FULFILLING OUR PURPOSE

Posted on June 6, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

Why was I born? Why am I living?
What do I get? What am I giving?
Why do I want a thing, I darent hope for?
What can I hope for? I wish I knew.
Why do I try to draw you near me?
Why do I cry? You never hear me.
I’m a poor fool, but what can I do?
Why was I born to love you?

This haunting tune, written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II in 1929 became popular as it was sung by torch singer, Helen Morgan.  She draped herself over a grand piano in a club in Chicago and the song became an instant hit. It was the height of prohibition and speakeasies were the fare of the day.  Helen was born in Danville, Illinois in 1900. She never received more than an 8th grade education and grew up in a dysfunctional family.  The lyrics of this song mimicked her own life.  This time of excess led Helen to become an alcoholic and often she performed while under the influence.  She died at the young age of 41 from cirrhosis of the liver.

The words tell a sad story of someone who feels they have no value – no purpose – other than loving someone who doesn’t return those feelings.  It sounds hopeless and daunting when you hear her mourning voice capture the mood of the piece.  The song was redone over the years by Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Dorothy Lamour and Judy Garland (who also suffered from depression and self degradation.)

When we look at our lives, we could wonder what place we have in this world.  Are we successful by the world’s standards?  Do we have what it takes to make friends and influence people?  Are we driven to be better than others and to achieve greater things along the way?  Or are we simply satisfied to settle for less?

If the latter is the case, we need to examine ourselves.  Take a good look at what we have to offer the world.  Every gift, every talent, every bit of kindness and love which has been planted into us before we were even born, needs to become the focus of our journey.  What’s your gift?  Find it!  Often the things we loved doing as a child of 10-12 leads to our passion in life. Sometimes we have to search hard before it becomes apparent and when we do, it’s time to give it away.  That’s the beauty of it. The things we hold within us, can serve others.  So why would we cling to those talents and not share them?

Why were you born?  Why are you living? You are more than you think you are, because God made you, and God doesn’t make mistakes.

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SATURDAY SAILING

Posted on June 4, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

Spring has sprung and summer in the midwest is bound to be tomorrow. We’ve been having a pretty good entrance into the season we all look forward to in Minnesota. I recall summers on the lake and sailing regattas on Saturdays. The beautiful white sails would fill with air and race to the finish line in a succession of billowing synthetic fabric. The above painting was done on the lake at Hudson, WI, where sailing is in full bloom right now. The poetry was written a few years ago by me.

Was it only yesterday, I didn’t put the hose away?

The winter months sailed swiftly by, but when they left I did not cry.

The winters in the great Midwest are absolutely not the best.

But finally the cold days passed.  I yearned for spring, but it went fast.

It seems we’ve jumped from cold to hot.  I do not like it – absolutely not.

(I’m beginning to feel like Dr. Seuss.)

The hose still lies where it has lain, for it will now be used again.

To water all the blooms that popped,

 When summer came and spring just stopped.

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, inspiration., summer | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

FRACTURED FRIDAY – DIETING

Posted on June 3, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

I like the idea of the Swiss Cheese Diet.  If nothing else, everything you eat, would fall right out.  I’ve spent most of my life on a diet.  I didn’t start out fat.  I weighed in at 7 pounds 80 years ago. The truth is I’ve always had a battle with the bulge.  Some say it’s genetic.  Others maintain that you need to have strong will power.  Others say getting fat is a state of mind over matter – if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.  I think it’s more about a love affair with food.  Certain foods remind us of good times, special dates, caring parents, or comfort.

I still relate most of my emotions to food.  When I was six or seven, my sister locked me in the linen closet and the bathroom door was locked.  Since she was just a toddler, she didn’t know how to unlock the door.  My mom was in the kitchen making pork chops and the aroma wafted into my tiny space.  Now when I feel claustrophobic, I relate to that delicious smell. The mind is a terrible thing to waste. Food fills us with comfort. It’s woven into the fabric of our lives.  Unfortunately, some folks can eat all they want and not gain an ounce, while others eat one cookie and put on ten pounds –  OK, a dozen cookies – well, maybe a whole box.

