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Posts tagged ‘relaxation’

Embrace Mary

Christmas is coming
You see it everywhere you look these days.
But…
It’s not a “Merry Christmas”
I am wishing for you!
It’s a “Mary Christmas!”
That’s in contrast to a “Martha Christmas!”

Luke 10:38-42

New International Version

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Are You Mary or Martha?

If I am not totally aware,
it is easy for me to fall into the Martha role.
Company is coming!
I love entertaining.

But, if I am busy being Martha,
I find at the end of the evening
I didn’t engage
in a meaningful conversation
with anyone!

“Oh, Jan, Jan!” Jesus would say to me,
“prepare for your guests in advance,
so when they come,
you can sit down
and enjoy their company!”

But what if guests pop in unexpected?
Should I be the Mary who lets Martha do all the work?
Surely there is a happy medium here somewhere!

Work or Shirk?

If company pops in unexpected,
drop everything and enjoy the surprise!
They didn’t come to see your house.
They probably didn’t come to eat your food.
They are there to see you!
So it’s not a question of work or shirk!

Put on a smirk –
take off the apron –
set aside the work!

If you convince them to stay
and enjoy a snack or a meal with you,
invite them in to your kitchen
and continue to enjoy one another
as you fix up some goodies together!


‘Tis the season to enjoy the love of company –
‘Tis the season to spread the joy
and remember the reason for the season.
It ain’t stressin’ yourself out with
decorating, shopping, gift-wrapping,
and
entertaining like Martha!

It’s Mary –
the Christ Child –
the simplicity of the stable –
the spontaneity of good friends –
and the Good News!

Mary Christmas!

Have yourself a Mary Christmas!

Love to you…
Pop in – and sit awhile!
Let’s listen to some relaxing Christmas music
and have a cup o’ tea or hot cocoa!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Bible Lessons, Christmas, contentment, Family, friendship, holidays, Jesus, Living in Harmony, Love, music, peace, Poetry, relationships, Serving One Another

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Embrace Spontaneous Leisure

Elfchen or “Elevenies”
are poems with eleven words
in a pattern of
1+2+3+4+1


Embrace
Spontaneous Leisure
as you relax
and enjoy life today:
Sunday


Sunday
mornings always
are hurried “UP
‘N AT T’EM” days.
Rush!

Shower.
Get up.
And get dressed.
Then gobble your breakfast.
Church!

(Click the arrow below)

Listen
“Rush Hour”
for a minute …
Then click it off.
Frenzy!

Happy?
Not likely.
That “Happy Hardcore”
Destroys any residual sanity.
Yuck!

(Go back and click outta that sound!)

Repetitive,
nerve wracking…
Who needs it?
Put your feet up.
Relax!


Wallow
in silliness
for a while;
Find yourself some laughter.
Chuckle!

Find
some friends
to join you.
Good for your soul.
Laze!

A few friends took me up on my suggestion yesterday. My silly blog was titled, “Embrace a Camel” and I really went off the deep end. One little friend got into a box and joined the insanity club!

How about you?
Do you take a day
to just be silly
and relax
every now and then?

It’s called “Spontaneous Leisure”
and I recommend it!

Today we slept in.
We dressed in a casual, leisurely fashion.
We ate brunch at 10: am
(our church didn’t ZOOM the service today
or we would’ve tuned in to it)
and then we went up to our sanctuary
and had our own worship service up there.

It was just the break from routine that we needed!

Embrace
Spontaneous Leisure.
Just treat yourself
Take an unintentional break –
Relax

Jesus
Accepts worship
Wherever it occurs.
God condones taking breaks.
Recline!

Question: “What does the Bible say about rest and relaxation?”.
Answer: “Rest” is defined as “peace, ease or refreshment.”
“Relax” means “to become loose or less firm,
to have a milder manner,
to be less stiff.”
The Bible speaks quite highly of rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me,
all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
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.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Doctor
ordered relaxation:
Just sit back –
Put your feet up –
Chill!

