I gave up drinking coffee a number of years ago, so the caffeine isn’t an issue anymore. I don’t like having an hour taken away from my day or added to it. It seems silly and unnecessary. Maybe someday, someone in Washington will change things back to the way God intended them to be, but I’ll be in heaven then and it won’t matter.
“We cater to the people who want a melody as it was originally written. Our audiences want songs that tell a story. We don’t want any song with questionable moral standards.” LAWRENCE WELK
It was the beginning of the 50s and big bands were still around, but they were quickly being replaced with rock and roll groups and big names like Elvis Presley and Fats Domino. Still there was room for one more big band. The champagne music promised was melded into a bubbly display, turned on by a bubble making machine. He introduced many new entertainers. He spoke with a funny German accent. He played an accordion, which was so yesterday at that time. He played to an older group of adults and competed for the spotlight with American Bandstand – which was growing by leaps and bounds.
Lawrence Welk was born on this day in 1903 in the German speaking community of Strasburg, ND. He was the sixth child out of eight. They lived on a homestead, which is now a tourist attraction. He left fourth grade to work full time on the family farm. He decided early on that he wanted to make a career out of music and persuaded his father to buy an accordion for him. He promised to work the farm until he was twenty one to pay for it. In the 1920s he performed in many local bands and eventually started his own. In the 30s his band became popular for playing “sweet” music. The emphasis was placed on the melody of the music rather than jazzing it like other orchestras did.
The Lawrence Welk Show first appeared on television in 1951. The show became a local hit and was picked up by ABC in June of 1955. Jayne Walton Rosen became Welk’s first champagne lady. When ever a waltz or polka would be played, Welk would dance with the champagne lady.Lawrence was married for 61 years until his death to Fern Renner. They had three children and many grandchildren. He was known as a good businessman, investing in real estate and music publishing.
When he said, “turn on the bubble machine,” everyone knew that the mellow music he was famous for would soon fill the air waves. One of his favorite phrases was, “Wunnerful, wunnerful,” which he would bestow on each of his performing artists.
As with most people in the public eye, tragedy has a way of moving in. We like to think that someone like Welk didn’t have that problem, because of the wholesomeness of his show, but in 1964 a man named Chet Young began stalking the popular Lennon sisters. He was especially smitten with Peggy and believed he could marry her if he killed her father. He shot and killed William Lennon in a golf course parking lot in 1969.
Even in the midst of tragedy, the band played on. Welk was a man of many talents. He had a tremendous work ethic, was a talented musician, had strong moral fiber and was dedicated to presenting music as it should be.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAWRENCE!
ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Were you there when He placed the land and divided the waters,
Did you witness the partition of night and day,
Were your eyes open as each living cell was formed into a thing of beauty,
Did you smell the smoke as it sprang from the mountains at His touch,
He was there,
He made it happen,
He alone,
No big bang or explosion,
Just His Word,
He spoke, and it was,
His Word is sufficient,
Who can claim such glory,
Who can design such beauty from nothing,
Who can take a tiny seed and grow it into towering tree,
Who can fill the earth with life,
Who can take it all away,
Who can mold a hunk of earth into an intricately designed life,
Only God.
The dark shadows of night filled the courtyard. Many were gathered in the stillness. Word was out that Jesus had been arrested and was standing trial before the high priest. Those who remained, couldn’t help wondering how this could be. Only a few days ago the city was on fire with His entrance. His preaching was powerful and at the same time filled with hope and love. It was different from the words they had become accustomed to.
For years the Jews had been under the oppression of other ruling governments, but here in Jerusalem they were at least allowed to worship the way they chose. They longed for the day when they’d obtain complete freedom, but in the meantime they waited.
The old rules regarding women were slowing being dissolved by Him. There was no discrimination. He spoke to the people as He did to the scholars in the temple. He gave hope of freedom from their enemies as well as victory over death. His message made them feel safe and relevant.
His most zealous disciple stood by the fire, warming himself. A servant girl recognized him as one of Jesus’s men. In the past, a woman would never have been so bold as to address a man, but Jesus changed that. Three times she asked Peter if he was one of Jesus’ followers. Three times he denied ever knowing him.
How could he? He was like a brother to Jesus. Now his brother was being silenced by the authorities and Peter wouldn’t even acknowledge Him. As night turned into morning and the events of the day that followed began to unfold, it became evident that we all deny our Savior at times – even the staunchest of us have been weakened by fear.
