Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘inspiration’

Being Pretty

Being Pretty

Do you ever fret
About outside appearance?
What worries you so?

being pretty.jpg

You know it is not
Outside that really matters.
Focus on inside!

bee bumblebee insect macro

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Just bee pretty kind.
And bee funny and cheerful.
Bee smart and bee strong.

Hang on pretty tight to one another!!

close up photography of honeybee

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

 

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Photo by Trinity Kubassek on Pexels.com


Kindness, humor, wisdom
and inner strength…

Those are the special
Beauties that matter most.
Enhance and show them!

grayscale photo of man woman and child

Photo by Kristin De Soto on Pexels.com

Thanks for reading and commenting,
dear beautiful blogging friends.
Your inner beauty shines through.

I appreciate you!!
You have ’em!!

Tell me which of those inner beauty
qualities are the greatest strengths of yours.
heart of love
See ya tomorrow.

Time with Friends

Time with Friends

My TOPS Buddies
I thought I had posted this for you yesterday.
Found it in my drafts folder.

Linda-Jeannie-Diane-Jan

This is (left to right) – Linda,
Jeannie (in pink – the inspirational leader
I posted about earlier today),
Diane, and me. We were having a great time
at the Sip ‘n’ Dip Lounge, watching the mermaid
swimming in the aquarium behind us there.

I showed you that mermaid video, didn’t I?
I couldn’t believe her stamina!
If you ever go to Great Falls, MT,
be sure to visit the Sip ‘n’ Dip.

Our mermaid swam in that tank for nearly two hours
without a break! Must have scaly skin for sure!

My TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) friends
gave me this certificate at the convention:

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How kind of them, huh?
I enjoy my time with them,
and
appreciate their help as I
attend meetings and weigh in each week
to keep my weight at a healthy level.
They say my enthusiasm helps them, too.

If I had a nice aquarium,
I bet I could get enough exercise
that I wouldn’t have to worry about
weight gain. You think??

We really do have a good time together.
What did you do for fun this weekend?
Tell me about it.

heart of love
See ya tomorrow.

 

Under the Influence

Happy Pentecost Sunday!

red and orange fire

Photo by Adonyi Gábor on Pexels.com

This is Pentecost Sunday.
It is the day Christian churches around the world
celebrate the tongues of fire that landed on the heads
of the people gathered in the temple.
The tongues of fire represent the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit allowed the people from
about eight different language regions
to hear in their own native languages
the disciples’ message –
– the Word of God.

The story of the coming of the Holy Spirit
is told in Acts 2: 1-21.
I read that scripture passage aloud
in our church service this morning.

woman reading a book

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Then Rev. Jean Johnson
of our Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
in Ennis, Montana
preached a sermon on that topic.
These are the poetic notes I took as I listened to her message:

“Under the Influence”

The disciples were filled
With New Wine – the Word –
It’s known as Pentecost Sunday.
People thought they were absurd.

Sometimes we, too, become
Intoxicated with New Wine –
Drunk on self-importance,
Inebriated on everything fine.

Possessions, new cars,
Perfectionism, being right;
Approval, needing it from others;
Knowledge, seen as being bright.

We’ve all been intoxicated
By hobbies – like fishing.
What are you drunk on?
For what are you wishing?

birthday bow box card

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

My drink of choice is
Writing and staying in touch.
But that liquid isn’t everlasting;
It doesn’t fill me up very much.

I know for certain I need
To be under the influence
Of those gifts from God that
Help me live in love and prudence.

I am asked to drink
A New Wine that fills
My heart with God’s grace.
The thought of it brings chills.

God’s Day of “Sober Drunkenness”
Is a day filled with paradox.
It’s a day to set aside
The drinks that wind our clocks!

It’s a day to open up
The bottle of forgiveness.
Drink deeply of God’s Power.
It is intoxicating Goodness.

Let His potion sweep you
Off your feet to see
Your Pentecostal Moment.
Feel the Spirit; drink with glee.

Under the influence
Of God’s transforming love,
Let His New Wine fill you
With His Holy Spirit from above.

