Author: The WheatandTares

Fight. Win. Share Your Story.

/ The WheatandTares

I found this pictured quote posted the other day, and it seems I’ve shared it a gazillion times this week. It’s such a simple statement; yet, it seems so profound. Everyone of us, whether you’d like to admit it or not, has someone within reach who has walked the new and painful paths we must face throughout life, often times, that person is even within your orbit of living.

Whether it be sickness, terminal illness, relationship heartbreak, job loss, death of a loved one, divorce, tragedy, or whatever, there is someone out there who can relate. Especially now, with as much access we all have in cyberspace, the ability to reach out to someone who at the very least has a slight understanding, is exponential. There are resources upon resources to find knowledge, personal experience testimonies and short groups for any every dilemma one might face.

In many ways, it seems to be easier now than any other time in history to overcome what dilemmas and trials might come. Yet, our suicide and trauma rates seem to be higher than any other time in history. I have a theory to this, and please forgive me, I’m not an expert, and I’m definitely not trying to trivialize any pain or conflict you may have experienced in a particular scenario. However, I do hope this theory will resonate: more often than not, we hav become a society that focuses too much on “me and mine,” rather than, realizing there is a whole new generation coming behind us who need the wisdom, the testimonies, the experience and the legacy of both failures and achievements that we can give.

Understand, I am not stating this from of “high and mighty judgment,” never realizing the pain of depression, sorrow or suicidal thoughts or tendencies. I have been to low points in my life that I’d rather not share in this current post. I have

If it had not been for the grace of God, the prayers of those who knew and loved me, and the self-fortitude and remembrance in my own heart and mind of my higher calling and purpose, I assure you, I wouldn’t be writing this today, and you could be visiting me in the cemetery on a sunny day.

I can attest to the truth of this quote. You come through those hellish nights, and you persevere through those grueling, sun-scorched days of pain in order to help someone else along the way. Or at least, you should, because it is through your testimony of grace and endurance that someone else can find their strength to hope for a brighter tomorrow.

So, push on, broken one. Hum until you sing again. Struggle until you find your fight. Strive until you thrive. For there is some lost soul searching in the dark for just one clear footstep to help lead them out beyond the storm.

Perspective Can Make or Break You

/ The WheatandTares

I saw this the other day, and I thought, “Yep. Isn’t that the dang truth?” If ever forget where you came from OR you lose sight of where you are going, it’s no better than if you drop your compass in the middle of a rain forest and wonder why you can’t find your way back home.

If I ever forget where I came from, then, my perspective becomes skewed either out of arrogance or out of self-abasement. If arrogance, I begin to somehow believe I am better than I am. I trust in my own wisdom, and I rely on myself for everything I need, forgetting that the achievements and victories I’ve achieved have not only come by my own strength and resilience, but also, by every friend, family, and sometimes even total strangers, who encouraged and cheered me on along the way. If self-abasement is the angle, it is the same road of sorrow and self-focus, only it has more hidden objectives and behaviors. It’s still an arrogant approach, because self-abasement comes from a place of self-loathing to the point you cannot receive wisdom, strength or even encouragement from anyone, and you live your life in a perpetual rejection of and rebellion against any ounce of truth.

If I lose sight of where I am going, then, my perspective for the future is skewed, because I have no focus, no direction and no purpose for days ahead. Ultimately, I die in the embalming of my yesterdays, because I have no hope for my tomorrows.

Our past molds and shapes us for our present being, and our future gives us hope for which to grow and reach beyond our today…

Tuesday’s Treats #170

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

The Falls Landing

Location: Brevard, NC

This is a great place for lunch, and it seems quite packed most of the time, but if you enjoy certain seating arrangements in a restaurant (like a corner, wall or booth setting), I’d definitely arrive early. This is a rather small restaurant, and the seating is pretty limited. There are two cool window tables, three booths around the bar area, three tables on the other side of this granite wall, and then, the rest of the tables and chairs a pretty much like cafe seating. It’s a nice atmosphere; however, I’m not sure I’d come for a romantic dinner or anything like that, but then, we didn’t come at night. It could be different.

Even though, we came actually looking for a steak, the food was tasty. They don’t have steaks on the lunch menu, and they don’t allow you to order from the dinner menu. So, we perused the lunch menu and chose from it.

My husband ordered the salmon BLT; our son ordered the beef tip sandwich without the bread, and I had the chicken club. My husband’s sandwich and mine was delicious. As sides, my husband got fries, and I got a side salad. Our son didn’t really like his, and I think it was mainly due to the fact the steak wasn’t really seasoned. I suppose, because it was made for the sandwich, which was to have pepper jack, onions, mayo, lettuce and tomato. Regardless, would have been nice to have it a bit seasoned.

The desserts were incredible! I do have to say, the key lime was lacking a bit in the crust, a little too thin to my liking, but the pie itself was tasty and tart. The molten lava cake was a big hit with our son. However, the derby pie absolutely stole the show!! Oh. My. Goodness. I could have eaten a whole piece of that myself! We will probably go back just for the desserts!

Here is the website for more info.

