Loving One Another

Posts tagged ‘neighbors’

Everyone’s Hurting


Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Remember that everyone’s hurting
In one way or another.
Everyone has burdens deep
Some under long-buried cover.

Remember everyone’s in need
Of our love and empathy.
They may not tell us why;
They may try to hide it from you and me –

But everyone is hurting.

Photo by Aloïs Moubax on Pexels.com

“We may all be in the same storm, but we’re not all in the same boat,” said Inez Barron, a New York City councilwoman.

Photo by Nick Kwan on Pexels.com

As I sit in my comfy living room
Far away from a march or a riot,
I feel the storm from a distance.
It adversely affects my daily diet.

I taste the bitter injustice
As I watch discrepancies on screen.
I see the deaths, feel the pain,
And cry at how it demeans.

Demeans the dignity of life,
Demeans the intent of our Maker,
Affects the vulnerable poor, marginalized –
Slams them down with each breaker.

Photo by Philippe Donn on Pexels.com

Lightening may strike my neighbor –
But it doesn’t leave me unscathed.
I feel the storms all around me.
I understand the outraged.

I, too, am angry at COVID-19
For the way it has taken its toll
On the most compromised among us.
But the virus does not pigeonhole.

Like the injustice of racism,
The virus and the prejudice tumble
Across everyone in the storm’s path.
We all feel the hate of their rumble.

Photo by Johan Bos on Pexels.com

As we work to eradicate COVID
By our adherence to following guides,
May we work to eradicate prejudice
By the way that we live daily lives.

May we live with respect for each other.
May we notice and feel each one’s pain,
And remember that everyone’s hurting.
Share love and shelter – come walk with me

out of the rain.

Photo by Flickr on Pexels.com

Lord, help us see and understand
Each other’s pain,
And help us be part of the solution
Not the problems.
Amen

Have a healthy, love-filled Sunday.
See ya tomorrow.
Hugs,
JanBeek



Category:

Faith, friendship, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, prayer, Sharing

Tagged with:

Image

Will You Be My Neighbor?


Two For Sale signs went up in our “hood” this week.

That Mercer sign is for a 7 acre parcel right next door to us.
We could be next-door neighbors!

The ERA sign is at the end of the cul-de-sac – just a stone’s throw away – down where you see the telephone poles in the first photo.

Mercer sign w our house

See, there’s our house up there –  just beyond the sign. Aren’t you looking for wide open spaces and Big Sky, fresh air and a friendly, cheerful, inclusive neighborhood? Here we are!! You can build your dream house right here.

Hocking House - blue sky

This beautiful home with the best neighbors imaginable, Rex and Penny, could be your neighbors … besides us, the Beekmans with the robin babies in our back yard. Hey, look closely! That one on the right has her eyes open!

2 baby robins

This nest is on this porch where I am sitting right now with my laptop, Rita and Robbie are coming and going, feeding their babies, paying no attention to me! I love it!!

The nest is in the shadow just left of the small bedroom window. My chair is in the sun with my tabletop in the shade. I have a bird’s eye view of the robin activity.

3 joggers - cartoon

This morning was a beautiful, sunny. warm, still day – perfect for a walk in Lion’s Club Park by the Madison River that is less than 5 minutes from us. I met a couple of TOPS friends and we walked around by the river, the baseball field, the playground…

Madison thru weeds

From this view of the river, there is a bench, a painted sculpted fish, and a gorgeous view of the Madison Range across the valley.

Come go for a walk with me. There are benches along the way, picnic tables, barbecue pits, a baseball field and a playground. Young children usually flock here. But, I was early. They started to arrive as I was leaving.

On the way to the post office after my walk, I passed another For Sale sign. Our friend, Niel, died recently after a long battle with cancer. His cozy little house in town is for sale. Maybe you’d prefer this. You’d be on a smaller lot in a more modest neighborhood downtown. Look at this lovely place. Interested? Call the ERA number on the sign at the top of this post.

Niel Kent house

Your neighbors across the street have this lovely tree – and these beautiful opium poppies. What a great little town our Ennis, Montana is!!

Driving home from there, I took the golf course route. Here’s the scene just a mile from our home:

They keep it well maintained and lots of our neighbors love getting out on the course on a day like today.

Peaceful, beautiful, clean, clear, friendly …
 … what more could you ask?

Oh, I forgot to add there’s a darling little lake at Lion’s Club Park where the kids can fish and keep the trout they catch. The Madison River has a “catch and release” policy to preserve the natives. And there’s an old tractor at the park where the kids can climb and pretend FARMER. We have a lot of cattle and wheat farming in our Madison Valley.

