Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Posts tagged ‘WordPress’

WordPress as Spam

When does a WordPress blog become spam?
When I get 13 notifications in one day…
and then 13 more the next day…
and more the next day … on & on…
all from the same blogger,
filling my notifications
with posts that have
no way to respond.
What do I do?
How do I
STOP IT??

Cristian Mihai
and his
The Art of Blogging
has become a pest!

I believe in his help –
and have used it in the past.
I have donated monthly to his cause.
But now I want it to stop.
It has become a nuisance.

Help!

Care About Stats?

Do You Study Your Stats?

What do your stats tell you?

Talented musician and poet, Laura Sullivan, can look at her stats and know they spell SUCCESS.
No doubt about it! When you earn your living as a musician – and you play to be heard, getting two and a half million listeners has got to be a rush. Don’t you think?

How About You?

How about you?
Do you care how many followers you have on WordPress?
Do you count a successful post by how many likes you get?
Or by the number of comments?
Or by the viewers the stats show?

Looking at your daily stats
can reveal patterns
that give you clues
about what titles
or numbers of posts per day
can do.

BUT, they can be very discouraging.

What?
All that effort
and
only 16 likes or comments?

When I look at my stats
by the years instead of weeks or months,
Wow! How encouraging!
What a lot of improvement
I made after I decided
to post on a regular basis!

Hmmm,
do those stats
define success for me?

No! I won’t let numbers define me!
But, look at those likes and comments for this 2020 year.
Now, that can get my blood
rolling through my veins
at a quicker pace,
can’t it?

Is it Numbers?

Oh no, wait!
Are numbers why we do this?
Are we motivated by our ability to reach out?
Do our world views show us what we’re about?

Beware the Comparison Game!

When Cristian Mihai (The Art of Blogging) shows us his world map, every continent is colored in. It’s easy to play that comparison game – and decide you’re never gonna be good enough. Don’t fall into that trap!!

Define Your Purpose

Why do you blog?
Is it for numbers?
I doubt it!

Some people do it for money …
they are full time bloggers and stats mean income.
I understand that.
But, my guess is that the majority of us
are in it for the joy of
being inspired
and
being an inspiration.

That’s my purpose!
To spread positivity and optimism
and to help us all
just “Love One Another”
more unconditionally.


When I get a response
like the one below,
that’s what makes it all worthwhile.
That’s what makes my heart swell.

I want to be a “Beacon of Light and Hope.
Don’t we all??

Yesterday I receive this comment:

Whose Light?

Yes, I want to be a beacon of hope and light …
and be unafraid to tell you where that light originates!
I can’t fulfill my purpose alone!
Only as I am connected to my source
am I authentic enough to inspire.

It’s not a candle that keeps burning on its own!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The flame is “This Little Light of Mine” and I don’t intend to hide it under a bushel!
Let it SHINE!!!

Who or what electrifies your light?
What prompts your posts?
Is it to inspire?


Let the stats speak…
But don’t let them be your only motivation.

SHINE!

Photo by Nubia Navarro (nubikini) on Pexels.com

Thanks for visiting
JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow.

Marvelous Montana & Morning Plans

Sharing more pictures
from yesterday’s autumn colors ride
I wonder why some are golden
while others remain green?
So many wonders to behold everywhere we looked!
The picture doesn’t do it justice.
With the sun coming through them,
those trees were pure gold!
Our friends, the Feldmans, led the way.
I posted this one yesterday.
Bob told me today, “Those aren’t aspen.”
Well, anyway, I like their color!

Before I leave you this morning, I want to share something I found on FaceBook:

#11 on the list
is at least a half hour
of journaling and beginning my blog post

I do #9 regularly.
I love the Proverbs.
There are 31 chapters.
Today read Chapter 22. Full of wisdom!

I’m at #11 on the routine list right now.
Do you get notices like this from WordPress?
I wonder what’s magic about 1337?
You’d think they’d wait til 1500 or some round number, wouldn’t you?
Anyway you look at it though, that’s a lot of posts.