Tuesday’s Treats #169

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

Binion’s Roadhouse

Location: Hendersonville, NC

The atmosphere of this restaurant is almost identical to a Texas Roadhouse with a little more local flair. It looks fun and inviting, and the food looks delicious.

I will preface the rest of my review with, “maybe it was an off day…” We chose this restaurant, because it was rated #1 in Hendersonville on Trip Advisor. Our experience began with being seated in the back room, next to the patio area, directly in front of the ice machine/waiter drink station. We relocated to the patio area where it was bit better, albeit a bit dirty with the table needing wiped and the waiter cleaning station (paper towels and winded/cleaners) nearby. All of this was a little disconcerting, but we were with friends; so, we just decided to make the best of it. However, the stark difference between these two areas and the rest of the (NOT full) restaurant was definitely noticed on the trip to the restroom. 🙄😑

The butter yeast rolls and peanut “appetizers” that are immediately served were delicious. We ordered steaks, salads, and a veggie plate. The taste of the steaks were incredible, but all three were cooked one step beyond what was requested (ordered 1 medium, 2 medium well, received 1 mw and the 2 well). The sides and veggie plate were amazing. If you like broccoli cheese casserole, squash casserole (without onions!), corn pudding, sweet potatoes, fries or sweet potato soufflé with the brown sugar/pecan topping, you will love theirs!

All in all, the sides are delicious, and the steaks are tasty, just order it a notch below what you’d like. And ask for a table inside on the “nicer” side of the restaurant. Lol.

Check out more here.

Tuesday’s Treats #168

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

*My apologies to anyone who reads Tuesday’s Treats, and you’ve wondered where they’ve been! They’re back online, and, hopefully, here to stay for awhile!😉*

Marco’s Trattoria

Location: Brevard, NC

We dropped by here after a long day of traveling, and we had plans to simply feed our teenage son and get a “little bite of something.” Well, a bread basket, two soups, salad, cheese pizza (for son), and an entree of baked halibut later, we left stuffed!! 😂 Everything was delicious, and we will definitely be back!

The italian bread basket is served with an olive oil/herb mix that is incredible. The tomato basil soup and crab bisque was amazing, and the halibut was tasty. We ordered both soups, because we wanted to taste each. I think we both enjoyed the tomato basil a bit more than the crab, but each one was unique and delicious.

The baked halibut had a lemon garlic sauce and topped with crab meat. Halibut is one of my favorite fish, and you can’t find it all the time; thus, the reason we splurged. Honestly, I’m not sure I’d order it again. It was definitely tasty, but we both decided we like grilled or blackened halibut best. The salad was also tasty, as was the pizza.

They do make the pizzas with King Arthur’s non-bleached, non-bromated flour; so, that made me very happy. (It’s better for you… if you can consider pizza “healthy.”😂) If you’ve not had this type, it’s makes the crust a tad bit sweeter and more filling than regular pizza dough, and the ingredients on top were delicious! They have several “pre-made” types, and they have a build-your-own choice with a plethora of toppings.

The atmosphere is nice, and there are tables and chairs, as well as, a few booths and outdoor seating. We are here on a Monday night, and the host asked if we had reservations. We didn’t and we’re led to a nice corner table, but when a booth opened up, we did ask if we could move there. The waitress said she’s have to see if it was reserved; so, apparently, if you want a particular seat I think the house, be sure to call ahead.

Here is the website to find more information.

The Sweet Perfume

/ The WheatandTares

Be encouraged today… Smell the sweet fragrance of Hope and Grace. 💗

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

Over the last month or so, I’ve been trying to get consistent with walking daily through my neighborhood. I’m not crazy consistent, but I’ve definitely done better than before I started. Ha!

Our neighborhood is beautiful, and it has plenty of curves and hills; so, I feel I’m getting quite the workout, and the whole thing, all cul-de-sacs (5) included, is just shy of 1.5 miles. So, I try to make 2 loops, which gives me right at 3 miles. Woohoo!

The weather was absolutely perfect today. The humidity was extremely low, and the temp was maybe in the high seventies by the time I stepped out my front door, right at sunset, to try and get in a full 2 loops of walking before it was too dark. I asked my youngest son to go with me; so, I wouldn’t be by myself, and he wouldn’t be left home…

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The Gift

/ The WheatandTares

LIFE is a gift. Cherish those you have in it.

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

You came in without warning. You stole my heart and promised we’d be forever. Our days together were sweet, thrilling and unforgettable. We learned to love, to endure and to persevere with one heartbeat.

We didn’t just survive the storms. We learned to thrive and to conquer. They shouted, “Dreamers!” They mocked, “Too good for truth!” We grasped hands and promised to squelch their sneers and scoffing.

The years came like a blur. Children, diplomas, anniversaries and goodbyes. It was a fairy tale others dreamt to have. We were fighting the odds and winning with a high score.

The squall rolled in without alarm. We trusted what had been would always be. We held our hearts in our hands and exchanged the promise once more. For we knew this is not the end.

What will be will always be.

