My muse has been asleep My muse has been absent I’ve been in a funk My muse just up and went
Ever since my pup died I can’t seem to get inspired In all the world’s turmoil I think my muse expired
But then I looked around To see how I am blessed I told my weary self that This is just a test
He’s my Muse!
Ah-hah! He never left me It was I who strayed away Return to Faith’s assurance And “Bee a Light” today!
I looked back at days gone by To a time when I felt fine And found a helpful poem I’m adopting today as mine.
It was inspired by His Word I read the Bible every day Now I must remember to apply The Words God has to say!
2 Corinthians 4:6 a
For it is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness…”
I Can Let My Light Shine (Written in December 2023)
In a world filled with war and hate I can shine a light of love from me In a world filled with animosity and division I can shine a light of unity
In a world filled with hopelessness and despair I can lift the lamp of hopefulness In a world filled with fear and worry I can shine the joy of faithfulness
I can “bee” a light in the darkness Because the love of Christ shines through The grim shadows of despair And that Light also is in you
As a wonderful God-created child You are part of a magnificent whole So let that Spirit buried in you Shine forth from your blessed soul
Your light shines from the Creator Just as mine sparkles brightly, too So fill this world with the light of love Let’s let love’s light shine from me and you!
Amen
My Muse is alive and well. God Bless You! Yours is, too!! Let it shine!!!
In a world filled with war and hate I can shine a light of love from me In a world filled with animosity and division I can shine a light of unity
In a world filled with hopelessness and despair I can lift the light of hopefulness In a world filled with fear and worry I can shine a light of faithfulness
I can be a light in the darkness Because the love of Christ shines through The grim shadows of despair And that light also is in you
As a wonderful God-created child You are part of a magnificent whole So let that Spirit buried in you Shine forth from your blessed soul
Your light shines from your creator Just as mine sparkles brightly, too So fill this world with the light of love Let’s let Love’s Light shine from me and you!
The Light of Love surrounds me The Light of Love enfolds me The Light of Love strengthens me Wherever I am, the Light of Love is.
LoveLight is powered by the Source. The Source is God, my Creator. The love of God enfolds me. The power of God protects me. The presence of God watches over me. Wherever I am, God is!
If I walk in awareness of LoveLight, It is easier to shine in the darkness. It is easier to let God’s Light shine through me. It is easier to find the path He intends for me. It is easier to respond to others with compassion. It is easier to find JOY at every turn.
Embrace the LoveLight in you! Recognize its Source. Praise God for each blessing. Recognize their Source. Pray for God’s patience and kindness to be manifested in you this day. Shine!
God bless you!
Each morning as I sit in my 100+ year old rocker that was made by Bob’s great grandfather, and I count my blessings, thank God for them, and plan my day ahead, I thank God for you! You, my WP readers, are a source of Light for my writing. You light up my life! Your responses are a source of encouragement. My goal is to spread the LOVE, JOY, PEACE, FAITH and sense of UNITY that are mine. I hope you feel those blessings in your life, too. Let that LOVELIGHT shine through you today.
1 John 2:9-10 “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.”
“Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love [God], for I have put my trust in You.”
MMMmmm, it was good! We loved sharing – comparing Naming – Enjoying!
Illuminate Home Get ready to share your meal Thank God for your friends
I thank God for you I pray for health and safety For each one of you.
Tell me about your Thanksgiving. I hope your day is filled with good food, Good friends, and lots of great conversation.
I am sorry that some were unable to come Because not all are vaccinated and some Feel vulnerable with this darn COVID-19 Still threatening to infect even those with Boosters.
I pray for an end to this pandemic And for all who can do so to go and get the vaccine. Embrace illumination – shine your light on healthy choices! But, it is not for me to judge… if you choose not to, You have your reasons – and I love you anyway.
