I am so blessed! To live long enough to Embrace Great-Grandchildren is such a gift!
This is Cosette. She is the darling offspring of my grandson, Jordan, and Joss – his significant other.
Joss is such a caring and happy mother!
And I cannot believe how tall Jordan has grown. What a good daddy he is! Here we are at church together yesterday morning.
Can you believe how tall (6’4″) my grandson is? Never in a million years when he joined our family at the age of 3 did we imagine he’d grow to this height!
In this photo, Jordan is the “Tin Man” sitting next to my sis, Sally. Jordy and his siblings each are adopted… gifts from God to Ty (back left in this photo).
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6
The church service was lively and invigorating and inspirational.
My heart is singing God’s praises. How was your Sunday?
We’re having a relaxed morning before heading to spend time with Bob’s brother & sister-in-law and their family in central CA.
How are you spending your week? I hope you are well …
I am including love and lots of well wishes here for you. Pray for my daughter-in-law, Monika, will you? She has a miserable case of the flu.
Don’t let your stories Die inside you when you’re gone Let stories out now
We are headed to California to spend time with our son and his family and with Bob’s brother and his family.
With my niece and her family, we will have the Memorial Service for my sister that had to be cancelled last December. My niece wants me to say a little about my sis at the memorial service. Where do I begin? Where do I stop? How do I choose? There is so much to tell.
That picture of the two of us was taken 30 years ago at my daughter’s wedding. It brings back so many memories!
There is Sally with her two nephews and two nieces (our son’s children)… taken when the youngest two were around 8 years old. They are 25 now! I could write a book about my sister’s affection for holidays and the joy she got out of dressing up for each one of them. Her closet – full of clothes – was arranged according to holidays!
I don’t have to tell you what time of year this was! She and GiGi (or was that MeMe?) were headed to celebrate with us. Life with Sally was one celebration after the next. Lordy! Don’t let the stories die with her. Keep them alive!
Let those stories out Just Embrace Storytelling! Share more tomorrow…
Lord help the mister Who comes between me and my sister And Lord help the sister Who comes between me and my man… (or something like that… hah!) We never had that trouble!
Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. … Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
I went to our Madison Valley Cemetery this morning. The grave sites of veterans were marked by American flags. Many of the tombstones were freshly decorated for this important holiday. Come visit with me – and let’s honor the memories of our brave military ancestors.
The music at the end of this blog is so beautiful, you may want to scroll down there, click on it, and listen as you view the rest of this post.
Only in Montana might you find a gravestone decorated with a set of antlers!
The Daems memorial was especially meaningful to me. Doris was a friend of mine here in Ennis who was a faithful volunteer with the Women’s Club as well as the Madison Valley Manor and at the Medical Center. What a wonderful lady! Her 86 year-old brother and 90 year-old sister were there today to honor her memory as well as the many veterans.
Doris Daems served her country, too… here at home in so many ways!
It was a beautiful blue sky day. A memorial service brought many people from our area out to this beautiful cemetery today… an opportunity to honor those brave men and women whose blood was spilled on the battlefields so we might enjoy the freedoms we have today.
If you were given the opportunity to select the 3 words to go on your tombstone to describe who you are, what words would you choose? Gene Wilkins was known as “Doc” here in Ennis… “Healer” was a perfect word for him!
Two of my words would probably be “Mother” and “Grammy” – A third word would need to be “Wife” since that identifies 60 years of my life. Although I was a teacher, a principal, and a district office administrator for 36 years, I think I’d have to choose “Child of God” or “Friend” before I’d call attention to my professional career. But, I don’t know what I’d do if I had to limit it to just three. How about you?
Here’s a wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, and friend. Melissa’s family couldn’t limit it to just three descriptors!
Would you include “Hero” for a description? How about pets, would they be part of your cemetery memorabilia? I’d like an angel by mine… (my maiden name is DeAngeles – and angels are a big part of my world!)
Some of the tombstones were decorated in very special ways, but a simple stone flush with the ground with letters worn away by time and weather intrigued me a lot. Who was that veteran? Is his/her family still in this area?
