I CANNOT HIDE FROM YOU
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Psalm 32:7 “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.”
Within the reeds and waving grasses, in a place where you can’t see,
Everyone who slowly passes, simply won’t catch sight of me,
Even though I may be hiding, there is One who knows I’m here,
With His tenderness abiding, He protects and holds me near,
How much greater is His goodness, for those whom He created last,
How much more will love He grant them, If they come to Him and ask,
You can’t hide from God’s clear eyes, You can’t cover up His ears,
He knows every step you’ve taken, He’s been with you through your tears,
When you hide, your fear is showing, He knows all you’ve said and done,
He cares for you with love bestowing, He has for all the victory won.
Posted in ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS, Uncategorized
Tagged Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, God, prayer, s
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THE PASSOVER
It was like any other day during Passover. Many had come to give their offerings and make their animal sacrifices. The sound of sheep without blemish and doves cooing, along with chanting voices and general chaos filled the streets. Every year it was the same thing. People came from far and wide to do their religious duty in celebration of a long past time when God gave the Jews their freedom from the oppression of Egypt. For many, it had become a habit – a tradition – a ritual.
When Jesus made the journey to Jerusalem during the beginning of His ministry, He was following the tradition His family had followed since the days of the mass exodus including enslaved Jews in Egypt. Now they were under the rule of the Roman government, who allowed them to worship as they wished, but were brutal in their governing and forms of justice.
Mary may have thought to stay home that year. It wasn’t necessary for women to make this journey, but her son, Jesus was there. As He sat at the temple gate, where the treasury was set up and watched as people came, gave their offerings of money and left. There were those who placed large amounts in the boxes. They were rich and may have been able to give even more. He also noticed a great number of vendors making money off of the sale of animals to be used in sacrifice. His anger swelled and He made a whip from some cords of rope. He then proceeded to turn tables upside down, money flew through the air and the vendors scattered with their animals.
When the Jewish leaders of the temple asked Him by what authority Jesus was doing this He answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Like many of this things Jesus said, they didn’t understand. He wasn’t referring to the actual temple, but to His own body. He was foretelling His own death and resurrection. Imagine how sorrowful He felt to see the physical temple being turned into a marketplace. His anger was the human emotion He waged when turning it upside down. It had to be a wakeup call for those in attendance.
Mary marveled at Jesus’ insight. With each step of this extraordinary journey, her eyes were being opened to the divine side of her firstborn child. There was nothing ordinary about Jesus. As the years ticked off, He would return to the temple during the Passover celebration. He would again have to overturn tables and chastise those who were misusing the temple. Those in charge were not pleased, but Mary knew that this was just the beginning of how Jesus would cleanse the church on earth along every human life.
She would make it a point to be part of this amazing journey as we should also.
Posted in Lent, Uncategorized
Tagged Jesus in Jerusalem, Mary's journey, Passover celebration
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COMPOSURE
ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
In a world of turmoil, rage, hatred, ugliness and insecurity, isn’t it nice to take a peek at the beauty of God’s creation? A graceful swan holds her head high, fluffs her feathers and continues to pursue her dreams in the cold refreshment of the spring waters.
God looks after her just as He watches over us in times of despair and hopelessness. He leads us to the still waters of life. He bathes us in His righteousness. He cleanses us from all our iniquities. When fears assail, when we’re are put upon by others, when we feel the twisting of life’s regrets and wrongdoings, we can rest in the knowledge that our Savior went willingly to the cross to save us. That should give us complete composure.
A MAN OF SORROWS
He quoted scripture with great authority. Even the men of the Sanhedrin were amazed at His teachings, but He was beginning to stir up the people. Mary remembered some of the prophesies that were passed down from Isaiah regarding the Messiah and it must’ve become crystal clear to her by this time, that Jesus was the fulfillment of those words. Isaiah had referred to the Messiah as a “man of sorrows.”
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3-5
As a mother, the thought of your child being rejected, especially by their peers, is heartbreaking. Even though Jesus was now a grown man, I’m certain it caused her heartstrings to twinge as she recalled this prophesy.
