Friday’s New Angle #26

August 14, 2015July 13, 2015 / The WheatandTares

Another Friday means another New Angle! 😊 (looking for what is the brown/black object, not the dots)
See you this time tomorrow for the answer! 😉

Sweetness

August 13, 2015August 13, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

Looking back over my pics, I realize I didn’t share this moment of sweetness that transpired a few weeks ago, and considering my Wednesday Ode last week was about pottery, I thought I would share this with you today. 😊 I heard a loud crash downstairs one morning, and I peeked through the upstairs “window” overlooking the den to see what happened. JMan was looking at a pottery piece shattered on the floor; the cat had evidently tipped it over. He looked up, sadly, and said, “I’m sorry, Mom. The stupid cat knocked it over.”

Knowing this was a cheap little clay bowl I had picked up at a local Thrift Store, I said simply, “Oh well. Can you pick up the pieces and throw it in the trash, please?” I went back to getting ready, not really giving it another thought. About 30 minutes later, JMan came into my bedroom, carrying that little bowl. From the outside, it looked perfect.

He said, “I did the best I could with the tape. It’s not perfect, but maybe you can still use it.”
…Simply precious… It made this momma’s heart swell. 💗

Ya know, I didn’t really care about that bowl before that day, and I had plans to throw it away when it fell and broke, but now…well, now, you probably couldn’t pay me for that little bowl. It’s amazing how, in an instant, the value of something so small can change so much…

Wednesday’s Ode #27

August 12, 2015 / The WheatandTares

I love celebrating LIFE! This week, we celebrate so many birthdays in our family, and it makes for a very busy but fun time!!

My son’s special day comes first, and he turns 14 this year. It is so exciting to watch him grow into a young man; yet, it is with tearful eyes that I smile, because I reminisce of days gone by and look toward days without him home. He is an incredible young man. You can read a little more about him in my post from yesterday. I am definitely a proud mom! 😊

Next, we celebrate my dad’s birthday. He is a great guy! He is actually my “stepdad,” but since the tender age of 12, he has been my dad. He loves outdoors, wildlife and the mountains. He is gentle spoken, a deep thinker and a diligent study of history, nature and all things photography. He is a great listener, incredibly patient, and smiles easily. He means so much to me, and I am thankful to call him dad.

*Please, forgive the “picture of a picture” here! These are two of his photos, which are my favorites, and I don’t have a digital copy; yet, I wanted to try to share his talent.

Finally, we celebrate my husband’s birthday. He means the world to me, and I am so thankful to be his wife. He is my best friend, my confidante and my love. He encourages me, helps me to see truth when I need it, and loves me, regardless, of my many faults and failures. No, I don’t put him on a pedestal; I know he is human, and I see His flaws. However, I do believe God placed him in my life to show me just a little bit of His love, and I feel privileged He did! There are so many wonderful things I could say about him, but it would take way too long to post; so, I will simply say, He means the world to me, and I love him deeply! ❤️

So, I say, Happy Birthday to some of my favorite men in the world! I am so proud to be able to celebrate life with you!! 💗

Gold All Around You

August 11, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

This week, we are celebrating our oldest son as he is turning 14. I can’t believe it. Seems like it was just yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital. In celebration of this event, I thought I would repost a blog I wrote to him last year. I am very proud to be his mom, and I hope as I share this with you, it will encourage you as a parent, as a grandparent, or even as someone who desires to make an impact on this next generation…
He was born a dreamer. He has always dreamed big dreams. At the age of four, he was Batman, Spider-Man, policeman and cowboy, all combined within that sweet tiny frame; the image altering daily, depending upon the mood of the hour. When he had turned nine, the superheroes had faded, and music had taken over. He was a “gangsta-rapper” one day and TobyMac or B-SHOC the next. Always dreaming of greatness, always hoping for the big stage, the bright lights, and the gold coins.

Today, his heart is set to the beat of a different drum. He doesn’t conform too much to those around him. He has his own style, his own fashion and, yes, his own swagger. He is his own man, and he loves it. He loves Jesus, and he doesn’t care who knows it. He wants others to see what he sees and feel what he feels.

Often, I see the little boy alive in his eyes, and my heart skips a beat for what once was. I see him shooting for the stars, and I pray he never stops or even hesitates. I see him making plans and setting aspirations into action, and I pray The Lord keeps him within His grasp, always leading and guiding him down the right path.

In those moments, I realize, this is what it’s all about: Dreams. Hopes. Aspirations. Reaching for something great. This is what brings about change. This is what brings about true freedom from conformity. This is what brings about new “life.” As a little child dreams, hope is birthed in the soul, and ope brings them to a brighter future…Christ said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

For if we fail to dream, if we fail to reach for the stars, something dies within. We must let the child live. We must cultivate those dreams of yesterday. Yeah, some things change, and life always moves on. Time never stops, but yet, if we lose track of it without a dream, it surely does drag along. If we forget to get lost in the yester-years, every once in a while, how will we ever remember how much has changed, and how will we ever see how far we’ve come?

So, dream on, my sweet child. Dream big. Plan long, and aspire for greatness! You can shoot for all the stars in the sky, and even if you don’t make it to the one in your sights, you’ll still get further than if you never reached for it to start. I see gold all around you, and I believe it’s because the stars are within your grasp. Let Him guide you to the right ones, and He will help you get there. When you do, just reach up and take hold. It’s yours for the dreaming, and when you’re amongst the stars, that’s when you’ll see the gold that I see all around you.

Answer to Friday’s Angle #25

August 8, 2015 / The WheatandTares

How did you do yesterday?

If you guessed brick on the side of a building, you got it!! 🙂

Thanks so much for playing!! Hope to see you again next time!

Friday’s New Angle #25

August 7, 2015 / The WheatandTares

It’s Friday, and that means it’s time for a New Angle! Let’s see if you can figure this one out! 😉

Fears and Phobias

August 6, 2015August 6, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Everyone has phobias. Everyone has fears. If you say you don’t, then, I’d guess, you’re probably lying. Even the toughest, meanest among us have one fear or phobia or something that causes us some level of discomfort at one time or another.

I have a “phobia” of hotel floors and tile showers that I don’t know are very clean. I envision my feet getting some unknown fungus imbedded and contracting some kind of unknown sickness without a cure! Haha. I know, crazy, right? I wear flip flops…my husband laughs at it…until one day he gets sick! Haha!! Seriously, it is a hang up, but I’ve learned to temper the crazies over the years, and now, I mostly just wear socks around the hotel room, and hop from standing on my socks to the shower floor…and some of you think I’m kidding!… LOL! 😂

Ok, so, I am exaggerating a bit to, hopefully, make you laugh; however, there are some in this world with major phobias and fears, and it’s no laughing matter.

There is a difference in having a “phobia” (in a joking sense), as in a certain dislike or “icky feeling” about something and having real worries, real fears, real phobias.

Worries that are consuming… Fears that are paralyzingly… Phobias that are debilitating…

This kind of difference is what I want to talk about for a minute… If we, who call ourselves Christians, are going to make an impact on those around us, we need to live like the conquerors Christ, through the writings of Paul, told us to be. It surely doesn’t mean we will never have worries, never encounter a phobia, or even live our lives with never having a moment of real fear. However, it does mean we should live our lives in victory and not in defeat.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Do you know there are 365 Scriptures on not being afraid? 365! That’s one for every single day of the year!! (I love it when God does really cool stuff like that.😊) That means He has given us a Scripture to stand on every single day of the year when we do encounter fears and concerns. As Christians, we can stand on the promises of God and rest in the assurance that He is still in control, regardless of the turmoil we may see before us.

God knew we would battle fears. He knew we would encounter the unknown here on this earth, and He has equipped us to conquer. He has armored us with protection to WIN!!

Wednesday’s Ode #26

August 5, 2015August 3, 2015 / The WheatandTares

I love pottery! I think pottery is awesome, and I’m trying to acquire more and more of it. I guess, I am a little picky on the kind I get. I’m not crazy about just any ol’ piece. 😉

However, I love uniquely crafted pieces, especially those that are created for a specific purpose, like utensil bowls…

Or spoon rests… I love this one…how the artist created it mostly one color, yet, was able to get a streak of color through the center…and if you’ll notice, this matches one of my utensil bowls! 😉

As I shared in one of my earlier Wednesday Odes, these are my favorite pottery mugs. These have special meanings to me, because these are places my husband and I love to visit. I also love these for their shape and appearance.

