HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS & PAUL

Posted on February 11, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk,” was stated by one of America’s greatest inventors. He was a stately man, who wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig into solving various kinds of problems through his inventive mind. He numbered most of his friends as those who wore overalls and spent the majority of their lives doing hard labor. The man was Thomas Edison and he was born on this day in 1847.

Mr. Edison had patents for over a thousand of his inventions, which sent the country into a huge spurt of advancement of industry in the fields of electricity, motion pictures, photography and mass communication.  A pile of junk was turned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise and  changed the face of America as a  leader in the growth of the free world.

Almost 100 years later, in 1942, another man made his way into the world, with the same kind of inventive spirit and what became a stellar work ethic while still possessing a genuine concern for his fellow man. He has grown into the man he is today by looking at every pile of junk as an opportunity to make something amazing.

He has been a steadfast student of God’s Word and now in his later years, He’s able to draw on that wisdom in times of trial, disappointment, fear, hope and delight.  He has been a fine example to his children, to his friends, to his church and especially to me.  He’s the one who showed me God’s true grace.

He is the man I fell in love with and spent the majority of my life growing to appreciate and be thankful for. Happy birthday, Paul Boecher. May we have many more years together sharing the blessings God continues to give us day by day.

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HEART THROB, ROBERT WAGNER

Posted on February 10, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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Robert Wagner probably is best known for being the husband of Natalie Wood.  He was born on this day in 1930 and graced the silver screen with his good looks for many years.  He still appears in television shows occasionally.  He was one of my very first heart throbs as a teen aged girl.  He wasn’t a great actor, but he sure was handsome.

Robert was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Hazel (a telephone operator) and Robert John, Sr. (a traveling salesman for the Ford Motor Company.)  He became interested in acting after high school, making his film debut in 1950 and then signing on as a contract player for Twentieth Century Fox.  He took on several small movie roles as a supporting actor.  He finally began to shine when he appeared in various television shows including, It Takes a Thief and Hart to Hart later in his career.

In 1957, 27 year old Wagner married 19 year old Natalie Wood.  They divorced in in 1962, but reconnected again in 1972 and remarried – having one child from that union.  In 1981 Wood drowned in the infamous incident off the side of their yacht Splendour, named for her movie Splendour in the Grass.  Natalie’s fear of death by drowning came true.  Her controlling mother often caused them difficulties as well.

In a made for TV movie in 2004, called “The Mystery of Natalie Wood,” the part of Robert Wagner was played by Michael Weatherly (of NCIS & Bull fame).  Wagner appeared on NCIS occasionally as Weatherly’s flamboyant father.

The mystery surrounding the death of Wagner’s wife, Natalie continues to haunt him as he was named a person of interest by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department on February 1, 2018.

We may never know what happened in this case.  What we do know is that Robert Wagner shared much of his life with Natalie.  He was a popular actor and she was a rising star. Both on a difficult path for anyone to follow.  People who are placed in the public eye or on a pedestal – are often misread or misunderstood.  As for me, Robert was one of my first loves – even though it could never be.

 

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LOVE IS …

Posted on February 10, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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As children we learn about love from our parents.  As toddlers we start to experience love from others.  Once in school, we might become madly in love with our kindergarten teacher or the child in the next seat.  When we move into puberty, hormones rage asour heads and our hearts fall for the cutest new rock star or the guy who tells you that you look nice.  The next step is sorting through those relationships to find the one that you want to grow old with.  Through middle age you marry, have children, work together, do your own thing, drift apart and love may fly out the window.  When you reach your 70s and your love is still the most important thing in your life, you have finally realized true love.

Love doesn’t just happen in the blink of an eye.  At first sight it might seem that it’s all perfect.  The experts don’t tell you what’s really involved in making a sound relationship.  For the most part you’re operating on emotion and nothing more.  In the heat of that emotion, some of the greatest battles occur.  Words fly without thinking and broken hearts result.

