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🥰👌🏽!
Family sends love out and…… we hug love in. We follow along for a lifetime!
See that cute little boy up there with his loving mom & dad? Well, look at him now!
That’s Liam, our grand-nephew, who just graduated from high school. We are overjoyed that we were able to travel to Pittsburgh, PA to help Liam celebrate. While there, we got to attend a couple of Liam’s hockey matches.
My niece, Jodie (Liam’s mom) and her hubby, Bill, have a gorgeous 1790’s BarN. They held a graduation party for Liam there. About 200 attended!!
Uncle Bob & I are mighty proud of this successful young man!
While in PA we also got to visit the National Aviary. What a beautiful, elegant collection of birds!
Wow!
Meantime back at home, our pup, Kenny, enjoyed playmates and our son, Ty in CA, counted down days til retirement.
Kenny’s happy we’re home!Ty’s ready for the next chapter in his life. I pray that Ty & his wife, Monika, can find a way to go visit his sister in Switzerland. DeAna would love it!Hey, Bro, come visit us! Put it on your 2026 calendar!
Let Love In!!!
Hugs await you wherever you go!
I hope your June started out as beautifully as ours!
Enjoy!
Let Love In!
Hugs,
JanBeek
Thank you, Jodie & Bill, for your love and generosity.
My soul magnifies the Lord, too. He is so faithful to hear us and to answer our prayers! I was so concerned yesterday because we are traveling today to spend the next three weeks in California with our son and extended family… and Bob was short on a medication that he NEEDS. I prayed fervently to God for the medication to arrive before we had to leave this morning. And yes, you guessed it… At 5:00 PM last night, it arrived at our door. My soul magnifies the Lord. He is My Savior.
I hope He is yours, too. Magnify the Lord… and praise His name. In His hands I place my trust.
What image comes to your mind with the word MAGNIFY?
See ya tomorrow for the next Word of the Day. Meantime, please pray for our safe travel. We are flying from Montana to California today.
My most memorable road trip was in January this year 2024 … but now in Nov. 2024 is hard to beat!
Back in January, our son and daughter-in-law
loaned us their car for this trip.
We were so happy to be in
sunny California instead of home
In Montana right then … and the same is true now! We are happy to be in Switzerland on this Election Day ‘24 in the USA. It is so contentious there!
Back in January:
It was -23 and felt even colder with the windchill factor back home today. We were in Paso Robles, CA then with the sunny skies that were perfect for enjoyable wine tasting opportunities. The same is true now. Time with friends is what made that and this road trip so memorable, so special, so much fun!!
Our son-in-law, André, is a wine connoisseur!
Wish you could have joined us!
Sculpterra Winery
was filled with amazing sculptures.
You would have oogled and ogled
just as I did!!
Bruce, our wine guide,
poured some delicious tastings for us.
This was one of my favorites.
As a retired beekeeper,
Bob was especially interested
in their display of honeybee products.
Meantime, back in Montana,
the cold spell continues …
and we’re grateful our road trip
doesn’t involve driving there right now.
If you’re in the pattern
of this Arctic storm
with its sun-zero temps,
Escape now!!
Come join us!
We didn’t mind the 80’s plus folks…
And we’re loving the 70’s weather here in Switzerland 🇨🇭
I found this post in my “Drafts” folder. I thought I’d already posted it.
I guess WP was waiting for this 2nd day of Lent when we’re spending 40 days preparing our hearts for the greatest love ever told: Jesus’ death on the cross for our redemption.
Back when I started this post, we were being wined & dined – loving and being loved.
That’s during some of our travels last month in CA. Here we were in San Clemente … cool ocean air … warm family fun!
Bob & I loved being with friend Bob and our son’s father-in-law, Darrell.
There had been high tides that washed away sand. They were replacing it ingeniously!
Before coming to southern CA beaches, we spent glorious, loving time with dear friends, Jim & Terry in Paso Robles. Ah, feeling love all around!
The warmth of their love was matched by the warmth of their home and beautiful fireplace.
Church on Sunday in Paso Robles was filled with the love of people singing and praising God and seeking to return His love in tangible ways.
The cover of the Sunday bulletin
As we continued our road trip through California for another week, soaking in the love and hospitality of family & friends, I reached out in prayer for you, praying you, too, can FEEL love every day, every hour, every minute. You ARE loved!
I hope you are having a love-filled week!
Necklace is a love gift from Terry. Thank you, sweet “Soul Sister!”
Today’s prompt on JetPack was: “What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?
Visiting family and friends is my obvious answer! Today we met our dear friends, Bill & Marcia, for brunch in Bozeman before Bob’s ENT appointment.
It’s such a joy to meet up with and stay in touch with loved ones.
Bob & Bill
Fun!
Marcia & me
So dear!! But, oh my goodness, I need a haircut!! We’ve been gone 34 days – vacationing in California. I think I posted a couple times on our trip, didn’t I? That’s leisure time … nearly a dozen different beds in 34 days! Time with dear family/friends. God bless ‘em!!
Great-granddaughter Cosette, daughter-in-law Monika, great grandson Christian 1 month new, granddaughter Faith, and great-granddaughter Mable
What a blessing to be with these dear ones!
My former 1st/2nd grade student, Eva Lear (Stanislaus Co. Teacher of the Year)
Another favorite spare time activity: touching bases with former students and wallowing in their successes!!
Darrell & Ruthie Payne, our son’s in-laws, part of “Mi Familia!!”
Four lovely days with that dear couple – can’t be beat! Went with them to dinner at Fisherman’s in San Clemente- and for scrumptious Italian in Pasadena. Deeeelicious! Such gracious hosts!
Diane, Ruthie & me
Prior to that stay, we were wined & dined in Paso Robles by my “soul sister” Terry & her wonderful hubby, Jim.
Jim & Terry with us at Sculpterra Winery
Time with my dear cousin, Adrian, and his wife, Laura, is hard to beat. Did I tell you earlier about them? They deserve a blog post of their own (coming soon).
Bob with cousinAdrian & his sweet wife, Laura
We also got to spend time with my high school sweetheart, Jerry & his darling wife, Carolyn, and Bob’s former Sunday School buddy, Monica, and his former girlfriend, Sally ( my song girl classmate) and her terrific hubby, Bob Phillips.
The latter two were not able to join us for lunch, but we stayed a night at their house. Do you get back together again with those dear to you from 60 years ago??
Jerry, Bob, Monica, me & Carolyn.
Before that gathering in Turlock, CA, we were in Carmel/Pacific Grove/Pebble Beach with Bob’s two brothers and their wives – and with our long-time friends, the Tillions. Did I post earlier about that 85th birthday of Bob and that New Years Eve experience?
It’s been quite a memorable month!!!
Bob, me, brother Bruce, Ann, Marge, and brother Bill. Me, Ingrid, Bob & Alan
Our “leisure time” activities included a lot of dining out in terrific places. This was Big Sur, CA. Such a pretty day! It was 47 degrees, sunshine & feeling warm while back in Montana there was an Arctic storm and the temp was -47! That’s 100 degrees difference!
Suppose we were happy to be spending our leisure time with family & friends? You bet!!
Bob, Ty, me & Monika
Our last evening in CA we took our son & his wife out to dinner. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! And thank you for loaning us your Lexus so we could travel the state in style for a month!!! What a gift!
Home Sweet Home
Time to unpack, do laundry, sort the mail, pay bills, and take down Christmas decorations! Happy 2024, my friends!
What’s YOUR favorite leisure time activity?
Last night we celebrated our friend, Julie’s birthday. The love of time with family and friends goes on…
While it snows in Montana, we bask in gorgeous CA sunshine with family & friends!Just right temps!
It’s a great way to welcome the new year!
God is good! Life is wonderful! After celebrating Bob’s 85th birthday with his two brothers and their wives, we are now with dear friends here in Pebble Beach for a few days.
Last week this part of the 17 Mile Drive in Carmel/Monterey was closed due to high tides. Open now, we are soaking up the beauty!
Yesterday we went wine tasting in Carmel with Alan & Ingrid. Such fun!
Today we’re headed for the Monterey Aquarium. Stay tuned! I’ll be back!
How has your 2024 begun?
Did you go to church to begin the year? Have you thanked God for your new day!? Please do!
Cherish family!
Shine the light of love and spread the gift of peace wherever you go! God bless you!
1) Time with family & friends is so precious! That time heads the highlights. I hope you had quality time with your loved ones last year, too
Bob’s the middle brother – time with brothers Bruce & Bill can’t be beat!
We love visiting family – like my cousin, Adrian & his dear wife, Laura.
When friends/colleagues from the past take time to share with us, we feel so blessed. This is sweet Suzette Stavrianoudakis who taught with me back in the 80’s-90’s.
The opportunity to go to worship with our son,Ty, his wife Monika, her parents, and our granddaughter & her hubby & Mable, one of our 3 our great-granddaughters, was a very special highlight. Ty& Moni visited us in Montana, and we are enjoying the beginning of 2024 with them.
I loved visiting with my college roomie, Sue Booth, who also was a bridesmaid in our 1962 wedding!
Nothing beats the highlight of seeing your 85 year old birthday boy holding his one-day old great- grandson.
But very close to that best highlight is the privilege of praying for 5-yr. old Eli as he experienced brain surgery and had an amazing recovery. Our last picture of him showed a happy 6-year old smiling as he sat on his surgeon’s lap. Praise God! Answered prayers (too numerous to mention) always are highlights!
It’s hard to beat visits from people like Peter Martin (and Victor Salazar) former 1970’s wrestling students of Bob’s. They came from states away to spend time with their old coach. What a treat!!
When our daughter, De, & her hubby showed up from Switzerland surprising us with our 1980-81 AFS son, Christian Zufferey, and his wife, Célia, the surprise was the greatest one imaginable!
A week before that our oldest Swiss grandson, Mike & his wife, Tania, came with friends for a week. Like I said, time with family & friends we’re our greatest highlights.
Mike’s younger brother, Nick, visited with his sweetheart, Céline, also. Goodness, how blessed can you get, huh?
We love having time with friends and family. When will you come to Ennis, MT to visit us?
July is a great time to be in Ennis. Put it on your list, ok? Make it a highlight of your 2024!
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.
Hello beautiful sunrise from my dear North Carolina friend!
Hello Montana Snowdrifts!
Hello, dear friend, who walked over the 3’ drift to come say, “I’m here to plow you out!” (Oh my, look how the snow came in the front door!) God bless our helpers!
Hello Daughter#2 back in Maryland. Thank you for your love, hospitality, transportation, and luscious food! We miss you already.
Hello Lacey! You’re such a lucky pup to have your “People Grama” taking care of you while your parents are on their honeymoon!
Hello Daughter#1… So glad you’re back safely in Switzerland, enjoying a luscious dinner with your hubby. 👍🏽
Hello PicNick! Hey, DeDe, How fun that your #2 son came to visit and to show you his new car! Congratulations, Nicky (my #2 grandson). We’re so glad for you!!
Hello again, Lacey! Yes, I know, you need attention!!
Hello Montana sunset! Another day gone by, and we are so grateful for clear skies, for friends, neighbors, WP contacts and their comments, and for our local chiropractor who helped relieve my body aches!
(That was my first visit in my 83 1/2 years to see a chiropractor. I wonder why I waited so long!)
Have you ever been to one?
Whew! Feeling like an Angel just touched me! I hope you’ve had a blessed day, too, my friends.
Bee 🐝 well- and free of pain!
See ya tomorrow. Hah! It’s tomorrow already… I forgot to click “Publish” on this one yesterday ;o(