The picture at the top of the page is of a beautiful pottery necklace I found in Dahlonega, Ga., at a local craft fair. This is my first piece of pottery jewelry, but I hope to fine a few more of these! 😊

Partial obedience is still disobedience

August 4, 2015August 6, 2015 / The WheatandTares

1 John 2:3-6, “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God[a] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

If JMan is playing in the road and I see a car he doesn’t, I’m going to tell him to get out of the road immediately! If he only moved to one side of the road, this is disobedience, and he can still get hurt! His life may depend on his COMPLETE obedience of my command to him.
If JGrizz isn’t supposed to be on his phone after a certain hour, but he decides that he’s Just got to make one more phone call 30mins later, that’s still disobedience; even though, he is only making one call. Now, this one phone call of disobedience might not cost him his life; yet, it could possibly lead him down a path that, later on, he’ll wish to God he hadn’t taken! No matter how big or small the “event” may appear in the moment, disobedience always comes with a cost.

Sometimes, I think we act this same way with God. He gives us a directive, even a command in His Word, and we obey it, but only to a certain extent. We obey, but only till it costs us a little more than we’re willing to give. We might even try convincing ourselves that we are obeying Him, because, “after all, He doesn’t really want us to be suffering or unhappy, does He?”

Abraham was told to take his promised son, Isaac, on top of mount Mariah and sacrifice him. God didn’t tell Him the outcome. God didn’t say to him, “Well, you can take a little lamb with you, too; so, you’ll be convinced, ahead of time, of my provision.” No, all Abraham was told to do was take his son up the side of a mountain and kill him!!

Now, I don’t know about you, but honestly, I can’t say, right now, that I could happily comply with that! Abraham obeyed to the full extent, and it looked as if his full obedience would cost him his dream! This dream for which he had hoped and believed for YEARS…God told him he would father nations when he was 75…Sarah birthed Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old!! … That’s 25 YEARS!! God then told him to sacrifice his dream. That’s some heavy obedience which he did; yet, Abraham FULLY BELIEVED God would fulfill and keep His promise to him!

I wonder if we often hesitate to fully obey, because we don’t fully believe… Sure, we believe when it’s easy. We believe when things are good, but what about when He tells us to speak His name to a nonbeliever who might just ridicule us? What about when He calls us to a ministry that might be a little scary when we’ve got to leave our home, our family, our friends, maybe even our homeland? What about when He asks us to give Him our whole tithes? You know, not just the “extra, off the top of a recent overtime weekend,” tithes, but that consistent 10% when our weekly budget barely cuts it now? What about when He leads us to give up that meal to spend the hour in prayer with Him? There are so many more I could list…

THAT kind of obedience can be challenging, can’t it? That kind of obedience can make us dig down deep, not just in our pockets, but in the depths of our soul. We have to ask ourselves in that moment, “Do I really trust God enough to obey Him? Do I really believe the promises He’s given me?” In His Word, He promised us, time and again, that when we obey, there are things He will do. We just simply have to believe and to obey.
Let me give you a few examples:
“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

“Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.” Leviticus 25:18

““Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7

I know, I know, these are just OT commands, right? After all, we “live by grace now,” right?? …maybe you’d like for me to give a few NT Scriptures instead…

“Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” John 8:51

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14:23

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12-13

I have found, when we half-way obey Christ, too often, we miss His BEST for us. We miss out on His joy, His peace, His rest. Sometimes, just as I gave the illustration of my son getting halfway out of the road, when we just obey God half-way, we might even put ourselves in harm’s way! God doesn’t give us commands to follow simply to control us or to make our lives miserable. He gives us instruction to protect us, provide for us and to give us the very BEST He can give us!! Our complete obedience is for our complete good!

Partial obedience is still disobedience, but oh, the sweet promises we enjoy when we give Him our full obedience!!

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:10-12 (italics, mine)