ARE YOUR PRAYERS A LAST RESORT?

Posted on October 11, 2020 by atimetoshare.me


What’s on your worry list today? Are you anxious about the future? Do you fear you won’t have enough money to make the house payment? Are you fearful of a positive COVID19 diagnosis? Are you up in arms about the coming election? Do you think we are headed for the end of the world?

We seem to have our share of things to be stressed out about these days. In these difficult times, we could certainly throw up our arms in despair or we could put all our concerns into one giant worry box and burn it up. On the other hand, there is One who can handle the entire load of worries and fears of this age.

Why wait until there is supposedly no hope? Why give in to the temptation that we will never recover – that doomsday is right around the corner – that we have completely lost control of our own destiny?

When it looks like our world is about to crash in on us – when depression turns into anxiety – when we have no control over our feelings that’s the time to call on the name of the Lord.

Prayer shouldn’t be used only as a last resort. It is our open line of communication with God Himself. We should come to Him to lay our cares upon Him, for He has invited us to do so. He has also given us the ability to do what we can in some cases, but ultimately He is the One who controls the outcome.

Start today. Open your voice to Him. Don’t be afraid. He offers answers that we can’t possibly come up with. He is in charge of every star in the heavens and each drop of moisture that falls from the sky. Go to Him with thankfulness and praise and be bold in asking for solutions. He may not answer right away, but He will answer and it will always be for our good.

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HISTORY REPEATS

Posted on October 10, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

“It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.” Oliver Cromwell

The endless summer of 2020 has led to an endless autumn of reruns on the tube. With a lack of viewing choices and all the other rhetoric pouring into the air waves, we have resorted to watching old movies. Sometimes we hit on a good one. I highly recommend the movie “Cromwell,” with Richard Harris playing the part of Cromwell and Alec Guinness as King Charles the first of England. Two stellar stars told us this flick was going to be a winner and we were not disappointed.

I am a firm believer in history repeating itself and how we never seem to learn much from the past. I also love going back in time to see how nations were formed and how God has been involved in the forming of our own country.

The above quote from Oliver Cromwell was given in a speech he made to Parliament upon its dissolution some time after the king had been beheaded and the nation was under the newly formed Commonwealth of England. As with all civil unrest, there comes corruption and mishandling of the transition of power. This was not untrue of the members of that same body. Money and bribes were part of their administration of the law. Those involved in governing the country were easily bought. Isn’t it interesting how this seems to be the modus operandi when power is involved?

When you think about it, the ones who suffer most are the common people – those who provide services, set up small businesses, try to eek out a living. We have learned to rely on our government to figure everything out for us. How very sad that we don’t look back and learn instead of believing we’re being brand new in our thinking. History is a great teacher, yet many of our lessons have been squashed or removed from the records, never to be heard of again.

King Solomon in all his wisdom and knowledge, knew that there was nothing new under the sun. What has happened will happen again. We cannot change it nor erase it, but we should learn from the past mistakes.

Ecclesiastes 1: 9-11 “What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.”

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on October 9, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

ONE GETS WHAT ONE DESERVES

Posted on October 9, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

Melodrama is the genre that’s completely black and white.  Good is good and evil is evil.  There’s no question about who are the good guys and the bad.  I used to perform in a melodrama theatre. There was the typical villain and heroine. There was the hero and the message was always the same. Good triumphs over evil. We always ended our shows with a song called “One Gets What One Deserves.”

Today as I think about the words to that song, I wish everything were so simple in our world.  Somehow the idea of good and bad has all but vanished.  In fact the reverse is often true.  Those in positions of power are no exception. Our leaders, our teachers, our pastors, those we place our trust in, are called to a position of accountability. If they have not learned the differences between right and wrong, how can they teach accountability, responsibility, truth?

As concerned parents, diligent Christians and responsible human beings, we must be taught the difference between right and wrong – especially in these difficult times. Sin is a  politically incorrect term even in some churches.  We’re expected to be tolerant of everything and everyone. But that fact has muddied the waters, so to speak, and fogged our vision.

