You Do Not See

October 21, 2014 / The WheatandTares

I stand here with my arms stretched wide;

You see me, but You only turn to hide.

I wait patiently for you to answer my call;

You hear me, but you only build up this wall.

I love you My child. Why can’t you understand?

I died for you. From my presence, you, I did not band.

I am there by your side at every twist and turn,

But you do not heed, my words you only burn.

Your ‘good’ words, I do not care.

On my back, bloody stripes I did bear.

Your pleasant smile, I do not see.

On my head, a crown of thorns I did heed.

Long ago, all of this I did endure.

All for your heart, I hoped to allure.

But still you wait for a better time.

You do not see that the time is only Mine.

Penned – MG – 6/27/99

Friends FOREVER

October 21, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

You have been with me always

Through laughter and in sorrow.

You were with me yesterday,

And I know you’ll be here tomorrow.

We’ve had a lot of good times,

Which we could never hide,

But the hard trials were the real times,

Our friendship never died.

You depend on me,

And I’ll depend on you.

When it’s raining outside,

I know I can lean on you.

Now that we’re getting older,

Let us never give up,

All these precious memories

In this golden cup.

Growing Old Gracefully

October 20, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

I took this picture today after I had caught a reflection of myself in the mirror smiling. Earlier in the day, I had been at a wedding and ran into an old friend. We were sitting on opposite sides of the room during the ceremony, and she told me later that, when she first saw me, she hadn’t recognized who I was until I smiled. I’m not sure I’ve ever considered my smile unique; yet, after my friend said that, I started thinking…
They say it takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown; so, I enjoy smiling, sometimes, just for the sake of smiling. I smile at my love, our boys, other kiddos, babies, adults, the elderly and even animals. It only takes a second, and it’s like sharing a moment with a stranger without delving too deep. I like it when I smile as I’m introducing myself to someone, and I see the instant change that happens in the other person. That instantaneous change from fear to confidence, from intimidation to acceptance, from apprehension to warmth and welcome.
I love what an authentic, energetic smile can do for someone’s day. It can cause a baby to start cooing and tweens and teens to start laughing hysterically. (Watch it! That can be contagious!) It can make an elderly person feel loved and valued, and it can make a parent feel capable of surviving that never ending day when nothing seems to be going right! Smiles change the face upon which they are worn, and smiles can transform another person’s day! They can change the whole atmosphere of a room, and they can alter attitudes and predispositions. Smiles can change things.
That’s when I decided to smile deliberately for the rest of my days. I want to grow old gracefully; I don’t want to become an old woman shriveled up like a “prune” (metaphorically speaking), clinging to all of the bitterness of life rather than embracing the good. I want to be full of life and vigor up to my dying day. I want to grasp hold of all that is full of delight, peace and joy. I want to be like the 80+ year old ladies in our church who still have laughter in their being, who can give bear hugs that can break a rib and who always has a funny story to share about her week. I want to be one of those ladies who have such beauty within that it just seems to smooth away all the wrinkles without. I want to be full of laughter, joy, peace and love. I want to be like that until my last breath. I want to be remembered as one who captured the greatest moments in life and who seemed to forget the hardships and pain…or at least who learned from these and moved far beyond them!
I believe it’s all a matter of perspective. Life is hard. It is what it is, but we each have a choice to grasp the bitter or embrace the best. I choose to count my blessings, no matter how big or small they may be. I choose to be that little lady who, in spite of pain, turmoil and strife, sees the grace her faith provides. I choose to see, in the midst of the storm, the sunbeams peeking through the clouds. I choose to learn from the hard and live in the grace. I choose to live life deliberately, love deeply, laugh spontaneously.
I want to grow old gracefully. Lord, let it be true in my life.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come…Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:25, 30

The candle

October 17, 2014October 17, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 5 Comments

The candle burns bright into the darkened room.

It chases away the shadows, bringing comfort to the tiny heart.

The candle burns long to shine a path across the plain.

It leads the way home, weary travelers returning from unknown parts.

The candle flickers as it’s battered by the wind.

It resolves to stay lit in spite of the threat.

The candle flickers on as the enemy tears at your soul.

It stands firm within your heart, preaching a sermon, casting the net.

Trim the wick.

Pour the oil.