Jesus had stirred up the crowds with His teachings and the leaders of the church in Jerusalem didn’t like it one bit. They’d set their thoughts on ways to trip Him up – to make Him look foolish – to humiliate Him. Soon the plans would involved silencing Him forever, but for this brief time, Jesus was bringing a message of hope to these sin sick masses. Not only was He feeding them physically, but they were dining on exquisite words of promise and salvation – words they had not heard before.
Mary knew this was just the beginning. He would be labeled a heretic, a brother of Satan, a demon Himself. He would suffer at the hands of the vicious Roman government. His body would succumb to the torture of the lash, the spit from venomous mouths of His enemies and scorn from His very own relatives.
At the moment, she couldn’t bear to let those thoughts come into her mind, but she never lost sight of them. She knew it would have to come to pass for the prophetic words to be fulfilled.
Still this was her Son – the child she nurtured for so many years – the One who sat at her feet as she told the stories of God’s eternal love and promises – the One she fed, cuddled and bandaged scuffs and bruises. She looked into His brown eyes and saw a reflection of herself, but also the Father that had conceived this boy – Holy God.
She knew then that He indeed was about His Father’s business.
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A MOTHER REMEMBERS
We women have a preponderance for remembering. We’re right on top, with birthdays and anniversaries. We usually don’t forget important appointments, even when we put them on the calendar. We remember our child’s first words, steps and accomplishments. We often bring up the past, when we shouldn’t. Memories may even remind us of unhealed wounds from long ago. I think God instilled this ability in women because of our need to nurture and care for those we love.
Mary was no different than any mother. Her claim to fame was the fact that she was the chosen vessel for the birth of the Son of God. Her ability to accept this with humility and faith shows us how much she trusted God’s divine plan. It also demonstrates how God uses the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary – just as He uses each of us to fulfill His plan for the world.
Memories can surface when we least expect them. Sometimes we save them knowing they have value, but just aren’t sure what that is until we see them come to fruition. During this point of Jesus’ ministry, some of those old memories had to be coming to mind for Mary. Her Son was no longer a child. He was a man of thirty, but even when our children become adults, we mothers continue to remember things from their youth.
The early days after his birth were filled with happenings that simply didn’t make any sense at the time. Like the visit of the Magi and their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. She couldn’t have comprehended their meaning then. Gold was a gift intended for royalty – Frankincense was the sweet smelling fragrance offered to God in sacrifice and adoration- The myrrh was used as an embalming spice for death. In hindsight, we can see exactly what those gifts represented. This child was royalty – the King of Creation Himself. The sweet Frankincense was intended for worship, which He deserved. Myrrh would’ve been one of the spices used in His burial.
There was the presentation at the temple with Simeon and his unexplainable words regarding her Son, Jesus as “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
There was the time Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem as a boy. Being part of a great caravan, Mary probably assumed He was with another relative. When she and Joseph realized that Jesus wasn’t with them, I can imagine the panic setting in. They returned to Jerusalem and found the boy in the temple speaking with great authority about the scriptures; doing His Father’s work.
The memories she’d tucked away so long ago would come to light again as Jesus carried His words to the masses. His audiences were growing. His words were touching the hearts and minds of those of all nationalities, races and beliefs. There still was a long road ahead – one that would eventually lead to the cross. Mary thought about those early days once more as she listened to her adult Son spread His words of hope and promise for all.
A SILENT FORTRESS
ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
A peaceful walk within the woods, can stir imagination,
The crunch of twigs and unknown things, all adds to this sensation,
A regiment of trees stand tall, and line a peaceful lake,
Enduring every element, the brunt of it they take,
A quiet breeze soon captivates and gives you some relief,
It trembles through each giant tree and tickles every leaf,
When life is filled with hope unknown, when all seems lost and over,
The breath of God is living truth that all our sins He’ll cover,
He fills our lives with confidence, He’ll never let us wander,
He carries us through all our trials, His love He does not squander.
Posted in ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS, Uncategorized
Tagged Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, God, Inspiration, nature
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MIRACULOUS HEALING
Most mothers have this built in desire that their children will be successful – that they will have friends and those they can counsel with – that their lives will be filled with joy and hope and that they never suffer from depression or give up. Mary was like any other mother in that respect. She knew from the start that her Son was going to succeed in God’s mission in life. She was sure that He would have friends. The miracles He was performing were different than that of a simple magician who displayed insignificant tricks to amaze an audience. Jesus was using His inborn miraculous traits in a way the people had never seen before.
As time went on, Jesus miracles became even more amazing than the first one He did at the wedding in Cana. Now He was healing those with terminal illnesses, disabilities and even removing demons from those who had carried them for years. He was calming the sea, walking on water and defying nature as well. It didn’t take long for word to quickly spread across the countryside about this “miracle man.
To Mary, He remained her Son. Sons are a gift from God to a mother. They’re usually a reflection of their dads and Jesus was no exception. He followed the profession of His carpenter step dad, Joseph. in those years of growing up, but now it was time to exhibit the attributes of His Holy Father in heaven.
Mary heard the stories of the exile out of Egypt and God’s miraculous deeds as they traveled across the desert. Certainly, as families gathered at the end of a day, those stories would come alive again. There were the miracles performed by the prophets, Elijah as he raised the widow’s son from the dead; Daniel in the lions den; Jonah in the belly of the whale; and the Walls of Jericho falling at the command of God. She pondered over her own miraculous pregnancy and the angel that told her what would come to be. Each of those special memories she had tucked away were now coming to fruition. This surely was the Son of God.
Mary’s faith was with her from the beginning. She simply accepted God’s will for her. Listening to her boy speak in kind, tender words – lifting their spirits as well as renewing their health. His parables were also more than effective. Speaking to those who tilled the land, he would talk on their terms and yet His knowledge of the Scriptures was far superior to those who had spent a lifetime studying them. Jesus was the Word.
Every day news spread about the deeds of Jesus. Israel had long awaited the coming of the Messiah. The prophesies were now coming to pass. As the events unfolded before His mother’s eyes, her confidence in God’s covenant was growing stronger, but this was just the beginning.
A LIGHT THAT SHINES FOREVER
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
A city of blazing lights can cover all the ugliness of sin,
A world that lies beneath the bridge of deception, hate, fear and addiction,
Underneath that hidden territory where darkness abounds,
There, shrouded in the shadows, the real world abides,
The cloak of evil captures those who would go there,
There is no light, no hope, no promises,
Only loneliness,
When sin obliterates the light, nothing can hide the darkness,
Nothing,
Yet there is one light that never dies,
A light that lives in the heart of everyone who believes,
The true Light of the world,
This light can extinguish the darkness,
Snuff it like a spent candle,
There is only One dominating light,
To replace eternal obfuscation,
Through it we can find our way,
Become light itself,
And pass it on by following it,
The Light of the world.
LITTLE LAMBS
Mary remembered how her Son loved children. He was the oldest child so often had to look after His siblings. He never seemed to mind caring for them. He looked like a little shepherd, tending His sheep. He played with them, told them stories, sang songs with them, rocked them to sleep and made sure they stayed clear of danger. Now He was leading a whole flock of troubled sheep with His words of hope.
As the crowds grew with each passing day, Jesus had to retreat to the mountainside or the middle of a lake to preach to them. His voice was powerful enough to reach every ear, but He was becoming physically weary from the days of traveling and speaking. As he sat for one quiet moment, a crowd of young children came running to Him. His disciples, being concerned for their Master, tried to shoo them off, but Jesus wouldn’t have it.
He treasured each of those children and babies as if they were His own. He scolded His disciples for sending them away, saying, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, if anyone does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child, he will never enter it.”
It surprised the disciples to hear these words. How could anyone go to heaven without knowledge of the scriptures? How could one of these little ones enter heaven? They had so much to learn. They were nothing but an inconvenience and a bother. Mary knew that Jesus was talking about the faith of those children.
This is something we often lose as we grow older. We think we know more than God – that we can outwit Him or achieve our salvation with our good deeds alone. A child has a pure, accepting faith in the things we teach them. There is no questioning whatsoever.