But it’s best known for the Madison River and the fly fishing.

fish on Madison - painting

Will you come and be my neighbor?
Caroline & Chuck are building right down the hill from us.
They’d be great neighbors for ya, too!!

CBD92DE9-1A2D-407B-9293-6BD4FCA70A8B
Have a Wonderful Wednesday.
See ya tomorrow.
JanBeek

Written

on May 27, 2020

Yesterday


Yesterday

Yesterday – all my troubles seemed so far away …

We went to Bozeman; it’s an hour’s drive through the beautiful Madison River canyon.

Yesterday was a lovely 60 degree, blue sky day. Looking closely, we could see the grass is beginning to turn green. That silo house is about our halfway point.

Getting closer to Bozeman, the Bridger Mountains loomed majestically ahead of us. What a backdrop for a town, huh?

Shopping

Keeping the recommended six feet distance from everyone, we picked up a few groceries, some flowers and Easter cards, and then went to the pharmacy to pick up our prescriptions before heading back home.

There’s the silo house tucked down in a little valley, seen from the opposite direction with the Tobacco Root Mountains across the horizon. What a beautiful view!

Celebrating

While Bob drove us back toward our Madison Valley home, I wrote on the Easter cards and divvied up the roses to deliver to friends. It was Maundy Thursday… a day to commemorate Christ’s Last Supper, trial, and death. A somber time. Yellow roses help me remember the glorious sunrise that’s coming!

Yes, Easter’s on its way. We’re all on a “Stay at Home” routine (except for essential travel). Getting groceries and medications are considered essential. So are flowers and Easter cards!

First stop was at the home of two of our Sunday School children. We had not seen them since this Coronavirus lockdown began.

A few roses, a card to cheer them, a six-feet-distance hug, blow ’em a kiss … and we were on our way back home.

But First…

Some more deliveries… roses and cards to our neighbors… drop ’em off at their doorsteps… let ’em know we’re thinking of them. One neighbor put the roses in a vase, snapped a picture, and sent us a cheery message.

See how they brightened up their living room?

Yesterday

… all my troubles seemed so far away.

God’s rainbow… God’s promise

Yes,
our troubles seem to fade
as we reflect
on the reflections
of yesterday…

  • a day to take a little outing, pick up a few necessary items, and spread a little cheer
  • a day to look for the rainbow that promises a better tomorrow
  • a day to remember the Lord’s Last Supper and His death on the cross, BUT
  • a day to look forward to three days later… the Resurrection, and the Promise fulfilled.

Yesterday’s gone. Today is a day to spread the Good News.

What can you do to cheer up a neighbor’s day?

Easter is Coming! Take comfort! Claim peace! Spread LOVE! Take joy!

I wish you were near, my WordPress friends.
It’s “Good Friday!”
I’d deliver a few roses to you, too.

Category:

Belief, blessings, children, Faith, flowers, friendship, Giving, God, holidays, Jesus, Love, Montana, mountains, peace, relationships, Serving One Another, Travel

Tagged with:

Sweet Dreams & Nightmares


It’s been a busy day. I am ready to tuck in early. But first, I need to share with you a message I received from our neighbors who live at the end of our road 1/2 the year and in Nashville, Tennessee the other half of the year.

Most of you are aware by now that earlier this week a massive tornado devastated a 50 mile trail that went through the heart of some of Nashville’s beautiful neighborhoods. I wrote my neighbor/friend, Debbie, and asked how she and Steve are doing. This is what she wrote back,

“Thanks for asking. It’s been a tragic, scary, powerful disaster. It first touched down about 4 miles away at a private airport. That airport has $100 mil worth of damage. Then it plowed thru the neighborhoods of north Nashville (about 3 miles away) tearing up homes, churches and 3 schools in that lower middle class, black section. Then it hit the very trendy, expensive Germantown section just blocks from the Capital. After destroying Germantown it gained strength, crossed the Cumberland River (where our son Joel’s shop missed being hit my 1/4 mile). He was without power for only 10 hours. Then it moved to a section called East Nashville. This is where I grew up and where my brother still lives. The damage there was heartbreaking. East End Methodist Church was destroyed. This is my brother’s church… He has been there for hours helping out each day and met with the structural engineer who said no way to rebuild. It is just tragic. Yes the church is more than the building but when the building is 113 years old and you worship in such an astonishingly beautiful place with the souls of the many worshipers gone before, it seems trite to say it was only a building. There is no telling how long it will take to get power back on in that area.
So the tornado jumped the river again to the neighborhood known as Donelson, then Hermitage, then Mt Juliet, then out in the country to Cookeville where 23 people were killed.
This event has consumed our town.”

