Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘loving one another’

A Valentine Message

I first posted this message 4 years ago, but it is timeless – – – and it is worth reposting as February 14th is tomorrow and we all are thinking seriously about the topic of LOVE, right?

What is TRUE love? And how do we exhibit it? How do we receive it? What is its origin? Poets have written of love for centuries. None resonates more perfectly to me than the words of love in the Bible, like Romans 12.

“Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Share with God’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.”

…. Romans 12:9-13

No better Valentine’s message of love ever has been written. To add to it, go to your Bible and read the next few verses, Romans 12:14-16 … and get caught up in the wonderful message of Jesus’ love!

Of course, the scripture that often is read at weddings is also one that must not be forgotten:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
New International Version

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

My blogging friend, Sue Dreamwalker, wrote today, “So, keep love in your hearts for each other and all living creatures.  And remember to love yourself…”
This was popular in the 50’s when I was growing up. It is one of my all-time favorites!

Love is more than just a game or two.
Two in love can make it…
Take my heart and please don’t break it!

Have a wonderful, love-filled Valentine’s Day!

Hugs to you and your loved ones,
JanBeek (& Bob, too)

Category:

Bible Lessons, Giving, Jesus, Living in Harmony, Love, Serving One Another

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Give to a Worthy Cause

Today is a Good Day to Reach Out.

Reach out in love!

Show Your Love

There are plenty of people out there who want to show their love to others. They want to give to make a difference. You are probably one of them.

Besides giving to those we love around us, there are “causes” we care about. We want to give love to those, too. Especially while staying at home during this COVID-19 pandemic, I have felt the need to reach out more than ever.

But, how do you know the cause is “legitimate,” and if you donate to a cause, then the money is going to its intended purpose – and not to line some executive’s pockets – or make an advertising company wealthy?

Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah on Pexels.com

Intermountain is a nationally recognized nonprofit providing Hope & Healing for children, youth, and families.

On their website, this is INTERMOUNTAIN’s mission statement,

“When families need help
with the complex emotional challenges
children and teens sometimes face,
Intermountain offers innovative treatment
developed from years of experience.
Our caring professionals
rely on our relationship-based approach
and client-centered treatment solutions
to meet the individual needs
of each child and family
and help them heal.
Our goal is to help
every child and family we serve
thrive and grow.”

Commitment

Because I believe Intermountain is committed to meeting its goal – and I have visited its campus in Helena, Montana, and seen first-hand the enormous good they do, I am signed up for an automatic deduct from my retirement stipend each month to send a donation to Intermountain. It’s a small contribution, not enough for me to even miss it, but it is consistent. It adds up to real help when it happens month-after-month, year-after-year. I am committed to doing my small part.

If everyone who heard about Intermountain donated a small amount every month, just think of how much more they could do to help needy children and their families!

Assurance

I have the assurance that my donation has arrived and is being put to good use because every single month I receive a thank you letter from Beth, the Sr. Development Officer there who is in charge of Special Events (and obviously also in charge of written acknowledgements). Here is a copy of the letter we received in January from Intermountain:

You can go to their website at
https://www.intermountain.org/home/
to learn more about them.
Photo by Kristin De Soto on Pexels.com

Where’s Your Heart’s Passion?

As an educator for 36 years, I have a passion for children – their health and well-being, their safety and their enlightenment.

I know there are children out there who are facing complex emotional challenges. I am not equipped to help each of them (but I wish I could). Their problems are beyond my resources of time, money, and skills.

Some face separation anxiety with parents who were abusive, or parents who are in prison, or parents who are deceased, or… well, you name it!

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

I can’t help them all, but I can do a little to support this place in Montana that DOES have the facility, the love, the skills and materials to make a difference.

Reach Out

God has blessed you to BE A BLESSING. If giving to Intermountain is not in your future, then look for a place in or near your community – a place that is legitimate – a place that pools its resources, love, and skills to make a difference in the lives of others in need. There are so many … so many less fortunate than we are … Reach Out to bless others in whatever way you are able!

It’s never too late to
capture the 2020 vision…

Make it a year of 20/20 clarity of purpose!
Think about your passions,
think about your blessings,
and with gratitude,
consider your giving.

Tell me some way you are giving in love to share your blessings with others in need. I’d love to have you write your ideas in the comments section – and inspire others to give in love, too.

See ya later.

Category:

children, Giving, God, Gratitude, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, mental health, Montana, Serving One Another, Sharing

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What’s Important?

