SUNDAY PRAYER

Posted on March 14, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Dear Savior, God, I humbly come before you and ask for your forgiveness. I know that you covered every sin with your holy, precious blood so many years ago. Even though I know that, I also realize that my sinful nature is still alive and kicking. As I trudge through life, I will not escape my ability to do wrong in your sight. I also have the knowledge that you have cleaned the slate of a sin filled life and made your Father accessible to me every day. I can talk to HIm and know that He only sees You.

As we approach the start of a new week, I ask that you keep me grounded in your love – strong and courageous against all enemies – faithful to serve you – knowing that it isn’t all about me. It’s all YOU and what you’ve done for the entire world. Thank you, Jesus for the sacrifice you made so that all men could one day claim eternal life. It’s so easy, yet we fight it every day. Help me, Lord to trust in your unfailing love.

Amen!

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

PERSPECTIVE

Posted on March 13, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER© (Water color sketch with liner brush)

How we look at life will determine our perspective. We can’t always do that on our own. We need God at our side through every aspect of our living. When we walk with Him, we never walk alone.

Our lives begin in innocence, we are too young to know;
But even in those fledgling years, we choose the way we go.
Our minds are bright our will is strong.
We think we know what’s right and wrong.
Our very hearts grow black with sin, our souls drift to and fro.

We can’t escape the grip of sin. It grows within our heart.
It’s like a cancer moving in and tearing souls apart.
There’s not a thing that we can do.
Our fate is sealed, our death is too.
Our path is filled with darkness, we have no place to start.

Our God showed love omnipotent. He sent His own dear Son.
To pay the price for my misdeeds – salvation He has won.
There’s not a word that I can say,
For burdens lifted every day.
My soul was purchased with His blood, the work has all been done.

How can I thank you, my dear Lord, for everything you gave,
So I will too in heaven live. My soul from sin is saved.
I give my heart and soul to you.
There’s nothing else for me to do.
I’ll praise your name forevermore – my sin is washed away.

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

THERE’S NOT ANOTHER YOU

Posted on March 13, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Too often we expect the most from ourselves. We try to be like everyone else – to fit in – be part of the crowd – support issues that are popular – wear the right clothes – follow a pattern that might take us down some unwanted rabbit hole and lead to more problems. Instead, maybe it’s time to start thinking about who you really are. You were created by God through joining of two human cells. There is no one in the world that can claim your DNA. You were a gift to your parents and they had a big part in shaping your personality and thinking. When you grew into a young adult, you became more independent, with your own thoughts and goals surpassing those of the family you came from. Under their care and supervision, you received a foundation for your own life.

You’ve experienced successes and failures and learned from both of those things. You began to realize the whole universe did NOT revolve around you stepped outside your shell to discover the needs of others. You became a friend, a confidante, a mentor, a teacher, counselor, spiritual guide and encourager. Each of those attributes have and will continue to shape you throughout your life, when you trust that God has an amazing plan for you.

Failures can crush us and push us into a downward spiral, but we can also learn from our mistakes. When I was a kid, I was much of an athlete, but I loved to write and I nurtured that passion through my years. I made stupid choices as a young adult. I often followed the trends rather than thinking about the consequences. I didn’t always take responsibility for my actions. I began to feel like a failure. My self confidence took a giant hit, but it didn’t destroy me. I used those experiences to encourage others and let them know that there was someone to turn to when we mess up.

Life is not easy, but when we put it into perspective, it can be so rewarding. Instead of looking at yourself as unredeemable, think of what a loving God you have. He loves you so much that He made it possible for you to eventually wind up in heaven and live with Him eternally. He asked nothing in return except that you follow Him. His hands are reaching out to us – the same hands that were pierced with iron spikes. His arms are stretched out to us as they were spread out on an instrument of torture for our sake. His resurrected body is proof that He overcame death, so that we could do the same. If He, the Prince of Peace and King of the Universe, loves us that much is proof that we are special to Him. Never forget it!

