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Posts tagged ‘music’

A Quiet Center

Finding your center
Can be a difficult task
Inside or outside

Is your quiet place
Inside your pure heart of hearts
Or out in nature?

Wherever it is
I hope you discover it
And go there often

Photo by Gary Barnes on Pexels.com

It may be inside
Looking out through clouded glass
Tuning in to YOU

Or it may be out
In the beauty of nature
Soaking in God’s grace

Wherever it is
Go to your quiet center
Away from chaos

Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

I love the words of this hymn of grace.
If you are in a place where you can tap on the arrow and hear it,
I wholeheartedly recommend you do so.
But, if you cannot link to it and listen,
at least read these beautiful lyrics!

“Come and find the quiet center
In the crowded life we lead,
Find the room for hope to enter,
Find the frame where we are freed.
Clear the chaos and the clutter,
Clear our eyes that we can see
All the things that really matter.
Be at peace and simply be.

Silence is a friend who claims us,
Cools the heat and slows the pace.
God it is who speaks and names us,
Knows our being, touches base;
Making space within our thinking
Lifting shades to show the sun,
Raising courage when we’re shrinking,
Finding scope for faith begun.

In the spirit let us travel,
Open to each other’s pain.
Let our loves and fears unravel,
Celebrate the space we gain.
There’s a place for deepest dreaming,
There’s a time for heart to care,
In the Spirit’s lively scheming
There is always room to spare.”

Words by Shirley Erena Murray
Music attributed to B.F. White

You can live at peace
Even in the midst of strife
Find center in life

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
He had also told His followers
“…in this world you will have many troubles.
But take heart! I have overcome the world”
(John 16:33).
So peace is not the absence of trouble;
it is the presence of God.

Come and find your space.
Yes, we have some room to spare!
Come and visit us!

God bless you, my friend.
You are in my heart of hearts,
My quiet center.

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, contentment, Faith, God, Haiku, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace

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An Open Door

Photo by Dmitry Zvolskiy on Pexels.com

Happy Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, my friends!
Today’s writing prompt from JetPack
asked for a suggested title
for a biography should there be one written about me.

Daily writing prompt
If there was a biography about you, what would the title be?
View all responses

One of my devotionals this morning was about “A Closed Door.”
It used this scripture as a prompt for the commentary:

Matthew 6:6
“But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door
and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father
who sees you in secret will reward you.”

There may be a need for some people to pray behind a closed door,
but my favorite prayer room is up my circle staircase in our entryway
to my cozy 12’x12′ “Sanctuary” where I am never alone.
The Holy Spirit is alive and well up there…
and the front door in that entryway
always is open for you to come and join me.
My life is An Open Door – an open book!
If you’ve followed my blog for awhile,
you know I am quite a transparent person.
I have nothing to hide!
And my Father is not “in secret.”
He has an open door for you, too!
Go – and sit with His heart –
and Let Him into yours!!
Open up your heart and let the Son shine in!!

If you have time, and if you can,
click on this delightful children’s song below
It will make you smile.
It’s guaranteed to make you want to sing along,
and open up your heart…
the door to heart can remain open
without fear
if the Son shines there!

“An Open Door – a biography about Jan Beekman“
Waiting to “bee” written – someday – hah!

Meantime,
let me share openly with you about
this little light of mine
that I always try to shine.

1 Corinthians 15:14

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

Today is Ash Wednesday when we begin a 40 day period of waiting with love for Easter (Lent). It is a time to reflect on the great gift of eternal life that Jesus made possible through His life and death and resurrection. May we celebrate Lent with the same fervor that we acknowledge February 14th each year as Valentine’s Day! 

My dear friends, Lee & Loleta, know how to celebrate Valentine’s Day in style.
And Bob & I celebrated Valentine’s Day early in 1962
by using that red & white, hearts & flowers theme
for our wedding.

Here we are 62 years later:

Yup, still celebrating our love…
with an open door to our hearts and our home.

Today we’ll get a cross of ashes on our foreheads
that will symbolize our devotion to the One
who brought us together and whose mercy and grace
has kept us together all these years.