Just BEEEEE SAFE! And Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Missing my sis…
Keeping you in my prayers. Thanks for visiting today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)… Love, JanBeek
Today was a very important, memorable day at our church. It was Father’s Day, yes… and we honored our fathers and our Father in Heaven. But the real LIGHT of the day was the opportunity to be in church on this special Sunday when Mary Grace Reynolds, was presenting her first sermon as our official new pastor. MGR is fresh out of seminary, but she conducted the service as if she had ten years of experience! We are so blessed to have her at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, MT. If you ever are in our area on a Sunday, you MUST come and experience the Holy Spirit alive and well in this little community!!
Her sermon title was, “There’s a Light On.”
If you have followed my blog for a week or more, you know that most Sundays as I listen to the sermon, I take notes – and most of the time I take them in some form of poetry. Today was no exception. Here is what I heard through my JanBeek filter:
I feel the Holy Spirit Perched on my shoulder. How we understand where we’ve been Matters a lot as we grow older.
Even though this is a new beginning, We sit on the blessings and woes of the past. We incorporate these into who we are As we step into the future – at last.
Genesis One spoke to me this week. Looking at effortless, timeless majesty, We are reminded of God’s control As the mountains loom with no hesitancy.
God holds all the cards; we don’t! The utility of history – truth and facts – Reminds us to adapt historical records As we articulate how God in creation acts.
God’s power was articulated in Genesis By stories and memories told with persistence. The Israelites were reminded of their God Who breathed the world into existence.
The creation story reminded them of hope – The hope and identity they have in God. Our stories tell who and where we’ve been. They reveal our cracks, our cobwebs, our sin.
We can look back at the God Who turned the light on within us, And we notice God’s sovereignty – Grateful for how His Son freed sin from us.
The Israelites remember the pain They had in exile for so many years. We too remember the pain and grief Of life – and thank God for drying our tears.
As we move as a church body Into newness, remember the past. Recall how He kept the light on – And move joyfully into the future – at last.
God is in this place with us Sure as the sun continues to rise. We’re challenged to move forward now Knowing we’re guided by the Light of God’s eyes.
There’s a Light On! Embrace the Light! Amen.
Toward the end of the service, Mary Grace presented a beautiful Pastoral Prayer. I took notes as I prayed this prayer with her:
Holy God, be with us. Most High God, comfort and heal the afflicted. Lord, grant Your presence. Bring them out of their suffering. Lord, we know You can – and You do. Almighty God, whom we sometimes call Father, pour out Your spirit on all fathers who are working today to provide food for their families, and to keep them sheltered. Eternal God, whom we still call Father, You are so much more than earthly fathers. Make whole what has been broken. Most Loving God, we give thanks for all those we call father. Thanks for all those who sacrifice for their children. God, whom we call Father, we stand in praise and awe of Your Power. Remind us You are in the boat and You have the Light on! Amen
When I put the word “guidance” in my Pexel image search, this picture of a smart phone – bringing the GPS image to mind – came up on my screen. Is that your idea of guidance?
What kind of guidance does this second image bring to mind? Maybe allowing your surroundings, the sun and moon, the mountains, to guide you? Do they give you a sense of direction? Is that what guidance means to you?
A lighthouse guides ships through the night- Especially in a storm when it is hard to see the shore. This kind of guidance involves a light that points the way, gives a warning, keeps the vessel from crashing into the rocks.
I searched through many photos before finding the light that spelled guidance to me – and this one sort of does it.
It’s the Light that dawns Each morning as I look to the heavens And ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It’s the light of God that shines in and through me.
Where do you get your guidance? Do you pass it along to others Who are on the journey of life with you? Wise guidance from fellow believers is treasured.
If you look to others for direction And you play “Follow the Leader,” Be sure your guides are tuned in To the God of your Salvation!
In this Holy Week as we anticipate Easter, Look for guidance in prayer and the scriptures; Look for guidance in other Christ followers. Give guidance to the lost and help them.
Help them find their way this Holy Week To the foot of the cross where Jesus Showed us with His death and resurrection The true pathway to our final destination.
Jesus prays for our guidance daily
Let Him be your guide… And rejoice in the path He shows you: The LIGHTED Path to Eternal Life. Hallelujah! May He be your Guide forever!
EMBRACE GUIDANCE
Amen!
Have a Happy Holy Week! I send you lotsa love and hugs. JanBeek
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Yesterday I delivered some paperwork to a friend who is doing Bible Study with me once a week. It was a quiet Saturday morning – no wind (unusual for our windy valley). My friend wasn’t home, so I left the papers on her doorstep and texted her. When she returned home, the paperwork was long gone. The wind had come up and blew the packet to heaven only knows where!
Today’s sermon at the ZOOM meeting of Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, Montana was titled, “The Wind Blows Where it Will.”
Inspired by the scripture: John 3:1-17 (the story of Jesus & Nicodemus & the Holy Spirit) here are my sermon notes taken as I listened to Rev. Steve Hundley this morning:
The Wind Blows Where it Will
In the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, two worlds collide. One is worldly and the other is Focused on where the Holy Spirit abides.
We often try to shrink our God Into something we can understand. But, we can’t fit God’s image Into something in this earthly land.
The dilemma we face is that We can’t think of God beyond Our own human capacity. That’s why it’s hard to respond.
John paints a picture of Nicodemus As a man of great knowledge. “Rabbi, we know…” he says, Addressing Jesus with a nudge.
Nicodemus thinks he has God Sized up and understood. He’s sure he knows how He fits Into this world… Oh, that we could!
Nicodemus tries to rope Jesus Into the narrow realm of “We know…” But every attempt fails. Jesus is a mystery – a wind that’ll blow.
It blows beyond our knowing. The Spirit blows beyond our capacity To understand with our finite minds. Does that surprise you and me?
We all have questions about the hereafter. No one can refute the image we hold, For our God’s life-giving grace Is bigger than can ever be told.
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light. But we cannot see clearly What God makes possible in His sight.
This scripture asks Nicodemus To let the Spirit carry him to A place beyond his imagination. It asks the same expansion of you!
“Rabbi, we know…” Ah, such assumptions!
John 3: 1-17
3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f]15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g] 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. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Let’s try to embrace The beauty of God’s Spirit As it blows in us!
That’s a Bob Goff quote. His Spirit is Love personified. His book is “Love Does.” Do you know it?
And how about this oldie but goodie? Blowin’ in the Wind… Questions Nicodemus might have asked Jesus:
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. And with Easter upon us, the answer was hangin’ on a cross. Praise God, He is risen indeed!
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light.
The Wind Blows Where it Will
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. May the Wind of the Spirit Blow Light into your darkness today. See ya tomorrow.
Freely share your light With all those who are near you Let it shine brightly
May your light inspire Those who need to know your Source Let your light shed peace
You can let the Light Shine through your soul to others You have that Light, too
As a Child of God His peace infiltrates your soul Let that peace escape
Embrace the Light!
My 1962 kindergartener, Ty Stiles, after whom I named my first child, died yesterday. I told you about him in a previous post: https://janbeek.blog/2021/01/09/embrace-hope/ on January 9th.
We have been praying for Ty. He had stage 4 liver cancer that metastasized. He was home on Hospice Care with his wife, Roxanne. Ty was a Child of God whose faith was strong. He told Roxanne that he wanted to – and was ready to – go to Heaven.
In my “Embrace Blueness” post 3 days ago, I shared how a broken heart resembles angel wings… and I wrote, “Ty is ready to let go pain. God is asking me to let go my blueness. Release the melancholy that blue sometimes represents, and instead, embrace the “delicate hues of sapphire, turquoise, and indigo” – and the promise of the vast blueness of Heaven where “Healing power pulses” and God is ready to transform the broken heart into angel wings.”
May light shine from you As easily as birds’ songs Cheering all near you
Thanks for visiting. I pray you feel the warmth of that LIGHT within you. Let it shine!!! Let it sing of God’s love in you. See ya tomorrow. Hugs, JanBeek
