ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Life is constant motion,

A dance to the beat of a certain drum,

Paul loved doing watercolor paintings, because to him it was much like sketching. As with any medium, this particular one needs to be worked quickly, to catch the light, to find the negative spaces, to fill in the shadows for contrast. We also loved taking drives through the natural space of Sherburne Wildlife Refuge. It was not likely that we would see any deer, bear or wolves, but the waterfowl were in abundance. The swampy areas – the spots that had been burned on purpose to manage the land and create new growth – the ponds and lakes that beckoned geese, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, eagles, pelicans and an abundance of various ducks. All of this cut through a natural area that was not only a sanctuary, but a place to come and see. Traffic moves slowly and may come to a complete stop as folks get out of their cars to get a closer look or to take photographs.

Day to day living can entrap us. We feel smothered by the work of the day or the tension created by it. We need a place to change our perspective and to chill out. A simple drive in nature can soothe our souls. You don’t even have to take a long drive to get there. Make time this week to explore the beauty that God has blessed us with and thank Jesus for another day.

Hearts racing through life,

Never time to relax,

To contemplate,

To enjoy the motion itself,

Nature is filled with it too,

As the wind swirls endlessly through the forest,

As the wildlife scurry to gather food,

As the sounds of life explode all around,

Whispers from the Creator,

To stop for a moment,

To listen,

To watch,

To feel,

The rhythm of life,

To become enshrouded with it,

To live.