Pentecost brings us sobriety and inebriation.
Where are your moments of “Sober Drunkenness”?

Do you feel the Holy Spirit’s presence in you?
Let the tongues of fire land on your head
and fill you with God’s Love!

Happy Day of Pentecost!

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Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

Do leave me a message telling me about your
“Drink of Choice” on this Pentecostal Sunday.
What fills YOUR cup?

See you tomorrow.

I See God

I see God

In the morning sunrise

backlit clouds dawn dusk

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

In the rainbow after rain

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In the blossoms of springtime

white flowers in bloom

Photo by Louis on Pexels.com

In the smiles of children (and other friends, too, of course)

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In the gorgeous sunset here in Ennis, MT last night

Ah yes, I see God in the sunsets …

Sunset from Gerrons
In the water and in reflections,

And … at work in me and my loved ones

Us w Chris

Ernesto Cardenal, a Nicaraguan poet and priest wrote,
“Everything in nature has a trademark, God’s trademark:
the stripes on a shell
and the stripes on a zebra;
the grain of the wood
and the veins of the dry leaf;
the markings on the dragonfly’s wings
and the pattern of stars on a photographic plate;
the panther’s coat
and the epidermal cells of the lily petal;
the structure of atoms and galaxies.
All bear God’s fingerprints.”

Where do you see God’s fingerprints?
Where do you FEEL God?
.

 

I feel God

In the winds that blow

sky clouds wind windmill

Photo by Tookapic on Pexels.com

In a baby’s touch

grayscale photo of baby feet with father and mother hands in heart signs

Photo by Andreas Wohlfahrt on Pexels.com

In every genuine heart-felt hug

smiling woman hugging another person

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com

In the unconditional love of our four-legged furry friends

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I feel God in captured dreams

backlit blur close up dawn

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Practice seeing and feeling God.

The more you do,

The more you will.

Where do you see and feel God?

2 Corinthians 4:18
“We do not look at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are unseen.”

In reflecting on that scripture,
Erika Bentsen wrote in today’s Daily Guideposts,
“Dear Lord, please forgive us when we are tempted to doubt.
Just as leaves are stirred by unseen winds,
stir our hearts with the breath of Your real presence.”
Amen

God Bless You!

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See you tomorrow

Stats

Stats

I don’t put much stock in stats.
But every now and then I like
To take a look; especially when
WordPress announces spikes.

Day before yesterday they congratulated me.
They sent this message:

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I was delighted because I remember
Back in 2012 to 2018 when
For 6 years my followers
Numbered less than 100.

I didn’t stop blogging
because my “followers number”
was stagnant.
I appreciated the readers I had.

I still do…
I appreciate YOU!!

But the stat that really has me
Singing in the shower with joy
Is the one I received yesterday:

 

  1. 44 Likes
    On Saturday June 1, 2019, you surpassed your previous record of most likes in one day for your posts on janbeek. That’s pretty awesome, well done!
    Most Likes in One Day
    Current Record: 44
    Old Record: 43

 

You see, it really doesn’t matter if my followers
Number 100 or 10,000.
What matters is:

  • Are you visiting?
  • Are you reading?
  • Are you commenting?
  • Am I saying something that generates a response?
  • Am I fulfilling my purpose?
  • Do my words and thoughts inspire you to love yourself and one another more fully?

If so,
Hallelujah!
Pass it on!

Love your uniqueness and
Let the stats simply be
A source of information…

Not a fettish!

You relate?

 

 

Quote

Increased LOVE, like FAITH, takes EFFORT

I wrote this blog in 2012…
It is sooo pertinent to what I wrote today!

Check it out: via Increased LOVE, like FAITH, takes EFFORT

Specks of Splendor

Specks of Splendor

gold-miner-pic

Like a gold miner panning for gold,
I sift through life’s muck and mire
To look for the specks of splendor
That sparkle and dance like fire.

.

No matter how awful my day was,
At the end, I put on my Jesus glasses
And find the specks that sparkled,
The nuggets in muddy splashes.