Posted in SELF ESTEEM | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on THERE’S NOT ANOTHER YOU

TGIMITAW – THANK GOD I MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER WEEK!

Posted on March 12, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

In my younger days the thought of Friday always conjured ideas of having some time for fun, relaxation and spontaneous activity. In other words, I had two days of time when I could sleep late if I wanted to, not make the bed, wear my sweats and not wear any makeup. Today Friday is just like any other day, other than the fact that I’m very grateful for having been blessed with another week on this planet. Now the things I longed for as a young woman are an every day affair. I don’t have to make the bed, can sleep all day, not wear makeup and live in my sweats.

The idea of getting dressed up has grown rather foreign to me in the past year, however when I don real clothing, put my face on, comb my hair and look like a civilized person, it has to be a very special occasion – like grocery shopping with a side trip to a fast food joint for a greasy meal. Oh, the simple life – when expectations were few – when we were free to make images out of the clouds in the sky or kick off our shoes and walk through the dew filled grass. It was a lifetime of freedom – pre-COVID19. Or was it? Were we not slaves to our jobs, our extra curricular activities, running instead of walking, making sure we were on time, flitting from place to place with a carload of kids to their various activities.

Maybe God has given us this past year so that we can take stock of our lives. Where do we go from here? How do we get through each day? Will we make it through another one? What’s really important in life? What’s my relationship with my Creator, my spouse, my friends? Can we ever recapture the way things were? Do we want to? Obviously we all want to go back to normal, but were those normal days any better than what’s going on now?

We could look at this period of isolation as a dark period in our lives. We could dwell on the negatives. We could feel cheated, entitled, wanting more, sad, lonely, depressed and anxious – or we could look at the good things that have come out of this time. We’ve learned so much about technology. I for one feel like a bit of a techy since this all began. The classes I teach are online. The show I’ve been collaborating on for over a year is up and running – not in person, but as a radio show. I’ve discovered a whole new way of connecting with friends and family and when you’re hearing is failing, earbuds are a Godsend. My time with God has been more intimate. I can communicate with Him anytime.

I’ve also learned that time is short. It seems to go faster with every year I’m allowed to remain alive. We need to treasure every moment – cherish the people we know and love – imagine hugging them and knowing it will be amazing when we can again. Day by day is my life at the moment. If we all lived as though it was our last day on earth, I really wonder if it would be any different than what we’re experiencing right now.

Posted in aging, America | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

WHAT GIFT CAN I BRING?

Posted on March 12, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER

There is no gift greater than laying down your life for another. Jesus did so for us, even when we were in the pit of despair, unclean and hopeless. He died so we wouldn’t have to. How can we ever possibly repay such love and sacrifice? We can’t. It’s because of God’s infinite love that he provided the necessary means for our salvation. He alone deserves the credit while we reap the benefits. Our gratitude is all we can offer, and even that doesn’t compare to God’s unconditional love. The only gifts we can give are ones that He’s already given to us. Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord to Thee.

I had no gift to offer on the day of Jesus’ birth. My voice had no great songs to sing.

What could I bestow that would have any worth? What words could I possibly bring?

He gave His life for me, He suffered and died; His hands and feet nailed to a tree.

When the sword pierced a gash in His most precious side, I know He bled there for me.

He died – my redeemer, but He chose to do so. The grave could not hold this man.

He overcame death, forgave all my sins and it all was a part of His plan.

For all that He’s done I can never repay. His love is so far beyond me.

And so I come to Him and most humbly pray that His servant I always will be.

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

GOING TO EXTREMES

Posted on March 11, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Insanitybytes had a great post about the Oprah Winfrey interview with the ex-royals today. It’s called, “God Save the Queen.” Check it out.

I commented that her words rang true as to what might be wrong in our country today. Whenever anything happens that has a slight hint of controversy, we’ve been brainwashed into thinking we are wrong because of our lack of political correctness. I have a strong feeling that has to do with our genes. We are a nation of fixers. When something doesn’t seem Kosher, we go to extremes to change whatever it might be. It seems to me that every generation looks at society, parenting, relationships, religion, education, politics as something that needs to be fixed. In our quest to make life perfect, we inflict extreme measures to draw attention to the misdeeds, the misunderstandings, the miscommunication. In doing so, we often create even larger problems.

My kids didn’t read a lot of Dr. Seuss books, because I didn’t really like Dr. Seuss. Maybe I just didn’t understand all the political undertones or racism included in those stories. I read books to my kids about funny things or things that had some moral value – like the Little Engine that Could. I never thought about race, because I grew up in a neighborhood with black, white and yellow children. The mean kids were called bullies, but I was told that I should just brush it off and forget about it. The old quote, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” made no sense, but we got over things a lot faster in those days.

I didn’t even know what gay meant, other than being a happy person. I didn’t understand until I attended a ball at the Art Institute of Chicago with my future husband and met three or four guys in the lady’s room, primping in front of the mirror – and even that wasn’t a clear image of homosexual behavior. The idea of changing ones sex seemed totally foreign to me as well. Talk about a sheltered life. Oh and my kids played with Mr. Potato Head until I stepped on one of the body parts with my bare feet

We laughed at things that today are considered inconsiderate. When someone got a pie in the face, it was funny. Now we have to know what flavor the pie is and is it worth wasting on a face. I’ve written about my mom and her great sense of humor. She would laugh at anything. I have inherited that trait – to my chagrin. The reality shows of today are just extensions of slapstick comedy where we laugh at someone else’s misfortune. Now I live in a world that requires me to think before I laugh. What ever happened to common sense? Are we raising a future generation of wimps? Why don’t we return to teaching our children to treat others as they would like to be treated or the idea of being kind to everyone?

Today we’re focusing so much attention on walking on eggshells we don’t take time to appreciate what’s inside those eggs. I know there is injustice in our world. I know all people aren’t treated in the same way. I also know that we can do so much better, but we often fall short. In our efforts to make things better for our kids, we are often doing more harm than good. This past year hasn’t helped with any of it. Being isolated from reality has caused depression, suicide, self-abuse, divorce, anxiety, hate, anger and total frustration. The lack of interactive communication hasn’t helped.

There will never be a perfect world here on earth, but as children of God, we know that this is not our eternal home. Things will likely get worse before they get better. Usually we have to hit bottom before we realize there’s no where else to go but up. I haven’t had a good rant for a while so consider this one. Sometimes we just need to vent and then move on.

Posted in America | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Posted on March 10, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

The minute I typed the title for today’s blog, I thought to myself, this is way too optimistic. Spring in the Midwest usually doesn’t begin until somewhere between late April and July. We’ve been known to have blizzards in May. However, this year the snow cover has dwindled to almost nil and grass is beginning to turn from brown to green. I will therefore maintain my Pollyanna persona and say with assurance that spring has definitely sprung. There are other signs too – like the returning squirrels looking for remnants of their autumn hidings.

Feral cats have shown themselves again. The cat we call, “Crabby” has shown herself once more. I thought the winter had done her in. She’s apparently the top cat in the neighborhood, having produced the most kittens so she has a right to be crabby. When she didn’t show up for so long I thought the freezing cold spell of February deposed her from her Queendom. She appeared a few days ago and paraded through our yard as if to say, “I’m back,” just like Jack Nicholson might. The rest of the menagerie is showing no shame in their attempts at mating – leaving nothing to the imagination.

Birds are showing up in flocks when the cats are in hiding. A pair of cardinals have been year round visitors to the feeders. They’ve been joined by a few newcomers like purple finch, downy woodpeckers and chickadees galore. We’ve finally discovered a formula for the birds that doesn’t appeal to the squirrels. So far the tree rats have not been fond of this new stuff.

