Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘relationships’

Power Up!

lighted incandescent bulb
Photo by Gursharndeep Singh on Pexels.com

You have access to all the power you need
You just gotta be sure to plug in
Connect to the source of your power
It’s available to you even if you’re shut in

crashing waves
Photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels.com

Like a mighty wave or hurricane
Power can evoke awe or cause destruction
What’s the source of your power?
There’s a ready source… what’s your deduction?

I bet you know where I’m going
With this line of reasoning.
Yup, the power I have in mind
Is filled with the best spiritual seasoning!

baptism of jesus christ stained glass
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“And they were filled with the Holy Spirit…”

Acts 2:4

In yesterday’s Mornings With Jesus
devotional comments by Karen Sargent,
she shared an experience she had with power cords.
She was preparing for a presentation
using various technology.
Thinking she might need an extension cord,
she added it to her equipment.
However, after setting everything up,
she realized she didn’t have
the part she needed.
Sargent wrote,

“… There was a problem. In one hand I held a three-prong plug on my laptop cord. In the other, a two-prong plugin. I checked the projector cord. Three prongs. Without the ability to tap into the electrical source… my technology was useless. I couldn’t power up.”

white power bank and blue coated wires
Photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels.com

Sargent extrapolated, “That wasn’t the first time I’d failed to tap into a power source. Sometimes I function on two-prong faith. I know Jesus can do anything… And through Christ who strengthens me, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). But how often do I connect to the power of the Holy Spirit, the mighty third prong?”

Karen Sargent’s message spoke to me.
Yesterday friends helped us install
Our Christmas tree here at home –
Tucked in along the north-east wall.

We plugged the lights in after
A lot of struggle to assemble it.
Look closely at the lights there
A section is missing … do I resemble it?

Do I lack a portion of my power
Because I’m not plugged in totally?
The message hit me with a jolt.
It fit my plight anecdotally!

photography of red string lights hanging on green trees
Photo by Irina Iriser on Pexels.com

Karen Sargent ended her reflections with these thoughts:

“After His resurrection,
Jesus breathed on the disciples
and said, ‘Receive ye the Holy Spirit’
(John 20:22).
But it wasn’t until Jesus ascended into heaven
that the Holy Spirit empowered them.
Unlike that useless extension cord…
the ultimate power source,
The Holy Spirit,
is always on hand.”

close up photo of black cable head
Photo by Los Muertos Crew on Pexels.com

What stops you from plugging in?

Sargent invited her readers to
“Ask Jesus to reveal what being empowered
by the Holy Spirit would look like in your life.”


Enjoy the most awe-inspiring
Christmas season ever
as you fill yourself with
the Holy Spirit.

And let Him provide you with the
strength you need to reach out
in love to all those you connect with.


Power Up, my friends!

Love & Blessing to you,
and hugs from
JanBeek

Bee Like a Lobster?

close up shot of lobster claw
Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.com

Do you want to bee
Like a lobster every day?
They never stop growing
In a physical kind of way.

Each day they are alive,
They eat, reproduce, and grow.
One grew to forty-four pounds
It was a whopping 3′ long – Whoa!!

I want to bee a lobster
Who constantly grows, too.
But my growth would develop spiritually
Each day I travel through.

Too often we become lazy –
Satisfied with our status quo.
But lobsters are never complacent.
No wonder they continue to grow!

I need to revive my commitment
To nourish my mind and my heart
With the same tenacity as the lobster.
Today’s a great day to start!

close up of lobster
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Keep Growing!!

“But grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 3:18

Today’s post was inspired by an entry in All God’s Creatures, a Guideposts publication. Shirley Raye Redmond wrote a commentary titled, “Keep Growing” for the November 27 entry.

She ended her thoughts with this quote by Oswald Chambers:

“Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of years,
but by obedience to the will of God.”

dog s paw on a human s hand
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Isn’t it interesting that when I search for photos related to obedience, the pictures all are of dogs? Not us human beings. No, the word conjures up obedient dogs! Would that we could be as responsive to discipline as a dog is! Or as committed to growth as a lobster!

Look up for your purpose!

Bee like a lobster
Or a dog –
Committed and Obedient…

Keep Growing!