Yes, He prays with us
He stays with us
His heart is an open door
Mine is, too.
Is yours?

I pray that it is!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Ash Wednesday!

I send my love your way,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, happiness, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love, music, prayer, relationships

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Music Lifts

Photo by Papa Yaw on Pexels.com

Nothing lifts my spirits more than beautiful music. Do you want to be lifted up this day? Click on this link. Goose bumps guaranteed!!

youtu.be/2esOJcVEhL0

I hope that link opened for you – and I hope you were inspired to sing along!

What does the Bible say about singing?

Singing is part of our human experience. Songs have been used to express some of the deepest human joys and sorrows from the beginning of time. Of course, the Bible has a lot to say about music and singing. You may wonder what God thinks about that toe tapping song you sing every Sunday morning. What does the Bible actually say about singing? Here are a couple of m favorite scriptures:

Psalm 71:23 

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.”

Psalm 105:2 

“Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!”

Do go back up to that youtube link, if you didn’t click on it before… and this time, do sing along!
Nothing will lift your spirits quite like that! Sing to the Lord… He’ll lift you up and you’ll smile in spite of yourself. Really!! Try it!

Sending Love
and happy songs your way,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, blessings, Faith, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Sharing

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Just “Bee”

It’s okay to “Bee”
Just “bee” without any fret
Just “bee” contented

Release any pain
Let go all uncertainty
Turn over the keys

Relaxing is hard
Whence comes the ability
To just simply “bee”?

Psalm 42: 5-11

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

To “Just bee” in peace
Gratefully receive God’s good
Live life without lack

Gratefully receive
The grace God is giving you
To see your blessings

“Just a little more”
Is not the way to JUST BEE
Praise God for your gifts

The real truth is
We have more than enough
To live gratefully

young woman sitting in apartment on second level with plants
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com

Take a look around
You might just be overwhelmed
When you really see

See all your blessings
We are so much better off
Than most other folks

houses near concrete road
man pouring water from dipper on blue and grey house
gray scale photography of man wearing long sleeve shirt
photo of a homeless man sleeping near a cardboard sign

Let Us Pray
(from In Touch devotional by Charles Stanley)

God, it is easy to focus on that is wrong in my life
rather than what is right.

I find myself overwhelmed
by all the injustice, pain, and division in the world.

Forgive me for the times I’ve chosen to feed negativity,
to spread hopelessness among my friends and family.

But I’m not alone in my grief,
You are heartbroken by these things, too.

So Lord, I pray for Your guidance in sorrow.

I want to lament all that is wrong –
without being consumed by it.

Teach me to balance grief
with the assurance of Your love.

May my heartbreak, empathy, and faith
play a role in Your healing of the world.

Amen

So, let us just “bee”
Bee friends; Reach out to others
Live life without lack

We’ve more than enough
Of God’s love and compassion
Jesus gave it all!

Like a honeybee
Let’s distribute what we have
To make life better…

for everyone!
Let it “Bee”


To just make your world
“bee” a better place today,
What can you just give?

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Giving, God, Gratitude, Haiku, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, optimism, Poetry, prayer, relationships, Serving One Another

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Something Good

Something wonderful
Something good
All God’s blessings
Not always understood

Keeping eyes open
For ways we are blessed
Sometimes they come to us
In difficult tests

brown and white bear plush toy
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The blog I accidentally deleted
Explained how this teddy bear
With all its bandaged boo-boos
Hid triumphant scars under there

Something good happens
When healing of wounds is complete
I hope something good happens
Today to you and those you meet

Storm clouds may come and gather
You might anticipate a growing storm
But God will send you rainbows
And the sun to keep you warm

Photo by Jessica Lewis on Pexels.com

God will send you beauty
In the skies and on the land
Look for His surprises everywhere
Many of them really are quite grand

It’s hunting season here in Montana
So the deer and antelope are convinced
If they come here to our yard
They’re protected as if they’re fenced

Something good happened here today
The doe and the buck stuck around
I enjoyed their company – you would, too
Shhh… don’t scare them. Don’t make a sound!

They see me; they hear my steps
Off they go – but they’ll return
Good things happen here
You’re safe, my friends. Come and learn!

photo of a deer midair
Photo by Filip Nasaly on Pexels.com

What can we learn from our animals?
Go where you’re protected and free
I’ll watch out for your best interests
And I bet you’ll watch out for me

God has blessed you, I know
What’s something good
that happened to you today?
Did you thank God for it? (I knew you would!)

Love,
JanBeek


I’ve always loved the song,
“Something Beautiful.”
If you have time,
click on it here
and enjoy this beautiful music.

It’s “Something Good” for you today!!

Category:

Animals, blessings, God, Gratitude, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, music, optimism, Poetry, relationships

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Quote

Let There Be Peace

The word for today is PEACE.
In a world of chaos, dear Lord,
Let there be peace on earth.
Let me be an instrument of that peace.

We may not be able to control
What everyone else on earth does,
But we can control what we do.
Are you determined to be a peacemaker?

I want to be a peacemaker.
In spite of the chaos in this world,
I want to make peace where I am.
That may be all I can control.

And I can pray to our Father in Heaven,
“Let there be peace on earth!
Place the message of peace
In the hearts of today’s rulers.”

“Lord. I know you have overcome the world.
I know you also have given man free will.
Lord, place common sense and compassion
In the wills of those who are waging war!

Let there be peace on earth!!
And help me find peace in my little corner of it!”

As St. Francis of Assisi prayed,
“Make me a Channel of Your Peace.”
I love Susan Boyle’s voice singing that prayer.
Take a minute to listen to it… and internalize it!

To find peace in my place in the world,
I may have to turn off some of the news.
I MAY HAVE TO SHARPEN MY SENSE OF HUMOR,
And pass some chuckles on to my friends!

Just once,
I want a username and password prompt
to say
CLOSE ENOUGH.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Pexels.com

I may have to find reasons to laugh
In spite of the sadness and devastation.
I may have to look for reasons to laugh,
Reasons to pass along a sense of optimism.

I want to be a realistic optimist!

The pessimist complains about the wind
The optimist expects the wind to change
The realist adjust his sails

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels.com

Love to you,
Jan Beek

What will you do today to add peace
to your little corner of the world?
I am looking for the peace
of editing this post
and getting rid of the
oversized font!
What’s happening??

woman in gray tank top
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Then you will experience God’s peace,
which exceeds anything we can understand.

Written

on October 13, 2023

We All Lead

Today I decided to FOLLOW the PROMPT:
Do you see yourself as a leader?

Whether we know it or not, we all lead –
at least sometimes.
And whether we know it or not, we all follow
at least sometimes.

What is a leader?
That’s the question.

If you read David Jeremiah’s “Turning Points”
you will learn the trademark secrets
of great leadership and
of being a faithful follower.

These following pictures
from September’s Turning Points
introduce the various topics
of leadership by logo or trademark.

The not-so-secret to leadership
is LOVE worn in behavior.
Don’t we all want to follow
the person who exudes love?

We all wear our logo
on our sleeve or our faces,
in our hearts,
and in our actions .

Your identity as a follower is important.
It’s Who you follow that counts!
Follow the wrong leader
And you end up in the dumps!

Get the copy RIGHT!

Leaders often don’t realize they are.

Some leaders quietly go about
being great by caring for others.
Their example leads others
to want to follow in their footsteps.

I wish Jesus lived next door to me.
He’s the leader I choose to follow.
Where He leads me,
I want to obediently go!

My faithful Leader helps me
By putting upright friends
In my life – in my neighborhood –
Friends whose love I want to emulate.

Who do you follow?
Who leaves footprints on your heart?
When do you lead?
We all do both, right?

Hebrews 13:7 

“Remember your leaders,
those who spoke to you the word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way of life,
and imitate their faith.”

Leader or follower?
Which are you?
Did you answer the prompt?
What did you say?

Thanks for visiting today.
Let me hear from you!
And have a Fabulous Friday!

