Loving One Another

Posts tagged ‘trees’

The Story of Our Freedom


We had a wonderful outdoor church service today.
God blessed us with the most perfect weather imaginable!

See the Rocky Mountains out beyond Bob’s nose?
Only a few scattered puffy clouds over there.
Bob is in charge of “Buildings and Grounds” at our church.
He has spent hours weed-eating under those threes!
And we have a team of volunteers who mow the lawns.
Looks lovely, huh?
Our service was out on that lawn.
I didn’t take any photos til afterward
when all the chairs were put away and
only one couple remained
talking with Bob.

Rev. Steve Hundley delivered a great sermon
titled “”Peter Pride and Dana Defeated.”
He assured us the names were not gender specific!
If you’ve followed my blog for a while,
you know I take sermon notes in poetry as I listen.

I changed the title to “The story of Our Freedom.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The story of our freedom
Is written on the Statue of Liberty.
We believe in that freedom, but
It can make captives of you and me.

We can be captivated by
Our need to be totally free.
Our need to be gregarious
Causes us to share with you our glee.

We strive (like Peter Pride) to be
At the top – – – the Number One.
But sometimes Peter Pride’s goals
Get in the way of following God’s Son.

We resist the role of Dana Defeated,
Who is a critic of her own.
She usually feels unworthy
And tries so hard she’s tired to the bone.

Jesus says to give Him your burdens.
He’ll put His yoke upon you
And help you carry your troubles.
Let Him take a pound or two.

Peter Pride sees life through self-effort.
He keeps religion in its place.
He knows Jesus has a point,
But you gotta work to stay in the race.

Peter doesn’t believe burdens are light.
He sees Dana Defeated as sad.
She walks humbly and asks for help,
But seldom looks contented or glad.

Peter found the glory of being on top
Often is overshadowed by loss.
Way up there, it’s sometimes lonely;
No one to help carry our cross.

Jesus said, “Come to Me, I’ll give you rest.”
He’s talking to Dana and Peter, both.
Life should not be a journey to death.
Instead, accept Jesus’ helpful yokes.

Jesus will provide the yoke for us.
He’ll join with us and help us carry
Our burdens of pride or defeat.
Let Him lift you – and be merry!

Amen!

Have a Wonderful Sunday, my friends.
See ya tomorrow.
Love ya,
JanBeek

Category:

Belief, Faith, God, Jesus, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Living in Harmony, Love, Montana, Poetry, trees, writing

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The Earth Heals Me


I am so grateful for the stars and wind,

The trees and birds sing to me.

The sunshine and nature comfort me.

And I listen to the earth’s words of comfort.

I trust the words the earth speaks to me.

My ears hear the voice of God in the

  • stars
  • wind
  • trees
  • birds
  • sunshine, and
  • nature

Let God tell you, “You are not alone.”
Let God gently hold you.
Let God listen to your pain and sing your worries away.
Let God remove the darkness.
Remember, He accepts you as you are.
God is nature. He created the earth and you.
You are never alone.

God bless you, dear friends.
Listen to His healing words of love and let Him hold you.
Have a beautiful Sunday evening/night.
I’ll see you tomorrow.

Love and virtual hugs,
JanBeek

Category:

Animals, blessings, contentment, Faith, flowers, friendship, God, health, Life's Challenges, Living in Christ's Family, Love, nature, peace, Poetry, prayer, trees

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Plant a Tree!


Let’s celebrate Arbor Day!!

If you live in the USA and you click on this link, https://www.arborday.org/states/ , you will find a map that tells you what kinds of trees grow well in your area.

Are you near water?
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives on Pexels.com
Are you in a tropical area?
Does it get real cold and snow where you live?
Photo by Oleg Magni on Pexels.com
Do fruit or nut trees thrive where you are?

The Arbor Day Foundation suggested other ways, besides planting, to celebrate the proliferation and appreciation of our trees. Here are things we can do from the safety of our homes:

  • Connecting with teachers in your area to raise students’ awareness of Arbor Day with online lessons related to trees.
  • Researching the history of the day.
  • Writing a poem about trees, or drawing a picture of your favorite tree.
  • Sponsoring a contest of students’ drawings using photos of their artwork submitted by the students. 
  • Reading a book about trees and then donating it to a library, a school, a teacher, or a child. 
  • Educating yourself and others about caring for trees, proper pruning, and planting times.
  • Bringing Arbor Day inside with container gardening, herb plants, or a bonsai tree.
  • Making plans for planting projects, so that when you can execute them, you’ll be all set to go!

