Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘peace’

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

Ah, Peace!

Absorb today’s peace
I’m sitting on the back porch
The wind chimes are still

Up high in the tree
A meadowlark sings to me
A good book awaits

Let company take the car
Have a raucous day
While here, peace abounds

Last night the whole gang
Enjoyed a lovely dinner
No dishes clean-up

Relatives and friends
Are sweet to come and visit
Enjoy catch-up time

Then come home to eat
Dessert on the patio
A cool, calm evening

And now let the calm
Of a peace-filled day alone
Refresh weary bones

Look carefully… see the double rainbow?

Let God’s promises
Reassure and relax you
Have a blessed day!

Genesis 9:12-13 
ESV

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

John 16:33 
ESV

“I have said these things to you,
that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Wishes of Peace to you
from my son, Ty, and me.

God Bless You!
Let peace begin with us!
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, Family, God, Haiku, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Montana, mountains, music, peace, Poetry, prayer, relationships

Tagged with:

Plans to Prosper You

Who has plans to prosper you?
You do??
Who else?

white paper with note
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

Jeremiah 29:11

11 “For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,”
saith the Lord,
“thoughts of peace,
and not of evil,
to give you an expected end.”

God promises to give us hope and a future.
Grace gives me a chance to clean up today’s messes and try again.
Be ready for that prosperous, expected end!

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:6 (NIV)

Sprinkle the salt of peace.
Express
the joy of happiness.
Smile
and
let the love of
the One who wants only
to prosper you
shine forth!

three wooden signage in a tree close up photography
Photo by Maria Gulyaeva on Pexels.com

Guidepost’s Mornings With Jesus
challenged its readers yesterday to
“Thank Jesus for seasoning you
with His grace” – and
“Write down specific ways
He has prospered you so
you can be salt and light
in the world today.”

sunflowers and a card
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

What blessings come to mind for you today?

God provided blue skies.
He sent rain to clear the haze.
The grass is greening
and the flowers are blooming.

I can’t make these things happen…
Only God can control the seasons.
He sends the sun by day
and the moon by night.
These are blessings
I don’t take for granted.

What are some of the specific ways
God has prospered you recently?

I am blessed by your visit here today.
Thank you for following
JanBeek.

I am gratified by the
new followers who have joined us recently.

I send my love & hugs your way.

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Gratitude, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, optimism, relationships

Tagged with:

Peace Thru Prayer, Music, & Service

I LOVE the Jehovah Shalom Acapella sextet. They are phenomenal. Their musicianship, range, uplifting song selections, tone, and delightful facial expressions give me a smile and a sense of peace that lasts all day! I pray for all of them… and their ability to continue to bless us with their music. Do you know them?

I have a smile, a kind word, and a poem of encouragement to share with you. I shared it with the Madison Valley Woman’s Club today. I hope it inspired many to also “Find Peace.”

May this poem, this music, and my prayers for you bring you a sense of inner peace that allows to you to let His light shine brightly through you!

I Can Find Peace

I can find peace
It’s here in my heart
Living in trust
Is a good place to start

I can find peace
In stillness and prayer
Don’t need to go far
Peacefulness is there

Find peace in the world
Find oneness with all
Find joy and contentment
No need for a wall

Peace in relationships
Peace from above
Just radiate inner peace
And reach out in love

Jan Beekman – poet
woman meditating on rock
Photo by Felipe Borges on Pexels.com

Among the poems that my mom collected and saved each week in 1938-1940 from Newman, California’s “West Side Index” was this lovely poem to reinforce the way we each can find peace and pass it on:

Little Things

Somebody did a kindly deed,
It helped you all the day.
Do it again, for somebody else,
Who, needy, passes your way.

Somebody said a kindly word;
Say it again, for you
May brighten somebody else’s load
By the word that brightened you.

Somebody smiled a cheerful smile;
It made the day seem bright.
It was only a little thing you say,
But those little things have might.

Those little things – are they little things?
Just think how the whole long day
An unkind word or slighting tone
Has hidden the sun away.


Margaret Kinsella – poet

smiling women in old fashioned clothing looking at gift in park
Photo by Ron Lach on Pexels.com

At our Madison Valley Woman’s Club meeting today, the ladies shared plants of basil and rosemary, gifts of one sort and other, with one another. New officers were installed. A budget for the coming year was adopted. The organization owns and operates the Nearly New here in Ennis. It is a non-profit, volunteer organization that earns “big bucks” by selling “Twice in the Closet” clothing, books, kitchen ware, jewelry, etc. Hats off to all those who donate their goods and services to the Nearly New! The second-hand shop is run totally by volunteer labor. The majority of their profits are given back to the community in the form of scholarships to graduating high school seniors, monthly monetary support to the local library, and countless other worthy community organizations (such as the nursing home, the community pre-school, senior and youth services, etc.). They budgeted $163,000 to be given away in the coming fiscal year.

There is an enormous sense of peace & community pride that comes with the collaborative efforts of the club’s more than 150 members working together all year to make these kinds of profits possible. Our town of Ennis, MT has a population of just a little over 1,000 residents. So, you can just imagine what a gift this club is not just to Ennis, but to the entire Madison County and to the state. Hats off to all those dedicated volunteers!

Luke 6:38

“Give, and it will be given to you.
Good measure,
pressed down,
shaken together,
running over,
will be put into your lap.
For with the measure you use
it will be measured back to you.”

Give the best you got!
May the peace of Christ be with you and your loved ones
as you give generously of your time, talents, and resources.

Remember, your cup is not
half full or half empty,
It is overflowing…
and it is refillable!

God bless you this day and every day!
Hugs,
JanBeek

See ya tomorrow!
Have a great weekend.

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Giving, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, peace, Poetry, prayer, Promises, relationships, Serving One Another

Tagged with:

To Do or Not to Do

Today’s JetPack on WordPress prompt was:

Write about a time
when you didn’t take action
but wish you had.

What would you do differently?

“Everything in our house has a story to tell.
I believe a house
feels more like a home
when it’s full of stories.”

– Diana Matthews

Yes, everything in my house has a story.
But the biggest story of all
(if the wood could talk),
would be the wood floors.

They are 100 year old boards
from an old silo in Malta, Montana.
The silo was sold to a carpenter
who took it apart floor by floor
and repurposed the nail-pocked boards
in the homes or cabins
of crazy folks like us!

There is Paul, the carpenter,
on top of the silo.
As he was removing the wood
to use it on top of the soft, scarred fir
that was already on our floors,
he fell…

He could have killed himself,
but miraculously,
he only broke a few ribs.
That delayed our replaced floors
by a few more months
than healing ribs would have taken.

Why?

black and white picture of a man
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Paul was having massive headaches
during his rib-healing-process.
The doctors examined all parts of him
and discovered a brain tumor!
If he had not fallen and broken his ribs,
perhaps the tumor might not have been
discovered until much later.
I say it was a “God thing!”

But what does this have to do with
“when you didn’t take action
but wish you had”??

We saw those lovely floors in
some friends’ cabin
and Bob fell in love with them.
The colors, the character,
the nail holes, the story behind them.
He just had to have floors like that.
As I said earlier, our soft fir floors
were badly scarred and needed
to be refinished.

I spoke up and told Bob
I thought we should just refinish
what we already had.
Especially since the floor has
radiant floor heating!!

But I did not persevere.
After Paul’s tumor was successfully removed,
and he was on the road to full recovery,
the work began.
He put that 5/8″ of extra wood
on top of our old floors.

Yes, it brightened up the room
with its lighter color.
Yes, it has a story
and great character.
But, what a lot of work!
And what a lot of money!
And the radiant floor heating
is not as effective
over that extra layer!

In marriage partnerships,
we have to pick our battles.
Some things are worth fighting over.
Others are not.
Discernment is the key!

I decided this was not a battle
I should undertake.
So, I “didn’t take action.”
The result is lovely,
the story is memorable,
the wood talks,
but
“What would you do differently?”

I’d insist we refinish the old floors!
God gave me time to make my case
with diplomacy and insistence
while Paul healed.

Why didn’t I?


Welllll… a picture’s worth a thousand words…

What would you have done?


Does your home have stories to tell?

See ya tomorrow.
Have a peace-filled day~
Love conquers all!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Family, happiness, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, relationships

Tagged with:

Quench Thirst With Living Water

timelapse photography off water fountain
Photo by Gabriel Peter on Pexels.com

Quench my thirst, Lord,
With Your Living Water clear.
Bring me peace from you to help me
Feel Your love and know You’re near.

crop woman sitting near sea
Photo by Dmitriy Ganin on Pexels.com

Drench me in Your Living Water;
Wash my sins from head to toe.
Help me know Your saving Grace
Make me pure as fresh, white snow.

person holding white heart decor
Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Pexels.com

Quench my thirst for Living Water
By sending me Your love anew.
Help me feel Your healing power
And share with others my love for You.

person cleaning hands under water
Photo by Samad Deldar on Pexels.com

John 4:13-15
ESV

Jesus said to her,
“Everyone who drinks of this water 
will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks of the water 
that I will give him
will never be thirsty again.”

Come down to the Living Waters. We welcome you!

Have a blessed Tuesday evening – and a Wonderful Wednesday!

Love,

JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, God, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, Poetry

Tagged with:

Dissolution

The dissolution of possessions
Needs to happen before
the body dissolves;
So do yourself and family
a big favor before it’s too late.

Once you’re gone from here
friends and family may
become gimme people.
Save them from the struggle!

It’s time to be sure you have
a will or trust
or you’ve filled out
a document like Five Wishes.

There are documents like this
available on-line or in stores
so help dissolution of your goods
be a peaceful, loving distribution.

What came to mind when you heard the word “Dissolution”?

See ya tomorrow
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, children, Family, Giving, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Love, Poetry, Serving One Another

Tagged with:

Music Changed Lives

Today’s JetPack prompt was:
Describe something you learned in high school.

Here’s my answer:

When I was in high school,
I sang in the choir
and I played clarinet in the band and orchestra.
I learned a lot about music.

During the summers of my junior & senior years,
my parents made it possible for me
to attend Music Camp at the College of the Pacific.

I learned there that the accordion was not considered a real instrument.

(Hah! “Welcome to heaven, here’s your harp.
Welcome to hell, here’s your accordion.”
My friends always shared jokes about it.)

I had to learn to play the piano!
That was so hard.
(My hands are small
and my fingers
don’t reach an octave!)

I also learned that a choir or band/orchestra conductor
could be very humble and quiet
and still demand and receive respect.

During my senior year,
I viewed those conductors
in my high school
with a new set of eyes and ears
after singing and playing under the guidance
of folks like Jester Harrison,
Dr. Bodley,
and Curt Herbert Adler
during summer camp.

And because I was exposed
each summer to music therapy at C.O.P.,
I listened to music and internalized it
with a whole new set of ears.

This video is an experience with music
that my Swiss family shared.

Different kinds of music
creates different responses.
You can blow it off.
You can dance to it,
or you can join in!
Hah!
That music makes me hyper!
That’s our DeDe and her hubby, Andre’ in there!!

Music from a cello
or other soothing stringed instrument
sets my mind and body at ease.
Piano music can be very soothing.
Depends on the choice, of course.

This is my choice for soothing music.
If you have some time and want to just listen for a while,
see how this music relaxes you!
In contrast, ask “Alexa, shuffle music by Fluffy Machine.”
That’s my grandson, Nicky’s band. Oh my, it’ll jazz you up!

What’s one way I used “Music Therapy”
in my classroom?
It’s based on the Iso Principle.
Match the mood of the music
to the person’s mood;
Change the mood of the music,
and the person’s mood changes with it.

When my students came in from recess,
they were all hyper.
I played hyper music on my accordion
to match their mood
and gradually changed it to
calmer sounds.
Then we sang a song,

“It’s math time, math time,
Time to have some fun.
Please get out your books now,
Turn to page ___,
Be ready.
OK, we’ve begun.”

black click pen on white paper
Photo by Lum3n on Pexels.com

It worked!
They were all on the right page
and ready to begin!

Parade Magazine once had an article about music.
In it, the author wrote,
“Can you imagine your life without music?
It’s almost impossible.
Whether we are cruising in the car
headed to the beach on a hot summer day
or listening to muzak at a doctor’s office,
we are constantly surrounded by song.
Makeups, breakups, parties, hanging out with friends,
singing along with our kids, or caroling a Christmas tune—
music stamps nearly every aspect of our life.
Much in the way a killer soundtrack accompanies a movie,
most of us have songs that accent each phase of our lives,
melodies that instantly bring us back
to specific moments or memories
when we hear them even years later.”

Is there a song or a piece of music that impacted your life?
Here is one of my favorites.

You can go to YouTube to hear this music
or you can ask “Alexa” or “Siri” to play this song by Susan Boyle.
It is the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.
I love it… and I want to be exactly that.

Let music change your life – every day!
Thank you, JetPack, for this prompt.
Thank you, dear blogging friends, for visiting.

See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blogging, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, Memories, mental health, music, peace, relationships, writing

Tagged with:

Wish on a Dandelion

If you could wish
On a dandelion today,
What would you with for?
What would you say?

Laura Sullivan is a Grammy Award-winning musician whose music inspires me. She makes me want to wish on a dandelion.

I wish for peace
And an end to all wars.
I wish for love
And joy to be yours.

I wish for plenty
To be shared with all,
For hope and grace
To never be in shortfall.

I wish for gentleness
And patience to abound,
For music and laughter
To be found all around.

I wish for health
And for patience every day.
I wonder what you’d wish for –
What will you have to say?

boy wearing orange shirt blowing on dandelion
Photo by Sharefaith on Pexels.com

Wish upon a dandelion.
Let your imagination fly.
Wish for what you want the most;
Wish for things you cannot buy.

Back in 2020
When the pandemic was raging,
Laura Sullivan wrote this
(I found it quite engaging):

I wished for an end to
That horrible virus time.
My sister died in the middle of it.
Couldn’t see her; T’was a crime!

I wished upon a dandelion
That our world would soon be well;
That once the pandemic was over
We’d get outta this COVID hell.

But, it appears to me this virus
Is sticking around like the flu.
So, let’s wish upon a dandelion
That it stays away from me and you.

Photo by Edward Jenner on Pexels.com

Lord, be with my special friends
Who visited my blog today.
Help them remain healthy;
Keep all the bugs at bay!

Help them know that wishes
On dandelions can come true.
I wish for peace and love and joy –
Not just for me, but also for you!

What’s your wish today?


(If you don’t have a dandelion available,
remember, a star will do!!)

This is such a classic… I never get tired of hearing it!

A star or a dandelion,
Which one will it be?
Makes no difference –
Make a wish and share with me:

What will you wish for today?

JanBeek
sends love and cheer!

Category:

Faith, happiness, Living in Harmony, Love, music, optimism, peace, Poetry

Tagged with:

The Mirror’s Reflection

Reflection

I looked in the mirror,
My face reflected there
Showed lines of fear and worry,
The strain of daily care.
I looked into a quiet pool,
Green branches framed my face.
Snow-white cloud passed overhead,
Some care seemed to erase.

The Winds of Fate – by Salesian Missions
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I found myself in a shady nook
My cares confessed to Him.
I felt Him near and knew that He
was looking deep within.
I looked into His loving eyes;
Reflecting back to me
Was one I’d never truly known …
The “Self” He’d helped me be.
I looked into the mirror.
Sweet peace reflected there.
His perfect love had touched my life.
He had erased all care.

Anna Lee Edwards McAlpin

Photo by Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels.com

Look into His face, my friends.
Let Him into your heart.
Let Him erase all cares.
Feel His loving arms around you.
Live in His peace.

Love
Lives in
His Enormous Heart
Ready to share now
Peace

Sending to you
the Love, Joy and Peace
that are mine through Christ.

Have a blessed day!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, blessings, Faith, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, peace, Poetry, self-acceptance

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud

%d