“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Proverbs 15:13
Use your merry heart To be like an umbrella Protection in storms
At the end of day Your sweet, merry countenance Is a lovely sight
Your positive view Shines through the dark clouds of gloom Lifting others’ hearts 💕
You’ve an extra dose Merriment is contagious You infect others
David Jeremiah’s entry in today’s devotional in Ever Faithful was titled “A Merry Heart.” It gave me the incentive for today’s post:
“After Richard Norris was badly disfigured by a gunshot wound in 1997, he remained hidden at his parents’ home for years. They covered the mirrors to keep him from glimpsing his face. But a team of doctors… gave Richard a new countenance.”
The scripture selected, Proverbs 15:13, fit the story perfectly. Richard’s spirit was broken. His sorrow of the heart was understandable. David Jeremiah went on to link Richard’s sorrow to us all:
“While Richard’s story is unusually dramatic, there’s a sense in which we all need a new countenance. Study the faces of people you meet every day…”
Oh how I love those Last two pictures of my friends Study every face
David Jeremiah goes on to suggest,
“Steal a quick glance at your own face as you pass a mirror or reflective window. …Our emotions inexorably flash through the forty-three muscles in our face and we communicate our feelings through our eyes, brows, and the set of our mouths.”
“One smile can light up a room; one frown can darken a day.
“The Bible tells us a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance. Rejoice in the Lord today and let the joy of Jesus shine through.”
I dare you to listen to this and not smile!!
You know I play the accordion, right? Well this is a concertina… buttons on both sides. Aren’t these kids adorable?
Open up you Merry Heart! Mine is open for you!!
Love ya, JanBeek
Open heart + Open hands = Merry, Cheerful Countenance
NanoPoblano2022 asked us to reblog an old post during this month of November. One a day. I’m going to try to do that.
I added this image to the 2012 post. Back then, I did not understand how to use WordPress to its greatest advantage with memes and images that enhanced the words. My purpose in blogging today remains the same a it was a decade ago: to encourage love, joy, peace, faith, and unity among my blogging friends and to inspire us all to live a happier, more purpose-filled life.
My 2012 post:
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“My confession, admission, and plea to God today is this:
None of us lives to just self alone; Each of us lives for the other. Whatever we do, be it rosy or blue, Reflects on our sister and brother.
None of us sits on the judgment seat. We’re not assigned to decide If someone’s dull or bright, wrong or right, Sending them to a corner to hide.
None of us lives a faultless life, Though we try our utmost to seek The humble hill to fulfill Your will In our deeds and the words we speak.
We stumble and fall and fail to be Examples of the upright and strong. Try as we may, we know that someday We’ll have to account for each wrong.
We’ll each have to stand before Your judgment seat And review how we’ve spent every minute. So, Lord, help us give every day that we live All the love and the grace You put in it.
Help us to generously welcome all To be part of whatever we do. None of us lives to ourselves alone; We always reflect on You.
The lazy, sunny days of summer are here They’re full of friends and play and cheer Blogging takes a back seat these days Company comes, but rarely stays
So, take the day and live it with joy Go for a walk or ride out in your favorite toy Raid your neighbor’s garden of fresh tomatoes Barbecue tri-tip and bake some potatoes
Keep exercising that broken finger Remember the stiffness – don’t let it linger Make flexible progress every day But don’t let the pain get in your way
Now is the time to dance and to laugh Too soon these summer days will be past The sun shines now – but the warmth won’t stay Come on, Bob, let’s go out and play
I took a blogging break for almost a week Celebrated birthdays and hiked near the creek Then I took our TazE out for a run What’ve you been doing to have some fun?
I may see you tomorrow…. Then again, I may be out having fun… How about you?
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
What is the Lord telling you to do today?
So, waste it wisely!!
This is posted in honor of my sister-in-law, Bonnie. Today marks the 1st year anniversary of Stan, her husband’s death. Rest in peace, Stan! God bless you, Bonnie.
Sending love your way. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
The Bible has several examples of laughter. Here are three: 1. Sarah laughed in unbelief. 2. Abraham laughed in wonder. 3. Then they both laughed in joy!
I find it interesting that I find no scripture of Jesus laughing. Do you know of any?
I agree with these illustrations. Surely He laughed when He was with the children!
Besides laughing at yourself, what else makes you laugh?
A good meme?
A funny grandkid?
We can’t help laughing. It’s better than complaining or crying! Laughter is a blessing.
Honey, it’s you! And it’s OK!!
What makes YOU laugh?
See ya tomorrow (God willing) Love, JanBeek
These examples of laughter make me laugh in wonder because they sound more like my respiratory virus cough than they do real laughter! Come on, you can do better than this. Give me a laugh!!
Some days it takes courage to get out of bed! Some days it takes courage to look yourself in the mirror. Have you had days like that? Today was one of them for me!
So, I could go back to bed and feel sorry for myself – – or I could get up and face the day. I had to ask myself, WWJD?? (What would Jesus do?)
So, I began with that simple prayer…
Jesus said to me, “Get up and face the day! Be courageous!” So, I did… and by noon the one black eye was better and the color had shifted so it was on the other eye, too.
Not near as frightening looking!
Matthew 9:22
“But Jesus turning and seeing her said, ‘Take courage, daughter…’ “
My devotional for today in Mornings with Jesus reinforced the prayer response. So, up and out I went!
We have been having day after day with skies filled with smoke from the fires that are all around MT, ID, CO, CA, and OR. The mountains have been invisible to us weeks on end. But today I could see the mountains!
The view of the Madison Range from our Pintail Ridge here in Ennis.
By the time I spent a little time with a friend and returned home this afternoon, we had the clearest blue sky in months! See, if you have courage to face the day, God is good – and He will make you glad you did!
The beautiful view of blue sky above and around our home…
The moral of the story is, EMBRACE COURAGE!
Don’t let your hesitancy keep you from facing the day.
Get up, Get going, Get out, and Get happy!
God is good. Trust Him!
Oh, and remember those fires in CA? They are not over…
Please keep the firefighters and those in Harm’s Way in your prayers. Our son and his wife are sharing their home with a family of 8 who were evacuated from their home… but it is not destroyed… just in the evacuation zone … and the fire is still headed toward our granddaughter’s in S Lake Tahoe. So keep the prayers flowing!
See ya tomorrow – God willing!
EMBRACE COURAGE – and reach out to do what you can to help others…
When you reach to Him, Count on His hand there for you. Invest time with God.
Commit to trust Him. Recount His great faithfulness. Put away your doubts.
Give God something small. Then allow yourself to trust Him with bigger things.
Psalm 91 is a profound reminder that nothing can separate us from the love of God. It’s a strong reminder of God’s loving care and protection. It is a call to trust in God, even in the midst of danger. The Psalmist reminds us of the safest place:
Psalm 91:1
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the Shadow of the Almighty.”
Bob and I are facing some challenging situations these days related to his health, our own home improvements, and church property decisions. We are not alone in facing these dilemmas, but opinions of others can often be conflicting. The Bible tells us that we must put our trust in the one who stills the waters. Lay our souls bare before the Lord and listen for His mighty word… Watch for His guidance … Seek His counsel.
JanBeek 