Look up for your purpose!

Love,
JanBeek

Oh, and by the way,
I love “following” my WP friends.
You all inspire me to blog with love.
And I thank you who “follow” me.
I love you!

Category:

Belief, Faith, friendship, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, writing

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Sunflower Power

As the sunflower
faces toward the sun
so my face must turn to Thee
You are my Source of FUN!

You alone are my source of power
and I long to “bee” with Thee
You accept me with “shower head”
And love whatever You see

You created each thing on earth
I love the sweetness of your Being
Turn my eyes to Your Face, O Lord
Set my feet on The Path You’re seeing

You alone are my source of power
So I pray to You today
Let me “bee” as the sunflower
and look to You EVERY day!

Amen

Have a wonderful weekend!
What will you do this beautiful day?

We’re having friends for dinner
before they move away next week.
Bitter sweet times…
Look to the Son for comfort ;o)

Friends always show their love.
What are brothers for if not to share troubles?
~ Proverbs 17:17

What do I call “Troubles” today??
It’s when a dear friend moves away.
Oh, how my heart aches already…
But, true friends stay in touch, come what may!!
How do you stay in touch
with those Sunflower people
in your life
when they move away?

Love to you,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Family, flowers, friendship, God, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, Poetry, relationships

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September in Montana

Yesterday I peeked out
from the downstairs back door
surprised to see the signs
of our changing seasons

Signs of autumn
Sparkled from the plant
That’s hanging over the
Newly installed dry well

Orange leaves among the green
Remind me that summer
Is drawing to a close
It’s been too short

Inside, the sunflowers
from friends, the Conklins,
and Sue Newell’s ladybug card
brighten the table

The warmth of sunshine
And the grasses in the field
Beckoned me outside
To see beyond the yard

These “weeds” have their own kind of beauty
Browns and greens mixed with gold
Certainly spell the coming of fall
Alas, stores already sell Halloween

Our view of the Madison Range
beyond the field is spectacular
The clouds are ever changing
Giving our Big Sky character

We can sit inside here
and look out in amazement every day
At God’s marvelous creation
Never tiring of our Montana wonderland

Thank You, God of All Creation
For the beauty of this earth
Help us to be good caretakers
And never take these gifts for granted.

Amen

Thank you for visiting today
Have a Fabulous Friday!
Don’t forget to go out
and marvel at your September beauty, too!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

flowers, God, Gratitude, Love, Montana, mountains, music, nature, Poetry, prayer

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Positivity

“Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.”
Proverbs 4:23

Just as water flows in constant motion,
We are asked to constantly move
In the direction of grace and mercy –
His love and graciousness to prove.

The springs of life flow in you
And are meant to overflow
So God’s joy and peace are what
Your very presence will show.
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Choosing positivity brightens life;
It keeps us happy and upbeat.
Even though we encounter difficulties,
We can choose victory, not defeat.

It’s up to us to decide the kind
Of person we want others to see.
If we keep our hearts open to love,
We’ll be the best that we can be.

We can choose positivity again and again
As we focus on the good things in life.
Meet life eagerly as we tackle each task
And ask God to take away any worry or strife.

2 Timothy 2:23-25 

“Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies;
you know that they breed quarrels.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome
but kind to everyone,
able to teach,
patiently enduring evil,
correcting his opponents with gentleness.
God may perhaps grant them repentance
leading to a knowledge of the truth…”

Ah, TRUTH! It can be so evasive…
But a positive attitude and an open heart and mind
Can make Truth more discernible.
Seek it out with questions wise and kind.

Positive people are filled with curiosity;
They never stop asking when and why.
You can’t stop an intelligent child
From asking, “Why?” even if you try.

So foster that curiosity!
Appreciate it in your own design.
You are a Child of God, you know,
So embrace your uniqueness and SHINE!

Thank you for visiting JanBeek today.
Your positive remark in the comments below
Will add to my joy today.
Let your positivity show!!

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, God, happiness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, Poetry, self-acceptance, self-esteem, Serving One Another, Sharing, truth

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