Every spring I’m reminded of my encounter with a pellet gun and a pesky little squirrel who insisted on raiding the bird feeder daily. I had enough and decided to take brazen action, so I loaded Paul’s pellet gun, put on my Anne Oakley hat and perched myself on the deck facing the bird feeder, I took aim at the intruder and my finger got caught in the spring mechanism. My screams of pain went unheeded as said squirrel continued to devour the seed. I took aim again. The squirrel did a most dramatic swan dive off the feeder and fell flat on the ground. I was mortified. I had never killed a living thing, other than stepping an ant or swatting a fly until that moment. My conscience kicked in as I saw his lifeless little body. I thought of his surviving family of baby squirrels and a wife somewhere. My heart strings were tugging.

In the matter of two seconds, that critter was up and ran into the woods. That night I had one of my vivid dreams. I was seated on top of the bird feeder as thousands of squirrels circled below with pellet guns in paws. I woke in a cold sweat and never touched a firearm again.

These days, I’ve become more tolerant. I now enjoy watching them trying to work their way up the pole and helping themselves to food not intended for them. Their acrobatic antics are amazing. God has a way of amusing us through the creation of all his wildlife creatures. Spring might be here or we may get dumped on with another snowfall, but the signs are showing and I’m not giving up this time.

Posted in Humor | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments

MELTING A FROZEN HEART

Posted on March 10, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

That which once streamed freely from the mountains,

Crashing endlessly over pebbles and rocks,

Catching a glimmer of sunlight,

Feeling the warmth as it winds through nooks and crannies,

Until it reaches its final destination,

In time, temperatures fall below zero,

Single digit chill is in the air and water turns to ice,

The human heart can do that too,

The complex organ which pumps life into us,

Can sometimes become hardened like crushed, sparkling, shards of frost,

Instead of life giving, it becomes absent of it,

When a heart turns from the One who created it,

It begins the downward spiral to death,

Careening, stumbling, plummeting to the depths of despair and helplessness,

Still a touch of light remains,

A single glint that may now only flicker but will not go out,

A dim yet brilliant glow which pierces through the gloom,

Even though we descend into the blindness of iniquity,

that beacon will not go out unless we let it,

Turn your heart back to the light,

Look to it for guidance and salvation,

He is the light of the world,

He has already rescued you,

Go to Him with repentance,

Receive the gift He has already paid for,

Feel the warmth again.

Posted in Art & Poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

NEW LIFE FROM OLD

Posted on March 9, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Some folks will simply see a tree with branches split and broken,

While others see a winter death where not word is spoken,

When life is sapped from living things, when death has overtaken,

As sleep slips slowly on the scene and all life is forsaken.

Trees may appear to be lifeless, without a leaf to spare,

But within the trunk of that ancient beast, a heart is present there,

We cannot hear the rhythm of that heartbeat forever strong,

But beat it does, a life remains to join in spring’s sweetest song.

In winter we may be just like those dormantly, resting trees,

We’ve shed the coats of summer skin as life blows as it will please,

When spring arrives, our hearts still strive for new life forever more,

We don new skin, without and within, we live as once before.

A year now ends, the days are long, we hope for winter to leave,

It seems like cabin fever has hit, it’s so hard to perceive,

New life is just around the corner, the old withers and dies,

When days begin to grow longer,  life returns before our eyes.

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

CRAZY HOLIDAYS

Posted on March 9, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Today is March 9th, which also happens to be False Teeth Day. I really get a kick out of the many holidays available to celebrate. Who thinks these up anyway and why would a day be set aside for fake choppers? I imagine a person who lives in a cellar filled with cobwebs, who has never heard of spring cleaning and only comes out of his cell for food and drink. This poor soul’s only goal in life is to come up with silly holidays for the rest of the world to celebrate. Well, his goals are admirable, I suppose, but I feel kind of sorry for him.

I went to the Days of the Year Site for inspiration. I do that sometimes, when nothing else pops into my head. A copout of sorts. I was not surprised to find a number of celebration days for March 9th, which included said False Teeth Day. There were others – Meatball Day as well as Crab Day – which solves my dinner plans. It’s also Barbie Day, so we have a birthday to celebrate. Barbie would be 62 this year and she’s held up pretty good so far. Who knows what might happen with all this gender neutral stuff. Finally it’s Organize Your Home Office Day, which continues the theme of spring cleaning, which I’m trying to avoid.