Favorite Trees

What are your favorite trees? Here are some of mine:

  1. Evergreen – they are solid and unchanging, providing shelter for birds and small animals, giving us a sense of greenness year round.
  2. Aspen – Aspen trees are all native to cold regions with cool summers, in the north of the Northern Hemisphere, extending south at high-altitude areas such as mountains or high plains. They are all medium-sized deciduous trees reaching 49–98 ft. tall. The Aspen is noted for its ability to regenerate vegetatively by shoots and suckers arising along its long lateral roots.
  3. Bur and Chestnut Oak Tree – Bur oak or mossycup oak is a North American deciduous tree widely distributed across the U.S., Southeastern Montana, and Northeastern Wyoming. Chestnut oak is a member of the white oak group with chestnut-like leaves. The chestnut oak is noted for its ability to survive on steep, rocky sites where other oaks in its range cannot. Foliage unfurls pink and becomes silvery before finally becoming dark green. The chestnut oak is also known for its beautiful silvery-white bark.
Photo by Kirill Belotserkovsky on Pexels.com
Evergreens… pine, spruce, juniper and cypress
Beware, though, because they grow tall and spread out!
When these trees were planted around our house,
the house was visible… not anymore!
We have an aspen in the front of our house –
It rarely changes color to this beautiful gold.
The leaves just freeze before fall comes in full glory.
But the ones planted a little farther from the house are beautiful.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Are these Aspen?
These are Aspen, for sure.
We see groves like this when we go riding on our ATV in the fall.
I love the shape of the oak leaves!

This oak tree had to have been planted at least a hundred years ago! They grow slowly… but they become massive and majestic. See why they are treasured for the shade they provide?

What is YOUR favorite tree?
Better get started now…
Happy Planting.
Happy Arbor Day!



Give some tree the gift of green again.

Let one bird sing.

—From “When Autumn Came” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz

     translated by Naomi Lazard

See ya later.
I’m gonna go sit under a tree and sing.
Virtual Hugs,
JanBeek

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Category:

Love, nature, Poetry, trees

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Write a Tanka


Photo by Talha R on Pexels.com

How do you write tanka?

The basic structure of a tanka poem is 5 – 7 – 5 – 7 – 7. In other words, there are 5 syllables in line 1, 7 syllables in line 2, 5 syllables in line 3, and 7 syllables in lines 4 and 5.

The Tanka poem is very similar to haiku but Tanka poems have more syllables and it uses simile, metaphor and personification.

Ah, so it’s not just the syllable count that matters. The subject matter has to involve simile, metaphor and personification. Raise the stakes!!

What are Simile, Metaphor and Personification?

  • Simile = Both similes and metaphors are forms of comparison that compare words in a sentence. They can be used to make your sentences more interesting. How are similes and metaphors different? A simile is a word that compares words in a sentence. You can usually tell if a simile is present in a sentence when you see the words as or like. Don ate his salad like a vacuum cleaner. His arms were weak and felt like noodles. The thunder was as loud as fireworks.
  • Metaphor = Like a simile, a metaphor compares words in a sentence; however, instead of saying that one thing is like something else, a metaphor actually makes one thing become something very different by renaming it. A metaphor can sometimes use words like is, are, or was (and other words) to signal that a metaphor is present. However, a metaphor never uses the words like or as to compare. The smoke was cotton balls billowing from the chimney. You are my hero. The sun was a furnace.
  • Personification = Personification is the act of giving non-living things human characteristics. Here is a sample of a short paragraph that uses personification to describe a house:

    Our house is an old friend of ours. Although he creeks and groans with every gust of wind, he never fails to protect us from the elements. He wraps his arms of weathered wood around us and keeps us safe. He’s always been a good friend to us and we would never leave him.
Photo by mali maeder on Pexels.com

Which of those three does my Tanka below employ?

Jesus is a tree

Whose trunk is strong and stable

From it, we branches

Grow out of His love and care

And we bear His compassion

Is it a simile, a metaphor or personification?

Try a Tanka of your own. And have a Terrific Tuesday!

See ya later.