Love,
JanBeek

Just “Bee”

It’s okay to “Bee”
Just “bee” without any fret
Just “bee” contented

Release any pain
Let go all uncertainty
Turn over the keys

Relaxing is hard
Whence comes the ability
To just simply “bee”?

Psalm 42: 5-11

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

To “Just bee” in peace
Gratefully receive God’s good
Live life without lack

Gratefully receive
The grace God is giving you
To see your blessings

“Just a little more”
Is not the way to JUST BEE
Praise God for your gifts

The real truth is
We have more than enough
To live gratefully

young woman sitting in apartment on second level with plants
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels.com

Take a look around
You might just be overwhelmed
When you really see

See all your blessings
We are so much better off
Than most other folks

Let Us Pray
(from In Touch devotional by Charles Stanley)

God, it is easy to focus on that is wrong in my life
rather than what is right.

I find myself overwhelmed
by all the injustice, pain, and division in the world.

Forgive me for the times I’ve chosen to feed negativity,
to spread hopelessness among my friends and family.

But I’m not alone in my grief,
You are heartbroken by these things, too.

So Lord, I pray for Your guidance in sorrow.

I want to lament all that is wrong –
without being consumed by it.

Teach me to balance grief
with the assurance of Your love.

May my heartbreak, empathy, and faith
play a role in Your healing of the world.

Amen

So, let us just “bee”
Bee friends; Reach out to others
Live life without lack

We’ve more than enough
Of God’s love and compassion
Jesus gave it all!

Like a honeybee
Let’s distribute what we have
To make life better…

for everyone!
Let it “Bee”


To just make your world
“bee” a better place today,
What can you just give?

Love,
JanBeek

Calling All Sinners!!

Calling All Sinners!!
Yup, my friends – that’s me.
Yesterday I really screwed up;
Of course, not intentionally.

We sinners never mean to
Cross over the kindness line
Into lack of compassion.
We don’t commit sin by design!

Photo by Mati Mango on Pexels.com

So when we sinners mess up,
As God knows we always do,
How do we learn to forgive ourselves?
Does this happen, my friend, to you?

Yesterday’s “Today in the Word”
by the Moody Bible Institute,
dealt with this subject
right when I needed it most.
The scripture for the day was:

“For I have not come
to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:13

let go let god note
Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

What do I need to let go of?
What did I do that was so bad?
I made Bob feel like a burden
Instead of making him feel glad.

I was mad that he left me
At the church without a word.
He was that mad that I left him.
Now, isn’t that absurd?

It’s all about communication.
Yes, I know, he should have said
“Hey Honey, let’s go home now,”
But he just left instead.

gazelles
Photo by Bas van Brandwijk on Pexels.com

Yup, we butted heads over
The slightest misunderstanding.
I found another way home.
Oops… that was a crash landing!

He’d only gone to the post office
And then he came back to get me.
I didn’t know where he had gone
And his absence really upset me.

Earlier he had wanted some help
On a simple music interpretation task.
I was in the middle of something else
And irritably made him sorry he’d asked.

Today we’re back to talking
In civilian tones to each other.
Yesterday’s behind us; we’ll forget
How we rankled one another.

But making peace ain’t easy
When you’ve crossed the kindness line.
We hate to admit we’re wrong.
But repentance helps us align.

Align our will to our loving call
To be responsive to each need
Expressed by those around us.
That’s our call, our mission. Agreed?

“Let love be genuine,
Abhor what is evil;
Hold fast to what is good.”

Romans 12:9

Photo by La Miko on Pexels.com

In my devotional yesterday, “All God’s Creatures” by Guideposts,
the writer, Jerusha Agen, reminded me of the importance
that unconditional love be exhibited. She wrote about
“Simon’s Love” telling about a cat who acted like a dog.

Jerusha’s favorite pet had died.
It was the first time in her life
She was without a dog to cuddle.
But her cat took away the strife.

Her cat started acting like a dog,
Meeting her at the door when she got home,
And sitting in her lap to comfort her.
Letting her brush him with a comb!

Her cat, Simon, knew to mourn with her.
Simon seemed to know what she needed.
In grief, Jerushah had been neglecting him,
But Simon forgave that sin; with joy conceded.

Photo by Tomas Ryant on Pexels.com

“Rejoice and mourn with others,
According to what they need,”
Jerusha wrote to her readers.
Ask Bob for forgiveness – with speed!

I’ll ask God to help me be more
Loving and responsive to Bob.
Help me with my impatience, Lord.
Help me show genuine love to my heart-throb!

1959

Here’s my heart-throb when I met him
He was in the army at the time.
Happy Veteran’s Day on Saturday.
Ours is a long-term love sublime.

That doesn’t mean we don’t argue
Or make each other mad at times.
But, God tells us sinners to forgive…
Just as He does – ALWAYS, not just sometimes!

You can probably relate to my “Faux Pas” –
You’ve probably blundered some, too.
But, God is calling us sinners:
Let love fill the dog-shaped void in you!

Let forgiveness be your guiding star,
Since we all forget to be compassionate – ’tis true.
I’ll look for ways to show love like Simon.
And God’s calling you, my dear sinner, too!!

God bless You!

Love,
JanBeek

Can you just kiss and make up, too??!!

sign texture abstract vintage
Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

Something Good

Something wonderful
Something good
All God’s blessings
Not always understood

Keeping eyes open
For ways we are blessed
Sometimes they come to us
In difficult tests

brown and white bear plush toy
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The blog I accidentally deleted
Explained how this teddy bear
With all its bandaged boo-boos
Hid triumphant scars under there

Something good happens
When healing of wounds is complete
I hope something good happens
Today to you and those you meet

Storm clouds may come and gather
You might anticipate a growing storm
But God will send you rainbows
And the sun to keep you warm

Photo by Jessica Lewis on Pexels.com

God will send you beauty
In the skies and on the land
Look for His surprises everywhere
Many of them really are quite grand

It’s hunting season here in Montana
So the deer and antelope are convinced
If they come here to our yard
They’re protected as if they’re fenced

Something good happened here today
The doe and the buck stuck around
I enjoyed their company – you would, too
Shhh… don’t scare them. Don’t make a sound!

They see me; they hear my steps
Off they go – but they’ll return
Good things happen here
You’re safe, my friends. Come and learn!

photo of a deer midair
Photo by Filip Nasaly on Pexels.com

What can we learn from our animals?
Go where you’re protected and free
I’ll watch out for your best interests
And I bet you’ll watch out for me

God has blessed you, I know
What’s something good
that happened to you today?
Did you thank God for it? (I knew you would!)

Love,
JanBeek


I’ve always loved the song,
“Something Beautiful.”
If you have time,
click on it here
and enjoy this beautiful music.

It’s “Something Good” for you today!!

Feeling Uncomfortable?

Why did my Bible study this morning suggest
it’s not just OK,
but advisable
that sometimes we feel uncomfortable?

I thought of my son-in-law, Andre’,
when I thought of discomfort!

But then I realized,
No, not that kind of discomfort!

The scripture that prompted the remark
about being uncomfortable is this one:

“The Samaritan woman said to [Jesus],
‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.
How can you ask me for a drink?’
(For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).”

John 4:9 (NIV)

Obviously, the woman was uncomfortable talking to Jesus. But Jesus intentionally engaged in conversation with the woman. According to Ericka Loynes, who wrote the commentary for the devotional in Guideposts “Mornings With Jesus,” His intent seemed to be to “change the landscape of the current culture.”

“Embracing change can be difficult,” Loynes went on to write. She acknowledged, “The more often I get out of my comfort zone, the easier it will be to adjust to the changes around me.”

Stepping out may seem scary, but as this meme reminds us, it is imperative if we want to become stronger and grow. So, Loynes ends her commentary by asking the reader to take a faith step: “Ask Jesus to help you get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

It’s worth thinking about, don’t you think?
Like Jesus, who can you step out
and talk to today
who is not among those
you generally hold in conversation?

Try it!
Try stepping out of your comfort zone.

There are plenty of folks out there
who could use your brand of positivity!
Do you see folks
who look like they could use
some encouragement?
Follow Jesus’ example!

You may find some comfort in being uncomfortable.
I’m gonna try it.
You with me?

Love,
JanBeek

Cricket

My fellow blogger
Parted with her dog today
Lived a long fourteen

I have had to part
With more than one furry friend
It’s never easy

Send condolences
To my grieving friend, Rachel
Today’s a tough one

Farewell to Cricket
But only for a short time
We’ll all meet again!