When you marry, you soon find that the person you married isn’t the person you thought they were.  You weren’t bargaining for the little things, like leaving the toilet seat up or a pile of laundry cluttering the floor in your bedroom.  You didn’t know that you’d be sharing your bed with a stranger.  Your ideas of perfection and the Pinterest lifestyle have flown out the window.  Reality sets in.

If you can’t see beyond your own feelings and needs, chances are your love isn’t going to make it through the next few years.  True love takes nurturing and work.  When you commit to one another, prepare yourself for that.  Love is not about self.  It’s about two lives coming together and actually becoming one mind, one heart, one soul.  As time goes by, the battles become smaller – mostly because you don’t have the energy to spend on such things anymore.  It’s just easier to agree.

Placing God at the head of your union is what solidifies it and allows it to last and get stronger with age.  You can find this and other advice about love in the best handbook for a solid, happy, marriage – the Bible.

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THE OLD FLOUR MILL

Posted on February 10, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

An ancient fortress, standing tall, within the city streets,

Remains of passing days gone by, with traffic now competes,

The outer walls are stained and brown, inside it seems the same,

Like bodies fading quickly – when old age calls your name,

We try to stand both bold and tall, but often fail the task,

So we sit down and we circumvent about the distant past,

But still a light shines brightly, our hope will never end,

When Jesus is our partner, our lives He will defend,

He is our mighty fortress, when all around does fail,

He lifts us up to heaven – and new life to unveil.

 

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 10, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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GRANDMA’S ARMS

Posted on February 9, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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I have fond memories of both my grandmothers.  In fact I can even remember my great grandmother and some of the things she impressed on me in my youth.

Today, grandmas have changed quite a bit.  Most of them still work well into their sixties and beyond.  Although most grandmas from the old days, worked hard right up until their dying days as well.  They didn’t have cleaning ladies or people who would bring meals to their door.  They continued cooking, washing windows and scrubbing floors even though their aging bodies had long since lost the battle of gravity.

Today, grandmas still offer a stellar amount of benefits to their grandchildren – just like mine did.  I’d often visit my paternal grandma after working my part time job in downtown Milwaukee.  She lived in an apartment on Wisconsin Avenue, and I loved getting into the rickety old elevator and praying that I’d make it to the third floor.  The inside of her building reminded me of Tammany Hall in the movie Gangs of New York.  It was indeed scary, but as soon as grandma opened the door to her apartment, the most amazing smells emanated out into the grungy hallway, inviting me in.  Once inside, I was greeted with some wonderfully, fresh baked item and would sit on the handmade afghan laden couch and we’d visit – just talk for a while – and it was wonderful.  This grandma worked right up to her retirement, and found joy in her remaining years, away from the sounds of the city to place up north.  There was still nothing like her downtown apartment though.

My maternal grandmother was a hard working farm woman, who made her way through her childhood gathering buffalo chips for fuel and cutting wood for the fire.  She was strong in more ways than one.  I don’t recall her having any lack of strength, even into her 70s.  I do remember spending summers with her on the farm.  I recall a large metal cabinet she had right outside the newly installed bathroom.  It was loaded with medicine of every kind known to man – everything from snake oil to mustard plasters were part of her medicine cabinet.  She’d help me cut out pictures from the Sears Catalog and make them into paper dolls.  I’d sneak a peek at her romance magazines, which were “hidden” from view.  She’d come in to pray with me each night and there were times I didn’t recognize her.  She’d often have her hair in curlers, her teeth were in a jar in the bathroom, and the weathered, wobbly skin on her arms shook as she walked.  But those arms were always open and ready for hugs.

Today some grandmas treat themselves to fun vacations or go to the spa and receive massages and cellulite injections.  Many are even sporting braces these days.  We have access to better health care.  We can go to the gym, if we decide to.  Yet, when you get right down to it, we’re still grandmas.  We love our grandchildren and would do just about anything for them.  We will always have our arms open for hugs and even if those arms wobble, they’re full of love.

