WE HAVE A CHOICE

Posted on July 2, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

OIP

We never seem to outgrow fear.  It’s an emotion that carries with it the scars of a lifetime.  It’s something that grows with the years.  Add our prejudices, anger, our negativity and our selfishness to it and we have a powder keg that can ignite a mob – infect a society and destroy a nation.

On the other hand, when we crush our fear, we can press on; start over; renew and rebuild.  Releasing ourselves from our fears allows us to do that. The choice is ours.  We can choose to be living on the edge or moving forward.

Fear comes in all sizes and shapes.  We may have been bit by a spider and now are terrified of the tiny insect.  We might have experienced some kind of abuse as a child and now have difficulty with relationships.  Fear can manifest itself in countless ways, but there is a remedy for this terror.  A stronghold is ours for the taking if we just ask God to be our protector.  It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize there is much more to life if we can overcome our fears.

Don’t let what’s happening in our world frighten you.  Sure, there’s plenty negative news.  Don’t read it or listen to it.  Sure there’s a pandemic that doesn’t want to die.  Wear a mask, wash your hands and avoid face to face contact.  Sure the sky is falling, but we have absolutely no control over that.  Instead put your faith in the only One who can overcome all fears.

It’s a choice.  We can be consumed with all the evil of this time.  We can fall victim to the press and our governing officials. We can buy into every conspiracy theory out there.  We can fear there won’t be a chance for our children and grandchildren to know the America we once knew.  Those are real fears., but if our focus is such that it takes away any joy for living, there is no hope. We can’t allow that to happen.

I choose the Lord, God, of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob – the One and only God, Creator of the universe – my Redeemer and Comforter – my Salvation and Hope in all situations.  What’s your choice?

 

 

 

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OBEDIENCE

Posted on July 1, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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Our last dog lived to be almost 12 years old.  When he was a pup of six months, we decided it was time for some obedience training.  We enrolled Gage in Puppy Obedience School with high hopes that the commands would sink in and he’d become a good hunting dog at some point.  Well, Gage proved to be a strong willed child – one who needed more than a drill sergeant to fill his brain with commands that seemed totally unnecessary to him.  Yes, Gage was a puppy school drop out.  I’m not proud of the fact, but it does help prove a point.

We’re a lot like Gage when it comes to being obedient.  Our natural tendency is to balk at rules and laws.  What good are they?  Why do we need to obey them?  What’s in it for us.  We’re often stubborn, insubordinate, rebellious, delinquent, unruly and willful when it comes to following rules.  However those very rules are the substance of creating order out of chaos.

When God sent His Ten Commandments to man, He didn’t do so as  a simple suggestion or guidelines for us to follow.  He meant them – every word.  In these words, every situation we face in life is addressed.  We see them as the basis for our own country’s founding.  God wrote the words with His mighty finger.  When we acknowledge that God is the creator of the universe, we have no reason to question even one portion of them.

It seems that those words, established so long ago, have been put to the test over the last hundred years or so.  They’ve been mocked, rewritten to fit man’s needs, disregarded and seen as a means of brainwashing people into submission.  God doesn’t work that way.  He is a God of love and mercy and because He wrote the blueprint for our lives, He knows all about us.  He deserves our honor and respect.  Therefore we should write the commandments in our hearts and keep them in the forefront of our daily lives.

Obedience requires submission and most of us don’t like to be lorded over.  We think of ourselves as free thinkers with minds that can determine our own destiny.  We don’t need someone telling us what to do, how to live and how to treat others.  We can do this thing called life on our own.

We’ve seen the results of that kind of thinking – a society that has increasingly lower morals; one who believes that we deserve everything we get;  that we can and should be accountable to no one, but ourselves and other people are insignificant unless they can advance our own agendas.  God has no place in it.  It has become out of control and disorderly to the point of chaos.

Maybe we need to look at God’s commandments again.  Now would be a great time, since many of us are still cloistered in our homes.  You might see comparisons to some of the laws of our land which have been under attack lately.  We should also remember Christ’s command to love God and our fellow man.  This would solve a lot of problems.

It took Gage almost seven years to get the hang of what obedience was all about and he was a dog and in dog years he was only one.

