ARE YOU A PERFECT DAD?

Posted on June 11, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Part of being a good father is all the funny things they have to tell their children – like the ones you see in the image I’ve chosen for today. How many times have you used phrases like, “I had to walk a mile to school every day – in a blizzard – with plastic bread bags inside my boots – with the wind in my face.” or “You have no idea how good you have it.” The things we say to our children can have a fierce effect on them as they begin their own families. It seems history often repeats itself and we find ourselves saying the same silly things.

As far as discipline is concerned, when I was a child (I really dislike that phrase as well.) spankings weren’t considered child abuse, but my dad never laid a hand on me. The piercing glare in his eyes was like a double-edged sword. Those looks were more painful than any spanking. His sharp words were also hurtful, but in the long run they held more clout than anything. I now realize that those looks and words were intended for my good, but at the time I didn’t think so.

Despite the fact that he wasn’t the “Father Knows Best” dad that all kids wanted their dads to be, he did the best he could.  Living with three females couldn’t have been easy for him. Getting time in our one-bathroom apartment, was an accomplishment in itself. At the least he must’ve felt outnumbered, but he knew how to stand his ground. I know he loved us, even though he didn’t often say it.  He would brag about us when we weren’t present, because he didn’t want us to get big heads. 

I learned some valuable life lessons from him even though I didn’t realize it at the time.  I learned to work hard for the things I wanted in life.  In fact, I learned to do more than was expected.  I also found that life isn’t always easy and that we have to take the good with the bad.  I discovered that I should never underestimate myself or my abilities.  He taught me to dream.

My dad was only 61 years old when he died.  Before his death I wrote him a letter to express my love for him.  Here is an excerpt from that letter:

“When I was growing up there were times I couldn’t understand you.  I often thought you didn’t know a thing.  When I became a parent, I realized that you were one of the wisest men I’ve ever known.  You shaped my life into something I can be proud of.  Our children are with us for such a short time and we’re never sure if we’ve done all we could for them.  You did your job, Dad.  I hope you know that and because of it I will love you forever.”

Being a perfect dad is impossible, just like it’s impossible to be all that God wants us to be.  We can try to meet the requirements, but we always fall short.  The beauty of God’s Fatherly love is that He looks beyond our imperfections and loves us anyway.

Posted in Father's Day, parenting, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE . . .

Posted on June 10, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

This is Father’s Day week. A time in which we celebrate dads and how important they are to the family unit. I’ll be sharing several posts about this person whose dignity has suffered greatly over the last decades.

The family unit has changed radically over time.  Often children have more than two parents.  Many times, there is only one parent laying the groundwork.  In any case, the children are getting mixed messages on how they should behave. Fathers have taken on a different look in the 21st century.  They used to be the spiritual leaders, sole bread winners, and most importantly, it’s up to the parent/s to be the role model for their children.  Unfortunately, kids don’t come with an instruction manual and often parenting is a matter of learning as you go.  There should be a chain of command within the family. According to the Bible, God is the overseer – the mentor – the One in charge and the One we go to first for advice. The father is next. He carries out God’s plan for the family. The wife is the husband’s partner. Together they determine how the family should live. They lead by example, and they show respect and honor to those who come next.

Here are things that we should be talking with our children about as soon as they can understand.

  • God is the head of the family, and He should be shown the respect He deserves.
  • Modesty – Children will imitate what you wear, by the way, because you are their hero.
  • Teach them to show respect to parents, self and others.
  • Manners should be reintroduced into the curriculum for child rearing.
  • Children should learn what is inappropriate behavior from others, including words and touch.
  • Talk about sexual immorality.
  • Encourage your children to vocalize their fears, their uncomfortable feelings, their misconceptions, their ability to trust.
  • Keep the lines of communication open all the time – I’m talking face to face. Build that relationship early on.
  • Be available, encourage, give them the tools they need to deal with social issues
  • LISTEN!

Here are some Bible passages that might help.

1 Peter 3:3-4 talks about modesty.  Phillipians 2:3 refers to respect.  Regarding sexual immorality refer to 1 Corinthians 6:18.  Exodus 20:12 and Romans 12:12 talks about honoring others. The Bible is a great manual for living

In the 18 or so years of their lives, we are responsible as parents to guide, instruct and love our children.  Their first hero is their parent.  We are setting the bar.  Are you living up to your responsibility?

Posted in America, Family | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

GETTING DOWN & DIRTY

Posted on June 8, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

When I was little, I had a close attachment with dirt.  I loved making mud pies. I enjoyed digging for worms.  There was something about squishing your fingers through the moist soil in search of buried treasure or who knows what.  I believe I also consumed a certain amount of it during my childhood and continue to do so to this day.

In my 50s, I decided to tackle the hill in our front yard.  We’d just moved into our old “old” house a few years before and the chore of cutting the grass on a 90-degree angle with a power mower almost landed my poor hubby in the middle of the street. I’m the kind of person who likes to tackle a bad situation and try to make something better of it, so I took it upon myself, one Mother’s Day, to terrace the front yard with a spade, shovel, garden gloves and a lot of sweat.

Year after year another level appeared. I became obsessed with finding larger rocks to keep the hill from caving in. My biceps actually were visible, and muscles showed up where I never knew they existed. I added many perennials on the way down and always felt the watchful eye of my neighbors as I traversed the hill. I almost imagined them looking out their windows and holding up score signs from one to ten. If nothing else, I kept them entertained.

After 20 years the hill became self-sustaining and didn’t require a lot of work, other than the ever-present weeds that had the longest roots I’ve ever seen. Three years ago, the department of transportation began a huge construction project on the road that faces our current address. In the process, a huge retaining wall was placed between us and the road. Now their work is done, but mine is just beginning. Some of the plants have been destroyed, but every day a new flower pops up. This week has been perfect weather for getting dirty again. I started to pull deeply embedded weeds from around the good stuff. I felt a sense of accomplishment having the cooler air and sun beating down on me as I tackled the job.

Sin can be like those invasive, troublesome weeds that move into our space and take over.  They’re as tenacious as the devil himself, but we all know what happened to him.  If we let the weeds of sin go on living within us, we’ll never be happy, we’ll always feel depressed, lonely, angry or bitter.  If we sincerely repent daily of our sin, we can be sure that the Master Gardener has already paid for our transgressions.  He forgave the world once for all. His forgiveness has released us from the pangs of death and results of sin, only by what He did for everyone.

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JUST PASSING THROUGH

Posted on June 7, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

What is the world to me? This is a question we may tend to ask as we come to the end of our journey here on earth. We’ve traveled through roads unknown. We’ve wandered through deserts that parch the tongue and lead to disaster. We’ve struggled through battles with others – trying to patch things up, but never quite getting there. We’ve met those going through the same journey – also traveling on roads that seem endless. Where does it all lead? When will the struggles end? Will we ever reach our final destination?

The years seem almost endless. Some of our goals have been accomplished, while others never see the light of day. During all the days, hours, minutes, years and decades we run the race with no finish line in sight. So why were we born? Why do we continue? What is our purpose? Why must we go through these times of struggle? Why does God allow some of us to live so long, while other lives are cut short?

Shakespeare said, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Jesus told his followers, “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.” John 14:1-3 ESV

We’re all strangers in a world filled with confusion and chaos. We may be going through the motions of living, but with Jesus, our lives have value and purpose. Heaven is our true home when we place our trust and faith in Him. He has already prepared our place there for us.

So many times we turn away a stranger. we push them out and never let them in.

Yet one so small lay in a lowly manger, so He could touch our  stone-like hearts of sin.

He came in poverty to wash away our sins. He lived that way so  we’d have wealth unknown.

When we push Him out you know the devil wins.  We simply cannot get through life alone.

So open up your heart to Him today.  Our Jesus wants to make His home right there.

He loves us even when we turn away.  He cares for us and answers every prayer.

KATHY BOECHER©

Posted in aging, Heaven, Poetry by Kathy Boecher | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

INDIANA OR LOUISIANA . . .

Posted on June 6, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

I always thought it would be exciting to be an archaeologist. The idea of wearing an Indiana Jones hat might have had something to do with it. My husband has one of those hats and at one time resembled a young Harrison Ford. In fact, when he worked as an interpretive naturalist, some of the children he guided through nature would refer to him as such. One thought he was Indiana’s father. Another referred to him as Louisiana Jones. He still owns the hat, and even though he is now 82, he’s still my hero.

The truth is, being an archaeologist can’t be nearly as romantic as it seems. I wonder what will be said about our society when scientists start digging up our past. Surely, they will see that we were very wasteful. They will encounter mountains of disposable items such as diapers, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, etc. Not to mention the vast amount of electronic equipment. There will be caches of cell phones, computers, I-pads, I-phones, Eye-patches, fax machines, printers and so on; all of which became extinct within a matter of months. The treasures they uncover will include fake jewelry, rusted out luxury cars, maybe a few pick-up trucks and one or two economy cars. There will be mountains of batteries to operate all those things as well. Huge sporting venues will be revealed, just like the ones that amused the Romans so many years ago. There will be an assortment of houses of worship too. A society is measured by what it leaves behind. I wonder what will be determined about ours. An old idiom says it best, “You’ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. What a clear picture that we can’t take our stuff with us when we die.

Dear God, remind me of where the true treasure lies. There is no true value in things of this world. Our richest gift is in your hands. You give it to us without any strings attached. You took the sting out of the word “death” and gave us the promise of eternal life. Thank you for this blessing that gives us promise of a future with you. Amen!

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WAR IN BLACK & WHITE

Posted on June 5, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

“Into the Jaws of Death” Photographed by Robert F. Sargent

Today in history marks the day on which Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to push ahead with plans for the D-Day invasion of World War II. According to reports from meteorologists the weather would finally be favorable. He addressed the troops with these words – ” “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you.” It turned out that the weather didn’t cooperate. Many of the strategically planned operations didn’t go as planned either.

The invasion from the sea came a day later. On June 6, 1944, the allied forces would land at the beach of Normandy. A plan that was devised over two years prior would at last come to fruition. The photographic image, taken by Robert F. Sargent, is what these brave warriors faced as they landed and poured out of their crafts with guns ready. Many were running to their death. Can you imagine what was running through their minds as they faced that day?

A couple years before the Normandy invasion, a plan had been hatched to deceive the Germans. Radio broadcasts of plans to attacks other beaches along the Atlantic Coast were falsely reported. Fake armaments were placed at various locations. Double agents were fed false information for almost a year before the actual invasion occurred. It would be the largest amphibious raid in history. Air attacks, paratroopers and infantry were all involved, but the most familiar image comes from that photograph.

The atrocities of Nazi Germany are widely known.  Some people claim today that the Holocaust was a myth.  How can that possibly be true, when we have film documentation?  How can those stories lose their validity when there are still living survivors with memories of concentration camps and gas chambers? We should never forget or try to erase those images from our minds or our history books.  They are reminders of the inhumanity of those who would stop at nothing to obtain power.

Wars continue to wage in countries across the globe. They will go on until Jesus returns to judge the world. In these battles, many heroes are born. Memories of famous generals down to the young, inexperienced soldiers come to mind. In the end, no one really wins in these worldly wars. The film footage and photographs of this time were black and white, which suits the whole idea of war in a way.  Cut and dried – black and white – winners and losers with a huge dash of political intervention. 

A different battle rages in the hearts of men. No matter where you’re from, what the political climate dictates or whether you are a pacifist or combatant, there is a war going on between us and the devil. Guess what? Jesus won that war when He rose from a bloody death and guarded and sealed grave. The victory is ours through His life, death and resurrection.

Posted in memories, war, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY

Posted on June 4, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

“Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights;
Four nights will quickly dream away the time.”   William Shakespeare

As time goes by, we tend to dwell on the past. We have fond memories of a time when we fell in love, time when goals were met, when we raised a family, faced new challenges and yes, even the bad things that turned into good. God has blessed me with the ability to delete many of the bad memories from my data bank. Unfortunately, they sometimes resurface, and I realize why I wanted to forget them in the first place.

Over the last decade, there have been numerous changes in my life. Ten years ago, I was still actively working with a group of theatre students. By the time I was 75 it was time to retire. I lasted for a year before getting bored of doing nothing, so became involved with a performing arts group. Since then, I continue to create and enjoy life. We downsized when I retired. For almost eight years we’ve been living in an old (1875) farmhouse which is half the size of our previous home. Now it’s time for another change. Someone once told me that retirement was a time to relax and enjoy life, but it seems that the challenges will probably continue until I take my last breath.

I’ve learned that retirement really means that life slows down, but the metamorphous continues. Letting go of things, places, jobs and time is difficult.  Aging is tough.  It’s not for the faint of heart.  Raging through time for me has turned into endless sleep.  I’m tired.  I’m really, really tired. It’s difficult to go from full blast to slow burn, but I’m trying. During the time of building a cocoon, we often build a protective wall around ourselves.  Now it’s time to cast off that wrapping and begin to realize our true potential.

Aging doesn’t have to be the end of life. It can be a beautiful transformation if we allow it to happen.

PSALM 71:18 ESV “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”

Posted in aging, memories, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

TGIM. . .

Posted on June 3, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

We don’t usually relish the idea of another Monday coming around. Especially when you’re still active in the workplace. Mondays have earned the term “manic,” because no one likes returning to the mundane = the routine – the boredom, etc. Today happens to be Thank God it’s Monday Day. I’m not sure who makes up these special days of the year, but this one has a lot going for it. Even though many suicides occur on Monday = in spite of the fact that we’ve just come off of two days of rest and relaxation – the return to a job that doesn’t stimulate, excite or fulfill – Mondays don’t have to be a call to be depressed or despondent. Think of Mondays as a new, fresh start. This first day after the weekend should stir your imagination, allow a new outlook and positive thoughts about the week ahead.

Monday can be the first day of the rest of your life if you let it. You can ask God to erase all the mistakes of last week and the weekend and start over. If you were blessed to attend church yesterday, you have an advantage, because God has promised to be with you in all circumstances – even the tough ones.

Did you know that YouTube was created on a Monday in 2005? Think of all the hours of entertainment that has provided for the past 19 years. Or maybe not. In 1936. Jesse Owens won the first gold medal at the Berlin Olympics. He also proved that sports can easily win over politics and racism. The Beatles an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on a Monday in 1964, creating their “new” kind of music. Instead of looking at Monday as a day of doom, think of it as a do-over day. Sometimes the hardest door to open is our own. We often need a push on the backside to get started, but looking at what’s on the other side of that door will open a whole new adventure.

“The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” —Walt Disney

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SPRINGTIME BOUNTY . . .

Posted on June 2, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Today is the beginning of National Garden Week. I’ve included some photographs of the blooms that have made their way into my garden this season. The beauty of having a garden is like waking up to a new surprise every day. We’ve been blessed with just the right amount of rain to provide for those thirsty blooms. When we move to the next chapter of our journey, this is one of the things I’ll miss the most.

When spring arrives, we are recovering from a long case of cabin fever. The new awakening of life is everywhere. It’s like a resurrection of sorts. What appeared to be void of life is now abounding in it. The grass is greener. The trees have reached the point of a thriving canopy to shade and protect the newly mown grass. The weeds even have a say in the whole process. It seems they never take a break. Still, even those dandelions and wildflowers possess a glory of their own. Purples, blues and yellows are interspersed with the treasured plantings of years past. Kind of like our lives, they are infiltrated with the weeds of sin. Only God can remove those nasty nemeses – those villains of the garden – those demons of destruction. Soon they can choke the good plants and take away their lives. Thankfully, God sent His only Son to take on our burden of sin and make resurrection possible not only for Him, but for all who believe in Him.

Thank you, sweet Jesus, for giving us the beauty of your creation. You are the Master Gardener of our lives. You take away the ugliness of sin and the weeds that infest our souls. You provide nourishment, patience yet immediate results and love for us that can only come from you. You make beauty out of that which is flawed. You make it pure again. Help us to flourish under your watchful eyes. Give us the right words to encourage others. Lead us into your heavenly home – where there are NO weeds! In Jesus name, Amen!

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LIVING IN THE WILD

Posted on June 1, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY by PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

The city life has strangled you, in every single way,

You pack the car, the wife and kids and make your getaway.

You fight the traffic and the heat, you long for the serene.

You need a place to hide away, a different kind of scene,

The fence has seen its better days, the roof is leaking too,

Mosquitos fill the air at night, to get a taste of you,

The rooms are small and crowded, you think it holds such peace,

A place where you can get some rest, where troubles you release,

A cabin in the woods is great, a tent will also do,

Get further from the noise of life and touch the morning dew,

A sleeping bag under the stars will fill the space within,

But I prefer my bed at home or at a nice clean inn.

Posted in aging, Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, summer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TIME MARCHES ON . . .

Posted on May 31, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Today is the last day of May and the last day of this week. I’ve enjoyed searching through history with you to examine some of the historical highlights of this month. This image of Big Ben reminds us that this is also the day in 1859 when this tower and its bell were installed. The clock claims to keep perfect time. It has stood the test of time. Truly God is in charge of time as much as He controls the weather, the days of the year and all things pertaining to His creation.

When I think about time, I can’t help but wonder when time on earth will end for me. As I grow older, I long for the end of the old and the beginning of a new life in heaven. We cannot manage the number the days of our existence – only God knows when they will end. Time continues to tick away as life goes on. There will always be wars, rumors of wars, changes in climate (due to our mishandling of what we’ve been put in charge of,) concern and struggle during times of peril, storms and unexplainable disasters. Man’s corruption, hatred and anxiety will remain. Our landscapes will change, filling up with dwellings for a growing population. National Parks will hopefully preserve some of the natural places where we can escape to find relief from the problems we face each day. Change is a result of those sands of time sifting to the other side of the hourglass. Whether that change is good or bad depends on what God has pre-determined for us.

The only thing that remains the same is our Creator God – His precious Son, Jesus – and the Holy Spirit that lives within the hearts of men. That should be enough for us to have confidence as we move forward in time. Here are some quotes regarding this fleeting excursion called life.

  • “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” Bil Keane
  • “Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” Charles Schulz
  • “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Robert H. Schuller
  • “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 ESV
  • “Every day is a blessing from God and an opportunity to share it with others.” Kathy Boecher

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NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

Posted on May 30, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Events in history on May 30th

1431 Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for heresy

1498 Christopher Columbus made his third journey to America

1539 deSoto brought 10 ships that landed in Florida

1806 Andrew Jackson fought a duel with and killed Charles Dickenson who claimed that Jackson’s wife was a bigamist

1842 John Francis attempted assassination of Queen Victoria of England

1922 the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC

1967 Evel Knievel jumps his motorcycle over 16 cars

This is just a sampling of historical events that occurred over the last centuries. As I scrolled through the History Channel’s website, I was not surprised at the variety of humanity and situations faced over time. All its flaws haven’t changed much over time. I guess you could say, as King Solomon did thousands of years ago, that there is nothing new under the sun.

As we read books, go to movies or plays or study human behavior it’s easy to see a commonality in all the events that happen over time. We run the same gamut as those who inhabited the world so many years ago. The gamut may not be packaged in the same way, but we’re truly not any different today than we were after God’s people fell into sin.

The same story is being replayed over and over again. Much like the film “Groundhog Day,” we become victims of our circumstances, we struggle, we muddle through and do the same on the next day. The story of Romeo & Juliet has been rewritten ad infinitum. Do we really learn from our mistakes? Just as those circumstances should be leading us to better choices, we continue to fall in the same patterns that our ancestors did. History does repeat itself, not because we are reruns of past lives, but because we live in a world of darkness.

Evil will continue until we die. Sin is not erased as long as we live, but we have been forgiven when we confess our sins to God and walk on His path. As I grow older, I realize that our own history will teach us, if we let it, but only with an unchanging God can we have hope for a perfect future in paradise with Him. While we travel this life, there will continue to be wars, acts of inhumanity, evil, illness, hatred, those who would cause us harm, but Jesus became human flesh. He walked the earth for 33 years. He experienced the human life, even though He was God. He loved us so much, that He died for us – not because we deserved it, but because we’re loved by Him. He rose from the dead and ascended into His heavenly realm, where is preparing a place for us.

Posted in aging, art & inspiration from the Boechers, history, sin, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

MY HOME STATE – WISCONSIN

Posted on May 29, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state of the Union. It would be another 100 years before I’d be born. This beautiful state is known for its charming farmsteads – almost 6200 dairy farms dotting the hilly landscape – cheese and other dairy products – the Green Bay Packers – General Douglas MacArthur, Vince Lombardi, Harry Houdini and Frank Lloyd Wright. It is referred to as the “Badger State,” not because of an abundance of badgers, but because there were many tin miners in Wisconsin in those early years, burrowing through the ground in search of this particular metal. The city I was born in, Milwaukee, was well known for its production of beer, which I never gained a taste for. My father, on the other hand, enjoyed it immensely. Wisconsin, prior to the Civil War, was an important stop for the underground railroad, leading runaway slaves to freedom in Canada.

We all probably have a strong connection with our home state. I know we still root for the home teams. We remain staunch fans of the Green Bay Packers and recall the glory days under the coaching of Vince Lombardi. We continue to love cheese, ice cream and other dairy products. We both have fond memories of farm life, even though neither of us ever actually lived on a farm, we had opportunities in our young lives to spend time at them. I recall my grandmother milking cows by hand and squirting a bit of it in direction of the family cat as he waited with his mouth wide open.

I lived in Wisconsin until 1973. I was thirty-one years old, a stay-at-home mom with three children and a husband that built a career in the advertising business. The move to Minnesota was caused by a job change. In all our almost 60-year marriage we’ve made many new friends along the way. Most of those friends were found in the various churches we attended – a good church family is almost as good as blood relatives.

We rarely get back to Wisconsin now. The last time was seven years ago to celebrate a 90th birthday. As we drove through the lush countryside – filled with amazing acreage and a captivating wrinkle in time – a whole backdrop of a lifetime ensued. I have been blessed to live in two mid-western states. I enjoyed the best of city life as well as life on a farm. Values were established through family, friends and church. All of these elements led to a complete and blessed existence.

Wherever we live in this world, we have the opportunity to share the blessings that God has given us through His Son, Jesus. We are the recipients of His grace, and our mission is to share that good news with others.

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25 ESV

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MAY 28, 1830 INDIAN REMOVAL ACT SIGNED

Posted on May 28, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

On this day in history, then President of the United States Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This would set into motion the infamous “Trail of Tears,” which ultimately killed countless native Americans as they moved west, by order of the Commander in Chief and the military. They had inhabited the southern states for years, because of the fertile soil and the warm climate. When I think of the injustice these original natives of our country had to endure, because of man’s greed and opinion that the white man was superior to other ethnicities and races, it angers me. It may be that I have some native blood in my DNA. My maternal grandmother was the child of immigrants from Sweden, France, and Canada. I have not done an ancestry search and have no documentation stating that this is true, but in the time that grandma was born, people were entering the United States from other lands. Fur trades were established by the French and English. She could well have been part of the many intermarriages that occurred during that time. Even if she held no Native American blood, she certainly would’ve heard about the western migration imposed by Jackson through this egregious act. In fact, this act of one race against another, set the stage for future discrimination.

Not only did Jackson have negative feelings about the first inhabitants of this land, he also was a slave owner who worked his cotton fields in Georgia. He was said to have beaten his slaves and treated them harshly for little reason. These facts, along with a whole litany of prejudice, greed, feelings of superiority and racism would lead to the forced removal of Indians from the southeast to lands beyond the Mississippi. They were led from their homes into unknown territory. Many of them died along the way. Some starved to death while others became sick with cholera. Brutal treatment didn’t help either. Many were led away in chains and walked the entire way. It was a mass exodus of an entire nation.

No matter what your heritage, this entire treatment of a race that had first dibs on this land, is not only unbelievable, but something you don’t want to believe about the formation of America. Andrew Jackson was loved by the people. He had a reputation for speaking his mind – often to his detriment. He earned favor early on in his own military career and eventually went on to be a senator and the seventh president of the Unted States. We cannot erase the truth of our history, but we can learn so much from it. Enough so as not to make the same mistakes over again. Unfortunately, the truth of that statement has deteriorated over time as we often continue to make the same mistakes.

God doesn’t show favoritism to one race or another. In fact, if we all stood before Him, we would most definitely not be able to live up to His expectations. We are all the same in His eyes. His love can change hearts, minds, evil deeds, illogical behavior, sin and all the bad that lives in this world. Fortunately, God loves all of His creatures. Because of His own Son, we can face God and know that we are forgiven. Our sins have all been paid for by Jesus. Our responsibility is to repent and change the way we live. History is a healthy reminder to keep us in check. Remembering that Jesus told his followers that in this world there will be trouble, but He has overcome the world. We have a much better place waiting for us on the other side of death. In the meantime, we may need to be reminded that every soul is precious to God in spite of our shortcomings.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 ESV

Posted in America, anxiety, history, Uncategorized, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WHO ARE THE REAL HEROES?

Posted on May 27, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Memorial Day provides us with another to honor our military, but this particular one gives us the opportunity to thank God for those who were willing to lay their lives in the ultimate service of their country. Memorial Day usually has a certain amount of rain connected with the long weekend. The tears of God fall for those lost souls, who ventured into dark jungles, sandy beaches, the storms of life and the perils set before them. Of course they were scared. Who wouldn’t be afraid to face unnecessary death for the benefit of others.

Will Rogers once said, “We can’t all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by.” This is very true, especially on Memorial Day. However, we all possess an inner little gem within us called a conscience, which allows us the ability to discern the difference between right and wrong. This gift from God is what allows men to do great things when times call for it.  Because of that we all have the capacity to do heroic deeds – even the weakest of us.

Most of us look at this weekend as an extra day added to our weekend. Picnics will happen. Grills will fire up. People will gather. Bands will play. Ceremonies will be held to honor those who died in the military. A little rain may fall, but I like to imagine the tears of God paying tribute to these men and women. Heroes don’t really know they’re heroes. They do what is necessary to accomplish something extraordinary. These soldiers did not die in vain. They are as numerous as a giant field of poppies.

Today we often place people on pedestals that have no right to be there. We honor those who have no values or moral fiber. We even look at those who broke the law as heroes for a cause. God knows all about what it takes to be a hero. He sent His only Son, to die for our sinful condition. Jesus suffered, died and was buried in a borrowed tomb. He rose again to assure our salvation. He will come back again to take us to our heavenly home. None of us is capable of being that kind of hero, but God thought we were worth it.

When injustice is being done to humanity; when lives are being spent in the name of freedom; when governments become so big that they no longer include the voice of the people; the voice of conscience becomes louder and those who are listening will answer it and act upon it.

Lord, on this day of remembering, let us never forget the price man has paid for freedom and never let us forget the cost of our eternal freedom. Without you, we would never know true peace. Help us to show the same kind of love you showed us, to our fellow man.  As we pay tribute to these men and women, may we also take time to thank You for Your ultimate sacrifice. Amen!

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INDY 500

Posted on May 26, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

Indianapolis will sit under partly cloudy skies today, with temperatures in the 70s. Crowds will gather. Engines will roar. The black and white checkered flag will signal the beginning of one of the most famous car races in America. For over a century, cars have lined up at the opening to determine excellence and the need for speed that many Americans have for it.

Every Memorial Day weekend, we are witnesses (either in person or on the big screen TV) to a group of thrill seekers, sponsors, drivers and an audience waiting for their favorite racer to win the race. The flag is lowered and they’re off. In the early days, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, developed in 1909, would be a testing ground for the rapidly growing auto industry. During the entire month of May, people look forward and back on the race with anticipation, wild excitement and lots of entertainment. The race is 500 miles long, which is the same as 200 laps. The best racers from around the world participate along with those who build the cars and those who have had an innovative participation in the development of those vehicles.

When we think about racing, there is always danger involved. As we race through our lives on this planet, we will run into obstacles, interference, difficulties, break downs and many, many roadblocks. God never leaves our side, even during those troubling times. We may even crash during those years, but He will give us the tools to repair the brokenness through His manual for living – the Bible. There will also be successes along the way. When those times happen, we must remember the One who made them happen and give God the glory. There will be wins and losses throughout the race. We can count on both. Putting God first, will help us to be winners even when we lose.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:3-8

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GOD IS EVERYWHERE . . .

Posted on May 26, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

When I grow weary from the weight of life,

When every step becomes a heavy strife,

There’s no relief, no respite for my load,

The path is full of obstacles untold,

Each pothole, crag and deep embedded crack,

Becomes too much for this old, weary back,

But God is there at every twist and turn,

To raise me up when troubles churn,

To take the weight and soften every sting,

To wash away my tears and make me sing,

He’s with me everywhere I go,

Since Jesus loved me, this I know!

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, God, Inspiration, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

MAY 25, 1803 – RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Posted on May 25, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

On this day in 1803, Ralph Waldo Emerson was born. He would later go by his middle name, Waldo. This child, born right after the turn of the century, would go on to become one of America’s famous poets. His early life was filled with tragedy and loss, as many were during those years. It would take him on a journey into the ministry and after the death of his first wife, Ellen, at the early age of 20 years old, Emerson would begin to question the teachings of his church. Eventually he would leave the ministry and follow the latest trend – Transcendentalism – a specific movement in philosophy that started in the United States in  the early 1830s. This movement depended on the individuals’ capabilities to reach the truth, through their own opinions.

Emerson was a student at Harvard in 1821. After graduating right in the middle of his class, he went on to divinity school to study for the ministry in 1824. His first wife, Ellen died of Tuberculosis – one of the deadliest diseases of the day. Emerson’s mother came to live with her son and his young wife since she was already ill when they married. Ellen’s death deeply affected Emerson. He would visit her tomb regularly.

He was known to be an abolitionist during the Civil War and publicly declared his beliefs. Today he would probably be considered a liberal Democrat. He spent a great portion of his life doing public addresses at schools and to large audiences regarding his thoughts on the subject of slavery and topics of the day.

He married his second wife, Lydia, in 1835. They moved to Concord, Massachusetts and raised their family there. Later in his life, Emerson developed Aphasia, which caused his memory to fail. Eventually he would no longer lecture, because of the embarrassment of that stigma. He died on April 21, 1882, at the age of 79. His poetry would allow him to live on through the legacy of his words

Good-by, Proud World!
by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good-by, proud world! I’m going home:
Thou art not my friend, and I’m not thine.
Long through the weary crowds I roam;
A river ark on the ocean brine,
Long I’ve been tossed like the driven foam;
But now, proud world! I’m going home.

Good-by to Flattery’s fawning face;
To Grandeur with his wise grimace;
To upstart Wealth’s averted eye;
To supple Office, low and high;
To crowded halls, to court and street;
To frozen hearts and hasting feet;
To those who go, and those who come;
Good-by, proud world! I’m going home.

I’m going to my own hearthstone,
Bosomed in yon green hills alone, –
A secret nook in a pleasant land,
Whose groves the frolic fairies planned;
Where arches green, the livelong day,
Echo the blackbird’s roundelay,
And vulgar feet have never trod
A spot that is sacred to thought and God.

Oh, when I am safe in my sylvan home,
I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome;
And when I am stretched beneath the pines,
Where the evening star so holy shines,
I laugh at the lore and pride of man,
At the sophist schools and the learned clan;
For what are they all, in their high conceit,
When man in the bush with God may meet?

Posted in history, Poetry, Uncategorized, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

BATHED IN NEW LIFE . . .

Posted on May 24, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

(Painted at the roaring Vermillion at the mill in Hastings, MN – May 24, 2013.)

Soon water will be falling from the sky in the form of refreshing rain. This gift from God is not only refreshing, but gives a whole new outlook on life as we proceed. There’s nothing like a soak in the tub or a stimulating shower to wash away the grunge of the everyday tasks. There’s something that goes much deeper. The living water provided by Jesus, Christ, God’s own Son, who has washed every sin away.

As rain falls and is absorbed back into the sky, the circle continues,

Until the clouds are emptied and wrung dry.

Fresh, green, new life sprouts around your feet.

Plants are relieved by the necessary quenching.

The power of God’s hand in creation is everywhere.

You feel His touch in the welcome raindrops.

You rush through the torrents and splash into puddles.

The caressing of God’s water washes away all your wrongs.

You have been bathed in His very own love.

Thank Him for His undeserved kindness for you are now clean.

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, Faith, praise, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

THE BALLAD OF BONNIE & CLYDE

Posted on May 24, 2024 by atimetoshare.me

I had this all written today, when I realized I was a day late. However, I think the story has merit. Bonnie and Clyde were famous outlaws in the 1930s. They both died on the same day, May 23, 1934. Their life of crime together left them filled with bullets and lifeless. Souvenirs were collected from the crime scene and the two criminals were immortalized in their death.

It was 1934 – right in the middle of the Great Depression – which ran from 1929-1939. It was a time when folks had seen all kinds of tragedy. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1919 had taken many lives in America. The depression was overcoming the population in yet another way. In a time when crime was running rampant, a young couple from Texas was making their way across small towns, robbing banks and creating havoc with their numerous murders.

Bonnie Parker, born in 1910. Before her 16th birthday, she was married to Roy Thornton who was an absentee husband and often involved in some illegal activity. They never officially divorced, but their paths never crossed after 1929. She met Clyde Barrow and they fell instantly in love. The rest is a short history of the lives of two young people who went down the wrong road together and both died on the same day.

Clyde was born in 1909. He was only 17 when he was first arrested for auto theft. He would spend the rest of his short life in and out of prison. He was sexually abused while imprisoned and committed his first murder there. A fellow inmate claimed responsibility for the deed. Barrow changed drastically during his time in jail. His sister Marie said, “Something awful sure must have happened to him in prison because he wasn’t the same person when he got out.”

Bonnie and Clyde lived during the “Public Enemy Era.” The movie, “Bonnie & Clyde,” would be produced many years later, but Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway did a good job of turning their bloody story into a tale of two young lovers gone wrong. Some might say they were victims of their time. Undoubtedly, we can all use that as an excuse. They paid for their evil ways by losing their lives at a very early age. Their time on this earth was short. On May 23, 1924, they were killed by police in an ambush and an exchange of huge amounts of gunfire.

Are any of us any different than these two? Not one of us can claim to have a life without sin. When Jesus confronted the Pharisees, telling them that he who was without sin, should throw the first stone. None of us could make such a claim. We are all sinners – a term that isn’t used much today in our world. It might even seem that the world has run amok in favor of it rather than condemning it. When we realize the fact that we need a Savior, admission of our sin leads to our repentance. If we continue in those sinful acts, we are turning our backs on the only One who can save us.

Our lives here on earth will never be free from the grasp of Satan and his minions, but we do have the promise that God has given us through His Only Son, Jesus. Believe that promise and the chains of death will not overtake you.

Posted in death, life after death, sin, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment