating rainbows of harmony or do dark colored clouds fill my world? May I have a palette of compassion yellow, healing greens, sacred purples, love-filled […]

Unkind Thoughts — Source of Inspiration

What color are your thoughts?

I pray you will blow any dark colored clouds away
but keep the rainbow of harmony!

Photo by Jakob on Pexels.com
Photo by 42 North on Pexels.com

Sending you my love.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Embrace Hopefulness

Psalm 119:114.

“You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in Your word.”



Life can beat us down
with trials, sorrows and debilitating worries.
God’s messages about our future hope
can deeply encourage,
inspire, uplift
and motivate us.

Don’t worry; be happy!

“Therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoices;
my flesh also will rest in hope.”

Psalm 16:9

“‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’”

Lamentations 3:24

H ang
O n to
P ositivity and
E ncouragement

As we prepare to return to Bozeman today for more lab work and a bone marrow biopsy for Bob, our hearts are full of gratitude for all the love and support extended to us during this time of tests, unknowing, waiting, and hopefulness. Our faith is strong and our prayers are many. Your prayers for Bob’s good results and proper/effective treatment are heard, we’re sure. Our God cares. Our God’s got this! We can rest in this knowledge. We can feel His loving arms around us. Thank you all!

I will keep you posted as we learn more. Yesterday the gastroenterologist (GI doctor) confirmed that the blood in the stool is not colon cancer… and the cause is more superficial. That was an answer to prayer. Today we are praying the bone marrow scan confirms that this is not AL Amyloidosis (a cancer in the marrow). The doctors are busy trying to rule things out so when they send us to Mayo Clinic, the experts there can move on to finding what type it IS (if in fact it IS that rare disorder)… and then a proper treatment can begin. The symptoms include a lower functioning of both the heart and the kidneys resulting in lack of stamina. That’s really hard for this guy who is used to hard, physical work and never having to think twice about what he is capable of doing!


Meantime, we start each day with grateful hearts for our friends here on WP, our supportive neighbors and family, and our God who holds us all in His care.

God bless you.
Have a wonderful Thursday.
Embrace Hopefulness!

Love, JanBeek

The Bozeman Library is a great place to be while I wait for Bob’s procedures to be finished!

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