It takes that tragic event and brings it home, doesn’t it? Makes it up close and personal.

Please, dear friends, add the people of Nashville, Cookeville, and the surrounding area (50 mile tornado path) to your prayer list. My heart is heavy for them.

Sweet dreams may be possible as time goes by, but for now there will be tears and nightmares for many.

God bless them and give them strength during this devastating time. Amen

See you tomorrow.

Category:

Family, Gratitude, Heartache, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Love, nature, prayer, relationships

Tagged with:

Lakota Prayer & Super Bowl


Lakota Haiku

Pray you learn to trust
Your heart and mind and senses.
Then you’ll find balance.

I pray your Sunday was a day of balance.

Balance between church and worship,
fellowship and football,
food and entertainment,
work and play.

Super Bowl

It was Super Bowl Sunday in the USA. The San Francisco 49’ers were my choice, but the Kansas City Chiefs played a fantastic game and won it fair and square. We had fun watching the game with friends and cheering each team for their good plays. It’s not about winning or losing for me… it’s about sportsmanship and skillful plays and watching good sports. It’s about sharing the day with friends – and serving them some of our favorite things.

Bob and I made a lemon meringue pie to share for dessert.
Our neighbor, Rex, smoked some beef – yum! I added a mushroom polenta, a shrimp in cream sauce (for surf and turf) and a squash casserole for the meal.
Rex’s wife, Penny, was a great help in the kitchen.
My buddy, Caroline, always makes gatherings more fun!
I was able to sit and enjoy the game, too.
Great to have friends to share the good times with!
It was a close and exciting game until the Chiefs ran away with it in the 4th quarter. Good for them! They hadn’t won it in how many years??
With the snow falling outside, it was a perfect day to cuddle up in our cozy living room and enjoy fellowship, football, and good food & wine. I wish you could have joined us!

I will end this day with that Lakota prayer at the top,
knowing God hears me and will indeed help me to
“walk in balance with the passing of each glorious sun.”

Thanks for dropping by JanBeek.


See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, Family, food, friendship, Gratitude, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, Poetry, prayer, Serving One Another

Tagged with:

Back in the Routine


After 5 weeks of vacationing with friends and family in California, and two days of sorting through 5 weeks of piled-up mail, I am back in the routine (sort of). Missed my sanctuary time this morning… am headed up there now (as soon as I post this).

As you can see, looking beyond into the living room, my Christmas decorations still are up. That was today’s job – along with bill paying. Had to get right on it after breakfast cuz I had a friend coming over.

That’s only a portion of the mail we accumulated at the post office while we were gone. Most of it was junk. That went into another pile to be thrown away.

Bob’s busy sorting and responding to mail, too.

After lunch we took a break and I did some of my usual: checked at the P.O. for more mail, visited my “Senior Friend” who lives alone, and visited friends in the Manor Nursing Home. It was good to see them after all this time away.

As I was leaving the house, headed to the P.O. and Manor, our neighborhood “pets” greeted me. They were out in the field, and then crossed the driveway in front of me. They stopped in the sunshine over in the neighbor’s field and looked at me. “Welcome Home!” they seemed to say!

That’s the snow-peaked Madison Range beyond our valley over there. Big Sky Ski Resort is in those mountains. The sun shone brightly these last two days since we’ve been home, I told friends I brought it with me from California!

Not to be outdone, my friend, Jacquie, sent me a photo of her neighborhood “pets.” They were walking along her driveway… a mama moose and her youngin’ – so adorable!

Approaching my friend, Ray’s house, his neighborhood “pets” were lounging in his yard. Ah, it is so good to be back in the place where the deer and the antelope roam (and the moose too)!!

Back home, I helped my friend with the Christmas tree and other remnants of the holidays. They needed to be taken down and put away. And my house needed tidying. Thank God for Tracy. I couldn’t have done it without her!

Ah yes, January 30th… time to put the tree away for another year.

How did you spend your day?

No place like home! Blue skies, puffy clouds,…
We are grateful to God for this place.
We feel so blessed!

Thanks for dropping by.
Leave a comment for JanBeek, will ya?