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THE AMAZING INVISIBLE WOMAN

Posted on June 30, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

For age is opportunity no less Than youth itself, though in another dress, And as the evening twilight fades away The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I was a kid, I thought it would be so cool to be invisible. I could listen in on conversations that I otherwise wouldn’t hear.  I could sit with the adults and not be seen or heard.  I could drive a car and freak everyone out.

Now that I’m a senior citizen, being invisible no longer holds great appeal.  I often feel as though I’ve slipped through the cracks.  I can walk through a store, looking for assistance and be ignored completely.  I can be pushing my cart through the aisles, with people whisking past me at the speed of light, never seeing me.  I’ll be in a crowd of people and completely hidden from most people.  It seems when you reach the golden years, you actually become invisible.

A funny thing about aging is that in our time – in our society – in our place in the world – old people are pretty much unseen or unnoticed.  Young people are  so buried in their own realm, that they don’t always see you.  The successful, look at aging as a burden to society.  The government pays you a stipend – which you have invested over your entire working career – and thinks it’s giving you a bonus for living so long.  Aging isn’t pretty for most folks, but the truth is, everyone is probably going to become old.

So how can we become visible as the aging generation? Do we still possess value to society or are we just a drag on it?  Does anyone appreciate the struggles we’ve gone through in life?  Do they know the disappointments, pain, suffering and fears we’ve pushed through?  Most folks don’t really care about our problems, but there is still One who sees us clearly every minute of every day.  He knows all our needs and provides for them.  He gives us a reason – a purpose – a value – that we don’t deserve, but because He loves us.

Life is geared to the young and up and coming – the entrepreneurs – the famous – the flashy – the stars.  Monty Python phrase “I’m not dead yet!” became a popular phrase after the movie “In Search of the Holy Grail.”  I like to think we have much to offer the world – especially the young – because we’ve lived life.  We know what to expect and how to deal with it.

If I were to die today, I know I’m not invisible to God.  If I live another twenty years, I know that I still have a purpose in life or I wouldn’t still be here.  I consider the elderly, the survivors – the ones who have achieved their stardom.  The stars aren’t visible in the bright sunshine, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still there.

 

 

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WHERE DOES YOUR STRENGTH COME FROM?

Posted on June 30, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

Build Yourself Up

It’s summertime here in Minnesota.  Fish are jumping and the corn will be knee high by the fourth of July.  Folks are venturing out of their cocoons as restrictions are slowly lifted – some with the frenzy of anxiety driving their every move.  A few, cautiously don their masks and gloves, standing the required distance from each other.  Those of us who are considered the most vulnerable were born in a different time, when we trusted the media and our governing officials.

Summers are always the high point of Minnesota weather.  We run the gamut of chilly mornings to searing heat at noon and breathtaking sunsets.  We face tornados, drought, soaking rain and an assortment of days which always makes life in my state an adventure.  You never know what the weather will bring. We also have numerous lakes (more than 10,000) and are surrounded by beautiful state parks, caves, waterfalls and places to visit.

This year our summer has taken a different turn.  We’re still in the throes of a pandemic. We may be too cautious to venture out.  In some cases, the longing for physical contact and interaction has overshadowed common sense.  Protests have broken the silence of those welcomed summer days.  A cause as old as our country has returned to remind us of our heritage.  The tearing down of monuments and demands to rename anything that has the word “white” in it have caused discontent and rising up once more

We’re a nation of restless and impatient people.  We want everything to be all right and we want it now.  We’re kind of like the children of Israel as they wandered for forty years in the desert and were used to complaining.  Forty years is a long time to wait, yet we’ve been wandering for less and complaining more.

The tiny book of Jude in the New Testament has good advice for us as we face the perils of our time.  It’s really applicable for all the ages.  That’s what’s so absolutely beautiful about God’s Word, the Bible. Through it, we find lessons for every situation and solutions for all our problems.  Everyone is looking for instant answers today and now you can even read the Bible on an app on your phone.

Jude is the book right before the Revelation, which is yet to be fulfilled.  We can completely trust the Bible, because it was inspired by God Himself.  The verse above tells us where our strength comes from.  It has nothing to do with anything we do, but God tells us that our faith is the necessary element in our relationship with God. When we believe what He has written and the sacrifice He made so that we could enjoy eternity in heaven, we have the one thing needful.  He is our armor – our protector from the ugliness of the world – our defender against all our enemies – our Savior and provider of our salvation.

