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ART & POETRY FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

A babe so soft, a child so sweet, lay on a bed of hay,

His mom looked at the dimpled hands and counted fingers at play.

His hands would grow with bruises and scuffs as children often do.

He used them to craft with wood and nails and callouses He knew.

The hands would search the scriptures, though He wrote every phrase,

His hands would do miraculous deeds – like heal and calm and raise.

He touched the hearts of many, He healed their broken souls, He held them close and tight.

The soldiers rammed iron nails into His willing flesh. Each nerve burned for our plight.

He died upon that wooden cross, He suffered, and He bled,

The grave would never hold Him. He conquered death instead.

When once again we see Him in glory and in might,

He’ll take our hands and hold them. For He has won our fight.

ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Paul enjoyed life to the fullest. He had a great sense of humor and could embellish a story into a grand epic in no time. He had the ability to stretch an event to the point of unbelief, but truthfully, there wasn’t much to add to his everyday adventures. He’d be the first to admit that his life was full to the brim with funny stories, stories about near death experiences, stories about miracles in his life and hunting and fishing stories that would put any hunter or fisherman to shame.

Every now and then he experimented with something new in his art. The above acrylic painting is somewhat reminiscent of the late 19th century, when women would congregate to do their laundry on Monday morning.

Paul was not adept at painting human beings. He could make three dimensional figures, such as my collection of hand carved Santas or a mermaid for a local restaurant, but most of his attempts at painting people resulted in images that looked a lot like him. These three women all look as though they’re related. In fact, they resemble Paul’s mother to be precise. I don’t know if he intended that, but every time I look at it, I see a reflection of my mother in law and it makes me smile.

The details of the old time hand cranked wringer, the enormous wooden barrel, the rippled scrub board, the water sprinkler bottle used to dampen clothes for ironing, and even a flat iron which would be heated on top of a pot bellied stove, all conjure memories of another time and place.

This wasn’t his usual forte’, but it showed the funny side of Paul Boecher, of which there was an abundance.

“A day without laughter, is a day wasted.” Charlie Chaplin

ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Picture yourself sitting on the banks of the Mississippi River. Small shards of ice have broken and shift with the wind, changing with the water’s current. The sky above is blue and filled with a yellow glow. The trees surrounding you have been there for centuries. I wonder what they would say if they could talk. How many people have they witnessed going down that big muddy river? How many homes were disrupted or destroyed as indigenous tribes escaped the new arrivals? Canoes, kayaks, row boats, steamboats, house boats, rafts, inner-tubes and paddle boats have all passed by during those many years. yet so many of those stately trees have stood as sentries guarding the shoreline.

This painting was done on location on a day just like that. Sounds of songbirds filled the branches. The gnarly image stood firm. Vines had made their way around each one of those limbs, entwining, weaving and almost choking the roots below. It’s not much to look at anymore, but the beauty remains. Life goes on, even in the darkest hours. We don’t know what lies ahead. Our future is stagnant in our own eyes. We dream of and wish for more than we have and yet we have more than we know.

Death will come as we all know. It’s inevitable. If our roots are firmly planted in God’s Word of truth and love, there is nothing to fear. Even when it seems there is no hope, God is right beside us, walking with us. Leading, guiding, directing and protecting. The trees will die too. Life is temporary, but eternal life will last forever.

ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER When I think about community, I tend to stick close to home. Venturing out in the world and the …

COMMUNITY . . .

ART & INSPIRATION FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

When I think about community, I tend to stick close to home. Venturing out in the world and the uncertainty of it all can be frightening. It requires a certain amount of courage to reach out beyond our circle of friends. Even before Covid and its isolation, we had become somewhat a nation of hermits, watching the world through computer screens and social media. The electronic age has been a boon to mankind because we live in a world of instant everything. Unfortunately, that fact has done a number on our social tendencies. Meeting face to face – conversation – communication skills – mentoring – and hands on working together have all taken a hit with this new form of friendship and community.

The painting for today shows a group of people gathering together. The people are dressed to the nines. They have a mission of coming together to talk, share ideas, perhaps eat or worship together. I think the point is, we are losing one of our most important tools as human beings. It is not good for man to be alone. God realized the need for mankind to have others to share with, to live with, to talk with, to communicate ideas and solutions for day to day issues. There’s a lot to be said for friendship and companionship.

Dear Lord, you created us with the ability to encourage one another. We have by your hand received the gifts of empathy, compassion and communication. Let us never forget that you are always available to hear our prayers, but we have an obligation to stay in touch with those we come into contact with each day. Give us the wisdom to share your love with others. Amen!