ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Today’s watercolor shows the bend of a river as it flows gently through a treed landscape. It gives me a sense of comfort, as all of Paul’s art does. Focusing on the beauty in life is not only helpful, but it also becomes a necessity as daily problems arise. Those issues don’t give us warning. They just happen. You park your car on the street and get sideswiped. The damage is minimal, but the driver’s door refuses to unlock or open. You must rely on others to get you where you need to go. You hear in the Sunday sermon about the treasure of heaven and not placing your trust in things of this world as your bank account is slowly draining. You try to keep busy, but the air outside won’t allow you to because of smoke drifting in from Canada. There are chores to be done inside, but you’d much rather be working in your garden. You feel alone, even though you aren’t. You wander through each day, trying to cope but you don’t. You could easily fall into depression, but God tells you not to.

Each of these scenarios could sap your energy to the point of giving up, but your mind drifts back to your younger days, when mom always had the right words.

My mother was a wonderful lady who had to endure so much loss and pain in her life.  She was sister to seven others and lost five of them in her lifetime to tragic accidents or terminal disease.  Her father suffered terrible strokes.  Her mother wore out and gave up life at 76.  Her husband died at 61 of cancer.  He hung on for two years of chemotherapy and unbearable pain.  She married again and had to endure the death of that husband as well.  She always maintained a positive attitude in all her circumstances and was a great role model for my sister and I.  When she finally faced her last hours, she was ready to die, but she still clung to it until the very end.  I still miss her every day.

There is great comfort in having someone special to go to when things just aren’t going the way they should. Now that I’m having to rely on myself to make the right decisions, I would just love to have one more conversation with mom. I know that God will be there too, but there’s something about talking face to face with someone.

I wonder what my mom would say if she could see our world today.

She wouldn’t fret or cry  or sweat.  She’d say, “Some things you must forget.

The world will always be this way.  Tomorrow is another day.”

She’d talk of days of long ago and how they were the same, you know.

She’d say, “It’s best to look ahead instead of crying for the dead.

We still are living, breathing souls – we must go on amidst all foes.

Our Savior will protect us!”

I’m 83 years old. I still want my mommy. I feel alone. I trust in God’s constant attention to my needs and life. I will wait on the LORD. He will calm my fears. He will help me focus on the good things He has given me. Many of those who have influenced my journey are now in heaven, but I know that I am not alone.