Paul Hoerner

02/11/2024

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined! 👇🏻

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore... So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca - age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine - age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image!) Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross...' Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'

Now, take 60 seconds and post this for other to see. And then be a child again today!

02/09/2024

04/12/2023

After visiting the Great Wall, my guide that I should try one of the local restaurants and recommended one across the street from my hotel. I went over there that evening and had the best orange chicken I have ever eaten.😋😄The following morning, my last day in China, I visited the Confucius Temple and the Lama Temple. This picture was taken outside the Temple and one of the saddest things I have ever seen.
After this it was off to the airport. My host offered to save me $50 if I would change airlines. It was still a reputable airline and I did not want to seem unappreciative, so I accepted.😳 One of the most scrunched uncomfortable flights I have ever had, but the man beside me was returning from his third trip to China and could hardly believe all I had seen. He said it was because I had a personal driver and guide whereas he was with a sightseeing tour. He said they spent much of their time in souvenir shops and had to do what the guideAnd had to do but the guy said where I got to just go and go. It really was worth the extra $ I paid for it.😄

04/04/2023

It was eight years ago, my wife, Lois, went to be with Jesus. She is one of the finest women I have ever known. The picture of us together was taken about four months before her passing. The picture in a frame about three months, still beautiful. The plant was given to me by the church at the time of her passing. My daughter, Dee, watered it for me while I was overseas.

03/31/2023

After visiting the Forbidden City, I had the privilege of traveling on to the Summer Palace. The summer palace was very pleasant. It was located along the shore of a lake where there were pleasant cooling breezes. In ancient times it could be reached from the Forbidden City on water, which was a safety feature.

Following our visit at the summer palace, there was a very famous restaurant. I thought I would like to eat there but thought the prices would probably be prohibitive. Without me saying a word, my guide said, It’s very famous and famous people like to there, but only the Chinese people care for what is served there; birdnest soup, elephant, trunk, and donkey nose were three of the favorites. I decided I had had enough taste “treats,” and I didn’t need to experience those extravagant treats.

The next morning we headed for the Great Wall. My guide told me I was very fortunate, most days are not clear, but the day I was there was crystal clear.

As we were coming down there was a luge that we could take down the mountain. Most people were doing it and it seemed like fun. I had lost 50 pounds, wasn’t as strong as I would like to have been, and even had to cut my time on the Wall short because I was beginning to tire. I didn’t know whether I should even tae the luge; would I be strong enough? It was steep, and I would not want to bump into the person in front of me. My guide put us in that line and I decided not to say anything, but when we got up there, the person in authority spoke to the guide and we were rerouted to the ski lift. I hadn’t felt anything on the way up because we were looking up, but coming down, we were in that flimsy, swinging little thing, High, high in the air. It made me swim. It seemed like I could’ve just slipped out and fall through. I couldn’t look down. I don’t know how high we were, but I felt very small.

Thank you for going on a little remote memory journey with me today. I hope you have a lovely day. God bless.

03/29/2023

03/29/2023

I am with the Amish today. Mr. Miller cuts down large oak and walnut trees, and pulls them out with a team of Belgian horses. It’s very interesting to watch them work. We will be scaling, (measuring) logs in a few minutes. The log buyer comes, measures, not only the length, but also both ends in two directions, to figure up the amount of bored feet in each long. At the end of the day these horses are ready to be taken home. I hope you have a wonderful day. May God bless you.

03/24/2023

Here is a picture of another throne. There was more than one throne. Next you see a picture of two different beds. There were 17 bedrooms for two people. That was a precaution against an assassination. An assailant would not know which bedroom the emperor might be in. Of course, there were other protections precautions also.

03/24/2023

I got a little ahead of myself yesterday. The lion I stood in front of was not in front of the palace, but was before we got to the center. Remember, this was the forbidden city, not a building. As we went further in, we came to the palace. As you can see in the picture, there are people going up and down in two different lines. But in the middle, there was a very decorative stair. This stair was only for the emperor and empress. All others had to use one of the outer stairs. Then you notice the two lions. These are the ones before the palace. Notice, one has its paw on a cub, signifying that she is a female lion, the other lion has his paw on a ball, signifying that he is a male. The last picture shows the throne. I hope you’ve enjoyed this little reminiscence and that you have a wonderful day.😊

03/23/2023

I arrived in China in November. It was in January that I ventured to my hosts that I didn’t have to, but, if possible, I would also like to do something, like, perhaps see the Great Wall of China. They said, “Oh, you must.” But things didn’t seem to work out. Then I needed to extend, and then it really seemed like it wouldn’t happen, but they said that I must and arranged a wonderful three day vacation just before I left. He told me he would get the best, and I didn’t quite know what that was. When he sent the arrangements to me, I thought to myself, “I can’t pay that much!” (More that my flight from Beijing to KC), but then I thought, “I had asked him, and this is what he did, I do have enough to pay for it, and I must not shame him by refusing”, so I accepted, and I’m so glad I did! I had my own personal driver and guide. My guide was a University history professor who was doing a sideline during summer vacation😄 I had lived 400 miles from Beijing, but was going to fly home from Beijing. I arrived in Beijing around noon and in mid to late afternoon I had a ride in a sidecar through old Beijing. I was able to see the ancient city wall as well as other Interesting sites.
The next morning we were off to Tiananmen Square and then to the Forbidden City, home of the ancient Chinese emperors.

03/22/2023

I was always one that was against buying useless souvenirs. If I was going to buy something, even if it was a souvenir, I wanted it to have some use; but then I saw these. I was so intrigued by them. I was at the Great Wall of China and had seen these being made by a vendor along the route we needed to walk. I was able to see them being made,l and I was fascinated. They started with a round piece of rock and had a high speed drill. Instead of a bit that would make a hole, there was a grinder on the end. I don’t know if you can tell by looking at the picture, but it is a sphere within a sphere within a sphere. They really are separate, it will rattle, they are not connected. When I saw these, I was ready to lay down a little cash. No, they don’t have a use, but I can use them as decor, and they do remind me of a wonderful vacation.

How much did they cost? I don’t remember. I know the shop got a good deal, but I did too. My guide told me I was a good marketer. Well, I learned that skill in the Philippines. I didn’t think I could market (bargain), I hated it, but there is a little trick, and a little skill. If done properly, both the buyer and the seller are rewarded. If not, you can make the seller angry and you do not end up with a good deal.

It’s been nice visiting with you today. I look forward to more trivia tomorrow. I hope you have a wonderful wonderful day. God bless😄

03/21/2023

This is the piano I purchased when I was 16, instead of a car. I was really into music, and wanted to make a career of it. I auditioned at the State University at the close of my sophomore year and played at the international level with the National Guild of Piano Teachers during my junior year. I would have had the scholarship at the university and could’ve started college level work during my junior year except my piano teacher decided to keep me for another year. That was very providential for it was between my junior and senior years of high school that I had a life-changing experience with God. I knew that to follow God my focus and purpose had to change. If I had already started at the University, it would’ve been more difficult for me to lay it down.
The Christian school movement had not yet started in the 60s so I traveled 500 miles to attend a Christian boarding school. While there I began developing my vocal skills and sang on the schools traveling quartet. Instead of entertaining people, I was now ministering. Throughout my life as Pastor, Missionary or Teacher, my God given musical abilities were a great help.