God’s kingdom will be ours, not here on this mortal coil, but after our death when we actually come face to face with Him in paradise.

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ONCE UPON A TIME …

Posted on June 29, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

once-upon-a-time

This was written during my time off when a call for defunding the police occurred in my state.  

In a time when streets were unpaved, when men rode around on horseback rather than sitting behind the wheel, steering an obscene number of said animals, the world may have seemed quieter than.  Still without an established sheriff in town, things would quickly disintegrate.

Fights broke out on the streets for silly things like letting your cows graze on a free range. Someone shot his cousin’s pig and eventually it led to a family feud that went on for years. Prisons consisted of a one room holding cell.  The law consisted of an elected sheriff and a few trusted deputies.  With the rampant lawlessness, the town slowly died.  It became dismantled and defaced after nights of unbridled insanity.  It remained nothing but a town filled with spirits of past lives.

Only a few good men would set out to maintain law and order only to be ridiculed, emasculated and held up to criticism on both sides.  The good people of the towns blamed the law for not doing enough and the rabble rousers, said the laws were too harsh and that their motives were misunderstood.

It finally became so difficult to enforce the laws that the village turned into a ghost town, filled with tumbleweed and dusty, empty streets.  The buildings remained, but they too had suffered from the lack of the law.  People got tired of living in a community ruled by mobs and lawless gangs who thought nothing of looting and destroying other people’s property.  They packed whatever belongings they still possessed, boarded up their homes and shops and got out of Dodge.

The streets no longer held people – good or bad.  The hope of finding the American dream was swallowed up by inaction, indifference and quickly turned into a nightmare.  The outlaws moved on too.  There was nothing to take anymore.  There was no one to bully or beat up.  There were no grievances to be heard and the silence of the streets was deafening.

Many thousands of years prior to this, laws were established by the Creator of the Universe.  The stone slabs they were carved into were tossed to the ground and broken because of Moses’ anger at the people who had quickly deserted their God.  God made another set of tablets for the people. Within a few centuries those laws were all but lost and forgotten.  Lawlessness returned and hate and senseless blood stained the streets.  History tends to repeat itself in a lawless place.  Soon there will be nothing left.

 

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I’M BACK

Posted on June 29, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

OIP

I’ve been gone for three weeks now. I was on a vacation of sorts.  I think we all need a time out once in a while to regroup – to restore – to regenerate.  In that time, I’ve been sorting through this mess called life.  I know I can’t figure it out in three weeks, but I have discovered one thing.  I cannot remain silent.

No matter what our age, our race, our belief system, our heritage, our family secrets, we all matter.  I do not wish to say that in a derogatory way.  However the world asks me not to use that phrase (all lives matter) , because it’s an insult to many.  How did this happen?  How did the world become so concerned about words and actions being an offense to someone else?  It should be a good thing to care about each other, but instead we’re walking in fear that someone will take offense at anything we have to offer. In fact we’re being placed in a box of isolation which seems to be closing in around us.  Isolation and quarantine have ramped everything up around us.

We were given our voice for a purpose.  Words have value, they can motivate and inspire or they can be misinterpreted.  The tongue, as James wrote, is  “a restless evil, full of deadly poison that no human can tame.”  Yet when we know that our real purpose in life is not to shame others or bully, but to share the love of a merciful God with others, we should not be afraid to do so.

I’m a nonconfrontational person.  I dislike argument, but I realize it’s unavoidable in a world full of hate and anger.  The truth is, I have to learn to go with the flow and let those slings and arrows fall off, because I am armored with God’s protection.

During this past three weeks, I’ve continued to write in other areas.  I’m currently collaborating with a group to create a series of short plays regarding the things that go along with aging. These episodes will cover things like losing our sense of hearing, memory loss, working with technology, learning new things, general health issues, relationships, death and all the things we old people encounter on a daily basis.  With humor as our motivating force, we’ve come up with some pretty funny stories.  I do believe that laughter is the best medicine for any age, so we’ll see where this takes me.

Now that all that’s on the table, I feel a whole lot better.  I can get on with it and return to this blog with confidence.  My blogging sometimes will become a platform for the way I feel about things.  These thoughts are merely my opinion and I wish not to impose them on anyone else.  Yet all voices should be heard if there is ever to be a solution to our problems.  I will also include the hope we have in an unchanging, consistent God.   With Him we can stand united.  United, we can become invincible.