اشتري WINDO Memory Titanium Flexible Round Eyeglasses Frame Spectacles Glasses FF007 في مصر

.
The most dismal, dark, and cloudy day
Has shimmers of beauty in the trials.
With God’s help, I sift and find them.
Then tuck into bed with gratitude and smiles.

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See you tomorrow.

Universal Responsibility

Universal Responsibility

 

Memorial Day – a day to remember
Those who gave their lives
That we might enjoy freedom.
How quickly that freedom dies!
Some want our soldiers to believe
They are giving their lives so we
Can live in liberty and can behave
However we choose – we are free!

Free – what do you think it means?
Free to worship as we please  –
Free to squander resources at random –
Free to waste and abuse? Jeez!!

Today more than ever before,
We must exhibit a life of respect.
We must oppose the forces of hate
And show love for all … Otherwise expect
Universal Destruction!

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I want to be free to see a world with:

  • no war
  • no hate
  • no hunger
  • no suffering
  • no abuse
  • no prejudice
  • no squandering

May have to wait for the Promise of Eternity, huh?

white and black bird

Photo by Reynaldo #brigworkz Brigantty on Pexels.com

JUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!!

Have a Love-filled Memorial Day
Be the Missing Peace!!

See you tomorrow

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Look Up!

Look Up!

Look up to find the blue

Looking back at you.

Hidden behind clouds,

It’s there for you to see.

 

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Don’t focus on the gray.

Just brighten up your day

By knowing that the sun

Is there for you and me.

sun on beach bench

We may not see it now,

But we’re assured somehow

The gray will pass away.

The Son’s there constantly.

.

Look up!

bird in sunset sky

God Bless You, dear friends…

See you tomorrow!

Walk in Wisdom

WELCOME!

Let’s take a WALK in WISDOM together today.

This wheat field offers opportunities
to wander a while:

woman in black hijab headscarf walking on field

Photo by Samuel Silitonga on Pexels.com

“W” is a letter with
a wealth of opportunities for
words that encompass
the qualities we need
to
add more meaning
and
find greater purpose
in life.

With WONDER and WHIMSY

Fill your eyes with the wide-open wonder of the world. It is a magnificent place, isn’t it? The water is one of the wonders that brings the whimsy to my surface. Makes me want to run in the waves and wiggle my toes in the sand. Makes me want to explore the wishes I would love to see come true.

woman wearing orange swimsuit while holding pink inflatable beside body of water

Photo by Loe Moshkovska on Pexels.com

Explore WISHES

To live a more meaningful life and find greater purpose, we need to open our hearts to explore our wishes, make our bucket lists, and dream big!

Bob Goff is one of my favorite whimsical people.
I have not met him in person, but I love his book, Love Does,
and I am a huge proponent of his life’s purpose:
to help people Dream Big and fulfill their
heartfelt wishes.
Check him out:

https://dreambigframework.com/

On his website it says,
“Bob has inspired millions to dream big and make life more awesome. He is driven by a desire to help others unlock their potential to love and be loved greater. What goals and dreams have you been putting off out of fear or the thought that you can’t do it, that it’s too hard? Chances are, Bob could talk you out of those thoughts and send you charging into your next adventure.”

Let WISDOM Guide You

Sometimes wisdom is found in silence.

Prov. 17:28 in The Message, Bible translation by Eugene H Peterson reminds us:
“Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.”

The wisdom of the Bible guides my prayer life, my daily walk, my associations with others. That particular verse in the NIV (New Revised Version) says, “Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent.”

Mom’s version of that was,
“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool,
than to speak and remove all doubt!”

Mom was always trying to get that message across to me. As a child I must have been quite the blabber-mouth. Bob will tell you that I still am, but I think I have improved through the ages. I hope I’m not as big a motor-mouth as I once was. My third grade teacher wrote on my report card, “Janet must learn, she can’t talk ALL the time.”

I’m still a work in progress. Aren’t we all?

A good part of walking in wisdom is learning when to speak and when to listen… and developing the habit taught in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.”

man and woman handshake

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

 

With wonder and whimsy,
Explore wishes.
Let wisdom
guide you.

Thanks for walking this journey with me.

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SEE you tomorrow.