Air: an essential… treat each breath as a luxury. Never waste a minute of the breath you receive. It’s the gift of life. Every day is a luxury. Cherish it!
Here are some ways I live and share the luxuries inherent in every day:
Big Sky country – headed from Ennis to Bozeman, MTTaking time to smell the lilacs!Enjoying and relaxing in the gift of sunshine with KennyCelebrating music with the Bozeman SymphonyVicariously traveling to Europe with Adrian & Laura
Can’t live without the contacts with loved ones … so grateful for the luxury of their shared experiences!
God bless those loved ones in our lives who share their experiences with us, huh? Such sharing definitely is a luxury for us as receivers. Thank you for sharing yours, too🥰👌🏽!
Al Rocker, the Today Show weatherman and co-host was featured this month on the cover of one of the magazines I read each month, “Guideposts.” On turning 70, he shared with readers how he is approaching life differently after a 2022 health scare.
He wrote:
“It may sound strange, considering I make my living on television and have been the weatherman and co-host of the Today show for 29 years, but in my personal life, I shy away from the spotlight. I’d musch rather celebrate someone else, make a big deal out of their birthday instead of my own. Which is why I tried my best to dissuade my wife, Deborah Roberts, from throwing a party for my birthday last August. But I knew I couldn’t stop her. It was a milestone birthday, after all – my seventieth. The truth was, I was feeling a little melancholy about turning seventy. My dad never made it to this age. He passed away at 69. Dad was my role model and inspiration for being a good husband and father. I was theoldest of six kids, and three of my siblings were adopeted, Mom and Dad brought foster children into our home, too. Sometimes people would ask why they’d taken on raising so maky children, and Dad would always say simply, “There is no limit to how much you can love.”
After describing his near-death experience, he concluded:
“My health scare reminded me that life is an ephemeral gift that we’ve been given by God, and we need to appreciate and honor it. So I spent a lot of time talking to people… telling them how I feel about them. The people I care about, the people I love, I want to make sure they know. I’ve been more intentional about that, evn after I made a full recovery and returned to the Today show.”
I challenge each of us to commit to this same message. Let your feelings out! Let the people you love, the people you care about, KNOW! Be intentional!!
Love, JanBeek
P.S. I love you for visiting my blog. I’ll love you even more if you leave a comment below so I can hear from you and respond.
These “things with feathers” frequent our yard, hoping for food and safety.
This “thing with feathers” lives in the heart of love and faith
In the midst of raging fires, devastating wars, and rampant illnesses, falls and broken bones, may we too fly with hope perched in our souls and a wordless song of love ringing in our hearts!
May God’s angels guard you and may you be safe and healthy. May all your wounds heal and your body be renewed.
May all your prayers be answered.
The Lord Bless You and Keep You and give you Peace and Hope for a brighter tomorrow!
Yesterday we had “Christmas in January” for our nursing home residents because they were in “lock down” in December due to an outbreak of COVID among the residents. It was a glorious party. I am so grateful for their recovery, and the fun we had gifting them each with a pillow handmade and personalized by my friend, Linda Maydak. What a wonderful treat! Thank you, Linda!!
I had a wonderful time playing Santa and distributing the lovely gifts and the tasty treats w provided. It’s never to late to celebrate Christ’s birth and gift our friends with something to celebrate the wonders of Christmas! I hope you are remembering His gift of salvation and thanking Him every day, too. He gives us reasons to HOPE every day. Praise God!!
Oh, and before I close, please pray for my Writers’ Group friend, Janet Hill, who fell and broke her hip today. Join me in prayer for all those affected by the CA wildfires… and pray for peace in the middle east… and in the world. Amen!
Gone from home for three weeks Wonderful holidays and birthdays Shared with family and friends Missed my daily sanctuary quiet time
Back home and falling into routine Up around 8: and make coffee Climb the stairs to my “sanctuairee” Spend time with Jesus and His Word
Spend time with David Jeremiah Spend time with Guideposts devotionals Spend quiet time with God in prayer Ask God to be with each of you
Meditate with “All God’s Creatures” Contemplate love and life with Bob Goff Compare scriptures with Eugene Peterson “The Message” paraphrasing inspires me
What’s your favorite way to spend Quiet time? Do you carve out space for it everyday?
Where?
When?
With whom?
Regardless of when, where, and with whom, May your day always include space for Quiet Time
Pray with me, will you? For all those who are in distress: the homeless, the sick, the frightened, the lonely, those who feel helpless or hopeless. “Bee” the Light. Shine His Light wherever you go in this world. Lord, help us to reach out and to love as You love! Amen
I am going to take a break from my daily posts while we spend quality time with family here in California. I didn’t take with me the paperwork I needed in order to continue the Word of the Day activity… so I will resume it when we get back to Montana. Meantime, have a very Merry Christmas, my friends, and a Happy New Year!
If something unusual happens here that I feel I just NEED to share with you, I’ll check in… otherwise, I’ll see ya next year. “Bee” well!!
Using the prompts from @sanctifiedart, I am enjoying the opportunity to share the “Words for the Beginning” each day with you during this Advent season.
Today’s Word is: WORTHY
AI generated that picture above when I put in the prompt. The guy looks a little like my grandson, Jordan. Jordy was adopted into the Beekman family as a 3 year old. His birth mother couldn’t stay off drugs long enough to keep him. What a shame, huh? The courts took him away and put him in foster care more than once. His birth mother was given many chances. He was worthy of a loving, drug-free family. So when I think of the word WORTHY, our grandchildren come to mind. Our son and daughter-in-law adopted four worthy children. We are so blessed!
Ty is on the left. Monika is on the right. They are the “worthy” adoptive parents who opened their homes and hearts to those dear children… and the blessings continue. What picture comes to your mind when you think of the word “worthy“?
“Worthy is the lamb” came immediately to my mind… but it’s not that kind of lamb, It is the Lamb of God. Do you know that song?
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:11
You are loved. You are blessed to be a blessing. You are enough! Have a blessed Sunday, dear friends. And tell me, what image comes to your mind when you think of the word, worthy?
Come back tomorrow for the Monday Word of the Day.
Happy Friday the 13th to you! Using the prompts from @sanctifiedart, I am enjoying the opportunity to share the “Words for the Beginning” each day with you during this Advent season.
Today’s Word is:
When I put the prompt in AI, it generated the word above. What image would you display if you were depicting enough? Here is my choice:
Bob Perks wrote that poem Unfortunately, he often doesn’t get credit for it. He has a book by the same title, but it is no longer in print. I love this poem… and Bob Perks!
Several others have used his theme and written their own “Enough” poems. Here is another.
This poem was posted on New Years Eve 2013 Posted by blogger, Doina , at 11:11 PM
I want to join the bloggers who are wishing you enough. May you live with a sense of “Enough” by: 1. Counting your blessings 2. Knowing you have more than 99.9% of all the folks on earth 3. Focusing on your can’s, not your can’ts 4. Appreciating your HAVEs and not worrying about the HAVE NOTs 5. Reaching out in love to those who have less 6. Prioritizing your needs – and allowing your faith to guide you
My office used to look a little like this:
Obviously I had more than enough “stuff.” Getting rid of the excess, Clearing out the clutter Helped me receive that sense of ENOUGH.
My desk will never look as clean as these:
If I had to maintain that level of cleanliness, I would be fired in a nano-second! So, there is a middle ground on this sense of “enough.” God does bless us with “stuff.” It’s not all bad. But the key is moderation, don’t you think?
Share what you have. Reach out to those without. God will bless your generosity. Ask for what you need. That’s okay!! And remember, YOU are enough, too!!
If you have “enough,” make your requests on behalf of others’ needs!
God bless you, dear blogging friends. May this be a day of “Enoughness” for you. Friday the 13th can be your lucky day!
Happy Thursday to you! Using the prompts from @sanctifiedart, I am enjoying the opportunity to share the “Words for the Beginning” each day with you during this Advent season.
Today’s Word is:
When you think of that word, what picture comes to mind? I asked AI to generate a picture and this is what they sent:
I was happy to see AI’s first response was people connecting, not some mechanisms!
I imagine the image below is not the kind of connection that @sanctifiedart envisioned when they selected CONNECTION for today’s Word.
When I think of connection, I think about social media and about telephone connections and about the way we feel when we maintain long-distance relationships.
Media type connections can be a blessings or they can be a curse.
When we see people ignoring their companions-at-hand while they keep their focus on their cell phones, it feels like such a waste!
For me to make connections that really matter, connections that last over time and that satisfy my heartfelt needs, I need physical contact. I need hugs. I need face-to-face. I need kisses.
How about you??
What images does that word CONNECTION conjure up for you?
What connection in your life fills your heart with love hope and joy?
Besides my dear husband with whom I will celebrate 63 years next February, the other vital connection is described in this scripture:
I imagine myself as a Child of God, reaching out constantly to connect with God.
My fingers grasp His Hand just like a little child reaching for his or her father. My connection to God, my Heavenly Father, is my most important CONNECTION.
WHAT’S YOURS?
See you tomorrow with the next Word of the Day. Thanks for visiting JanBeek and following along. I appreciate my connection with YOU!
Using the Advent devotional from @SanctifiedArt, I am posting the Word of the Day between now and Christmas. These are “Words for the Beginning” – beginning again – looking forward to the coming of the Christ Child – finding daily inspiration
Today’s word is:
That’s the image AI generated when I gave the word to Artificial Intelligence.
If I go to my WordPress photos, here is the one I would select:
When I think of the word “journey,” I think of this life I am living… and I realize it is a journey of major proportions. One worth savoring.
To savor this life’s journey, We must slow down. To get the most of of it, Wipe away your frown.
Travel each day with a smile, With positive expectations. Open your heart and your hands To all God’s glorious creations.
Journey with your loved ones. Embrace every endeavor. Travel with the assurance that Every step is sure and clever.
Don’t try to go it alone. We’re all in this together. Journey with a song in your heart And dance in every kind of weather.
What images might you imagine for each of these words of the day? Words of the Day: Dec. 1- Begin Dec. 2 – Bless Dec. 3 – Courage Dec. 4 – Possibility Dec. 5 – Remember Dec. 6 – Marvel Dec. 7 – Go Dec. 8 – Together Dec. 9 – Embrace Dec. 10 – Journey
