DRAMA!!!
We all have a certain amount of drama in our lives. With the invention of the internet and instant news, we’ve all become an active part in the drama that is playing out all around us. We can become disillusioned by it, angry, frustrated and even hopeless. Or we can walk away from it and search for something more positive to fill our time.
We are living out a story to pass on as a legacy to those we leave behind. Did you ever think of it that way? The lives we live today will represent us when we die. What people remember most about us – what our accomplishments were – what we believed in – what we contributed to society.
We all have different roles in the scheme of things. We all serve a purpose in progressing the story. We are not merely pawns on a chess board, but living, breathing human beings with strong emotions and deep beliefs.
What is your purpose in life? Do you have goals that will determine your future? Do you live for today or is your focus on the hereafter? Maybe you spend too much time dwelling on the past or things that you have no power over. We all have times when we think we have control over our lives – that we determine our futures – that we can go it alone.
We’re not merely characters in a play. God has a wonderful plan for everyone in creation. His direction – His wisdom – His enduring love and grace – are all elements which can give us purpose. He will guide us through trials, fear and doubt. He will lift us out of the pit of depression. He will protect us when the world seems too difficult for us to understand. Our God is an awesome God. He is our greatest heritage. Pass it on!
There will always be drama in life, but the most dramatic thing ever to have happened was God’s love for His creation and His payment to redeem it. That’s real drama!
Posted in anxiety, Christian daily devotion, Uncategorized
Tagged drama, encouragement, Inspiration, legacy
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LAND OF THE FREE
All the hubbub of standing for our National Anthem at any sporting event is taking the spotlight big time. Who would’ve thought that our nation, built on the blood of brave men and women, would be called out for singing her praises. We have the downing of monuments to war heroes, art being removed from public buildings because of their offensive nature of war. If we merely erase these things from our history, it will never take away the memory of those who built our country.
When we become so enraged over something like this, it makes me wonder if we have gone off the deep end and became a nation of sheep – those blindly following the one in front of them to their death. I’m not talking about our current president. Our past leader did so much damage to our national honor, by his own disrespect and apology for our country.
The Star Spangled Banner was written on the morning of September 14, 1814. Francis Scott Key had a day earlier boarded the British flagship which was planning an attack on Fort McHenry in the Baltimore harbor the next day. Because the plan had been revealed to him, he posed a threat to the attack, so the British returned him to his own ship under guard. He remained under arrest during the shelling of Fort McHenry.
Key was an amateur poet and as the battle ensued, he was moved to write the words to the Star Spangled Banner. The words became a monument to the bravery of those under attack. In it he speaks of freedom – which has been achieved in America today. We often hang on to past hatred and fears, because we think they’ll resurface if we don’t constantly remind ourselves of them. To eliminate them entirely, we’re hoping to cover up the pain of the past.
Our nation is so easily moved by controversy. It seems to be a pattern which fuels our every waking moment. We have more important things to concern ourselves with at the moment. Our prayers are necessary now more than ever. The evil that is penetrating the core of our existence will eat us up if we let it.
Our God is much stronger than the evil of Satan. He has already been conquered by the death and resurrection of our Savior, but there is work to do. The time is ripe for us to start sharing this good news for all humanity, before it’s too late.
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER – VERSE 3 BY FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
We are the land of the free and the home of the brave, now more than ever before in our history. It’s time to stand tall for our country.
Posted in America, Christian daily devotion, courage, Uncategorized
Tagged America, controversy, flag, Freedom, hatred, opinion, Respect
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STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
Today my husband, Paul and I celebrate 53 years as husband and wife. We were high school sweethearts and have had our share of ups and downs over the years, but with God at the center of our marriage, we survived and became stronger. We still enjoy each others’ company. We laugh at most of the same things. We have maintained our sense of humor even during the difficult times. I thank God every day for allowing me to grow old with this man.
Posted in Uncategorized
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AUTUMN CRUD
This is my favorite time of year. The trees are splendidly dressed in their most brilliant colors, the air is crisp and clean, and I even got married in September. One of the side effects of this season for me is the surge in my allergies to mold, trees and other stuff that’s in abundance right now.
Add to that the fact that I sifted through crates of costumes this past week and the dust got into my lungs, causing another case of bronchitis. Being an asthma sufferer, everything intensifies when my allergies kick in.
All that being said, I didn’t attend church this morning. My coughing is the deep bronchial cough that is more of a distraction for those trying to enjoy their worship. Fortunately I have another chance to go to church during the week. Hopefully I’ll have recovered by then.
Sin is like the nasty germs of this season, the mold of dead leaves, the deterioration of life. It embeds itself into our inner selves, plays on our conscience and makes us sick. Praise God, He loves us with unconditional love and provided a way for our sin to be dealt with. It was the perfect sacrifice – God’s sinless Son, was the unspotted lamb that took away our sins through His death. His resurrection showed His power over the grave and we can be sure of attaining paradise once we leave this veil of tears.