 

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on June 26, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
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HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, DADDY

Posted on June 21, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

Originally posted on June 12, 2014 by atimetoshare.me

My dad taught me how to tie my shoes.

He grieved with me when my box turtle fell off the ledge of our fourth floor apartment.

He came with me to the five and dime to return a trinket I had stolen and made me apologize for not paying for it.

He caught me taking one of his cigarettes – A camel without a filter.

He then taught me the proper way for a lady to hold a cigarette.

Something I didn’t need to know.  I was probably fifteen.

My dad taught me the difference between right and wrong and let me know that I would always be accountable for my actions.

When I became a teenager, he was the one who told me the facts of life.  It really made him squirm.  It made me squirm too.

He always “interviewed” my dates.  They had to pass his inspection, but their opinion of him didn’t matter.  He would be at the door to greet us when we got home.

I tried my best to live up to his expectations, but I never felt I could.

His words of praise were few and far between,

But I relished each one and held it tightly in my heart.

He worked two jobs so I could attend a private Christian high school.

He wanted so much more for my sister and me –

More than he ever had.

He must have thought we needed extra attention.

He had a beautiful tenor voice and always sang loudly in church.

His Irish heritage boomed on St. Patrick’s day as he sang “Danny Boy”

And raised another glass. He could drink more beer than the rest of them and it didn’t affect him in the least.

Time passed and I fell in love. My dad went a little crazy for a while.  He put the newspaper in the refrigerator and the bread down the clothes chute.

He became an emotional wreck.

He held my arm tightly as we walked down the aisle to meet my husband,

I could see tears glistening in his usually stoic eyes. He was so proud.

He died at sixty one – a long time smoker – he suffered with lung cancer.

He clung tightly to life – maybe feeling he wasn’t quite ready for what lay ahead.

Maybe he hadn’t yet made peace with God for his past sins.

Finally knowing that he was forgiven allowed him to give in.

It gave him comfort.

I wasn’t at his side when he passed. We were driving to be with him.

As I looked at the brilliant blue sky, a cloud appeared and took on the form of a dove. It quickly floated high above and dispersed into heaven.

It gave me comfort.

I look forward to seeing him again so I can let him know what a great impact he had on my life.

I love you, daddy. Happy Father’s Day.

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on June 19, 2020 by atimetoshare.me
Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

LORD IN YOUR MERCY, HEAR OUR PRAYER

Posted on June 7, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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Dear, Lord,

Another week has passed in this time of the unknown.  Every day brings a new challenge.  Each problem seems to create more problems and the systemic pain seems to cause more and more destruction to the entire body of civilization.

I cannot do anything about the sins that wounded and killed so many parts of our once unified country.  Only your Son, Jesus, can take away sin.  I am but a small dot on the planet.  I try to speak encouragement to those who would listen.  I try to give peace to those who worry.  I attempt to use my words to lift up wounded spirits which have been usurped by wrong thinking or imaginary fears.  I cannot do so anymore.

My own thoughts have been tarnished by what I’m seeing fall apart all around me.  I feel there is no hope for this country of mine because of the great divide between us.  I feel useless, because I’m often accused of bigotry or using the platform of my blog to spread my own agenda – whatever that means.

You know my heart, dear God.  You know that my intentions are not to hurt anyone.  You know that I’m a sinner and without you am doomed to an eternity of suffering.  You also love me beyond the world’s comprehension and sent your Son to deliver me and all sinners from the threat of hell.  I look forward to an eternity in heaven because of it.

I think it’s time for me to step aside for a while. I’m getting too old to fight for my opinions.  I can’t take the untrue accusations.  You know that I’m not a racist.  You know that I will be accused of being one.  You know that my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak and I’ve lost my gumption.

I will be taking a vacation from my blog for a while.  I don’t feel what I have to say is important anymore.  I’ve lost my joy for speaking about the love you have for humanity.  I am not one to give up, but I’m tired.  If it is your will, I will continue to spread your good news, but the way I feel now, I’m not even accomplishing that.

Your people are hurting.  There is dissention and anger all around us.  Life seems not to matter in any shape, size or form.  Only you can heal our land.  Lord, in your mercy, hear my prayer.  Amen!

 

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DON’T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW . . .

Posted on June 6, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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Each day is a blessing.  We’ve made it through another night.  Our hearts are beating and breath fills our lungs.  We’re not dead yet.

There are times when I wish that my life would end.  I’m the age where many friends are going to heaven – where their suffering has come to an end – where there are no more tears, sadness, fear or feelings of loss or persecution.  Peace – beautiful freedom from the cares of the world.

Death can be an end to our troubles.  It can usher in a freedom from all the chaos and ugliness of the world.  It can also be used as an escape which God doesn’t intend for His people.  When we give up and give in to the perils of living and choose death, we’re violating His commandment not to kill.

I’m hearing so much lately about various lives mattering.  I’m also hearing that many take offense at the phrase, “all lives matter.”  Can someone tell me why that is offensive.  Life in the womb matters.  Life of those with special needs matters  Lives of those who cannot care for themselves matter.  Lives of the poor matter.  Lives of the elderly matter.  Lives of all races matter.  Life matters or God would not have created it.  He created man in His image, with various strengths and talents.  Race makes no difference to Him.  He doesn’t care if we’re too young or too old.  He looks beyond our disabilities and loves each of us the same.  We’re His creation and also His children.

We’re in an inexplainable time right now.  We’re facing tragedy, health concerns, violence and unrest, political upheaval, turning from God, self-dependence and many more situations which tug at our minds and hearts every day. There is reason to be depressed, unhappy, fearful.  There is also need for us to turn to our Creator and ask for His help while we travel this world.  He will hear our prayers if we simply go to Him.

We’ve been separated from God for a very long time.  That has caused us to flounder in our journey.  It’s totally unnecessary.  God has taken care of all our needs today and He will again tomorrow.  We need not worry, because He’s always there for all of us, because we all matter to Him.

 

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LAZY HAZY DAYS

Posted on June 6, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Can you imagine sitting on the stump of a downed tree at the edge of the river?  Your makeshift fishing line dangles lifelessly.  You dip  your toes into the refreshing water.  The sun is hot and this is a perfect day to go down by the riverside for some welcome relief.

A paddle boat from another time floats by – chugging along as the paddle wheel powers the engine – it’s blades slicing through the water. Reminder of a quieter more peaceful time – a time which stood still for a while, as you let all your cares float away with it.

The dog days of summer are drawing near again.  Today we gain relief from our air conditioned homes.  We may cook and dine outside to make the most of this pleasurable weather.  Some choose to stay inside for the entire hot season.  Oh what they’re missing.

In the beauty of God’s creation, our souls become refreshed – our bodies renewed – our minds cleared.  We can unwind, kick out the demons, renew and restore our hearts. I guess that’s why God created the seasons.  Each has its own form of restoration.

Dear Creator of Heaven and Earth, you’ve provided a place for us to live and enjoy our living.  The core of your creation calls out to us – Come unto me and I will give you rest.  The Spirit sweeps through nature like the invisible wind.  Breathe your spirit on us today and help us to appreciate all your blessings.  Amen!

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RENEWED

Posted on June 5, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

The seasons of life are just seven, yet sometimes they last even more,

Our destination is heaven, but think of what’s gone before,

Each chapter is full, each page covered too,

The people that fill it are many or few,

There’s laughter and sadness, and tears fill our eyes,

Our goals are oft met, but the time often flies,

What we have accomplished upon this sad earth,

Will not be remembered or have any worth,

What matters is this and not a bit more,

That God was there with us, and is evermore.

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WHERE IS GOD?

Posted on June 5, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

OIP (1)

There is so much to be thankful for in a world that seems to have run amok. We wonder where God is in all this, but can’t seem to put our finger on Him.  We know His promises are always kept.  He doesn’t lie and He loves us unconditionally.  Still we can’t wrap our minds around what’s going on in our world.  Where is God?

For months we’ve been shut out of the world by a disease.  Yet when civil unrest overtakes a city, masks come off, social distancing is ignored and it seems there is no God.  Where did He go?

We see loved ones dying, illness causing suffering, financial disaster causing a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. How will we pay our bills?  How can we muddle through when we have no way to provide for ourselves?  Where is God?

We see man’s inhumanity to his brothers as violence erupts in our city streets.  Classrooms, once filled with students eager to learn, had lost a sense of discipline because of restrictions put upon educators. In the name of humane behavior, children lost respect for those in authority.  They lost their trust of their elders and somehow they became the enemy.  Where is God?

Small steps to the disintegration of a society have been taking place in our nation for a long time.  Our political leaders spend money foolishly, investigate to the hilt with no results and push laws through that pull us further away from our Constitution.  Buildings are burned, memorials  are desecrated, tear gas disperses crowds, rubber bullets fly and order cannot be controlled.  Law enforcement has become the enemy.  Where is God?

Churches remain closed or restricted, we see unfair treatment of those who want to worship while big box stores remain open allowing many to shop for essentials at their own risk.  Where is God?

Summer is right around the corner.  A time of heat and restlessness usually occurs during this time.  We have had a year like none other in our memory and we can’t help but wondering what we’re supposed to learn from all this.  Can we recover from the difficulties of the past few months?  Can we return to a peaceful society and life as we used to know it?  Where is God?

God isn’t limited by the boundaries of heaven and earth.  He can weave His way into the hearts of men and heal entire populations from disease, drought, famine, pain and loss.  He can turn darkness into day.  He will move mountains when necessary.  He provides for the birds of the air and the animals as they struggle to survive.  How much more will He care for us.  God created our world.  We messed it up.  If we ask Him,  He will heal our hearts, mend our bodies, restore peace, love away our emotional and physical pain.
God is everywhere. Just seek and you will find Him.

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JULIE’S FRIDAY FUNNY

Posted on June 5, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

3iu4qx

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

THROW BACK THURSDAY

Posted on June 4, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

A collage of various roles I’ve played over the years.

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THURSDAY NONSENSE

Posted on June 4, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

My husband spent his working years in the advertising industry. His ability to come up ideas in a flash, along with visual sketches to sell the client on those ideas helped him to succeed in the wild world of the Madman years.  For four decades he helped others to sell their wares through creative  means.  Times have changed the way we look at things and one generation’s point of view often differs with the other, but I thought I’d post a few silly print ads as a reminder of what we were and what we are today.  We definitely need a change of pace in this mad, mad world of ours.

 

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NO GOD, NO PEACE – KNOW GOD, KNOW PEACE …..

Posted on June 3, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

OIP

 

 

 

 

 

There is no vacuum in the human heart. Certain demolitions take place, and it is well that they do, but on condition that they are followed by reconstructions.

Victor Hugo
My state has launched an all out investigation into our police department. This has been a long time in coming and it only took the burning of businesses, the loss of life and jobs for some, the destruction of property and the looting and pillaging of our city.  Don’t get me wrong.  I truly believe there has been injustice in the way matters are handled by some police officers.  Corruption is not limited to the streets and the thugs who stir insurrection, but it has been growing like a cancer, slowly devouring law enforcement, elected officials and government at all levels.  It’s time for non-violent action and I laud our governor for taking swift action.  We must make sure he carries through.
In the past, protests have gone unheard.  The voices crying for change have been silenced.  As time passes, even the violence is overlooked and often shoved under the rug.  The problem is not addressed and years pass without action and in time we will see another uprising.
I pray this is the start of some true rebuilding, but only time will tell.
We all have an opportunity to do something about the chaos that’s ringing out in our cities.  We can contribute to food shelves.  We can go into the trenches and help rebuild.  We can give hope to those who have lost everything just by standing by them and giving them encouragement.  We can let them know that God still loves them and wants the best for them.  We can lend a hand in any way possible.  We can pray.  We can pick up a broom and sweep away the broken glass, but we can’t heal broken hearts.  Only God can do that.
I want the truth to be found.  I want to know if our law enforcement is corrupt.  I want to be aware of wrongdoings by those in higher places. I want to know that there is no political agenda attached to this on either side of the aisle.  I think we, as American citizens deserve answers.  We can’t live under a shell and be blinded by the hope that everything is all right.  Our tax dollars are being spent on those being investigated and we deserve to know if our money is being well spent.
I’ve seen some wonderful things going on in my community.  There’s been an outpouring of food and essential supplies for those who have been displaced by this horror.  Dollars have been raised to help them regroup.  Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and Caucasians are standing shoulder to shoulder and picking up the pieces of their past lives.  This is how it should be.  The biggest solutions come from those who are willing to work together.
I’ve heard about young people watching over their own neighborhoods, protecting and checking for any suspicious activity.   Being a strong neighborhood depends on the people who live there.  We should all be so diligent and watchful.  I’ve heard stories of various groups praying and singing together.  Some worshiping a different God, yet their hope is in something greater than themselves.  There is so much more love in this disastrous event that goes unseen, because it doesn’t contain all the flashy news of fanning the flames of discontent.
Peace is something that can not come to be until we look within ourselves.  Instead of playing the blame game, we must start within.  If we aren’t doing anything about the core problem, we’re as guilty as those who set fires and break windows.
I pray that good will come from this and that those who have suffered death because of it, will not have died in vain.

