Proximity Is nearness Space that’s measured Feeling a treasured presence Closeness
Tomorrow may be in heaven… But there is a tomorrow for all Children of God
Movement Closing in Walking toward you Feeling your loving care Proximity
Bonnie & Stan 60 years of standing together, Leaning on one another Treasuring proximity
Movement Closing in Walking toward you Feeling your loving care Proximity
Dream Embrace Proximity We never know How long we’ll have Together
Bob & Jan 59 years and treasuring our proximity
Wishes Are important Dreams stay big My wish for you: Proximity
My sister-in-law, Bonnie, had the gift of her children and grandchildren’s close proximity yesterday as she dealt with the grief of separation. Hopefully they will ease the pain with beautiful shared memories. One of my other sisters-in-law sent me these pictures of Stan today. (If you follow my post, you know Bonnie’s husband died yesterday). I will post a few of Ann Beekman’s photos here so you can feel the proximity of this crazy family – full of joy and love for one another.
The Beekman/Hunt/Payne family guys
Stan clowning behind Bob & Bruce
Bonnie & Stan at a family dinner
Bonnie & Stan at our granddaughter, Faith’s wedding
Stan & Bonnie after an Hawaiian trip
A souvenir hat from Hawaii
Stan loved hats – Guess where this one came from!
May the memories of my dear brother-in-law remain alive in our hearts And the proximity of his character comfort and sustain all his loved ones.
What’s a favorite memory you pray your family and friends will use to help them remember you when you are gone?
What photo will keep you in close proximity to them?
Have you caught enough? Not everyone in this world Has caught enough fish.
Many without jobs In this COVID-19 world Are short of supplies.
Not every pantry Is filled to overflowing. Some have no pantry.
So what must we do? Sit back and enjoy our life? No, we’re called to share!
There is enough food On this, our beautiful earth, To provide for all.
The secret is: SHARE! Just count your many blessings; Reach out to others.
You will discover The more you give, the more you Have to give. That’s TRUTH!
Accumulation
Accumulation as a definition of success fails to realize that if you store up treasures on earth in excess of what you need, you may discover they bury you… and you really can’t access it all, anyway. How is that bunny gonna get that carrot outta the ground, huh?
On the other hand, if you’re all show and no growth, you won’t have enough to feed yourself, let alone give any away!
“All show” is that fancy car, extra large TV, more shoes and purses or wallets or clothes than you need, elaborate houses, etc. You get the picture. Spend it all on the “things that pass away” – and you will be one lonely fisherman!
It was the little things you did The sacrifices that you made The small donations from your little The generosity from your abundance That made such a difference In the lives of others
Generosity is the key To a richer, fuller life Not the number of your barns Filled to overflowing, But the love you freely gave From the depths of a grateful heart
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.
I wish you enough gratitude to help you live with joy. I wish you enough generosity to help you give generously. I wish you enough health to give you strength to serve. I wish you enough love to give it all away.
Whatever you send into the lives of others, comes back in to your own. But, do not give for what you can get, give because you have been richly blessed.
I send lots of love and virtual hugs your way. Thanks for visiting JanBeek. See ya later.
In honor of my sister, Sally, who always dressed to the hilt for every holiday, I bought a sparkling shamrock necklace today. Happy St. Pat’s Day, Sis!!
My necklace has a sparkling light – – – Sally would love this! She’s in a nursing home in Pennsylvania, and like all nursing homes in the USA now, they are on “lock down” for their own safety. Coronavirus is keeping a lot of folks away from the corned beef and cabbage fun they usually enjoy with family and friends on this day. I hope the Masonic Home serves it for her dinner.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, dear friends. I hope your day is a blessed one – even if you are quarantined and unable to get out. Just let the leprechauns come to you!
Do you ever wish you could fly? Just float above the challenges, view life from a higher perspective, and come in for a landing better equipped to deal with life’s complexities?
“Poetry is a diary kept by a sea creature who lives on land and wishes he could fly,”
brings me back to my angel post from yesterday.
One of my readers commented that angel wings would come in mighty handy on crowded “free”ways. The traffic jams make them anything but free, and so those wings might allow him to fly above the fray.
Fly me to the moon!
I’m a sea creature who lives on land
And wishes I could fly.
I’m a fish out of water
And let me tell you why.
My mind thinks in poetry;
My ears hear in rhyme.
My soul seeks to soar
To heights all the time.
I’m a shrimp in a crowd
Of fish-loving folks
Who tower above me
Telling fly-fishing jokes.
I prefer sitting quietly
At the edge of the sea
And finding a star fish
Who’ll fly “heaven-word” with me.
Want to fly along?
It’s another beautiful day in southern California. We are leaving our friends in Redlands and headed for a place in Rancho Mirage for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned. I’ll share my adventures with you.
Where are you headed today? Wish you could fly? I do!
What do you think might be three things you need in life?
Freedom of expression is one of my needs.
You NEED food, air and water. But do you need to impress? Is recognition one of your needs? That’s linked to that need to impress.
I found this quote some time ago and saved it. Sorry I don’t know who said or wrote it:
“To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone.”
Hah!
I saved the wish bone from our Thanksgiving turkey! I’m waiting for the right person to share it with.
I’ve got the funny bone – carry it with me always.