So I will turn to another thought about spring. Spring is like breakfast in a way. You’ve just come off a season of hibernation and have to break your fast when spring arrives. The birds are singing their little hearts out and gathering dead twigs and brush for their nests. We are all rejuvenated after our long winter’s nap and ready to rock and roll. Spring is a new start – a time to strut our stuff – to show our vigor and vim – and if you’re me, try to find another excuse for not spring cleaning and going back to bed. I don’t mean to give the impression that I’m lazy. There is something about this season that does make a person feel the need to start over.

So while I consider what this day has in store for me, I will put my false teeth into my mouth, thaw some hamburger for meatballs and open a can of crab meat. I’ll sing Happy Birthday to Barbie, clean off my desk and then thank God for giving me another day of living.

Posted in America, Humor | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

SPRING CLEANING

Posted on March 8, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Actually, I generally fall asleep when I read, so that excuse isn’t going to work anymore. Spring time is a great opportunity to sweep away the cobwebs and sorrows – or is that “Tomorrow?” In any event, spring often conjures ideas of starting fresh. We’ve just come off a long season of hibernation. We’ve entered the second year of COVID19 and we’re all a little cranky and out of sorts. We want to get together and hug. We want to sing together, to eat, to play, to work together, or if you’re like me – you’ve grown quite accustomed to this season of obsolescence. In other words, we feel as though we’ve worn out our usefulness and may be considered outdated. I don’t think we ever run out of being useful as long as God let’s us remain on this planet.

Getting back to the season we all look forward to – especially those us living in the frozen tundra. There is something about spring. It not only wakens many of our sleeping desires, but also puts us into nest building mode. Like the birds of the air, God built that attribute into us humans. He must’ve seen my house after a long winter of messy closets and dresser drawers – cupboards that need cleaning, floors that should be scrubbed -but what’s the point? Someone will surely be dragging snow onto them again.

I got a spurt of energy on Saturday and decided to clean my kitchen cupboards. I did the refrigerator last week. You wouldn’t think things like that could get out of control with only two people sharing the space. I had taco shells from five years ago. There were cake mixes that probably have expired and baking soda that no longer makes anything rise. Many of the things in the refrigerator were unrecognizable, but by the looks of them, they might hold the cure to Corona Virus. At least they look like some very interesting science projects. Why do we hang onto stuff? Today is garbage day, so I made an effort to actually fill our large trash container so the garbage men could earn their salary.

I just nicked the tip of the iceberg. It’s amazing how much clutter we collect – how many spiders like to create interesting designs – especially on your ceilings or near unreachable light fixtures. I suppose I should consider hiring a housekeeper, but who can afford to do that? Besides, as long as I’m still able to stand up, I should be able to reach a cobweb. Of course that might mean standing on something, whereby I might fall and hurt myself. Guess I’ll just try the old reading a book routine again.

Posted in aging, corona virus | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

SET SAIL

Posted on March 8, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER


The morning sun rises earlier these days.

Allowing each day to grow longer as spring shows signs of emerging.

Cracks in the ice indicate a new season,

Open water releases its frozen hold,

Giving way to refreshment for those who have thirsted for a long time.

It seems an eternity as we wander through a blanket of snow,

When days last for only a few short hours.

With the longer days, we will see new life reborn,

A resurrection of death into eternal life.

Little sprouts of green and sweet sap oozing from maple trees,

All signs of a new day,

A new week and month,

Taking us into the warmth of summer days,

Refreshing us from our long hibernation,

Delighting us with fresh, clean air and

The hope of meeting together again.

Posted in Art & poetry by Kathy Boecher | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

IF YOU DON’T MIND, IT DOESN’T MATTER

Posted on March 6, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Actually the above statement is untrue. I haven’t been to the doctor in over a year. The only medical attention I’ve had recently is getting my COVID19 shot. My doctor, however, is an amazing woman. I miss seeing her, because not only do we have a professional relationship, but I consider her a real friend. I’m happy to say that I’ve been healthier this year than my memory allows. I say that with a little irony, because my memory doesn’t allow me much these days. Aging comes with a price. Your brain is so overloaded with useless information, that it’s really easy to see how it can crash at some point. It’s too bad we can’t place a memory stick inside to collect some of those memories for future reference.