Category:

Belief, Faith, Giving, Jesus, learning, Living in Christ's Family, Love, nature, photography, Poetry, teaching, writing

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Beautiful Scenery


When I posted this morning, I told you today was a beautiful day to travel. We stayed in a lovely Wyndham Hotel (La Quina in Twin Falls) last night. I highly recommend it.

It was a terrible day to travel yesterday. But today made up for it.

Let me show you some of the sights we enjoyed on our trip home. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did. The camera doesn’t do them justice, but you can get the idea.

First, entering the Island Park, Idaho area,
we marveled at frosty trees.
Then the evergreens were partially snow-sprinkled.
Traveling on, the trees were snow-laden!
The snow-covered evergreens were magnificent!
These Jack Fences were
deep in the snow
with powder puff toppings.
So picturesque!
Blue sky re-emerged, the sun peeked through, and the trees sparkled. I’m sorry the camera didn’t capture the sparkling for you! But you can imagine.
Approaching our home, the Madison Range was a welcomed sight.
Those dots in the snow are cattle!
Home Sweet Home!!

The tracks in the snow are evidence that our neighbor came down our driveway earlier today. He blew off our walkway and prepared a clear spot for us to enter the house. God bless him!

Are you blessed with helpful neighbors like ours?
I hope so!

It was a wonderful trip to California and back. We had a marvelous set of experiences with family and friends. Thank you for traveling along vicariously with us!

But, as much as we enjoyed the trip, the friends, the time with family, the sun-filled desert, the reunions with colleagues and former classmates, the Tahoe area skiing, etc., you know…. there’s NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

It’s good to be back in the Madison Valley
where the Madison River
beckons people from all over to the world
to come and fly fish…
and where the big sky
smiles a welcome
and neighbors are so grand.

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
Which of my photos from today’s travel did you like best?

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, Fishing, friendship, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Memories, Montana, mountains, nature, photography, Travel

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Don’tcha Hate It?


Don’tcha just hate it:

The end of Christmas season?

Can’t it last all year?

Leave lovely lights on;

Keep the manger love alive.

Let the angels sing 🎶

Don’tcha just hate it:
The thought of putting away
The decorations?

Keep Christmas alive
In your heart and in your life
The entire year long.

Here’s to clear vision all year.
❤ Happy 2020 ❤

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
I pray your first day of the new year was wonderful.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Christmas, Family, Haiku, holidays, Jesus, Love, Poetry

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Family, Food, and Fun


Christ First at Christmas
Family, Food and Fellowship
Fun Around the Tree

Christ first
Tree ready for family gathering
Generations working cooperatively to make the Christmas dinner – aged tradition: spaetzle!
Mmmm… chicken, spaetzle, asparagus and salad …. yummy!
Our granddaughter, Faith, made that spaetzle batter from an old family recipe.
Family in Switzerland celebrated Christmas, too. Thank God for internet communication! There’s Andre’ with one of his gifts; and Mike with Tania (his sweet girlfriend) in the background.
California family sent video cheers from their Christmas gathering.
Bob and I feel so blessed with loving family and good health. Thank You, God!
Our daughter-in-law, Monika, was the perfect hostess.
And our son, Ty, the perfect host!
Ruthie & Darrell, Monika’s parents, are such a blessing to have around. Are you blessed with loving, compatible in-laws, too??
Our daughter, DeAna, in Switzerland, is blessed with the most angelic mother-in-law in the world! Here is De with her husband, Andre’, his sweet mom, Denise, and our middle grandson, Nicky. We appreiated keeping in touch this Christmas day.
Grandma Monika had the perfect nest for her granddaughter, Cosette, who returned to spend Christmas afternoon and eve with us.
Faith enjoyed the talking book we gave her. It was created with her and her siblings’ voices 20 years ago as a birthday gift for her great-grandma. Time to pass it along to the next generation and let Faith enjoy her own 4-year-old voice.
Faith’s husband, Kyle, got a kick out of hearing Faith’s sweet 4-year-old voice, too.
End of a long day- Cosette said, “Time to sleep!”
Grampy Bob said, “You’re right, Cosette. Good night!”

I hope you had a Christmas filled with Family, food, and fun, too. I pray your memories are as sweet as mine. Merry Christmas, my friends. May the spirit of the holidays live in your heart and bring you joy – all year long!