During middle age my father died and my weight dropped quickly. I looked anorexic, so I packed on additional pounds to feel better. Now that I’m a senior citizen, weight shouldn’t be so important..  When you go through a serious illness, you tend to lose weight, so it’s a good idea to have a few extra pounds.  However packing extra weight is like carrying saddle bags around and adds to your inability to walk.

Every day I have new determination to drop some weight.  It lasts for about five seconds. For those going through this same dilemma, my heart goes out to you.  I think the best way to diet is to not think about it.  The more you do, the harder it is. Excuse me, but I have a chocolate eclair in the fridge with my name on it.

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THROW BACK THURSDAY – GOD’S IMMENSITY

Posted on June 2, 2022 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY FROM PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

When my husband worked as a naturalist, he would demonstrate what the world looks like from above.  He also highlighted the fact that we don’t often realize that we may be walking over an entire living community without even knowing it.  He challenged them to block off a square of land and take a really close look at the tiny plot.  The kids were flabbergasted to see the earth alive with life.  Tiny insects could be seen.  Each blade of grass, became a sanctuary for those microscopic beings.

Is this how God sees us?  Are we just a tiny piece of the puzzle?  We are so much more to Him.  He holds each individual in the palm of His hand.  His data storage is beyond human comprehension.  He can tell immediately when we hurt – when our hearts are heavy with grief and loss – our minds are full of indecision and hopes for the future – when we are led into temptation.  He knows in an instant when a personal prayer is lifted to Him.  Not even a miniscule instant passes before He is already working on finding an answer.

I wrote this poem a couple years ago, to accompany my husband’s vision of creation in his painting:

What if Jesus were to come to earth again,

What would His thoughts be about the state of this world,

Would He accept what we’ve become,

Would He forgive what we’ve done,

Would He sentence all humanity to eternity in hell,

What if we were just like the animals?

What if our minds weren’t so full of thoughts, hopes, dreams,

What if we had become so full of hatred, violence and sin,

That God stopped loving us,

What if God never sent His Son to save us,

We’d be no different than the beasts of the field,

He will return to judge every one of his people living and dead,

Will you be among those who go to the right side of His throne,

The victory has already been won.

Our sins are forgiven because God loves us.

What if He didn’t?

Next time you’re in the garden or taking a short walk in nature – stop and take a look.  God has provided for the smallest of His creatures.  It may seem that we’re walking through the desert at times, with no one even noticing our isolation, but God is the well of living water within that wilderness. We can be assured that we aren’t just a speck in the desert.  We are His children and He is our loving Father.

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher, creation | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SURPRISE!

Posted on June 1, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

This story is the result of a prompt from http://fivedotoh.com/2022/05/31/fandangos-story-starter-48/ to write a story with the following sentence to inspire.

WHEN THE TAXI DRIVER SUDDENLY TURNED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS DOING. HE TURNED AROUND, HAD A NASTY GRIN ON HIS FACE, AND TOLD ME THAT HE…

*********************

When the taxi driver suddenly turned in the wrong direction, I asked him what he was doing. He turned around, had a nasty grin on his face, and told me that he wasn’t a taxi driver at all, but a terrorist. He said he had a bomb in the trunk, and it was going to go off in five minutes.

I had become his hostage – his insurance policy to get the job done. Within seconds my life passed before me. After a long life of eighty years, I knew my time was limited, so I only hit the high points. I realized my only hope was to break out of the cab and put a stop to his treachery.

Fortunately, I had my trusty sidearm in my purse. I grabbed it and placed it up against the back of his head. Little did he know, the gun wasn’t loaded. His body stiffened but he continued driving. and I could tell he was scared, but not nearly as frightened as I was. My hands were sweaty, my knees were knocking, and my blood pressure was rising to infinity and beyond.

He pulled over to the curb. I escorted him to the trunk of the cab and told him to open it. He obliged. The trunk lifted with ease, but there was no bomb. Instead, I came face to face with my husband, who handed me a dozen roses and a birthday cake. He jumped out and yelled, “Surprise!”