One of my greatest fears in aging is eventually losing my memory completely. Most of the women in my heritage retained their sanity, could relate stories from years ago and seemed to remember every funny thing you ever did, so hopefully that won’t be my fate. However, only God knows how my final years will end up. It’s much better that way. Dwelling on the “what ifs,” could cause severe depression.

I started blogging six or seven years ago as a means of journaling. My handwriting is often illegible, but I can still type. There are things I feel are important to log in, because those thoughts and events are usually fodder for a story or poem. I still have it in the back of my mind to be a stand up comic some day. Anyhow, blogging has allowed me to share some of my life experiences with others and how God has gotten through me through some rough patches. It has also given me a voice which should be reigned in from time to time. I guess you could say my blog is my diary, so you are getting a piece of me when you read it.

Aging brings all kinds of loss. We lose our hearing, our other senses become dulled, our muscles lose their elasticity, our hair falls out and so do our teeth. If we live long enough who knows what else we could lose. Keeping track of our memories is good for a number of reasons. There is so much joy in the good ones. Even the bad memories hold lots of lessons for future use. When we begin to dwell on the bad times and forget the good, we go down one of those dark rabbit holes and often live there for a while. That’s when depression sets in and hopelessness soon follows. Observing and living life and the seasons of aging can keep us sharp mentally as well. After all, the alternative isn’t very bright.

Posted in aging | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

MELT DOWN

Posted on March 6, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER©

Each morning is like a new beginning,

A fresh start,

A clean slate,

We begin with optimistic eyes pointed at the early glow of a rising sun,

As moments progress, the light overtakes the day and,

Burns off the remnants of morning mist,

Though the sun is less intense,

In summer it can become burdensome and overbearing,

The heat,

The air,

The weight  is almost too much,

By dusk, we welcome the relief,

We breathe in fresher air,

We rest in the shade,

Soon the seasons turn, too soon,

Each one passes with more intensity than the last,

When we enter the longest one,

Where hibernation becomes inviting,

Hiding away from everything for six months or so,

We become numb to the events of the past hours and minutes,

Once more to be greeted by another morning of promise,

Do we hope in it or give up before it dawns?

The mist returns and clouds our thoughts,

Yet it is beautiful in its forboding,

What will the new day bring?

Posted in Art & poetry by Kathy Boecher | Tagged , , | Comments Off on MELT DOWN

ONE OF A KIND

Posted on March 5, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

One thing I’ve learned since I semi-retired a few years ago, is that I wasted a whole lot of time worrying about the small stuff. When you’re in the process of beginning adulthood and being responsible for others, you sometimes feel you need to be a super hero. Often those self-imposed requirements for living can get in the way of actually living. I say that, because as I look back on a lifetime of looking after the needs of others, I often failed to take care of myself.

In a way, being a caretaker does that to a person. In fact most of us are caretakers in some form or another. We devote ourselves to perfection in every area of our living. The house must be in perfect order before we can open it to guests. The meals have to be on the table at a certain time with nutrition and taste in mind. The laundry must be done on a specific day. The grocery shopping requires time to pack, load, unload, unpack and put away, not to mention wear and tear on your back. Lunches must be packed. I still have nightmares about not getting lunches packed for my kids.

Special words of encouragement must be administered. Hugs and pats on the back are huge necessities. In our working life, we also strive for reaching our goals, living up to others’ expectations and often putting our own lives on hold.

As we grow old, those tasks become more and more difficult. Simple things like making a bed is a two hour chore. We physically lose muscle mass. Stretching a fitted sheet onto a mattress is not designed for anyone in their seventies. Our bodies sag and our skin looks like an old saddle bag. Even so, we are unique in every way. God made us that way, right down to the minute details of our DNA. He knew what we would be even before our conception. That’s amazing to me. He knit me together in my mother’s womb. Powerfully wonderful words. Each of us is a work of art, in spite of things we might consider imperfections.

