ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

This watercolor is more on the abstract side of Paul’s body of work. Living in the city was part of his life. Eventually, cities show their signs of aging in different ways than the country does. In the city, everything decays and is either torn down and replaced or eliminated altogether. In the country, buildings age graciously. They tell stories of families, growing up, hard work and dedication. If a barn is torn down, the scrap may be reused or burned, but the country replenishes itself. Paul loved the rural scenes. There was even a time when he wanted to buy a silo and convert it into a house for us. I’m glad we decided against that. I can’t imagine getting up and down in such a place TH- especially at my age. Instead, Paul made the country his “home away from home.” When he painted, he would often go to the outskirts of the city or the edge of one of the many rivers nearby. He painted nature because it was that special retreat that kept him focused. Nature can refresh us in so many ways. God knew what we need the most is His original creation. That’s why we will be able to enjoy it even more after we depart from this one.

An ancient fortress, standing tall, within the city streets,

Remains of passing days gone by, with traffic now competes,

The outer walls are stained and brown, inside it seems the same,

Like bodies fading quickly – when old age calls your name,

We try to stand both bold and tall, but often fail the task,

So we sit down and we circumvent about the distant past,

But still a light shines brightly, our hope will never end,

When Jesus is our partner, our lives He will defend,

He is our mighty fortress, when all around does fail,

He lifts us up to heaven – and new life to unveil.

THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR ANOTHER DAY!