The Cohrs Family
Contact
  • Home
  • Writings
    • Bible Study on Luther Movie
    • BLOG >
      • 2008 >
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2009 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2010 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2011 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2012 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2013 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2014 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
    • Sermons >
      • “What is your name?”
      • Reformation Day – Oct. 31, 2010
      • Reformation Day – Nov. 3, 2013
      • Here’s Your Sign
      • Arrrr – Where be your treasure, Mate?
      • God Calms Your Storms
      • Invocation
      • Why?
      • LHM and You
      • Beautiful Feet
      • Chapel - LHM
    • Publications >
      • Issues in Christian Education
      • LHM - Project Connect
      • Lutheran Centger for Religious Liberty
      • Lutheran Education Association >
        • Shaping the Future - Spring 2018
        • Shaping the Future - Winter 2020
        • Shaping the Future - Winter 2021
        • Shaping the Future - Spring 2022
        • Shaping the Future - Winter 2023
        • Monograph
      • The Lutheran Layman
      • The Lutheran Layman - Oct. 2013
      • Lutheran Laymen's League - "By Kids...For Kids" >
        • Lesson 1 - Thai Culture
        • Lesson 2 - Thai History
        • Lesson 3 - Thai Religions
        • Lesson 4 - Lutheran Mission Work
        • Bibliography
      • Lutheran Laymen's League - Bible Studies >
        • The Spirit of Power
        • The Power of the Breath of Life
        • The Power of Eternal Life
        • The Power to Pray
        • The Power to Encourage
        • The Power to Give
      • Michigan District - LCMS
      • Michigan In Touch >
        • Avoiding Staff Infection
        • Teams
        • Calm Waters
    • Devotional Thoughts >
      • Sauerkraut Seeds
      • Who is Fit to Lead in the Church?
      • To Encourage Workers
      • Happy Easter, Bunny
      • I Love to Tell the Story
      • I Am Not Ashamed
      • Foolish Sheep
      • Why?
      • What does it Matter?
      • “I Have Something For You”
      • Opening Day
      • Super Bowl XXXIX
      • Don't Worry
      • My Father’s Hands
      • “The Less Traveled Road”
      • Mother's Day
      • Partings
      • Sress
      • Surprise!
    • Daily Devotion - Lutheran Hour Ministries
    • Special Devotions >
      • Water
      • Office Personnel Devotion
      • 1966
      • Words of Eternal Life
      • Body of Christ
      • Pre-Convention Anxiety
    • Christ the King Lutheran School >
      • Faculty Devotion – Why Do You Teach?
      • Advent – the time of waiting
      • Advent – the time of preparation
      • Advent – Time for Preparation
      • Advent - Traditions
      • Ash Wednesday
      • Can Anything Good Come From …
      • Come to the Banquet
      • Do You Love Me?
      • Follow Me
      • Follow Me to My Father’s House
      • Give God His Due
      • Greetings from Paradise
      • He Healed Many
      • His Heart Could Have Stopped
      • How Can This Be?
      • It Rained
      • Memorial Day
      • My 1951 Ford
      • Reject Jesus?
      • Snow
      • Stop Doubting and Believe
      • Sugar Cookies
      • The Beatitudes
      • The Computer
      • The Greatest Commandment
      • The Honeymoon is Over
      • The Muckraker
      • The Power of a Word
      • The Rainbow
      • The Shepherds Returned
      • The Sunshine
      • The Witness
      • Valentine’s Day
      • What Do You Fear?
      • What Is Your Favorite Food?
      • Who is Jesus?
      • Who is the Boss!
      • Why a Lutheran School?
      • You Will Be Free
      • Your Sins are Forgiven
    • Our Savior Lutheran School >
      • All Saint's Day
      • Anxiety
      • Can I Afford a Lutheran School?
      • Change
      • Election Day
      • Give God His Due
      • Grandpa
      • Heart
      • Hope
      • I can’t believe it!
      • I'm Busy
      • I ‘m Going Out to Fish
      • It is almost Spring
      • Let the Children Come to Me
      • Light of the World
      • Living Water
      • Lutheran Schools – Just for Lutherans?
      • March Madness
      • My 1951 Ford
      • ​My People
      • New Beginnings
      • Our House
      • Report Card Time
      • Thanks-Living
      • The Christmas Gift
      • The Cold Front
      • The Dream
      • The First Day of School
      • The Flag and the Castle
      • The Power Went Out
      • ​This is a Test
      • Tiny Town
      • To Soar Like Eagles
      • We are at War
      • What Do You Want for Christmas?
      • Why Not?
    • PMT Devotions >
      • 2001 >
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2002 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2003 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
        • June
        • July
        • August
        • September
        • October
        • November
        • December
      • 2004 >
        • January
        • February
        • March
        • April
        • May
    • Zion Lutheran Church
    • Opa's Stories >
      • Bunny and Rich - Our First Date
      • Carol and Rich - Our First Date
      • The Squirrel in the Toilet
      • Bunny's Easter Lamb Cake
      • Christmas Traditions
      • The Christmas Angel
      • Childhood Homes
      • The Fall - The Dream - The Gift
      • My Father's Jobs
      • My Name
      • Goldfinger
      • Downtown
      • Rock Around the Clock
      • Sauerkraut Seeds
  • Family History
    • Ancestry DNA
    • Family Homes of Rich Cohrs >
      • Family Homes of Bunny Cohrs
    • Family Trees
    • Cohrs - O - Gram
    • Christmas Letter
    • Marjorie Colburn Tree
    • Bunny's Homecoming
    • Carol - A Gift From God
  • Recipes
    • Cooking For Phonics
    • The Cookie Jar >
      • Prairie Preschool - Bunny Cohrs, Teacher
      • Grades 1 & 2 - Rosanna Stellhorn, Teacher
      • Grades 3 & 4 - Danny Magelitz, Teacher
      • Grades 5 & 6 - Deitt Schneider, Teacher
      • Grades 7 & 8- Richard Cohrs, Teacher and Principal
    • Bunny's Recipe Scrapbook
    • Family Favorites >
      • Apple Crisp
      • Aunt Cindy's Bailey's Recipe
      • Aunt Judy's Italian Beef
      • Aunt Melinda's Spaghetti Sauce
      • Bacon and Egg Muffin
      • Banana Bread
      • Becky's Crock Pot Fajitas
      • Boston Cream Pie (Rich's Birthday Cake)
      • Carol's Crock Pot Baked Beans
      • Cherry Delight
      • Chex Mix
      • Chicken Piccata Pasta (from Leigh Frirth)
      • Chuckie's Vegetable Medley
      • Lo Cal Chicken Parmesan
      • Mom Conrad's Hamburger Casserole
      • Dad Williams Standing Rib Roast
      • Double Berry German Puff Pancake
      • Marinated Cucumber, Onion, and Tomato Salad
      • Mary Hahn German Chocolate Cream Pie
      • Green Bean Casserole
      • Hobo Dinner Foil Meal
      • Ken Klaus Pretzels
      • Lasagna
      • Old Fashioned Meat Loaf
      • One Pan Sausage and Veggies
      • Penne and Smoked Sausage Casserole
      • Rich's Beef Stroganoff
      • Rich’s Roasted French Onion Potatoes
      • Sage Turkey Stuffing
      • Sausage, Peppers and Onions
      • Shepherd's Pie
      • Sloppy Joes
      • Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
      • Stuffed Green Peppers
      • Teriyaki Chicken
      • Texas Sheet Cake (Carol's Aunt Eileen)
      • Tuna Boats - Tuna Salad with Cornichons
      • X-Tra Special Cheesecake
    • Christmas Cookies >
      • BonBon Cookies
      • Chocolate Cookie Mice
      • Cranberry Nut Cookies
      • Grandma Cohrs Sugar Cookies
      • Holly Cookies
      • Kolachies
      • Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
      • Oatmeal Cookies
      • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
      • Peppermint Pinwheels
      • Pfeffernussen
      • Russian Tea Cakes / Snow Balls
      • Snickerdoodles
      • Spritz Cookies
      • Sugar Cookies
  • Family Photos
    • Albert Cohrs
    • Anna Weidler
    • Lyman Collburn
    • Hazel Kingsland
    • Richard Frederick Cohrs >
      • PFC Cohrs
      • Kids Was Kids
    • Marjorie Colburn
    • Richard Paul Cohrs >
      • Randall Jay Cohrs
      • Daniel Lyman Cohrs
      • Three Brothers
      • Minister of the Gospel - Commissioned
      • Rich's 70th Birthday Party
    • Harry and Ruth Conrad
    • Edilberto and Marilynn Angulo >
      • Lynn's Memories
    • Arlene (Bunny) Conrad >
      • Siblings
      • Minister of the Gospel - Commissioned
    • Glen and Donna Williams >
      • The Family Scrapbook >
        • Animated Family Scrapbook
      • In His Own Words
      • The Smile of My Life
      • Obituary
    • Carol Williams (Bacon) >
      • Sisters
    • Wedding - Bunny and Rich
    • Wedding - Carol and Rich
  • Vacation Photos
    • European Vacation >
      • Florstadt and Surrounding Area
      • Trier, Luxemburg, Belgium, Netherlands
      • Worms, Neuschwanstein, Dachau
      • France
      • Rothenburg
    • Bunny and Rich's Hawaii Vacation - Scrapbook - 2002
    • Bunny and Rich - Florida - 2004
    • Carol's European Vacation
    • Israel - 2004 >
      • November 3, 2004: Chicago - Europe
      • November 4, 2004: Europe - Israel - Tel Aviv
      • November 5, 2004: Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Herodium
      • November 6, 2004: Jerusalem - Mt of Olives - Gethsemane
      • November 7, 2004: Jerusalem - Masada
      • November 8, 2004: Jerusalem - The Old City
      • November 9, 2004: Tiberias - Jericho / Bet Shean
      • November 10, 2004: Tiberias, the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum
      • November 11, 2004: Cana / Nazareth / Caesarea / Megiddo
    • Carol and Rich Hawaii Vacation
    • Joshua Tree National Park - 2008
    • Raven Cliff Salls, SC - 2009
    • Brattonsville, SC - 2009
    • Niagara Falls - 2009
    • Marco Island/Everglades - 2010
    • Key West - January 2011
    • Alaska Trip - August, 2011 >
      • Day 1
      • Day 2
      • Day 3
      • Day 4
      • Day 5
      • Day 6
      • Day 7
      • Day 8
      • Day 9
      • Day 10
      • Day 11
    • Israel - 2012 >
      • Jerusalem
      • Jerusalem
      • Mount of Olives
      • Ain Karem - Nazareth - Bet Shemesh
      • Bethlehem
      • Bet Guvrin-Maresha - Beit She'an - Caesarea Maritima
      • Caesarea Philippi - Camel Rides - Cana
      • Dead Sea - Golan Heights - Jacob's Well
      • Jericho - Jordan River - Korazim
      • Masada - Mt. Carmel - Qumran
      • Sea of Galilee - Mount of Beatitudes - Tabgha - Capernaum
      • Tel Dan - Valley of Elah
      • Special Pictures - Sheep and Goats
    • Germany Trip - September 2014 >
      • Day 1: Munich and Oberammergau
      • Day 2: Innsbruck and Neuschwanstein
      • Day 3: Eagle's Nest and Ettal Monastery
      • Day 4: Dachau and Oberammergau
      • Day 5: Augsburg
      • Day 6: Erfurt
      • Day 7 - 10: Erfurt Hospital
      • Day 11 - 12: Berlin and Flight Home
    • California Trip - January, 2015
    • Aruba - 2017
    • Great American Eclipse
    • Washington DC
    • Las Vegas - 2018
    • New York, New York - 2018
    • Pensacola Beach
    • July 4, 2019
    • Kentucy - August 2019
    • New Englamd - 2021
    • Niagara Falls State Park - September 2022
    • Washington DC
    • Charleston SC - October 2022
  • Special Photos & Videos
    • On the Radio
    • Videos >
      • TV Time
      • Home Videos
    • Engraved Paver
    • Heidelberg Painting
    • Katrina
    • Wall of Crosses
    • Christmas 2003
    • Olympic Torch Relay Run - St. Louis, MO - 2004
    • Blood Moon
    • Super Blood Wolf Moon
  • Bucket List
    • Transportation >
      • Trains >
        • Alaska Railroad
        • Amtrak
        • Big Boy
        • El Train - Chicago
        • Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway
        • National Museum of Transportation
        • Roaring Camp Steam Locomotive
        • Royal Gorge Railroad
      • Planes >
        • B-25J
        • PT-13 Stearman
        • Dover DE, Beach and Aircraft Museum
        • Final SWA Flight - FNT
        • Kennedy Space Center - Florida
        • National Naval Aviation Museum - Pensacola Beach, Florida
        • Pima Air & Space Museum
        • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
        • Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
        • USS Yorktown - aircraft
        • Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
      • Automobiles >
        • Convertible
        • Car Show
        • The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
      • Ships >
        • Queen Mary
        • Tall Ship - Bay City, Michigan
        • USS Yorktown
        • USS Laffy
    • PGA Championship
    • American Pickers
    • Aruba Vacation
    • An Inauguration
    • Become a Lord and a Lady
    • Graceland
    • Visiting all 50 States
    • Writing and Publishing a Book
  • Cohrs Fund
  • LEA Award - 2022
  • S.M.R.L.H.
  • Books
    • Three Score and Ten
    • Calm Waters
    • The Stones Shout His Praise
    • Welcome to the Family
To Soar Like Eagles
 
