
There actually are days like this, when writing causes despair, suffering, anxiety and writer block. It’s days like that when we just have to bring out the rack

There actually are days like this, when writing causes despair, suffering, anxiety and writer block. It’s days like that when we just have to bring out the rack

Oh if it were only that easy …

Originally posted one year ago today.
ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Job 38:12-13 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?”
Mornings are the best time to capture light when you’re an artist, but even the old masters couldn’t come close to the majesty God creates with His paintbrush. He calls up every color of the rainbow and creates the most intricate patterns and designs for our pleasure.
We are at the middle of the shortest month of the year and can start looking forward to seeing some of those amazing shades of blue and green again. White is nice and it gives a clean look to things, but there is nothing like color to liven us up again. We need those tinges of red and yellow to warm us. As each day of our life passes, we need to take time to enjoy the beauty that God has given us through His amazing color wheel.

First paragraphs from the Washington Post article, by Aaron Blake – February 16, 2017
“President Trump is facing multiple potential investigations, dealing with an administration that leaks like a sieve and still wrestling with heavy policy decisions on the Affordable Care Act, taxes and other issues.
So naturally, four weeks into his presidency and 1,356 days until the 2020 election, he’s hitting the campaign trail.
Trump will hold a rally Saturday at an airplane hangar in Orlando — the reasons for which aren’t entirely clear. Actually, scratch that. The reason is clear: Trump needs to return to friendlier territory. He needs to return to doing something he likes, and he needs a way to get his message out without taking questions from journalists.”
My thoughts on this – first of all, we have just endured eight years of a president who spent his entire time in office campaigning for himself, his agenda and his friends. Unfortunately, campaigning as much as he did, never caused me to change my mind about him and obviously didn’t do much for the rest of the population either – as indicated by the last election numbers.
The United States public is getting accustomed to having a president in their face. It is also a time of protest, marches and massive crowds voicing their opinions and often getting violent about it. It seems the only way to get ideas across to our population rather than the use of the internet, is to have a march, protest or rally.
President Trump has only been in office for four weeks. In that time, I can’t begin to count the number of protests that have occurred. Every day, the news is filled with one march or another. My state of Minnesota is especially active in this movement, because it is a sanctuary state as well as a highly liberal environment. However, the presidential election was also very close in this state. There has to be a reason for this, like maybe folks were fed up with politics as usual.
I believe we must give this man a chance. So far his ratings are plunging, but maybe that has to do with the large media focus on all these protests and the fact that there’s talk of impeachment – already! Come on, people, let the man do his job.
It seems to me that we have become a nation of sheep – being led by a hungry mob of malcontents and sore losers. It’s time to get over it.

It’s been many years since I’ve spent Saturday morning watching cartoons. I’m not sure what I’d encounter today, but I do know that I’ve actually morphed into the Looney Tunes character – Granny.
Oh for those carefree Saturdays. In fact, I recall watching cartoons on the Saturday of my wedding day. I guess the thought of marriage and responsibility caused me to tune in that morning. It was my last chance before forever tuning out.
After a morning of cartoons, the neighborhood kids would head over to the local movie theater and spend a quarter on a full day of movies – watching the same one over and over. They were great movies too. Musical films that made no sense, but they had great costumes. I never could figure out why folks would just automatically burst into song for no apparent reason, but I kind of liked it. Nothing like that ever happened in my real world.
There were the westerns with politically incorrect cowboys and Indians shooting each other – gangster films with their “crime doesn’t pay” message – love stories which never ended up in the bedroom, but left a lot to the imagination. Then there were the newsreels. These films were often of far off places we’d never heard of, with lots of propeller type airplanes dropping bombs, or poverty stricken people scrapping around for food. We couldn’t possibly relate as we sat there devouring our second box of popcorn in the front row of a movie theater.
I remember loving cartoons. I learned a lot about good and evil from Sylvester, the cat. He even had a conscience – something you don’t hear much about these days. The one on his left shoulder was dressed in a devil suit, complete with horns, tail and pitchfork. The one on the right was a preachy, angelic type with a high pitched voice that tried to convince poor Sylvester not to eat poor Tweety bird. That guy was a little weird to me, but the alternative wasn’t too great either.
There’s a lot to be said for the good old days. Today it costs almost ten bucks to see a movie and by the time you’ve purchased snacks, you’ve spent half of your weekly food budget. Our parents could give us a quarter and have us entertained for the day, while they did their own thing. OK, maybe it was a ploy to get rid of us kids for the day, but we did learn a lot from our experience watching funny stuff.

