MY WRITING JOURNEY
So what about that book I was writing? I assumed I was finished. Well at least I got to the last page. Now, amidst differing opinions from a number of people who have read it, I am pushing forward in the writing process.
The past few weeks, however, have consumed me with memorizing lines, blocking, stage business and rehearsals, so my book is back on the shelf. I will begin again on the editing next week.
I’ve decided to take constructive criticism, but I won’t change the integrity of my work. I believe this is part of being a confident writer. You own the book. It’s part of you and who you are. You have invested a number of months compiling it, rewriting, adding sub plots, etc. so it is connected to you, your brain and your imagination.
Anyway, sometimes we need to take a break from our work and then return to it again at a later time. So this weekend, my home will be the theatre as part of a fun cast and great director. See you next week.
ANOTHER OPENING, ANOTHER SHOW
“Acting is the most personal of our crafts. The make-up of a human being – his physical, mental and emotional habits – influence his acting to a much greater extent than commonly recognized.”  Lee Strasberg
I can’t remember how many opening nights I’ve participated in, but each one gives an actor a sort of rush which is really unexplainable. I guess it started when I was just a small child. We’d pin a couple of sheets to the clothes line, make some popcorn, send out invitations to the neighborhood and dress in silly clothes. We did some sort of play, skit or standup routine – whatever was the fare of the day. The attention of an audience, no matter how big or small creates an energy that bounces from actor to observers and back to actors. It has a rhythm all its own. It excites, causes some pangs of fear and creates an immediate response.
Those feelings carried over into my high school years and the beckoning call of the theatre has been like unto an addiction of sorts. For within that art, we can become someone unrecognizable from ourselves for a couple hours. We put on a mask, draw on our own emotions and thought process and bring a character to life all in one fell swoop.
As my life pressed on this art has been a great part of my life. I’ve written hundreds of plays and skits. I’ve sewn countless costumes. I’ve directed and taught children and adults the art of acting. I can lay claim to being a performer, but as the years pass, the abilities change. Our minds don’t retain as much as they used to. Our bodies are restricted somewhat because of arthritis, bursitis, inflammation and other assorted maladies, but still the roar of the crowd calls. Once you’ve experienced an opening night, you’ll never be the same.
Someone once said that what we do as an occupation, usually pertains to something you loved doing as a child. I’m not sure if that’s entirely true, but for me, it’s a part of me Those early “shows” didn’t emote great acting. Instead there were missed cues, lost lines, embarrassing but funny moments that went with the flow and for some it became a passion. Every show has some sort of adventure waiting for you.
So tonight he lights will come up, the action will begin and sooner than we hope for it will be over, leaving a part of each individual involved with a sense of accomplishment.
TURN YOUR FROWN UPSIDE DOWN
In hopes of erasing some of the rhetoric and name calling going on over the past few months, I decided to devote this post to humor. The messes we create on a daily basis are often far from humorous, but when they involve other people – yes, even the toxic ones I talked about yesterday – we’re opening a dialog which usually doesn’t have a happy ending.
While searching for a quote on humor and the benefits of laughter, I came across the one pictured. I love the words, but admittedly I had no idea who William James was. I mean he looks like a nice guy. He even has laugh lines to prove my point. His smile is hidden by well groomed facial hair, but I do see a hint of one in there somewhere. People from this time period rarely smiled for photographs anyway. I wonder why that is. Were they really such an unhappy bunch – were they wearing shoes that were too tight or underwear that didn’t fit?
So I proceeded to Wikipedia to find out more about him. William James was born in 1842 at the Astor House in New York. Obviously his family was wealthy. They also were well read and intellectual. William eventually would be labeled “The Father of American Psychology,” because of his studies and contributions in that area. This was a time when the science of psychology was in its early stages. His father was a theologian, independently wealthy and well connected with the intellectual elites of the day.
His early adult years were riddled with various kinds of disease. He had an artistic side, but decided to pursue a career in science. He was tone deaf, suffered from bouts of depression and even contemplated suicide.  On one hand he was blessed with great wealth, position, education, and acceptance by his peers yet he wasn’t always happy.
Now that you have a brief description of the man that gave us that quote, I still see a ray of hope. William obviously knew the importance of a good belly laugh. The fact that he considered a sense of humor as common sense on steroids proves that. From a scientific perspective laughter has always been good medicine. When we laugh we release endorphins into our system which make us feel good. It’s kind of a temporary fix to chuckle, chortle, giggle or snort out a good belly laugh.
I have been known to pull up to a drive through wearing a nose and glasses, just to get a rise out of the cashier. My kids grew up in a house full of silliness. One of the first things they learned to do was laugh. There is no point in taking life so seriously. If we do, we’re setting ourselves up for a great fall and an existence of hopelessness. I believe that God has a sense of humor. He must have, because he made me.
When the world is spinning out of control, put on a silly wig and dress up in an outrageous outfit when you go to work today. Don’t limit yourself. You’ll be amazed how much fun you can have if you turn your frown upside down. Not to mention the laughs you’ll get from the paramedics who drive you off to the funny farm.
PASSING TIME
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Our time on earth is temporal, a whisper hushed and still,
We’re place here by God’s mighty hand, to do our Father’s will,
He guides us through the depths of pain. He takes our hand and leads,
He washes all our sins away and cares for all our needs.
When faced with darkness, fear or loss, He lifts us in His arms,
Protecting us from Satan’s wiles, his misery and charms,
When life becomes too hard to bear, He takes our cares away,
He gives us hope, He shelters us, to see another day.
So run to Him this very day, when all seems lost and gone,
Rejoice in His unending love, replenished every day,
And when that final day arrives and death knocks at your door,
Our tears will never fall again, because of what’s in store.
GIVE UP YOUR PHONE?
My name is Kathy and I’m a phone-aholic. I’ve become part of the new generation. I spend way too much time on my phone. I never thought this would happen to me, but it has and now I’m going to put myself to the test. I am no longer going to be a slave to this instrument of TMI. I need to rest my brain for a while.
When my children were growing up, we didn’t have cell phones. We had princess phones, dial phones and extension phones. The extension phone was my favorite, especially when the kids had extra long conversations and made it impossible for me to use it. I often would break into one of those dialogues and state that the limit had been reached. Of course I was the bad guy for a while, but it did establish a precedent. I was still the parent.
A few years ago a teacher in our area gave her students a choice. They could take their final exam, but they could opt out if they surrendered their cell phones. You would think this was a no brainer, but almost all of them chose to give up their phones for a week.
Her whole point was to get the students to realize there was another world beside that expensive piece of plastic. Her tactics worked. Kids began to communicate again. They didn’t have to take the exam, but were given additional assignments to maintain their grades, but the greater lesson learned was how important it is to have a real face to face conversation.
What a great teacher!
This summer might be the perfect time for parents to institute a similar option. By freeing them of those instruments you will be opening new doors for them. They can get some physical exercise by riding their bikes – walking to their destination – swimming – cutting the grass – helping an old lady weed her garden. They might offer to babysit for a neighbor for free. Doing a task to be of assistance without getting anything in return is a great confidence builder. Anything that involves interaction is great for future team building and problem solving.
I know this might sound drastic to some and even brutal to others, but you will be giving one of the best life lessons ever. You don’t have to confiscate the phone for the entire summer, but I am willing to bet they won’t be relying on them nearly as much when school resumes.
The reason we have summer vacations is to renew physical bodies and refresh them for the work that lies ahead. Now if I could just practice what I preach.
DEALING WITH TOXIC PEOPLE
Toxicity is described in the dictionary as something poisonous, extremely harsh, malicious or harmful. It’s something we are seeing more and more with the use of the Internet, social media and lack of self control. When we come up against someone who exhibits toxic behavior, our natural instinct is to confront them, defend ourselves or walk away. We’ve all encountered toxic people – a classmate, someone we work with, a boss, a family member – maybe we’re the ones who are toxic. Whatever the case, nothing good seems to come from these confrontations.