Have a great day after.
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

children, Christmas, Family, food, Giving, Gratitude, Haiku, holidays, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Poetry, prayer

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Loving Christmas Birds


Colorful blue bird
Rests among the red berries
Waiting for Christmas

With his red cap on
The snow doesn’t affect him
He’s warm as can be

Let the birds send love
Then you can reciprocate
Spread love this Christmas

Open your heart for Christmas birds!

What’s your favorite bird?

Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
I love you!
See you tomorrow.

Category:

Animals, Christmas, Haiku, Love, nature, Poetry

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Hackers Waste Our Time


Photo by Andri on Pexels.com

Hackers waste our time;
Don’t they have more productive
Ways to spend their time?

Today a scammer
Hacked my Facebook page and sent
Garbage to my friends.

S/He wasted my time
And the time of my friends, too.
Why not send out love?

If you have the brains
To figure out how to scam,
Why not do some good?

Use your brains for cheer.
Publish ways to improve life.
Reap Heavenly Gold!

Photo by Rahul on Pexels.com

Spend quality time
Enjoying celebrations!
Create joy instead.

Happy Birthday, Janet!

Exchange misery
For chances to increase joy.
Hackers are dead wood!

Grow in love and integrity!

Exchange your dead wood
For sweet natural beauty.
Honor your great brain!

Take a tip from Snoopy

Don’t waste precious life
Sending misery on-line.
Spread kindness instead.

Make Someone’s Day Better

Have you had trouble with scammers
or hackers on your computer?
How do you handle it?

It can be very disconcerting!

See ya tomorrow

Category:

Haiku, happiness, Heartache, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, peace, Poetry, respect, Serving One Another, writing

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4-Wheeling in Montana


Today was a beautiful blue-sky day
to go 4-Wheeling on LUCILLE
(our red-headed ATV who is a BALL)

Macatee put-in

We drove in our pick-up pulling Lucille on a trailer
to the Macatee Bridge area about 25 miles south of Ennis.
There we met friends, unloaded the ATVs
and headed up into the Gravelly Range
past the Talc Mine.

Bob -ATV

talc mine

The day could not have been more beautiful!

Sign- Gravelly Range

We had our bear spray with us.
We were headed to the Cottonwood area
where a couple of hunters
were mauled by Grizzleys last week.

6 guys - ATV
There were 6 guys (That’s Bob on the right)
and 3 of us gals

Usies - Jan-Barb-Caroline
Yes, when we got up to 8,000 ft. level at the look out,
it was time to bundle up!
I covered my ears,
Barb covered her neck,
and Caroline covered her head and neck!

Charley on overlook

Barb’s dog, Charley, was not afraid of the cliffs.

TazE in Gravelies-rocky
Our TazE stuck mostly to the rocky lower levels.
Both dogs enjoyed the freedom to explore.

Our goal was to see the Aspen gold-
Autumn in the Rocky Mountains is a spectacular time of year.
The landscape became more beautiful the farther up we traveled.

Wow - Aspen in Autumn

This is what we traveled up the Gravelly Range to the Ruby Valley to see!!

When we got up to Monument Ridge at 9,587 feet,
it was gorgeous, but really cold as the wind
came right off the left-over snow
on the higher mountains.

Black Butte had snow tucked in all its crevices.

Black Butte panorama

Caroline bundled up to stay warm.

Caroline on overlook

Coming back down, we made a potty stop and let the pups do a little more roaming.

ATVs @ bathroom stop

Barb, Don & Charley were ready to be on our way.

Barb & Charley in ATV

We passed at least two dozen of these harvested tree stacks
on our way to and fro.
The forest service has been very busy
cutting down dead trees and clearing out areas
near the road that might cause a fire hazard.

Red barn - Ruby River
Besides the gorgeous golden aspen groves,
my other favorite scene is this red barn on the Ruby River.
Isn’t it gorgeous?

Ruby River - aspen

vibrant aspen grove

We passed some grazing cattle
before following the signs and our friend, Chuck,
who led us back to our vehicles
where we loaded the ATVs and headed home.

beaver dam in Ruby River

See the cool beaver dam we passed on the way down?

Back down in the Madison Valley,
the Madison River,
and the Macatee take-out,
we were ready to return home
and share our great trip with you.

Hope you enjoyed it.
Have a good night.
The End - Lucille
The End!
bob-taze-in-lucille.jpg
See ya tomorrow.

Category:

Animals, friendship, Love, Montana, nature, pets

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