So, what I’ve learned is that we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. Life is really too short to do that. Think of all the years of wasted time we could’ve used in fun, helpful, enjoyable, satisfying ways. Don’t wait until you’re too old to discover that fact. You are one of a kind and so am I. That’s what makes our world interesting. Knowing that God has ordained us for a perfect life after death, also helps.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

Posted in aging | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

MOUNTAIN SUNRISE

Posted on March 5, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

Enshrouded by the dark of night, majestic mountains stand upright,

Protecting all that lays below, defending it from ice and snow,

Though winds will swirl and rain may fall, they stand with purpose through it all,

A barrier and a fortress strong. a mighty wall that stretches long.

The sun begins to permeate, while trees and falling waters wait,

For taste of warmth and sweet caress, as rays display their loveliness,

Light captures every single sin, but God allows the sunlight in,

To cleanse the scars from yesterday, refreshing all with a new day.

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Posted on March 4, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him”

My dad would be 101 today, but he went to heaven instead at the age of 61.  This giant of a man – in my eyes – stood about 5’6″. He was a complex man, having spent most of his childhood without a father of his own.  His dad disappeared one day and they never heard from him again.

From that time on, my dad and his three siblings were partially orphaned, but they still had a strong woman for a mother.  As dad grew up, he took on many of the responsibilities of a father.  He took many tough jobs at an young age, to help support the family.

This wonderful man also had a bit of a dark side (as most of us do.)  He liked to drink.  Maybe it softened his having to grow into a man at such an early age.  Maybe it was an escape for him.  He could drink anyone under the table, but rarely appeared to be drunk.

He was strict.  He never laid a hand on us, but he certainly knew how to use words that stung even more.  Self esteem wasn’t in his vocabulary, but responsibility was.  He expected a lot from his two daughters and we were both low on our own confidence pole.

Fathers have a way of defining who we marry, what we become in life and what we expect out of ourselves.  For a long time, I was afraid of my heavenly Father, because I compared him to my earthly dad.  It wasn’t until I married, that I discovered there was more to God than simply an angry Father.

He’s been gone for 40 years now and memories of him have softened.  I realize that he was doing the best he could.  He loved the Lord and served Him in our church. He knew that he was forgiven and in his later years began to share that with us.  I miss him still.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Despite all his faults, he remains one of the most important people in my life.  He gave me one gift that has supported me through my life.  He felt it important for me to get a good Christian education and of course that meant a private school and lots of money that we didn’t have.  Dad took on more extra jobs to make that gift possible.

Posted in parenting | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

LITTLE BOYS

Posted on March 4, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

Yesterday I talked about little girls, so it’s only fair to give equal time to little boys. When I was pregnant with our second child, I didn’t know it would be a son. I had some apprehension about having a boy. What would I teach him? How could I relate to him? Would he turn out to be a good man? My expectations became reality, when our baby boy was born. I would experience the joy of cuddling the precious little bundle and watching him grow into the image of his dad. He followed his father’s footsteps into the woods at the age of three. Tramping along with daddy as he was taught all the things he needed to know about nature and the outdoors.

I would soon see the results of that as he brought home all kinds of wildlife – including bugs of all kinds, frogs and toads, a baby duck and a snake. It was the only snake he brought home. After peeling me off the ceiling, he promised he would never do that again. He had a bucket of toads that he kept in a window well of our house. They escaped and made their way inside. As I watched TV one night, I saw something moving across the shag carpeting. It wasn’t moving too fast, because it kept getting stuck in the carpet. That was the end of the toad collection.

I knew I could count on him to get rid of any pests that might invade our house. One day I heard our oldest daughter screaming that there was a mouse in the hallway. I immediately heard the whack of a tennis racket and then a cry of disgust from my daughter. My boy had come to the rescue, although I never saw the results. Another time he donned a football helmet and with hands armed with tennis racket and fishing net, went on the hunt for a bat. That tennis racket got quite a workout in our home, but we didn’t need to call an exterminator.

