The Tree Grew ‘Round

October 26, 2014October 26, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Life is hard. It is what it is. There’s really no changing the way the earth spins on it’s axis or altering the person who lives in the house next door. You’re going to face hard times. I don’t care who you are, how much money you have, or how many people love you, you’re going to have disappointments in this life. You’re going to encounter obstacles in the road. It’s just the way it is, and if you haven’t had any troubles as of yet, well, just keep on living, because every elderly person on the planet can attest to this truth: Life is not always easy, and sometimes, we have to “weather through the storm.”

The question is not, “Will trials ever come?” The better question is, “What will I do when the rains do come?” If you can ever answer that question before the rains come, you will be much better suited to survive. It’s like building a shelter to be safe from the elements when you’re sleeping outside. If you build the shelter before you lie down to sleep, you’re sure to get some moments of restful sleep; however, if you never build the shelter, then, you’re left to survive whatever elements may come. The rains may come, but if you have a little shelter, it makes the night a little easier to endure.

Sometimes, in life, you’re just going to find yourself caught between a “rock and a hard place.” The rock won’t move, and the hard place won’t remove itself. Maybe it’s the day you woke up late for your new job, and your nine month old baby woke up with a stomach virus, or maybe you were laid off after just buying that brand new car. Maybe your mom has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and your dad began showing signs of dementia last month. Maybe your oldest son has been struggling with a hidden drug addiction, trying to sneak around, stealing money from your nightstand, and your youngest daughter has been bullied at the new school. Maybe your husband seems to be distant, and you just can’t seem to find enjoyment in any of the past delights you two once had. There are times in life when you wish it could be different. You find yourself between a rock and a hard place. You wonder what you’re going to do, how are you ever going to make it?

In that moment, you have a choice to make. You can choose to stop, to hesitate, to allow the circumstances, those hard things, to stunt your growth and keep you from reaching your destiny. You can let that rock hinder you from reaching your dreams. You can even “fold over” on top of yourself and never move beyond where you were in that moment of crisis. Or, you can choose to press forward. You can choose to be like the tree in this picture that refused to be dwarfed by the rock in the path. You can choose to allow those tough spots to make you stronger, more resilient to the pain. You can choose to find joy in the little things, blessings in those people who surround you in that moment of heartache, and even, just peace in the gentle breeze that blows or warmth in the sun that shines. You can choose to grow ’round that rock that crept into your path on your way to greatness.

We all have choices which hold us back from our destiny or propel us toward our dreams. It’s up to us to choose, and when we make that choice of forward determination, our lives will be better for it. Let’s be those whose “life tree” may have twists and turns, bends and curves, but whose branches still reach around those hard places up toward the sky.

Determination of A Boy

October 24, 2014October 24, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Where the beaches’ crowds move from day to day under the hot summer sun,

Hidden, I watch these people, I observe their styles and movements.

By the dunes toward the edge of the highway,

A little boy struggles to reach the top of these majestic mountains,

Sliding down time and again, he begins to cry in desperation,

With tear filled eyes he changes suddenly, as he regains his strength with wind blowing softly,

Forth issue² then with smiling face.

Determination of A Boy

The scene and all its belongings,³ how they entrance and bewilder me,

The bright young boy with a freckled face and a determined will, the sand dunes with their winded cover and cat-tailed lops

Both determined to reach their goal

The boy (typically energetic set in an enchanting surrounding)

The motivated, encouraged, freckled face boy

The low, hoarse whisper of the wind-blown dunes, fighting defeat,

Dreaming, scheming to reach the top.

Determination of A Boy

Penned – MG – 1/23/90

¹ (Modeled after Sparkles from the Wheel, Walt Whitman)

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/wwhitman/bl-ww-sparkles.htm

², ³ http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/wwhitman/bl-ww-sparkles.htm

I Feel Like a Kid In a Candy Shop! (part 2)

October 23, 2014October 31, 2014 / The WheatandTares

I know I posted a note of thanks just a few weeks ago for the 100 likes on my blog; however, tonight, I’d like to say THANK YOU for the 100+ followers (102 as of this posting) of my blog! Having just started this in June, my original goal was 100 followers in a year; so, having received 100+ in only 3 months, I just stand amazed, and I am very humbled. I just want to say, “Thank you” from the depths of my heart! Thank you for your kind words, your encouraging notes and your simple approval “clicks.” You inspire me to extend my goals, to blog more consistently and to believe that I might just have something worth reading out there. Thank you. ❤

One Lovely Blog Award

October 23, 2014October 23, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

Here are the rules for One Lovely Blog Award:

Nomination Rules:

Thank and link back to the person who nominated you
List the rules and display the award
Include seven facts about yourself
Nominate around 15 other bloggers and let them know about the award (their About page is a good place!)
Follow the blogger who nominated you (if not already!)