Some toxic people are narcissists. Some have a low self image and need to prove themselves. Some are power hungry, angry, unhappy or have been abused by another toxic person. So how do we live with them, work with them or have a relationship with them?
When Jesus spoke His sermon on the mount he was setting up a list of guidelines for how to live. Previously it was said to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This probably made no sense at all. When someone attacks we think we need to fight back, to defend our rights and honor.
When words are printed in the form of a text message, a tweet or a comment on social media, those words are permanent. We can erase them, but the damage has already been done once the publish button is hit. In our world of instant everything, we’re saying and writing words without thinking. Too often we don’t even realize the effect of those words until it’s too late.
Face to face encounters are even worse, because we tend to act and react in the moment and words fly out of our mouths that we never intended to say. To be a true follower of Christ, our actions should be that of a servant. That doesn’t mean we should become a doormat for another person’s rage, but we should first show compassion rather than flying off the handle. When we resort to the same tactics we’re giving the exact reaction they want. That just feeds the drama and encourages more negative behavior.
When our integrity and work ethics are being challenged without cause, it isn’t easy to simply walk away or not respond. Name calling, bullying, lies and anger run rampant in our country. So what should we do? Pray for them. As hard as that may seem, it’s what we’re commanded to do. The power of prayer is amazing. It can heal broken bodies, restore relationships, give us hope in times of trouble and it can change hearts – even the hearts of toxic people.
Posted in Bullying, Uncategorized
Tagged compassion, God, integrity, toxic people
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CLEARING UP THE CLOUDS
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
When days become diluted with the busyness of living,
It messes with our vision, as if closing all the blinds,
Our thoughts become polluted, our lives are unforgiving,
Our heads become befuddled, and shadows fill our minds.
The light that sweeps the darkness from our confusing state,
Cannot by coins be purchased, will not be found by hiding,
It’s light that comes from Heaven and it leads us to its gate,
We see that light in Jesus and His precious love abiding.
His Word is our connection, His promises are true,
He carries us through sadness, pain and loss,
His life He laid down gladly, He died for me and you,
There is no more confusion, just focus on the cross.
Psalm 119:130 “The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
Posted in art, Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, Clarity, Light of the world
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ILLEGAL – WHAT DON’T WE UNDERSTAND?
This is not a rant, even though it may appear so. I have no problem with immigrants coming into our country. My DNA includes German, French, Irish, English and Swedish. All of my ancestors came to the United States in search of better living conditions and opportunity. As we recently celebrated the birthday of our great country, I am reminded how the original colonists were not afraid to fight for the land they were coming to. The French followed suit and had their own revolution shortly after we did. When freedom is involved it is worth the fight.
There’s unrest and ugliness in all corners of the world. Children are being sold into sex slavery. Drug cartels run the Central American countries. Rape and gruesome executions take place everywhere. Cities stand in ruin and people are subjected to hunger, starvation and disease because there is no place to live. It truly is a sad state of affairs.
So what are we to do when we are inundated with thousands of ILLEGAL and UNDOCUMENTED immigrants? There is a lawful procedure that takes place when people enter our country. Somehow it seems that the law doesn’t apply anymore. What about those who paid thousands of dollars and years of waiting to become American citizens? How can it be fair to them when they’ve paid the price which the current immigrants are not doing?
I’m not versed in political science or American law, but I’ve gone through the school of hard knocks and have seen such a decline in respect for both of those areas. Police and other public servants have become the villains while the bad guys run the streets and are bringing suits against those very protectors. Laws have been established to protect all of us. Lately the bad guys have taken advantage of those laws to work to their own advantage.
When immigrants use children that aren’t even blood relatives to achieve their entrance to our country, something sets off a red flag, in my opinion. The backlash of this leaves those who seriously want to come here for the reasons our ancestors did, are being pushed aside by the drug pushers and sex traffickers. The fact that there are thousands of people to process slows down the entire action. Many of them will never see the other side of the border. Many will be returned to their countries of origin. Many will die. Many will get sick. The list goes on and on.
Whoever is orchestrating these caravans is probably raking in a lot of money. Some legitimate families are willing to give their last cent to get entrance into America. The border patrol is working overtime hours, often bringing toys from their own homes for the children, spending part of their salaries to bring needed supplies and facing danger and even death every day they punch the time clock.
There is no clear answer to this situation. However I still believe that the law means something. The minute we turn that system upside down, we are opening the door to all kinds of problems. The demise of a nation usually begins when its infrastructure is broken.
COME TOGETHER
When God invites us to His house, He does so because He loves us. He desires our presence. He doesn’t need our worship. He’s God. He doesn’t want us to do it as an outward act to show others how good we are. He loves to hear our prayers – our voices singing to honor Him. He wants us to share His blessings of the Sacraments so that each of us comes united in His name. It’s true that He exists everywhere, but when we come together as a body of believers, it makes Him glad.
Accept His open door policy. He’s available morning, noon and night. He will listen to your prayers and answer in His timing. He knows what your needs are and wants only the best for you. Spend some time thanking Him for that blessing. Show your honor for Him by hearing His Word and praising Him with others who love Him too.
As we face the struggles of this world, we know we’ll get relief in His house. It’s there where it’s all about God – and all about what He’s done for us.
TECH WEEK!
The dreaded moment has come again. A time when my mind gives way to blankness with the addition of things like costumes, lights, complete set and use of props. Add to that the fact that my brain has slowly been deteriorating over the past 77 years and you have a formula for chaos. I do know from experience that it will all come together in the end and when the final ingredient is added – the audience – that sparks will fly and all will be well with the world again.
Today we’re scheduled for a six hour time slot. Thoughts of dehydration, actually breaking a leg and confusion come to mind. Did I mention I’m old? However there is something about being on stage that is timeless. You can become another person for a short time and take on a persona unrecognizable to your own. The roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd – or something like that.
Being a writer, I have a tendency to add my own words to the script. I’ve been know to edit (improvise) on the spot which might be good if I were doing a one woman show, but there are eleven other cast members counting on my getting it right so they don’t miss their cues and drop their lines. There are also tech people trying to follow the script for their cues, a director that has worked so hard to make you look good and an audience that expects so much from you.
Being a writer, I also know what goes into writing. You spend hours looking for just the right words and melding them together so they flow properly. You create interesting characters which influence the story. It’s like a kick in the pants to the playwright if you don’t say them the way they’re written. With that in mind, I’m striving to do so, but my brain doesn’t always cooperate. Therein lies the run – I mean rub!
So when I hear the phrase, “break a leg,” I now take it literally. My bones have become victim to osteoporosis, so words like that mean something entirely different then they did ten years ago.
I ask myself why I continue to put myself through this. Why would any sane person submit themselves to such torture? I guess common sense would tell me to stop making a fool of myself – to stop trying to prove something – to check in to a psych ward – or to simply sit in my rocking chair and waste away. Well, those who know me will tell you that I refuse to waste away. The scales are proof of that.
I will always have a piece of my heart connected to the theatre. I will never stop performing before a live audience even if I have to resort to playing the corpse. The lure of this craft is so enticing. Once you’ve experience it, you can never let it go.
Posted in acting, Uncategorized
Tagged AGING, humor, performance, theatre
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A DAY FOR THE ARTS
Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Minnesota. The sun was casting a golden glow everywhere and surprisingly there were few mosquitoes (our state bird.) There was no humidity, the flies and gnats were nowhere to be seen. Temperatures were in the mid seventies. We don’t get many days like this in the tundra, so we must take advantage of them when they come along. Our summer includes about three months of warmth and time to enjoy it so we do.
