This one is for Julie.
I saw it in the window and I couldn’t resist.
-
Recent Comments
I COULDN’T RESIST
EDIFICE
ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
A strong, imposing building stands firmly on the ground,
Composed of brick and mortar, protected all around,
A canopy of trees provides a strong yet gentle bastion,
Though crafted well and made to last, it isn’t quite a mansion,
Our lives are like those buildings, we start our lives quite small,
Our inner self is growing even though we sometimes fall,
The outer self can pass away, its shell becomes decayed,
The things inside become messed up when from our God we’ve strayed,
Still He provides perfection, even in our darkest hours,
He builds us and restores us with His supernatural powers,
An edifice can fall apart as we so often do,
When God is in the building, the foundation will be true.
Posted in art, Christian daily devotion, Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS, encouragement, FAITH, Inspiration, Religion
Comments Off on EDIFICE
CONSCIENCE
Conscience is defined by Webster as an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one’s behavior. Martin Luther spoke of his conscience as being captive to the Word of God and that he could not go against conscience. When we are told to “vote our conscience,” we are expected to vote for what we believe in, especially the tenets for which the candidate stands for.
I’ve already done my civic duty. Since moving, it was necessary to register and to avoid the long lines on election day, we voted early. It felt rather strange to do this. We were the only ones at the election site.
Often we go in to vote with great confidence because of our commitment to what we believe is best for our nation. When it comes to a presidential election, we feel proud to voice ourselves through our votes. It is, after all, one of the few rights we still hold as citizens. We educate ourselves – we’re affected by things we hear and read – we look at political and experience records, how our candidate will carry out his/her duties – we listen to that little voice in the back of our head, our conscience.
By listening to that resonating tone, we are truly voting what we believe in – not what has been spewed at us from the world, but what we believe is in accordance with our moral values. I would not assume to tell anyone how to vote. Most of you already know who I voted for. I do ask that before you make your decision, you look at the facts – not the licentiousness coming from the media. Look to your inner voice – the one that God has placed within you, to help you discern between right and wrong and then vote with confidence.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, politics, truth, Uncategorized
Tagged conscience, elections, encouragement, God, Inspiration, president, voting
2 Comments
ON FIRE
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
Clouds laced with a rim of gold,
Woven with threads of red and purple,
It bursts into a tapestry of majesty.
As the sun ascends over distant mountains,
A precious fabric, designed by the King of Glory, rises,
Caressed by His hand,
Kissed by His lips.
For our pleasure,
Good morning, sun,
Your beauty embraces me,
I am warmed by your touch,
Encouraged by your power,
On fire for You,
Anxious for a grand new day.
Posted in art, Encouragement, Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged ART & POETRY BY THE BOECHERS, christian daily devotions, encouragement, Inspiration, Light of the world
Comments Off on ON FIRE
CONTENTMENT
New hydrangea bush, planted yesterday – still blooming and so am I.
“Revenge, lust, ambition, pride, and self-will are too often exalted as the gods of man’s idolatry; while holiness, peace, contentment, and humility are viewed as unworthy of a serious thought.” Charles Spurgeon
My eyes survey our little house. It’s charming simplicity is precisely what we need at this time of life. In a few months we’ll become 75 and with that comes a stage where life slows down, things are unimportant, and everything that is important takes on new meaning.
With each new touch we add to this place, it becomes more and more ours. The smallest things, like adding a towel ring, place mats, a bush to dress up the front of the house – all creating a space that defines who we are.
So far, my very outgoing husband, has introduced himself to the entire block. Yesterday he met a couple of brothers who have inhabited the neighborhood since they were young lads. One of them told my husband that he remembers old Judge Campbell living in our house many years ago. Apparently he was a crusty old guy who told them ,”If you set one foot on my property, I’ll cut off your thumbs and put ’em in my soup.” Funny the things you find out when you talk to folks.
We’ve been big city dwellers for quite a while and now reside in a small town. My work load is coming to an end and I’m beginning to unwind from the stress and hard work of moving. This morning we took my car into the mechanic, went to register and early vote and took a stroll along the river. It wasn’t even 9 AM when we arrived home.
As I sit here writing my blog, I’m actually beginning to relax. It’s remarkable how much stress we needlessly place on ourselves. We concentrate often on making ends meet, without enjoying the ends. We stretch ourselves to the limit and don’t even realize how totally disconnected we’ve become. Priorities change and the people in your life become more significant.
