OK this is anything but serious poetry. I’m in a silly mood.
The beat of a different drummer announces that it is summer,
You welcome any newcomer, like a cast from “Dumb and Dumber,”
A talented banjo strummer – you might make friends with a plumber,
Head straight for the sea, you scummer, summer is never a bummer.
Memorial Day is almost here and with it thoughts of summer, vacations, picnics and fun. In the same breath this day was intended as a celebration of those who gave their lives in the service of their country. The National draft ended in 1973 after the Viet Nam ended. Today we have an all volunteer military. The call of patriotism as waned over time, but we still honor those who have given their all to serve. It seems, however, that the focus on patriotism is secondary to having fun. Unfortunately everything has taken a back seat to our own personal wants and needs.
Will Rogers once said, “We can’t all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by.” A hero is often not around to receive the glory he deserves. They may not be marching in the parade, but their contribution to their fellow man is something we often forget about. Those of us who sit on the curb are the recipients of their heroism.
We all possess an inner little gem in our very souls, called a conscience, which allows us the ability to discern the difference between right and wrong. This gift from God is what allows men to do great things when times call for it. When injustice is being done to humanity – when lives are being spent in the name of freedom – when governments become so big that they no longer include the voice of the people – the voice of conscience becomes louder and those who are listening will answer it and act upon it.
Dear Father, God, As we approach a day of remembrance for those who have spent their lives for the benefit of others, help us honor them as they deserve. Remind us to be grateful for their service and sincerely thank those who continue to serve. Let us never forget the price our fellow man has paid for freedom and remind us of the cost of our future in eternity. Without you, we would never know true peace. Amen!
Some time ago I tagged along with my artist husband to experience, first hand, what it’s like to paint outdoors. Most of these excursions don’t produce final masterpieces, but are more of a study in light, shadows, feeling the environment and a compilation of sketches for future reference.
It was a cloudy afternoon, with a sky filled with the threat of some interesting weather. We arrived at the beautiful winery, complete with grapes and an apple orchard. Miles and miles of various colors of green everywhere. Interspersed with picnic tables and outstanding bronze sculptures, it was the perfect place to set up an easel and get out the paints.
I didn’t bring my paints along this time. Paul was painting with a group of professional artists and I knew I couldn’t begin to compete, so I sat back and watched. Soon those nasty clouds filled the sky and raindrops starting falling. Many of the artists had umbrellas which covered their easels, but my artist continued to endure the elements. They were just sketches, he said.
The rain continued, but never amounted to much more than a sprinkle. I was beginning to see just how dedicated this man is to his craft. He didn’t blink an eye as raindrops fell upon the watercolor sketches. Watercolor is apparently very forgiving. Many of the artists had been there since early morning, so they packed up and went on their way. A few die-hard painters remained.
By the end of the event, the sun was shining and new brilliance adorned the landscape. “Perfect light,” he said. I almost didn’t join him in this adventure, but it was a chance to be together and I really enjoyed watching him delve into his work. The beauty of it all was worth it too.
God blesses us with these special times every day. It can be encased in the beauty of the sun peeking out of the clouds, or in the tumultuous clouds themselves. As we drove home, we witnessed another bank of storm clouds, which seemed to follow us all the way. I started imagining different things in the clouds, as I often did as a child. Both of us commented on the crocodile, the little man with a Pinnocchio hat, the giant monster blowing on another cloud.
It was a wonderful afternoon, filled with new stories and love.
We had a stiff wind yesterday and a reminder that we can’t control the elements. It started out as any normal day for a couple of old retired folks. We generally get up early, do our morning devotion and talk for a while, The sky intermittently displayed various kinds of clouds, indicating we might be in for some rain or storm activity. May in Minnesota is wildly unpredictable. One day it can be sweltering hot and another might need to add an extra blanket to the bed. Other times. you might witness a scene from “The Wizard of Oz” and feel as though you’ve been transported to place nothing like Kansas.
As the day progressed, we were faced with all kinds of ups and downs. For a while it felt like we were on a roller coaster. That’s what makes life interesting – right? After getting his car in for an oil change, Paul needed to put some miles on his tires and then have them retorqued so we decided to take care of a few chores. First stop was Best Buy to purchase the Roku that will eventually wean us off of cable. Then we stopped to purchase some annual plants to add to the garden for some color. We also needed a new hose for that garden, because the other one had served us well for many years. Each of these stops came with a slight amount of panic as people appeared without masks – uncovering less than happy faces. By the time we returned home, we were already exhausted an occurance which is happening more often lately. A light lunch cured that and we were ready to dig into the projects we’d just created for ourselves.
It was then that the fun began. I was trying to decide where to place my new plants, cleaned out a few garden areas and again had to sit down for a while. SIDE NOTE – A couple years ago my husband invented a new way of playing croquet for us old fogies. We set up several little sitting areas in our yard so that you could tap the ball – sit down and have a little talk and rest – then move on to the next sitting area. Thus we have lots of those stopping off points. But as usual, I digress.
Paul was trying to salvage something from the old hose before installing the new. The wind picked up and suddenly he heard a loud snap. The lovely flowering crab tree next to our garage had split and fallen to the ground. Paul responded with his usual comment, “That was interesting.” Fortunately it’s a little tree, but I will sadly miss the beauty it added to our yard. There was no damage to anything else, but the adventures would continue. Now a new project opened up for us. We looked at each other and laughed. Our plans for the day now exploded into a much bigger undertaking.
Like I said, it’s a small tree. Our son is coming over to deal with it this week. But that wasn’t the last of our adventures. I sat down and looked at the mess. Sometimes we create the mess ourselves and sometimes God sets a roadblock up so we can put things into perspective. That’s what He was doing yesterday. As I went over to examine the fallen tree and begin clipping some of the smaller branches, the wind picked up again. This time it created an updraft which pulled our sun umbrella right out of it’s foundation – close to the spot I’d just been sitting and carried it to the back door. Just a few minutes prior, I could’ve been in its path. The door, which has a leaded glass window was undamaged. Some might call that a coincidence, but we looked at it as God’s protection once more.
I decided to call it a day, but my sweet husband continued to work at disconnecting the old hose and other tasks which needed attention. It wasn’t long before he came inside the house to cool off and he was laughing hysterically. “Now what,” I thought. He came into the kitchen to show me that his pants (which should be suspendered) were curiously sliding down. He would fit in with today’s fashion. We could’ve taken all these occurances as an indicator of our aging process, but everything was so comical, all we could do was laugh.
We were thankful that no real damage occurred to our property and that we were spared injury and/or embarassment. When life hands you lemons, there’s usually more than one, but the sweet taste of lemonade makes it much better.
I must admit to my addiction to television, especially in the past year or so. For some “unknown” reason I’ve found myself escaping into the world of cable TV. I’ve discovered I can watch many of the better shows and don’t have to submit to mindless advertising. However, I have become a tubeaholic.
I could blame it on the pandemic, but that’s only half true. My internal clock is off balance as well. I’ve reverted to my younger years when I stayed up late at night. Maybe it’s some sort of anxiety – rearing its ugly head through different habits. I’ve taken to watching things like “Murder She Wrote,” “Midsomer Murders,” “Murder She Baked,” “Diagnosis, Murder,” and so on. Do you see a pattern here? My husband is getting a little paranoid. I wonder why?
About a week ago, we were informed by the cable company that our rates were going up by $30-40. When two people are struggling to get by each month on Social Security and a little side income from our teaching, $30-40 is like $100-200. Where does that extra charge come from? After spending hours discussing this with Customer Loyalty, we decided to simply cancel the service all together. We do have a smart TV after all. It should be able to figure out how to make those murder mysteries available again.
As with all the new fangled technology, we feel like dinosaurs trying to live in a totally different world. It takes us more time to figure things out than it used to and by the time we do, we’re exhausted. Even though I write a daily blog and do tons of research on the worldwide web, I’m still like an infant when it comes to any of it.