Think I’ll borrow that backbone up there! (Actually mine is pretty sturdy!)
How about you?
Do butterflies need a backbone?
It’s been a busy season in these six days of December so far. What have you been up to?
Today I invited a friend come to our house mid-day, and she helped me decorate our Christmas tree.. It looks great, don’t you agree?
Last night we helped my friend, Bernice, celebrate her 87th birthday. Take a look at her. Don’t you agree she could pass for 70?
This morning I baked cookies to donate to our Madison County Library. They gave them to people who came by the Library during this afternoon’s “Christmas Stroll” in Ennis.
After baking cookies, I met with our Madison County Writers’ Group – and we spent a delightful hour and a half together. We started with a “Free Write” on the topic we drew from a hat… My Favorite Season. We had 15 minutes to create an essay, poem, or some kind of reflection on the topic. This is what I wrote:
My Favorite Season
Seasons come and seasons go There are winters, summers, falls and springs; But the season that appeals most to me Is the one that stays because of what it brings.
It brings my favorite music and stunning colors. It brings loving generosity and untold joys. It prompts people throughout the world To open hearts with gifts for needy girls and boys.
The trees all sparkle with snow and lights. The houses hang wreaths and let candles glow. The bells ring out to announce the reason For my favorite season: the birth of Christ, you know?
The season brings out the best in us. It helps us open wide our arms in love To show gratitude for the gift He promises Eternal life with our God above.
Merry Christmas!
After Writers’ Group, I went home to do the Christmas tree decorating before going to meet with the “Ennis Ringers.” We had our picture on the front page of the local paper this week. Can you see me front and center back row?
The Madisonian, our local newspaper published a nice article about us this week. I am first in the picture below. My bells are the smallest ones (notes of F and G ring out when I am in the right spot in the music).
I would post a video so you can hear us, but for some reason, WordPress is not allowing me to include it here. I’ve posted videos in the past, so I don’t understand the glitch.
Oh well, maybe it will let me post the video tomorrow. As the news article indicates, the “Ennis Ringers” will play again this Sunday at our church.
Yesterday I had fun at our annual Madison Valley Woman’s Club Christmas luncheon. My buddy, Lucy Ennis can be seen here in red with one of our new members who is an activities director at our local nursing home.
The ladies from the nursing home really went all out with their Christmas costumes. There’s evidence of that “Funny Bone” we all need!
Below is one of my favorite people, Bev Claussen. Her reindeer antlers light up and blink!
Remember a second bone we all need is a “Back bone.” Our Woman’s Club Executive Board is the “back bone” of this very active group of ladies. They provided a delicious lunch for the more than 50 ladies who showed up for this event. (Remember, we are a community of only 1,000 residents in Ennis – so this is quite a lively organization!).
Besides the back bone and the funny bone, we need a wish bone, right? And we need food, air and shelter. Here you see the food; earlier you saw the butterfly that adorns the air we breathe. And in my home, with the tree decorated, you witnessed my beautiful “shelter.” What about the wish bone?
Before she blew out her candles. my friend, Bernice made a wish.
I don’t know what her wish was, but I know my wishes are for you:
May you always have all the good food, clean air, and lovely shelter you need. May you always have a back bone, a funny bone, and a wish bone. And May the bells of joy ring in your land and bring you peace…
“W” is a letter with
a wealth of opportunities for words that encompass
the qualities we need to add more meaning and find greater purpose in life.
With WONDER and WHIMSY
Fill your eyes with the wide-open wonder of the world. It is a magnificent place, isn’t it? The water is one of the wonders that brings the whimsy to my surface. Makes me want to run in the waves and wiggle my toes in the sand. Makes me want to explore the wishes I would love to see come true.
To live a more meaningful life and find greater purpose, we need to open our hearts to explore our wishes, make our bucket lists, and dream big!
Bob Goff is one of my favorite whimsical people.
I have not met him in person, but I love his book, Love Does,
and I am a huge proponent of his life’s purpose:
to help people Dream Big and fulfill their
heartfelt wishes.
Check him out:
On his website it says,
“Bob has inspired millions to dream big and make life more awesome. He is driven by a desire to help others unlock their potential to love and be loved greater. What goals and dreams have you been putting off out of fear or the thought that you can’t do it, that it’s too hard? Chances are, Bob could talk you out of those thoughts and send you charging into your next adventure.”
Let WISDOM Guide You
Sometimes wisdom is found in silence.
Prov. 17:28 in The Message, Bible translation by Eugene H Peterson reminds us:
“Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.”
The wisdom of the Bible guides my prayer life, my daily walk, my associations with others. That particular verse in the NIV (New Revised Version) says, “Even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent.”
Mom’s version of that was,
“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool,
than to speak and remove all doubt!”
Mom was always trying to get that message across to me. As a child I must have been quite the blabber-mouth. Bob will tell you that I still am, but I think I have improved through the ages. I hope I’m not as big a motor-mouth as I once was. My third grade teacher wrote on my report card, “Janet must learn, she can’t talk ALL the time.”
I’m still a work in progress. Aren’t we all?
A good part of walking in wisdom is learning when to speak and when to listen… and developing the habit taught in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, “Seek first to understand, and then to be understood.”