 

 

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ANOTHER RONALD’S BIRTHDAY

Posted on February 9, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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This splendidly handsome man was born on February 9, 1891 – a long time before I was even a glint in my father’s eye.  He was born in England and studied at a boarding school in Littlehampton. His intention was to go on to study engineering at Cambridge, but his father’s early passing made it financially impossible for him to do so.  As a student in boarding school, he developed a love for acting.  He was shy young man who found his confidence while hiding behind a mask.

Like the other men I’ve been highlighting this week, he was left to fend for himself at an early age.  They all had fathers who died before they were sixty, leaving their sons to become famous in spite of it.

In 1909, Colman enlisted in the London Scottish Regiment as a territorial soldier.  At the onset of World War I, he became mobilized and sent to France to fight on the western front.  Wounded by shrapnel in his ankle, he managed to cover up the limp that resulted from his injury for most of his career.

Colman returned to the pursuit of his acting career after recovering from his wartime injuries.  He was best known for his fluid, resonant, speaking voice and good looks.  His dark hair and eyes and his ability to do his own stunts until he grew old, dubbed him as Valentino- like by the critics.  While appearing in New York in a stage production, Director, Henry King saw him and engaged him as the leading man in the 1923 film, The White Sister, opposite Lillian Gish.

His career took him through three varied types of acting – stage performance, acting in silent films and the move into the golden age of talking movies.  This shy little boy, used his voice, his good looks and obvious talent to make a living.  So often I see young actors blossoming on stage – where they would simply hide from the world in other situations.  Drama seems to have an effect on those of us who need to express ourselves in the shadow of another.

Ronald Colman obtained two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the acting industry. He was also nominated three times for the Academy Award but didn’t receive his Oscar until 1947 for his role in A Double Life.

He married twice in his life and left one daughter, Juliet Benita Colman, who wrote the story of her father’s life in 1975 – Ronald Colman: A Very Private Person.  Colman died in 1958 from severe emphysema.

‘All the world ‘s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.’ William Shakespeare – As You Like It.

 

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 9, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

SNOWMAN OVER

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OUT OF DESOLATION

Posted on February 8, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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ORIGINAL SCULPTURE BY PAUL BOECHER – POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

The sculpture was created as a reminder of how God can bring us out of the ashes and into new life.  It depicts the flood waters of the Bible, along with the rugged post signifying the cross which also holds a long spike to symbolize the crucifixion.  The dove with the olive branch shows the peace of God and the renewal of life.  let us not forget that God will help us rise from the ashes and provide all that we need to sustain new life.

 

Hidden in the ashes, trampled by the steel

Lay the sons and daughters of the day.

In the years that follow, our hearts may never heal.

We mourn their loss – We try to deal – We turn to God and pray.
Freedom was taken, terror stole our soul,

But America was built for more than this

Strong hearts united, with a mutual goal,

Rebuilding, renewing, restoring the mess.
Each battle not forgotten. They’re seared upon our souls.

We put our faith in God’s eternal care.

We trust in His salvation, we know he mends the holes

That come from the destruction in the air.
Our hearts must stay united, no matter how we feel.

We look beyond the prejudice and fears.

Our only hope is Jesus. He is the one who heals.

He erases all our sorrows and wipes away our tears.

 

 

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CUMP

Posted on February 8, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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Picture this.  It’s 1958.  I’m sitting in the front row of my American History class.  My teacher is standing upon his desk, re-living the battles of the Civil War and in the process of his expounding, his words are laced with spit.  My American history class was like that for the entire semester.  I soon learned to carry a towel to class with me.  At the time, the battles seemed to be a distant image that had absolutely no bearing on my young life. As I look back and also look ahead to the fact that much of our history is being either ignored, white washed or simply eliminated from the curriculum, it makes me sad.  I really believe that the only way we can move forward in life, is by reviewing our past and learning from our mistakes.

Today is the birthday of General William Tecumseh Sherman – known in his letters to his wife as W.T. – and to his friends as Cump.  He was born on February 8, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio.  His father was a successful lawyer who died unexpectedly in 1829, leaving his wife and eleven children with no inheritance.  Nine year old Sherman was then raised by a neighbor and family friend, Thomas Ewing, Sr.  Ewing served as senator from Ohio and was the first Secretary of the Interior.

Ewing secured an appointment for 16 year old Sherman at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  Sherman never felt he was a good soldier.  He was a stellar student, but disliked the demerit system which knocked his grades down, for not conforming to the rules of conduct and appearance.  In his early pictures, he seems to be a soldier any young woman would fall for. As time wore on him, his pictures showed a weary man, beaten down by war.

Sherman did not oppose slavery, but he thought it foolish for the southern states to dissolve the union and secede from it.  In words to a friend who was an enthusiastic secessionist he said the following:

“You people of the South don’t know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization!”

His words rang true as war ravaged so many lives, pitting brother against brother, dividing families and waging terror across the country for four more years.

When the Confederate states surrendered in 1865, Sherman wrote to a friend:

“I confess, without shame, I am sick and tired of fighting—its glory is all moonshine; even success the most brilliant is over dead and mangled bodies, with the anguish and lamentations of distant families, appealing to me for sons, husbands and fathers … tis only those who have never heard a shot, never heard the shriek and groans of the wounded and lacerated … that cry aloud for more blood, more vengeance, more desolation.”

I can still see my American History teacher waging war against the south on top of his desk.  None of it made a bit of sense to me then, nor does it today.  However, without that knowledge, who knows whether history could one day repeat itself and we might again be a divided nation.  In some cases, we’re already there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, W.T.

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 8, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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ETERNITY

Posted on February 7, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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ORIGINAL POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

Our lives on earth are temporal – a whisper hushed and still,

We’re placed here by the Father’s hand and through His mighty will,

He guides us through the depths of pain, He takes our hand and leads,

He washed our every sin away and cares for all our needs,

When faced with darkness, fear and loss, He lifts us in His arms,

Protecting us from Satan’s wiles, his misery and charms,

When life becomes to hard to bear, He takes our cares away,

He gives us hope, He shelters us, to see another day,

So turn to Him upon this day, when all seems lost and gone,

Rejoice in His unending love, replenished every dawn.

 

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ANOTHER NOTABLE FEBRUARY BIRTHDAY

Posted on February 7, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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This week I’m focusing on the birthdays of men of greatness.  Today, one of my all time favorite authors – Charles Dickens.  This man had a short life of only 58 years, but managed to give us such classics as “Oliver Twist,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Nicholas Nickleby,” “David Copperfield” and many more. Each of these books had a piece of Dickens built into them.

They say that authors often write their best work, based on what they’re familiar with.  Charles Dickens was such a writer.  His early years of childhood were happy.  He was the second of eight children.  Through those years, the family remained poor, but found happiness in the little things in life, until Charles’ father, John, had lived beyond the family’s means and went to prison for unpaid debt. This led to Charles having to go to work at the age of 12 to help support the family.

Starting out in the workplace at such an early age. interfered with his education, but he was learning on the job, so to speak.  All of this added responsibility was, as he said, the end of his innocence.  He felt abandoned by those he felt were supposed to be caring for him – and this was a common thread in the writing he would later do.

His most successful writings are now literary classics, but he actually started submitting pieces of his work at the age of 21.  A very industrious young man, I would say.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  I guess Charlie realized that too.

He married Catherine Hogart and they had ten children.  Quite a brood.  Because of his early success, he continued to write some of the best literature we know today.  Most everyone has heard his name, read his books, or seen adaptations of them.  I imagine his need to provide for such a large family may have had something to do with his work ethic.