Yesterday was also a perfect day to set up an easel and paint outdoors. Paul invited his plein aire group of painters to our backyard to do just that. Each person found a little piece of ground – either in sun or shade. One even set her easel and herself upon a little blanket on the grass. You couldn’t ask for better conditions. There was no wind. Air was fresh and clean and the group met a new painter who will be joined them.
It was quite a sight to see. Their cars were parked along the street. All these people were painting in our backyard and it was a beautiful piece of art in itself. This group has bonded over the two years of its existence. They are now a cohesive group of friends, who share their creative side along with some of their personal doubts and fears with painting. Paul’s compassion goes out to each of them as he tries to guide them through a problem and encourages them along the way.
There has been amazing growth in this group as well. Some have changed the media they use over the course of time. Some have become more willing to take chances with their art. Others have learned from each other. Paul loves to see his student’s own style emerge as artists. He prefers they do this, rather than having them imitating him or another artist. This frees them to express their own thoughts and creativity into their work.
Arts of all kind draw upon our inner creativity. It’s not only a wonderful relaxing aid for some, but it helps you solve problems through imagination and risk taking. The same is true in every one of the arts. Wonderful things happen in the process.
So while this was going on, I was at the Northern Starz Theatre Company, subbing for the teacher at a summer theatre program for kids. It was amazingly fun to get myself back in that groove, even if only for a short time. The children were anywhere from 5-10, which for the most part is normally getting too much for me to physically handle, but they were receptive and anxious to learn.
It was a day filled with art and creativity. In the evening, when Paul went off to a church meeting, I went outside and did some weeding to top off a perfect day.
Thank you, God for the blessings you give us through our creative expression. Through these experiences we learn so much about nature and your wonderful creation. We also develop friendships and share those experiences with others. Please keep our minds sharp until we reach our final hour. Amen!
MUST I DIE TO HAVE PEACE?
Are you in search of peace? The world seems to have been looking for it for a very long time, yet wars continue – tempers flare – hatred, anger and power all add to our daily lives causing us to become all those things.
I’ve wondered if I will ever be able to say I’m at complete peace. Must I die before I know it? It’s almost easy to understand why someone would prefer death to life for just that reason.
We age and those thoughts continue. We’re losing friends weekly to death. We see our loved ones suffering through difficult illnesses and we also bear the pain. Our own bodies are shriveling and dying. Heaven is becoming more appealing every day, yet we remain alive and even wonder why.
The truth is, we can have peace, even through the turmoil of life. Death will bring an everlasting peace, along with no sadness, sorrow, pain or tears. In life we will have troubles, but because of what has already been done for us, we have peace today as well.
One of God’s greatest blessings and promises to us is that we will have peace on earth.
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Phillipians 4:5-7
Remember that today. You don’t have to die to have peace. All we need to do is ask God through our prayers. He will always provide for our needs and give us peace when we struggle with difficult decisions.
SPEAK UP, SIRI
To emphasize, while traveling I often refer to the map app on my phone to get to my destination. While doing this, I sometimes become frustrated because I’m not fast enough on the receiving end. Instead of blaming it on my poor hearing, I tend to get angry with the device. After a frustrating time of it, I said to my husband, “I really hate that app,” as I tucked my phone into my purse. To which Siri replied, “Some days are just like that.”
A voice was communicating with me from the depths of my purse – crunched up alongside my checkbook, my glasses, my empty wallet and an assortment of cough drops and mints. Siri had actually understood what I was saying. I felt a sudden bond, but quickly dismissed it. It doesn’t seem natural to strike up a relationship with an automated device.Â
It caused me to wonder again about our dependence on these tools. In a way we’ve become friends with them, because they’ve taken the place of a real, honest to goodness person. In time we will not have to leave the house for anything. Relationships will cease to be. We won’t have to shower or put on makeup. We will be accountable to no one. Hmmm – sounds like a world without God.