“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
       They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”          – Isaiah 40:31
 
Each day I awake I feel just a tad older. Names of classmates, colleagues and children seem to fade away, taking longer and longer to come to the surface. The face greeting me in the mirror has a different look – with grey hair contrasting nicely with the black circles under the eyes. Running has given way to walking, seemingly coinciding with expanded waistlines and bigger belts. Joints that once bent freely now must be coaxed into shape – one groan at a time. Age – it is such a blessing – now I have a perfect excuse for wearing mismatched clothes, getting lost, or coming home from the store with bags of necessary items, however, not that for which I went in the first place.
 
Old age, it is a state of mind – the older I get- the less I mind. The older I get, the more I miss my mind. Yes, the older I get the more acceptable it is to repeat myself.
 
Oh, we can delay the effects of aging – good food, good exercise, good mental stimulation – will all help. But I often feel that I should not tamper with nature – if God wanted my body to be youthful – he wouldn’t have given me chocolate, beer, or Sunday afternoon football!
 
I have found that I am at an age where the word “renewal” is important. I need to renew my energy – sometimes by sleeping late in the morning, sometimes by stopping on the top stair to ponder the workings of my lungs. I renew when I hold the hand of her whom I love, her touch connecting me to the place in my heart where I feel the most. Her touch cracks the shell I built over my heart by the driver who cut me off on the highway, the government official who will not see the common sense in an issue, or any one of a thousand little offenses that I mound up over my heart.
 
I renew when I drive down the highway and see a beautiful sunrise – or sunset – or a huge, orange, rising full moon – or a single star – or a deer bounding alone the fence line – or passing the truck that just picked up the last of the construction barrels.
 
I renew when I open my mailbox and there are no bills – or I open my email to see a message from my son that does not ask for more money. I renew when I watch a good movie – defined not by body counts, monsters or special effects, but by the number of tissues used. I renew when I see a baby smile – even more if the baby smiles at me. I renew when I see a toddler chase and burst a bubble with her nose. I renew when I stop at a restaurant and see a father lead his family in a meal prayer.
 
Yes, I am getting older. I am getting slower. I am getting renewed.
 
It is no accident that Isaiah uses the image of an eagle as a picture of one who is renewed in strength.
The crunching of my shoes against the pebbles on the shore was the only sound heard as I walked slowly along the beach in Kenai, Alaska. The evening was still and the sun belied the time of day as it stood high in the sky at what would have been dusk in the Midwest. I heard the whoosh shortly after I felt the cool breeze on my face. I looked up just as the eagle swooped low over me, heading in a low arc over the water. The splash of the claws marked the spot where the eagle plucked his dinner from the sea. Massive wings flapped a few times as the eagle caught a thermal and glided off out of sight.
 
I was struck by the eagle’s beauty, grace, and power. He also alerted me to look up and around. Many eagles were spotted flying in a lazy circle, wings motionless, extended out to catch the rising warm air. They effortlessly circled from thermal to thermal, every now and then one diving towards an unsuspecting fish.
 
I had been looking down, feeling the weight of my life, my load of sin, my anger, my frustration, myself. I looked up and was renewed.
 
Eagles need warm air so that they may rise up and glide – to find food – to find their home – to live. It would be awesome if I could travel on hot air – I would be a master. No, it takes more than hot air to lift me up – to renew me.
 
I have been in the depths of despair. I have faced those walks of doubt – of debt – of decision – of deceit – of fear – of failure – of illness – of loss – of pain – of separation from friends, from family, from God. I have wrapped myself in myself and have rolled in the mud. Each time I have been there it has been more difficult to escape – to renew.
 
Then it dawned on me. I was trying to lift myself up using hot air. I am not an eagle. I needed a greater strength to renew. I needed the lifting hands of the Spirit. I need the Lord!
 
He was always there. I had trouble recognizing Him, but what joy there was when I did see Him. I see Him in my wife – in her prayers, her arms wrapping around me, her smile, and her quiet reassurance of her love and His love. I see Him in the hymns at church – the sermon – the benediction – the Lord’s Supper. I see Him in the pages of the Scripture – absolving me of sin and imprinting peace in my heart. I see Him in the lightning – the stars – the quiet of the woods – the vastness of His creation – His rainbow.
 
Every night I lay my head on the pillow and feel despair – for this day I sinned. Every morning I awake to the joy of forgiveness. The Lord renews me – daily. His Spirit lifts me up on wings of an eagle. I soar to great heights of service to Him.
 
Let us soar for Him – today.   
 
 
 

Proudly powered by Weebly