7 Facts About Me:

I was born a premie but now I am 5 ft. 7 in. tall.
I am an only child.
I am proud to be BoyMom. (read more about that here.)
I love my life…the good, the bad and the ugly. (I just choose not to dwell on the latter 2.)
My favorite color is RED.
I tend to notice the “small things” in life…a single flower blooming on the side of rock-faced hill…the stray piece of lint on your black jacket. lol
I have a deep faith, and it has been weathered by many storms; yet, it stands strong and will anchor me till my last breath.

Nominate 15 Bloggers:

I am going to nominate 7 blogs which I think are really great, and almost all of them are fairly new to the blogging world; so, I hope you will check them out:

I am honored to be nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by bipolarallie. Thank you so much to thinking my blog is worth this award. This is a very sweet nomination and a little bit of a surprise, I suppose, because after perusing through her blog, I noticed that our two perspectives are incredibly different, even opposing on some levels. However, I am still going to accept this award from her, because there is no reason to be rude and reject a gift, OR the gift giver, simply because you disagree with someone’s notes on their personal blog. I do, however, have to choose not to link directly to her blog, because I have several young readers who either come to my direct site or read this via email, and I want to be very careful who I am “endorsing” through my links and follows and how those links/follows may influence them. Is that okay for me to say…to just be honest and real here?

Again, thank you bipolarallie for this sweet opportunity. 🙂

Goal Setting: Blogging 201

October 23, 2014October 23, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Okay, so I’m starting a little late this week on Blogging 201, but I suppose it’s “better late than never!” 🙂

The questions presented are, “Why Do I Blog?” and “What Goals Do I Have for this Blog?” I suppose the summation of this answer can be found here. I began this blog, because, for years now, I have kept personal journals of random thoughts, endless “stories” about my days, and countless hopes and dreams about the future, as well as, separate journals of poems I have written over the years, and I felt it was maybe time to share these musings with others. I have endured some pain through the years, and I have enjoyed many days of laughter, too. I have learned many lessons through the sorrows and the joy, and I hope to be an inspiration to someone who searches for truth, an encouragement to someone who doubts and maybe even a ray of hope to someone who has lost all hope. … Do I have all the answers? Not by any stretch, but I do know I have found a Truth in whom I can believe, an everlasting Hope of which I can rest assured, and a Solid Rock upon which I can stand. I know that I have learned so much in my short years of living, and I’m still seeking for more…wisdom and moments of true life. I know I have a man with whom I am madly in love (as he is with me); we have two very lively boys with whom, on a daily basis, we cherish incredible adventures, and, regardless of the circumstances that may arise, we try to live in a place of contentment and peace. So, I blog in hopes of sharing these things which I have found to be anchors in my life, and I blog just for the “fun” of sharing with others a little bit about my findings in this adventure called life.

So, in stating all of this, I need to set some goals for this blog in order to reach beyond where I am today. I have heard it said, “A man with a goal is like a ship without a rudder.” (1) and “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” (2) These quotes are so true, and they are so easily “preached” to others; yet, when I began this blog, I was hesitant to state my goals for fear they would be seen as too lofty or to lowly by others. So, when I saw this as the first assignment of the Blogging 201, honestly, I hesitated to continue. Then, I rebuked my own laziness and decided this was a really good assignment for me, and so, here I am!

3 Goals to Accomplish by January 31, 2015:

1. Consistently post on my blog at least twice weekly.

2. Gain 100 followers by January 31, 2015.

3. Spend one hour each week visiting my followers’ blogs, reading their posts, and commenting on their work, from now until January 31, 2015.

Whew! That’s done. Now, it’s official! I’ve set 3 goals. Now, I must be persistent in reaching them…I feel like giving myself a high-five. Ha ha.

(3)

Ps. While we’re on the thought of goal setting…..Why is setting goals so difficult??

I believe it’s because of 3 things (at least from my vantage point):

1. We’re too lazy to actually think and put action behind the thoughts.

2. We doubt our own ability to achieve the goal(s).

3. It’s not a priority in our life; so, we push it off with excuses, blames and justifications.

So, today, I choose to be different. I choose to make a choice. I choose to set a goal and achieve it! 🙂

(4)

The contents marked by footnotes contain quotes or pictures by authors other than myself, as noted:

(1) http://quotes.lifehack.org/quote/thomas-carlyle/a-man-without-a-goal-is-like/ – Thomas Carlyle

(2) http://www.motivatingquotes.com/goalsq.htm – Fitzhugh Dodson

(3) http://vi.sualize.us/its_nice_that_typography_card_letterpress_quote_picture_2yy3.html

(4) http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/9d/f7/f6/9df7f669c9af0b104a0c5511e2a85e23.jpg

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!