Last Thursday I posted information about a radio show I’m involved in. It’s called “Jewels of deNial,” and you can purchase tickets by going to https://northernstarz.org/shows Order your tickets and you will be sent a link to listen to the show. It’s quite funny. The show is the first in a series of adventures of three stubbornly, spunky, aging women in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. It was written by all three of us using examples from our own person experiences in the aging process. This episode finds the three Jewels looking for Valentine’s Day dates online, which is an adventure in itself. If you are so inclined, check it out. It will be on for another week.
Lent is a period of penance and abstinence observed by many Christians. Lent is an homage to Jesus’ 40 days spent fasting in the desert in preparation for His earthly ministry.. The period of Lent usually begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday. Celebrating the season of Lent began in 325 AD at the Council of Nicaea. This first gathering was composed of all the main Christian sects. Pope Gregory the Great created Ash Wednesday in the 600s, marking penitent Christians’ foreheads with ashes at a special service on that day. Wearing ashes was a biblical symbol of repentance and a reminder of one’s mortality. There is nothing written about Lent in the Bible, however it is a time of contemplation and repentance which is observed in reverence for the coming Passion season. God doesn’t require us to give things up in order to please Him, but it is a good time to look at our hearts, minds and souls and try to change old bad habits.
So in itself self-sacrifice isn’t wrong, it just isn’t necessary. Jesus came to earth for one purpose only and that was to redeem the human race from the chains of sin. He completed His mission and our sins are forgiven, but because we still hold the sinful nature in our human bodies, we need to come to Him daily and ask for forgiveness with true repentance.
Kind of like New Year’s Resolutions, we start off with good intentions, but often go back to our old ways within days, weeks, months or less. Just as fasting is a way to illustrate our faithfulness, it isn’t a necessary commodity in the process of our salvation.
So is it wrong to give something up for Lent? As with most traditions, they usually start with a good result in mind, but as time changes, so do ideas about old practices. The thing that God requires of us is that we believe the truth of the Bible and the price paid in full for our ransom. Even our very faith is a result of the Holy Spirit working in us. It’s all about God and what He’s done for us. Giving up is a personal choice and depends greatly on why you’re doing so. If the act of abstinence brings you closer to your Savior, this can help you admit your wrongdoings and thus demonstrate your sorrow over your sins. If you give something up to make yourself look better to others, you’ve diminished the work that Jesus already accomplished for you.
So what will you give up during this season of Lent?
Throughout Old Testament history we hear about ashes being used as a sign of total repentance to God. In Job 42:3–6, Job says to God: “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” There are other occasions when the ceremonial act of repentance, sack cloth and ashes are used to outwardly show how much we need God for our salvation.
We are all sinners. We’re born that way. It’s part of our DNA and the only way to receive forgiveness is to go to God with repentant hearts and confess our sins. Love does mean having to say you’re sorry – contrary to public belief – when it comes to God.
Ash Wednesday is a time for us to contemplate on our Savior’s ministry and the perfect love He has for all people. He didn’t just appear for one specific sect or denomination. He didn’t come to earth to save only Lutherans or Catholics. His passion occurred to take away the sin of the world.
We don’t cover ourselves in ashes and sack cloth anymore, but this is the perfect time to look inward at the dirt within us and bring that darkness before Almighty God and simply ask for forgiveness. He can’t wait to give it to us. Out of gratitude for this amazing gift, we should then go and tell others of the way to heaven – through Jesus, Christ, the Savior of ALL!
Well, I found out something new this morning. Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Tuesday, because it’s the day before Ash Wednesday and the season of repentance. I had to know why pancakes were involved, since I’m not Catholic. My Lutheran church family celebrates almost every season with potlucks or soup suppers. So, the reason pancakes are part of this holiday is thus – since Lent was a time of fasting, folks wanted to get any temptations out of the house, like sugar, flour, butter, eggs – stuff that would lead them to being extravagant. Good idea – yes! I love pancakes.
Today is also known as Fat Tuesday for much the same reason. However, it seems the philosophy of “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die” is more in play than giving things up for Lent. Mardi Gras is the traditional time for this in the United States. People imbibe, overeat and participate in sinful activity before turning their lives around the next day – I’m speaking sarcastically here.
The word shrove is derived from shrive which means obtaining absolution. It is a time of self examination, repentance and asking God to help us overcome our sinful ways. Some churches teach that this is a way of getting to heaven. I believe that absolution is a gift from God, paid for by Jesus and that it has nothing to do with what we do. Only God can absolve.
This should be a day of reflection for us – no matter what you call it. Every day should begin that way. When we wake, thank God for giving us another day – an opportunity to share His love with others – praise Him for His love. Then before doing anything else, examine ourselves, ask for forgiveness with repentant hearts and continue our day in confidence that our sins have already been forgiven and we will someday be in heaven with Him.
Our daily walk is empty when we fail to share God’s light. He shows us how to do this by example through Christ’s life. He’ll ask us when we get there, what we ever did for Him. We can rest assured we’ve done so, if to others we do give – Our time, our love, our prayers, our gifts and other ways to share, Will be as if we’d done them unto Christ with more to spare. Our time on earth is short – the minutes fly on by – But if we live for Jesus, we know we’ll never die.
For me Valentine’s Day is a nostalgic time when we focus on the love we have for others, the love of our life and a time beautiful cards with words of eternal love, meals, flowers and chocolate. Those outward signs are supposed to make us feel loved for one day of the year. Wouldn’t it be nice if we skipped all the trappings that go along with this very commercial holiday and focused on the actual sentiment,,
To love someone it isn’t necessary to drown them in things. We already did that a couple months ago at the season of Christmas giving. Instead it should be an every day occurrence where those three little words are part of our ongoing conversation. We all long to be loved. It’s part of our makeup. We come into the world kicking and screaming until we’re cuddled in the arms of loving parents. We proceed through life wanting approval, needing affection and sometimes take the wrong path. Even when we grow old and life has been sapped in various ways, our hearts need a tender touch, a hug, some loving.
God tells us that the greatest gift we have from Him is love. We then have the ability to love others as He first loved us. That precious gift continues to transfer then from one person to another, creating a bond that will go on and on. He is the source of all love. He showed it in His miraculous walk on this planet. He demonstrated it on he cross, when He died to take away he chains of sin. He continues to prove His love every day, by giving us another time of grace to share with others.
So those three little words will be said a lot today. For many they’ll be tucked away tomorrow for another year. For our everlasting God, the love will never die. It lives eternally. Yes, the phrase “I love you,” will be uttered over gourmet meals, boxes of candy and beautiful sentiments, but he phrase, “He rescued me,” is the best Valentine message we could ever receive.
When asked which was the most important of the commandments, Jesus responded by giving an additional law to follow; that being to love others as we love ourselves. When sin entered the world, so did selfishness and all the baggage that comes with it.
Every day we’re told by society that we deserve more – we’re worth it – to be all that we can be – but we rarely hear about taking on an attitude of a servant. Not too many people want that position anymore. However, the minute we step outside of ourselves and put others first we are opening the door to an abundance of blessings. The “Golden Rule” should be etched into our hearts and those of our children just as the other commandments were carved in stone by the finger of God.
Start the day by asking someone how they’re doing and then take the time to listen. While you’re driving to work, think of what others may be going through on their drive in, rather than getting upset with their erratic driving. If you go to a store and get lousy service, consider what that person is dealing with in their life that is causing their behavior. We can’t solve the problems of the world, but we can make them easier for those who are suffering or need a shoulder to cry on. If we each made it our goal to do this every day, think of how much better our world would be.
You hold my hand my heart goes all a flutter. Each time in our lives that you continue this simple yet intimate gesture. I feel safe – loved – comforted by your touch. It is my connection to you. You are my strength, my peace. Your fingers entwined in mine, the pulsing of your heart – I am wrapped in your love.
At first,when you gave your hand to me I felt a plethora of emotions, all the way from friendship to complete and utter passion. With each passing decade those feelings have turned to trust, dependency, peace, comfort, lifting up and the simplicity of everlasting love.
As time flees from us and each additional day is a blessing, I will look in your eyes and never forget our first touch. If my eyes grow dim and my memory falters, I pray we will still hold tightly to each other, knowing that together we will once again feel that comfort in our Father’s hands.💕💕
“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk,” was stated by one of America’s greatest inventors. He was a stately man, who wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig into solving various kinds of problems through his inventive mind. He numbered most of his friends as those who wore overalls and spent the majority of their lives doing hard labor. The man was Thomas Edison and he was born on this day in 1847.
Almost 100 years later, in 1942, another man made his way into the world, with the same kind of inventive spirit and what became a stellar work ethic while still possessing a genuine concern for his fellow man. He has grown into the man he is today by looking at every pile of junk as an opportunity to make something amazing.
He has been a steadfast student of God’s Word and now in his later years, He’s able to draw on that wisdom in times of trial, disappointment, fear, hope and delight. He has been a fine example to his children, to his friends, to his church and especially to me. He’s the one who showed me God’s true grace.
He is the man I fell in love with and spent the majority of my life growing to appreciate and be thankful for. Happy birthday, Paul Boecher. May we have many more years together sharing the blessings God continues to give us day by day.
Well here it is, the first episode of “Jewels of de Nial,” the project I’ve been collaborating on for the past year. Since we did this mostly throughout the time of the pandemic, we went from a stage production to editing it for a radio show. This venture started with three women, aged 68, 78, and 83. All three still alive and very much kicking. There were obstacles along the way, as there usually are in a collaboration, but the result was nothing but fun.
We shared our life experiences and some of the challenges of growing old and how we deal with those issues. The first episode is linked here and you can purchase a ticket by going to the link for $10. All the material is original, including commercials. The greatest part about this endeavor is that it gave us something to think about other than being held in isolation. When you grow old you don’t have to give up, give in or fold. The good Lord has placed us all on this planet for a purpose.
The first episode has to do with online dating – totally appropriate for this time of the year, with Valentine’s Day at hand. All three women are widowed, but the one in her sixties and the one in her eighties are still willing to venture out. The middle one (me) maybe not so much. She’s hard of hearing and not yet over the loss of her husband – 12 years ago. Three more episodes will follow during the course of 2021.
It actually is almost appropriate that these women would appear on a radio show, since we all began life with the radio being a part of our entertainment. The days of the Green Hornet and the Shadow have returned, only this time it’s “The Jewels of deNial.”
Baby, it’s cold outside!! Why not sit back, grab some hot cocoa and listen to a radio show! Entirely written, produced, and performed by Jewels of DeNial, Northern Starz’s 55+ acting troupe. What is senior life like in the new millennium? Do you wonder what it would be like to date, on-line, after the age of 55? Tune in today as episode one premieres in our Jewels of DeNial series: “The Dating Game” for some great belly laughs!for tickets, go to https://northernstarz.org/shows
Think of what it was like in the 16th century, before the printing press was invented. Folks had to rely on word of mouth for their information and by the time they got it, it was so distorted, it was far from the truth. (Actually pretty much like today’s news and information services.)
In those days, people were concerned about having enough food to eat. They relied on the sweat of their brows to get the work done. They feared invasion by warring nations. Most of them had never read God’s Word. Most of them didn’t know how to read. (Sad to say some of our high school graduates have slipped through the cracks and reap the same result.) The rich got rich and the poor got poorer (also something like the news of our day.)
There were no great health care facilities. Doctors were few and far between. The average life expectancy was 40 years of age and if you were wealthy you might live ten more. We are now living longer, have superior health care, but still don’t know how to contain communicable diseases – nor is there a cure for the common cold.
Have we made progress? If you’re a history buff, you will soon see that it continues to repeat itself. The passage of time often reveals that there is nothing new in the world. Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to address that very thought. Time goes swiftly by, but nothing really changes. There will always be battles between good and evil. There will always be wars and rumors of wars. We face difficult weather, painful diseases, loss of money, jobs and some of our freedom. We have Bibles in our homes and on our I-pads, but how often are they opened? Is there any hope for a brighter future? Are we simply going through the motions of living rather than experiencing the joy of doing so?
Those who are connected to Christ, will go through the same problems others face in this world, but they have hope in the future life after death. That doesn’t mean we have to wait until we die before we achieve fulfillment or joy. God wants us to succeed here on earth. Our success, however, is based on His plan for our lives.
Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. True paradise does not exist on earth. It can only be attained after our death. While we muddle through life, we can take great joy in God’s love for us and His constant intervention when we call on Him. When we go to His Holy Word, the Bible, it’s His voice speaking to us. Through it we reap the true secret to success.
The Hallmark logo has been around for a long time – at least as long as I can remember. It signifies caring enough to send the very best. I’m not sure who came up with that sentiment, but it stands to reason, because Hallmark cards have a tradition of being one step above the rest. Back in the 1950’s branding was becoming that nature of the advertising beast and Hallmark got it right the first time. Over the years, Hallmark and Valentine’s Day have almost become synonymous. With the popularity of that branding, came the Hallmark movies about love and romance, which continued to feed the appetite of those longing for the perfect relationship.
I think because of the nature of women, we need to dream of happy endings, partly because God created women to be nurturers, caretakers, tender and loving. He knew women would have the strength to carry children. He knew men could gain good counsel and encouragement from women. We are not the weaker sex. In my opinion, we’re an extension of man – created from him – part of him – a helper for him and someone to share our love with.
The Hallmark movies always have a similar theme. A woman is engaged in a successful career – she needs more to fulfill her existence – she meets a guy – there is an attraction, but there’s always something standing in their way. In the end, she gets her man and they live happily after. Sounds like another “Cinderella” story to me. But what happens when Prince Charming discovers that she has housemaid’s knees and callouses on her hands from physical work? What if she finds that he has a wandering eye and because of his royalty, he feels entitled to live like a prince and put her on the back burner? In other words, when reality sets in, the happy endings only occur if there is a lot of give and take.
The Proverbs 31 woman isn’t one who is perfectly manicured, bathed in oil, beautifully coiffed. She’s a hard worker. She gets up before the rest of the family to make plans for the day, which always include them. She isn’t self serving. She’s virtuous and God fearing. Not an easy task, is it? All of the elements of the perfect role model are pretty hefty and often unattainable, but when love is behind her actions and God is leading them, they are not insurmountable. Just like the Hallmark movies are an example of what true love could be, the Proverbs 31 wife is one we should strive to be, but be willing to accept it if we fall short.
The reality of life will get in the way of perfection. We need to remember that when we enter any kind of partnership. Be willing to accept flaws and work through them. Be willing to forgive, forget and move forward. Jesus was the perfect example of what love is. He left His heavenly throne to live among us. He suffered pain, humiliation, brute force, torture and death because of His great love for us. He died. He came back to life and returned to heaven to prepare a place for those who believe in Him. That’s love.
“First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus Finch, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
I imagine if I were to count all the shoes I own, it would pale in comparison to my husband’s. He has shoes from 25 years ago. He has shoes that will carry him into the woods; allow him to stand on concrete for a number of hours; work out at the gym, climb rough terrain; ride a horse; walk in the water and so much more. The point is he has a shoe that fits every situation in his life.
Our shoes get dirty, they need attention, they need repair and they often need to be tossed and replaced. Often they get kicked off when we enter our homes. They get shoved into a corner and beaten up. Sometimes the dog will get a hold of one and that’s the end of that. We need our shoes to protect us from the rocks in the road; inclement weather; from stubbing our toes. Does all of this sound remotely familiar?
We’re a lot like shoes, aren’t we? We go through life needing attention from day one. We require love and nurturing. It’s part of being a human being. When it’s lacking, that’s the first scuff we receive. When we receive negative comments from someone, our ego suffers and we begin to need repair. Depression can take hold and there comes another scrape to our leather. If we’re bullied, we’re getting kicked by our peers and shoved into a corner. More depression. When our love is unrequited, we receive another bump. When we lose our jobs or suffer financial loss, it’s like a giant chunk has been carved out of us. When we suffer the loss of a loved one, we might feel we can take no more and give up.
Thinking about it even further, our shoes take a beating as we wear them. The same is often true of our relationships. True love allows us to walk in someone else’s shoes and understand where they’re coming from. When we don’t want to bother with repair, we often give up and throw the shoes away in deference to another pair. This is where the rub lies. We can’t just toss our relationships aside. We need to work at them in order to repair them.
There is One who knew what it was like to walk in our shoes. Jesus didn’t hesitate to take on human form and experience life as we know it. He is empathetic, sympathetic, compassionate – all emotions that we find hard to emote, because we’ve become so concerned about ourselves. Many of us focus on what we want and what we need, that we forget the needs of others. We all have problems – some more than others – but isn’t it nice to have someone to share those troubles with – someone who understands and has been there themselves?
When things are bad and we can’t seem to find answers for our problems, we can turn to our Savior, God and be assured that He knows what we’re feeling. In the meantime, we should be on guard to not judge others if we haven’t experienced their pain. We don’t know what they’re suffering, but we can take the time to sit with them – to say “I care,” or “Can I help?”
There are many people who need to have a compassionate friend. Many of them don’t own a pair of shoes. Many may not want to share their situation. Be their friend anyway.
As I reach the end of my years, I find I have a lot of good information stored up in this old decrepit mind of mine. If I don't write it all down, it may vanish and no one will have the advantage of my thoughts. This is why this blog exists. I love the Lord, Jesus with all my heart and soul. I know I'm undeserving of all He's done for me, but I also know that His love is beyond my comprehension.
I've always wanted to write. I never kept diaries, but tucked my thoughts in my head for future reference. I use them now in creating stories, plays, poetry and my blog.
I continue to learn every day. I believe the compilation of our time spent with God will have huge affect on the way we live. I know I'm a sinner and I need a Savior. I have One through Jesus, Christ.
My book, "Stages - a memoir," is about the seven stages of life from the perspective of a woman. It addresses all the things girls and women go through in life as they travel it with Jesus, and it is available on Amazon.com.
Life is a patchwork of moments — laughter, solitude, everyday joys, and quiet aches. Through scribbled stories, I explore travels both far and inward, from sunrise over unfamiliar streets to the comfort of home. This is life as I see it, captured in ink and memory. Stick around; let's wander together.
God's amazing grace removes walls and replaces those barriers with Jesus, freedom from sin's consequences, freedom to forgive, and freedom to love unconditionally.
atimetoshare.me 
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