Thankfully, God is available 24/7, 365 days a year. All we have to do is ask and it will be given, knock and the door will open, seek and we shall find. I pray that we never become so isolated from each other that we feel we can go it alone. We need each others’ fellowship, friendship and face to face contact. We can always count on God’s protection, intervention, forgiveness and everything else in life, but we need each other too. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone so he created woman to be his partner – and her name wasn’t Siri.
WILL GOD’S PATIENCE EVER RUN OUT?
In preparing to write my post for the day, I’ve spent the last hour fighting with my computer. I sometimes believe the devil resides within this communication icon. It was only an hour before I lost my patience.
Our patience in an impatient world is tested all the time. We’re called upon daily to wait. We may sit in traffic for an hour and miss an important meeting. We might wait in line at the bank or grocery store while others are taken care of first. It could be that you’re waiting for test results or the anticipation of a coming birth. Waiting is an inconvenience. It sometimes causes anxiety or fear. Most often we simply give up.
As I think of my own inability to be patient, I can’t help but wonder at God’s amazing forbearance with us. When He tells us to be still and realize that He’s in control, we often try to take over and do it our way. We want answers immediately and to our liking.
There are hundreds of examples of God’s patience with His people. The story of Noah and the great flood comes to mind. The world was filled with sin of all kind. The people had turned from their creator by choosing false gods and teachings. By the time God called Noah to build an ark, this family of eight were the only people left who believed in Him. God could’ve simply wiped everyone off the face of the earth, but they were given over another hundred years to change their evils ways. Talk about patience.
During that time of grace, the people continued in their sin. They rebuked Noah and his family. He was the Henny Penny of the day. The people had never experienced even a little drizzle up until that time. When the ark was completed and the first raindrops fell, they were still so deeply rooted in their sin that they didn’t get it. Eventually the waters came from above and below and devoured every living thing except for those on Noah’s boat.
Had God finally lost his patience? Imagine how bad things must’ve been for this to happen. Are we getting there again? Is it time to build another ark? Can God forgive us for the mess we’ve recreated? When the storm subsided and the water dried up, Noah and his family set up an altar to the Lord. God made a covenant with them to never destroy the world with a flood.
Still that doesn’t give us free reign to go back to our evil ways. Daily repentance is necessary. We’ve been forgiven. God is merciful, but He wants us to be completely His own. That means studying the Bible and showing the same grace we’ve received to others. It then becomes our responsibility to share the good news of the Gospel with others and to be completely devoted to God.
Posted in sin, Uncategorized
Tagged dependence on God, Inspiration, Patience, trust
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INTERNATIONAL TOWN CRIERS’ DAY
I enjoy looking at a site called Days of the Year, which lists all the special and unusual holidays at home and around the world. It’s amazing what people celebrate. Today is International Town Criers’ Day – one of those things that is no longer necessary because of the internet. In its day, however, it was mandatory for those with loud booming voices to roam the towns and countryside to spread the news. Usually they carried bells and dressed in brightly colored clothing so they would be seen and heard. They were also called bell ringers – or today they might be referred to as ding a lings.
In those days, there were many people who were illiterate. The printing press had not yet been invented. Still enquiring minds wanted to know what was happening in their kingdom and this was the best way to do it. Those who “cried” had to have endurance to make it through the entire countryside.
I imagine by the time they got home, there would be more news to spread and they wouldn’t have a chance for rest. Maybe there was a whole crew of town criers, especially during a heavy news week. Kind of like the Pony Express, they would have tag teams to get the word out. Fake news may have gotten its start, because like in the game, “telephone tag,” the message gets garbled along the way. Who knows what the last guy in town heard by the time he got the word?
It amazes me how far we have come in communication over just my own lifetime. We now have connections with the entire world. We hear news immediately when it happens. Yet even in the dispensing of it, we often wind up with the wrong message. I guess some things will remain the same until there’s nothing else to talk about.
atimetoshare.me 