Thank you, dear Lord, Jesus, for taking my place on the altar of sacrifice – for paying the full ransom for my soul and the sin of the entire world. Help us all to share that you have made it possible for everyone to enjoy this gift. Amen!
Posted in Christian daily devotion, forgiveness, sin, Uncategorized
Tagged allergies, death, illness, Inspiration, Sin
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TWO CHOICES
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Relief carving on two panels.
Two trees stood in the garden there,
Their beauty filled with fruit to spare,
Conditions went along with each,
The fruit from both was in their reach,
God told them they could eat from one,
But from the other death would come,
The serpent set his trap to win,
To lead the couple into sin,
Luring Eve with forbidden fruit,
While Adam watched and remained mute,
And when she offered him a bite,
He’s blinded by his appetite,
The devil won that victory,
But there’s much more to this story,
His children disobeyed His Word,
Their vision was completely blurred,
By Satan and his evil plan,
To set a curse upon the man.
From that day forth they’d now fear death,
Until they took their final breath,
But God’s plan for their redemption,
Showed His love with no exception,
His precious Son would come to earth,
He’d come from lowly virgin birth,
To save the futures sons of man,
And that’s when life returned again.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Today is September 23, 2017 – a day that should be the ending of all the strife in the world, all the evil, all the pain, every last person and the elimination of planet Earth. So say the astronomers. Their reasoning has to do with the autumnal equinox and the alignment of the planets and the stars.
How often do these doomsday claims occur? I can recall at least four of them in my lifetime. Since men started looking for signs in the heavens, they’ve been trying to figure out God’s mind. Since the beginning of time, humanity has been attempting to be on the same level as God and sometimes believing they know more than Him.
We’re told in scripture to look to the sky for signs, but also to be aware of the signs that we face daily – signs like wars and rumors of war, inhumanity towards one another, lascivious and immoral behavior, earthquakes, flooding and destructive wind. The book of Revelation tells of many of the final signs that will occur before the Lord returns in glory.
For us to try to figure out God’s future for this planet is really futile. Jesus taught that we do not know the hour or the day. It will come when we don’t expect it. I remember when the millennial came to an end and it was supposed to be the end of the world. There was the Mayan calendar of final doom. When the world is in such a mess, it’s probably normal for us to want it to be over.
Today, the signs are there. We’re in the midst of horrible weather and natural disasters. Immorality has become the norm along with political correctness. Abortion has become an every day event. Sex before marriage is fine. Commitment to another person, a job, a family, is lacking. We are witnessing a tug of war between America and her allies and a tyrant who wants to take over the world.
Is it time? I don’t know and I don’t believe anyone else does either. The thing I do know is that we must be ready at any moment for Christ’s return. Now is the time to ask Him for forgiveness and prepare for that day within our daily walk.
I believe the prophesies of the Old Testament have been fulfilled. Christ was born, lived, died and rose again to pay for my sins. That’s the only prophesy that saves us. If we believe it, we will inherit paradise. What are your thoughts?
Posted in Bible, Christian daily devotion, End times, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement, end times, Fear, Inspiration, Peace, prophesy, Salvation
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OLD RAGS
I’ve been sorting through crates of costumes that were packed away in our garage for the past year. Before we moved, I didn’t realize I would have no further use for these things, so they were sealed up and made ready for the mover.
What a job! It’s like going through a lifetime of memories. Each costume stirs thoughts of past productions; who wore them; what was their response when told they had to wear them; and how they lit up the stage by doing so. I threw many of the oldest ones away, but many remain. There are pirates, harem girls, cowboys & Indians, early settlers, orphans, cartoon characters, poodle skirts, rock stars and lots of props and accessories to go along with them.
I’m going to have a sale next week and since we live in the Halloween Capitol of the World, these costumes should sell quickly. What doesn’t sell will be donated or given away.
Last year, as we downsized and rid ourselves of 50 some years of our life, it was a bit painful, but necessary. Now I’m saying goodbye to years of fun memories I shared with my theater pals. It’s kind of bittersweet, but if we’re going to be able to get a car in our garage this winter, it must be done.
As I do this, I think about the great gift God has given us. We once wallowed in our sinfulness. We became more and more used and abused because of it. Soon our clothes became unrecognizable. We tried to cover up our sins by doing good deeds, but all of those were like those filthy rags to God.
His blood washed all of them clean and made us pure again in God’s sight. Just imagine being able to stand before the authority of God – sinless – because of what Jesus did for us.
I feel a load of weight lifted from my shoulders by getting my costumes ready for sale, but the weight of sin is so much greater. Praise be to God, He has given all of us the victory over death and damnation. I can’t wait to greet Him in heaven, clothed in the purest of clothes.
ISAIAH 64:6 “ But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, forgiveness, sin, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement., filthy rags, forgiveness, Hope, Inspiration, repentance, Sin
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RIGHTEOUS BLOOD
Faces and heads shrouded in black,
Too cowardly to show themselves,
Thoughts of waging a righteous war,
Against those who don’t believe as they do,
Brainwashed into thinking they are doing this for their god,
Misdirected, searching, groping for something to believe in,
Something to hang on to,
Do they find peace in ending lives?
Where is the righteousness?
Blood flows from a beaten, smitten corpse,
Hanging on an instrument of torture,
This One not taking life, but giving it,
Through His own precious blood.
That is righteousness,
Bought and paid for the ugliest of us.
KATHY BOECHER©
Posted in Christian daily devotion, Christian Poetry, forgiveness, Uncategorized
Tagged forgiveness, Inspiration, Poetry, righteousness, Salvation
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AGELESS
I’ve always enjoyed working with children and seeing them grow physically and confident. My joy in seeing a child succeed may go back to my own childhood, when I felt completely inadequate – unsure of myself and lacked one ounce of self worth.
When I had my own children, I wanted to make sure that they didn’t suffer from the same malady, but I’ve learned in my later years, that we all go through some kind of junk when we’re growing up. Some of us blame our parents. Some choose to blame their circumstances or social status. Really each of us is responsible for our own behavior and the outcome of it. But I digress.
The point of this post is that I turned 75 this year and among all the changes in this past year, I still have a need to work. Not only because living entirely on Social Security is near to impossible, but because I can’t not work. It’s in my blood. I was raised in a home of hard workers.
So, I decided to do one more afterschool drama class at our old church school. I didn’t realize how much I missed being with these little ones. After the tedious task of reading through their script this week, I knew I was losing one of my little kindergartners because she said, “It feels like nap time.” I totally agreed with her, since it’s been a while since I’ve been with a batch of youngsters.
I’m also enjoying my work with memory care residents at a nursing home, with inclusion of drama and writing for them and the senior assisted living residents. What fun that’s turned out to be. I’m only with them once a month right now, but the potential for growth to other homes within their system is good. I’ve been having a blast with them.
In addition, I’ve joined the Board of Directors of a children’s theater company in the area. I’ll be doing some writing for them and possibly some directing and classes. Doors are opening for both me and my husband. We are so blessed to be able to work at what we love.
There are days when I wonder why I’m still on this planet. Why are so many of those I love going to heaven? I get frustrated with all the stress our country faces. I groan when I think about how helpless I am as far as offering assistance. Then I realize there is nothing that I can do about any of it. God is still in control and He hasn’t made a mistake yet.
So I will carry on until my last breath, praying that God gives me the energy to do what I love while I’m still here, and the confidence that I have a paradise awaiting me when this life is done.
Posted in aging, Christian Devotions and Reflection, Uncategorized, work
17 Comments
MUTED
Colors subdued, perfunctory, underwhelmed,
Yet in the palette of unimportant hues,
We are held captive to the beauty,
Our lives can be ordinary, uneventful, mundane,
But still the array of light, shadows, darkness and aloneness,
We can be held captive to the beauty,
Life doesn’t always have to be flashy,
Days don’t have to be filled with complexity or disorder,
Sometimes we simply need to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Posted in art, Christian devotions, Christian Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, beauty, encouragement, Inspiration, life
8 Comments
WEDNESDAY RAMBLINGS
I, like many, had my doubts when I went to vote last November. I wasn’t convinced in my heart of hearts that my decision to vote for Donald Trump was the sagest idea I ever had. He was brash, earthy, condescending and rude. However his opponent was not an option.
For the past ten months I’ve seen the making of a president. What seemed to many to be an impossible choice, has developed into a strong leader, a man who loves America, an astute businessman who knows how to make a deal and one who takes his job seriously.
If you’ve been paying close attention to this man, you can’t help notice a change in his demeanor. His last two speeches – to the Air Force on their 70th anniversary and to the United Nations yesterday – resounded with strength, passion, love of country, willingness to stand up for it and true leadership. This has been lacking the presidential office for some time.
Usually you can tell by a person’s body language if they’re telling the truth or simply putting on an act. President Trump has either had some superior training in the past few month or his true self is surfacing. So far, during his short presidency, he’s had to deal with a media that seems bent on his destruction – a Republican party that’s been too wishy washy to defend him – a Democrat party that refuses to accept the results of the last election – two horrific hurricanes that ravaged the Southern edge of our country – a man who plays with weapons of mass directions as if they were toys – a radical group of Islamic dissidents who wish to eliminate us – allies who have lost faith in the strength of America. He hasn’t even completed one year!
In that time, he’s been successful in diverting the press. His tweets may seem absurd at times, but the press is having a field day with them, while he gets his work done. He’s gotten more people back to work. The stock market is at an all time high. He’s fighting for the American people and their safety. He is talking to our military like a true commander in chief. He continues to put new ideas out there and is willing to butt heads with his opponents.
Maybe it’s a time we start taking this guy seriously!
Posted in America, Inspiration, politics, Uncategorized
Tagged America, encouragement, Inspiration, opinion, Politics, presidency
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