Little boys are totally different than little girls – although in the current day and age, we’re expected to accept the right to change that if we choose and not to look down on anyone who does. I don’t want to offend other people, but for some reason, our world has become so sensitive to issues regarding gender identity that we find it necessary to rethink Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. But don’t get me started.

When we’re responsible for raising children that will be an asset to society, our thoughts should be focused on the ultimate goal. Little boys will grow into men. The way they are treated as boys will indicate how they relate to others when they reach their adult years. They need to be shown by example what it is to be a strong role model for their children. They need leadership skills. They need to respect women and treat them with honor. They must be taught how to use their talents to help others. There is a natural difference between the sexes and God ordained them for a reason. The minute we try to take God’s plans and manipulate them into our own desires, we are stepping way out of bounds.

Raising children in this period of time is challenging beyond my imagination. I’m glad God put me in a different generation. Times change. We need to adapt to some of those changes, but I really think it’s time we got back to basics again.

Posted in parenting | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

THANK HEAVENS FOR LITTLE GIRLS

Posted on March 3, 2021 by atimetoshare.me

I only had one sibling – a sister. My mother came from a family of five girls before three sons arrived. I was fortunate to have two daughters of my own and am blessed to have one granddaughter. Girls are indeed special. They have within them the power to nurture and tend to the physical needs of others. They have a monopoly over emotions which are countless and they have hearts that will melt easily. The idea that men are superior to women is just not true and God tells us that. Man was created by God out of the dust of the earth, while woman was taken from the rib of man, because that was the closet to the man’s heart. She was designed to be man’s equal, his partner, his friend, his lover and a necessary part of him.

When my grandmother was raising her daughters, the fears were the same as most mothers worry about today. Moms have always wanted their daughters to remain pure and untarnished, but today they provide them with birth control devices so they don’t get pregnant. Or the option of adoption is negated by abortion. My grandma knew that her girls would face temptations. Moms today do as well, but are faced with a barrage of the world’s view of what is expected of girls. Our daughters are being taught to become women now before they enter puberty. When I see photographs of ten year old girls with plumped lips and signs of plastic surgery everywhere, or when I see them wearing clothing suitable for the red light district, it breaks my heart. Today for some reason, our children don’t have the opportunity for childhood. They seem to jump from the playpen into the lion’s den in the blink of an eye. There is also the question of gender choice, which was already done at conception. Something is wrong with this picture.

Some of this happened when women felt they were getting the short end of the stick – not being paid the same amount for their work that men were – not being valued for their contribution to society – not having meaningful jobs. The women’s movement did some good for those things, but it also erased a lot of the good things that women experienced just by being women. They were honored and cared for by men. They weren’t slaves, but rather often placed on a pedestal. They were entrusted with one of the most important parts of the human experience – having children and raising a family.

God never looked at women as second class citizens. He is the ultimate gentleman. He has given us equality with our counterparts, but today we don’t even understand the difference between the sexes and why they were created to be what they are.

Instead of worrying about how fast our girls grow up, how they look, what they wear, we need to focus on the heart of the matter – their hearts. Little girls are a precious commodity. Raising them to be different than what God intended them to be, is contrary to His divine plan. It’s time for mankind to stop trying to take over God’s job. We will never be able to accomplish what He has done, nor will we be able to change it to suit our own appetites.

Posted in America | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

FINDING THE RIGHT PATH

Posted on March 3, 2021 by atimetoshare.me
ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

The road is full of stumbling blocks, we see them every day,

Our path is full of hiccups which toughen up the way,

Our journey to eternity is filled with indecision,

We struggle with the daily tasks requiring supervision,

The signs  that lead to nowhere, just clutter up our walk,

We can’t decide which way to go, we simply talk the talk,

But when we walk with Jesus, our road is made quite clear,

The things that seemed impossible, lose all their haunting fear,

Our lonely walk is easy when we simply trust in Him,

We wll reach our destination and in the end we win!

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