I hope you spend some time perusing them
by putting your favorite topic up in the search bar at the upper right.
Topics like bees or animals, Switzerland or Jesus will lend some beautiful results!

I appreciate your visit.
I’m off to do #12…
See ya tomorrow.

Sending you my love,
JanBeek

Free to “Bee”

It’s a different kind of Independence Day weekend in the USA. Our little town of Ennis WILL have its annual rodeo tonight. Social distancing is easy in that outdoor venue. But we will not have the 4th of July parade. Our population of 1,000 grows on that day to about 6,000 typically – and the sidewalks are wall-to-wall people. So for public safety, it was cancelled. We are free to just BEE this year… and grateful to bee alive!

The rodeo will happen as usual, but the crowd will be greatly diminished.

We’ll miss the parade, but we’ll celebrate here at home –
quietly thanking God for our freedom and renewed health.

Yesterday Bob was delighted to be able to spend a day on the Madison River with our friend, Scott. The fishing was good – and the weather was beautiful. The wildlife were out enjoying the sunshine, too.

Scott took this picture of the moose who entertained the fishermen.

He managed to get four of the five fox babies in one photo. He said they were quite entertaining!

Yesterday while Bob was out fishing and I was recuperating from my surgery, a couple of my girlfriends and a dear couple from our church made sure I was well taken care of. Terry (on the left) made bran muffins for my breakfast and gave me a darling, soft and cuddly angel blanket. Elaine (on the right) brought lunch and we shared it as we visited for a couple of hours. Then later in the day other friends brought us a delicious dinner of ham and scalloped potatoes, salad, and cookies for dessert. Yum!!!

Today is Terry’s birthday! Happy Birthday to my sweet, beautiful friend.<3

I know I am super blessed to have such wonderful friends.
I hope you are equally gifted.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

On another topic, you may have noticed that yesterday’s blog “Learn to Say NO,” with a series of Haiku was all in capital letters. I was not intending to shout at you. I was just trying to enlarge this font that WordPress suddenly has decided to use as a default. I found out how to enlarge the first letter in each new text entry. That’s fun, but do you have advice for how I can default back to a larger text for the body of my posts?

I hope you’re having a fun-filled weekend…
even if it’s not the typical Independence Day celebration.
Happy 4th of July weekend!

Celebrate your FREEDOM to BEE!
See ya tomorrow.
Love from JanBeek

Fast Away

Fast Away

Fast away this old month passes –
New one enters, cold and blue.
Never have I felt such distance
Separating me from lovely you.

My arms long to hold your heartstrings;
My soul aches to feel your touch.
Never did I think I’d feel so lonely-
Never have I missed you so much.

I miss my church friends in the pew;
I miss singing our hymns with you.
I long to gather at your table
And sip a glass of wine or two.

I miss the chance of volunteering
Where I can go and serve with glee.
I miss the sound of great crowd cheering.
I pray you’ll soon be here with me.

Fast away this old month passes –
No one knows where the end will be
Of this dark and deadly outbreak.
Won’t you pray for a cure with me?

Looking on the Brighter Side

Fast away this old month passes
I’m reminded of how much I love
Being safe and feeling healthy,
Hearing coos from nesting doves.

I have much for which to thank God –
And as April nudges through my door,
May my heart be ever grateful
For my safety and for so much more.

May I thank God daily for his watch
Over friends and family – oh so dear.
May I remember to show gratitude
For all the blessings I have here.

Keep my eyes on all the wonders
God has strewn across my path.
Food to eat, a loving family, and
Friends with texts that make me laugh.

Fast away this old month passes.
I won’t let the new be blue.
I’ll keep looking for God’s miracles
And send His love daily to you.

My Thanks and Condolences

Thank you, dear blogging friends, for visiting JanBeek.
You represent about 80 countries,
my WordPress stats have told me.
Some of you have lost loved ones
during this pandemic…
or you know people who have.
11,600 deaths in Italy alone??
It is unfathomable!!
The USA’s latest toll is 2,900,
according to today’s news…
with no end in sight.
No place, no person on our planet
is immune!

My Heart Breaks


My heart breaks for all who suffer,
who have lost loved ones,
whose family and friends have tested positive,
who are feeling the loneliness
and the vulnerability I wrote about
in the beginning of this blog.
It is not a situation we should make light of!
It is deadly and it is on the rise.
Bee Well, my friends.
Bee safe!

I love you!

Let’s pray together:
Dear Lord,
please
make this COVID-19
go
FAST AWAY!!

Amen.

The 5 P’s of Blogging

The Art of Blogging . One of the bloggers I have followed from Day 1 on Word Press is Cristian Mihai who writes on The Art of Blogging. His tips always are right on! His coaching is helpful for those of us who are trying to improve our blogging skills. Isn’t that all of us?

woman in front of her computer

Photo by Retha Ferguson on Pexels.com

This week he reminded us that blogging is not about numbers. It’s not about how many followers or how many “likes” or how many comments we get. It’s about the people. “Build relationships,” he told us. Cristian continued by reminding us that it’s about passion. Write about things you really care about, he instructed. You can’t improve your blog if you don’t know WHY you are blogging, he said. Cristian Mihai always reminds me that I need to be clear about my purpose. What do I hope to accomplish?
ask blackboard chalk board chalkboard

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

People, Passion, Purpose, Precision, and Pleasure . I wrote to Cristian thanking him for the 3 P’s of successful bloggers, but then suggested we need to add two more P’s: precision and pleasure. I need to be precise about what I write. Make sure the words are spelled correctly, the grammar is correct, and the format is pleasing. Add sub-titles. Add pictures. Edit out superfluous words. Read it aloud to myself or my dog. Make sure it sounds real.

No one will return to a blog that is sloppy or one that uses objectionable language. Or at least not many people will. We all know that. Those kinds of words and messes turn me off!

top view of black and white typography sentences

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

And the 5th “P” of successful blogging is pleasure. I take pleasure in writing about the things I am passionate about. I get enormous pleasure out of communicating with the people who leave comments. I love getting to know people from India, Sri Lanka, Canada, Venezuela, Germany, Finland, etc… it’s FUN!! I really enjoy looking at where y’all are from.

man sitting on a green grass field

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Have FUN! . As long as you’re having fun, taking pleasure in the writing process, and enjoying the connections that your blog makes possible, I think you’re on the right track. As long as you write about your passions (one of mine is this “Loving One Another” subject), and as long as you stay true to your purpose and do it with the greatest precision you can muster, then I think you are a blogging “artist.”

I’m glad you are here at JanBeek. I hope we can get to know one another, encourage one another, and give each other feedback as often as possible.

You matter to me. You’re my people!

friends-price-tags

Have a good night. See ya tomorrow.

Shine Your Light!

In today’s sermon,
Elaine told a story of
A lighthouse keeper:

On a stormy night,
He climbed the rocks to the light;
Turned it on and fell.

He fell and he died
That night on the rocky hill
After doing his job.

A sailor that night
Saved his passengers and crew
Because of the light.

The lightkeeper died
So that others might be saved
From falls in darkness.

Is your light shining in the dark?

Elaine Hundley, who delivered the message in church today reminded us that, like this lighthouse keeper, Jesus died that we might live. He gave His life for us. Likewise, we are reminded to share our lives – give what we have – to brighten the lives of others.

Elaine read from Luke 12:13-21,
and she reminded us –
“All we have is on loan to us
From the Lord, the Almighty.
If we have extra, we are told
To give it away; don’t hold tightly.

These are eleven of the WordPress bloggers
who provide sunshine in my life –
They share the writing talents they have been given;

They are my choices
for the Sunshine Blogger Award :

  1. Cristian Mihai, The Art of Blogging
  2. derrickjknight
  3. lilie215, Tea and Toast with Kindness
  4. Sandra, Into the Light Adventures
  5. MeRaw, The Journey of My Left Foot (whilst remembering my son)
  6. Claudia, Humoring the Goddess
  7. Dr. Perry, Dr. Eric Perry, PhD
  8. Betul Erbasi – To Write or not to Write and What to Write
  9. Marts, for much deliberation
  10. Ann Koplow, The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally
  11. ELLE, elleguyence
Here’s my Sunshine Award for you!
Congratulations for being such a great blogger!
You shine your light on my life each time you post!

Dear Readers, you will enjoy checking out the blogs listed above. They are always inspiring. If any of these people wish to accept the award (Big Sky Buckeye already did – he sent this to me) and put it on their blog site, check back to see the rules posted yesterday on JanBeek.

Among the rules, I was asked to answer 11 questions and then create 11 questions for my Sunshine Award recipients to answer. Here are my questions:

  1. When did you start blogging?
  2. Why did you start blogging?
  3. How often do you generally blog?
  4. What’s the main topic of your blog (your “niche”)?
  5. Is there a particular time of day when you generally blog? If so, when and why?
  6. Who is your most faithful follower?
  7. Do you have a tendency to post with that person in mind? Or do you have a different technique for personalizing your message?
  8. Of all your posts, which one would you save if all were lost except one?
  9. What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to beginning bloggers?
  10. Where do you get most of your ideas?
  11. If you could improve one thing about WordPress, what would it be?
Thanks for being a light in my day!

See ya tomorrow.

Word Origins & Creative Usage

Where do words come from?

When you google that question,
you realize how new the verb, “google” is!

 

Of course, you know how that word, Google, originated.
It was those 4 or 5 guys in a garage, right?

But what about the word “zany”?
Where did it originate?

 

Shakespeare!

Shakespeare had an incredible influence on the English language and invented “zany” – as well as hundreds of other words we still use today.

Here are some of the more than 1,700 words first used in Shakespeare’s writing: 

  • amazement
  • bedroom
  • champion
  • dawn
  • eyeball
  • fashionable
  • gossip
  • moonbeam
  • olympian
  • puking
  • swagger
  • unreal
  • zany

Wow! Shakespeare!

William Shakespeare

He was sooooo creative!!
(That’s an understatement)
We’ll never know exactly what Shakespeare looked like,
but many portraits share similar features. This one is a Getty image
.

Here’s an image of Zany Me:

img_5980

How zany can you get?

You have to “SnapChat” it before you get
those ears and eyelashes – and such smooth skin!
Do you know SnapChat?
It’s one of many programs out there that
help us creatively present ourselves.

Internet Writing Programs

Sometimes we present ourselves visually with doctored images (like the one above).

Do we “doctor” our verbal images of ourselves, too? Microsoft Word is one of many programs in this technological world that allows us to spice up what we say and how we say it. I love using their templates. In addition to Microsoft Word and other well-known programs, I recently discovered Google Docs. Do you know about that app?

I have Google Docs on my iPhone.
Do you use that program to
create and edit documents on the go?
You can “get stuff done”
(how’s that for creative word usage?)
with or without an internet connection.

iphone on white textile

Photo by Hoang Do on Pexels.com

You can write on your own – or invite more people to contibute.
My granddaughter, Faith, used Google Docs to write her
paternal (DeAngeles) Family History.
Her dad is our son, Ty.
Faith sent the Goodle Doc to me to see and edit.
It’s a great program.

Descriptive Words

Particular words jumped out at me as I read Faith’s geneological study that included health histories of her grandparents, parents, siblings, and aunts/uncles:

  • heart attack
  • valve replacement
  • Valley Fever
  • arthritis
  • cancer
  • diabetis
  • high cholesterol

These medical issues and troublesome words don’t describe the people, or

  • the beauty,
  • the personalities,
  • the faith,
  • stamina,
  • and creativity of the family.

Where do we make sure such characteristics make it to the printed page and live on in history?

Signature Vocabulary

As a writer who has created a blog, YOU can be sure the beauty, the uniqueness, and the zaniness of your personality and your loved ones lives on. You can create a legacy for your family; one that tells more than birth, marriage, children, illnesses and death.

What words might people attribute to YOU? Have you a signature vocabulary? What do you want folks to remember about your family?

Bob

My Precious Husband

My precious husband, Bob, may not have invented the word, “Foo-Foo,” but his use of it for someone’s name is becoming a signature of his.

“You know, help me out, Foo-Foo was just over there by the Wuch-a-me-call-it. You remember!”

Uh, can you help me out a little more! Who and/or where?

He makes me laugh!!
The older we get, the more “Foo-Foos” there are in our lives!

bob-jan

Yes, words are our trademark. Just as identifiable as our fingerprints.

 

 

I don’t think I’ve actually invented any words, though. Have you?

 

Using Words Creatively

Do you use words in unique ways?
My blogging friend, Dorothy (deyspublishing.wordpress.com),
posted today  about pouting clouds. 

I said they were pouting and spouting.

Giving animate qualities to inanimate objects is a great use of words. I love the way many poets do that. They attribute people qualities and actions to things in nature… animals, clouds, unfriendly chairs.

My iPhone has a dictionary app that allows me to look at synonyms and antonyms as well as definitions. You probably have that app, too. It’s a great tool for finding ways to creatively use words.

Sharing Creative Writing With Others

In addition to sharing my writing on WordPress, I belong to a writers’ group. We meet every 1st & 3rd Friday. Our first 15 minutes is a Free Write on a topic we draw out of a hat.

sea fashion beach sand

Draw out of a Hat

I think when next we meet, we should have a list of original Shakespearean words and see if we can select six (or so) of them to weave into a story – with instructions to try and add one more – an “original” – one of our own.

Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Try it! Share your zany new word with me!

 

Have a whimsical*, zany weekend!

heart shaped red neon signage

See ya tomorrow

*Whimsical is a Bob Goff “signature word” in my mind. Have you read his book, Love Does? I highly recommend it. Talk about a “wordsmith!”

Happy 7th Anniversary

I received this notice today:

img_6733-e1555470462888.png

 

Seven is my magic number!

It’s God’s number for “completeness.” On the 7th day he rested.

Seven is our house number.

Seven is the number of grandchildren I have.

Seven is my birthday month.

Our phone number ends in a 77.

So does our PO Box number.

Our current house is the 7th dwelling
my husband and I have shared in our 57 years of marriage!

IMG_1491

But, my friends, 7 is not my number for completeness. It’s the number that causes me to look  in amazement  at all this synchronicity – and realize, “This is good!”

But, I am nowhere near complete – and neither is this JanBeek blog!  This is good – and it’s fun, but it’s not great yet!

I’m a work in progress, ending my 7th decade on earth … and ready to enter new challenges, new learning, new sharing. Growing in knowledge and grace. Striving to blog with intention and purpose – to make a positive difference for my faithfilled blogging friends.

I look forward to making new friends and keeping in touch with those who’ve hung in there with me. Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog. Please try to check in with me daily and see what’s new – and leave me some encouragement, too!

I will continue to share what I am passionate about as I enter this 8th year of blogging.

As I approach my 8th decade on this earth, I share the love, joy and peace that are mine through faith. I express my gratitude. I seek help with expressions of patience, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I share ways life is a blessing and ways I have learned to manage the challenges life tosses at us. I write about things I care about (like today’s fire at Notre Dame). Sometimes I write just to entertain. Every now and then I just wanna make you laugh (like Jesus is Walkin’ on Water Again).

I hope my sharing helps and inspires and encourages my followers.

I’m hangin’ in there, and I hope you do, too!

Send seven of your friends this way., will you?
Let’s grow together!

thankyou_clip1

Keepers of the Aquarium

Are you a Fisher of Men
or
A Keeper of the Aquarium?

person in blue long sleeve shirt and black pants using fishing rod

Photo by Kong Ruksiam on Pexels.com

“Too many churches have stopped being fishers of men, and have become keepers of the aquarium,” said Pastor Ray at Bayside Church in Sacramento, CA in his Refuel devotional today.  http://baysideonline/devotionals/refuel-2018

(Go to today’s refuel: 3/28/19)

Check it out.

Pastor Ray suggested that as “Keepers of the Aquarium” we miss the chance to reach out beyond our own to help others. He suggested ways we might be effective “Fishers of Men.”

Our Aquariums

The imagery of us church-goers just swimmin’ in our own little tanks and feeding off of one another and keeping to ourselves tickled and troubled me. Tickled, when I realized we, like these jellyfish, all look about the same – very little diversity – and we’re swimming around in our own little circles, taking care of each other. Troubled, when I see that even in our own little space, our feelers are not quite touching most of the time!

jellyfish inside an aquarium

Photo by Nguyen Tran on Pexels.com

 

Be Inspired

The devotional (I hope you clicked on the link and heard the message) inspired me to look again at my servant/service role.

Oh sure, Bob & I are teaching a Sunday School – – – three darling little 3 to 6 year olds – – –  they feed our souls! But, how are we being Fishers of People? How are we reaching outside our aquarium to spread the Good News to others in the world?

Blog

One way is by the messages we post on our blogs. JanBeek is all about “Loving One Another.” Not just those in our aquarium, but in the lakes and rivers and big blue sea, too. I love my growing list of followers. I love that you represent countries outside the USA and states outside Montana! I hope you find inspiration here. I aspire to inspire and increase your belief in the grace of God, your faith in our fellow human beings, and the desire to reach out in love.

How Do We Show Our Love?

Yesterday I heard on FaceBook a fantastic message by the founder of https://www.charitywater.org/  I joined (with a small monthly pledge) the “Spring” to help provide clean water to more people in the world. Hopefully, the message of the Deliverer of Living Water will accompany the new wells provided by the teams who go to care for and share with these needy folks. Look at their website and see the teams of young people who are traveling to impoverished areas and bringing new hope. It’ll warm your heart!

So far, the statistics for CharityWater reports these successes:

35,281

Water projects
funded

 

9,562,163

People will get
clean water

 

37

Local partners

 

27

Countries

All donations (100%) go to the clean water projects. Salaries and administrative expenses are paid by companies, partners, philanthropists who contribute for that purpose. My little amount each month goes directly to the intended purpose: to fund clean water projects and delivery to those in need. Yay! That’s one way to swim outside your aquarium!

 

Find a Need Beyond Your Aquarium

Maybe you’ll look at ways you can improve your service to others, too. Reach out to your neighbors, your local Food Bank, Medical Center, Senior Living facility, Library, etc. There countless “fish” out there in your local sea of troubled waters who need what you have to give.

Reach Beyond Your Borders

Look for world-wide worthwhile projects that touch your heart. I am a follower and advocate of Bob Goff’s Love Does project. Another of my small monthly pledges helps this international project that touches my heart.

Bob Goff says, “We have been fighting for human rights and providing education to children in conflict zones for over 15 years.”

You’ll see him on his website – smiling his goofy smile and inviting you to get involved.

 

Bob Goff

Bob is a New York Times best selling author (Get his book titled, Love Does, if you have not already read it). He was a recognized lawyer for over 25 years. In 2001 he saw a need in India and founded what is now known as Love Does.

 

100%

Bob promises, “We understand it can be daunting to know where to give your time and financial resources. We promise that 100% of every dollar you give will go directly to fund our international programs.”

 

DSC02037HalleProjectPhoto.jpg

Transparent

I promote LoveDoes.org because I have confidence in the work it is doing to improve the lives of countless people in need. Especially his work providing educational opportunities for children is near and dear to my heart. I receive regular updates.

Bob Goff says, ” At Love Does we strive to be transparent.  We have years of a proven track record and we want to invite you in to be curious. Ask questions! We want you to feel comfortable with where you are investing.”

Search Your Heart

Find the places, the people, the needs that touch your heart. Act today to reach out. Don’t get stuck in your aquarium!

starfish on brown stone

Photo by Guillaume Meurice on Pexels.com

 

Be a Fisher of People – not just the Keeper of Your Aquarium!

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