ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Life is constant motion,
A dance to the beat of a certain drum,
Hearts racing through life,
Never time to relax,
To contemplate,
To enjoy the motion itself,
Nature is filled with it too,
As the wind swirls endlessly through the forest,
As the wildlife scurry to gather food,
As the sounds of life explode all around,
Whispers from the Creator,
To stop for a moment,
To listen,
To watch,
To feel,
The rhythm of life,
To become embraced by it,
To live.
“I live in sin, to kill myself I live; no longer my life my own, but sin’s; my good is given to me by heaven, my evil by myself, by my free will, of which I am deprived.” Michelangelo
On March 6, 1475 Michelangelo Buonarroti, was born in the small town of Caprese. He grew up in the town of Florence and at the age of 13, his talent as an artist was apparent. For two years beginning in 1490, he lived in the Medici palace, where he was a student of the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni. He was a student of ancient Roman statuary. His talent as a sculpter allowed him to be commissioned at the age of 23 to undertake the task of creating THE PIETA.
It’s no wonder that this small man had hands gnarled by arthritis at a young age. Imagine the strength required to cut into solid marble with minimal tools.
This artist of the Renaissance was not only prolific in sculpture, but also known for his paintings, murals and frescoes, including the beautiful Biblical scenes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Later in life he was an architect as well as a poet – a true artist in every sense of the word and yet a faithful servant of the Lord. His huge body of work can be seen in churches and museums throughout Italy. His stunning poetry also shows honor to His God. He lived to the ripe old age of 88, which was quite astonishing for his day. He left the world a wonderful legacy and tribute to his Savior.
He was considered the greatest artist of the Renaissance period and possiby of all time. Most artists don’t receive acclaim in their lifetimes, but Michelangelo made a substantial living at his trade. In spite of his wealth, he lived like a pauper, rarely eating enough to survive and often sleeping in his clothes and boots. He might have been considered as a loner as well. When the Sistine Chapel had to be repainted, because of a fungus in the plaster, he insisted on doing the work himself, citing incompetent workers. He had very few friends and he liked it that way.
The volume of masterpiece he created in his lifetime is amazing. He brought realism to art, concentrating on the human body and all its muscles and sinews. He studied anatomy by dissecting the human body and drawing sketches of the muscles and bones. He, along with da Vinci, were in agreement that study of anatomy was crucial to doing great art.
Using this knowledge, he was able to create lifelike sculptures because he knew what lay beneath the surface. It takes a real artist/scientist to accomplish that. It takes a loving God to look within the person and through the blessing of his Son, Jesus, see us free from iniquity. Michelangelo was a servant of God and continued to be so throughout his long life.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICK!
There is always a struggle, a striving for something bigger than yourself in all forms of art. And even if you don’t achieve greatness, even if you fail, which we all must, everything you \do in your work is somehow connected with your attitude toward life, your deepest secret feelings. Rex Harrison
On this day in 1908, Reginald Carey Harrison made his debut in the world. His father was a cotton broker. They lived at Derry House in Huyton, Lancashire. He adopted the nickname “Rex” because he was taken with the meaning of it – “king.” He said he once heard someone call their dog, Rex, and thought it had a nice ring. He was educated at Liverpool College. Rex made his first stage appearance at the age of 18 and it was almost his last. He dashed out on stage to deliver his line and completely blanked out. I can totally relate.
We know of Rex Harrison for his many stage roles as well as his significant performances in the movies, “Cleopatra” and “My Fair Lady.” He loved the hat he wore in “My Fair Lady” and it became his trademark from then on.
This dashing Englishman, was married six times. I guess he and Elizabeth Taylor had a lot of things in common and plenty to talk about while filming “Cleopatra.” He divorced his first wife in 1942 and married actress Lilli Palmer the following year. While married to her, he had an affair with another actress, Carole Landis. She committed suicide after spending the night with Harrison. He discovered her body the next day. A scandal arose when he waited several hours before reporting her death to the police. Of course his marriage ended and he was released from his contract with Fox. His career suffered a minor setback.
He gained a reputation as a womanizer, but was also considered to be very charming and debonair. Once he punched Frank Sinatra for what he thought to be advances on his then wife, Lilli Palmer. They later became best of friends. Only in Hollywood. He was also known to be abrupt with his fans. I guess with fame, you don’t have to be nice to those who made you famous.