Today I can see contentment just around the corner – not by anything I’m doing, but by the grace of God who is blessing my life in countless ways. Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I can’t wait for the journey to unfold.
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.of my life.”
2nd Corinthians 12:10
Posted in Christian daily devotion, peace, Uncategorized
Tagged AGING, contentment, encouragement, FAITH, God, Inspiration
11 Comments
RIVER RENDEZVOUS
ORIGINAL ART & INSPIRATION BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©
The morning mist lingers upon the remaining blades of grass,
A stillness covers the surface of the mirror-like water,
Reflections of the city lights dance across it,
We walk side by side this morning,
You and I,
As the sun begins to ebb over the horizon,
The sound of traffic trails in the distance,
A peaceful walk,
A perfect place,
In God’s creation,
Hand in hand,
Together,
Just the two of us,
Yet surrounded by the bustle of early risers,
Going about their business,
But here we are,
Alone,
Hand in hand, side by side,
Together.
An early morning rendezvous,
With you.
Posted in art, Christian daily devotion, Poetry, Uncategorized
Tagged Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, bonding, encouragement, Inspiration, Love, marriage
Comments Off on RIVER RENDEZVOUS
STOP, ALREADY!
I imagine we’ll be hearing all kinds of stuff about Donald Trump this week. This whole political season has been so predictable and childish. It’s about time we stop talking about Trump’s alleged hatred of women and Hillary’s emails. Let’s get down to the important issues.
I want a president who believes in life – who promises to preserve it and uphold it and keep it healthy. In other words, abortion should not be determined by the government, end of life shouldn’t be mandated by law, health care should be truly affordable and people need to get back to work.
I want a president who doesn’t deceive me and the rest of America – who would make deals with our enemies, accept bribes from them, and let them know when we’re coming to get them.
I want someone who will return to the Constitution of this great country – who will forget about tolerance of every kind of behavior, including vigilante justice, violence and being offensive. I want my voice to be heard as well as those of my neighbors.
America wants a strong leader who will patch up the holes and have an optimistic view of the future. I really want a return to God and His providence, but I’m sure that will never happen in my lifetime. I want someone who I can trust to tell the truth – get the job done – have a staff of wise advisors and a Supreme Court filled with fairness for everyone.
We have minimized so much of what Hillary has done in her career to advance herself and not the good of a sagging economy, a hopeless nation and those who need help. When it comes to her becoming the first female president, I would ask those of you who would vote for her would consider if she is the role model you would set up for your children. Is she going to save women and make things better for them? Seriously? Someone who has shown such disdain for women in the past is not the one I want as the first woman in this most important office.
I will vote for Donald Trump because I believe he will surround himself with intelligent and capable people. He definitely knows how to manage and make decisions based on good information. He can get people to work again because he knows how to build a business. He is dedicated, smart and even though he sometimes puts his foot in his mouth, he tells it like it is. He is speaking for the people of America – not the government. Sure, he doesn’t have years of on-the-job training, but he loves this country and wants her to return to her greatness both here and the world.
OK, I’m done for the day. Now I’ll stop, already! I feel better.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, Elections, Uncategorized
Tagged advice, elections, encouragement, Inspiration, voting
4 Comments
MORE REFORMATION HUMOR
I can’t help myself. I get a kick out of these memes.
Posted in Humor, reformation, Uncategorized
Tagged humor, Luther, reformation
Comments Off on MORE REFORMATION HUMOR
REFORM IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY
“At twenty a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he is seventy he still wants to reform the world, but he know he can’t.” Rodney Dangerfield
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” Winston Churchill
Today is Reformation Day and we Protestants celebrate the liberation of the church and the steadfast adherence to the Bible and all its truths. Martin Luther was a young man when he nailed the 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg, Germany.
Youth allows you the energy to fight for what you believe in. Age softens us and gets in the way of our fervor. By the time we reach our 70s, we’ve all but given up and often give in to the injustices around us. We become complacent and hope that the young people will fix things for us.
In most cases, change is necessary and doesn’t happen overnight. In Martin Luther’s case, the invention of the printing press was a powerful tool that made the Reformation possible. Today we have an even more powerful tool available to us – the Internet. With its onset, we have the world at our fingertips and even us old fogies can now have a voice when it comes to change.
When you believe strongly in something,
isn’t it worth putting your opinion out there?
We have become accustomed to instant news, instant gratification, fast food, immediate communication. What a perfect time for instant truth.
Our country is a mess. Our media and government are in cahoots. We can’t believe a thing we’re being fed. We’ve come to rely on wiki leaks as our news source. Our leaders and potential governing officials have tasted the glory that comes along with their positions and have forgotten who they work for. When things get this bad,
It’s time
for reform.
It’s time
to speak.
It’s time
to change.
Reformation is necessary to make those changes and we’ve been blessed with a way to make it happen. Use your computers for good. Spread the Word. With God’s intervention, we can change the world.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, God, reformation, Uncategorized
Tagged ecouragement, FAITH, Inspiration, internet, reformation, Religion
1 Comment
Reformation day is set October 31 aside to honor the word of God – not the man, Martin Luther. He lived in a time when corruption had filtered into the church and the truth of the Bible was being abused for the benefit of that very church. The simplicity of God’s word is so beautiful. God created the universe and all that was in it. He created man in His own image. Man had everything he needed, including a mate created especially for him and from him. Man and his mate messed up and betrayed God because they wanted to be like Him, even though they already were. God condemned them to death. There was no way out for them. Nothing they could do on their own would save them from their fate, but God had compassion on His creation and gave His own life (Jesus) so that we could all enjoy eternal life. Because of God’s love for us, we become stewards of His word and it is our obligation to spread the good news. Thank you, Lord for preserving your word over the ages. It is our great heritage from you; our lifeline. Help us to continue to teach it in all of its truth and purity and never deviate or change it to fit our own needs or selfish desires. Your word is truth. It shows us our sin, our salvation and our hope for eternity. Keep us steadfast in it!
Posted in Uncategorized
5 Comments
THIS ONE’S FOR JULIE
Every time I watch “Gone With the Wind” I can’t help but remember Carol Burnett’s rendition of Scarlet O’Hara. She saw this in the window and couldn’t resist it. Complete with curtain rod.
Posted in Uncategorized
4 Comments
THE WORD WILL REMAIN
As a historical event, reformation isn’t anything new. Changes occur all the time, but the Lutheran reformation occurred at just the perfect time in history. With the invention of the Gutenberg printing press, mass production of the Bible could be placed in the hands of the common man.
Martin Luther was just a human being like the rest of us. He made mistakes. He said many things that today would be considered politically incorrect. He searched for truth during his time as a Roman Catholic monk, but until he dug deeply into scripture, he never knew true peace.
Whenever there’s a need for reformation, God places just the right circumstances and people together to put them into motion. That’s what we face today.
The Word of God has again become corrupted. It’s been twisted to fit the needs, desires and lifestyles of the people. The “sin” word has been eliminated from the vocabulary of many churches. Prosperity – feeling good – being entertained have all crept into our worship society today. It’s the perfect time for another reforming .
With the advent of the internet, we now have the ability to spread God’s Word in ways never dreamed of before. Bibles are available in applications which can be downloaded to electronic devices. Christians can share their beliefs with others through blogs like these. This age can make a reformation possible. For it is the perfect time – such a time as this.
The Word of God is our direct communication with Him. Through it we see that we’re sinners in need of forgiveness. The only way to achieve grace is through God himself. Our works are like filthy rags to Him if we don’t acknowledge what He’s done for us. The works are a result of our gratitude.
When we celebrate Reformation Day on October 31, we’re not honoring the man. We’re not putting him up on a saintly pedestal, for it’s not the man who did the work. God orchestrated the entire event, just as He will again when the time is right.
Change occurs over time. Traditions and various practices will be eliminated, but God’s Word must always remain at the center of the church.
Lord, keep us steadfast in Thy Word;
Curb those who fain by craft and sword
Would wrest the kingdom from Thy Son
And set at naught all He hath done.Martin Luther
Posted in Christian daiuly devotions, reformation, Uncategorized
Tagged Bible, encouragement, Inspiration, Martin Luther, reformation
3 Comments
A LITTLE REFORMATION HUMOR
Posted in christian daily devotions, Humor, reformation, Uncategorized
Tagged humor, Martin Luther, reformation, RELIGIO N
2 Comments
SUCH A TIME AS THIS
A repost from 10/01/14
When Martin Luther stood up to the Catholic Church, his radical ideas were resisted by many as heresy. The Christian church had been corrupted, and many of the alterations to Scripture were made to fit the desires and needs of society and the church itself.
The Protestant Reformation was the perfect time in history for the Bible to be reintroduced to the people. The printing press had been invented. People were growing tired of spending their hard earned money buying their way into heaven, and the Renaissance was well under way.
Today another reformation is going on. The religion of Islam is trying to return to its roots through radicalism. If you become aware of what this religion is based on, you will soon see that it is anything but a peaceful, tolerant religion. Understanding this will help us understand why ISIS or ISIL most certainly is Islamic. Most of the teachings of the Quran speak of violence towards anyone who does not believe the teachings of Allah. They are vehement in their defense of their religion and willing to die for it. They are also willing to kill for it in hideous, heinous ways. The spread of Islam may seem to be overtaking the Middle East, but it is also moving into our own country.
There is a purpose to the events that are occurring in the world today. God has a plan for all of it. He was the one responsible for the timing of the Protestant Reformation. He is also in control of this upheaval within the Islamic Reformation.
We must become informed as to what is being taught in our schools – how the politics of this religion are mingling into our national fiber and taking away many of our constitutional rights – how our own leaders, in an attempt to be tolerant, are allowing themselves to be swayed – how our country as a whole is so focused on political correctness that they’ve forgotten what is really correct.
Lord, you control the universe. You placed the planets, the sun, moon and stars in the sky to light the darkest places. You have placed your Word into our lives not only as a guide, but as your truth. May we constantly reform by repenting of our evil ways and know that even in the most evil of times, you are the light of the world. Amen!
Posted in America, Christian daily devotion, God, Uncategorized
Tagged education, FAITH, God's Word, ISIS, reformation
Comments Off on SUCH A TIME AS THIS
LITTLE BOXES
Right now I’m up to my ear lobes in boxes of all sizes. Actually I’m doing much better than I was. Last week they were over my head. I thought we’d downsized, but guess what? We’re going to have to do it again.
Since our move, we’re still trying to locate socks and underwear. When you transport 2400 square feet of boxes and some of them aren’t labeled, it can be quite a challenge. This entire thing got me thinking about boxes and how we often feel trapped within them. We go through life staying in the safety of our comfort zone and find it difficult to step out of the box and get a different view of the many things we’ve missed over the years.
Sometimes those changes involve the death of a loved one – a marriage, new job or the birth of a child – a financial loss, a successful promotion, stress. Whatever causes those changes, we can always learn something new – every second, every hour and every day. God has already drawn the plans for our future. His design is perfect and He will never let us down if we put our trust in Him and His wisdom. The minute we try to interfere, things get set upside down.
As we open boxes, we realize we didn’t need some of the things we’d packed. I thought these we necessary items, but they aren’t. Still I’ve challenged myself to step outside the box and look ahead to the future. God is constantly with me. He hears my prayers and answers them. He loves me with an unshakeable love and has given me a life insurance policy that goes on throughout eternity.
Maybe the boxes will be gone in a few months, but isn’t it good to know that even without them, we have a perfect life waiting for us on the other side of eternity. So, while we’re walking this earth, let’s remember that God has also given us unlimited wisdom and understanding through His Holy Word – the Bible. Get out of the box and into the Word!
1 Kings 4:29 “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore.”
Posted in Christian daily devotion, goals, God, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement, FAITH, God, Inspiration, Jesus, limitless
5 Comments
THE SINGING CHURCH
“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” Martin Luther
One lovely result of the Protestant Reformation was the introduction of congregational singing. Music had already existed in the church in the liturgical singing of the priest and choir, but the congregation simply listened to the words. This inclusion opened doors to the many hymns we sing today.
This gave the common man the opportunity to not only hear the Word of God, but to participate in it. There’s nothing like a choir of trained, rehearsed voices, but to hear the cracking voices of the elderly and the sweet sounds of children raising their enthusiastic voices in song is just as beautiful.
Giving praise and thanks to the Creator of the universe, is a great honor. No matter what the ability, God hears the vocal prayers of His people. Today we can lift our voices in song just as David did when he sang his Psalms to the Lord. It’s a privilege we’ve almost forgotten.
When we are permitted to join in the responses of the Liturgy, our involvement gives us a closeness to God that simply doesn’t happen when we aren’t. Really concentrating on those words gives us comfort, reassurance of the forgiveness of sins and a direct line to God through Jesus, Christ our Savior.
Today, many churches have introduced more contemporary music for those who crave a different sound, but there is nothing like the good old Christian hymns. The following is the battle cry of the Lutheran Church – written by Martin Luther.
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.
Posted in Body of Christ, Christian daily devotion, church, reformation, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement, FAITH, God's Word, Inspiration, reformation
4 Comments
TIME FOR REFORMATION
In a way we’re faced with a similar dilemma to what Martin Luther encountered almost 500 years ago before the reformation of the church. He was troubled by the conflicting teachings, the false doctrine, the malpractice and the inability for the common man to read the Latin Bible.
Today we have a government that grows more corrupt and controlling by the minute and we have no voice in what’s happening with the laws. Our choices are difficult as well and we are no longer a nation of free thinkers.
Martin Luther lived in a time when the printing press was just coming into being and it allowed for the mass production of information about what was happening, along with the ability to print Bibles in the language of the people.
Today our cup runs over with tools for communication. Now we look to wiki leaks for our news. The media seems to be in the pockets of those running our country and our people have become apathetic.
What we can say and do about our concerns for what’s happening with our elected officials may soon be a thing of the past, but in the meantime we can still speak out against the evil that continues to infest the walls of Congress, The Senate and the White House. If we keep silent, we are like the people who were being led like sheep astray in Luther’s time.
I have this picture in my mind of our citizens being herded up and forced to eat the right food, turn in their guns and accept the fact that this new health care stuff is going to be the answer to all their problems.
Someone once said, to control a country, you must first take away their food and weapons. Then take their health care and you can do anything you want with them.
I pray it never comes to this. We need to be vigilant – not only against the foreign terrorists, but also the terrorists within our borders. I love my country and I’m proud of all the service men and women who daily put their lives on the line to defend it.
It’s time for a complete overhaul and I would love to have someone come up with an idea on how to do it. It might start with just one person, like a Martin Luther, who refused to tolerate the tyranny of Rome and the lies the people were being fed.
Once the seed is planted, the harvest will come and hopefully we can again be proud to be Americans. Luther had the printing press
To help him get the Word out. We have the Internet. What an amazing tool it can be I. The right hands.
It’s time for another Reformation!
Posted in Christian daily devotion, church, country
Tagged encouragement, FAITH, Inspiration, Politics
6 Comments
SHORT & SWEET
You probably won’t be hearing much from me for the next few weeks. I’m back at working with my public speaking team, after school drama and writing classes and unpacking. The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity and I know I’m in for more. So hang in there. I will be back in full swing as soon as I’m settled.
I thank God that He’s directed us to this move and reorganization of our lives. He certainly knew where we belonged and where we can best be used for His glory. Thanks to all of you for your words of encouragement and blessing. See you soon!
Wherever we go in life, God is in the midst of it.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, Encouragement, Faith, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement, FAITH, Inspiration, moving
14 Comments
PRAISE GOD, WE’RE HOME😍
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creature here below. Praise Hm above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The move is over at last. Now, as my sister advises, it ill be a other six months before it feels like home. She should know, because. Being married to a corporate guy, they moved almost three times as many as we did.
After months of stress, the hard part is now over and we can begin our new life in an old house with lots of character and a couple old characters and their dog. Praise God for family and friends and each other.
Posted in Christian daily devotion, Faith, God
Tagged Blessings, encouragement, Inspiration, moving
13 Comments
MOVING DAY
Dear, Lord, You have seen us through many trials and joys in our married life. Today we are undertaking another chapter in the wonderful adventure you’ve created for us. We will need every ounce of energy, stamina and ability to endure why lies ahead. Today, as we move out of a house that has been our home for 24 years and into another well loved place, we ask that you be with us in this endeavor.
Your strength will energize us. Your love will give us endurance. Your patience will put up with our stubborn wills and wanting to hang on to the things of this world. Only you can fill our hearts with excitement for another day.
As I recall all what we’ve lived through in this our “restoration” house, I will feel some nostalgia and sadness, but as I look forward to our new dwelling, I can see ahead to a simpler life which will continue to flourish until you call us to our final home with you in heaven.
Thank you for your many blessings, for strengthening our marriage, for building a lifetime of memories. We look forward to what you have planned for us next. Amen!
Posted in Chrstian daily devotions, Faith, Family, Uncategorized
Tagged encouragement, Inspiration, motivation, moving, prayer, strength
8 Comments
atimetoshare.me 
You must be logged in to post a comment.