Rick Beeman

  I felt several weeks ago that I turned a corner. That didn’t mean that everything was suddenly OK.  Instead the tide turned as far as I think Ive been through the worst of it.  So what does that mean?  Will things not get any worse?  Oh, I think things might get worse but I can now confidently say I can control what I can control even if things don’t go the way I’m praying.  I’ve picked up some skills along the way, the most important of which are spiritual skills.  I have learned to rely upon my faith wholeheartedly even during the dark times.  I know whatever happens will ultimately happen for my good because I’m doing my part.  I just have to trust for everything else.   I’m so blessed because I just finished out with 3 great days in a row.  I know that might not sound like much but I’d probably have to go back to 2024 to find three consecutive great days.  I’ll take it.  I was anticipating a great weekend and I ...

  STOP THE PRESSES: TWO GREAT DAYS IN A ROW!  Does that reference mean anything anymore?  My first actual job was working at a newspaper (Daily Review) when I was 12 years old. I was the last person (I think) to ever sell newspapers outside a subway station (Hayward BART) think Newsies.  The Late Dennis Richmond always bought a paper from me on his way to host the KTVU Newscast.  Then I worked at the actual newspaper stuffing advertising inserts together for the Sunday paper.  I had a good work ethic when I was 12-14.  I knew my dad was rich, but I didn’t want to be considered the spoiled Rich Kid so I worked as hard as I could to save up for a nice car.  The car wound up being a used 1982 Camaro.  So Stop the Presses might be a phrase from a bygone era that younger generations might not know about. Phrases that might include “Don’t Touch that Dial”, “Hang up the phone,” or “Be Kind Rewind”   So I am burying the lead (Another bygone phra...

It was another good day. Nothing spectacular happened today to make it good and maybe that is why it is good.  I want these types of days to be the norm, not the exception.  I’m still filled with Hope.  Why is there anything happening?  Is there something to look forward to?  Not really other than unexpectedly seeing my daughter for an extra unplanned weekend.  My hope is from the Lord.  I’ve been singing this Psalm 121 all day long:   1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—  where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,  the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip—  he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel  will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you—  the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,  nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—  he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your c...

  I believe we were created on this Earth to have Relationship with God.  In Genesis 3:8 it describes God walking in the Garden with Adam in the cool of the day.  Abraham was also called a friend of God.  David was a man after God’s own heart.  So with all this relationship business in the Bible it makes sense that God both speaks and listens to us like any normal relationship.  Too often Christians view communication with God as a one way ticket and use God as a type of Santa Claus.  We don’t spend enough time listening to Him or at least I don’t.  This communication becomes even more muddled with sin in our lives.  I know when I have sin in my life it acts like radio interference.  I try to hear from God but I can’t hear from him clearly like before. The noise sometimes drowns God’s voice or sometimes the enemy comes in and mimics God’s voice taking me off the path.  Both issues happen to me.  The Holy Spirit is a gentleman v...

  A strange sensation came over me today. I was still somewhat depressed from the remnants of a great weekend to the polarity of an empty house.  So I’m glad there is a clinical diagnosis for it ( https://rickbeeman.blogspot.com/2025/10/adjustment-disorder-with-depressed-mood.html ) so it shows that I’m not alone.  This whole depression thing is such a novel concept.  I like to think of myself as the most optimistic guy on the planet.  Yet these circumstances are really challenging me.  One of my places of refuge is the school.  I try to leave my home issues behind.  The students don’t know and most don’t care what I’m going through.  I might have mentioned something about the separation at the beginning of the year but they have minds like goldfish when it comes to other people’s problems.  They have dire (in their minds) issues of their own.  I try to be the cool, firm but fair teacher.  I do have a few issues with students a...

  I had a really nice weekend.  Having my girls is a mixed blessing.  It makes me so less lonely being with them.  But it’s also bittersweet as it reminds me what it was like when I was with them full time and I obviously miss that. I took so many things for granted in the past thinking Love lasts forever.    Why can’t I just be happy and count my blessings for the present instead of longing for yesterday.  I’m sure I will get there eventually but this is a process.  My wife was kind enough to let me have the dog until Tuesday.  Usually I go through a mild depression when I drop the girls off.  But having the dog here is soothing.  It helps the come down seem less drastic.   I was also greatly encouraged by church today.  It seemed as if the preacher Bryan Lorritts from the Summit had been following me around the past six months and wrote a specific sermon exactly for my present situation.  The title of the messa...

The is the last of the three part installment of my top 10 list of 2011.  At first I didn’t think 2011 was all that great.  But on careful recollection in going over the list I have discovered/remembered that 2011 was actually quite remarkable for me.  I think that is the value of counting your blessings and looking back for a short time.  One shouldn’t live their life in the past, but rather use it as a springboard for justification of their optimism that their future will be brighter.  My father always said, “May the best of your yesterdays be the worst of your tomorrows.”  Again, I reference Romans 8:28, as a believer each year should get better and better otherwise you’re not doing it right.  Sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways.  Actually in my life, that’s the norm.  God doesn’t always make sense in the present.  Only in retrospect I see how His perfect plan had unfolded.  Take Tim Tebow for instance.  I am a life...

The first few days of Sloan Violet Beeman’s life have been quite harrowing.   As a parent you feel helpless sometimes.   Sloan was just a little over 12 hours old when Jennifer was feeding her in the hospital room.   Suddenly she started spitting up.   Jennifer quickly grabbed the aspirator and tried to clear it but it didn’t work.   Then Sloan started choking.   We quickly called the nurse.   The nurse took one look at her, had a panicked expression and whisked her out of the room.   Jennifer and I just looked at each other not knowing how to react.   What do you do in that situation?   After a few anxious minutes of trying to console a near hysterical wife we both tried to calm down.   I (by experience) have learned no not stress about much.   God has proven to me time and time again that he is in control and I trust him implicitly.   But there was just something about this that was different.   In...