Fan the flame.

Don’t let the trials lessen your foundation, silencing your claim.

Light the fire.

Shield with truth.

Block the gale.

Don’t give the enemy a foothold, causing you to fail.

Liebster Award Nomination

October 16, 2014October 23, 2014 / The WheatandTares

INTRO AND THANKS

This week I received two nominations for the Liebster Award from these bloggers:

Thank you so much!! I am incredibly honored to accept this award!

The Liebster Award has German origins. The word “liebster” has several definitions: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome, sweetheart and boyfriend. It aims to discover new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere. Bloggers award other bloggers.

HOW IT WORKS

It aims to discover new bloggers and welcome them to the blogosphere. Bloggers award other bloggers. Here are the rules for accepting the Liebster award:

Post the award on your blog.
Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.
Write 11 random facts about yourself.
Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 200 followers.
Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.

MY RANDOM FACTS

To start, I give you 11 random facts about myself:

I am a “Southern girl” to the bone, but I have many friends who are “Northerners.”
I may be from the South, but my favorite seasons are Fall and Winter.
Last note about my Southern roots…I hate to be cold, but I absolutely love wearing boots, sweaters and hats.
I am very cold natured…I am usually comfortable in long sleeved shirts when it’s 77 degrees outside
I hate tomatoes, but I love anything made with tomatoes (ie. spaghetti sauce).
I am outnumbered in my house: 1 female vs. 3 males.
I once jumped off a 20 ft. cliff into the Etowah River (Tennessee).
I love flavored coffees, hot teas and desserts.
I have a CD titled, “City of Gold,” which I love listening to, because it talks about what heaven might be like.
I love to hike to waterfalls and mountaintops and drive through little mountain towns.
My husband is my very best friend, and we try to go on a date each week…this is how we keep TRUE LOVE alive!

MY ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM THE BLOGGERS WHO NOMINATED ME (X2…You don’t have to read all of these if you’re pressed for time.)

IN RESPONSE… to my nomination from The Crafty Lady In Combat Boots (Check out her page for more great reading!)

What is your biggest dream in life? Make it to heaven
Are you planning to make it happen and how? Yes…by loving my God and my “neighbor”
If you could live in any other country except the one you are from, what would it be? New Zealand
If you became a millionaire, what would be the first thing you bought/invest in? A ranch home with land
What is the most embarrassing moment of your life this far? I really try to forget those…fell UP the stairs at college, spilling my books DOWN the stairs
What is your favorite sport (to do, not to watch)? Hiking…is that considered a sport?
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard/read of? sex trafficking…that a person could actually be comfortable with doing this to another human being
What is the biggest reason why you decided to accept this challenge? It looked like fun
What would be your dream job? I have it now…wife and SAH (stay at home) Mom to my kids
What is the scariest thing that has ever occurred to you? that people could become so desensitized to the value of life that they’re ok with killing the “insignificant” and using the innocent
What would you do if you found a brand new iPhone 6 on the street that someone has lost? Look around for owner, see if store near by where they may have bought it, return to an Apple store so they could possibly look up owner.

IN RESPONSE… to Write Out of the Darkness (Check out her page for more great reading!)

How are you, really? I’m doing really great!
What is your favorite part about today so far? Hugging my sons and kissing my husband
What is your favorite joke? Knock-Knock…Who’s there?…Jamaican…Jamaican Who?…Jamaican me CRAZY!
What is the best prank you’ve ever pulled? Made my husband think I had disappeared in the woods at a summer camp
What do you think is one of the most undervalued professions right now and why? genuine teachers and authentic preachers…because they invest so much into the lives of people who can choose to not listen and throw away any wisdom they might give
How do you feel about public speaking? scares me to death, but I’ve done it many times
What is the first thing you notice about people? their eyes and their smile
When you open someone’s blog for the first time, what makes you keep reading? their About page
What is your blogging pet peeve? (And you better not say awards…. just kidding. If it is, you can say it.) tonight, it would have to be setting up links…because apparently, I am a novice, and I don’t know the easy way to do this! ugh.
If you could go back in history, who would you like to meet? There are actually several…Esther, JRR Tolkien and Ronald Reagan
What accomplishment are you most proud of? Having two boys who are passionate about their faith…I can’t really take credit on this. It’s more of a “God thing.”

IF YOU WERE NOMINATED BY ME, START REALLY PAYING ATTENTION HERE

The rules are to select 11 nominees; however, I am going to nominate 7. This really goes against my “rule-following nature,” but in order to allow for more blogging time tonight, I’m going to follow suit of those who nominated me. 🙂

If selected, you are, of course, free to reject my nomination. You have no obligation to accept the Liebster Award. No worries if you don’t. You are also free to pick new questions or choose questions from all the questions I answered. After all, this will be your blog not mine. You get to decide what goes on it, who is linked to it and how you spend your time on it. Thanks for playing! ❤

My nominees are:

And my questions are:

If money were no object, and you could not fail, what would you do?
What is your favorite part about today so far?
If you could live in any part of the world, where would it be?
What is your greatest fear?
What do you hope people remember about you when you die?
What is your favorite song, and why?
What is the first thing you notice about people?
When you open someone’s blog for the first time, what makes you keep reading?
Read any good books lately? Please share the title and author.
If you could go back in history, who would you like to meet?
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?

If you have been nominated and agree to accept, here are the rules again, because, this is a REALLY long post, and your memory might have gotten “lost in the shuffle” by now:

Post the award on your blog.
Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.
Write 11 random facts about yourself.
Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have less than 200 followers. (Let them know by commenting on their About page though! 🙂 )
Answer the questions I gave you and ask your nominees questions of your own.

Whew! I have completed the task. This was a lot of fun; however, it would have been quite a bit easier had I figured out that “linking thing” before tonight! haha!

I look forward to reading your answers seeing who you choose!

Changes

October 16, 2014October 16, 2014 / The WheatandTares

So many things take place in one small life

So many changes, so many dreams

So many achievements, so many failures

So many memories, so many cherished things

Events happen which seemed nearly impossible

Events fail to appear which were dreamt endlessly upon

Events take on a whole new meaning

And your eyes are opened like the early morning dawn

Things change; feelings alter, and people transform, too

Nothing can forever stay the same

Smiles turn to tears, happiness to sorrow

And friendships turn to anger and the game of blame

Love turns to hate and witnessing to silence

Sharing turns to gossip and truth into lies

We need to find our change in Jesus

It is only for us and our sins that He did die

He will never change

Penned – MG – 7/30/02

Autumn in the Small Things

October 16, 2014October 16, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Never discount something, because it is small. You might just find out it’s a really BIG thing…

Inasmuch As This

October 15, 2014 / The WheatandTares

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Matthew 25:40

We walk through this life consumed by our own desires.

We say we love Him; yet, our flesh rules day by day.

We look down on those who do not view our trivial opinions.

We mock those who cannot find the only true way.

She lives in a humble shack with no one to lend a smile.

She longs for a simple meal and a night of restful sleep.

She has come so far and yet cannot make it there to pray.

She desires just a friend; yet, you avoid because it’s all too deep.

He sits alone in the pew, hoping you will only look his way.

He has suffered such loss; yet, he finds the strength to carry on.

He only wants to find a helping hand and a friendly face.

You are too consumed with the cause of things to stretch out beyond.

How can we claim to love them if we only reject?

How can we promise freedom if all they see is hatred?

How can we confess Christ if all they hear is lies?

How can we declare righteousness if, because of us, they have bled?

When will our eyes be open to our own hypocrisy?

When will our hearts realize that we have sinned?

When will our feet cease to trample over the wounded?

When will we comprehend we’re only crucifying Him again?

1 Corinthians 13
Penned – MG – 4/25/01

Fate Sealed

October 15, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Sunny days are just a smile away.

Come with me and come to stay.

We’ll run in fields of yellow and green.

Things are not always exactly as they seem.

Look past the walls that you so strategically built.

Come with Me, and let your fate be forever sealed.

We’ll walk on streets paved in pure, refined gold.

What I have bought can never, ever be sold.

John Maxwell’s Hatchet Committee

October 14, 2014October 16, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Such a good reminder! Check this out. 🙂

Write Out of the Darkness

John Maxwell’s Hatchet Committee.

i know this doesn’t really fit with the rest of my blog but as someone who puts everyone else first, I need to keep this around. You should check it out, it’s good stuff!

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