The sun began to rise and suddenly everyone knew that nothing would ever be the same again.
Well, maybe not all the king’s men, but one of them at least. One of my favorite times in history is the Renaissance period. Stories of Kings and Queens and castles have always piqued my interest. As a little girl, I loved watching the swashbuckling hero duel against the villain, with swords slashing and clanking. Lovely maidens, dressed to the nines, would lure said royals into compromising situations and stories of intrigue and mystery reigned. I particularly enjoy the reign of the Tudors and all the stories that came out of it.
As I go through these daily biographies – which I intended to do just as a diversion and to try and add a little more knowledge to my old brain – I see humanity at its best and worst. It seems to me that nothing much has changed in history, except the clothing, the politics and the hairstyles. People have really only evolved to adapt to their environments. The spirit of man has pretty much stayed the same over the centuries. There will always be evil, until the day of the Lord’s return and we should be used to it by now.
Today I focus on a man who was born into royalty. Thomas Howard, the Third Duke of York was born on this day in 1473. He lived during the time of great explorers and discoveries – a contemporary of men like Christopher Columbus and Michelangelo. His long life of 81 years ended in 1554. He was filled with great challenges as he lived with kings and served them well. He witnessed the executions of two nieces – Anne Bolyen and Catherine Howard – wives of Henry VIII. He also played a major part in the ending of both those marriages.
He came from a long line of politicians, so it was fitting that he continue in that line In 1484 he was betrothed to Princess Anne of York, but the marriage didn’t occur until 1495. In the winter of 1513, Anne died of consumption. Howard didn’t waste any time in getting married that same year to Lady Elizabeth Stafford. The marriage carried much darkness and stories of infidelity. Howard took a mistress and Elizabeth moved out, but never filed for divorce. She claimed that her husband was physically abusive to her.
Howard’s goal was to take over the position of Chief Minister from then Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell had great influence in helping Henry VIII get an annulment for his first marriage.
When Cromwell faced execution for not providing a suitable wife for King Henry, Howard thought he would fill the position, but King Henry had other ideas. In fact Howard fell out of favor with the king. Cromwell was replaced by The Earl of Hertford, Edward Seymour. As the king’s health was rapidly failing, it became Hertford’s object to remove his rivals out of the way, and in 1546 Howard’s son, Henry, Earl of Surrey was accused of high treason. Howard would also be imprisoned for several years because of this. His time in the Tower of London lasted through the reign of Henry’s replacement, Edward VI and he was finally pardoned for his crimes by Queen Mary.
Recently a mini-series on the Tudors ran on public television. In that rendition, we saw a King who got what he wanted at any expense – an egotistical man who gave into the sensual side of life. Wealth doesn’t always bring happiness. We all die in the end, but for those who put their faith in God and His abounding love, we are promised eternal life.
A little over a year ago, a friend of ours passed away. We got a chance to get reacquainted for a short time before he died. We had known this man from the first church we attended when we moved to this state. In one of our conversations, he posed an interesting question. He asked, if we had the opportunity to be anyone in the Bible, who would it be?
Of course the important names came to mind, like Esther, Sarah, Eve, Mary. After thinking about it more seriously though, I thought of the woman who followed Jesus and knew what He was capable of. This woman had been ill for twelve years. She was daily hemorrhaging and her reputation and finances were dwindling. This malady she suffered from was unknown to the doctors of her day. It also deemed her unclean in the eyes of her friends and family – not to mention the elders of the church. Her self image was taking a hit and she’d almost lost hope of ever overcoming her sickness.
Many suffer similar long term conditions today and suffer through financial difficulties because of them. When we’re sick, we want answers – we want to know what’s in store for us – we grow impatient – we give up. This woman hung onto hope.
She’d witnessed for herself, the great miracles of Jesus. She knew He was like no other human being. There was something amazing about Him. As he paraded through the streets, he was surrounded by crowds of people longing to be healed by Him. She could barely move, much less come to a standing position. She was at her wit’s end and yet she knew if she could just get a glimpse of Him, or simply walk in His footsteps, there was a glimmer of optimism.The crowds began to overcome, but the woman persisted. She crawled on her hands and knees below the mob of people and nudged her way to His sandaled feet. For one brief moment she touched the hem of His robe and immediately her bleeding stopped.
Jesus knew who touched Hi, but still He asked who it was. How frightened she must’ve been. She’d snatched a miracle simply through the hem of His clothing. Still there was something comforting in His voice and she came forward to confess that she was the one.