Penned – MG – 5/31/18

*I did not make, nor do…

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Fight For These

/ The WheatandTares

Red, White and Blue

There is nothing new

Diversity, Poverty, Equality

The war has always been these

You claim I don’t care

I claim you come to scare

Selfishness, greed and self-centeredness

Our pride is the only thing we caress

This nation was founded on freedom

The lives that died were someone’s son

Will we really trample on their graves today

Simply to gain ground for our own way

Red, White and Blue

To her foundation we shall remain true

Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness

Fight for these and nothing less

Penned – MG – 5/27/18.

*I do not possess nor own either of these pictures. Found through simple google search.

Homemade Happiness

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

I have this in the center of my kitchen table. Our kitchen is kind of the “hub” of the house. This table sees a lot of activity throughout the week. This table gets family meals, single-man breakfasts (when my son is headed to work at the crack of dawn and no one else wants to get up), late night homework binges, random board game ambitions and Sunday afternoon chillin’-on-FB-and-WP time.

I found this trivet, as they call it, and I knew I needed to sit it in this spot as a constant reminder to myself, our boys, and anyone who enters our home, of its vital truth. Too often, in today’s society, especially in the realms of media, we hear so much of what will bring happiness, what will bring fulfillment, what will bring an inner peace to one and all. Some claim more money, materialistic endeavors, fame, fortune, popularity, and even more political based ideas and agendas, will bring you all the happiness you need.

Yet, I wish I could scream this phrase from the rooftops and write it in the sky for the world to see. Happiness IS homemade. Happiness is found within rather than “without.” In all actuality, happiness is never truly found…

You see happiness is simply a feeling that will come and go with the trials of life. It is an emotion that will rise with the next success story and plummet to the depths in the next failure. Happiness does not last longer than the event with which it enters.

Oh, but JOY does! Joy is that homemade “happiness” that doesn’t just rise on occasion or fall with common mistakes. Joy is birthed within one’s very soul, and it can sustain the midnight hour of grief, sorrow and pain.

So many mistake happiness for joy, because it brings a smile to your face and a spring in your step. Others replace joy with the temporary seduction of happiness, because a greedy heart is satisfied or a fearful mind is momentarily calmed. Yet, this kind of happiness dwindles when the storms of life roll back in with the tide of broken hearts. This kind of happiness dissipates as the rocky road of despair and doubt settle in for the long haul.

No, joy comes from a deeper source. Joy is a state of being that, often times, can’t be described in mere words, but rather, it must be experienced. Joy like this is only found in the One who gives life, the One who brings all things good, the One who knows every intricate part of you and me and who has unfathomable, unforgettable plans for each of us.

Yeah, He is the only One who can give you this kind of JOY. He is the only One who can give it, because He IS that joy, and that joy is Hope in Him!

Is Happiness Relevant?

/ The WheatandTares

There is a cultural push in today’s world to “do what makes you happy,” “do what makes you feel good.” Honestly, these phrases and this mentality boggles my mind and even infuriates me. This type of mindset can even be dangerous and detrimental to any and all it impacts.

Go ahead. Get annoyed with my approach. Get frustrated. Get angry with my words if you’d like. However, before you turn away, click the back arrow and decide to never again visit this blog, finish out this post. Read till the end and then decide…

Struggle doesn’t feel good, but it brings the ability to persevere. Conditioning doesn’t feel comfortable, but it brings a strength and durability that wouldn’t exist without it. Conflict isn’t something that brings enjoyment and “all the feels,” but it brings more wisdom and experience than the avoidance of conflict ever could.

When I struggled to teach my sons to bathe themselves, dress themselves and wipe their own backsides, it wasn’t always sunshine and roses, but as I persevered, they learned how to be little men. When I conditioned my mind to not dwell on the thoughts of my father’s abandonment in my childhood or on other broken relationships that have wounded and scarred my life, it was never comfy, but in my consistency, I have learned to stand strong. I have learned to be stable on my own, forgive the craziness and pain of the past, and become a durable, strong and reliable woman. When I have had conflicts throughout my years, never once did I look at those conflicts with giddiness or excitement, but every single trial has brought me closer to my God, deeper into wisdom and has instilled more insight, more perception and more maturity than any truce and moment of surrender could ever bring forth.

Living for every “happy” moment not only causes us less growth, but it causes us to miss out on so much richness that is freely available for our character and soul. Seeking only the thrill moments and avoiding every difficult moment, causes us to be selfish, self-consumed and altogether blind to anyone else in our life.

Living for only what “makes me happy” causes us to seek personal pleasures, eventually, at the expense of everyone we love and care about. This only leaves us lonely, desolate and desperate. Addicts, divorcees and abandoned children can all attest to this truth.

So, I choose to grow. I choose to mature. I choose to be strong, resilient and dependable. I choose to dig deep and persevered through the storms of life. I choose to choose life not the fantasy or the fairytale.

And because I serve God, and I love Him, I choose to glorify Him in all I do rather than allowing the winds of cultural “happiness” seduce me to believe that “doing what makes me happy” will actually bring me happiness and “all the feels.”