THE FAITH TO LET GO

Posted on October 21, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

When someone tells you to walk by faith and not by sight, what does that mean? Even though faith is something intangible, it requires action. We can’t see faith – we can’t hear it – it isn’t something we respond to by touch, taste or smell, yet it is one of the senses that’s built into us at our conception. The action of faith is stirred by the Holy Spirit at our baptism. That physical action is nurtured through our early years all the way through our lives. So how does an invisible God – Holy Spirit – Son of God become reality to us? Simply by faith.

Our faith can be tested throughout our journey. We may suffer loss, defeat, pain, disease, hopelessness, depression and anxiety because of it. We go through the years constantly wondering why. We struggle through those things and feel the testing should end soon – don’t we? We try to rationalize our faith, but we fall short because of everything that’s happening around us. One of the meanings of faith is to have complete trust and belief in something that isn’t seen. We certainly can’t see God, but we can see the results of His creation. We can witness His existence through nature, through a baby’s smile, through the courage of those who help others. We can see His power in the weather, the majesty of the mountains, the glory of the painted trees in autumn and the compassion man shows to his fellowman. We see Gods results when we pray. We can sometimes see that His answers don’t always jive with ours. Because His wisdom is infinite, we know He’s doing whatever is necessary to draw us closer to Him.

Our vision will fade over time. Some of us will suffer from cataracts, macular degeneration or eventual blindness. Our tunnel vision may no longer exist. We may have to give up driving because of it. In a way, we go back to our childhood as we age. That innocence of that smiling baby is again toothless. Our reliance on others to help us becomes necessity. Our attempts at reviving most of our senses is beyond our control. Our God and His power will never fail. He is the same today as He was on the first week of creation. He controls everything, even the air we breathe. Instead of wondering how we can have the courage to go on, we should be confident that His power will get us through anything. Faith is knowing that God is with us. He has a wonderful plan already waiting for each one of us when we walk by faith.

Posted in aging, America, Faith, God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

WHAT IS TICKY TACKY ANYWAY?

Posted on October 20, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

My husband and I have been on a journey this year. It started almost three years ago as his body went through some difficult changes because of a cancer that was treated and supposedly in remission. It came back this year. We’re trying to fill each day with something that will give us time together, new memories and prayers that God’s will is going to be done. These recent months have been filled with mini vacations, which include driving close to home and exploring nature.

Yesterday we drove west, to one of our old neighborhoods. It has now sprawled out to the suburbs even further, taking away some of the beautiful farmland we used to enjoy. Rolling hills are now covered with the little boxes referred to in that old song about “Ticky Tacky.” I found the lyrics on the Internet, and they really are a look at progress and how it can change not only our landscape, but also the people that live on it. The dilapidated barn in the picture above is a common sight. The barns are usually accompanied with broken down, boarded up houses which are no longer habitable. As we passed through what used to be small towns, there now stood rows and rows of houses, apartments and condominiums. High density construction was filling the once abundant farm acreage and destroying some of God’s beauty. Every neighborhood looked the same. The charm of those old barns, homes and buildings was forever erased from the landscape. A very sad commentary on progress.

As our drive continued, I couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before every semblance of the past will be gone in our country. Beautifully rolling hills, filled with crops, farm implements, and hard-working people will be replaced with more ticky tacky that all looks the same. Not to mention that people are all becoming the same. In the hopes of being different, they change the color of their hair or shave their heads. They pierce areas of their skin that shouldn’t be pierced, cover other parts with tattoos and try to be independent of what used to be normal. Instead, they are all becoming more of the same. I pray that my great-grandchildren will still be able to experience the beauty of God’s creation, before it’s all covered up with little boxes that all look the same.

In a way, our lives resemble that “ticky tack.” We strive to make a difference in a changing world. We set goals, we punch a time clock, we go through the motions of living, but are we really living. We forget that change is constant on this planet, but God never changes.

LITTLE BOXES By Malvina Reynolds.

