Category Archives: Life Issues

March 17, 2023 · 11:31 pm

Friday “Walks”–The Comforting Light

Photo Credit: P. Booher

A couple years ago the patterns of our household changed with my mother’s health issues. Her physical problems affected her mental state. Her sense of balance decreased and her need for personal comfort increased.

She insisted on having a corner light in the kitchen left on all night, along with the regular nightlight. Prior to this, we always practiced the habit of turning off all lights for the night, except for the nightlights. For some time I resented the extra amount on the electric bill. Now, though, when I wake up at night and see the circle of light, it comforts me. It is steadying to my emotional state to see it on.

As the light is comforting at night, so Jesus is comforting when I need Him. One day a friend called. She mentioned a frightening situation supposed to happen just a few miles away, with people armed and ready to fight. I hung up the phone, a knot of fear rapidly forming in my stomach. Just then, the first two lines from an old hymn, “Near to the Heart of God” leapt to mind. It’d been years since I heard the hymn; I didn’t even realize I remembered it. As the words played through my mind, so did a mental picture: I was leaning on Jesus, my head on His chest, and He had His arm around me, comforting and reassuring me.

Any time I remember that, I am still comforted by His caring and compassion.

Some Scriptures: John 1:9: “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.” (NIV)

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

Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” (NIV)

©P. Booher

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March 8, 2023 · 11:48 pm

“The Buck Stops Here”

One evening I looked at the dirty dishes. I wanted to do them, but I didn’t want to do them. Know what I mean? I wanted the result–clean dishes and a clean sink–but I didn’t want to do the work to get the result. Finally, the thought “The Buck Stops Here” came to mind, and I rolled up my sleeves, filled the dishpans, and got to work.

US president Harry S. Truman popularized the motto “The Buck Stops Here”. He kept a plaque engraved with those words on his desk. He used it as a reminder that although he could seek advice from others, in the end, it was his responsibility to make the decisions.

Now I use the phrase as a motivational aid. Most of the time, I use it to get myself to do household tasks that need done and don’t take long to do, but I just don’t feel like doing. As I plan this year to get rid of clutter and do more intensive cleaning, I know I’ll want to keep that phrase in my figurative “back pocket” to pull out.

P. Booher

Author’s Note: If you’d like to read another blog post on this subject of motivation, check out: Wake Up and Be Amazing! here:

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March 3, 2023 · 11:01 pm

Friday “Walks”–The Power of God’s Love

Photo Credit: P. Booher

One evening as I helped a relative a question/prayer came to the forefront of my mind: “Lord, what can cure dementia?” Immediately His answer came, “Love”.

I don’t know what brought that question to my mind. I don’t know if the person I was thinking of actually has dementia or not. I don’t know if the Lord meant divine love can actually cure dementia to the point a person no longer has it.

I do know divine love in all its facets: forgiveness, long-suffering, gentleness, patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness and self-control–along with a good sense of humor–can mitigate the effects of this heart-rending disease. God’s love helps the patient and the caregiver. His grace supports both people in the face of difficult, uncertain conditions. He can bring in help from many places.

Some Scriptures to take in: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5b, NIV) which is a quote of Deuteronomy 31:6.

“Do everything in love.” (I Corinthians 16:14, NIV)

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (Romans 8:35, NIV)

P. Booher

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September 19, 2022 · 9:22 pm

Taking Time to Make a Luxury

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One of life’s little luxuries for me is drinking tea–when I am taking time to actually taste it, that is. There are those minutes when I am in a hurry and gulp it down, without noticing the taste, other than that it’s wet. Those minutes are not a state of luxury for me; they are more of necessity. I’m thirsty; I gulp it down. 

The moments of luxury come when I take the time to sip the beverage, hot or cold, and enjoy the taste of it. Those moments may come in relaxation, as when I’m sitting on the front porch watching the visiting bunny chow down the weeds and grass, or when I’m in the middle of some mental activity.

What makes the luxury is a sense of deliberateness, of making space for the enjoyment of the tea. In my mind I have a picture of pushing away my “to-do” list, however temporarily, for the sake of a quiet place of refreshment. That quiet place of refreshment both calms and revives me for what’s ahead. I guess you could call it my “adult time-out”. 

While Americans  generally don’t put a whole lot of emphasis on tea-drinking, the English and Japanese are known for the rituals they developed for tea time. I don’t know if they still keep those rituals or not, perhaps a reader could fill me in. I hope they do. The world goes faster every day. In such a world, you need to deliberately take time to slow down and enjoy some luxury. It makes life richer.

©P. Booher

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June 3, 2022 · 11:41 pm

Friday “Walks”–The Power of Words, Part II

Photo Credit: P. Booher

Words have such power! As creative as words can be (see The Power of Words, Part I, here,) they can be equally destructive. I think we often underestimate that destructive power. We repeat the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That saying is so untrue; it goes against the reality of the power of words.

Consider that words are important players in relationships. Think of it: a husband puts his wife’s family down; a wife belittles her husband’s ability to provide for the family; a father tells his son he will never amount to anything. The words used and the tone in which they are said, are like an invisible nuclear blast detonated in a person’s spirit. The fallout can last a long time.

What are my words like? Are they untrue, rude, thoughtless, insulting put-downs? Are they filled with the venom of gossip? Do they carry the hot coals of destruction?

Some Scriptures: Matthew 5:22, Ephesians 4:25, 29, 31, Ephesians 5:4, Philippians 2:14, Colossians 3:19, 21, and James 3:5,6

©P. Booher

 

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May 27, 2022 · 3:19 pm

Friday “Walks”–The Reason for Hope

Photo Credit: P. Booher

May is National Mental Health Month here in the US, and a big part of mental health is hope. If a person has hope, he or she can keep going, despite what life throws at them. Recently I heard of a person who lost the battle for life because the person lost hope.

I need to remember that even when I don’t feel hopeful, the fact is Hope still lives. Despite my feelings or tragic events around the world, there is Hope. How can I write that? Consider Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. Christmas is a day observed as the day Jesus Christ, the Savior, stepped into human flesh. Good Friday is observed as the day Christ gave His life to act as the Savior for us. Easter is celebrated as the day of Christ’s resurrection, and the day of the empty tomb. Because there was a resurrection and there is an empty tomb, there is still Hope. There are possibilities to overcome problems–possibilities I am not yet aware of, because Hope lives.

You see, ultimately Hope doesn’t depend on my feelings; Hope is found in Jesus, because He lives and cares.

If you have lost hope in your life, I urge you to see someone who can give you an objective perspective, because if you have lost hope you are seeing only one side, the darker side filled with problems. Do NOT stay alone behind the walls of problems. Better yet, I urge you to see a pastor, counselor, or friend who can encourage you and point you to Jesus Christ. He is definitely NOT an impersonal, far away, unreachable Being who does not care whether you live or die; you have tremendous value to Him. He is as close as your cry for help and mercy. Crying out to God opens up possibilities you don’t know are there.

Some Scriptures: Hebrews 4:14-16, Romans 15:13, John 3:16, Titus 3:4,5, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 33:20-22, Psalm 61:1,2, Psalm 103:13, Psalm 139:7-16, Psalm 142, Deuteronomy 30:15

I also want to list some other resources:

1. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (in the U.S.): 1-800-273-8255 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting: Talk 741741. Website: suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Note: the 3-digit dialing code 988 which routes callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will be available to everyone in the U.S. July 16, 2022. Currently it is available in some areas. Starting July 16, 2022 it will be available to everyone in the U.S.

2. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website: afsp.org

3. In Australia: www.beyondblue.org.au

4. In the United Kingdom: www.nhs.uk

5. In South Africa: www.sadag.org

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May 18, 2022 · 11:09 pm

Needed: Showing, Not Just Telling

Years ago, a person I know worked at a small business in a small town. The owner and employee had attended the same Sunday school and church decades before. The owner professed Christianity and was active in a Christian businessmen’s association. He had also gone on short-term mission trips.

One night, it was the employee’s turn to close the store. Besides turning out the lights and locking up, her duties in closing the store meant taking the deposit over to the bank across the street, and putting the deposit in the night deposit box.

The next morning, the employee was shocked when the owner called, demanding to know where his money was. The employee said she had put the money in the chute. The owner said the bank couldn’t find the money. The employee was hurt that the owner would think she had stolen his money, particularly since the owner had known her for years. It turned out that there was a new teller at the bank, and she had not reached far enough down the chute to get the bag. The owner never apologized to the employee.

While the owner talked about Christ in his activities outside the business, he didn’t show Christ in his business, at least, not on that occasion. What an impact it would have had on that employee if the business owner had refrained from  jumping to conclusions, or, if he had at least apologized to the employee. As it was, the employee was unjustly accused, and she couldn’t take the owner’s Christian witness seriously. The owner didn’t realize the place his Christianity was most on display was not on the mission trips, but right there in his store, among employees, customers, sales representatives, and delivery people. They were the people most affected by the way his Christianity was lived out.

Perhaps you think I am being a little harsh on the business owner. Consider this: the work environment is where most people spend a good portion of their day. Work is also the source of a lot of stress. People working for a business owner who brings Jesus to work won’t even experience some of that stress, because Jesus is the Source of peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control… (see the New Testament book of Galatians, chapter 5, verse 22). The business owner acts with those qualities, because Jesus is working inside of him or her.