I should go outdoors and enjoy the heavenly weather, but allergies are an issue and humidity is unbearable for me. When I’m in the house, I get easily bored. Reorganizing and cleaning have no appeal. I tried writing a novel. I even finished it, I thought. Then I had a number of people read it and began to have second and third and even fourth thoughts about it. It’s been nearly a year since I’ve worked on it. Creative juices still flow, but sometimes they need a jump start and that’s where I’m at right now. I will undoubtedly go into withdrawal from my addiction and be better for it. In the meantime, I may have to write a murder mystery.
Mountainous clouds entwine in a sky of black,
Filling with tears from the Lord of all.
He sees and He knows our tribulation.
The depth of our sorrow is in His hands.
There is nothing we can do to take away our sadness.
We cannot change the course of our lives,
But He has turned His tears to cleansing waters
Through the death of His beloved Son.
Washed – forgiven for sin’s deadly pain,
We can dance in His refreshing r
When I look back to my high school graduation in 1960, I find I’ve forgotten some of the highlights, but 1960 was truly a year filled with much controversy. John F. Kennedy was elected president. He was the first Catholic to ever hold office. He had a glamorous wife, came from a prominent family, faced tragedy in his lifetime and would go on to be assasinated while riding through the streets of Dallas. Dr. Martin Luther King was an outspoken civil rights activist for racial equality. Race descrimination was at its peak The Viet Nam war was an issue. Women were lookinng for equality too. The feminist movement occurred during this time and women burned they bras as a form of protest. They could expect to work in very few occupations – Secretaries, Nurses, Waitresses, teachers and mothers. Most women stayed at home to raise their children. Some broke through the barriers and pursued medical careers or attempted to achieve success in areas which had only been reserved for me.
So much has changed in the last sixty some years, but a lot remains the same. You have a unique story to tell your children and grandchildren some day. You will be able to relate being isolated in your home for a year because of a worldwide pandemic. You can tell them of the time you had to wear a mask to work and disinfect everything you touched. You will have many stories of how people changed their normal activities, like eating out, going to church and sharing time with friends. Your last two years of school have been filled with disappointment, frustration, sometimes anxious moments and a time filled with confusion and not knowing the outcome. Those things will only make you a stronger person than you already are. You’ve learned to adapt to learning on line, giving things up, going with the flow and following some tough restrictions, but I know that is only going to grow your faith and build your character.
When you look back on this time, I hope you will treasure every moment you had going through them – yes even the yucky stuff. We are so proud of your achievements so far and know that you will succeed at whatever you do. You are strong, invincible, a woman of excellence, integrity and Christian values. All of those attributes will help you reach for your dreams even when they seem impossible. Always know that you are God’s precious child and He will love you when others don’t. He will guide you through difficult choices. He will walk with you in your journey. He will use you for a wonderful purpose.
My generation tends to forget that our lives weren’t perfect. I think we paint a picture of perfection of the past – Norman Rockwell’s view of American life as it should be. We try to hide the bad stuff and look only at the things that made our age great.
I never thought I was pretty enough, smart enough or perfect enough. I was unsure about my future. I struggled with the idea of going to church, because I knew there were hypocrites there. I was teased for being chubby. I was convinced that God was a fierce judge who was going to sentence me to an eternity in hell. I got depressed over small things and panicked when it came to the big stuff.
In my lifetime our country has been involved in a number of wars. Weekly air raid drills were the norm. We’d be ushered to the basement of our schools and told to sit with our hands over our heads until the teacher gave us the all clear. Families built bomb shelters. We were exposed to a new kind of entertainment that opened all kinds of doors. It came in the form of a huge piece of furniture with a tiny glass picture tube. As girls, we could hope for a career as a secretary, a teacher or a nurse. A four year college degree guaranteed a high paying job.
Segregation was a huge problem. Cigarettes were a kind of status symbol. Everyone smoked – even the news anchors as they reported the news each night. We didn’t hear about scandals in government, but they were there. We didn’t have to lock our doors every time we left the house, but that doesn’t mean that crime didn’t exist. We just didn’t hear about it like we do today. Bullying isn’t a new problem, but now with social media, the options are unlimited.
It’s important to let children know they have value without putting them on a pedestal. We need to let them know they’re loved, not only by us, but by God who looks beyond their imperfections. Most of all, we need to pray for them every day. We can raise them, but God gives purpose to their lives.
WATER COLOR ART & INSPIRATION FROM KATHY BOECHER©
“And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.”
Revelation 14:18-20 ESV
We live in a small town in Minnesota called Anoka. It started out as a a lumbertown with two rivers on either of it’s boundaries. As we were searching for a home closer to my daughter and her family (which I guess is what you do so they can keep watch over us,) we finally came upon a little farm house planted right in the middle of town, next to the freeway, close to shopping, church and family, convenient to everything we do, quiet neighbors and charmingly redecorated to fit the actual time of its construction in 1875. As I think about this little treasure I can see that God has definitely blessed us.
The noise of the freeway has recently become louder because of an upcoming construction endeavor. A few of the homes have undergone renovation – some are vacant – there are a few rental properties. Recently one of those rentals has become somewhat of a nuisance. There’s lots of coming and going at night. I sometimes feel like we’re recreating the movie, “Rear Window.” An Amazon truck parks in front of a neighbor’s house and we speculate as to what they’re purchasing online. A medical care facilitator visits a shut in and we are concerned for that neighbor’s health. One has lost her father to COVID19 and we pray for her. A few cars show up at night with deep bass beat accompanied by the voice of a monotonous rapper -pounding loudly – enough to rattle this old house. A train whistles by a few blocks away and shakes the same building. Our floors are uneven, but so are we. We truly love our house and hope that we can spend our remaining days living in it.
When we lived in the bustling city of Mnneapolis, we were also in a nice neighborhood, just across the river from the now riot producing, protesting, gunslinging and terrified families dwell. Living in the perfect neighborhood is getting harder and harder to achieve. Unless you live on a deserted island, you may never know perfection and even that might be a huge challenge.
Wherever you choose to live, there will be issues. Our Minneapolis home had a neighbor next door from us who was dealing drugs. We watched diligently as folks would come and go throughout the night. Their visits lasted only a minute or two and resulted in them returning to their cars with a bag of something. Eventually they were busted by the police. We now live across the street from a house that stirs memories of that same kind of activity. Do we call the police? If we do, will their be repercussions? You can’t be sure today. Do we learn to live with it? Do we yell, “Get out of my neighborhood? or Get off my lawn?” Do we approach them directly and face the possibility of getting shot. These are things we’ve been thinking about lately, but I sure hate to think about moving again.
I pray that God will continue to bless our time in this old house and give us the stamina to be here a long time. We’ve even thought about installing a chair lift so we can make it up and down the stairs through our aging. The only problem is those frequent potty trips during the night. My husband has come up with a solution and has thought of inventing one with a built-in porta-potty.
So as we begin adding color with flowers and beautiful plants, we can see more beauty appearing daily. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for any suspicious activity and trust in the Lord always.
PSALM 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.”
Within the mountain’s early dawn, His majesty is seen,
The skies fill up with brilliance, and a glorious golden sheen,
His breath is seen in morning mist, His voice through eagles’ song,
His power displays in sunlit rays, He shines the whole day long,
His love for us is unspoken, but seen in every rock,
He leads us like a shepherd and protects his wandering flock,
I am so weak and fragile, like many a stubborn sheep,
My trust oft wanes, my fears o’er take, I toss through dream filled sleep,
My tears won’t stop, may faith grows weak, I stumble all the way,
But He’s right there, surrounding me, protecting me each day,
I’ll never grow to understand His unconditional love,
But thank Him that He grants it from His throne high up above,
My God, you are my sure defense, my strength when I am weak,
You carry me through dry deserts, you lead me when you speak,
Through pastures green and waters clean, fulfilling every need,
You fill my heart with gratitude, upon your Word I feed.