This woman was bold in her faith. She knew that Jesus could heal her not only from her illness, but from the shame she suffered because of it. She believed that He was her Savior.
Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
My friend confided that his choice would be the thief on the cross next to Jesus, who received the promise of salvation just by believing in His Savior. I had to admit that the woman who touched Jesus’ clothing was my choice. We are all like her in that even though our sins have been forgiven, we need Jesus in our lives every day, minute, second. It is His touch what saves us and that is the miracle of eternal life. The sting of death will no longer bring fear to our hearts. We can be confident that we will live forever, because of what He has already done. He touches each of us. Are we willing to grab His inviting hand?
Yuri Gagarin, the first man to venture into outer space in 1961, was born a few years before I was. On this day in 1934, near the town of Gzhatsk, Russia, a so-called peasant couple brought their third of four children into the world. The family was part of a collective farming community. They, along with many other Russians, suffered much hardship from World War II. When his town was occupied by the Germans, their home was taken over by a Nazi officer and the family had to build a mud hut about 10′ x 10′ behind their original home. His father was a carpenter and mother, a milkmaid.
Yuri became an apprentice in a foundry at the age of sixteen. After graduating 7th grade and vocational school with honors, he learned to fly as an air cadet. He was drafted by the Soviet Air Forces. By 1959 he had achieved the rank of Senior Lieutenant.
In 1960, I was graduating from high school. Our country was in the beginning of the “Camelot” years, with the election of President Kennedy. The space program was part of those years and the race to get a man into space was fierce between the United States and the Soviet Union. Yuri was being evaluated as a candidate for the Soviet space program a doctor said this about his personality:
Modest; embarrasses when his humor gets a little too racy; high degree of intellectual development evident in Yuri; fantastic memory; distinguishes himself from his colleagues by his sharp and far-ranging sense of attention to his surroundings; a well-developed imagination; quick reactions; persevering, prepares himself painstakingly for his activities and training exercises, handles celestial mechanics and mathematical formulae with ease as well as excels in higher mathematics; does not feel constrained when he has to defend his point of view if he considers himself right; appears that he understands life better than a lot of his friends
Those were the qualifications they were looking for. As I was entering my first year of college, Yuri was going through intensive training to be a cosmonaut. He was chosen out of twenty men to become the first man in space. No human being had ever done this. It was monumental. There was no way to know what to expect when he was launched into space. It was the first time ever.
His successful mission, in April of 1961, would put the U.S. into overdrive to compete for further space exploration. He became a national as well as international celebrity.
On 27 March 1968, while on a routine training flight from Chkalovsky Air Base, he and flight instructor, Vladimir Seryogin died in a plane crash near the town of Kirzhach. It is believed that the crash was accidental, but many conspiracy theories pushed their way into the public opinion, much like they continue to do so today.
This man was responsible for setting the bar for space exploration. It was the new frontier and there is still so much to discover. It is fitting that we honor those brave enough to put their lives on the line for the advancement of exploration of any kind.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YURI!
Jesus’ beaten and wounded body was exhausted from continuous beatings. His flesh was a mass of blood and torn flesh, along with the spit spewing from His accusers mouths. His trek along the via dolorosa included carrying the instrument of His death. He’d gone through hours of interrogation, false accusation and bitter pain. The weight of the cross must’ve been almost more than He could bear.
The Roman guards were anxious to get this over with, so they pulled a man from the crowd to carry the cross. His name was Simon of Cyrene, Lybia. Many Jews from Cyrene were part of a community in Jerusalem called the Synagogue of the Freedmen. Either he was a permanent resident or he had made the journey to attend the Passover Feast. This man was ordered to carry the cross – to speed things up – to get it over with.
Did Simon do so willingly? Did he realize who Jesus was? Could he recognize Him as the promised Messiah or was this just another religious fanatic? Whatever was going through Simon’s mind, he carried the cross to the place of Jesus’ death.
Mark 16:24-26 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
As we travel to Golgotha with Jesus, it becomes apparent that being a follower of Christ isn’t going to be an easy road. There will be stumbling blocks along the way, but to live for Jesus will always mean gain for us. Our eternal life depends on it.
“I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware.” Joan Rivers.
As I was talking to a friend the other day about how we’re aging, she asked if I had ever looked in a hand mirror while bending down. It seems when you do that, gravity has a way of redesigning your face. My friend makes me laugh, but seriously folks, this is the kind of thing old people talk about. Some of us become wrinkled before our time. I started seeing lines appear on my face when I was in my early thirties. Soon those lines turned into crevices and eventually deep cracks that made me look like a road map. Some folks are born with good looks and something happens in their lives to rearrange a nose or cause a scar. We like to look good, especially us women.
Today, plastic surgery is the norm. If you don’t like your nose, you can have it remade. If you want fuller lips, there’s Botox. If you aren’t satisfied with your shape, you can have the fat sucked out or moved to a different location. You can even be re-sculpted. Girls in their teens are now undergoing plastic surgery for noses, lips and body enhancement. It used to be braces that devoured the family budget. So who do we have to thank for all this?
On this day in 1787, Karl Ferdinand von Graefe was born in Warsaw, Poland. He studied medicine at Halle and Leipzig, Germany and served as a surgeon in the Napoleonic Wars and soon became superintendent of military hospitals. He became a pioneer in the field of reconstructive surgery and developed a surgery for restoration of the nose, called rhinoplasty. Using techniques from Italian methods along with older methods from India, he created his own technique. He also pioneered in the areas of cleft palate and eyelid repair.
Not much is know about his childhood, but his own children went on to follow in his footsteps. His son, Albrecht, who devoted his life to ophthalmology and in particular the removal of cataracts. His grandson also gain popularity as a politician. He died at the age of 53. I wonder if he ever experimented on himself.
I’m still living with my wrinkles. I will also die with them. I don’t have any disposable income to change my lot in life, so I’ve grown to accept my wrinkles as a badge of courage and determination. Each line has a story to tell. In the meantime, Happy Birthday to Karl, who started the whole plastic surgery revolution!
It was like most nights in the arid Garden of Gethsemane – one of Jesus’ favorite spots to go for refuge from the crowds. This was not to be like any other night however. Earlier that evening, Jesus spent time with His disciples celebrating the Passover Feast. During that time, He gave them His final encouragement. He told them to not be troubled by the events that were to follow, for they were all part of God’s plan for salvation. Certainly, they must’ve had a million questions for Him. None of it made any sense.
After dinner they went to the Garden, while Judas met with the temple leaders to receive the payment promised for betraying the Messiah. Jesus prayed persistently that His Father find another way to accomplish His will, yet He knew it was the only way. Jesus was now committed to God’s plan, still He prayed to the point of sweating droplets of blood.
A vigilante mob entered that place of solitude on a mission that only mob violence could accomplish. Peter, the one who would do anything for Jesus, rose to the occasion by drawing his sword. It was the only way he knew to defend the man who had consumed his life for the past three years. We often see this kind of action today. Instead of responding peacefully, we retaliate with violence.
In an instant, Peter attacked the servant of the high priest, Caiphas, named Malchus, and severed his ear. Good old Peter – always the impulsive one. Jesus miraculously restored the servant’s ear as an act of compassion. He scolded Peter for his impetuous behavior. Again, Jesus used every situation to teach.
I can’t help wondering how Malchus felt during that entire ordeal. To have an ear lopped off and then replaced in an instant was a miracle. In the process, his hearing was undoubtedly better than before.
What was going through the mind of Malchus? First he’s fiercely attacked for doing his job and then he becomes witness to an absolute miracle. How did this incident affect him? Did he become a follower of Jesus? Did he live in fear that he’d someday encounter this band of rabble rousers again? Did he go back and serve Caiaphas? How would you feel?
To be healed by the Son of God is something that we all have available to us. He may not be physically present to touch us and remove our infirmities, but He is present nonetheless. All we need to do is pray that His will be done. I’m not saying that we’ll immediately be restored, but God is able to do so if we ask. Miracles still happen on a daily basis. Sometimes we have to look closely to see them, but God provides these little clues to His amazing power, for us to grow in faith and learn to rely on Him.
Where is the quiet place that you are longing for?
Is it in those empty times when waiting to do more?
Can you find contentment in the solitude of living?
Or does is come in simpler ways, like doing and forgiving.
God comes to us in many ways and most times when it’s silent,
But listen hard and you will hear His voice in every moment.
He whispers when we’re troubled, he soothes when we’re in pain,
You’ll see Him in creation, his voice is clear and plain.
He’s in the heat of summer and when the leaves do fall,
And in the cold of winter, you’ll hear His personal call.
When spring’s refreshing waters wash everything in sight,
You’ll hear His voice assure you of His overpowering might.
Within the busy moments of life’s demanding pressures
He opens up His altar and He shares His greatest treasures.
Each moment He’s available to answer every prayer,
Just open up your heart to Him and He will be right there.
She’s known as Claudia Procula and had a bit part in the Passion Story. She had a disturbing dream regarding the accused blasphemer and self-professed King of the Jews. It was real enough in her mind to go to her husband and plead for the life of Jesus.
Matthew 27:19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
I’ve had some very realistic, frightening dreams, so I can totally relate to this woman. The vision becomes a reality for a moment and when you wake, you are convinced that your dream was true.
Does God place dreams in our minds for a purpose? Sometimes our dreams can turn into realities if they’re within our reach. We may set goals and then dream how to fulfill them. Dreams can give rise to anxiety too. Maybe something is going on in your life that you’re struggling with and you come up with a solution through a dream. Our minds have been intricately and beautifully created. I’m certain that the Holy Spirit works within us in many ways, and maybe even through our dreams.
Of course, Mrs. Pilate’s dream caused her unrest, but her husband didn’t heed her warning. His hands were tied when it came to the crowd that screamed for crucifixion. There was nothing he could do but give in to their demands.
That decision, by Pilate, was part of a greater plan God intended for His Son and for all of us. Each step towards the cross – even though filled with ugliness, cruelty, scorn, torture and pain – was paving the way for us to walk into eternity free of the weight of sin and guilt.
45
Reinhard Heydrich, born on this day in 1904 in Halle, Germany, was a tall man with a high pitched voice, who would be the subject of bullying as a young boy. He was teased for the sound of his voice and the fact that he was a Catholic living in a prominently Protestant neighborhood. He was also taunted for being a Jew (which he wasn’t.) Raised in a strict home, his mother believed in strong discipline and lashings were commonplace. Because of these early beginnings, Reinhard grew into a rather sullen young man, but he was also highly driven – perhaps to prove himself in some way.
His parents were both musicians. His father founded the Halle Conservatory of Music and was a Wagnerian opera singer. His mother, an accomplished pianist. Reinhard studied the violin and became proficient at it. His family was considered “high society” until after the first World War, when Germany suffered great economic ruin and Heydrich’s family felt it as well. At the age of 18 he became a cadet in the German Navy. He was once again laughed at for his falsetto voice and gangly appearance. He became known as Billy Goat, for his bleating laugh.
At this point in his story, I’m beginning to feel sorry for this chap. Unfortunately, all the teasing and bullying – the strict upbringing – the loss of wealth and the eventual loss of his position in the Navy turned him into an arrogant fellow, determined to make a name for himself no matter who he stepped on in his pursuit. His arrogance quickly turned into ambition.
In 1926 he joined the Nazi party and became one of Hitler’s elite. Hitler referred to him as “The Man With The Iron Heart.” Undoubtedly all that toughening up in his early years, hardened his heart as well. He became involved in the intelligence organization and in put in charge of rooting out anyone who opposed the party.
He organized a series of attacks on Jews throughout Nazi Germany and part of Austria. Perhaps he did this with such great zeal to purge himself from the accusations that he himself was Jewish. That fact continued throughout his life, even though there was nothing to back it up.
Who knows what makes someone snap? Was it the hurtful words from his childhood? Was it the beatings and harsh treatment of his parents? Was it the never ending works righteousness of his Catholic upbringing? Probably all those elements contributed to the formation of the life of Reinhard Heydrich.
He was directly responsible for the Einsatzgruppen a special task force which murdered over two million people, including 1.3 million Jews, by shooting or gassing. His brutal tactics in rounding up the masses to be killed, earned him the name, “The Butcher of Prague.”
In May of 1942, a special forces unit of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile organized in Britain to kill Reinhard at Prague. He was critically wounded in the ambush and died from his injuries a week later.
What did this man prove in his life? Had he gained the honor he thought he deserved? Was he the subject of too much negativity at an early age? Who knows what makes a man into a monster? Maybe the labels we place on people have something to do with the way they turn out. The Hangman – Architect of the Holocaust – The Man With the Iron Heart – The Butcher of Prague – all these terms were used to describe Reinhard Heydrich. Who knows?
Walter Schellenberg, a direct subordinate of Heydrich, said this about him>
“Heydrich had an incredibly acute perception of the moral, human, professional and political weaknesses of others. His unusual intellect was matched by the ever-watchful instincts of a predatory animal. He was inordinately ambitious. It seemed as if, in a pack of ferocious wolves, he must always prove himself the strongest and assume the leadership.
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