For more information on faith at work, check out the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics site: tifwe.org

©P. Booher

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April 22, 2022 · 10:05 pm

Friday “Walks”–Believing A Lie

Photo Credit: P. Booher

Years ago I was facing a health problem. My pastor visited me at the hospital. He prayed for me, and after he left, I sensed God’s Presence in the room. In my mind, the Lord asked, “Do you want Me to heal you?” There was no doubt in my mind that He could. However, in the next instant the thought came that, “Oh, I can take care of this myself. I’m helping God because then He will have more power for other needs.” So I told the Lord, “No, I can do it myself”.

I still have the problem, and I regret not letting God take care of it there and then. If I had told Him “Yes”, I believe it would have resulted in a much bigger blessing than just a physical healing. 

I’m not sure how I got the thought that if God helped me, He would have less power at His disposal. That was a lie. Consider this: God is BIG. He created the heavens and the earth. I thought that by healing me, His power would be diminished??? REALLY???

God has no limits, except those He puts on Himself. 

Moral of the story? When God offers you a blessing, take it!

Some Scriptures for you (and me) to consider: Genesis 1, Job 38, 39, 40, Ps.8:3, Isaiah 40:12-29.

©P. Booher

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March 16, 2022 · 8:00 am

The Blessing and Power of Self-Control

One day I read a devotion on self-control, and thought about how much of a blessing and a power that is. The  devotion focused on three people—David, Nabal, and Nabal’s wife, Abigail. Their story is found in the Old Testament book of I Samuel 25:1-35—a passage in the Bible which has as much drama and action as any movie.

David and the men with him were on the run from King Saul and his army. At a time when possessing many animals meant wealth, Nabal was a wealthy man, having thousands of sheep and goats. David did the shepherds a favor by protecting them and the animals from thieves. But when David and his men requested food from Nabal, his refusal was full of contempt. Incensed at his reply, David led his men out to kill Nabal and his household.

Hearing of the impending danger, Abigail, rather than wringing her hands and wondering what to do, got busy. She loaded food for David and his men onto donkeys and sent them ahead. Then she rode out to meet David. When Abigail met David, she respected him by getting off her donkey and bowing down before him (which both women and men did in that culture to show respect to someone).  She told him she had not known of the conversation between his messengers and Nabal. She reminded him that her husband was known throughout the countryside for being unreasonable and surly. Abigail honored David by telling him she knew he would be king of Israel in God’s timing. (She knew that Samuel the prophet had already anointed David as king some time before.)

The gift of provisions, but more than that, the self-control Abigail demonstrated enabled David to regain his self-control. It prevented him from killing many innocent people. The power of self-control blessed many people that day. It leads me to the question: If I show self-control today, how many people will be blessed? What situations will be made better than they might have been? I do have power to exercise control over my impulses.

©P. Booher

Author’s Note: I need to give credit where credit is due: the inspiration for this post came from a devotion written by Pastor Seth McClymonds.

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February 23, 2022 · 8:51 pm

God, Chronic Pain, and Me

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) (This verse restates the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy 31:6)

Several years ago a physical therapist, following an examination, told me I could have spinal stenosis. About three years ago my left knee complained loudly, and after a couple doctor’s visits I was diagnosed with poly-arthritis in multiple sites. Depression jumped on the bandwagon, as I wrote about here.

When I first read the above Scripture, it sounded like marriage vows. The difference is that although a husband or wife may leave the spouse, God says He will never leave. While I’ve never been married, the above verse gives me comfort in my struggles with chronic pain. I am limited in what pain-killers I can use. When my back starts hurting, or my knee or my wrist start complaining, it’s not long before I get grumpy, irritable, anxious, and depressed. When you throw in that some days my pain is all I can think of, and other days I hardly notice it, and I can’t predict when days will be good or not good—well, that would put stress on any marriage. But God stands by me, nevertheless. I may not be as sensitive to His Presence as I should be, but all I have to do is read the above verse to realize He isn’t going anywhere. He is not going to leave me, even if I am so grumpy I could bite my own head off, let alone anyone else’s! 🙂

It may be that part of God’s faithfulness is realizing blessings hidden in chronic pain. “Blessings???” you say. “How can there be blessings in something so painful, so unpredictable?” Consider these:

  1. Chronic pain forces me to look at Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for me as the source of my feelings of self-worth. I sure can’t get it from the amount of work I get done, because there are days when I can’t do much!
  2. I am gaining empathy for other people, who are in pain, depressed, or anxious. I know what it’s like, and it’s hard.
  3. It forces me to be glad for the small amount I can get done—if my right wrist is bothering me (I’m right-handed), instead of a complete letter to a friend, maybe I get three paragraphs written. Instead of an hour or two on the computer, maybe I can get fifteen or twenty minutes in.
  4. This goes along with #1 and #3: it’s an effective way of wearing down perfectionism: I’m hurting too much physically to beat myself up emotionally or mentally.

So, yes, there are blessings even in something so unwanted as chronic pain. I think the greatest blessing of all is simply knowing God’s faithfulness in the middle of it all.

Another Scripture to consider is: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:35, 37, 38

©P. Booher

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