Check out Rachel’s blog here…

Cricket’s Last Weeks

rachelmankowitz

Rest in peace, Cricket.
When I get to the pearly gates,
I will expect to see my furry friends
who have gone on before me
Jumping with glee to meet me.
If not, I’ll keep moving on
Cuz I’ll know I haven’t reached
The right gate yet!!

Happy TazE

Every day we miss our pup
She was a darling Boston
Was great company

Going for trail rides
Was just not the same without
Her cheerful presence.

Can you sympathize with Rachel today?
Click on her blog and leave a note.
I know she’ll appreciate it.
That’s what our WP community does…
We reach out to support and comfort one another.
Right?

See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting
JanBeek

Rest in 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.

I Can Share!

Each month our Madison Valley Woman’s Club meets for lunch and a business meeting. My role in the organization is to be their “Inspirational Leader.” As such, I share a message with the ladies – – – and this year I have chosen a selection each month out of my journal titled, “I Can, and I Will… Watch Me!”

Today’s “I Can” message was titled, “I Can Share.” And what I shared was the ideas from a link my friend, Lee, sent me titled “Embrace Values.”

Embrace Values

  • Wearing a $300 or a $3 watch –
    – They both tell the same time.
  • Whether they carry a $300 purse or a $3 handbag from the Nearly New –
    – The amount of money on the inside is the same.
  • Whether we drive a $150K car or a $30K car,
    – The road and distance are the same
    and we get to the same destination.
  • Whether we drink a bottle of $300 or $10 wine (if we drink it all)
    – The hangover is the same.
  • Whether the house we live in is 300 sq. ft. or 30,000 sq. ft,
    – The loneliness is the same.
  • You will realize your true happiness does not come from
    – the material things in this world.
  • Whether you fly first class or economy,
    – If the plane goes down – you go with it.
  • Therefore… I hope you realize
    – When you have mates, buddies, and old friends,
    brothers and sisters who you chat with, laugh with,
    talk and pray with, sing songs with,
    talk about north, south, east, and west,
    that is true happiness! And they will share
    and agree with you on these:

    Five Undeniable Facts of Life
  • Don’t educate your children to be rich,
    – educate them to be happy so they will
    know the value of things, not the price.
  • Best awarded words in London:
    – Eat your food as your medicine –
    otherwise you will have to eat your medicine as food.
  • The ones who love you will never leave you for another
    – because even if there are 100 reasons to give up,
    he/she will find one reason to hold on.
  • There is a big difference between a human being
    and being human,
    – only a few really understand it.
  • You are loved when you are born.
    You will be loved when you die.
    – In between, you just have to learn to manage!

    NOTE:
    If you just want to walk fast, walk alone!
    But if you want to walk far, walk together!
    – Thank you for walking together with one another here in this,
    Our Madison Valley!! God bless you!!

Our ladies in the Madison Valley Woman’s Club are those kinds of friends.
We are so blessed to have one another to work with, laugh with,
meet with, and care for. Thank you, Ladies! I love you!!

Hugs,
JanBeek

October Memories

Happy October to you, my friends!
May this month of changing colors
Find you healthy, happy, and looking forward
To the joy this season brings your way.

I decided today to look back at
Some of past October’s joys.
Fun to reminisce and search memories;
Don’t you agree? Those colors add noise!

Trees of green turn and shout out red,
Spreading their joy to all.
May we, likewise, determine
To spread our joy this fall.

These trees are near our home;
Every fall they decorate the course
Where golfers enjoy the coolness
And we celebrate nature’s Source.

We may not be able this year
To follow our friends up on trails
Where the fall colors blaze;
But we’ll follow along on all their details.

We’ll remember fondly our rides
With friends who also had pups –
Like our TazE (who’s in heaven now) –
Their love filled our cups.

The plant outside my window
Is reminding me daily of the cold
That is right around the corner…
The colorful changes never seem old.

Galatians 4:10

“You observe days and months and seasons and years.”

Observe the blessings
of the changing season
Knowing every change
Is for a very good reason.

Everywhere we look these days
We see the signs of the changing season.
It is a beautiful time of year –
And we welcome it to breeze in!

We’d welcome you to breeze in, too.
Come visit the 2Beeks in Montana state…
Even on the coldest of days, we enjoy
Sharing ice cream with you; It’s never too late!

Happy Autumn Hugs
from
JanBeek
(and the ice cream loving Beekster)

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