The world needs your cheer Be excited for today Be inspiring
You can lift others Out of their pessimism Make joy contagious
Faith is the power That helps you stay connected To joy that abounds
So, just keep the faith Keep letting God shine through you He’ll keep you upbeat!
Cheers!
What are you feeling positive about today? Share your good news! We all need your smile.
(My good news is that my hand is healing. The swelling is going down. I was able to get my watch on today… It fit over my hand for the first time since the fall and broken finger April 20th. The fingers are learning to bend again. That’s my good news. What’s yours?)
What are those divine gifts? Do you have them memorized? Are they yours – living fruits in you?
Each day as I walk down the circular staircase from my sanctuary, I repeat my 12 step program:
Thank You, God, for the 1) Love, 2) Joy, and 3) Peace that are mine!
Give me help, God, with these Fruits of the Spirit that I need help to exhibit: 4) Patience, 5) Kindness, 6) Goodness, 7) Faithfulness (which brings blessings). 8) Gentleness, and 9) Self-control.
Help me 10) live humbly with an attitude of gratitude and 11) a response of generosity, forgiveness, 12) Obedience and Integrity.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
When you pray daily Asking God to give you fruits, Trust, my friends, He will!
Be fruity!
Oh, and don’t forget to keep smiling, my friends. Fruity people are happy folks!! Be a fruitcake!
Happy and content is how God created us. Let’s claim that idea!
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. See ya tomorrow (God willing) – Hugs!
If you’re happy and you know it, you can be a little fruity like Jack Hartmann and sing along with this song for all kids and young at heart!
Today in church, the choir taught the congregation a new hymn. At least it was new to us. About verse three, the congregation couldn’t hold – they had to (simply HAD to) join in… and the message resonated with everyone there.
I was reminded of the slogan at Bloom in the Desert where we attended several different Januarys when we vacationed near Palm Springs, CA: “We welcome all who welcome all.”
Wouldn’t it be grand if all people could exhibit that level of inclusivity?
Aren’t those lyrics wonderful? Did you find yourself singing along?
Hallelujah! Love is grown in this place! I am so happy to worship in a place where “All Are Welcome.” I just wish we could cultivate more diversity in our little corner of Montana. We came from California 15 years ago. Our community in CA was made up of people from many ethnicities. I miss that! Montana does have a large Native American population, though. I wish more of them would move into southwest Montana!
Meet a couple of very talented brothers:
What can we – as diversity-loving citizens – do to encourage more of that “We Welcome All” attitude in our world?
Share some ideas with me.
Big hugs to you. Have a beautiful Sunday.
Cheers! Left hand is gaining flexibility and strength every day. Thanks for your prayers. Keep smiling!!
I send my love to you. See you tomorrow (God willing) Love, JanBeek
I went to occupational therapy today. A compression glove should help reduce the swelling on this hand now that the pins are out and the hand can move again. But just wearing a glove isn’t going to get my fingers back to being functional again. I gotta work at it!
Darci, the therapist gave me a glob of silly putty. Do you remember playing with that when you were a kid? Rolling and squeezing the putty is the order of the day. It feels like I am rolling a bale of hay and trying to squeeze it! Ouch! The little finger (the one that was broken) and the ring finger next to it (the one that was taped to the broken pinky to give it stability) both are hyper-sensitive and stiff. Suck it up, Jan! You can do this! No pain, no gain, remember?
Have you tried putting on a sweater with just one functional hand? Or better yet, pulling your pants up single-handed? No fun! Can’t play my accordion. Have trouble cutting a piece of meat. Try folding the laundry with only one hand. Oh, brother, suck it up, Jan! There are a whole lot of people in this world worse off than I am. Think positively!!! Grab that silly putty and get to work!
I can do this! Grin and bear it!!
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
What kind of struggle do you face these days? Are you needing to just “Suck it up” and do it? Have you prayed to the Lord for help? I’ll pray for your strength and tenacity… You pray for mine, OK? Thanks!
Have a great weekend. See ya tomorrow (God willing). Love, JanBeek
Meantime, I can reach With my strong dominant hand And accept your help.
Tonight Bob & I had a wonderful dinner provided by our friends/neighbors. We had a lovely day made brighter by some sunshine and an ice cream treat to celebrate the good news: the pins are out – and my broken finger is healing in its socket perfectly! God is good!! Thank you for your prayers. I feel them!!
We went outside and took off our Montana winter jackets, and enjoyed our ice cream in the soooo welcomed sunshine!
Yay!! We think summer is thinking seriously about staying around for awhile.
Patience, Jan! Tenacity is the word of the day for our prayers for warmer weather, too!
HOPE is the measure of faith in His promises. Hang in there, my friends!
Hebrews 10:23
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.”
Have a wonderful rest of your week. Each day it will be easier for me to post. Meantime – easy does it! Stay in touch, please.
Tongues of fire Descended on the folks Gathered at the Temple
The tongues of fire Were the Holy Spirit Entering the Disciples
Here’s how the story goes:
At the Last Supper, Jesus instructed His disciples to go out into the world to minister and heal the sick on their own. Fifty days after Jesus’ death, the Holy Spirit (with tongues of fire) descended onto the disciples, allowing them to speak in tongues. All the people from all parts of the world who were gathered there were able to hear the Word in their own language as the apostles (filled with the Holy Spirit) spoke to them. Some explanations say that it was the “Pentecostal experience” that allowed the apostles direct communication with God. The PBS News Hour explanation of Pentecost says, “That signaled a major shift in the religious landscape and laid the foundation for what would become Christianity.”
Pentecost shares roots with the Jewish holiday, Shavu’ot. Since that holiday’s liturgical color is red, to symbolize the apostles “tongues of fire” and also the blood of martyrs, sometimes Christians will dress in red or decorate churches with red. Many churches hold baptisms and confirmations on that day, as well. (Our church was decorated in red and we held a fellowship hour after church celebrating the graduation of three of our young people from elementary to high school – and from high school to college.)
Many artists have tried to depict what that day of Pentecost must have been like for the people there.
This is one of my favorites:
Here is another favorite… It shows the people from various cultures, each of whom speak a different language, receiving the Holy Spirit. God’s sign of UNITY through and within our diversity.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all could have a “Pentecostal experience” where we understand every language as if it were spoken in our own tongue? No more language barriers?
How are you celebrating Pentecost today? Are you wearing red? Let’s all celebrate UNITY through and within our diversity.
LOVE is why Jesus came! Pentecost is a day to celebrate His continued presence through the Holy Spirit sent to live in each of us!!
God bless you. See you later… After the pins come out!
The word for 2022 (that I chose on January 1 before I knew how MUCH I would need it) is STRENGTH. What kind of strength do we need each day in order to survive and thrive? I asked myself that question today as I realized it’s been the longest stretch of non-blogging that I have had in several years. My last post was when I dug to the bottom of my strength barrel and pulled out “Speechless.”
The deaths in Ukraine and that ongoing conflict drained me. The Texas mass shooting sucked the drops that were left. I felt lifeless. Then I discovered that two of my dear friends I do Bible Study and Bingo with each week in our nursing home – two of them – died this week. My heart is hurting!
Where does my strength come from?
Isaiah 41:10
“God strengthens you So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God has promised us His strength. He will never give you a trial you are unable to handle.”
Personal Strengths Defined
Wisdom. Creativity. Curiosity. Love of learning. …
Transcendence. Appreciation of beauty and excellence. Gratitude. Hope.
Notice that the last of those personal strengths defined is “Transcendence,” and the last of its characteristics is Hope. Seems to me those should be first. They transcend all the others in my mind!
Without hopefulness Life has no sense of purpose Can’t cope without hope
Hope renews our strength Hope helps us face tomorrow Hope is essential
Take my life, Lord. I give it to You. Take myself. Renew my strength.
Take my hand – and let it move – please!
Take my hand – and let it move – at the impulse of your love! I pray the pins come out easily! (One more week til that appointment)
I pray the joints move with ease as I exercise them in the ways I have been taught to do. I pray I am able to use my life again consecrated to the Lord and the work He has for me.
Let’s hear that hymn again… and let’s internalize it. Let’s renew our sense of HOPE and let’s express it in ways that encourages others to give – Give HOPE for this day, Hope for all healing, Hope for His Love to flow through us always! Sing along!!
I’m back… the one-handed bandit… Back to send words of faith, love, joy, hope, and unity to a hurting world. Pass it on, my friends! The world needs the strength you have to give.
A beautiful, bright yellow, little bird found its demise this morning. Flying too fast, confused by reflections in our large kitchen window, it crashed into it. Sometimes birds who do that are just stunned, After lying on the ground a while, they get up and fly away. This one was not so fortunate.
There is a bird that looks just like this one that is flying from tree to tree outside the kitchen window. Obviously, it is looking for its buddy. My heart goes out to the poor, lonesome one.
I am reminded as I see this little beauty of the lesson to be learned here: SLOW DOWN and LOOK WHERE YOU’RE GOING!
If you’ve followed my blog this past month, you know I didn’t do that! I was walking too fast – and I was not watching where I was going. I caught my right shoe on the top of the (higher than normal) curb, and down I went! Fortunately, I caught the weight of my fall on my left pinky finger. Not my head or hip. Not my right hand. Not my face. It could have been so much worse. I have lots to be thankful for. But the message is clear. SLOW DOWN!
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
But, if you run, make it be in a safe place to do so… and keep your eyes on the road ahead. And when you walk, be purposeful. Look ahead. Be alert. When you wait, wait patiently. Pray for guidance. Listen. Be discerning. Be obedient.
I’ve got time for slow dances in the kitchen now. The Lord said, “Rest. Ice that hand! Exercise those fingers. Go to your occupational therapy sessions, and skip all those other obligations for now. Wait!”
OK, Lord. I am listening.
Are you listening, my friend?
Slow down! And have a safe, sane, and happy Tuesday.
That picture is a reminder of another time a year or so ago when I was walking too fast and not looking where I was going.
Oh my… not a very fast learner, am I?? S’pose I got the message this time?
Have you??
See ya later – Love, JanBeek
Looking forward to a healed, useful hand again!
Here’s a wonderful song (I had not heard it before) about that message of slowing down… so true!
Jesus loves the little children All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, They are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Jesus came to earth to show us how to live. He gave His life – what more must He give To teach us the lesson He came here to teach? Just love one another! Live that lesson and preach!
Preach to the world the need for compassion. Preach respect, integrity… Make them current fashion. Don’t let fear and ignorance take the reigns And infect our society and poison our brains.
White Replacement Theory? What a bunch of bunk! Don’t let such absurdity enter you. It’s just junk! God created each of us with blessed diversity. He created us equally. Believe that with certainty!
Those who fear other skin or folks from outside the USA Are showing us their ignorance by what they do and say. They don’t understand the message God sent to earth When He brought to this world His Son to give us second birth.
They don’t accept the well-known fact of Oneness, The same blood, same love, same spirit of “Done-ness.” We are were “done” by the Potter’s wheel and skill. We all were created by our God, our Savior’s Will.
No color is more beautiful; No skin is a favored one. No cuisine is more tasty. God differently flavored some. So wrap your mind around the true acts of love… Love others unconditionally – Give all hate a shove!
My heart goes out to the families and friends of the 10 who were senselessly murdered by a sick, crazed, fearful 18-year-old in NY this week. Additionally, worshipers were shot down in church two days ago… and the list goes on. It makes my stomach churn. It makes my head hurt. It puzzles my mind. I just don’t begin to understand. I want to help. I need to do my part.
So, with my left hand in a cast and my little finger throbbing, I hunt and peck with my right hand. I send my love out into the world – and I beg my readers to do what you can, too. Try to drown out hate with loud acts of love. Try to squelch fear with gigantic messages of compassion and understanding. Try to stamp out ignorance with numerous exchanges of God’s messages in His Word and through His Son. Do something. Do what you can.
Dear Heavenly Father, help us to set aside fear, hatred, ignorance, and divisiveness, and start as a nation and as a world to just love one another… Amen
janbeek 