Thank you for your service, nameless one!
Rest in peace, dear ones. May your service to our country never be taken for granted!
God bless you, dear friends. May your life be a long, happy one and may you leave a legacy that inspires your grandchildren.
Today in the USA it is Veteran’s Day. (Oooops! Nope, it’s Memorial Day!) World-wide it is Holy Trinity Sunday.
Veteran’s Day is a time to celebrate and honor the men and women who are or have served our country in the military. It is a day to thank God for four freedom and to remember the men and women who fought to keep us free. (It is Nov. 11th. I get it mixed up with today… the last Monday in May: A day to honor those who DIED while serving our country.)
My day started in my sanctuary as it usually does – A place where I feel the Holy Spirit alive and well. There, I pray to God, learn from His Son’s life, And listen to the Spirit guiding me.
Downstairs, I joined Bob who was busy fixing fruit For our breakfast. It was a beautiful blue sky day.
After breakfast, we went to church where I was a greeter And Bob read scripture. As usual, I took sermon notes.
Chuck Wright delivered the message: “Holy Trinity.”
Here are the notes I took as I listened:
Inspired by: Romans 5:1-11
We have been justified by faith. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. We rejoice in suffering, for it brings perseverance. We were powerless until Christ came to this sod.
We received reconciliation throgh the cross. The Holy Trinity, the Godhead, is God, Son, Holy SPirit. The word “Trinity” is not in the Bible, but The separate parts are there. With ears, hear it!
Jesus existed at the beginning of time. He came to earth for the purpose of saving us. When He ascended back to His Heavenly home, He put the Holy Spirit in our hearts, engraving us.
We are marked by the blood of Jesus. We remember His blood and body in communion. We celebrate the spiritual world of God, Knowing His Trinity is present in our world – in union.
In union, the Father, Son, and Spirit are one. Understanding that is beyond our comprehension. So we read His Word. study His Son’s life, And listen for His Spirit in us. Pay attention!
God is love. Love is from God. We’re gifted with it. God sent His Son to the world to show us how to love. Christ died for us that we might live forever In Heaven with God – our Eternal Home above.
Back home, the focus was on Veteran’s (nope… Memorial Day) weekend. Tomorrow (now it’s today) we will go to the Ennis Cemetery for a special service. Then we will attend a Memorial Day Barbecue at the rodeo grounds. It started out as a meal for veterans and their families only… but then it grew exponentially until it’s “Ya’all Come!” They anticipate there could be as many as 500 diners. I’m praying for the dear guys who are preparing the food. God bless ’em! I hope they survive it! Tonight I watched a Memorial Day Concert… My favorite was the playing of TAPS. It was beautiful!
If you are in the USA, what will you do to celebrate Memorial Day?
If you are in another country, do you have a day comparable to this one – when you honor those people who served and died while in the military (in the act of service to preserve your country’s freedom?) How do you thank those who serve your country in this way?
And how about the Trinity? Is it a part of your understanding?
I am grateful for your visit here today. Thanks for reading JanBeek. See ya tomorrow(God willing)
My friend, Doris, sent me the anonymous story below today. It made me cry.
My blog is all about loving one another by spreading love, joy, peace, faith and unity.
Treating each other with respect, giving each human his/her deserved dignity is paramount!
We need to spread the word, support and embrace our Native American families – and help them live peaceful, healthy, productive lives wherever they choose to live. We need to help them get an education equivalent to any other American, and we need to STOP the discrimination.
We need to let every person – regardless of race or other personal qualities – work to achieve the “American Dream.” No holds barred!! Let’s do what we can to make this world a better place for ALL!!
.