In melodrama, there is usually a sign holder to prompt the audience participation. For example: “Boo Hiss” when the villain appears. “Oooh Aaah” when the heroine arrives. “Cheer/applaud” for the hero. Very clear explanation of good and bad. Maybe we should employ signs like that from here on in, instead of those we see in the streets today.

The song I spoke of has the following message –  “be careful in your dealings and mind the Golden Rule, for if you swindle others, you might be made the fool.  With every nasty deed you do, you’ll get two in return.  One word should be sufficient, but some folks never learn.”  Melodrama is an old-fashioned style of acting, peppered with overacted, broad characters that make us laugh, but the clear right and wrong of the law shouldn’t be.  We still need to know that we’re sinners and need salvation.

Without the law, we have no need for a Savior.  Without the law, there is no order to our lives.  With the law we see how short we fall and how we will get exactly what we deserve in the end.  With the Gospel, we are gifted with eternal life and get exactly what we don’t deserve.

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PITY PARTY

Posted on October 7, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

There are days when we feel like life isn’t worth getting up for.  We’d rather crawl back under the sheets and melt into another dream.  What do you do when you feel that way?  The world might tell you that you’ve made your own pity party, now get over it, but  it’s not that easy.

Take for example A.A. Milne’s character, Eeyore.  He spent his life living under a rain cloud and making sure that his tail stayed on.  Do you every feel that you have no real purpose in life? Do spend each waking moment feeling sorry for yourself?  Has your get up and go, got up and left?  Every one of us has experienced feelings like that.  You look in the mirror and see a reflection of a big loser.  You beat yourself up, because you aren’t as successful as your neighbor.  You put yourself down because you aren’t as smart as your classmates.  No matter how hard you try, you will always live under the shadow of someone else.

Eeyore once said, while looking at his reflection in the water,

“No better from this side. But nobody minds. Nobody cares. Pathetic, that’s what it is.”

No amount of positive thinking is going to rid him of that feeling, because he’s the one responsible for it.  We can try to shake it off or cover it up, but depression is very real.  You feel sad, you have no energy, you’re pessimistic, grumpy.  You isolate yourself from those who could encourage you.  You retreat from daily activities and your work suffers.  Soon you can’t get out of bed and the cycle just gets bigger and bigger.

The remedies for this malady are many.  You can seek professional help.  Medication might work, but often becomes the source of other problems.  You can talk to a friend, a counselor, a pastor.  You can go to countless therapy sessions, spend thousands of dollars on self-help books, and still find no relief. Some may get to the point where suicide is the only solution. I admit to feeling that way when times were overwhelming, but I knew that taking my own life wasn’t an option.

God has other plans for us.  Our lives are a gift from Him.  What we do with them depends largely on our relationship with Him.  He sees the plight of man. He hears the cries of the broken hearted.  His creation is precious to Him.  He is our true friend, our defender, our advocate our provider. He loves us so much, that He thought up the perfect plan for our salvation.  He carried our cross.   He bore our sins.  He died so we could live.  He rose from death so we could also.

Trust Him to lead you down the path He’s already designed for you.  You can be sure it’s a great plan, because He made it.  There will be obstacles, but He will lead you through them.  Often you will become stronger because of the roadblocks.  What a friend we have in Jesus.  Trust in Him for your joy.

Posted in anxiety, corona virus | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

ROLL ON

Posted on October 7, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

There is magic in the river.