Posted in aging, Humor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

WEDNESDAY WISDOM – EXPERIENCE

Posted on June 1, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

Job 28:28 “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

The hope of every human mind is to gain wisdom,

We labor through our lives in search of it,

We imagine that it will come from learning,

From experience,

From years of practice,

But it doesn’t,

When we reach the end of our days,

We see,

We know,

We have learned,

That wisdom is like the air we breathe,

Like the birth of a child,

Like the first blooms of spring,

Wisdom is a gift,

From God,

To His children,

A precious commodity that only comes,

Through understanding.

Through trial,

Through adversity,

From a fear of God,

Not a fear that makes us tremble,

But one that instills awe within us,

That fills us with inspiration,

Encouragement,

Hope,

That lifts us up to touch the face of our Creator,

With confidence,

That He will accept us as we are,

His own precious creation.

Posted in aging, confidence, Daily inspiration and devotions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

INTO EACH LIFE . . .

Posted on May 31, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We are surrounded by various storms in life.  We may lose a loved one – lose jobs – reach for the stars only to be knocked down over and over again.  You can see a similar thread weaving its way through this patchwork of pain and loss.  When a storm occurs, it can result in complete desperation or the victims rallying together to rebuild.

When we place our troubles in the hands of the One who controls everything, we are truly letting.  That doesn’t mean we simply sit back and wait for Him to fix everything.  He gives us the means with which to mend our physical situation, by providing us with logical minds – physical strength – determination – and even our faith.

When Jesus slept during a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee, His disciples panicked.  They thought all was lost.  We think that way too when trouble comes our way. We often raise our hands in despair and sometimes even curse God for bringing this torment into our lives.  Jesus calmed the sea.  He rebuked the wind and it became quiet.  He proved He was God.

We are much like those men who feared for their lives in that storm.  When faced with difficulties, we panic – we lose hope – our faith wanes – we firmly believe this is the end for us – we give up.  We quickly forget that Jesus is our companion through this life and He will never let us down.  Even in our darkest hours, He is with us.

Thank you, Lord, Jesus, for calming the storms of life – for rebuking the devil and all his wicked ways – for walking beside me – for carrying me through the most difficult times – for dying for me and giving me eternal life. I ask that you give comfort to those who face great loss.  Remind them of your presence in their lives.   I will forever praise your Holy Name.  Amen

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DOWN & DIRTY

Posted on May 29, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER

When things of this world envelope my soul,

It’s time to get down in the dirt,

To get my hands dirty and dig a big hole,

To bury the junk and the hurt,

I find in the garden a wonderful peace,

That separates darkness from light,

There’s joy in the earth that creates a release,

From problems of daytime and night,

Our One true Creator knew just what to do,

When He took the earth in His hands,

With care and precision, made everything new,

From an orb in the sky carved His plans,

When hurt overtakes us or when we feel lost,

Remember the power that He holds,

He loves us so much that His Son’s life it cost,

Within His strong arms He enfolds,

He lifts us again to His glorious face,

To share in the bounty of heaven,

He washed out the dirt, with new life He’s replaced,

Through His Son all our sin is forgiven.

Posted in Art & poetry by Kathy Boecher, peace | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

SATURDAY SOAKER

Posted on May 28, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

There’s something about Memorial Day weekend that seems to conjure memories of camping trips interrupted by rain. It seems to never fail. There is almost always a certain amount of rain during this holiday. Maybe it’s the tears of God – enriching the soil with thoughts of those who perished in war. Maybe it’s because we tend to put so much focus on plans for summer fun and the beginning of vacation season. It might be a simple need for the moisture that makes things grow and flourish.

I recall a camping trip when our two oldest children were very young, and daddy wanted to give them the experience of living outdoors for the weekend. Mommy wasn’t too crazy about the idea, since she had never been camping in her life. Off the little family went, with tent in tow and various cooking supplies, sleeping bags and survival stuff. I had no idea why we needed supplies for survival, but soon found out. We all helped to pitch the tent and set up our meager camp site. The sky was looking rather ominous as a wall cloud began to form. We finished our supper, made over an open fire – toasted marshmallows and succumbed to the end of the day. Everyone immediately fell asleep after a day of living in the wilderness. Mommy and daddy were wakened by the sound of a fierce wind swirling around our little tent. The two children slumbered deeply not realizing the danger that was approaching. Daddy went outside to secure the tent to a nearby tree. Mommy thought she would help by pushing the side of the tent towards daddy’s direction. As water poured into her armpits, he scurried outside in nothing but his underwear. We both realized we were in for a big-time storm so sent our prayers to the One who would protect us through whatever would happen next. The children slept through the entire ordeal. We discovered the next morning that a tornado had leveled most of the tents in our campground. Ours was still standing. We spent the rest of the day at the laundromat, drying out the sleeping bags and our clothes. You would think my experience that night would’ve made a seasoned camper out of me. It didn’t. I rarely camped after that experience, but I was amazed that my children were oblivious to the danger which surrounded them.

There will be storms in every aspect of our lives. Trusting that God will see us through gives us the confidence we need to weather those storms. As we begin this Memorial Day weekend, always look for the rainbow that follows a storm. It’s God’s promise to us that everything is going to be alright.

HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!

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FRACTURED FRIDAY – ARE WE BROKEN?

Posted on May 27, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

As we approach Memorial Day, there is so much to think about. A senseless war is being waged in Ukraine. It has no real purpose other than greed and power. Lives are being snuffed out for no reason. Cities are being destroyed and the economy is in shreds. Here in our own country, we’ve seen a continuing battle ensue among our lawmakers, pertaining to the sanctity of life and abortion law. The world around us is still suffering the effects of a pandemic that has wiped out countless lives. People have become isolated and afraid to venture out. We’ve become secure in our seclusion and fearful when we attend church or other events which call on us to gather with others. Our schools are unsafe, and parents wonder if their own children will be subjected to bullying, shaming or even death by a maniacal killer. We all live in fear. Where is God?

Our world is an ugly place. The country I knew as a young girl is no longer. Patriotism is a thing of the past. Politics is much like the government that America was trying to escape in its early days. We have career politicians who really don’t know the problems the average American faces.. Food shortages, gas prices, no baby formula, hoarding, fear and anxiety is ruling our land. Honoring our military and their sacrifice just means a long weekend for many. Where is God?

Those who give up what they have rightfully worked for and give it up to serve this country aren’t even appreciated for what they do and have done. These heroes should be honored for their service, their sacrifice, their dedication. Many veterans come back home to no home at all. They must begin again from the bottom and work their way back up the ladder. That in itself takes courage. Many become homeless. Many suffer from mental illness. Many take their own lives. Where is God?

This weekend, look for God in every situation. He is there. He’s always there. He is at our side and will hear our prayers. He loves us. He wants the best for us. We can have complete confidence in that truth. We may be a broken nation, but we are not yet fallen. Let’s begin again, with the same zeal as our founding fathers who pledged allegiance to those who live here. Those who were willing to give ultimate sacrifice for the benefit of that tenet deserve our respect, our gratitude and our honor. Through them, we will see God at work.

Dear, Almighty, God, only you can change hearts.  You have shown throughout history, that there is redemption and restoration in your name.  I call on you to heal our land.  You are our only answer.  Amen!

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THROW BACK THURSDAY – PERPETUITY

Posted on May 26, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

Perpetuity is one of those words we don’t make a lot of use of, but it’s one that should be brought forth again from time to time. It means timeless – eternal – everlasting – forever – to infinity and beyond. It’s a perfect description of our God. All knowing, ever present and powerful are adjectives that are used to get to the core of who God is. We definitely need someone who shows consistency – someone who listens to our prayers – One who will guide us through the difficulties of this life – One that we know has already prepared a place for us in eternity. This world is an ugly place; filled with lawlessness, hate, anger, fear, mental problems, egotistical behavior, lack of respect for the living and loss of morality. We have been placed on this planet for a purpose, yet there are so many times we wonder what that purpose might be.