Harrison was awarded several Golden Globe awards and was nominated for many others. He also received the Academy Award for best actor in “My Fair Lady.” He dedicated the award to Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn – his costars in the Broadway production and movie. He was honored by the Queen of England, with knighthood in 1989.
Sir Rex Harrison died in 1990 of pancreatic cancer only three weeks after his last stage appearance. He undoubtedly held to the old adage that the show must go on. His ashes were strewn over the grave of wife, Lilli Palmer.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REX!
We knew it was coming. It’s March 5th, the beginning of our snowiest month up here in the Tundra. Minnesota winters are like that. They seem to push all our buttons, especially at the end of it. We’re supposed to be conditioned for it. We live here, for heaven’s sake. We could move to Florida and all that heat, humidity and hurricanes, but instead we opt for below zero temperatures, mountains of snow and ice, for what seems like an eternity.
Today has been declared a snow day, before we even have an inch of snow on the ground. The first round of this weather system is leaving a sheet of icy rain in its wake. This afternoon the snows return and six inches are expected to fall by this evening causing treacherous driving conditions.
Five years ago, on this very day, a snow day was activated. Paul shoveled and I cheered him on with an occasional cup of coffee and pep talk. I may have even helped shovel some. When I posted this photo to Facebook on that day, Paul commented that he had dug out. I asked him who Doug was, but he didn’t think it funny. Especially after shoveling a large driveway and watching the plow go through right after he finished. We were five years younger then, but it was still hard work.
So today, we wait, watch and enjoy the glistening white stuff accumulate on our lawn and driveway. Tomorrow, we may stay in bed for a few extra hours and pray for that hot March sunshine to miraculously melt all of it. Ha! Fat chance.
Still, we will cling to the words of James 1:12:
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
When I was a young child, I remember seeing this picture and wondering about this young man, Jesus. He was only a child, but had so much wisdom and knowledge to share with the elders of the church and the most learned amongst them. This is really the only reference to the child, Jesus until he turns 30 and sets out on His mission to change the world.
As a mother, I remember the highlights of my children’s early lives. The funny things they said and did. The unexpected questions and experiences which come out of nowhere. The dependence they have on us until those early teen years, when they seek their own path. We tuck the memories into the recesses of our hearts and cling to them forever.
As our kids grow up, we’re right there with them. We’re proud of their accomplishments; we delight in their growth and ability to learn and absorb the world around them. We cringe when they make mistakes and hope they learn from them. We give them tools for living and pray that God will continue to direct them.
Jesus was the result of a wondrous conception. He was born in humble surroundings, followed in his step dad’s footsteps as a carpenter, lived a life of poverty and grew into a young man. Then we have nothing but silence until he begins his ministry. It is then that the story begins to unfold. We see him leave his home town and venture out into the world, following His cousin, John, the Baptist.
Curiosity often gets the best of me as a writer and I want to know more details, but I think that all the important information is written about his early life in Luke 2:52. We are told that He grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with all people. That is really all we need to know about this God/man/king who came to save the world.
From the day of His conception, Jesus was destined to do one thing and He did it without complaint. He was born as a human being, but was God. He grew up like any other young man, with a voice that changed – human emotion – a body that ached, grew tired and got hungry – but He never gave way to sin. He followed God’s commands perfectly. He went willingly through great suffering and death because He knew it was the only way to get the job done.
He was the unblemished lamb required to take away the sin of the world. That’s really all we need to know about Him. What greater love is this?
In 1702, on this day, a young lad was born in London, England. His parents were average folks, but Jack Sheppard was born into poverty. His dad was a carpenter and even though he died when Jack was quite young, the boy seemed to enjoy watching his father work and became quite adept at it as he grew. When his father died, Jack was only six years old and because his mother was unable to support her family, she sent the boy to a workhouse where he became a cane chair builder’s apprentice.
This story is sort of like what happened to my own dad, who happens to have also been born on this day 97 years ago. My father’s dad was a tailor, but the family struggled to make ends meet in their early years. Eventually his father left the picture. No one seems to know what happened to him, but one day he simply vanished. There is speculation that he had accumulated gambling debt and was killed or ran off to escape being done in. Whatever the case, there’s a lot of mystery connected with it.
My dad had to go to work at a very young age as well to help support his mother and three siblings. This seems to be a common thread in the beginning lives of young men during depressed times in history. My dad lived during the depression. Jack Sheppard lived in a time when poverty ran rampant on the streets of London.
By the time Sheppard reached the age of 20, had begun to show great promise as a carpenter. He also was a small man of only 5’4″. My dad was also short in stature. Jack became popular in the local pubs because of his quick with. My dad took a second job as a bartender and was good at it too. People enjoyed his funny personality as well. By this time in my father’s life, however, he was getting married and thinking about having a family. Jack had his thoughts on other things. He took up a relationship with a prostitute and became part of a gang of thieves.
In 1723, he discovered that he could make more money stealing than he ever would be able to legitimately. During this time he became a master at picking pockets and breaking into locked buildings. Later he used that skill to break out of prison four times. His story was fodder for many tales to follow. The Oliver Twist story from Charles Dickens, seems to be directly related to this errant fellow. Many operas were also based on the story of Jack Sheppard.
My dad never lived a life of crime, but he may have, had he not married my mother. She loved him more than he’d been loved in life and that love provided the motivation for him to succeed.
Jack Sheppard gained notoriety as an escape artist and because of his humble beginnings, the public made him into a sort of hero for the poor. His antics finally led to his execution by hanging when he was only 22 years old. I wonder what would’ve happened to the poor boy, had he continued as a carpenter rather being led astray.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JACK SHEPPARD AND MY DAD!
One has to wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would think of today’s smart phones. The thought of his simple telephone would pale in comparison, but would it really. At the time of its invention, the means of communication were limited to the telegraph and Morse Code. It wasn’t until 30 years later that Bell improved on the telegraph and invented the earliest telephone. At the time, it was an amazing invention – beyond peoples’ wildest dreams. You could speak to someone miles away and keep in touch in what seemed an instant. Who knew this would lead to someday having instant communication all over the world – information systems that would feed our brains with unknown knowledge – set up the perfect storm for false news reporting and identity theft. Well, at least the humble beginnings of the telephone were well intentioned.
Alexander grew up in a home with a father who studied sound, speech and elocution. His mother was deaf, but in spite of it, played the piano brilliantly. She instilled a strong work ethic in her son and the desire to help people. His experimentation with the passage of sound waves was inspired by the work his father did, but he wasn’t keen on following in his footsteps. His grandfather had a strong influence on him and encouraged him to work with his dad.
I remember attaching two tin cans with wire and talking from one room to the other and thinking how smart it was. We had to shout at the top of our lungs, but we could be heard in the other room. Alexander’s experience working with the deaf, gave him the motivation to find a tool that would help with that. It wasn’t until nine years after the telephone was invented that a microphone was added to the device so that you didn’t have to holler into it. Thomas Edison was responsible for coming up with that idea.
The phone has gone through some radical changes over the years. There were the party lines – where you could inconspicuously listen in on your neighbors’ conversations. The town gossips loved that. Later phones came with a separate ear phone and speaker device You also had to crank a handle on the side to get it started. From there we went to dial phones – eliminating the need for switchboard operators. Soon dials were replaced with buttons. Cords became a thing of the past and it was then possible to walk around all over, with the device in your hand. Then the first cell phone was introduced. The rest is history.
Alexander was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on this day in 1847. He was a problem solver from a very early age. He had two brothers who died from Tuberculosis. In 1870 the family moved to Brantford, Ontario, where Alexander continued to work with the deaf and study the human voice.
As we look at all the accomplishments that have occurred with telecommunications in just the last 75 years, we see an amazing jump from one extreme to another. Men like Bell were responsible for setting the ball in motion with their innovations. Living through most of those years myself, it amazes me how we advance in such a hurry today.
When Bell died on August 2, 1922, the entire telephone system was shut down for one minute in tribute to his life.
Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds. I may be given credit for having blazed the trail, but when I look at the subsequent developments I feel the credit is due to others rather than to myself. Alexander Graham Bell
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/alexander_graham_bell
How many friends do you have? Do you become overjooyed when you can add another friend to your list of Facebook buddies? Are you a charismatic person who seems to simply attract friends like flies to flypaper? Do you judge your worth by the number of friends you have? In a world that is so consumed with numbers, we tend to put a lot of stock in quantity rather than quality.
Today kids can have at least ten best friends forever and probably more. Some of us old fogies are losing lifetime friends to death or illness and we see our friend list evaporating. When we’re in the middle years of life, our friends can influence our careers, give us encouragement, help and support. The point is, we were not created to be loners. God saw that early in His creation process and created a helper for Adam – a woman – taken from Adam’s own body – to be his friend, lover and partner in life.
Friendships should last a lifetime, right? The truth is, people move apart from each other; their ideas may differ after a while; their beliefs may change; their interests become different than ours. There are many reasons we separate from people we know.
Sometimes these broken relationships are a result of hurt feelings or misunderstanding. It’s hard to turn back and ask for forgiveness if you’re the one who feels wronged. If we feel that we’ve been mistreated, wrongly accused, betrayed, used or slandered our natural inclination is to strike back. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, but that isn’t so easy to do. God gives the perfect example of how we should forgive others by what He has done for us through His ultimate sacrifice.
Friendships come and go. We may gain friends as quickly as we lose them. Have you thought about how being a friend can really change your life? When you place another person ahead of yourself – when you’re willing to give up anything for that person – when you’re ready to die for them – you have truly become a friend. That’s what Jesus did for us. Jesus truly is our BFF&E (Best Friend Forever & Ever_
Thank you, dear Lord Jesus, for taking away my guilt through your blood. I don’t deserve such perfect love. Please give me a heart full of forgiveness and friendship for others, so that your love will always shine through. Amen!
It was an age of awakening – of innovation and invention – of cultural highs in art and music. Research and science were at an all time high in order to find solutions regarding the plagues of the time. People had come out of a long period of desolation during the Black Death which had spread throughout Europe in the fourteenth century.
Medical knowledge had stagnated during the Middle Ages and the Black Plague, which originated in Asia, eventually wiped out between 30-60% of Europe’s population. It took almost 200 years for the country repopulate.
In 1481, on this day, Franz von Sickingen was born in Ebernberg, Germany. He would always have an interest in the military, even in his youth. He became a knight for Emperor Maximilian I, fighting valiantly against Venice in 1508. Because of his success as a soldier, he was awarded large parcels of land along the Rhine. He later gained popularity becoming involved in private feuds, usually fighting for the underdog.
Germany was becoming a mecca for invention, especially since the printing press had come into use. The Reformation was underway and a fellow named Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic monk, was making huge waves in the Roman Catholic church. Von Sickingen took it on himself to shield Luther and provide a place of refuge for him in oen of his castles.
In effect he became a soldier of the cross at that point in his life. In May of 1523, von Sickingen was wounded in a battle which was one of the first to use artillery. His wounds took his life a day later. Without the protection of Von Sickingen, Luther’s Reformation might easily have been thwarted. Instead it went on to change the world.
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
With every passing day, I feel you close beside me,
You watch each step I take, and perfectly you guide me,
And when my feet would stray – when things get in my way –
You pick me up and carry me through each and every day,
Temptations all around – distracting and confusing,
The world deters my thoughts, but through it you are using,
My simple mind, my childlike faith, my heart, my soul, my all,
To share your love with others – to hear your righteous call,
My life is just a breath, but it will never end.
You gave your life for me, You are my dearest friend.
Very excited that one of my stories will appear in this Chicken Soup for the Soul – My Crazy Family edition. My story is called “Saturday Morning Wrestling.” The book is due for release sometime in April.
One of my fondest memories growing up in the 40s and 50s was having my dad sing some of the famous songs of his youth – songs about love and life – songs with a good beat and timing songs with beautiful melodies which were made to be sung and danced to. My dad had a great voice. He could whistle too and when he forgot the words to a song, he’d often purse his lips and whistle it instead. Dad grew up in the twenties – the age of the big bands – when people actually danced in each others’ arms and didn’t have to wear ear plugs to tone down the bass.
Glenn Miller was born, on this day, in 1904 in the town of Clarinda, Iowa. He attended grade school in North Platte in the western part of Nebraska. By the time Glenn was eleven years old, he had earned enough by milking cows to buy a trombone and he played in the town orchestra. When his family moved again in 1916 to Colorado, he joined the high school American football team. When he was a senior, he decided to become a professional musician in one of those new “Big Bands” of the 20s. He eventually went on to form his own band. He is best known for his musical arrangements and compositions, which produced some of those great tunes my dad loved to sing.
When my dad was only a young boy, Glenn Miller had already made a name for himself, writing his own musical arrangements – played in the pit bands of two Broadway shows, was writing music with Benny Goodman and married his high school sweetheart, Helen Burger.
In the late thirties, the Glenn Miller Band began to stand out against its competition. Glenn had developed a style that set his orchestra apart – a style that would connect his name to it for all time.
In 1942, after Pearl Harbor, Miller decided to be part of the war effort. By this time, he was 38 years old, too old to be drafted and rejected by the Navy. He appealed to the Army to accept him to head up a military band that would help keep morale strong. He gave up a weekly income of $15,000 to $20,000 a week to serve his country. This was huge in those days. It’s huge today! He once stated on the radio:
“America means freedom and there’s no expression of freedom quite so sincere as music.”
On December 15, 1944, he boarded a small plane to Paris to make arrangements to have his band moved there to perform. There were two others on the plane – Lt. Col. Norman Baessell and pilot, John Morgan. Somewhere over the English Channel, the plane disappeared. The newspapers reported a faulty carburetor had caused the plane to crash, but that was never proven. Glenn Miller was declared, missing in action. His wife accepted the bronze star medal on his behalf in 1945.
Three of his tunes – Chattanooga Choo-choo, In the Mood and Moonlight Serenade were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame posthumously. They have been engrained in my memory by the voice of my dad.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. MILLER!
Minnesota is notorious for having large amounts of snow in March. Winter isn’t officially over until June 1st.
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A family of fellow Christians can be a wonderful source of strength and encouragement for us. Many times though, we aren’t even aware of the pain and suffering they’re going through. We’ve all gotten wrapped up in our own lives and often forget that others need to be lifted up in prayer too.
That’s why being a part of a church family is so important to me. Even though there may be things that I might feel embarrassed to share with someone or too proud to let others know about, I realize that I have a family of friends who will pray for my needs along with theirs.
I do think it’s important for us to know what needs to be prayed for. There are many who may be suffering with a certain disease. Some have a family member who has left his faith behind. There may be divorce, separation or infidelity in a marriage. Some may be struggling with alcoholism, drug abuse or some other sin that’s drawing them away from the cross. There are many things that we Christians need to be encouraged about day by day.
Being part of corporate worship is a great place to begin. May we think like the Apostle Paul when he said in Romans 1:12 & 13, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Some of the things I worried about as a child seem insignificant now. Today children are faced with more serious issues than I ever dreamed of. The technological age has opened a whole new world for them and along with it, temptations and fears beyond belief.
Plans are in the works for sex education to be taught in kindergarten (without any real consequences being taught along with it.) Families are breaking apart in record numbers. Marriage doesn’t always hold the same reverence to the vows once taken. Parents are struggling to keep their jobs.
For quite a while our nation had become prosperous and people were spending lavishly on their children and now they must cut back. Disease still ravages our population and many kids have to go through life without a parent who has succumbed to death.
Somehow God always puts things into perspective for us. When our lives seem to be spiraling out of control, He is consistent. His laws never change. His guidance and correction in our lives never changes. His love and care for us absolutely never changes.
Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for watching over the children of this world. Your Word tells about many instances which include them. Keep them in your tender care as they walk through life until they reach eternity with you. Amen!
Where The Eagles Fly . . . . Art Science Poetry Music & Ideas
Embarking on a Journey of Discovery and Growth
Nature's nuances in a nutshell
Soli Deo Gloria
Inspiring New Generation
Emmitt Owens
A Delicate Balance of Highly Organized Within My Creative Disarray
Writing to remember, sharing to inspire
Student of the Human Condition
Where curiosity meets opportunity
Faith.Growth.Purpose
GOD INSPIRED WORDS AND IMAGES
Here are some of the things I have learned from studying the Bible
Inspiring Minds.building Ethiopia
Romanticizing The World
The opinions expressed are those of the author. You go get your own opinions.
Psychotherapy, Walk and Talk Therapy, Neurodiversity, Mindfulness, Emotional Wellbeing
Finding the Extraordinary in Ordinary, Everyday Life