She is filled with mystery,

Movement,

Destination,

Hope & sorrow,

Some find comfort in the tranquil ripples,

While others enjoy the turmoil created when the current stirs,

An empty barge moves to its destination,

Preparing for a heavy load,

A young boy longs for just one more day to drop a fishing line,

As the school bell rings, calling all to return,

A couple slowly walks hand in hand along the banks,

Contemplating a life together,

A homeless fellow rinses his face in the tepid water,

The river is for everyone,

It comes with no strings attached,

Only its being there,

Placed by God,

To nurture the earth,

And bring pleasure to His children,

Still a young woman stands,

Measuring the events of her short life,

Wondering if she can dispose of them,

Through a desperate attempt to end it all,

The river is for everyone,

It isn’t too late for anyone,

Even in the darkness,

Even in the sadness,

Even in times of danger or despair,

It doesn’t judge,

It just keeps rolling along.

Posted in ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS

Posted on October 6, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

In this crazy world of ours, we’re often told to take a chance – to throw caution to the wind and follow our instincts. It’s true that every day is a second chance for most of us. We find ourselves asking God for this on a regular basis. Thankfully He hears our prayers and gives us those opportunities to try again, even though there is nothing we can do to win our place of honor in heaven. That’s already been done for us.

Still, we’re faced with taking risks on a daily basis – especially in times of uncertainty. This year could be considered one of the most challenging times in our history. We’ve faced catastrophe on top of catastrophe. We’ve experienced a time in the desert, comparable to those written about in God’s Word. Sometimes it feels like every day brings a new problem to the mix. What are we to do?

I think about those who are suffering with a disease that could take their life – about those who have lost their livelihood – those with uncertain futures – the broken hearted, the anxious and depressed. This time has been like a jail sentence. The Apostle Paul faced his time in prison converting others to Christianity and dictating his final Acts of the Apostles to Luke, who would later write them down for us to read.

Does it have to take a walk in the desert to overcome difficulties? I think of it this way. We need time to evaluate our journey. During times of trouble, we need our space, our isolation, our chance to converse with God. We also must be willing to listen to His voice, when He tells us to rely on Him and not ourselves. We do that by reading the Bible.

A small business could give up during a time like this, or it could take a chance and even risk everything to further the growth of the company. A church could easily fall by the wayside and never recover, because of the lack of fellowship and community. However the growth can be established in new ways with the use of technology and other means. A nation can survive through a pandemic, if they place their trust in the true God. This doesn’t mean we blindly walk into dangerous and difficult situations. It does mean that we’re turning our challenges into greater opportunities if we remain quiet and trust God to see us through.

What gives us reason to take a chance? We know, by faith, that God never changes. He is consistent. He loves us. He is active in our lives. We can place our trust in Him alone.

Today doesn’t have to be a loss for any of us. We have opportunities ahead that are boundless. All we need to do is trust in the Lord.

Posted in corona virus, Faith | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

SANCTUARY OF GOD’S ROCK SOLID LOVE

Posted on October 6, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
Pencill drawing done by Paul Boecher – Poetry by Kathy Boecher

Your hand reaches down and touches the vastness of creation,

Within your hand is the power to carve into mountains and establish flowage for the water,

There is power in the sound of your voice,

Majesty and steadfastness,

With one word from you,

All the angels bow,

Your breath inspires us,

To speak your words,

Your eyes watch over all,

In your omnipotent sight,

Not a word or action goes unnoticed,

Not a prayer goes unheard,

Your ever presence comforts and protects us,

The mountains lay low at the sound of your voice,

You command water to spring from barren land,

And it heeds,

You say the word and your will is done,

In spite of us,

Where can we hide from you?

Why would we try?

You created this place for us,

But we have corrupted it,

You placed the sun, moon and stars in the heaven,

To bring us light,

We have polluted it with our sin,

Still you love us,

Still you will do anything for us,

Still you are a loving Father,

A sanctuary,

A prince of peace,

And Lord of Lords,

Let me run to you instead of away,

Lead my steps to you,

Instead of the world’s path,

Give me confidence,

That your way is the only one.

Let me rest in your unfailing,

Rock solid love.

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TELL YOUR STORY

Posted on October 5, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
open book on concrete background

For most of us, we don’t think there is anything worth writing about in our own story. However, God has created each of us with a uniqueness that can’t be denied. Each story is important. Each life has merit and purpose. Every journey can help another to get through theirs.