The events which occur on a daily basis have become the norm in our time. Evil continues to invade the minds and hearts of many. The devil is on a rampage during these last moments of his time on earth. He is determined to win the souls he can snatch away from God. Maybe he didn’t get the memo. Even though he’s been allowed to spread his lies to the people of the world, he has been defeated once and for all. Judgment day will bring him to his knees. In the meantime, we’re still members of the world’s population. Our armor may be tarnished at times, but God will never let us go, if we place our trust in Him.

In my years of living, it seems that there is nothing new under the sun. There are just new ways of accomplishing them. We need to get back on track and stop passing the buck. We can blame the devil, we can blame the gun lobby, we can hold our politicians responsible, we can even demand stronger laws, but if those laws are not enforced, they become nothing more than words. We can go to God and ask for forgiveness; for not trusting in His divine intervention; for thinking of ourselves as better than others; for not following His perfect law; for losing faith in his Omnipotence. He has already won the victory, but the war will continue until we are reunited with the One who defeated the enemy.

We are the recipients of His divine love and will live with Him in perpetuity when He calls us home. In the meantime, we pray, we speak out, we defend ourselves, we care about others, we try to be kind and forgiving, we teach others about the love of God, we look forward to our perpetual home where sin is no more.

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WEDNESDAY WISDOM – AGING

Posted on May 25, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

When you reach the Golden Years, you are at the epitome of your existence. Life is finally winding down and you don’t have to work as hard as you did in your 50s. You have earned the right to take it easy and enjoy the rest of your days. NOT!

What really happens is this. All your worldly belongings are now considered antiques. You crash at 8:30 in the evening. You put your teeth in a cup at night and your ears and eyes on the nightstand. You still roll out of bed in the morning, but you spend half an hour trying to get on your feet. When you do get up, your body no longer reaches full height. You take so many pills it’s no wonder you forget which ones you took. Your memory is failing. You’re not as quick in your movement. Your body has lost the battle with gravity and everything is now five inches lower than it used to be.

You suddenly have to rely on help for the simple tasks, and since you can’t depend on others, (because they are taking care of the same tasks in their own lives) so you must take a part-time job to pay a professional to do the job.

Once you reach retirement age, you have outlived your earning potential. If you are depending on living only on Social Security, you might as well throw in the towel. Financially planning for old age is a great idea, but no one tells you that your 401K could have dissolved by then or that you’d be spending most of it on car repairs, home maintenance, doctor bills and medication.

Everything in our society is geared towards youth. Even the idea of caring for aging parents has been almost forgotten. Many countries still revere the aged. Not so much in the United States. In the land of the free, it’s everyone for himself.

Now that I am part of this growing population of the elderly, I have to tell you it isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. We start our lives as totally dependent infants and find ourselves in the same place when we reach our 70s and beyond.

What does God say about old age?

Dear, Lord – You have sustained my life for a long time now. You’ve given me strength when I need it; patience when things seem overwhelming; hope when it looks like nothing will ever be right; faith when I lack it; and perseverance when I think I can’t go on. Help me, in my old age, to put my focus on all you have done for me and give me the stamina to press on to heaven where perfection waits for me.

Leviticus 19:32 — (ESV) “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.“
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WEEDS & ANTS & DIRT, OH, MY!

Posted on May 24, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief,
    officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest”

Proverbs 6:6-8.

My husband will tell you, I get way too involved in my garden. I spend hours on just one bed and by the time I’m done, I feel pretty good about it.  Being in the garden is my chance to clear my mind and focus on the important things in life – like the One who created a perfect garden with NO WEEDS!

Yesterday was a beautiful day to take them on.  For some reason they keep coming back – kind of like old sins that nag at us.  I was pulling bricks from a small path when I intruded on a colony of carpenter ants.  No, they weren’t wearing little tool belts, but they came on with the force of a burly construction worker. Soon the disturbed little creatures were on the defense.  I had invaded their space and they were angry..

I brushed ants off my clothing, my gloves and any exposed flesh.  I was soon crawling with them.  They were now invading my space! It got me thinking about how closed we can sometimes be until we have to take a stand on something.  Our lives move along with normality until something gets in the way of our thinking, our planning, our goals.  Then all of a sudden – we go ballistic.  Our faith is being challenged – our beliefs stomped on – our core values pushed aside by some idea, philosophy or the devil himself.

It got me thinking about the Proverb regarding the ant.  They work hard for their survival.  They meet obstacles and overcome them.  They’ve no taskmaster or ruler, yet they aren’t the least bit lazy in going about the job of gathering food and storing it for the winter.

We should be like the ant in continuing our work, despite obstacles.  Our work will be blessed by our Creator.  He’ll watch over us as we struggle and give us relief.  He’ll show us which direction to go, by giving us choices.  He’ll provide for every single need, but still it’s up to us to repent of our wrongs and have faith in Jesus, Christ, our Savior that we are forgiven, despite the devilish weeds that continue to infest our lives.

Let’s get to work!

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SUNDAY SERENITY

Posted on May 22, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

ART & INSPIRATION BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

God set this day aside for a day of rest.  He had a pretty busy week prior to the final day of creating the world, the universe, every living thing.  He established night and day and placed all the stars, planets and constellations in the heavens.  He divided the land from the sea and carved majestic landscapes, gardens and flourishing plant life within them.  Then He created man in His own image and gave him a lifetime companion from the man’s rib

For most of us, we’re lucky to get through a 40 hour work week, take care of household duties, make meals and spend time with family.  We often complain when we have to put in overtime hours.  Some of us can’t stay awake much past nine o’clock.  When Sundays roll around, we’re ready for some rest.

If you really want to find some quiet time – a time to connect with the King of creation – spend an hour or so in His house.  He’s waiting for you in His holy sacraments.  He speaks to you through the Bible. The beautiful music, the glorious sanctuary, all the trappings of a church enhance the experience, but the truth is this is a time reserved just for you to be with God.

Why not try it?  Once you make up your mind to give God that early Sunday morning time, you will find true rest.  The coming week will take on new meaning.  You can face it with the confidence that God lives in you, through His Holy Spirit.

Posted in America, art & inspiration from the Boechers, church | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES

Posted on May 21, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

Dust covers the now stagnant and aging photo albums on my coffee table.  My youngest daughter still loves searching through those picture books – hoping to find memories of her own childhood. When it became easier to put them on a computer, it seemed a waste of time to save the albums.  Still there was the tactile, the tangible, the sensory, the very physical experience of touching, smelling, visualizing, remembering the situation in which those photos were captured. It was like recapturing a memory from the past and bringing it back to life.

As I think how things have changed so much in my lifetime, looking at old photographs is right up there with reading a physical newspaper or hard cover book.  There’s something missing when we look at those things through the eyes of a screen which has no emotion, no feelings, no connection.

I have an old wooden cigar box filled with pictures from a bygone era.  Most of those pictured are unknown to me, but they represent another time and place.  The ladies in their long dresses, sitting on the ground at a picnic – the derby and straw hats worn by a group of young men gathered at a bar and raising beer glasses in a toast – the stoic faces of those pioneers who trudged across an unknown continent in search of a new life.  Those faded, black and white, sometimes sepia toned images are a piece of history to be preserved. I hadn’t thought much about those old pictures until our oldest daughter recently asked to look through them.  It was then that I realized the importance of hanging on to them.

As time wears on and life changes, we need to cling to the old with a tight grip.  Our history is the beginning of our future.  We not only learn from our past mistakes, but we can use the experiences to guide us to a better life ahead.  When any part of our past is erased, there is a void. It’s almost like taking a portion of your existence away.

Posted in aging, America, Nostalgia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SATURDAY STILLNESS

Posted on May 21, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

 
Words intertwine through the tapestry of my mind, 

As the flying shuttle weaves its way through my thoughts and emotions,

Each new thread engages the fabric of my being, 

I am pushed, enveloped, integrated, tied in knots at times. 

Each word I write is a part of the finished product,

The person I’ve become through life’s complex twists and turns. 

Each thought has shaped my relationships, my goals and dreams, 

But the One creating the tapestry knows what He’s doing,

Even when I go off track, He knits me carefully back into His perfect design,

He alone gives me words and thoughts to use for His glory. 

He keeps me silent when I need to be.

Help me to be still and know that you are God.

Lord, make me an instrument for you! 

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FRACTURED FRIDAY

Posted on May 20, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

There’s something about Peter Pan that always rings true for me. I never wanted to grow up. It’s not that I’m irresponsible. In fact, I’d consider myself quite responsible. Yet the idea of remaining childlike has always appealed to me. When we’re children, all we want to do is become adults. I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when we grow old, we wish we were young again. Wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t have to be accountable? If, like Peter Pan, we had our own place – our own followers – our games to play and time to frolic? Wouldn’t it be amazing to make our own rules and carve our own path? Sometimes it seems like that’s what may be happening to the youth of today, but that just an old grandmother talking.

As we grow up, we’re taught to put away childish behavior, to forget about nonsensical things, to live by the certain standards, but maybe those standards have been tainted from one generation to the next. Growing old is not for sissies, but it can be filled with joy and laughter if we let it. We don’t have to isolate. We don’t have to hide from others. We don’t have to grumble and complain about every ache and pain. We definitely don’t need to impose our feelings on the younger generation when that’s what we’re longing to be.

We must remember how to play – how to get enjoyment from the little things – how to feed on the beauty of God’s creation. Yesterday, a small bird landed on my husband’s shoulder. That was amazing. I thought he had become an animated cartoon. We need to take time to stretch our imaginations again. Children have the great ability to picture things in their minds and make up stories to accompany them. Kids love to explore and learn. Somewhere along the line we lose the ability to be children. We become bitter because of something that has distressed us. We lose our ability to look ahead when our final years approach.

Yet there is still so much to be hopeful for. We have a home waiting for us in eternity, where we will never grow old, feel pain, discouragement or anger. That place is not Neverland, but heaven. While we’re going through these remaining days, let’s never forget how to be young.

C.S. Lewis, who wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, had this to say about aging:

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

“You see, I don’t think age matters so much as people think. Parts of me are still 12 and I think other parts were already 50 when I was 12….”

“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

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THROWBACK THURSDAY – PERSISTENCE

Posted on May 19, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

God gives us some good advice in James 1:3 & 4. He tells us to hang in there; to hold on to our beliefs; to trust in His wisdom. It isn’t always easy to do that, especially when our lives are packed with tough times. More often than not, we can feel defeated before we even start to move forward.

  • Don’t let outside influences affect your walk each day.
  • Be confident that God has a plan, and He is making it happen on His timeline.
  • Trust in your own good judgment and with His help, don’t give up.
  • He knows what you need even before you do and He’s the one who will help you fulfill the desire of your heart if He thinks it’s good for you.

When we’re young we listen to our parents’ advice because we trust them. When God tells us something, we can have faith that He is going to make good on His Word. He is the perfect Father.
Here is your pep talk for today. You can do all kinds of amazing things when you have God with you. You are an important member of His family. He loves you so much that He sent His own flesh and blood to suffer and die on your behalf. He then rose from the clutches of death and went back to heaven to get your room ready for you.

He’s also going to make sure we’re ready for that place by refining us. Refining requires going into the fire at times. Life isn’t perfect. We’re going to have difficulties. There’s even a plan for all the junk we encounter. All our cares, worries and losses are designed to temper us into pure gold. God will be with us in every struggle – carrying us when times get too hard to endure. Don’t despair – don’t lose faith – never give up and trust in God.

STICKTOITIVENESS – Noun – Informal, North American origin – Synonyms: determination, resolution, firmness of purpose, purposeful

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WEDNESDAY WISDOM

Posted on May 18, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

“Millions of trees in the world are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury nuts and forget where they hid them. Do good and forget. It will grow someday.” Anonymous

We can learn so much from nature. Consider the squirrel. He becomes exceedingly busy in the season of Autumn – storing up nuts for the winter to come. His brain is small, but his instinct is telling him to plan ahead. Maybe planning requires a little more than instinct – especially if you forget where you put something. I was talking with my husband about this very thing this morning as we looked at the bird feeder in our yard and watched the squirrels on their usual raid of sunflower seeds and peanuts. By the way, we have the healthiest looking squirrels around. We’ve named one of them Jake, from State Farm, because he looks like he’s wearing khakis. His belly is so full there is a line around his waist. It looks like he’s actually wearing pants. But as usual, I digress.

As we look at the birds we can also learn. Their brains are no larger than a pea, but because of God’s divine creation, birds will carry seeds to different areas and save them for later. Instead, those seeds are nurtured by the Creator of all things and bring forth more of the same. My scientific and avid outdoorsman, husband tells me that blue jays are known for transporting small acorns and planting them in a straight line – resulting in a string of oak trees in the future. I learn something new from my husband every day.

When we plant, we don’t always reap results. Sometimes it takes longer than our lifetime to see them, but there is usually growth at some point in time. The seeds we plant today will be nurtured by God and bear fruit in their season. It may not be a tree or a flower or a beneficial stalk of grain, but something will come from the seed eventually. God encourages us to plant every day. Those seeds consist of kind words, helping others, staying firmly rooted in His Word and being flexible enough to bend when necessary. Our brains are much bigger than the birds and squirrels, but we don’t always use them to their fullest capacity.

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WHAT WAS FUNNY – AIN’T

Posted on May 16, 2022 by atimetoshare.me

My life has spanned almost seven decades. I’ll soon be entering my eight. I’ve seen the comedy routines of Vaudeville – the situation comedies that required an active imagination through the radio – early TV and movies containing slapstick and the like – along with some of the SNL shows that created a whole school of comedians. I’ve laughed at things that may not be that hysterical, but they tickled my funny bone at the time. I realize that we’re living in a changing world and that we have become over sensitive about being sure not to offend someone, but at the same time there seems to be a decline in the moral fiber of our people. Anything goes when it comes to how we choose to live – love – self indulge – care less about our fellow man and simply being kind to each other. To that, the younger generation would possibly say I’ve grown old and intolerant.

I have grown old, thanks to modern health care, science and acquired knowledge about exercise and diet. I’ve grown old because God still has a purpose for me to be alive. I’ve grown old accepting those truths. As the people I’ve befriended over the years age and seem to be reaching their heavenly goal faster than me, I haven’t quite figured out why some pass away while others linger on. Like most things in life, this is something that I will never understand until I actually reach heaven.

One of my many mantras over this time of living has been a quote from Monty Python’s, “In Search of the Holy Grail.” Through English humor and satire, we were given many funny memorable quotes. One stood out for me. Picture this, the Black Plague has destroyed most of the population of Europe. Streets are lined with dead bodies. Someone had to be responsible for disposing of those bodies, so the death cart would go around and pick them up. The call to “Bring out your dead,” was answered by, ‘I’m not dead yet. Actually, I’m feeling much better.” Being dead to most of us is not a good thing. We want to live forever – even the youngest of us. The actual thought of death is pretty scary for most folks, but the thought of leaving our loved ones behind is even scarier.

With a world that needs wisdom and guidance, there are people who are living longer. I think this is God’s plan to help us guide the future generations in a sure and steady path – to give them advice and lessons we’ve learned through the years – to share things like respect, honor, patriotism, love for one another and basic truths which were established from the beginning of time. It may seem that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, but there are still those who hold to the truths of a divine plan for each of us. I will try to adjust my writing, my thinking, my conservative philosophies, to an ever-changing world. I will also hold on to the things I believe in and share those thoughts with the up-and-coming adults – even if they don’t want to hear it.

I’m not dead yet. I don’t know when I will be, but I am confident that this world isn’t the end. That makes me feel a lot better!

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