So, what’s really important?

Ask yourself that question.

What are the items, ideas, concepts, people, activities that come to mind?

It’s a sobering question in today’s world, an important question to address, and your answer really should direct your thoughts, time, and actions.

What’s My Answer?

Your answer to that important question most likely will be very different from mine. That’s okay, because it is a crucial question – and it needs to be answered personally. Here are my thoughts:

  • Our earth’s survival … especially in light of climate change and the way it is causing floods, earthquakes, forest fires, animal deaths, a reduction of safe human water supply, etc.
  • Our USA democracy’s future; the future of our adherence to the constitution, and the results of the 2020 presidential election
  • Morals… our ability as a people in the world to live in Christ-like love, treating one another with respect and compassion
  • Sharing our resources, caring for one another, using our sense of kindness and our resources and talents to be all God made us to be
  • Tell me what you would add in terms of “What’s Important to You?”

Making a Difference

Even though my list starts out with global and national concerns, and I am committed to doing whatever I can, the place where I feel we can do the most good is on that one-on-one contact. If we look at those giant problems, we sometimes conclude they are too big for us to do anything about them, even though they may be “most important” to us.

So, bottom line, while I support “Pure Love Does” to educate children in third world countries, and I reach out with “Clean Water” donations and other monetary ways to support worthy causes, what’s most important to me is what I do day after day in tangible ways:

What’s Most Important to YOU?

Here’s another of mine:

Share your ideas with me!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, Serving One Another

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O = Opportunities

Day #15 in my A – Z series of “What Makes Me Happy?”

OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities

Should not ever be wasted

Grab onto one now

.

What opportunity might you take advantage of today?

.

Share with me an “O” word that makes YOU happy.

.

Oh, and Happy Halloween!

Category:

Haiku, happiness, Love, Serving One Another

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How Giving Are You?

Give With Abandon

Is the message for today

Let’s hold nothing back.

Mother Theresa inspires me with her wisdom. She told us, “It’s not how much you give, but how much love you put into giving.”

Today I will give with abandon all the love I have in me.

And I won’t stop there. I will give:

  • Joy
  • Compassion
  • Encouragement
  • Trust
  • Hugs
  • Hospitality
  • Lasagna, French bread, a salad, and strawberry sundaes…

How about you? Give with childlike generosity. Give with abandon!

What will you give today?

Category:

Giving, Haiku, Love, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Kind Words

Kind Words

sunset hands love woman

Photo by Stokpic on Pexels.com

 

Mother Theresa was the first

who said something like this:

“Kind words can be short

But their echo

Lasts Forever.”

.

  • Come in
  • Thank you
  • You’re welcome
  • I’m sorry
  • You’re forgiven
  • I need you
  • I’m praying for you
  • He hears
  • I’m listening
  • I care
  • I’m here for you
  • Join me
  • I’d love to

.

Can you add to the list?

What kind words

Have you spoken today?

What kind words

Have you heard today?

How did you respond?

Do you hear the echoes?

.

  • Come again soon
  • I love you!

Category:

Living in Harmony, Love, prayer, respect

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Life’s a Teeter-Totter

Twenty-seven years ago I wrote the poem that’s framed in the picture above (when I still considered myself a kid). I presented it as a birthday gift to my mom. When she left this earth a few years ago, I inherited the poem and the ceramic, musical mice in the teeter-totter that accompanied it.

Yesterday a blogging friend wrote a piece about “Balance.” She asked if it gets easier to find balance in life as we get older. I recalled this poem and told her I would post it today.

Rereading it now with 27 extra birthdays under my belt, I believe the “IFs” in here still are relevant today. And without that foundation of love, I would imagine finding balance is a bigger life-long struggle than it is for those whose home, mother, family and friends provided the love and stability we all crave.

What do you think?

.

Life is Like a Teeter-Totter

.

Life is like a teeter-totter,

Full of ups and downs.

Kids learn to roll and toss with it,

To shake away the frowns,

If they have had a loving home

To lean back and reminisce on when they roam.

.

Life is like a teeter-totter,

Full of bounces and of bumps.

Kids learn to rock with a jolly jump

And shake away the lumps

If they have had a loving mother

To hug them tight and with kisses smother.

.

Life is like a teeter-totter,

It works better in pairs.

They keep each other balanced

And handle life in shares –

If they have had their mother’s arms

To guard against abuse and harms.

.

Life is like a teeter-totter,

Full of laughs and silly giggle.