Jesus used stories throughout His ministry. They were called parables – an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Our stories aren’t filled with divine wisdom, but there may be something we can share that will serve as an example for someone else. When you’ve reached your final years of life, you have a bounty of experience and knowledge to pass on. Unfortunately, our society doesn’t always revere or respect its elderly population. Maybe we just don’t have the time to sit down and listen for a while. Maybe we should make time.

When we share our story with others, the truth of it will resonate with them. Either that or we will bore them to tears. I’ve discovered in my time of blogging, that some of my most difficult decisions – my struggles – my failures and successes seem to hold the most interest. People truly will connect with you, if you can show them something from your life that has a lesson attached to it.

As I work with a group of other writers to create a series of episodes designed for people entering their golden years, I’m astounded to hear all the amazing stories. Some of them are heartbreaking while others make us laugh until we cry. Some of them never make it beyond the editing stage. Maybe these stories are a sort of therapy for us to get through this dreadful virus, but even if that’s all that comes from it, it’s something good. As with any collaboration, the stories mushroom as they remind us of similar events. And the beat goes on.

Our own personal history may seem run of the mill to us, but to one who is experiencing a similar situation, it can be a wellspring. Don’t be afraid to share your story. It may make a heap of difference to someone today.

Posted in aging | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

CONTAINED

Posted on October 4, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

When we lived in the city, there were countless container cars, sitting idly in the rail yards.  In fact, when not in use, they’d be stacked in piles of four or more, to await being pulled into use again.  It was kind of like looking at a huge city of vacant apartment buildings.  Or were they?

Some folks are buying used container cars and repurposing them into places to live.  I imagine them to be inhabited at times by the homeless, wayfarer, the hobo, the runaway.  Imagine how it feels to live tucked away in a steel box just to stay warm for the night.  Imagine what goes through the mind as you hear spray paint cans and disruptive voices surrounding you as you try to sleep.

Think of the possibilities.  One or more of these inhabitants is running away from something.  The average Joe wouldn’t think of doing this, but those without ties, without responsibility, without money or food wouldn’t think twice about it.  When you’re running away – trying to hide – in a bad state emotionally, financially or spiritually – you need more than a cardboard box to survive.

There was a time in my life when the thought of living this way, was almost an actuality.  Our world had caved in and there was nothing left. We’d lost our home, vehicles, bank accounts, income and all our retirement savings and investments.  During those dark years, we imagined living in the streets or riding the rails, or whatever homeless people do.  We were ready though.  Our lives of putting our faith in God’s direction is what kept us afloat.

As we left bankruptcy court with only a few dollars in our pocket, we knew that God had a plan for us.  He provided an “angel” who sold us a house on a land contract, so we didn’t have to go through a credit report to achieve home ownership.  We also had a number of good friends who prayed for us and provided encouragement.

My long time as a volunteer drama coach led to a job teaching acting to children – working with a children’s theater and eventually starting my own children’s theater company.  My husband began wood sculpting for many other “angels” and that led to the start of his fine arts business.

There are times when we feel hopeless and helpless. Those are usually the moments we turn to God.  When things are going well, we tend to coast and take our blessings for granted.  I believe that these tests are all part of God’s greater plan for us.  Trusting in His unchanging love and His beautiful blueprint for our lives will allow us to get through the tough times – but don’t forget to praise Him when things are going well for you, as well as during times of trouble.

My legacy doesn’t matter. It isn’t important that I be remembered. It’s important that when I stand before the Lord, he says, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ I want to finish strong.”   James Dobson

Posted in Inspiration | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS

Posted on October 4, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

The summer warmth has seen its days, a chill is in the air,

Steamy days and tornadic storms replaced with things that scare,

An orange Jack-O-Lantern sits with missing teeth to boot,

A ghost tour of the oldest homes and things that howl and hoot.

A skeleton hangs on a branch, and headstones fill the lawn,

A cauldron black, a scrawny cat, and spooks singing a song.

The end of summer brings strange sights to my neck of the woods,

Halloween hotspot of the world and lit up neighborhoods,

And soon a slew of costumed kids will beg for candy bars,

Looking like ghouls and walking dead, creeping under the stars,

The chill of the October winds will soon bring ice and snow,

But until then we spend our time enjoying a bonfire’s glow.

Posted in ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

WHEN WILL WE LEARN?

Posted on October 3, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

“Words – so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.” Nathaniel Hawthorne

If anything good is ever to come from the COVID19 pandemic of 2020, it will soon be lost to hurtful words, accusations, shaming, hatred and anger.

I can’t imagine that anything else could possibly happen this year that would shock us or fill us with fear, hopelessness or helplessness. Every day there is something new to be added to the already smoldering pot, and still we’re stunned, disbelieving and confused. There is no order in this chaos of 2020. The only hope for us as a nation is to turn our prayers to God – the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Instead we seem bent on depending on the father of lies for our very opinions and tenets.

We are hopelessly devoid of compassion when we wish death upon a sitting president. We are inhumanly arrogant to pass judgment on the wearing of masks or not. We follow protocols for social distancing, yet we cannot live without our sporting events. We take chances every day when we step outside our doors and into a world full of germs, hatred, political upheaval, protests, violence and fear. Would we be better off to stay isolated? Would we not then be subject to emotional distress, anxiety, possibility of other diseases? We see the greatest among us, become victims of this disease and yet the first thought is to act like vultures waiting to descend.

My heart is aching right now because of the state of this country. What have we learned from this six month sentence? Has our incarceration taught us nothing? Instead of beating each other into the ground and finding fault with whatever is being said, we should be uniting as a country. Instead of lifting each other up with words of encouragement and hope, we seem intent on destroying everyone who doesn’t agree with us.

We once were a country of young patriots, willing to shed blood for our freedom from a tyrannical monarchy – to become self-sufficient, without the intervention of governing factors. Somewhere between the founding of America, we’ve lost sight of that fact. We’ve become more and more reliant on our government. It has become nothing more than what the founders sought to remedy – a citizenship, being led by career politicians who often have their own interests at heart.

I believe that there is a reason for what’s happening right now. I believe so, because I have faith that God has ordained the future as well as the here and now. His plans are always good. He does not lie. His promises are always kept. Still we tend to try and figure things out for ourselves or listen to the words of those who might easily lead us down the wrong path. We are not sheep. We are not puppets. We are God’s creation and He has given us the ability to think, to reason and to come up with solutions, but without Him as our only leader, we are bound to fail.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

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TURN TO THE LORD AND PRAY

Posted on October 2, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are the founder of all nations. You know the needs and hear the prayers of your people. We come to you today as citizens of the United States and ask you to heal our land as well as our President and the First Lady. This horrible disease has come to both of them. Many thousands of others have also suffered because of it. Only you have the power to eliminate COVID19 from the planet. You also have control of every breath we take.

As schools are opening and business returns as usual, we see an uptick and realize that we must take this pandemic seriously. Give our scientists the knowledge to control and fix this problem, but even more so, give all of us the ability to come together as a united country instead of one filled with division and anger.

Let the people know that no one is immune. Help us realize that you are in control of all that happens to us. Unite us so that we can survive whatever is in store for us.

Please, dear God, heal our land. In the name of your precious Son, Jesus, we pray. Amen!

Posted in America, corona virus | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on October 2, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

IMPRESSIONS

Posted on October 1, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

What we see, may not be what we think it is,

A change in color,

The temperature,

The sounds,

The smells,

The tastes,

All things need minute examination,

Before we can decided what is truth,

The beauty of nature can turn sour in an instant,

The glory of a cloudless sky can fill with rage in a second,

What once appeared perfect,

Can become tainted with the darkness of the world,

Spattered with the blood of hatred and indignation,

Our first impressions don’t always tell the truth,

So we must look beyond,

Look forward,

Yet look back to the past,

Within those things we can determine our future,

With the Creator of all things, we can be sure of it.