Embrace Spontaneous Leisure

Do it today!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)

Love,
JanBeek

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Bible Lessons, contentment, Faith, Family, God, health, Life's Challenges, Love, mental health, music, peace, Poetry, writing

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Embrace Day’s End

Sunset
Cooling down
Illuminating the clouds
Allowing colors to change
Night

Do play this beautiful music
and hear the soothing sounds
as you read on…

Sit
Find peace
Embrace day’s end
Reflect on today’s highlights
Breathe

Observe
Changing seasons
Time passing by
Snow melting in mountains
Notice

Capture
Time slowing
Night creeping in
Birds finding their nest
Sleep

Imagine
Better tomorrows
Problems being solved
God’s blessings poured down
Nightfall

Clouds
Drifting by
Silently gathering momentum
Taking troubles with them
Peace

Beautiful wonderful and majestic
Ocean Sunset Guincho Beach
I hope you’re listening to that

Glowing
Slowly disappearing
Taking struggles away
Timeless tides – shifting sands
Goodnight!



See you tomorrow (God willing!)
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, contentment, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, nature, peace, photography, Poetry, writing

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Embrace Each Day

Each day in your life is a gift.
Embrace each with open arms.
Look for the positive ways
You can enhance the day with your charms.

Finding a thought to focus on,
Or a word to guide your path
Can help make each day better.
Then – end it with a bubble bath!!

Photo by Craig Adderley on Pexels.com

I begin each day with devotionals
That point me in the right direction.
Then as I walk in His will the best I can,
I try to spread His love and affection.

The “take-away” from each day’s reading
Is a way to stay the true course.
Let me share last month’s daily thoughts.
“Daily Guideposts” was my source.

Daily Take-aways

  1. Catch Problems Early
  2. Support Others’ Efforts
  3. Look for God’s Signs
  4. Let Hope Abound
  5. Embrace Today
  6. Let God Lead You
  7. Keep Moving Forward
  8. Look for a Hopeful Future
  9. Worship and Serve the Lord
  10. Respond to Life Cheerfully
  11. God Meets My Every Need
  12. God’s Wellspring Quenches
  13. Let God’s Word and Light Guide
  14. Tend My Heart’s Garden Daily
  15. Show Your Love and Appreciation
  16. Trust God
  17. Stop Worrying
  18. Be Open to Opportunities
  19. Be Thankful for Family
  20. Trust God to Answer Prayer
  21. Embrace Butterflies (Know the chrysalis important)
  22. Listen for God’s Ah-Hahs!
  23. Rest Secure in God’s Grip
  24. Just Enjoy Life
  25. Embrace Christ’s Power and Presence
  26. We are One Family
  27. Live Intentionally
  28. See God’s Goodness
  29. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
  30. Know God Knows
  31. Thank God for Life!

Each sunrise is an opportunity
To begin anew and make life better.
Carry the daily take-away with you
And live following Christ to the letter.

He led the way with His perfect life,
Showing us how to love one another.
He didn’t promise a bed of roses,
Didn’t create puppets who would smother
The good in each day or be down-trodden.
God created us to be strong and tenacious.
Gave us a heart we could stretch and broaden.

So, from sun up to sun down each day,
Embrace the opportunities you are given
To reach out in love and compassion
And improve the place where you are livin’

What “Take-Away” speaks to you today?
What can you embrace with open arms?
What road beckons you to drive in and enter
A place that needs your love and charms?

Embrace each day as a new beginning –
A time to see what you can do
To make the world a better place,
And encourage those loved ones close to you.

How will you do that, my friend?
What can you do to brighten the corner where you are?

My mom

My mom brightened her corner…
That was one of the original “selfies” –
(around 1989)
Long before the word was coined
with the use of our cell phones!

Such a character!!

Mmmmmm

I co-hosted fellowship after worship service today.
Baked yummy, moist, gooey, chewy chocolate cupcakes…
Mmmmm…


What will you do to brighten the corner where you are?


Embrace Each Day…
Each is a new opportunity!

See ya tomorrow (God willing) –
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Faith, Family, food, Giving, God, happiness, kindness, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, mountains, music, photography, Poetry, Serving One Another

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Embrace Majestic Calmness

Happy June 1st to you.
The “Official” start of summer!
And we finally have springtime in the Rockies.

Life can be hectic
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Play some “Spa Music”


Life can be stressful
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Take a walk outside

Life is difficult
Embrace Majestic Calmness
Take some time to pray

A life filled with faith
Embraces Everyday Calm
Knowing Who’s in charge


Have a Terrific Tuesday, my friends.
I hope you’re enjoying that spa music
And it is calming your soul.

What other ways do you have for finding calmness?

See ya tomorrow.
Love,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, Faith, flowers, God, Haiku, health, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Montana, mountains, music, nature, peace, Poetry, prayer

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Relax and Enjoy Life

The first time I saw that meme I realized I needed to do all three things. How about you?

Photo by Riccardo Bresciani on Pexels.com

Do you need to get away to an ocean-side view to relax? Do you need to get out into the woods to truly enjoy life?

Photo by WARREN BLAKE on Pexels.com

Can you find a quiet space right where you are? Can you share it with a pet or a partner and release your shoulders and your stress and enjoy life in the moment?

Photo by La Miko on Pexels.com
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

If where you are is not conducive to relaxation, just gather your pet (or a partner) and head for a quiet spot of your choosing!

Photo by Spencer Gurley on Pexels.com
Bob & I take TazE to beautiful, relaxing spots.
There, we can more easily
release all tension and just relax!
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

So, my friends,
whatever it takes,
I invite you to
take time right now
to relax and enjoy life.

Photo by lexi lauwers on Pexels.com

Get off the merry-go-round of life.
Step down from the carousel of cares
And unclench your jaw.
Drop the tongue from the roof of your mouth
And take a few very deep breaths.

Photo by Ingrid Santana on Pexels.com

And then,
after a nice refreshing break,
get back to work!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Or not!!

Thanks for
visiting
JanBeek

See ya tomorrow.
Have a relaxing Friday night!
What’re you doing this weekend to
“Relax and Enjoy Life”??

Begin with some soothing music…
Close your eyes and enjoy!

Category:

Aging Gracefully, Animals, blessings, contentment, happiness, health, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, music, peace, pets, relationships

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Which Place is Best for You?

This place is the best for me.
I love living in Montana.
After watching that video,
Can you understand?

There’s no place like Montana,
But Switzerland comes real close.
Both have beautiful mountain majesty!
I love visiting our family in Valais.

What places do you love?
Where do you like to visit in this world?
My grandson shared the following pictures today.
Italy’s one of my other favorite places.

Mike and his girlfriend, Tania,
Are vacationing in Italy this week.
They are enjoying great days in the sun,
Hiking, shopping, swimming, loving it!

Mike & Tania – such a cute couple!
Tania on a shopping trip in Italy
Tania – out for a swim – beautiful young lady, huh?
They have a great view from their balcony.

Meanwhile, back in Switzerland,
my middle grandson, Nick,
is out for a hike with his girlfriend, Celine.

So good to see Nick & Celine so happy!
What a place to hike, huh? That’s Nicky out there!
It’s hard to beat Swiss scenes like this!

Back in Sierre, Switzerland,
our daughter, DeAna,
is enjoying an afternoon
with my youngest grandson, Chris

De and Chris in Sierre, Switzerland
This could be their hiking path.

Not to be outdone, our son, Ty, is enjoying life, too.
He and his oldest son, Sam, are relaxing
in the high Sierra-Nevada mountains.
This is the view Ty sent me today:

Ty’s view from his hammock

Ah, summertime, and the livin’ is easy…
Fish are jumpin’ and the mountains are high.
On this lazy summer Sunday, what are YOU doing?
I’m gonna post my sermon notes from this mornings message.

Then I’m gonna go enjoy the lovely outdoors, too.
What are you doing this beautiful Sunday afternoon?
Go out and appreciate the beauty around you,
And remember to thank the Lord for His handiwork.

Tell me about your day… what did you do?
If you could put yourself into one of those photos today,
Which place would be best for you?
I’m wishing this pandemic was over so I could go to one of them!

But, life is good… I’m not complaining.
Thank God for the internet and for kids who care –
Care enough to include Grammy & Grampy
In their adventures today. Oh, how I love ’em!

See ya later.
Thanks for visiting.
Please leave your comment!

Hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

blessings, children, Family, God, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Montana, mountains, nature, photography, Poetry, relationships, Travel

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Add a Little Levity

A little Humor
During times of Tragedy
Ain’t sacrilegious!

Found this on FaceBook
It was in response to this post.

The Coronials
Will have a life of their own
Just like this virus

But, just in case my Haiku and pictures offend those who are in the midst of quarantine or have loved ones who are infected or family members who are the victims of this terrible pandemic, here is something on a more serious note:

My friend, Gloria, posted this on FB.

Some people are offended by the suggestion that we should dare to use the word, “Relax.” This is a time of heightened senses. A time to be on alert.

But ultimately, we know we are not in control. We know better than to believe someone who tells us he is… unless He is God.

So, God bless you, my friends.
Trusting or Terrified?
Afraid to make light of it?
I understand.


But, a little levity is good for the soul,
even in the midst of tragedy –
especially when all the toilet paper is gone!

We may have to come up with clever alternatives.

Got any other ideas?

Category:

friendship, Haiku, humor, Life and Death, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, mental health, Poetry, relationships

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Spice Up Your Life (Haiku x4)

salt-1914130__480.jpg

Add spice to your life
Salt your days with rest and praise
Take time to relax

Add pepper daily
With personal time to pray
You’ll taste the difference

person hands woman girl

Use leisure as time
To greet Jesus in your soul
He is there waiting!

God bless you this day
Health, strength, and vitality
Are His gifts to you

statue of jesus

Photo by Juhasz Imre on Pexels.com

Category:

Bible Lessons, blessings, Faith, Haiku, Jesus, Love, peace, prayer

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La Dolce Far Niente

I have a new internet friend! I discovered her blog today… and fell in love with her and Italy in one reading! You can find her and travel  with her through the magical land of “La Dolce Far Niente” at  http://afriendoftheking.blogspot.com     Her name is Leslie Suzanne.  Her subtitle is Unlocking barriers and opening doors…  She and her daughter are living for a few months on a horse farm in Italy – immersed in the language and the culture. As bloggers you will appreciate the way she began her entry last Sunday:

“Language is a key that unlocks barriers…
such simple, yet powerful things…
words…”
As a second generation American whose paternal grandparents immigrated from Italy, and as a retired educator who spent many years jumping up at the crack of dawn and running from one deadline to the next, I appreciate her love of the Italian culture. She wrote, “The Italians have a saying:  La dolce far niente… The sweetness of doing nothing.” Then she challenged us to try it. She postured, ” It is almost impossible.  At least at first. For an American.”
My guess is that it’s not IMPOSSIBLE – not even at first – to “do nothing” – but the hard part is to “enJOY the sweetness” of it. We learn that BUSY is BETTER. Productivity is what life is all about. “What did you DO today?” my husband asks when he comes back from a day of fishing (that’s where he is with three of his buddies today). Even if it is recreational, it is DOING. And, by the looks of it, and the words that come out of his mouth when he is trying to tie flies or clean and prepare his fishing lines, it certainly is not relaxing! It’s all “catch and release” around here, so he never brings fish home. But, he certainly finds sweetness in the catching, the fight, the beauty, the release so he can come back and hook that same fish tomorrow – or leave him for the next fisherman to marvel!
Image
Leslie, my new Friend of the King wrote, “Living here in Italy, I have been practicing.  I mean really Practicing.  It’s an art… To stop being preoccupied. To not be driven by the tyranny of the next thing.  To actually be in the moment…..”
My fisherman husband knows about the moment. You only have a moment to enjoy that beautiful fish – and then you better get him back in the water! Be in the moment! Snap a picture, kiss the fish good-bye, and slip him back into the water. The moment is gone. Now, live in the next one! Yes, be present.
Moments in time. Precious presents! Don’t crowd them.  La Dolce Far Niente!!

Category:

Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love

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