Full of noise and wonderment –

Girls to squeeze and boys that wiggle –

If they have been secure in love,

Both from home’s hearth and God above.

.

Thank you, Mom, for filling my life

With love. More ups than downs, for sure.

You seemed to know my every need.

For every hurt, you had a cure.

Happy Birthday, Mother dear –

I thank God every day that you are near!

.

.

If you had a happy, loving home, with a mom who provided that sense of security and the ready help when you needed it, I bet you are able to keep life’s teeter-totter in better balance than those folks who missed that connection. How would you characterize your childhood? Did you have a mom who helped you have a greater chance for a balanced life?

Category:

blessings, Family, Gratitude, Love

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FATHER

The poem below is one I found in a box of my mom’s favorite poems. She had this one memorized and used to recite it (along with others she had committed to memory) at various public gatherings and her Rebekah’s Lodge meetings.

FATHER

Used to wonder just why Father

Never had much time for play;

Used to wonder why he’d rather

Work each minute of the day.

Used to wonder why he never

Loafed along the road and shirked.

Can’t recall a single time whenever

Father played, while others worked.

Father never dressed in fashion,

Sort of hated clothing new;

Style with him was not a passion,

He had other things in view.

Boys are blind to much that’s going

On about ’em day by day.

And I had no way of knowing

What became of Father’s pay.

All I knew was when I needed

Shoes, I got ’em on the spot

Everything for which I pleaded

Somehow, Father always got.

Wondered, season after season,

Why he never took a rest

And that I might be the reason,

That, I never even guessed.

Wanted me to go to college

Dad was great on learning stuff

Always said that having knowledge

Helped a man through places rough.

But I thought it too much bother,

And I loitered day by day,

Wasting time, ignoring a Father,

Now I know I’ll have to pay.

Saw his cheeks were getting paler,

Didn’t understand just why;

Saw his body growing frailer,

Then at last I saw him die.

Rest had come, his tasks had ended,

Calm was written on his brow;

Father’s life was big and splendid –

And I understand it now.

Poet Unknown

Category:

Family, Gratitude, Life and Death, respect

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Welcome

Welcome to the new year. Welcome to new friends. Welcome new ides. Welcome new insights –  revelations – growth – enlightenment. Life is good! I am having a wonderful time here in the fun of the sun in southern California. My pup loves it, too. So does my husband. Back home in Montana I am told they had one hundred mile per hour winds today. Yuck! Cold I can take. Snow I can appreciate. But raging winds? No thanks! I am happy to be here.

Thanks for coming to visit my blog today. I will try to find time each evening to share with you a few of the fresh insights that this new year has offered.

Image

Come walk and talk awhile. Let me share my first couple stanzas from last Sunday’s sermon notes – taken at Bloom in the Desert Ministries in Palm Springs. Rev Kev is quite the pastor. As I recorded his words through my poetic filter, I heard him say:

We welcome all who welcome all.
We open our hearts to you.
We see ourselves from the inside out.
We love as God loves you.

We gather in the presence of God.
We are His Light.
We hear the Word, receive Good News,
Imagine the fun of Snoopy’s flight…

And then he launched into a Snoopy, Linus, Red Baron story to illustrate other points he was teaching and preaching, but my mind took flight. Rev Kev read the scripture about Jesus’ baptism, the meaning and importance of baptism, and the way in which we mortals put our own spin on things. We over-think. We over-define. We see one another, too often, from the outside – make judgements, never give ourselves the chance to really see one another as God sees us. We limit ourselves and others in the process.

Once upon a time Bob and I left a church because the minister, Reverend Diane, decided to marry her female partner of a decade. How do you react to that? Hmmm…?

Come walk with me. Talk with me. Churches are splitting over this issue. Families are splitting over this issue. People are being threatened and killed over this issue. What would Jesus say?

Rev Kev introduced us to his husband. “We welcome all who welcome all.”

Bob and I talked as we walked in the desert. TazE, our sweet Boston Terrier, was a great listener.

Image

Welcome! Come walk and talk with us. See you tomorrow?

Category:

Love

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Inspirational Monday

Inspirational Monday.

My blog’s subtitle is “Love One Another.” I have not seen a story that exemplifies this concept quite like Tim Harris’ story written by Andrea Kelly and videotaped on http://www.thehandwrittenlife.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/inspirational-monday-2/

Check it out and be prepared to give a high-five and a hug to the next person you see. Oh ya!!!!!

Category:

Love

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