Mary had a faith like that, when she accepted God’s plan for her life. She would admit, that it was not of herself, but a gift from the Holy Spirit. She was now beginning to comprehend the importance of that faith – for all things that God does are for our good, because He first loved us.
The little ones are like the flocks King David tended as a young lad. He would leave all of them to search for one who was lost. Jesus came to seek those who are lost – not just physically lost, but mentally and spiritually. He will do whatever it takes to find them, to take them in His arms and hug them close to His breast. Jesus loves children as a shepherd loves his sheep.
We all have from time to time strayed from our Shepherd, but He never gives up on us. Mary knew that her Son, Jesus, had a special purpose in His life. She wasn’t yet aware of the cost, but she was inwardly preparing for it as she watched and heard her boy. His compassion for all humanity was apparent
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SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST
Cana was about four miles from Nazareth. Another in a string of small towns leading to the holy city of Jerusalem. It was time for a wedding and of course all the relatives were invited, including Mary and her family. Jesus was thirty years old at the time and undoubtedly had his share of Jewish mothers nagging Him to get married, but we know that God’s plan didn’t include that.
The work Jesus was about to begin would be packed into three years of miracles, healings, teaching, calling to repentance and eventually taking the load of the sin of the world on His own back. He would be available 24/7 and each day would be full.
Weddings are a time of reunion – families reuniting in celebration – feasting and having fun. The young couple was aglow and ready to start a new life together. It was natural for them to want family and friends to share in their joy. We don’t know if Jesus was related to these two, but His mother was also present at the wedding, so it may have been so.
Mary hadn’t seen her son in a while. He seemed stronger somehow. He was always a smart boy, but now His wisdom had become broader. He had an inner strength that comes only with experience. His time away from His home town was treating Him well. She knew He would someday become an important link to God, the Father.
She must’ve recalled the early days of His life. She knew Jesus was destined for greatness. Every mom hopes that their child will be successful – that they will be happy – that they’ll follow their calling and do as God intended. She wanted what was best for Him, but He was no longer a child.
When she saw him at the gate, she ran to meet him. Young men tend to get a bit embarrassed when their mothers do such things, but it had been so long and He didn’t seem to mind. He was glad to see her too.
The party went on for hours and soon they ran out of wine. Mary went to Jesus and told Him of this dilemma and Jesus replied, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Mary told the servants to do whatever He said they should do. By saying this, she was acting in faith once more. She knew Jesus was capable of doing something. He was the Son of God, after all.
Jesus told the servants to fill six water jugs to the brim with water. Each of the jugs had room for about ten gallons. The servants complied and without a single word being uttered, and only the will of Jesus, the water became wine – the best wine they’d ever tasted. Someone even remarked that the host was saving the best for last.
This first miracle set His ministry into action. We don’t know how many people realized what happened, but we do know that because of Jesus’ actions that day, the disciples believed in Him. Many more amazing deeds would be accomplished by His hand. His Kingdom was coming to earth through Him, as it was in Heaven. Mary knew this was His mission.
MARY HAD A BABY
She was just a simple girl – nothing special – not without sin. She was like us, yet God chose her to carry His very own Son for nine months in her womb. She would also hold His dead body thirty three years later after He was crucified. This little child would be born in unusual circumstances so that He could become one of us.
Her mind must have been going in all directions. What would she tell her betrothed husband? How would she explain this to her friends and others in the community? Certainly it defied all human thinking. How could a young woman conceive a child without ever being with a man?
She knew she must tell Joseph. His reaction was as she thought it would be. He assumed she had been unfaithful and was ready to call the whole thing off. It was a perfectly natural response. Her heart was broken to the core to think her future husband would believe she’d betrayed him. Shortly thereafter, Joseph was visited by an angel in a dream. He was told that Mary’s wasn’t conceived by a man, but by the Holy Spirit of God. He would be the Son of God and save the world from their sins.
Joseph was an honorable man. He trusted God. His faith allowed him to accept this news and go on with their original plans to marry. Both Mary and Joseph were now the talk of the town. Imagine their humiliation – their shame. They were both on display now.
Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth during this time. Elizabeth was also pregnant. Her son would become the forerunner of Christ – the voice crying in the wilderness – John, the Baptist. He would prepare the people for the coming Messiah by leading them to repentance and baptism. When Mary appeared at Elizabeth’s home, her child jumped within her. She knew immediately that Mary was carrying the Son of God.
When it was time for Mary to give birth, it was necessary for her and Joseph to return to the town of their lineage – Bethlehem – to be counted in the census demanded by the governor. They traveled over rough terrain almost a hundred miles to their destination. Mary sat upon a donkey, and her pregnant body was subject to bumps, twists and turns. God protected this little family through every inch of the way.
Mary undoubtedly noticed every detail about her baby boy. She probably counted His fingers and toes, as most moms do. She would check Him often to make sure He was breathing. This tiny child seemed so helpless, yet was all powerful. He cried when He was hungry, had to have His diapers changed, needed the presence of His mother to soothe his hurts and cuddle Him close to her breast.
As her boy grew, she watched Him at play – warned Him of danger – made sure He ate right and taught Him, She certainly would guide and teach Him in His early years. Later He would be the teacher and she the student.
Mary accepted God’s plan for her life completely by faith. None of this made sense to her from a human standpoint. She knew that God was placing this honor on her, yet she accepted it in complete humility.
Most moms look at their children with loving eyes. We pray that they will succeed – they won’t have to experience bullying, emotional scars as well as bumps and bruises – they will have it easier than we did. We want the very best for them. Mary knew that Jesus had come to save the world, but pondering all of these early years in her young life could not have prepared her for what was in store. Still she walked in faith and trusted in God’s promise.
JUST A CHILD
Mary accepted God’s will without question – she nurtured her Son, Jesus, made sure He followed the commandments, did His chores, worked alongside His stepfather. She saw to it that He had clothes to wear, food to nourish and an adequate place to live for the greater part of His life.
She emerged from a young woman into one who carried the forthcoming events seeded deeply in her heart, She knew that Jesus was meant for the ages. He would save the world from sin and grant eternal life to all who accepted Him. Put yourself in her sandals for a while as we walk through her life.
Imagine that you’re a young girl of about 13 or 14. You’ve been promised in marriage to an older man. You’ve met him. He’s a good man with a kind nature. His temperament is calm and he seems to be very caring and compassionate. Joseph is a tradesman and makes a fair living. He’s strong from working hard. He’ll make the perfect mate. Still, you’re just a child. Your life has been arranged for you. You’ve been obedient. You’ve lived a life of purity and service. You’re a little frightened about your upcoming marriage, but you’ve submitted, because of your strong faith that God will guide you through this, just as He’s done throughout your life.
Who knew that His plan would take you to a place you never planned on? God’s outline for your life wasn’t supposed to be like this – was it? Now imagine your surprise when the Angel of the Lord appears and tells you that you’ll conceive and bear the Son of God.
WHAT?! You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and bring forth the Messiah that the world has longed for. How could this be? You’re a virgin.
Most of us would think it a weird dream or something you ate the night before that created this illusion. You’d hope it would go away and life would go on as usual. Mary wasn’t like most people. She wasn’t foolish or mindless – she simply accepted this part of God’s plan for her life by faith.
- Could we do that?
- Do we do that?
- Are we willing to accept without question,
The mysteries of Mary’s miraculous conception, pregnancy and delivery of the Son of God?
The entire thing seems full of events that don’t make any sense at all. Mary was no different than us, but what made her unique was her enduring commitment to God – her total trust in His omnipotent blueprint for her life – her innocent, pure, unadulterated confidence in God alone. Walk in her footprints. Follow her example of diligence, perseverance and trust.
God has an amazing plan for everyone. We may not be endowed with a situation like Mary’s, but we face bumps in the road every day. The way to overcome those obstacles is through our Creator. Have faith, my friends.
ASH WEDNESDAY
In Luke 22, where I left off on my Advent study, we find the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. It begins with the preparation for the Passover meal, continues as Judas betrays the Son of God, Peter denies knowing Him and ends with Jesus’ arrest and appearance before the Sanhedrin.
When Jesus started His ministry, He spent time in the wilderness while fasting and praying. For forty days and nights this went on. His throat was parched. His skin dry and burned. His hair matted by his own sweat. His time of prayer was scuffed by the dust of the earth and dirt covered Him from head to toe. By the time the end of that journey came, He was weak, hungry, thirsty and vulnerable – a time ripe for temptation.
The devil wasted no time in trying to lure Jesus into his web of deception, but our Savior defeated him. Even though Satan sugar coated his words by using the scriptures, Jesus had a comeback for each one. Using God’s Holy Word, he was able to defeat the lure of the evil one. The devil left Jesus and He was now free to do what He came to do.
On Ash Wednesday, we have a perfect opportunity to thank God for giving us His Words in the Bible. We can praise Him with those words. We can honor Him and give Him due respect. We can confess our sins and know that He will forgive them. We can repent and ask for the ability to change. Through our Savior, Jesus, we have all those things, because He came to do what we were unable to do. He took our sins upon His back and carried them to the cross, where they were crushed along with Satan.
We may choose to give things up as an outward sacrifice of thanksgiving. The giving up is not necessary, because Jesus took care of all of that, but in honor of what He’s done, we can do things that will change the way we live. Redeemed by the Son of God, we can now share that Good News with others. We can give to the poor. Help those in need. Support those going through difficulties. Lift in prayer those who walk in fear and anxiety. We can be a friend to the friendless. We can live as Christ lived when He walked the earth.
Let today be a new beginning for all of us. As we travel through Christ’s passion for His people, let us leave behind the sins, guilt, shame and darkness of our past and move ahead with confidence that our sins have already been forgiven.
THE STORY CONTINUES
During the season of Advent, I attempted to fulfill a 24 day study of the book of Luke. There are 24 chapters in this telling of the greatest story ever told. Unfortunately on the 22nd day, I became ill and by the 24th day I was in the hospital with a serious UTI. I didn’t finish my study. However, chapters 22 through 24 deal with the betrayal, denial, trial, suffering, death and resurrection of Christ – the perfect study for this season of Lent. In an attempt to finish what was started, I will continue my walk through these last chapters.
A few years ago, wrote a series on Mary’s journey through the life of her son, Jesus. I plan to include that in this Lenten study. Those articles were written from Mary’s point of view as a mother, disciple and saved Christian. I cannot begin to imagine what was going on in her heart and mind at the time, but as a mom, a follower of Jesus and one of His saved co-inheritors of God’s everlasting kingdom, I think I might have an inkling of the emotional roller coaster ride she was on.
On this Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, there will be feasting and overindulgence as a worldly exhibition of overdoing it before we make small sacrifices tomorrow. The idea of giving up what we left behind has little significance unless we do so with a repentant heart – and the promise of forgiveness by an unconditional loving God.
We should look at this 40 day season as a walk in the wilderness – a time of contemplation and self-examination. When we finally approach the cross of Christ on Good Friday, will we be ready for the price He had to pay for our redemption? He took every one of our sins to that bloody cross so we could have eternal life – so that we would appear sinless in the sight of our Holy God. The glory of His resurrection on Easter Sunday fulfills our confidence that we shall also be risen from death and share eternity with Him.
The colorful beads, the demonic masks, the parades and celebrations will go on today. What once was a casting off of worldly desires and opulence has gone to the extreme, but maybe that is what we’re talking about here. The things of this world are insignificant. Jesus gave up His throne in heaven to live among us, become our brother and to die in our place. Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his fellow man.
CONSOLATION
ART & INSPIRATION BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Psalm 95:4-5 “In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”
Isn’t it comforting to know that the Creator of the Universe also made you and me?. He formed us before we were even born. He breathed life into us. He knew the color of our eyes and what our name would be. He knew what our weaknesses would be and how He would help us overcome them. God is also in control of all that happens throughout our lives and into eternity.
