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Posts tagged ‘pandemic’

Embrace Common Sense

Proverbs 16:22

“Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it,
but the instruction of fools is folly.”

No one wants to be thought a fool.
No one wants to be seen as someone who lacks common sense.
When we hear stories about foolish people,
we say to ourselves,
“Thank God that’s not me!
I’d never build a house on the sand!”

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

What is our modern day “House on the Sand” story?
Can you think of a typical story that demonstrates
lack of common sense in today’s world?

Not just the foolish MAN!!
What a about those spendthrift women?

Today is the day President Biden signed an “American Rescue Plan” –
A stimulus package to the tune of 1.9 trillion dollars. Wow!
Hopefully it will create the millions of jobs promised
And give struggling lower-middle class and poor families a future.
Does it make sense?

We need to renew our economy, no doubt about it.
How do we find the “light in the darkness”?
Are the acts of getting checks out and getting the vaccine out
And into people’s arms steps in the right direction?
Seems sensible to some – but not all!

Total COVID-19 deaths in the USA as of today: 527,726.
Something needs to be done… no doubt about it.
Are we on a sensible path to end the pandemic?
Mobilizing thousand of vaccinators and creating new places –
That’s sensible.

President Biden reminded us of the things we couldn’t do.
He talked about the ways we have been divided as a country.
His reminder of the way people are walking in fear today
Was not news to any of us. We see and hear it every day.
Divisions are not sensible!

When will things get back to “normal”? What’s that?
What will “normal” look like when we come to our senses?
Will we have learned the lessons this pandemic
May have been sent to this earth to teach us?
Let’s be sensible.

More vaccines manufactured is in the future,
New tools to make it easier to get the vaccines,
Confidence in the safety of the vaccines –
Practicing CDC guidelines and being unified….
That’s good common sense.

But just as I was writing this, someone I love
Wrote to me and said she would not be getting
Her vaccine and neither will her husband.
Why not? What is the sense in the refusal?
Is my common sense and hers the same?

Seems to me that people who refuse
To wear a mask or get themselves vaccinated
Are living selfishly for themselves…
Their purpose is not to protect others.
Is that common sense?

Today is the one year anniversary
Of this COVID-19 pandemic’s announcement.
Sadly our nation and world are forever changed.
We have lost way too many dear friends.
It makes no sense.

Let’s build our future on the solid rock
Of unified common sense and faith in our democracy.
Let’s plan tomorrow with hopes and dreams
That address how much we need each other.
Embrace common sense!

Thanks for wearing a mask!

Thanks for visiting JanBeek .
See ya tomorrow.

I CAN Embrace

I can embrace the future.
I can be ready for a fresh start.
I can take time to review
This past year and take heart.

Take heart that new beginnings
Offer us blessings to uncover.
Take heart that compassion’s awakened;
We’ve new opportunities to discover.

I can embrace the promises
That change and growth bestow.
I can be energized by
Welcoming strangers I’ve yet to know.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

I can embrace the reality
Of dreams yet to fulfill,
Knowing God is ever faithful
When I’m living in His will.

As Bob Goff says, “Dream Big!”

I can embrace the coming year
With prayers for those in need –
And reach out to serve the hurting
With generosity – release the greed!

I embrace the coming decade
And hope to live rightly through it.
I embrace the coming vaccine –
It’ll be effective – we always knew it.

We knew that this pandemic
Could not stay with us forever.
There are too many blessed people
Out there who are creative and so clever.

But I am not waiting for the shot
To stop the misery and relieve the pain.
I embrace the fact that LOVE
Is what will make us whole again!

So, PEACE, my dear WP friends,
I send you the best medicine of all
For the end of this misery-filled year:
A smile, a virtual hug, a word of grace, an answer to your call.

Just like Bob Goff, Love Does,
He puts his cell phone number on his book covers.
Call on me … and I will answer every time:
(406) 599-9678

Happy New Year!
Big Embraces to you,
With Love, JanBeek

Twelve Ways to Beat the Virus

Photo by Edward Jenner on Pexels.com

In the midst of this pandemic,
With germs spreading far and wide,
We need to be extra cautious –
In TRUST we must abide.

Trusting isn’t foolishness –
It isn’t abandoning MASKS.
Trusting is OBEDIENCE –
Doing what God and SCIENCE asks.

Trusting isn’t carelessness –
It isn’t gathering in bunches.
Trusting is PRAYER and AWARENESS
And listening to our hunches.

This virus is quite deadly –
Unpredictable at best –
So we need to TAKE IT SERIOUSLY,
Don’t give the bug a test!

STEER CLEAR OF CROWDS,
And WASH your HANDS often,
Trust in the Lord and prayer,
While avoiding someone coughin’.

In the midst of this pandemic,
With family and friends in Harm’s Way,
We need to trust the Lord, yes –
But listen to scientists and obey!

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

Did you catch the twelve?
I want to make them clear.
Here they are spelled out –
Obey and avoid fear!

Twelve Ways to Keep COVID-19 Away:

1. Be cautious 
2. Trust in Science
3. Trust in God 
4. Pray
5. Obey  
6. Be aware
7. Take it Seriously
8. Wear a Mask
9. Wash Hands Often
10. Avoid Crowds
11. Socially Distance
12. Don't Give the Bug a Test 

God Bless You, my friends.
May He keep you safe and healthy.
May we all do our part to help keep this bug at bay!

Please pray for the Zufferey Family
in Switzerland
(my son-in-law’s cousin,
who was our 1980-81
AFS exchange student).
ZuZu, Celia, and Jeremy
all have tested positive.

Pray for all those affected by this nasty bug.
Dear Lord, may they beat it…
And emerge with no lasting side-effects.

Please give them new strength, too.
DeAna

Lord, keep our daughter, DeAna,
in Switzerland
and all her family

safe.

Amen

(From “Best in Europe”
Switzerland
has become one of the worst
in new cases this week.
Pray for that country…
and all those facing this virus.)


Do you have a loved one who is in Harm’s Way
or is suffering from COVID?
Tell me – and I will add his/her name to my prayer list.


Bee well!!
See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

When This Ends

You bet!
But in the meantime,

  • enjoy games at home
  • order take-out or learn to cook some fantastic stuff yourself!
  • make home-school an adventure for you and your kid(s); if your kids are grown, send ideas to friends, neighbors, grandkids about things they can do (like log into http://www.janbrett.com and listen to her read her newest book, COZY).
  • take time to appreciate the ones who are still at work – on the job – making it possible for us to have groceries, get gas, know our loved ones in hospitals and nursing homes are being cared for, and fill our prescriptions when we call them in. God Bless ’em!
  • don’t let the stock market numbers consume you or freak you out
  • stop hoarding toilet paper, and
  • look for virtual ways to be together while we’re apart.

My friend, Elaine Hundley, wrote this poem, “Together from a Distance.”
I posted it already on my blog a week or so ago. It’s time to post it again. Take her words to heart!

Together from a Distance
Elaine Hundley

“Shelter in place”, they say,
 “Socially distance yourself
From others, and
Save yourself
In these uncertain days.”

Accepting the mandates
Emanating from multiple sources
Muddles mind and soul,
Reducing faith to realms
Not resonating with reality.

So, feed the children,
Hold the children,
Cherish the children
As they carry
Fears of family insecurity.

 Show young adults affectionate attention,
Remembering to renew
The frail with hope,
Casting aside
Despair and defeat.

Connect with the community
As faces flood your consciousness,
Allowing fingers to fondle keys
of phone and keyboard
To share love, kindness and contentment.

Share smiles all around, sending self-confidence
On its way to unsuspecting faces, places, situations. 
Simply become beacons of tranquil assurance
 And you, too, may discover realms of restful renewal
In these uncertain days.

This pandemic will not last forever.
Make it a positive, meaningful time in your life.
With prayer and faith and compassion, it will be.
When it ends, if you have remained positive
and you have spread hope to those around you,
it will be “A Pretty Good Day”
INDEED!

Count on it!

Here’s a gift for you!

Have a good week!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
What’s on your agenda?


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