Many thanks to “Dreamstime” for these lovely photos of a few Native American people:
Native American images
Here is the “anonymous story” …
A white man and an elderly Native man became pretty good friends, so the white guy decided to ask him: “What do you think about Indian mascots?” The Native elder responded, “Here’s what you’ve got to understand. When you look at black people, you see ghosts of all the slavery and the rapes and the hangings and the chains. When you look at Jews, you see ghosts of all those bodies piled up in death camps. And those ghosts keep you trying to do the right thing. “But when you look at us you don’t see the ghosts of the little babies with their heads smashed in by rifle butts at the Big Hole, or the old folks dying by the side of the trail on the way to Oklahoma while their families cried and tried to make them comfortable, or the dead mothers at Wounded Knee or the little kids at Sand Creek who were shot for target practice. You don’t see any ghosts at all. “Instead you see casinos and drunks and junk cars and shacks. “Well, we see those ghosts. And they make our hearts sad and they hurt our little children. And when we try to say something, you tell us, ‘Get over it. This is America. Look at the American dream.’ But as long as you’re calling us Redskins and doing tomahawk chops, we can’t look at the American dream, because those things remind us that we are not real human beings to you. And when people aren’t humans, you can turn them into slaves or kill six million of them or shoot them down with Hotchkiss guns and throw them into mass graves at Wounded Knee. “No, we’re not looking at the American dream. And why should we? We still haven’t woken up from the American nightmare. ~source unknown
Pray with me that the “American Nightmare” will end for our Native American people. Work with me in ways we can help.
These are legitimate places where the money donated is guaranteed to help Native American students. You may have other ideas for ways we can EMBRACE NATIVE AMERICANS. If so, I’d love to hear from you. It is waaaay past time for us to end the way in which these lovely people are downtrodden.
When is the last time you felt relief? Yesterday I told you my daughter bought a bike – Not an ordinary bike – a big ole motorcycle! She told me, “This one’s for ME!”
I thought that meant her hubby would have his, And she would have her own to ride. I told you I would not be eagerly anticipating that. Well, come to find out, she would not either!
No, Mom… I am not driving a motorcycle… We traded in our other one. Andre’ will drive. It’s for me because it is more comfortable And it has more space for carrying things.
Whew! I am relieved to say the least.
How about you? Would you be up for driving this? If that were your daughter, would you be relieved That she is not intending to be in the driver’s seat? Sitting in the rear is challenge enough!
Dream about what you want tomorrow to be. Imagine the very best possible outcome. Then pray your reality will be even more than that. Feel the sense of relief when dreams come true.
Wrap your troubles in dreams and dream your troubles away!
What a relief when sunshine follows the rain!
But don’t let the rain stop you! Embrace the rain – dance in it!
Thank you, Lord, for sparing us the worry Of a daughter driving a motorcycle On the narrow switchback Alpine roads. It’s hard enough to trust her safety as a back seat rider!!
Ah what a relief it is!
See ya tomorrow (God willing) Have a good night. JanBeek
Are you waiting expectantly for something? Somewhere in time what you long for Is out there for you … you just need to EMBRACE EXPECTANT WAITING.
(I recommend you listen to that gorgeous piano and orchestra as you read this blog. “Somewhere in Time” – so beautifully played From Maksim Mrvisa/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
I have been waiting – trying to be patient – This past nine months has felt a little like The nine months of pregnancy: Expectantly waiting for a new beginning!
But unlike the birth of a baby, This wait has birthed for us A new pastor for our church… And now we have to wait.
Wait for the Presbytery to approve – Wait for Mary Grace to check out of her college dorm And check back into her home in Tennessee And check out of there to drive here.
Meantime, as we wait expectantly, God says, “Live in the now! Every day is a new beginning. Don’t waste today waiting for tomorrow.”
What are you looking forward to? Are you waiting expectantly for retirement? Are you planning a cruise or a vacation of some sort? Are you anticipating a visit from special family members?
DeAna’s new toy
Our daughter, DeAna, who lives in Switzerland, Is anticipating a trip to Turkey this September. She bought herself a motorcycle so she can Ride her own bike – not sit behind on her hubby’s.
I would not be looking forward to such a trip. I’d be shaking in my boots! But Bob & I are Eagerly anticipating a trip to England and then On to Switzerland to spend time with De & family.
We also are expectantly waiting For our trip to California next month. We’re going there for my sister’s memorial – We’ve waited half a year for this closure.