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MOVING ON OR LIVING IN THE PAST

Posted on October 1, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

I think every generation believes that the “good old days” were the times they were growing up and young adults.  George Washington undoubtedly preferred remembering the days when he was cutting down cherry trees more than his time leading a fledgling country out of a revolution and building what is now America.  On the other hand, he would probably be rolling over in his grave (if that’s possible) if he knew what has happened to the country since it’s beginnings.

The older we get, the more we seem to dwell on the past.  We reminisce about how much better things were when we were kids.  We believe that particular juncture in time was perfect, but not so.  For example when I was growing up in the 40s and 50s, we had no clue about global warming or the internet.  Our lives were simpler then.  Kids played in the street – we didn’t lock our doors – we ate dirt – we recycled before it was popular,  BUT it also was a time right after a world war and during the Korean War .  The atomic bomb was a real threat.  Air raid drills were held in our schools.  We huddled down under our desks with our hands over our heads, as if that would make any difference if there actually was a bomb drop. Many were building shelters in their backyards.  The economy was still in a state of recovery.  We wore second hand clothes and shoes.  Our food was home made and consisted of starchy things like pasta to fill us up. We never knew about the ill effects of gluten. We never thought of paying $100 bucks for a pair of old, torn blue jeans and we were lucky if we got a pair of new shoes -when school started –  but. I digress.

The truth is, every decade has its good and bad memories.  One of the blessings God has given me is the ability to forget the bad things that have happened in my life.  I’ve been able to tuck the icky stuff into the back of my brain.  Maybe that’s why I have such weird dreams, but I digress again.

What I’m trying to say is this – Looking back  is a good thing, but looking forward is even better.  We, as Christians, have been promised a perfect life in eternity after our death.  How great is that?  We will some day be in the paradise that God originally planned for us.  We will have all our teeth – healthy bodies – no sorrows or tears – our joy will be overflowing.  So without hesitation we can say “Live every day forward!”

Hebrews 10:17 “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Posted in America | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

HOW WORDS CHANGE OVER TIME

Posted on September 30, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

A bully pulpit is a conspicuous position that provides an opportunity to speak out and be listened to. This term was coined by United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to his office as a “bully pulpit”, by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda. Roosevelt used the word bully as an adjective meaning “superb” or “wonderful”, a more common usage at that time.

WIKIPEDIA

“The classic example of a bully is a mean kid in a schoolyard who hassles or beats up younger students. While a child or a teenager can be a bully, so is anyone who uses power or strength to scare or harm other people. The word bully has gone through a mysterious evolution, from the 1530s when it meant “sweetheart,” through the 17th century’s meanings of “fine fellow,” then “blusterer,” and finally “harasser of the weak.”

VOCABULARY.COM

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WHEN NOTHING MAKES SENSE

Posted on September 30, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

My dreams are often full of creativity and unusual thoughts which don’t usually manifest themselves in my daily life.  Sometimes they become part of a play or story I’m writing.  I had a whopper a while ago and I think even Joseph, the interpreter of dreams, would be able to figure this one out.

It started with me spinning and winding down through a hole in the ground – somewhat like Alice in Wonderland.  I was going through a series of tunnels that all led to a dead end.  I wound up in St. Paul of all places. I guess St. Paul could be considered an unusual place by some.

Suddenly I was driving through knee deep water.  The water continued to rise and it wasn’t long before the car became engulfed and I had to escape.  I walked over a long bridge covered with doors of various sizes and shapes.  Do you get the feeling that I have spent too much time with children?

I finally opened one of the doors and walked through it, only to discover more obstacles.  I spiraled through another channel of openings, each leading to things I enjoy in life.  There were beautiful gardens, masterpieces of art, rows and rows of beautiful costumes and many more things that bring enjoyment on this earth – including chocolate – gobs and gobs of it.

When I finally woke up I felt as though I had been on a safari in Africa.  I was exhausted.  Every bone in my body ached.  I was literally worn out, but couldn’t go back to sleep.  I didn’t want to go back to that place, even as tempting as it was.  It was confusing and just didn’t feel like a good place to be.

OK, so what does this silly dream have to say?  I think it was a reminder of how out of control our lives become when we try to handle them ourselves.  We think we’re In the driver’s seat, but we really aren’t.

Life is filled with many twists and turns –  some of them are nice while others get us no where.  We have the brains to determine which path to take, but it may not be the best one for us.  So who do we turn to when things are muddy – when we see no clear path – when the world is spinning out of control?

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

My dream made me feel helpless for a few fleeting moments.  My life  is often out of control too.  I don’t always have a clear road map.  God knows what I need and what I confront every day.  He knows that I get worried and stressed.  He sees my weaknesses, but He also sees my strengths.  He knows that I am going to be tempted each and every day, but He still provides a way out for me.

Life is never easy, especially when you’re a Christian.  The problems don’t go away, but when you have faith, God will not only give you answers – He will also give you the means to solve them.

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PEACE BE WITH YOU

Posted on September 29, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Peace comes with the sound of raining gently falling on the roof.
Peace can be a light in the window, a good book, a friend.
It can be the sound of your teenager arriving home safely,
A job, family, security or a clean bill of health.
Peace is the absence of wars and disputes.
Peace is quiet – comfort – contentment – a lack of the noise of confusion –
A calmness – satisfaction – no drama.
Peace is the feeling you get when you know you have done your best.
It’s the sound of a child’s laughter or the touch of the one you love.
Peace isn’t something we experience very often, but when we do it fills our soul with an amazing sense of joy.
When you have complete peace, you are committed to the Prince of Peace.
You are part of the community of Christ. You know what your Savior has done for you. Your peace has been won for you.

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ARE WE OUR OWN WORST ENEMY?

Posted on September 29, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

There is so much confusion in our world right now. Particularly within the walls of our own homes and inside of our minds. We are being bombarded by angry voices – hit from all sides of the political aisles – blasted with conflicting opinions as well as voices that we don’t believe. There is a war going on right now and it is crushing us with every kind of mixed messages, fake news, injustice, inhumanity and hate.

The war does not consist of weapons of mass destruction nor physical assault, but an enemy that lives in our own minds. Our minds need to be readied for battle and the only way to do that is by looking to the greatest hero ever known to mankind. He was a simple man, like most heroes are. He lived a life of poverty and had no place to call home. He spoke with the voice of confidence and strength, yet His words were filled with love and peace.

When we look at Jesus and His short life of 33 years, we don’t see your typical hero. Yet if He had not chosen to leave His throne in heaven to crush the devil’s head and give eternal life to everyone, the war would most certainly have been lost.

The battle does not occur on a massive battlefield, but in our minds. Our thoughts are really our greatest enemy. We can be easily swayed by words, actions or even flashy ideas, because God has planted a brain in our heads. He’s formed us with the ability to think, make judgments on our own and sort through the messes we encounter each day. We are not puppets being manipulated by the Almighty, but we know He has our backs.

The devil also knows our weaknesses. He has been fighting for the souls of man since the beginning of time. He is a master manipulator. He knows what gets us angry. He knows how to lure us into his web of deception with just the right words. Remember how he tempted Jesus, using God’s own words.

However, he has already been defeated. When Christ took the cross to Calvary, suffered humiliation, degradation and His very life, He poured out His compassion for a sin filled world. He took our sins and erased every one of them. He defeated Satan when He rose on the third day and guarantees that we will live forever.

Because of that great gift to humanity, we are free from the wars of this world. We are shielded by the Almighty God. Death has no power over us. Now, even though that other enemy within us – our own minds and thoughts – are under His protection. Through Him, we are more than conquerors.

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