I love hearing from you!
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, Christmas, friendship, Giving, God, Gratitude, happiness, holidays, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, pets, Serving One Another, Travel

Tagged with:

Be The Hands


Be the hands of God

Guaranteed to cure

With “Jewish Penicillin”

Bless those who reach out
Beyond themselves to others
God answers through them

Reaching out to help another is a clear demonstration of these “10 simple words — hope, love, care, culture, kindness, faith, knowledge, health, comfort and warmth.” This quote is not mine… but I repeat them here because these concepts mean so much …

Especially today, October 14th, Columbus Day in the USA. Our banks and post offices and federal buildings and some schools are closed today in honor of Columbus. Why?

Because :
“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue!”

I memorized that rhyme as a kid in school. Why was it important? Well, Columbus purportedly “discovered America” on this day.

But, who Really “Discovered” America?

 

St. Joseph's Indian School

I received this e-mail from St. Joseph’s Indian School today:

“They are 10 simple words — hope, love, care, culture, kindness, faith, knowledge, health, comfort and warmth — but they mean so much … Especially today.“

St. Joseph’s Indian School here in Montana wants you to know it’s not about Columbus! They announced, “Today is Native American Day!”

They continued, “…we want to celebrate in a BIG way! Today we are hosting a special day of giving at St. Joseph’s Indian School. We need 365 people — one donor for every day of the year — to open their hearts and give a gift.

Will you be 1 of the 365?
BE 1 OF THE 365
Some St. Joseph’s students arrive without knowledge of their deep, rich Native American culture. They have spent their young lives more focused on surviving day to day than learning about their ancestors and traditions. 

Today, you can change that by giving a gift to help enrich the lives of young boys and girls with their cultural experiences, education and more. You can see some of the experiences for yourself when you watch this video.

As more people give, more student programs and services will be unlocked. 

At 165 gifts, donors will help unlock regalia for students to wear during powwows. At 165 gifts, donors will help unlock a cultural trip. 

At 365 donors: we will receive a special matching gift offer of $25,000 from a special group of friends who have pledged to support the Lakota students!”

You can join in this effort to recognize, help enrich, and appreciate our Native American friends today. Let’s acknowledge the ones who REALLY discovered America… our Native Americans. They were here long before some white man came to rob them of their land and relegate them to reservations!

I am a faithful supporter of St. Joseph’s as well as the school for our Lakota Natives here in Montana. Won’t you join in?

Be the hands and heart of God!

Philámayaye — thank you— for your kindness.

Happy Native American Day!!
God Bless You.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, Giving, Gratitude, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, peace, respect, Sharing

Tagged with:

Footprints in Your Heart


True Friends - footptints

 

A friend sent this card
with “Your friendship means the world to me”
written on the inside.

 

She wrote,
“I can feel your footprints
in my heart everyday.
Do you mind is I
walk all over your heart, too?”

view of sand dunes

Photo by Luis Quintero on Pexels.com

Those footprints are not just ON my heart,
they are IN my heart.
I feel her love deeply.
It keeps me buoyed on days
when I might otherwise be feeling down.

 

I subscribe to “Someone Cares” cards from Guideposts.  I love these cards because they always include a pertinent scripture reference, an uplifting message, and a pertinent story on the back of each.

This last mailing of Guideposts’ cards had the message
I used in my last post,
“Whenever we’re together,
and even when we’re not,
warm and caring thoughts of you
make me smile a lot.”

Guideposts “Someone Cares” cards are available
at shopguideposts.org/someone-cares-greetings.
I highly recommend them.
They are unique and special.
When I open the package of 12 every 6 weeks or so,
the cards call out the names of friends
for whom I feel that card would be most appropriate.

The back of this particular card
had a wonderful story on it
– written by Lisa Bogart:

“When my best friend came to New York to visit me, I wanted to pack all the sights, food, and fun I could into our four days together.

On the first morning, we took a 10:00 train into Manhattan. We walked crosstown, hopped on the subway, and headed uptown to the Cloisters… then to the Metropolitan Museum of Art… farther downtown to my favorite barbecue place… window-shopped and gawked at the towering buildings. Finally, we took a train home at 10:30 that night.

My friend was pooped and asked if we could stay closer to home the next day. When she came down for breakfast, she had her knitting with her. She suggested we sit on the patio and knit for awhile. I put on a pot of tea, and we spent the morning catching up and renewing our friendship.

We went on a few more adventures before she left, but it was that quiet time together that I remember best. It makes me smile and feel close to her even when we’re miles apart.”

