Loving One Another

Posts tagged ‘music’

Wired for Connection


You know I need you.
We’re wired for connection,
Love and belonging.

Me (Jan) with Lexi, Bernie & Suz

Birthday girl needs love.
Friends need connectivity.
We crave relations.

We’re in the same nest.
We’re born in this together.
But don’t smother me!

I rise with the sun
Into a brand new morning
Facing a new day.

Connected to God.
Learning to live cautiously,
Leaning on my Lord.

Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.”

When is it Time?

If baby robin #4 in that nest up there doesn’t sharpen her will, poke her beak up with the rest, and open up, she will be doomed to the nest forever!

So, we who need one another are asking ourselves, “When it it time to open up? When it it time to let our courage and our natural need for connections take hold? When can we do it safely?”

Should we wear a mask or not? Should we join the protestors or not? When it is time to believe COVID-19 is safely at bay?

Each Person is Different

Not only is each person different, but each area of our world is different, too. Here in Montana, I could join my friends for a small birthday gathering outside (only 7 of us) and feel safe. I realize everyone in the world does not have that luxury.

But while we each are different, so are we all alike in many ways. We all crave genuine connection.

Matthew Lieberman, a Harvard-trained psychologist wrote,

“The human brain is wired to be social. Love and belonging might seem like a convenience we can live without, but our biology is built to thirst for connection because it is linked to our most basic survival needs.”

Birds of a feather
Flock together, connecting
Love and harmony.

Likewise, we humans
Crave times to touch each other.
Isolation hurts!

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Pexels.com

Pray for Opportunities

We need connection.
Pray for opportunities
To safely gather.

I pray for your health.
I pray for our world’s return
To safe gatherings.

I pray for world peace,
For racial equality,
God’s intervention.

Lord, help us all to
Turn to You for our guidance.
Lift us safely up.

Open every beak
To receive life’s sustenance
And sing Your glory.

Have a Hallelujah Day, my friends.
I feel your presence…

See ya tomorrow.
Jan Beekman

Category:

Animals, Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, God, Haiku, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, prayer, relationships

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10 Ways to Bee Open to God


Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Listening to God
Is a daily endeavor
It takes intention
His Words are clever

God speaks through Jesus
Jesus, His Holy Son
And He speaks through the Spirit
The Holy Spirit, that’s the One!

Listening to God
Takes a willing heart
It takes a willing spirit
Here’s the way to start:

  1. Bee still
  2. Bee open
  3. Bee teachable
  4. Bee attentive
  5. Bee humble
  6. Bee submissive
  7. Bee expectant
  8. Bee responsive
  9. Bee-lieve
  10. Bee-ware… and aware!
Yes, #1 on the list is “Bee Still!”
Bee silent – listen – and JUST LOVE!

Isaiah 50:4

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

    to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

Does the Lord “waken your ear” each morning to listen? Every morning my friend, Lisa, who lives across the continent from me – over on the east coast – sends me a picture of where she is and assures me that she has me in prayers. Her pictures show me a scene so different from my own.

Each One Has Their Own Way

In our different environments, each of us is listening and praying. Each of us in our own way. We are open to God’s word – and open to whatever message He has for our day. We share special prayers for one another. It is a beautiful way to start each day.

Do you have a special friend who helps you to Bee more open, teachable, and attentive?

Do you have a system for Beeing more expectant and responsive?

If so, I’d love to have you share with me ways you are open to hearing God speak to you each day.

Photo by Keilah Gepte on Pexels.com

Through His Word and through music, God speaks to me most clearly. How about you? Which of those ten “Bees” are most helpful to you when you want to tune in to God’s voice?

Have a Fabulous Friday, my friends.
Bee well!
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, friendship, God, Jesus, Love, music, Poetry, prayer

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I Love Good Art


“Good art is as close as people get to overcoming mortality.”
Nick J. Wood

Photo by Fiona Art on Pexels.com

How do we recognize “Good Art”?

Nick J. Wood wrote on his WordPress blog, Artfully Bridging The Ages — The Nature Of Art,
“… although the styles of expression change, it is the way it (art) touches the inner-self, the part normally obscured by mundane routine that confirms it as having artistic value.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Architecture is art as much as creating sculptures or painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I believe “good art” preserves history in a myriad of ways.

Photo by TravelingTart on Pexels.com

Sewing is an art. I have a quilt hand-sewn by Bob’s mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in 1933. Talk about history preserved!

Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.com

Photography definitely is an art. The way it preserves history is evident.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

Yes, art takes on many forms; and artists come in every color, age and size. Who decides if you are an artist or not?

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Is poetry an art? Nick J. Wood posted this video on his blog. I love the poem and the voice recording it. Listen! You’ll love it, too.

How about gardening? Is it an art? Ask my friends, Lexi Sundell or Nancy Smrka, with their greenhouses… They’ll tell you! Ask Bob as he tends our spring flowers.

What about cooking? Yes, they call it “culinary arts” for a reason! My son-in-law, Andre’ is a chef who creates the most delicious, artistic plates imaginable. (This isn’t one of his… but you get the idea)

Music is an art, too. Through their gift of song and instrument, musical artists live on long after they have left this earth. Karen Carpenter died young. She suffered from anorexia. But she has overcome mortality – her voice lives forever in my heart.

Karen Carpenter
“How Could Anyone Mean More to Me than You?”
“One Love”

I love good art –
art in all its many forms.
And I love artists.
They are so predictable …

Hah! Don’t be fooled. This is a cute little cartoon/meme, but with artists being as diverse as they are, believe me, they are ANYTHING but predictable!

Here is an artist I love. He has a special spot in my heart. He and his wife, Lexi paint, garden, make jewelry, and create art by their very existence. Bernie Sundell is one of the first persons we met when we moved here. He helped Bob select and buy and go to Idaho Falls to buy his drift boat. He tutored him on rowing and casting and catching fish on the Madison and he painted a fabulous picture of Bob that hangs in our dining room. Here’s artist, fisherman, friend Bernie:

And here is the painting of Bob on the Madison River.
Bernie created it after one of their memorable outings.
It’s a beautiful rainbow trout –
but here it’s only catch and release!
Toss it back in, Bob!

Can you see why this painting
touches my “inner self”?
Bob & Bernie will live immortally in it!

Do you have a favorite form of art?
A favorite artist?
Do you create art?
Tell me about it.

Have a Terrific Tuesday.
See ya later.
JanBeek

Category:

art, Fishing, flowers, food, friendship, Love, Montana, photography, relationships

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Hello Dolly!


I was gonna write about Dolly
With a link to her song
That is titled, “Hello God”
But something went wrong.

Instead of it pasting
The link to that selection,
The thing that you see allows
You to play a whole album’s collection!

What a treat you are in for,
It’s not just #4 that you can hear,
But click on any one of these
And enjoy Dolly for a year!

Be sure and click out of the selected song when it’s finished or you will get a bunch of commercials!

I had not heard “What a Heartache” before…
It’s a song for those of you who have been deceived.
But, my preference is to listen to “Hello God,”
He’s on speaking terms with all who believed.

The words to “Hello God” include:
“Do You love some more than others?
… If we’re still on speaking terms,
Can You help us like You’ve done before?”
It’s a song for our times.

“Dear God, we’ve learned our lessons…
We really need You, we can’t make it without You…
Hello God, give us one more chance
To prove ourselves to You.”

Thank You, Dolly Parton, for your music
and the way it inspires.
And thank you, WP friends,
for tuning in.

I hope you have a
Wonderful Week.

Love,
JanBeek ;o)

Category:

Belief, God, Life's Challenges, Love, music

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The Best You


The best version of you
Is understanding and sweet.
You are loving and forgiving,
Compassionate to all you meet.

The best version of yourself
Is gentle and filled with peace.
You are an overflowing vessel
Of joyfulness that’ll never cease.

Your self’s very best version
Is an example of great patience.
You sparkle with faithfulness
And reflect the Holy Spirit’s radiance.

Our DeDe
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com

The best version of yourself
Is generous with everything you’ve got.
You reach out to feed and help others,
Never hoarding what’s in your pot.

When you look deep into your best,
You see a person who is humble and kind.
And if others don’t seem to see it,
Don’t worry, my friend. They must be blind!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Photo by Godisable Jacob on Pexels.com
Photo by Min An on Pexels.com
Photo by Roy Reyna on Pexels.com

The best version of yourself
Is mighty, strong, and wise.
Bee it, beelieve it, and beehave it …
Bee your best self… Never compromise!

I love my best self!
I love your best self!!
Hello, in there… Come on out!
Don’t keep your love trapped on a shelf.

Thank you for bein’ you!



Category:

Belief, contentment, Faith, friendship, Giving, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, self-acceptance, Serving One Another

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Anxiety Antidotes


Is this pandemic making you feel anxious?


Do you wonder when it will be over and what the “new normal” will look like?

Are you concerned about the new form of the virus that is attacking children? MISC = Multiple Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

Do you feel anxious because the number of deaths continues to grow and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to stop it?

If so, you are not alone.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

The meme at the top of this message tells us that we are not totally at the mercy of helpless anxiety. There are some things we can do to reduce our anxiety:

  1. Go outside
  2. Ask for help
  3. Create something
  4. Drink water
  5. Write about how you feel
  6. Take a deep breath
  7. Listen to soothing songs
  8. Stay present
  9. Find a positive distraction

All those ideas are fine and dandy if all we care about is reducing our own anxiety. But what if what we care about is helping to alleviate others’ suffering? What if we want to play some role in shortening this COVID-19’s life-span?

One of those items on the list hit me as an action that can do more than just alleviate MY anxiety… and it can help others as well. Which one do you think it is?

Here are a couple of clues:

Photo by Yaroslav Danylchenko on Pexels.com

CREATE SOMETHING!

I have a several friends who are eliminating their feelings of helplessness in the face of this virus by using their creativity – – – they are making masks and sending them to the local hospital, the nursing home, and sending them to places where masks are in short supply.

Also, other creative people are using the internet to draw people together, creating inspirational videos to lift spirits. Check this one out:

There are so many ways people are using their creativity to relieve anxiety, bring hope, and send out messages of love and faith.

We are not helpless.

We are not hopeless.

We don’t need to sit idly at home feeling anxious.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Let’s put our heads together safely,
activate our creativity,
find an anxiety antidote
that uses our talents
to help ourselves and others
get through this period
with love and encouragement.
What we do matters!

Tell me,
what will you do today?

Category:

Giving, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing

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One Small Act


If you see someone
Who desperately needs your help,
Of course you’ll reach out.

But most people seem
Afraid to really let on –
They hide what they need.

Too proud to reach out,
They act like everything’s fine.
Sharpen your feelers!

Reach out secretly.
It’s like that wine meme I saw:
Make it a fun game!

Hah, I did just that!
But was surprisingly caught!
Yup, laughter is good.

What is one small act
You can do to cheer a friend?
How about a card?

When you mail a card to a friend,
consider inserting a tea bag or a seed packet.

Lord, make me a channel of Your peace…
This is Susan Boyle at her best –
So pure, so sweet, so inspiring.

To be loved – as to love with all my soul –
It is in giving to all that we receive –

Where there is darkness,
Only light;
Where there is sadness,
Ever joy!

Virtual Hugs to you
from me and my daddy!
Hah! I used to have dark hair like his was.

See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.

What’s that “One Small Act” for you today?
Tell me!



Category:

blessings, Family, flowers, friendship, Giving, Haiku, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another, Sharing, writing

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