He was only 58 when he died from a stroke.  What a success story.  A poor boy from London writes countless works in his short life, tours the country as well as the United States, and becomes a super star of the Victorian Era.

Here I sit, almost 75 years old, with a million stories in my head and I’ve yet to publish more than a memoir, which seems to require a sequel.  Well, I certainly give him credit for pulling himself out of poverty and creating a massive collection of enjoyment for the world.

Perhaps opportunities were greater during the Victorian Era.  Maybe the competition wasn’t as fierce as it is today.  It could well be that some of the most outstanding literature was written during those years and what ever has followed is just a re-run of those first editions.  Whatever the case, I think anyone who loves to write, will agree that when we place ourselves and our experiences in our work, it can become a classic or just another mundane, boring story.  It’s up to us to determine the outcome.

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 7, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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FEBRUARY SPECIAL DAYS

Posted on February 6, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

 

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Today, February 6th, is the birthday of one of four presidents who had birthdays in this month.  We celebrate all our presidents on the third Monday of February. Ronald Reagan was an unlikely choice for the high office he held for two terms, yet he is one of our most popular. Washington, Harrison, Lincoln and Reagan all had birthdays during this month.

It seems our memory of our presidents often gets relegated to a place of honor once they are out of office or have passed away. Reagan was known for his charisma, his way with words, his ability to deliver a speech, his love of country and dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy.  Throughout his life, he was considered to be an honorable man, even when pursuing a career in acting.  He never felt he was cut out for the movies, but gave some of the most inspiring performances of his time.

I love the quote above because it is a standard for how parents should be raising their children.  We need to set good examples for them.  We must pass our principles and ethics on to them, for they will not receive them from the world.  It isn’t a matter of making them think like us or brainwashing them into believing like us.  Somehow the idea of parenting has turned into being friends with your children, rather than guiding or leading them.  Holding parents in high esteem is also a thing of the past and unfortunately has become an archaic way of thinking.

Reagan wasn’t a perfect father.  Like most dads, he was in the throes of making a career for himself and often missed out on the important moments in his children’s lives. He had his share of ups and downs with them over the years.

It seems to me, however, that he had a pretty good handle on the precepts of our country and the truths that made her great – like freedom, liberty, patriotism, entrepreneurial skills, the American dream. When he speaks of our freedom being only one generation away from extinction, it makes me think of what’s happening with religion in our country today.  The truths and values passed to us over the generations will soon face the same fate.

The Bible talks about writing God’s commands on our children’s foreheads so they remember.  We can’t simply assume that they’ll worship the same way we do.  They need to be taught.  Our country needs to be retaught as well.  We need a resurgence of patriotism and love of this wonderful nation, to return to the forefront – otherwise there is no reason to fight in her defense.

Mr. Reagan was a great president.  We will remember the good things he did for America.  While he was in office he had his critics and opponents, but the beliefs he held dear were very clear to all of us.   He loved America.

Let your children know the blessings they have by living in America.  They have the freedom to voice their opinions, to peacefully protest, to worship as they please, defend themselves, live free from oppression and so much more.  As children of God, they also are blessed with the freedom which Christ bought through His death and resurrection.

God bless America and the people who make her great!

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 6, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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I BET YOU THOUGHT I WAS DONE WITH SNOWMEN CARTOONS.  IT SEEMS WINTER JUST KEEPS ON PRODUCING MORE OF THEM.  IT’LL BE NICE WHEN WE CAN START SEEING SOME GREEN AGAIN!

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THE DAY AFTER …

Posted on February 5, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

Minneapolis survived one of the most celebratory events ever to occur on its streets this past weekend and even the ten days leading up to it.  I am not a great fan of contests which pit brawn against brute force, so I usually just tune in for the commercials .

Today, the day after, has been declared a holiday by those who have chosen to stay home and sleep off their over-indulgence.  They call it “Super Sick Day.” Some folks are even petitioning that the day after actually become a national holiday.  Our airports are going to be overloaded. It’s expected to be one of the busiest travel days, as they brace for substantial overbooking and disgruntled passengers.

In the aftermath, there will be mounds and mounds of trash to clean up.  Streets will be decluttered, traffic will return to normal (whatever that is) and life will go on.  It’s a game – for Pete’s sake – and yet we’ve managed to delegate it and the carnival like atmosphere to the center of our attention.

Of course it has also become a vehicle for schlepping your wares.  The arena is full of vendors of all kinds.  The networks spill over with commercials.  The special seating areas are clothed with designer labels and lavish lifestyles.  The best of the best – in my opinion – was the E-Trade commercial, “This is Getting Old,” which deals with old fogies like me having to work well into their eighties because they don’t have a retirement fund.

It may seem funny to see a woman from the class of ’43, gliding down her stair lift, sporting a red hair dye job and business suit.  It is quite hilarious to watch an 85 year old fellow trying to control a fire hose or conduct brain surgery.  I had a real laugh at the aging woman working as a disc jockey.

The fact is, this is the truth of the older generation today.  We may have had some luck with a 401K or posses a pension plan, but for most of us, we’re trying to eek out a living using only our measly social security checks – which we and our employers actually invested in during our working years.  Fortunately, many of the Silent and Baby Boomer Generations still possess the good health and energy to continue working longer than their predecessors ever did, but we’re tired of it.  We wanna go home, already.

My sister is a baby boomer and she and a friend often thought it might be a good enterprise to set up wine and cheese bars in nursing homes.  They could easily make a decent living doing that and the residents wouldn’t have to depend on medication.  In fact I think we could’ve made a fortune selling Depends at the Super Bowl.  Oh, well, missed opportunities again!

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WINTER FUNNIES

Posted on February 5, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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SUPER BOWL VII FUNNIES

Posted on February 4, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

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NO HARD FEELINGS REALLY!

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DON’T LOOK BACK

Posted on February 3, 2018 by atimetoshare.me

PAST

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill

We’re all guilty of living in the past.  Our memories can hold us tightly – either positively or negatively.  Former sins can come back to haunt us, even when we know that God has forgiven every one of them.   When we make blunders in the workplace – when we botch up in school – when we say something that can’t be taken back – when we hurt another with a word, a snub, a look – when we refuse to give up old habits – these all become deterrents to progression.  We cannot move forward if we’re living in the past.

One of the secrets to success is to have a vision of optimism.  Looking forward can open doors to new thinking, innovation, invention, entrepreneurial growth.  In fact, in most cases, the toughest door to open is the one leading out of our own thinking.

What is important in your life?  Is it each rung on  the ladder of corporate success?  Is it the amount of money you’re bringing home each week?  Are you consumed with materialism, outward achievements, trophies, notoriety, acclaim, great performance?  If those things are at the forefront of your thinking, you may receive success temporarily.  It might mean stepping on some toes or making enemies along the way, but you can’t become the big man on campus if you don’t make any noise – right?

In our society it doesn’t seem to matter if we butt heads with another, talk trashy about our opponents, think we’re much better than anyone else.  In the past 40-50 years we’ve been told that we can be anything we want to be and, if we believe in ourselves, we can accomplish anything.  Why?  Because we deserve it.  A new generation of self-confident young people has emerged from that way of thinking.  Unfortunately, they’re soon going to realize that they have to prove themselves.  Once in the world of business or industry, they cannot simply sit on their past certificates of participation.

We need to prepare for the future by using past experiences for growth.  We cannot move out of the abyss, if we never experience it.  The darkest moments in our lives can be the greatest lessens for living a rich and fruitful life.  They were meant as a tool to sharpen us, to prepare us, to refine us.

True success doesn’t come in this world.  God has given us this world as a place to prepare us for our ultimate life – eternity in paradise.  I call that real success.  Keep your eyes on the prize!

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

 

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