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GOOD NIGHT, CRUCIBLE
This is the second time I’ve been involved in the production of Arthur Miller’s spell binding show, “The Crucible.” Some thirty years ago I was an assistant to the director. At that time I was on my second stint in college, had pretty much raised three children and was then pursuing my love of the theatre. I returned to hone my skills so I could be a better teacher of drama.
The past couple months have been an amazing revisiting of this classic tale of mass hysteria, destruction of reputations, temptation, sin, and standing up for your beliefs. This time, however, the cast consisted of a much younger crowd. Teens from grades 6-12 played these difficult, heavy, intense characters. The director educated them on the time period and the people involved in the Salem Witch Trials of the late 1600s. They would be portraying real historical characters of the time. It was a much different time than today. These early settlers of a new land had come here to worship the way they deemed right. They were enveloped in property disputes and naturally there were other arguments among them as well. The depth of the story was a challenge for each of them.
Not only were they required to learn vast amounts of lines, but develop complex characters which would leave a lasting impression on the audience. The beauty of being involved in theatre at such a young age, is that the process makes them great problem solvers. It allows them to be part of a team effort and grow life long friendships. It gives them self confidence as they try new things and succeed. The things we learn in our early years will often shape the future for us.
And so we say goodbye to “The Crucible.” It’s always leaves a sadness when you put a show to bed, but these young people can take pride in what they accomplished with this challenging performance. They deserve the applause, because they fulfilled their commitment and dedication to the project. So now, the stage manager will catch up on her sleep and look forward to working with many of these same amazing people again soon.
GREAT JOB TO THE CAST AND TECH CREW FOR THEIR AMAZING WORK!
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Tagged challenges, life skills, young actors
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DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
There are a ton of little problems we face every day. They may become mind boggling if we let them. For example:
- A fitted bed sheet that doesn’t fit.
- Having to pee as soon as you’re snuggled into bed.
- Trying to decide whether to have the last piece of pie in the pan or save it for someone you love.
- Deciding to wear two different socks because you can’t find a match.
- Having a head of hair infused with static, so you wear a hat, which only creates more static.
- Making a phone call instead of texting, just because you want to hear a voice.
- Wishing you could sleep in an extra hour or two.
- Wanting to be more organized.
- Trying to reason with a teenager.
- Giving something up that is no longer necessary.
These are only ten possible obstacles we might face. They aren’t earth shattering, but they can become frustrating – get in the way of completing a job – cause undo stress – lead to more serious issues. Every day problems might seem insignificant and unworthy of loading them onto God’s shoulders, but He invites us to do so every day.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Matthew 7:7
You might think that God doesn’t have time to bother with silly little things, but He makes it so easy for us to just ask. Our prayer life doesn’t have to wait for some tragic event to happen. We don’t have to forget to call on Him with the small stuff. We often don’t want to bother Him with the every day problems of life, but He tells us to do so.
Life is full of obstacles – road blocks – detours – change, but God is consistent. He never changes and will lead you through any difficulty you may encounter in this life if you let Him. He is omniscient so he can solve any problem. He is omnipotent so He has the power to reroute our path. He is omnipresent so He is available 24/7 to answer our prayers.
Don’t wait to call on Him. He wants you to. Trust in His unfailing, unconditional love to make your journey easier. There will still be those tough times when you need His intervention – when you suffer a life altering situation – when you’re unsure about your future, relationships or how you will pay your bills – when you fall into the pit of depression or mental illness. Just remember that He’s available for the little things too and in all things, give thanks for His love, because it will last for an eternity.
SHINING BEACON
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
“One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.” Isaiah30:17
A lighthouse standing alone in the midst of day,
Quietly waiting, without purpose,
For the light of day illuminates the waters beyond,
But as night returns,
And the darkness with it,
Its brilliance soars,
It becomes a refuge for ships at sea,
It is a light to guide the way home,
God is our refuge too,
And we are a reflection of His light,
As we stand alone,
Against all odds,
Against the evil of this world,
Even when we stand alone,
He is there,
His light bounces off of us,
We stand firm in his Word,
As we live according to it,
As we share that light with others,
Be a beacon to light another’s path.
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