What are you expectantly waiting for? It seems to me that life is more exciting If you have something to look forward to. Never stop dreaming about tomorrow’s joys!
While Mary Grace, our new pastor, was here last week, The weather decided to rain and snow and blow. It was mid-May for crying out loud! S’posed to be spring! So we eagerly anticipated springtime’s return.
Yesterday when Mary Grace flew back to Virginia, Montana was gray and cold – not looking like spring at all. But today we had the most beautiful blue sky with Puffy clouds and warm temperatures. Go figure!!
Our Madison Range was hidden behind grayness, But today the gray lifted and beautiful snow-capped Mountains emerged. That’s Jack Creek Canyon And Fan Mountain out there. Come back, springtime!
Knowing I was missing the colors of spring, My friend, Lisa, in North Carolina, sent me Photos of her gorgeous roses in her garden. I am expectantly waiting for our flowers now, too.
Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Because the future SOMETIMES (often) depends On what you do today, look for the joy and hope around you. Do whatever you can to make today the best it can be. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Just live today with joyful expectation.
“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
We waited for the pastor candidate we did not see. We waited for the congregation to vote affirmatively. And now we wait for our Mary Grace to return And begin her spiritual leadership in our church.
It’s hard to wait with patience, but we are told Like those beautiful roses that sprang from a plant That was brown and leafless in the winter, The blossom will bloom – and it’ll be worth the wait.
My mom often told me when I was Eagerly, anxiously, anticipating something, “Cross that bridge when you come to it!” Good advice! Go back now to the top now… and watch that musical video.
The images are wonderful. This bridge is one of them. “Edited video Leonidas” – magnificent! Worth the wait!
Tell me, what are you expectantly waiting for?
Thank you for taking time to visit JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Where do you place trust? Only in the hands of God. Know He’ll pull you through!
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways submit to Him – and He will make your paths straight.”
See ya tomorrow. Have a good night’s sleep. Love, JanBeek
Laura Sullivan is a contemporary musician whose original compositions and renditions on the piano accompanied by various instrumentalists are a joy to listen to.
I almost always have music going on in the background while at home. Besides Laura Sullivan, I also put on You.Tube videos like this one: Water of Life – Peaceful Instrumental Hymns. Maybe, listening to this You.Tube hour and a half of music while you go about your business, you will embrace pianists, too.
Do you have a favorite pianist? (Roger Williams is one of mine. I ask Alexa to shuffle songs by him frequently).
Is there some other instrument you enjoy listening to?
Do you play an instrument?
We couldn’t afford a piano when I was a kid growing up, but we bought a little accordion from my “sorta cousin” who lived next door. That accordion only had 8 bass keys, so it was limited to songs in the key of F, C, G or A.
Eventually my parents bought me a bigger one – with 120 bass keys – and that has been my instrument for at least 70 years of my life. The left hand buttons do not translate well to the left hand on a piano, but it is a fun instrument to play.
Embrace the Piano Accordion! When you play it, it’s like carrying a party on your back!
My maiden name is DeAngeles… Yes, Italian… so you can imagine that the Italian numbers have always been my favorites.
Isn’t that a beautiful accordion in that video? And the scenes of Italy are enchanting. But, at the University of the Pacific where I was a student in the early 60s, I was told the accordion is not a “real instrument.” The professors and students made fun of my instrumental choice.
It’s true, the accordion does not have the capability of the piano.
I wish I had access to a piano as a kid growing up!
The piano is an instrument that provides a lifetime of ecstasy! Even with arthritic fingers, a good pianist can still make it talk. Notice how Roger Williams’ little finger curls up a lot of the time. Interesting how he uses it sometimes, but not others. My fingers do that, too…
My other instrument is the clarinet. I can’t play it anymore. My fingers won’t cover all the holes! You don’t have to worry about that with a piano!
You can share a lot of love, joy and peace if you can sit down at the piano and make it talk. Know someone who can do that? Embrace that pianist!!
What instrument brings love, joy and peace into your life?