I’ve been known for fantastical, out of this world, nonsensical and truly weird dreams. One night I dreamt I went in for some kind of surgery and came out with tattoos all over my body. Mind you, I have never been nor will I ever be tattooed, but for some reason this thought invaded my dreams last night. Imagine, if you will, a tattooed 78 year old woman. It did wonders for my wrinkles. You couldn’t see any of them. Last night I landed in a recurring dream which places me on an old rickety bike, riding aimlessly through St. Paul. Which in itself is weird. The idea of riding a bike hasn’t occurred in my life for a number of years. In fact, we sold our bikes when we downsized to our new, old home. Now I wish I had an old bike that I could paint and place in my garden somewhere – but I digress. Kind of like my dreams do.
Isn’t it funny how dreams can plant us in one place and magically move us to another without any commercial breaks? All of a sudden you can be close to the edge of a cliff, ready to spread your wings and fly and then just as suddenly, you’re on the runway of a fashion show in a perfect body. Isn’t it amazing how that happens? I can only “dream” of a perfect body I guess. Usually you can gain something from your dreams – like the solution to a troubling problem, making a point to get in touch with someone you’ve not seen in a while or think of new ways of doing things. Often mine take place in one of three places – a church, a road that goes on forever and winds up in a sea of putrid water, or something to do with theatre.
I do have a dream that places me in the bottom of an ocean. This has given me a fear of ever going on a cruise or large ship – like the Titanic. I dream a lot about my family and their families. I dream of forgetting my lines as I’m about to make an entrance. I dream about being in a bell tower of a church or in the catacombs of ancient times. I guess you could say I have an active imagination, but usually that imagery evades me in real life.
Do you ever wonder where your dreams come from? Many of mine have turned into plays or short stories. I even revised the White Queen of Narnia to be a three headed queen because I saw it in a dream and it really solved a problem for us. We had just held auditions and there were three girls that fit the part and it was a way of including all of them. We designed a costume that resembled a very large cape and all three of them went into it.
Once I dreamt we adopted a buffalo and brought him home to take the place of our dog. We bought a truck full of Buffalo Chow, made a bed for him in the laundry room and taught him to catch a Frisbee. This turned into a story about just that thing, called “A Home Where the Buffalo Roams.” Most of my dreams are quite disjointed and have no end. I still dream about forgetting to make my children lunches to take to school. (Probably some guilt trip I’ve laid on myself for not doing the parenting thing right.)
A shrink would have a field day interpreting my dreams. The possiblity does exist that I better lay low on the after dinner snacks. I wonder if there’s a switch somewere that you can click to turn the dreams off.
A life once filled with loneliness, a heart that seemed like stone,
Has turned to Christ and all at once, that life Is not alone,
To walk without the Son of God is like an empty day,
Precious time that has no purpose, where thoughts get in the way,
The road through time is burdensome and sometimes can run out,
But when we walk with Jesus, Christ, the journey leavesno doubt,
For He alone can guide us home. His tenderness is real,
He washes all our sins away, redemption He did seal.
We walk like children through this life. We’re never satisfied,
But Jesus loves us even so, through Him we’re gratified.
Usually my stats are consistent every day when I post, but recently I’ve seen a drastic drop in them. One day I have close to 400 views and the next doesn’t get beyond 100. I’m really not counting on those numbers to raise my spirits each day, I just am curious to know what there’s such a radical drop. Anyone know?
Those of you in my age group probably remember when Saturday Night Live was busy producing new talent on a daily basis. So many of the great comics got their start on that show – Gilda Radner and her plethora of hilarious characters – Chevy Chase, Artie Johnson, Jane Curtin, John Belushi, Billie Crystal Laraine Newman, Martin Short, Dana Carvey, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy and on and on. Most of the humor of that time would be politically incorrect today, but they sure brought us some much needed laughter back in the day.
Today we’re in a much similiar situation. We’ve been trying desperately to adjust to isolating, wearing masks, abstaining from being part of large crowds. We’ve been expected to follow the rules from the CDC, but crime rates, suicides, mental illness and obesity have become unwelcome side effecs of COVID19. We need a really good laugh – don’t you agree? Laughter really is great medicine for so many ailments. When we have become cocooned for more than a year, it’s difficult to find much to laugh about, but I believe it is even more important during times of crisis to look for the humor in things.
There are days when I wonder what on earth I’m still doing here. I spend hours trying to unbderstand all the new technology when I could have completed three loads of laundry. I wake up early only to spend my “alone” time thinking about all the things I should be doing rather than doing them. The morning speeds into afternoon and before I know it, I’m ready to go to bed and start the whole process all over again. I’m aging with grtreat resistance. I don’t want to grow up! I’m not ready to die. I know I’ve a few good years left in me, but as you get older you want to get everything in before you kick the bucket.
Since I spend so much time at my computer, I should really get one of those exercise machines that at least keeps your feet moving. Think of the steps I could accumulate by sitting at the computer. Continuing to move physically isnt as easy as it used to be. Sometimes we have to force ourselves to do so. I have the feeling that the minute I stop, so will my life.
I’ve mentioned my dream of one day doing stand up comedy, but there are so many obstacles now. Gone are the days of using a character voice that imitates a particular dialect or accent. Making fun of yourself isn’t acceptable. Making fun of others is null and voice. I agree that we need to be sensitive to offending or hurting others’ feelings, but sometimes seeing someone slip on a banana peel and taking a pratt fall can lift our spirits too. A pie in the face is as old as the hills when it comes to comedy. I’ve actually done that in my lifetime.
When our feelings get stepped on, we’d suck it up and take the bullying or let it roll off our backs and move on. I’m not saying that it’s good to laugh at another persons expense or to be insensitive to things that would offend. Words have always had the ability to hurt, but our attitudes about them often supercede the lessons we can learn from them. Of course we need to be kind to one another, but doesnt’ that atribute have to be taught as one of the basic tenets for life? Caring about each other will provide the armor necessary to withstand the words, the hatred, the meaness that accompany bigotry and mindless thinking. Teach your children to be kind to others, but don’t dwell so much on the negative.
There is a danger of creating false beliefs and futhering unrest. Teach them how to engage others in conversation, problem solve through team work and building each other up. We all need to feel necessary to society. We also need to lighten up, which takes a great deal of faith in troubled times, but faith leads to belief and confidence in overcoming the impossible.
Within the mountain’s early dawn, His majesty is seen,
The skies fill up with brilliance, and glorious golden sheen,
His breath is seen in morning mist, His voice through eagles’ song,
His power displays in sunlit rays, He shines the whole day long,
His love for us unspoken, but seen in every rock,
He leads us like a shepherd protects his wandering flock,
I am so weak and fragile, like many a stubborn sheep,
My trust oft wanes, my fears o’er take, I toss through dream filled sleep,
My tears won’t stop, my faith grows weak, I stumble all the way,
But He’s right there, surrounding me, protecting me each day,
I’ll never grow to understand His unconditional love,
But thank Him that He grants it from His throne high up above,
My God, you are my fortress, my strength when I am weak,
You carry me through deserts, you lead me when you speak,
Through pastures green and waters clean, fulfilling every need,
You fill my heart with gratitude, my soul your Word does feed.
God is very clear about His name. Not only are we to honor it, but we should never use it in a negative way. In describing Himself through the words of the Bible, He has used words like Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end. He is referred to as Creator, Holy – without sin, our Refuge, Jehovah, El Shaddai, Father and many names which speak not only of His character, but also hold a place of reverence.
Today, the word “god” is flung around like just another word, with no regard to the way we are verbally attacking God each time it’s used in a negative or impersonal way. The second commandment is very clear about God’s name
“YOU SHOULD NOT MISUSE THE NAME OF THE LORD, YOUR GOD.”
Our first thoughts on that command are that we should place God’s name in a category of its own. It should be above all others – revered and honored – sacred – divine – holy – a name like no other. However there is so much more to this law than we see in the obvious
Every time God’s name is used flippantly we’re slapping our Creator in the face. When we use it to swear an oath, but don’t really mean it – when we use it in connection with superstition – when we curse – when we lie – any time we use God’s name without the honor it is due, we’re disobeying this important commandment. Simple things like breaking it down into text form – OMG or simply saying “oh, God,” may not seem like a big deal, but it is.
