Last time I clicked on “Reblog” and tried to post this 2020 entry, folks were unable to access it. Hopefully the “Reblog” will work this time. It’s a fun, inspirational post, I hope you enjoy revisiting it.
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Porcelain dancers – Gift from Mom: “You’re forever these!”
She gifted me On my fortieth.
The Septolet is a poem consisting of seven lines containing fourteen wordswith a break anywhere in between the two parts. Both parts deal with the same thought and create a picture.
My porcelain girls are a 1979 gift from my mom for my 40th birthday. Created by German artist, Lorenz Hutschenreut, they are called “Ring Around the Rosie” – This 3 Girls May Day dance figurineis priceless to me!
Mom knitted my sweater, fixed my hair, arranged for the photographer, captured our love forever in this photo.
But, the real capture of love for me was more than just in my childhood… She continued to gift me with her strength, her optimism, and her encouragement for the rest of her life.
When I take out my dancing girls and decorate the vase with flowers, I am taken back to my fortieth, back to my childhood, back to time with Mom.
What a treasure!
Here Mom is with my sis, Sally, and me – – – and my daughter, DeDe. I like to think that we three are the “Dancing Girls.”
Ah, such sweet memories!
Do you have a special item of some sort that brings you back to your childhood?
Something that’s priceless to you because of the memories packed into it?
Tell me about it. Maybe try your hand at a septolet!
This post from 3 years ago is a great segue to my post today titled, “Got Wisdom?” I hope you have time to read both … and consider the ways you rely on God and His Word for your own smart actions and avoidances.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
I’m never giving up I want to be proud Of who I’m becoming With God’s help I’m reaching for the sky I’m gonna get up Dress up Show up and Never give up
You, too?
I pray you have wonderful neighbors/friends who come, help, encourage and inspire you in your Daily Walk, like we do!
Yes, count your blessings!
I made green eggs and ham yesterday for St. Patrick’s Day and then we shared corned beef and cabbage with those dear neighbors who inspire us to get up, dress up, show up, and never give up.
What have you done recently to thank those who inspire you to show up everyday and never give up?
I send my love and encouragement to you. Thanks for showing up at JanBeek and encouraging me to keep on keepin’ on!
Where ya lookin’, my friend? Do ya got yer head in the sand? Are you avoidin’ some things By keeping blinders on hand?
Some of us think if we shut off The news about strife in our land, If we just stream in what’s good, We can avoid the newsstand.
Let’s just pray and read our Bibles; Let’s join hands with like-minded folk. Let’s ban anyone we disagree with. Lock out the sorrow they evoke.
Let’s focus on the good ole days And remember pure life gone by. No social media. No Fox News or CNN. No log in my own eye.
I see the sliver in your eye. I see the faults of all those other folk, So I choose to build a cocoon And just carry my own yoke.
Do you relate to such thinkin’? Are you so selfish you’re stinkin’? When ya gonna come outta yer cave And discover the poison you’re drinkin’?
Ya can’t find Utopia here on earth By shuttin’ out all that’s a disgrace. Ya gotta look and see and recognize The mud splattered on your own face.
The sin of this world splashes up To make guilty sinners of us all. We can’t avoid it with blinders. We can’t be thinkin’ so small!
We gotta look at all those in trouble With compassion and a heart to see How each of us is in this together. Their misery and pain touches me.
I gotta take off the shutters and open The doors to my heart for their pain To permeate my soul and my conscience. I gotta step out in the rain.
I gotta look ahead to the future And see what I can do to make peace With those I find disagreeable. This head in the sand’s gotta cease!
My word for 2023 is “Ready.” Am I ready to take my own advice? Break outta the cocoon and fly upward To help others? At what cost? What price?
The price of compassion is nothing Compared to what it costs to ignore The people in need all around us. Where ya lookin’ my friend? The floor?
Let’s turn to the windshield and see What’s right in front on the road. Let’s pick up our yoke and share it To help others lessen their load.
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
See that smile up there on that guy? It ain’t that easy; I won’t lie. But with time and love and care, You’ll find peace. Reach out and share!
The scriptures and the devotionals that popped up this week all point the way to our preparation for spring. Get ready! Be prepared! Make way for the new!! It will come, won’t it? Eventually?
I am more than ready for our ice (used to be snow) piles to melt and allow the bulbs to wake up and begin to sprout!
Isaiah 43:16,18-19-
This is what the Lord says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing…”
But, I do remember those former things!!
These were the last of them from last spring.
I am ready to hang my spring wreath and I am ready to “Spring Up!” my clocks tonight in preparation for Daylight Savings Time.
