Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘peace’

Your Fragrant Scent

In today’s Ever Faithful 365 day devotional
by David Jeremiah,
he asked his readers,
“Have you heard about the man
who smelled good no matter
where he was or what he was doing?”

His skin and clothing and very being
seemed to exude a pleasant fragrance.
He worked in a perfume factory
and breathed its aromas every day.

The aromas filtered into his clothing,
penetrated his skin, and even filled his lungs.
He became a walking perfumery.

David Jeremiah said,
“That’s the way we should be as Christians.”

The Bible says,
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ
among those who are being saved
and among those who are perishing.”
2 Corinthians 2:15

“We exude the aroma of joy,
for in His presence is fullness of joy.”
Psalm 16:11

You might have heard that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35)
is the shortest verse in the Bible,
but that’s only true in English.
In the original New Testament Greek,
1 Thessalonians 5:16 is shorter –
“Rejoice always.”
The two verses are related.
Because Jesus wept, we can rejoice.

In today’s world with all the hate,
divisiveness, floods, hurricanes, and wars
it’s easy to get bogged down.
But, David Jeremiah reminds us,
“Jesus doesn’t want us to live
in perpetual discouragement, sadness or doubt.”

“The joy of the Lord is the strength of our days,”
Nehemiah 8:10

We have reason to rejoice.
Count your blessings, my friends.
Be a walking perfumery!
Exude the aroma of joy.
I pray that you will
let the love, joy, and peace of Christ
shine through your face
and radiate from your clothing everyday!
Let your fragrant scent invite
others in to the love, joy and peace
that can be theirs, too.

You are lovely.
You are loved.
You smell good!
God bless you!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, God, happiness, Jesus, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, relationships

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Tragic. Divisive Politics

Today I am passing on a message about Tragic, Divisive Politics in the USA from a pastor in North Carolina. He said it better than I could. I am weighing in because, I fear that this election season will only become more hostile unless we all do something. Don’t just sit back and wring your hands and shake your head. Pray!And speak up! Reach out in love and understanding. It is my prayer that we, as Christians, of any political belief, can stand firm as an antidote to that violence and hostility. 

Pastor Ben Marsh wrote:

“I am sure some of you are shaken by the news of the attempted assassination of the former President Trump. These times are not unprecedented in American history. Some in our church can recall the attempt on President Reagan or the death of President Kennedy. We know that political violence always waits around the corner like the crouching lion of sin that Cain did not resist. 

What marks our uniquely Christian response right now is the following, which I hope you will practice in the coming days and months:

1. A commitment to peace. The people of God uniquely understand that human kingdoms rise and fall but the Kingdom of Heaven alone is eternal. Knowing this, we are called to be a unique people of peace, filled with trust in the Lord’s plans. As our Lord 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.” Violent rhetoric is inseparable from violent actions, so I urge you to be a people whose language is seasoned with peace. 

2. A focus on the Kingdom of heaven. Our citizenship is in heaven, which means our partisan commitments (as Democrats or Republicans or Libertarians or…) always take a backseat to our identification as followers of Jesus. Jesus had no political party and has no rivals for power in his kingdom! He alone is seated on the throne. To him alone will we swear allegiance for all eternity and from him alone will come all blessings. 

3. A recommitment to the gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ alone is our Hope in this life and the next. No policy or politician can satisfy eternal or temporal needs. In Christ alone is our hope and sure salvation. He alone gives us his Holy Spirit by which we live day to day. He is the just Judge and the righteous sacrifice. He alone has defeated death. The Church has seen political violence from the first days. They saw emperors assassinated and they saw political parties come and go. They saw kingdoms rise and fall. Still for 2,000 years they have held forth the reality that Jesus is our Savior and our hope. He alone is our peace. I urge you to speak the name of Jesus before the name of anyone else and to lift up all your cares and concerns in these days to Jesus. 

Beloved, I’m grateful that this assassination attempt was unsuccessful. I do not think it will be the last time we see that sort of violence in American politics, at least not as long as partisans and tv talking heads carry on in their mission to whip people into fear and anxiety. I urge you to resist that same crouching lion that faced Cain, and to hear the word of the Lord to Cain who said “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” In Christ we have conquered sin and death itself. Stand firm then brothers and sisters in the unshakable hope of the glorious Majesty of Jesus Christ.

Blessings,”

Pastor Ben Marsh

Winston Salem, NC

Go in peace.

Love,

Jan Beek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Living in Harmony, Love, prayer, relationships

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April 1st – A Day to Choose

Choose wisely! Don’t let yourself be fooled!

Today is a special day in our family. My great-granddaughter, Mable, turns a big TWO today. She is the child of our chosen granddaughter, Faith. What a blessed day it was when she, as a newborn, was gifted into our Beekman family!!

Mable is such a love!!!
BUT, don’t be fooled, Mable.
Those blocks are not for eating!!

Also in the picture below is my “chosen” granddaughter, Kayla. Her 28th birthday is today. Mable and Kayla were born on this special day to be conduits of God’s love!

I am with our daughter #2, Laina, and her daughter, Kayla. Don’t be fooled… that was several years ago! But, hey… aren’t we a happy trio? Laina and Kayla (and her sister Katy) are dear ones we have chosen to be part of our family. We are so blessed by them!

Do you have “chosen ones” who have added love and joy to your family?

Do you know that YOU are a chosen one, too?

light person red art
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Pexels.com


In her message today, “Corine @ Therapy For Christians” cwilliams@therapyforchristians.com had this message for us about the idea of being “chosen”:

“…as you navigate the complexities of life, know that you are not merely a recipient of grace but also a conduit of it to those around you, you are called to bear fruit – fruit that will last. Just as God’s grace has chosen you, you are empowered to extend that same grace to others. 

This week, contemplate on practical ways to become vessels of God’s love and grace. Choose to share His grace through acts of kindness, words of encouragement, or simply being present for someone in need. In doing so, you actively participate in God’s redemptive plan, becoming a tangible reflection of His love in a world that often hungers for acceptance and understanding.

Allow His grace to permeate every aspect of your being, guiding you toward a life that bears fruit and brings glory to His name. Trust in His sovereign plan for your life, knowing that you are chosen, loved, and appointed to walk in His purpose. And remember, growth in any area of life, starts with growth in Him…”

So, on this April Fool’s Day, be careful what and who you choose. Be mindful! Don’t be fooled!

John 15:16 KJV
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

We are chosen! Hallelujah! Now let’s go out and spread the love!!

Happy April 1st!
It’s a day for choosing.
Choose love, not pranks!
God Bless You!

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Bible Lessons, blessings, children, Faith, Family, God, Gratitude, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, 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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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