He is supreme. He deserves our complete honor and respect. He already demanded that in the first commandment. It wasn’t a suggestion, but a law, which has seemingly had its day and been replaced by self-love, love of material things and love of anything but the One who knit us together before our birth – who had a plan all mapped out for our lives before we came into the world.
When we use God’s name in vain, swear by it, curse and do things that show disrespect, we’re dishonoring God. By the same token if we refuse to honor Him, we are denying Him as much as Peter did when he denied Jesus in the courtyard at His trial. Every time we disobey God’s commandments, we are pounding the nails into His cross.
Our society today has no problem using the name of God in every which way but the right way. We need to be more conscious of whose name we’re throwing around. Like many other signs of devolution, we’re seeing blatant disrespect for God on a daily basis. It can be blamed on a number of things like peers, family, media, etc., but it can be resolved by placing it in our children’s hearts from the beginning. Let them know who God is. Teach them that He is our Creator, our Father, our help in time of trouble. He’s not just another word we throw around to make a point.
Besides, it’s the law – which has also devolved over time and turned into mere suggestions.
Nostalgia is defined as a bittersweet reminder of what things were like in the past; what we were way back when; who we spent time with and how much better our lives were.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could continue to have the strong bodies of our youth? It would be great if all our past relationships were still alive and active. It would be so nice if values were the same as when we were growing up or if the love of country and the respect of our leadership and government hadn’t faltered so in a lifetime. Life would be so much better if only . . .
Sometimes it’s good to be reminded of past events to enjoy the present, but isn’t it really up to us as individuals to make the here and now great for the present generation, so they have something to look back on and remember with fondness?
We could dwell on how bad things are today. There isn’t a lot to be excited about when you consider the state of the world. There are wars and unrest – intolerance and inhumanity – murder in our streets and moral depravity. We have become a society of political correctness for everything but Christianity. Our nation’s leaders struggle to get things done, but so much corruption seems to get in the way. Our children are exposed to a whole world of information through the internet and sometimes that information isn’t good.
When you look at ancient times, things weren’t much different. The days of our youth were not always pleasant. There have always been wars and rumors of war. There has always been moral depravity and corruption isn’t new.
Our hope really doesn’t lie in the past. It isn’t even in the present. In order to find perfect peace we have to look to the future and the promise of our all knowing God.
“yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” JAMES 4:13
So, even though we think our time in history can never be as great as when we were growing up, we need to make new memories for our children and give them this wonderful message of the glory which is to come.
ORIGINAL ART BY PAUL T. BOECHER & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©
Long, cotton dress, brushing the tops of a cobblestone road,
A child at her side, collecting posies while roaming the edge of an ancient town,
A town built of mortar and stone, standing firmly for hundreds of years,
Sunlight casts shadows and light on this unfamiliar setting,
When we slow down and enjoy the bliss of God’s majestic creation,
It can transport us on the wings of eagles to a past that once was,
Reverie and nostalgia are lost arts consumed by the busyness of every day,
Sometimes you simply need to go back in time for a moment,
In order to enjoy today.
Embarking on a Journey of Discovery and Growth
Nature's nuances in a nutshell
Soli Deo Gloria
Inspiring New Generation
Emmitt Owens
A Delicate Balance of Highly Organized Within My Creative Disarray
Writing to remember, sharing to inspire
Student of the Human Condition
Where curiosity meets opportunity
Faith.Growth.Purpose
GOD INSPIRED WORDS AND IMAGES
Here are some of the things I have learned from studying the Bible
Inspiring Minds.building Ethiopia
Romanticizing The World
The opinions expressed are those of the author. You go get your own opinions.
Psychotherapy, Walk and Talk Therapy, Neurodiversity, Mindfulness, Emotional Wellbeing
Finding the Extraordinary in Ordinary, Everyday Life
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