I am ready to keep that time schedule all year round to give us more hours of daylight in our waking hours. How about you?
Get ready for a sunny Sunday! I am ready for more sunshine. How about you?
I love it when my friend, Lisa, sends me photos of her sunrises above the lake near her home in North Carolina.
I’m ready for a ride on “Lucille” (our redheaded ATV who is a “Ball”) into the springtime wildflowers on our mountain trails around here.
Right now, looks like that’s a couple months away.
This year we won’t have our TazE (our beloved Boston Terrier traveled over the Rainbow Bridge last December. We miss her!) to keep us company on our rides. She was sure a great trail companion!
We saw some mighty PURDY sites together on those rides! Sometimes we’d take the trail all the way over to Pony, Montana, the cute little town northwest of us where there is a cute little tavern. We’d meet our other ATV friends there.
So, get ready, my friends. Make way for the realization of those dreams once more when we can take that ride again!
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal (that’s my time right now); a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh (that’s ALWAYS now!); a time to mourn, and a time to dance (let’s do!!); a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace (let’s do that, too), and a time to refrain from embracing; …
May your storms diminish and your sunshine increase; May your troubles decrease and your joys abound.
May your eyes clearly see the beauty all around you. God bless you, my friends. Make way for those blessings! They are coming! Rest assured!!
Love and Lotsa Hugs, JanBeek
P.S. My eyes are healing after the cataract surgery last week. Thank you for your prayers. The farsighted vision is bright and clear – beautiful colors. Single lens replacement instead of the multiple variety was my only option. It has to do with the age of these tired 83 year old eyes and the shape they were in. But I’m not complaining. Another follow-up appointment is scheduled in 3 weeks. I’ll keep you posted. Thinking positively!
I’ve been off screen, resting my eyes after cataract surgery.
First the right eye – cataracts removed and new lens inserted.
Then celebrated by enjoying dinner at Sweet Chili’s and staying the night at C’mon Inn in Bozeman. God is good. No pain involved 👌🏽❤️
Dilated pupil made vision blurry, but I was assured this would be short-lived. Give it time!
Then on Thursday Dr. Swan removed the cataracts on the left eye and replaced that lens. It’s a simple procedure. Once you’re in the operating room, it only takes about 15 minutes. Amazing!!
Back home in Ennis, Montana, snow and wind stopped, but temperatures were below freezing. So, it was a good time to just hunker down and relax. Let the eyes heal – and avoid reading, screen time, and bright lights. Tough assignment!
Enlarged pupil… weird! Oh my… Wild Woman!!
That was yesterday – day # 1 after surgery. Today the pupils look more normal, but my vision still is blurry – and I’m s’posed to be patient as I allow healing ❤️🩹 And stay off screen time!
So good-bye for now. I’m outta here!
Have you ever had this procedure done? If so, what were your results?
I’ll catch up with your posts on WordPress and FaceBook when it’s safe to do so.
Meantime, bee 🐝 well – and bee 🐝 happy.
God bless you!
My neighborhood deer are keeping me company. So blessed to be living in God’s Country!
Bob says, “Chase them away! They’re munching on my trees!!”
Hey, they were here first! We are invading their space. Right?
Actually, life is pretty good. I am counting my blessings. Are you?
Blessed to have Bob’s support and company. Count your blessings, my friends. I know you have lots for which to be grateful.
I probably never will travel to Uganda, but my friend, Lisa Glines, just returned from a trip there. I was privileged to travel with her – vicariously, of course.
Lisa’s daughter-in-law, Aneesa, was Lisa’s travel partner. Aneesa celebrated her birthday with their wonderful Ugandan travel guides and travel partners. This photo is their friend, Sam, celebrating with them. Happy Birthday, Aneesa!
Thank you, Lisa, and Aneesa, for sharing your adventure!
One of their guides was a bird expert.
This is the Crested Crane, Royal Uganda’s national bird
Other guides were animal experts who knew just how to find where these exotic animals lived, swam, and dined.
Doesn’t Aneesa look like a fun-filled travel partner?
Waiting for a hand-out?
Sunrises and sunsets were spectacular!
Must have been quite a thrill to get so close to these beautiful animals.
Ready to travel home. Thank you so much for sharing!!
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
I may not have had a tunic to share… nor food to share with you today, but I had travel photos that were graciously shared with me… so time to pass them on with gratitude for Lisa’s big heart! I hope you enjoyed the virtual Uganda trip, too.
Sharing colors my world. I hope it colored yours today, too. Have a Happy Presidents’ Day here in the USA, and a Marvelous Monday, my friends.
JanBeek 