Little boxes on the hillside
Little boxes made of ticky tacky
Little boxes, little boxes
Little boxes all the same

There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

And the people in the houses all went to the university

Where they all were put in boxes
Little boxes all the same

And there’s doctors and there’s lawyers
And business executives

And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

And they all play on the golf course
And drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children
And the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university
Where they all get put in boxes
And they all come out the same

And the boys go into business
And marry and raise a family

And they all get put in boxes
Little boxes all the same

There’s a green one, and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same

Posted in aging, cancer, Nature, Uncategorized, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

THE LONG WEEKEND

Posted on October 19, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Today begins a long weekend for students in Minnesota. They call it MEA WEEKEND, because a convention is held annually for teachers in our state. Therefore, students get a couple of days off. Teachers can choose to attend the convention or take those days off too. My husband and I are retired, so one day often runs into the next and since we can’t afford to travel too far, we’ve opted for short drives into natural areas for rejuvenation. I’ve been thinking about checking out some of the MEA options for recreational purposes. Maybe there’s something on those pages of events for children that might appeal to us.

How about going to a pumpkin patch? Well, I already bought one pumpkin this year and have a few fake ones in the garage. I don’t really need one. How about a corn maze? I wonder if they provide walkers for the elderly. Otherwise, we can cross that off the list as well. I read that you can take a free streetcar ride in St. Paul but finding a parking place is a whole other story. We could go apple picking at a local orchard and have some cider afterwards, but my climbing trees days are long gone. I wonder how old Adam and Eve were when they went apple picking. I’ll just pick up some apples at the store and say we went to an apple orchard instead. A hayride might be fun but would certainly set me to sneezing. There are tons of events for children and their young parents to indulge in during this extended weekend in October. What about us old fogies?

Aging doesn’t have to put the elderly on the back burner. We can still get in our cars and take photographs from the comfort of the front seat with the window rolled down. So, it looks like another weekend adventure coming up.

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WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES?

Posted on October 18, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Our priorities often change over time. When we’re young and life is staring us in the face, we can take it on with little fear of failure. As we grow older, we see that life is fickle and things we didn’t expect to happen – do. We run through obstacles that should be building our character, but more than often, they can stunt our ability to proceed. As our older years approach and our bodies are incapable of doing what they did ten years ago, we get frustrated and even wonder why we worked so hard for so long. Our priorities become unimportant.

So, why do we push forward? Why do we set goals for ourselves? Why do we try to climb the ladder of success only to be knocked down in the process? In a way, unless we do something memorable, meaningful to mankind or become famous for some amazing discovery, we’ll be nothing more than a name on a gravestone when we die. That sounds really negative, doesn’t it? We all want to leave some semblance of ourselves behind when the time comes, but why is that so important to us? I think the answer lies in the expectations placed upon us throughout our days of living. Many of those assumptions are much more than we can legitimately accomplish. It makes more sense to set realistic goals.

As I approach this final season of my life, I can’t help but think about this. Do any of my successes matter? Maybe my losses matter more. Perhaps the goals of one’s life have absolutely nothing to do with us personally. I know that is true in my case. As I press on to my heavenly home, I know that I have nothing to do with that either. My God has provided that destination for me through His unconditional love. If I didn’t have that truth to lean on, everything else would be meaningless. Knowing that I am a loved, child of God is all that’s necessary.

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DOES GOD HEAR US WHEN WE’RE ANGRY?

Posted on October 17, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Is it alright to pray when our hearts are full of anger? I think it’s probably a really good idea. God is fully aware of what’s going on inside of us. We shouldn’t be afraid or embarrassed to approach Him with our deepest cares or fears. In many of the Psalms, David rails against his enemies. He shouts for their destruction, and he screams for vengeance. That ordinarily doesn’t fit the Christian attitude of turning the other cheek. We have similar situations that make us angry, even though we aren’t in some of the tight spots David had to endure. Our battles are just as real to us as his were to him.

If you’re dealing with someone who has lied to you, betrayed you, hurt you in any way, Jesus tells us to love them. He says we should pray for them. How can we do that without having negative thoughts? We can’t, but still God invites us to come to Him in all circumstances and pray. He will hear our prayers. He will soothe our angry souls. He will give us wisdom and the right words to use. One of the greatest prayers of all times is the one that Jesus left for us. The Lord’s prayer tells us to ask for forgiveness – to keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil. When we’re angry, we need God more than anything else. He alone can relieve those thoughts from our mind. By leading us away from our anger, He is delivering us from the temptation to sin. What a special relationship we have with our Creator. He knows everything about us; He knows our fears and doubts; He perceives our deepest thoughts and still He loves us.

Thank you, Lord for putting up with my angry moments. You are the only One who knows my heart. I am confident that you are in control and that someday I will finally experience true freedom. Amen!

Posted in aging, prayer, sin | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

NATIONAL FERAL CAT DAY

Posted on October 16, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

I live in a neighborhood that is filled with feral cats. We’ve lived here for seven years now and have names for most of them. The one who seems to be attached to us we call “Crabby.” She apparently is the mother of all the other cats around here. Crabby has been through the mill. She must’ve been a beautiful cat at one time, but her years of living on the streets has taken its toll. In fact, we think she may have inhabited the house we live in before we moved in. We remember seeing a long-haired cat in the bathroom sink when we looked at the house before making an offer. I hate to imagine that someone would leave their pet behind when they move away, but it could well be the case.

Most of the cats around here look well-fed and cared for. We enjoy watching their antics as well as those of the other wildlife outside our window. When the birds come to feed at our feeder, the cats wait, skillfully crafting a way to attack from under the CATarondack chairs. Paul and I find humor in most everything, so we continue brainstorming and have come up with a few different furniture pieces for this purpose. In fact, we may be designing a CATalogue to post online. For those who want a CAT Scan, we would build a long bench out of wood slats for the kitties to stand and wave as you go by.  CATamaran chairs would be comfortable at the beach.  If you want to set up a play area for the cats, you could install a CAT obstacle course, including a CATapult instead of a zipline.  I’m sure there would be a number of ways to set things up for a CAT Amusement Center – such as a solar light beam, they could chase around the yard. Or how about a hammock for them to take a CAT nap?  Although if more than one decided to get into the hammock it could lead to a CATastrophe.   For those cats that find themselves depressed or anxious there might be a night club called the CATatonic or for those who prefer lots of people, maybe a CATalyst.

I’m continually impressed with their survival skills. They seem to be very fit.  Either everyone is leaving snacks out for them, or they’re developing outstanding hunting skills. They’ve kept the mouse population in check and I know there are some good CAT Samaritans out there who make sure they have something to nibble on. So today we salute you, feral cats. You make life interesting and fun for us to behold. Thank you, God for providing for these creatures and for us as well.

Posted in animals, Humor, Uncategorized, Wacky holidays | 6 Comments

MY MOM . . .

Posted on October 15, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

For some reason my mother slipped into my mind today. She was a beautiful woman both on the outside and inwardly. Today we heard about the parable of the great banquet. Invitations were sent to many guests to attend a special celebration. The earthly story with a heavenly meaning tells us that many are called, but few are chosen. Maybe that’s why my thoughts turned to her. I’m certain my mom is in heaven. I’m also convinced that I will see her again when I get there.

She was a special woman in so many ways. For one thing she had to put up with my father, my sister and myself. That in itself, showed great fortitude. She and my dad lived a fairly average life, but they managed to scrape up enough money to give my sister and me a Christian education. I had the honor of spending most of her later years with her. Her faith inspired me, even though she felt she lacked the knowledge she felt necessary regarding religion. To me, it was the way she lived that made her “knowledgeable.” She lived her faith and showed love and compassion to others. She made no distinction when it came to sharing herself. Her childlike faith made her precisely the kind of person that God invites to heaven. She taught me many things in my life, but I treasure the greatest gift she introduced to me early on. She took me to church. She made sure I learned about Jesus. She showed me how to rely on Him in all circumstances by the way she endured hardship, despair and loss. I would watch her pray and knew she had a close relationship with her Savior. Though there were many times she had to chase me down while in the church, but she set an amazing example for me. There was no doubt in my mind that she is partaking in the great feast God has prepared for her and all those who accept His invitation.

Whenever I hear a sermon about stewardship I think of my mom. She knew how to listen to people – how to empathize and sympathize when necessary – shared words of comfort when needed. We don’t need theological degrees to spread God’s love to others. It’s a free gift designed to be shared with others. There’s a hymn that sums it up.

If you cannot speak like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus. You can say He died for all.

If you cannot rouse the wicked with the Judgement’s dread alarms,

You can lead the little children to the Savior’s waiting arms.

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AUTUMN ANTICS

Posted on October 14, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

When autumns dons its coat of many colors, I can’t help but think back to this funny story from many years ago. You have probably read it before, but it stirs all kinds of memories for me. It was a series of firsts for me. Squirrels and bird feeders are a normal sight at this time of the year. The furry little critters are extremely busy gathering food for future consumption. They forage for acorns, crush through the hard shells of black walnuts and might get lucky and find a peanut or two laying around. When they’re extremely desperate, they hit the bird feeders. Thus began my story.

Every day I would venture out to fill those feeders to draw in a variety of birds. There’s something about watching God’s creatures within their natural habitat. I grew to enjoy their colors, their determination, their stick-to-it abilities. What I wasn’t ready for was a plethora of grey squirrels who had the same perseverance. They would climb up the post and invade the feeders, throwing seed all over the place for their buddies to enjoy from a safer vantage point. The main squirrel would go through all kinds of acrobatics to reach his destination. It was a bit comical to watch him scoot up that pole. I tried to think of ways to deter him. I even greased the pole to avoid any further nuisance. It worked for a while, until all their sliding eventually wore away the slipperiness. We bought one of those baffles intended to keep squirrels from reaching their goal, but they always seemed to figure out a way to bypass it. After weeks of frustration, I finally decided to take more serious action. I found my husband’s pellet gun and took aim. I’d never fired a gun of any kind in my life. This particular weapon was intended to stun, not to kill. In the process, my finger got pinched at least once while trying to fire it. When I finally figured out how to operate the thing, I was at a point of no return. I took aim – pulled the trigger with my blood blistered finger and shot.

It was the most dramatic deaths I’ve ever seen. No Shakespearean play – no cowboys falling off the roof after being shot – no falling off a skyscraper could possibly compare. He raised his front feet in the air, tilted his head back and opened his mouth to take his final breath. He then fell to the ground with a great thud. I was devastated. I’d taken the life of one of God’s creatures. Thoughts of my guilt plagued me for about two minutes, when he quickly came back to life and scurried into the woods. I put the gun away never to use it again. That night, as I lay in my bed replaying the whole scenario, I fell into a deep sleep. My dreams began to haunt me. There I was, sitting on top of the bird feeder, surrounded by a circle of squirrels with pellet guns. They were all shooting at me!

Posted in aging, creation, Humor, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA OR A GAME OF CHESS?

Posted on October 13, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

It is a typical Friday, the thirteenth. The sky is filled with grey clouds, spilling moisture we could’ve used a month ago. The wind is spiraling through partially emptied trees, whisking away the remainder of dried leaves. The limbs of those trees resemble skeletal remains of what held magnificent color only a few days ago. Howling sounds reverberate as they whistle through those same lifeless limbs. A fear of Friday the 13th is better known as Triskaidekaphobia, and we’ll see our share of scary movies on the streaming list for today.

This past week has been filled with sunshine and comfortable temperatures, allowing us to take a couple of drives to enjoy them. We have been trying to get the most out of each day and living one day at a time. Today we will be homebound. What shall we do today? A while ago, I purchased a board game which included checkers, chess and Chinese checkers. Today I will open the box and maybe learn how to play chess. It’s something I’ve never gotten into. I know it’s a game of strategy and skill – neither of which I possess. I know some of the basic moves, but like the cartoon, I am more of a drama queen than a mastermind. My ability to think things through and problem solves are not my greatest gift, so it may turn into a situation which occurred several years ago, when Paul was teaching me how to drive. One of those events which are better forgotten. I did get my license, thanks to his tutoring, but also created a few grey hairs on his young head.

Since we have been on the go for the past several weeks, it might be nice to just sit face to face, contemplating our next move, wondering where it will lead us and enjoying being together. Every one of those moments is precious right now. Sometimes it gets a little scary to think about what comes next, but we know that God is right there with us during the journey. Therefore, we have nothing to fear. Least of all, Friday, the 13th.

“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see” – Helen Keller

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ANOTHER ROAD TRIP

Posted on October 12, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

PHOTO SNAPPED YESTERDAY ON OUR LATEST SHORT ROAD TRIP TO WISCONSIN

For a few months now, we’ve been taking to the road for short road trips into the countryside. We spent our honeymoon driving through the fall colors 59 years ago. These ventures are fulfilling our love of nature and especially focusing on our time together. Each trip is like adding to the time capsule of our lives together. We come to the top of a hill thinking the view can’t get any better. Then reaching the top, we’re amazed to be treated to an even grander panorama right before our eyes. This is the time of year when life abounds in the Midwest. Fields are wide open or finally being harvested. A trail of smoke follows the combine as wheat is garnered. A lone llama protects a flock of goats. A herd of Holsteins nibbles on a freshly laid bale of hay. Sheep are herded by a lively dog. Beautiful barns are filled with the bounty of summer. We love where we live. The change of seasons is a blessing to behold, although the thought of the chill of winter is in the air, and life is soon sapped. Still a beautiful luster will fill the landscape and life will go on.

Like the seasons, our lives go through times of change. We’re getting closer to the end of ours and have decided that we won’t let these last few years, months or days get away from us. There are moments when we can’t wait to get in the car and go and other times when our bodies tell us to lay low for a while. We’re trying to take advantage of those good days. As we travel – sometimes no more than a few miles – we laugh, we joke, we talk, we remember, we count each second as a blessing from God. Our days are numbered. We know that’s true, but as human beings, we hang on to this life, because we wonder what lies ahead. God knows we have fears and doubts, but He has revealed what comes after death. He has even prepared a special place for each of us who trust in His love for us.

This world is just a temporary place for us to be. Even though it is filled with wars and rumors of wars – evil treatment of human life – inhumanity towards our fellow man – darkness all around us – He has provided us with beauty in nature, wonderful friends, grace abundant and a future with Him.

“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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THANK YOU, JESUS . . .

Posted on October 11, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Thanking God for another day may seem meaningless to some. To me, it means I have another 24 hours to spend with the man I married so many years ago and love with all my heart. Each day is a blessing. To wake in the morning, knowing that I’ve been given this time is one of the many gifts God has given me. I treasure each second of life with him. I know that we are both nearing the end of our days here on earth. I realize that death will come at a moment’s notice. I understand that our bodies wear out, are the object of disease and deterioration, and will eventually die. I also know that this is not the end of life. Something so much better is waiting for us on the other side of death.

We have no control over this final surrender. I say that, because we all will face death. We’ve grown accustomed to this life. We’ve suffered through tough times. We’ve shared wonderful moments of joy and satisfaction. We’ve laughed and cried together. We share the common bond of our faith. That is enough reason to thank Jesus for being a part of our lives on this side of eternity. When it seems that we’re trapped in sadness – when we feel pulled from all sides – when our hearts ache at the thought of life without each other – we know that Jesus is our sure defense against all of that. He gives us another day to share His love with each other and others. Therefore, I can pray each morning with complete confidence . . .

THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR ANOTHER DAY. AMEN!

Posted in aging, cancer, death | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

WARS & RUMORS OF WAR

Posted on October 10, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

From the beginning of time, and after the fall of man, the perfect paradise of Eden was destroyed, demolished, never again to be the same. The real war against sin was underway. When we look at all the battles from then on, each one seems to be consumed with greed, lust for land and property, man’s inhumanity to his fellow man and everything that corrupts us – SIN! We’re even warned in the above Bible passage, Matthew 246, that there will be wars and rumors of more wars, but they must happen until Jesus returns to us.

Our news reports are filled with stories of hostages being taken – innocent children being killed, women holding tightly to their children for fear of having them snatched out of their arms. There is the more to war than the ugliness that we see on a daily basis. We are fighting a battle that has already been won in our own lives. The victory occurred many years ago when Jesus died on the cross to defeat Satan and give us eternal life. That war is over, but the battles go on. The devil is active and determined to make mankind his slaves and hold them captive within his own misery.

We will see these wars and hear rumors of more as time goes on. There’s no escaping man’s desire for more. Knowing that our victory has been won and we are assured a place in heaven, death no longer holds the sting it once did. What can we do about the situation currently going on in Israel and Ukraine? Please don’t underestimate the power of your prayers. God hears them. He is in control. He will always be with you.

Dear, Heavenly Father,

The world is very evil. The wars around us prove that. Only you can bring peace to this world and it starts with our returning to a relationship with you. Wars have been waged for centuries, but you alone have won our eternal victory. Heal our land. Help us to come to you in prayer, repentance and the knowledge that you provide a solution for everything. In Jesus name, Amen!

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A LOOK BACK – A HUNDRED YEARS

Posted on October 9, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

As I start a new week, my mind shifts to the olden days. Now that I’m considered an antique, I think about those days a lot. Maybe you remember seeing a sampler like the one pictured above. I don’t know how they fit cross-stitching into their week, but of course, there were always those intermittent moments when you had nothing to do but sew. Those days are gone too, unless you’re a costumer, or you enjoy doing needle work. The days of the week were categorized into chores which you would likely do on that day. For example: Monday was laundry day. I imagine an accumulation of seven days of laundry would take a whole day to do. Now that we have modern conveniences to help us through this chore, we can wash almost every day. Of course, they probably wore the same clothes for most of the week, so they had to be quite dirty.

Each day there was some task required of you.

  • Monday – laundry. (Now we do laundry daily because it’s so easy.)
  • Tuesday – Ironing, (do people even do that anymore?)
  • Wednesday – Mending – (do we even know what that means?)
  • Thursday – Market. (Today we shop when we need something and can even do it online.)
  • Friday – Clean. (This wasn‘t just tidying up, but deep cleaning)
  • Saturday – Bake. (This included baking for church fellowship on Sunday along with the five loaves of bread necessary for the next day.)
  • Sunday – Church. (Everyone knew that Sunday was designated for refreshing the soul and taking a break from your chores.)

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could go back to the simplicity of the last century? As progress progresses, and us old-timers feel like we’re left in the dust, it makes me wonder if those days can ever be recaptured. Or would we even want them to be? When I was just a little girl, learning my ABCs, all of these traditions were part of our learning process. We had dish towels embroidered with the days of the week. There was even underwear with those same days stitched into them. What would happen if you wore the wrong day or used the wrong towel? Chaos would probably not ensue, but it could create some interesting conversation.

God sets a new week before us on Sunday. He already has planned your week. He knows the problems you will encounter and has a solution to help you work through it. He gives you a brain to help you organize the week and the time spent doing various things. I wonder what He would have to say about progress. We can move forward with confidence that we can accomplish the things we set out to do. We can look back at the things left unfinished the previous week and figure out how to work those into our schedule for this week. When we place Him first, our weekly chores won’t seem impossible. In fact with Him, all things are possible.

Posted in aging, Faith, God's plans, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

Posted on October 8, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

I wrote this post ten years ago. Nothing much has changed in our world today. If you are familiar with God, you know that he never changes. He is more than patient with us. I thank him for his consistency and endurance. His love endures forever. The painting expresses God’ presence among us as we travel this journey called life.

ART BY PAUL T. BOECHER

Wars continue to wage in the Middle East, despite the many lives already spent. Gangs infest the streets of our cities, shattering young lives and enticing vulnerable children into their malicious arms. Immorality festers in each new bit of technology. Our government engages in all sorts of drama and doesn’t accomplish anything while the media thrives on it. Our children are exposed to every available evil known to man before they even have a chance to become children. It’s like an old spiritual which states, “I wish that I could find a way, but life is just one long grey day.”

Let’s admit it, this world is a mess. God, I know that you have a plan in all of this yuck. It’s really hard to understand it, but I will trust in you to make something good out of it. Give me peace in the knowledge that you have a better place prepared for my future. Help me share that good news with those who still need to know it. Amen

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ODE TO AGING

Posted on October 7, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

The years of more than eighty-one, have drifted quickly by,
I’ve shuffled on this rugged orb, I’ve laughed a lot and cried,
Fell hopelessly in love one day, the true love of my life,
I gave my heart to him alone, when he took me as his wife,

We watched three precious children grow, we stretched every cent,
What we gave up, we did for them, and out the money went,
As parents we don’t often think of what the cost might be,
For if we did, the chances are, no children would we see,

Our lives rolled on as theirs did too, they fledged out on their own,
They found careers that filled their lives, but still they were alone,
When love found them and touched their hearts, life’s cycle turned once more,
They pledged their lives to those they loved, they opened life’s great door,

So many years and memories can fill us to the brim,
The days are marked off quickly, our eyesight may turn dim,
Our bodies lose their power and strength, our minds may also fail,
The simple things we used to do, are lost to no avail,

Old age is harder than you think, just wait ’til you get there,
Your skin will hang on withered bones, you start to lose your hair,
Your waning physical prowess, has all but lost the war,
You’re wrinkled and you’re weakening, your muscles are so sore,

You’re cranky and impatient too, you can’t escape the truth,
You’re not much longer for this world, your drooling is uncouth,
You’ve turned into a child once more, you need another’s aid,
Is this all there is left for you, is this why you were made,

Of course, I know that isn’t true, for this is just the start,
My dying wish will be fulfilled, it’s written on my heart,
No matter what I’ve done in life, no matter where I roam,
My fate is sealed through Jesus, Christ and heaven is my home.

Posted in aging, Poetry by Kathy Boecher, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

JUST PRAY . . .

Posted on October 6, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

Why is it when we come in prayer
We just don’t have the words to share?
The struggles still continue on,
Our hopes diminish and are gone.

We lift our voices, but we fear
That God’s too far away to hear.
We grow impatient and cannot wait
We think our problems aren’t that great.

Our ego soon gets in the way.
We think that we don’t have to pray,
But God knows all our needs and cares;
He wants to hear our inmost prayers.

He sends His spirit to our side,
To speak in words we cannot hide.
He goes to God to intercede,
In royal language does He plead.

So take your troubles to the Lord.
Don’t worry over the right word.
He loves to hear from you each day.
Don’t feel inadequate – just pray!

Posted in aging, Art & poetry by Kathy Boecher, seasons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

HUMOROUS HALLOWEEN HULLABALOOS

Posted on October 6, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Halloween in my neck of the woods, begins on October 1st. If you want to purchase Halloween stuff you can certainly do so in July, because the decorations are readily available. When you live in the Halloween Capital of the World, you could be shamed if you don’t at least have a pumpkin or ten outside your front door. I live in Anoka, Minnesota. Maybe you didn’t know, but way back on November 1, 1919, the residents of this little community woke up to all sorts of nasty pranks which had been played the night before. Those pranks were not the usual toilet paper related ones, but cows actually were freely roaming the streets of this little town as well as in the county jail. Outhouses had been turned over. Wagons were placed precariously on rooftops. All of this was done by some local youth, who thought it would be fun to create havoc. I wonder how those kids were disciplined after that Halloween night of rowdiness. After the incident, the townspeople came together to take it into their own hands. They organized Halloween festivities for the following year. They planned things like “trick or treating,” decorations, parties and things to keep the young goblins off the streets. Thus, Halloween as we know it today is now celebrated with great fanfare in Anoka, MN. We have ghost tours, parades, decorations – all kinds of festivities to celebrate the holiday in an orderly fashion. The face of a jack-O’lantern adorns one of the roundabouts in the city. There are still those little stinkers who like to play tricks on Halloween today, but I haven’t seen any cows walking down the street lately.

Well, the first year we lived in our little, old house on the freeway, we decorated with little ghosts hanging from the lilac bushes. Witches smashed into tree trunks – all the trappings to celebrate a holiday I’m not particularly fond of. We made a scarecrow out of some old costumes I didn’t need anymore. I purchased way too many decorations including orange lights to fill the yard. I felt kind of silly, because no one on our block, except me, had decorated. Maybe our neighbors didn’t know that Anoka was the Halloween Capital of the World. This year, I bought a real pumpkin, which sits on the table in our dining room, surrounded by some fake autumn leaves. That’s the extent of my holiday decorating. Maybe I’m just getting old. Maybe I’m thinking about trying to get the Halloween decorations up and then having to take them down again in November, so we can put up the Christmas stuff. Maybe I should just move to another town.

Posted in aging, holidays, humor | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

WEARING SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

Posted on October 5, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

When you see a small child wearing his parent’s shoes, it seems quite laughable. When a full-grown man tries to squeeze his big foot into a tiny shoe it can seem impossible. When we wear shoes that are inappropriate for us – like steel toed flip flops- well, as usual, I digress. My point is that wearing another person’s shoes is not an easy task. Even though this seems laughable or impossible, the fact is, it should be required of us. To wear a pair of shoes like the ones shown in the image I’ve chosen, might be hard to do. They don’t look very comfortable. They’re worn out and shabby. They’ve gone through a lot of trouble along the way. Is that how you view the person who might be wearing them?

I’ve seen homeless people wearing shoes like this. I’ve also seen them wearing brand new expensive tennis shoes. I’ve seen boots that have been worn for 20 years and still can stand the test of time. I’ve seen shoes that have been contributed to a thrift store that have never been worn. There are shoes, sandals and loafers that can’t be parted with, because they’re just getting broken in. The use of this phrase is not about physically wearing another person’s shoes, but about sharing what the person wearing them is dealing with in their life. It’s a colloquialism which demonstrates putting yourself in someone else’s place. We don’t always do that today. We basically look out for ourselves. The word compassion comes to mind. Being sympathetic, caring, and having a listening ear are door openers that live in the shadows today. It’s really sad that new age communication has suffered because of technology.

This is a new age – revolutionary time of change. We’re facing all kinds of new obstacles as we open our eyes to a new day. It is no longer acceptable to hug anyone outside of your own family. We contain our feelings. We don’t really communicate face to face anymore. God gave us the ability to care – to love – to show empathy – sympathize – and to work things out together. We need to be with others. We may even need to relearn how to do that as our culture changes. In the meantime, it might be good to just try wearing their shoes for a while.

John 15:12 ESV “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Posted in aging, America, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

REALITY CHECK

Posted on October 4, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

Most of us have seen the commercial where a person is walking through life behind a mask- trying to cover the reality of their life – feeling defeated, broken or useless. Of course, there’s a pill for that. The problem is that pills eventually wear off and you have to take another and another and eventually you wind up down some rabbit hole. Once there, it’s hard to push your way back into the truth of your existence.

I’ve grown up wearing masks of different kinds. I’ve grown old continuing to wear them. I’ve learned how to hide what really is going on in my head and heart, but there are times when the mask has to come off and the reality of life must be faced. Modern social media has become a mask of sorts. We try to put the best face on Facebook. Our photographs on Instagram can give us another source of identity. A failed recipe from Pinterest would never be revealed. We can become reliant on affirmation through these tools, but eventually the truth must come out. I am guilty of showing beautiful flowers from my garden, but I wouldn’t display the piles of underbrush and overgrowth that has invaded our back yard during our current road construction. I show photos of my husband and I taking little road trips in order to make the most of each day, while my heart is overflowing with questions – lack of faith or wisdom and a lot of tears. My house may look like a cute little farmhouse with a great deal of charm, but inside, you’ll find cobwebs, dust, and a place that has been neglected for a long time.

What and who we are does not depend on our outer appearance. If it did, we’d all be doomed. What goes on inside or behind the mask is reality. If we show that side, we can become vulnerable or destined to be hurt. Thankfully, we have a Savior, who became human to live with us, experience every temptation that we do without giving in to sin, and who gave His life so we can experience a perfect reality beyond the grave.

Maybe to some, that sounds like just another mask. The reality is that you can count on this message being truth from God Himself. He doesn’t hide from us. He’s revealed in His Word, the Bible. We can see Him in every corner of our lives, if we allow Him to enter in. When our lives are over, the mask will come off. What will God see? He will only see His Son, Jesus, who paid the ultimate price to give us eternal life.

Posted in aging, cancer, wisdom | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE

Posted on October 3, 2023 by atimetoshare.me

We all can accomplish more than we think we can.  In times of crisis, we draw on our inner courage to be of some help.  When the adrenaline is pumping, we can overcome obstacles we never thought possible.  The human mind and body are amazing creations – intricately and perfectly crafted to come to the rescue when necessary. However, when we rely entirely on ourselves, our strength and courage wane in comparison to what we can do when we listen to God’s voice and direction to be strong and courageous.  Sounds so easy, doesn’t it?  Easier said than done sometimes.

The world teaches that we can do whatever we put our mind to.  We can use our brain, our physical strength and our wherewithal to do great things.   When ego gets in the way it can puff us up so much that we think we’re invincible. When that happens, something can happen to burst the balloon destined for destruction. We realize that we are not always capable of doing these things, we easily become discouraged. Admitting that we need help isn’t easy.  It’s like saying we don’t have the stamina to do things on our own.  It weakens us.

God plants courage into each one of us.  We were perfectly formed in His image and yet imperfect because of our inherited sin.  We need His strength and courage to help us overcome the daily tasks of life.  Without Him, we may be able to accomplish acts of courage, but with Him we can do even greater things. Remembering that He, alone, created the world in six days, we can be confident that through Him, all things are possible.

With the Lord begin your task;
Jesus will direct it.
For his aid and counsel ask;
Jesus will perfect it.
Every morn with Jesus rise,
And when day is ended,
In his name then close your eyes;
Be to him commended.

  THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL

Posted in aging, courage, God's plans, inspiration. | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments