What do you see in this photograph from the 1950s? To me, it’s a memory of Saturdays in my childhood. Each of those days would find me and every other kid in the neighborhood using our hard earned allowance to purchase a ticket to an all day matinee filled with fun – watching the same movie at least twice – newsreels – cartoons and previews of coming attractions. The theatre was packed with kids and we always met new friends by the time the curtain closed. There was almost as much interaction going on in the theatre seats as there was on the screen.
Movie theatres in those days were masterpieces. They were decorated with gilded cherubs and frightening gargoyles. The velvet curtain was red and spanned the entire width of the theatre. There was only one room which held a thousand screaming kids, tossing popcorn and consuming lots of sugar – a perfect prescription for chaos. By the time we were finished with our Saturday adventure, we undoubtedly left the building much slower than we entered. The soles of our shoes were coated with spilled soda pop and JuJuBees as popcorn stuck in our hair. What a day of fun.
It was the perfect, cheapest way to entertain your children on a Saturday. You didn’t have to worry about them being abducted. Just give them a dollar and they’d have the time of their life while their parents attended to shopping, house cleaning, fixer upping or just spending some quiet time alone.
I learned some valuable lessons in the seats of that old theatre. I watched episodic adventures that beckoned us to return the next week to see what would happen next. I enjoyed the technicolor movies the best and when Cinemascope came along it was like being right inside the screen. Great story plots unfolded, some not so great. Musicals took us to a different world where people burst into song and dance for no particular reason. The elaborate epics led to productions that continued to outdo each other. The noir mysteries were enticing too. I learned phrases like, “you dirty rat – I wouldn’t give you the skin off a grape – Well, you’re about as romantic as a pair of handcuffs – With my brains and your looks, we could go places.” I wasn’t sure what any of those phrases meant, but they taught me how to do a good Brooklyn accent. The beginning of my actor training. Watching all those stars like, Bogart, Bacall, Cary Grant, Hedy Lamar, John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, made me long to be a star myself one day.
When we got home from the movies, we’d spend the evening listening to the radio. I guess we were bound to entertainment as much as the kids are today. It’s just a slightly different media. Although I have to admit, I’ve returned to those old movies in this time of isolation. They give me a feeling of belonging I guess. Kind of like a security blanket. What goes around come around. I think I heard that in a movie.
In the book of Job, chapter 26 the suffering man Job speaks about the way God appears in nature and the power He controls, summing it all up in verse 14,“Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”
The tears of God come rushing down to moisturize the earth, The water fills the hardened ground with life and brings new birth. The seeds that we have planted, lie dormant in the ground, Until His precious water quenches souls without a sound, He breathes His life into them and they flourish more each day, Without God’s intervention, they’d perish or give way, To each and every evil weed that strangles and destroys, To temptation and those crafty lies that Satan oft deploys, God’s garden is protected by His own beloved Son, Who came to give back paradise, the victory He has won.
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.
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.
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