This is one wacky holiday we can all sink our teeth into. It doesn’t take a lot of work. It can be something as simple as paying someone a compliment, helping them carry their groceries to the car, make a meal, share a good book. Being kind to others isn’t something we should just set aside for one day a year. Like Valentines Day it should be something we naturally think about and act upon every day of the year.
Be careful though. There are those out there that aren’t used to being treated kindly. They may think you have ulterior motives. The may find your kindness offensive. They might believe you’re being politically incorrect.
Isn’t it a sad state of affairs, when we have to worry about how people will react to a good deed. When you think about it, we shouldn’t even consider it a good deed. It should be a simple extension of who we are. Our good deeds are a result of the gratitude we have for God’s intervention in our lives. We shouldn’t do them expecting to get something in return or because it’s expected of us.
Today and every day, stop and think about what Jesus did for you. He didn’t thin twice about shedding His blood for us. He willingly gave up His life and rose from death so that we could share in eternal life. That isn’t just random. It was part of God’s plan from the beginning of time.
HAPPY RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS DAY!

ART & INSPIRATION FROM KATHY BOECHER©
This painting is now living in the home of a good friend
Waiting patiently to see what nature has in store for us in our new “old” house. Since we moved in October, we only had a few remnants of what was and what could be. This week we’re anticipating temperatures near 60 degrees – almost unheard of for February in Minnesota.
I recall tulips beginning to burst their way through moistened, winter earth when ever we had a winter thaw – and their surprised reaction when the snows returned in March and covered their little heads for an additional few weeks.
When we know something is coming, it’s hard to wait. It’s hard to be patient. Kids can’t wait for their birthdays or Christmas, because of their excitement. Engaged couples work hard at waiting for their wedding days. Moms and dads anticipate the coming birth of a child with hope that all will be well. It seems our whole life is dedicated to waiting.
Queen Esther waited for just the right moment to tell her husband, the king, that she was a child of Israel – an enemy of the Babylonians. Joseph went through betrayal of his brothers, loss of his freedom, false accusations and prison before he became the advisor to Pharoah. David waited to become come king until he knew that his predecessor had died even though he’d already been anointed as king. The Israelites waited for centuries for the promised Messiah and when He came to them, many didn’t recognize Him.
Waiting is never easy. The world tells us we can have everything instantly today. God tells us that by waiting, we will receive treasure beyond measure I like His way better.
My God, you have placed me here for a reason.
I don’t know what it is.
I wish I knew your plan for me.
I know I should be patient,
but my mind is filled with fear.
I sit and wait and wonder why.
Why have you chosen ME to be in this place?
Am I the one who must make sure that your work is done?\
I know that with you I can do anything.
I will always trust in you.
You are the God of my people.
Just help me to understand what you would have me do.
I’s hard to wait, Lord -it’s so hard to wait.
I give to you my all.
Use me as you will.
I trust in your direction for my life.
I know I am your instrument
and you will guide my way.
LYRICS FROM “SUCH A TIME AS THIS,” by Kathy Boecher©

MARY’S JOURNEY by Kathy Boecher©
He had an air of royalty about Him, even though he was not arrayed in purple or crowned with gold. His mighty steed was a simple foal of a donkey – not what you’d expect for the King of Creation. Still in the warmth of that arid, Spring day, Jesus was praised by His throng of admirers as the Messiah – the One promised from the lineage of King David. They were convinced that this king would relieve them of all their problems, give them back control of their city and allow them to rule again in their promised land.
Their cries of “Hosanna” rang through the dusty streets, drowning the sounds of sacrificial lambs, goats and other offerings for the Feast of the Passover. Palm branches were laid at His feet. The sky was a clear, azure blue – not a cloud to be seen. The warm sun shone brightly on the scene as the crowd’s enthusiasm swelled.
These adoring fans had followed Jesus for the past few months. They listened to His words of peace and love. They watched as He fed 5000 men with only a handful of fishes and loaves. They saw Him heal the sick and dying and even heard that He had brought some back from the grave. They could see there was something different about this man – something extraordinary.
Mary watched as her Son paraded through the rugged streets. Her heart pounding with emotion – thoughts of excitement and pride at His current popularity. She remembered as three distant Kings came to visit her new child with unbelievably expensive gifts. It all confused her at the time, but as she thought about it now, the truth was being made clearer by the minute.
She thought of the words of the angel, Gabriel, “ He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Could it be? Were these words at last being fulfilled?
She knew that it was just a matter of time when all of her fears and doubts would be addressed. This time of Passover was the perfect timing for the Lamb of God.

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
I’ve known him almost my whole life and still there’s much to learn,
We’ve grown up through our many years, but still our love does burn,
We’ve shared in disappointments, in troubles and in loss,
We’ve tried to lay our problems at the foot of Jesus’ cross,
When times have seemed impossible, when we just can’t go on,
We know we have each other and the love of God’s own Son,
Things aren’t always easy, our struggles never end,
But with our Savior at our side, we have the perfect blend.

There’s a thing floating around on Facebook these days. If everyone posts fine art instead of political rhetoric on their sites, it will flood Facebook with beauty instead of the other stuff. I admit, I got suckered into it too. I thought, how lovely to see great art instead of all these mean remarks and disparaging behavior.
A friend of mine, posed an interesting question. What if the art is ugly? What a great question. There is a lot of beautiful art out there. There has been for centuries. Not all of it is balm to soothe the savage beast within us however. Much art is designed to antagonize, to cause radical thinking, to stir things up.
The truth is, we can’t really cover up ugliness. It’s like that old pig joke. You can try like crazy to cover it up, but the fact remains – it’s just a temporary fix. What we really need to do is start to compromise – put away our vile anger – forget about it and move on. A mask isn’t going to work forever. Eventually the truth will come out and there will be more outcries.
Instead of masquerading or putting lipstick on it, lets fill our lives with joy and peace and start to get along again.
From USA Today –
Gayle McCormick, a 73-year-old retired prison guard in Washington state who describes herself as a “Democrat leaning toward socialist,” says she decided to end her marriage of 22 years after her husband announced at a lunch with friends last year that he was planning to vote for Trump. She says it was a “deal breaker.”
“I was in shock,” she told People magazine. “It was the breaking point. The Trump issue was the catalyst.”
Okay, I know this apparent feud over the last election seems to be unending. Will it ever end, we ask. Why can’t folks just get over it? I know friendships have been injured by this, but really – A MARRIAGE?
I guess when you reach 73, you just get to a point where you don’t want to argue. It takes a lot of energy to do so. We’d rather either give in or give up. It’s tough trying to process the information and have the right comeback anymore. Physically, it turns your blood pressure up and that isn’t good when you’re in your seventies. By the time you’ve gotten started with the argument, you’ve forgotten what I was about in the first place.
Maybe this is what happened to Gayle.
There could be more to this story. Maybe the woman was looking for an excuse to get out of her marriage and this was the turning point for her. I would hope that a simple thing like this would not be cause for divorce.
Who knows why people do what they do? We become shocked by this sortof news or we simply overlook it, but this is a real issue folks. People are at each other’s throats because of a presidential election. Why can’t we get on with our normal uninteresting lives and forget all this nonsense.
I’M TIRED!

ORIGINAL ART & INSPIRATION BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
The art in this post doesn’t really have to do with love, but I love it. Reminiscent of Northwest Coast art, and if you use your imagination, you can actually see a heart shape in there. My love for this man has endured 52 years. It’s been a roller coaster ride at times. We’ve face good and bad times, but we have a firm foundation. Partly because we have used the following words throughout our marriage. The post was written in 2015, but now that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I though it worth a repeat.
When it seems that you will never be able to overcome the turmoil of joining two lives into one – when the struggle between two separate identities must learn to bend, conform and submit to one another – when days bring difficulties, joys and loss and you can still see the light – then you have experienced love as it should be.
Love is patient.
When you’ve been hurt by a misunderstood word or intention, you can bury that hurt in the ground and forget it.
Love is kind.
When the one you love receives recognition or praise, you applaud him. When he/she compliments you, cherish the words. When you’ve accomplished something important, you don’t brag. Enjoy your individual successes as one.
Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Even though you feel you’re right, never discredit the one you love. Always place their needs before your own – holding them in the highest esteem. You hold and control your temper. You don’t go to bed angry, because you don’t want to hang on to past wrongs.
Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
You make a point of being honest about everything in your relationship. When you become united as one person, you cannot keep secrets from each other.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
If it means laying down your life for the one you love, you will do it willingly. You’ll never hesitate to come to their defense, to trust them implicitly, look for the best in each other and never give up on them.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
You will always want the best for each other – trust that the other has those interests at heart – make hope a persistent entity in your relationship, because without it, you can not reach your goals – be perseverant by keeping on keeping on. We can achieve great things individually. Think of what we can accomplish when two work as one.
Love never fails.
God showed us the greatest example of love ever, by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins. He then came alive, just as we will rise when are eyes closed in death. Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for another.

ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL KATHY BOECHER©
Sweet refreshment, flowing, tumbling,
Rushing over troubled minds,
Words to comfort,
To heal,
To calm troubled hearts,
Words of inspiration,
To excite the soul,
To long for more,
To create hope for a future,
Words of instruction,
A new message,
A gospel of good news,
Promise,
Eternal life,
Words that fill the soul,
The mind,
The heart,
Of a waiting world,
Longing to hear,
Jesus’ words,
Pouring from the mountain side,
How to live,
How to care,
How to depend on God,
How to believe in His truth,
How to treasure each other,
Rather than the things of the world,
How to know who He is,
Our Savior,
Our King,
Our Mighty God,
Our Prince of Peace,
Our Redeemer.

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.
They also say that writing comes from experience, and in that first paragraph, you can almost see some of his characters jumping off the page.
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.
Happy Birthday, Charles Dickens!

ORIGINAL ART& POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
The grandeur of a summer day, the warmth of golden sun,
The birth emerging from the trees, new life has now begun,
Incomparable perception, upon the highest heights,
Of golden fields and new mown hay and other glorious sights,
Of unpolluted county sides, of azure heavenly skies,
A glimpse of full contentment, lays right before our eyes,
Of waters flowing here and there, of peace and solitude,
Of quiet walks and friendly talks, will change our attitude,
When summer comes again to us, our time may well be spent,
Our days dried up and bodies cold, our days of discontent,
But still we’ll live in splendor, of endless summer days,
When breath inspired by God Himself will set our souls ablaze.

If it were only a matter of fighting off armies of an invading enemy – or simply a battle cry against those who would cause us emotional or physical harm.If our task required us to stand up for those less fortunate, we might have a good chance of doing so as a nation united.
If it’s about the future of a country – if it’s worth the cost of dying for – if it means the difference between life and death for coming generations – it’s imperative that we get back to God.
Our country is in the throes of decline. We have chosen other gods – the gods of lust, desire, greed, immorality, unfaithfulness, complacency and apathy. These “gods” are the handiwork of the devil.
As Christians we cannot sit on the fence and watch as things fall around us. God didn’t promise that America would be immune from sin. He didn’t give us carte blanche because we’re a nation that followed him in our fledgling years. Our obedience is still necessary, even though we could easily be drawn into the discontent, hatred, narcissism and lack of integrity.
Many folks don’t think they need church – that it’s a superficial display – a foolish tradition – unnecessary. In some cases the church is no longer a place to hear about our need for a Savior, but to be entertained – told how to obtain worldly success – or be given a dose of self-confidence boosting to get us through the week.
I wonder what my grandkids will encounter in the future. God loves us, but will not stand for a nation that denies His existence. It’s our duty as parents, teachers, mentors and grandparents to pass God’s Word on to our younger generation. Think of it as a heritage more precious that silver or gold. Within its pages, we learn of God’s love for us, His plan for redemption and a place reserved for us in heaven.
I don’t have much of monetary value to leave my children or grandchildren, but I feel that God has blessed me with treasure beyond measure. Sharing the Bible is like passing on a legacy that will last a lifetime and beyond.
I hope it isn’t too late for us.

ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Who has the power to crash through rock with the heat of his breath,
Who can move mountains,
Who can cut a path through rugged terrain,
Carrying streams of pure water,
Which in time will reach the sea,
Who is capable of bringing life to barren areas,
Nourishing it,
Replanting,
Giving new life to the dead earth,
Who can make that water pour forth from the heavens,
From pregnant, heavy clouds,
And return that same water to the atmosphere,
Who can cause life to reproduce,
Who can lay every mountain low,
With the sound of His voice,
Who can lift every valley,0
And every rugged path made perfect,
Only God can do that.

THANATOPHOBIA – The extreme fear of death
I have several friends who are personally experiencing terminal illnesses. There are also those who have relatives on their deathbeds. Some of those I know have lost those they loved and may be suffering extreme grief over their loss. I have personally wondered at times,if my life after death is real or if its just a story to make me feel good. I think we may all have doubts like that at times.
Death means finality to some. It’s an ending to the daily drudgery. It means the pain will end and we can finally rest. Each of us face it in different ways. Some will push to get their estates in order, while others just wait to see if a cure is available and life can maybe go on.
As I look at our world today, I wonder why death is so ominous. Our lives are like a candle, waning with age, slowly melting away. The turmoil that spews at us every day, makes death kind of appealing. If you believe that this all there is, you’re missing a great truth. As Jesus was dying on the cross, He gave the thief hanging next to Him these words,
Luke 23:43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
These words can also reassure us:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
John 14:1-4“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
We all know that death is inevitable, but it does have to mean the end of life. When in our weakened state and struggling with questions, God’s Word is a promise we can count on.
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Life is a patchwork of moments — laughter, solitude, everyday joys, and quiet aches. Through scribbled stories, I explore travels both far and inward, from sunrise over unfamiliar streets to the comfort of home. This is life as I see it, captured in ink and memory. Stick around; let's wander together.
God's amazing grace removes walls and replaces those barriers with Jesus, freedom from sin's consequences, freedom to forgive, and freedom to love unconditionally.
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