 

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TEARS FALLING

Posted on June 2, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

I am crying on the inside as my heart slowly breaks over the events surrounding us this year.  Tears can cleanse some of the ugly from our lives, but only God can wash it all away.  We need His intercession NOW!

A mixture of saline and water which appears during a specific episode.
It can occur when a foreign object enters the area.
It can be produced through irritation, emotion, a strong odor or taste.
It acts as a cleanser. It can come at the most unpredictable times.
When your heart is aching over a lost love.
When you’ve shared angry words with a friend or spouse.
When a loved one departs this temporary life.
When you feel alone, betrayed, hopeless.
When there are no words to express what is in the heart.
God give us these little droplets to renew us – to release the sadness –
To wash away anger, frustration, grief, loss.
They can come gushing out or merely trickle.
They are tears.
Tears give us new strength and power.
Every time I cry, I feel as though the flood gates have opened.
Once the cry is over there is true sense of relief.
Thank you, Lord, for tears. Help me to know that they are a good thing.
Keep me from being embarrassed or ashamed when my tears fall.
Remind me of the tears shed at your death.
Assure me that through your resurrection and ascension, I will see you.
My tears of sorrow will turn to tears of joy when I enter heaven.
After that time there will be no more tears.

 

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ONCE UPON A TIME – UPRISING

Posted on June 2, 2020 by atimetoshare.me

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The climate was right.  Summer heat had overtaken the city.  It was a holiday – a day of remembrance for those who had died defending their fellow man. In one part of the city, a white man, hired to serve his community, subdued a black man and placed his knee on the man’s throat. The man died.  The city roared in anger at this injustice.  Their anger turned to rage and spread throughout the community of those already cloistered from the reality of life.

Again we watched from the comfort of our homes as city streets filled with protesters – walking arm in arm and side by side.  There was no social distancing.  There were masks, but were they being used to shield others from a deadly disease or as a means of disguising who they were?  The crowds gathered at first to protest peacefully.  It was a right given them by the law of the land.

As happens when crowds gather and are incited by others to do violence, the protests turned ugly and the city went up in flames.  Shops were looted.  Items from those stores were carried off or destroyed.  Glass crumbled under the hands and feet of violent people who had been stirred to make the most of a bad situation.  The cause was no longer just.  The man who lay dead could not come back to life because of it.  The man who killed him would not be judged fairly because of it.  The deed had already been done.

For days the violence continued.  Some said it was a plot to undermine the country and eventually start another civil war.  Some blamed the white race for their inaction. Others blamed the blacks.  Some blamed the law enforcers.  Others pointed fingers at the lawmakers and elected officials.  All of them pointed fingers away from themselves.

Eventually the violent behavior spread out across the entire land.  No longer were they confined to their homes.  They left their cocoons and took on what they deemed a righteous war.  All the years of oppression had culminated into another battle.  Cries for justice – hands raised in solidarity – the call of resistance against current laws and complacency screamed loudly in the night sky as flames licked the businesses that once thrived in these neighborhoods and burned them into oblivion.

Barricades were set to protect those behind them.  Troops entered the city.  The presence of military uniforms mingled with those of local law enforcement.  Streets filled with more and more voices and cries for justice.

The people wondered if this would ever end.  Would they continue to be held captive in their homes?  Would the disease again rise because so many were blind to the restrictions?  Would there be another catastrophe on the next day?  In their secret places, many cried out to God.  They begged for mercy on an evil world.  Some blamed God for all the tragedies that were unfolding before their eyes.  They cried tears of pain, loss, anger.  They hugged each other as if it was the last time they would do so. None of it would change what had occurred.

They went to sleep wondering if they would have a world to wake up to.  Still they went to sleep hearing the cries for justice and peace and yet there would be none.

 

 

 

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