Do you have a special friend who has left footprints in your heart? Why not send a card to them today letting them know you are thinking of them in a special way? Sending snail-mail cards does not have to be a “lost art.” Keep it alive with your footprints today!

Thinking of you

I love you, dear WordPress friends.
You leave your footprints in my heart
each time you visit and leave a note.
God bless you!

Jan sends cheers!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

friendship, happiness, Love, mental health, Sharing, writing

Tagged with:

True Friends


True Friends

img_8064
Terry & Elaine w/ me

God has blessed my life
With a circle of true friends.
Some are close enough to hug,
Others are scattered to earth’s ends.
.
Regardless of their physical proximity,
My true friends are always with me.
When we reach out to each other,
Their love stretches out to gift me.
.

Some soul sisters I have known briefly,
Others are friends a decade or more,
And a few treasured true friends
I’ve known since I was young and poor.

ib83MDMqTeqWX8m2ulUimw_thumb_af29
My sis, Sally & me
MarcieJudyBobSandersMonica
Marcie, Judy, Bob, Jerry, Carolyn & Monica

Some are older, wise, and vibrant,

img_8998-e1567176654177.jpg
Elaine Forsberg

Some are family living far away,

img_7153
DeDe & me

Some are neighbors, always near and supportive,

img_8528
Our neighbors, the Ducsays & Laquas w/Tammy & Henry

Some are my buddies who join me in play.

img_8394
Me with Caroline & Penny
img_0308
The Curreys

Some are families who make life special –

Some are in-laws who keep in touch –

Margie & Bill
Bonnie & Stan
Ann & Bruce
ed-maria-19th-anniv
Ed & Maria

Some are couples who invite us over – 

  • Gerry & Alex w/ Bob & Ott

All are a part of me… and I love them so much!

Kuan Tao-Sheng as quoted in Theodor Reik’s book, Of Love and Lust:
“Take a lump of clay,
Wet it, pat it,
Make a statue of you
and a statue of me.
Then shatter them, clatter them,
Add some water,
And break them and mold them
Into a statue of you and me.
Then in mine, there are bits of you,
And in you there are bits of me.
Nothing shall ever keep us apart.”

God has blest my soul
With true friends who make me whole.
I carry bits of them where e’re I go.
They round me out so I can roll.

Bob Jan TazE ATV
TazE, Bob & me
Laina w/ Bob & me

I roll with the punches life flings,
I weather the storms life brings;
I reach out to friends, and they to me.
So no matter the trouble, my heart sings.

animal avian beak bird
Life is better with a friend and a song!

Thank You, God,  for life’s true friends.
Thank You for God’s Holy Spirit, too.
He is the friend who’s with me always.
I pray that He’s a True Friend to you.

make-friendships

God bless you, my dear blogging friend!
Thank you for being a friend who visits and comments.
Your participation in my blog means
the world to me!

box cheerful color cute
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, friendship, God, Gratitude, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, pets, Poetry, Sharing

Tagged with:

Yes, I Salvaged the Cake!


One of my blogging friends asked,
Did you salvage that cake?

The Shortcut Syndrome

Yes, I was able to cut off the burned parts,
Turn it over on a cake plate,
and frost it with whipping cream.
And it was delicious!

Thanks for reassuring me.
Even the worst of our mistakes
Can turn out OK,

IF we don’t give up!

But, the best solution is
Read the fine print to begin with!

Have a great Monday evening.
.
We’re headed to visit our dear neighbors
Who are here for the summer
and then leave in the fall –
headed for warmer weather.

Chickens!!

Photo by Moon Bhuyan on Pexels.com
Photo by PhotoMIX Ltd. on Pexels.com

Only kidding…
You’re not chicken for leaving in winter…
But we will sure miss all our “Snowbirds!”

5 guys - Mt. Baldy
Four of these five guys head for warmer climate in winter.
Only Bob – on the left – the guy in shorts –
the one who thinks it’s warm
when others are cold-
will remain!

img_8395

And both of my girlfriends here will leave.
Penny, on the right, is the one
we are saying farewell to tonight.

 

pexels-photo-14303.jpeg

Oh, but I can’t cry.
I need to count my blessings.
Better to have ’em part of the year
rather than not at all.
.
And thanks, Mrs Hen, for the egg whites.
Without them I couldn’t have made that
angelfood cake!

eggs in the metal basket
.

See ya tomorrow, my blogging friends.
pexels-photo-207962
Sure glad you’re not leaving me!

Category:

food, friendship, Love, Travel

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud

%d bloggers like this: