Blogging Linkup

Three Things Thursday – Thankfulness

/ The WheatandTares / 5 Comments

Found this cute little linkup at Ms. Emily’s Home for Full Grown Nerds; so, I thought I’d join and share.

Three things I’m thankful for right now…

My Pumpkin Spiced Latte candle is making my office smell yummy!

The cup of coffee I had this morning is about worn off by now, but it was so delicious!

I came into my office today to find the crockpot that I had forgotten and left over the weekend was completely cleaned and dried for me! (I’m writing this blog on Monday, not Thursday. 😉 How very sweet! … It was full of a breakfast – egg, sausage, cheese – casserole, too! Double sweetness!!

These are just little things, but they make my heart very thankful. ❤

Sky Blue

/ The WheatandTares / 8 Comments

The sky is so hard to describe in mere words; thus, I’d like to “paint” a picture of sorts… 

  
  
When the Son seems to be hiding from view, will you still seek Him?

   

  
When all is bright, cheery and beautiful, will you still remember Who He is?
  

    
When the hustle and bustle of your world is rising above your head, and you can’t see anything beyond the demand of today, will you still search for  more?

When the storms roll in, and the seas rage the shores of your life, where does your faith stand? When the winds seem to overpower your resolve and the clouds block your view of Him, will praise still be upon your lips?  
   

 Will the promise of hope be found implanted in your heart, never to be shattered by pain, loneliness or fear?
   
For the dawn of day shall shine again! Stand your ground. Hold on, my love, your salvation is here.  

 Simply rest in His peace. Trust in His sovereignty, and bask in His glory. It will shine like a star in the sky.    

 
Daily prompt: Sky

Sky Blue

/ The WheatandTares

The sky is so hard to describe in mere words; thus, I’d like to “paint” a picture of sorts…  

  

When the Son seems to be hiding from view, will you still seek Him?

  
 

When all is bright, cheery and beautiful, will you still remember Who He is?

  

When the hustle and bustle of your world is rising above your head, and you can’t see anything beyond the demand of today, will you still search for more?

 

When the storm roll in, and the seas rage the shores of your life, where does your faith stand?

    

When the winds seem to overpower your resolve and the clouds block your view of Him, will praise still be upon your lips?

    

Will the promise of hope be found implanted in your heart, never to be shattered by pain, loneliness or fear?

 

For the dawn of day shall shine again! Stand your ground. Hold on, my love, your salvation is here. Simply rest in His peace. Trust in His sovereignty, and bask in His glory. It will shine like a star in the sky.  

  
 

Daily prompt:   Sky

Child Life

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Childhood is so much smile-hood
Remembering you as a kid is remembering all you did

Childhood is doing all you could

It’s a time of freedom, excitement and sunshine

Yet for some…

Childhood is so much orphanhood

Remembering you as a child is remembering all that was vile

Childhood is forgetting all you would 

It’s a time of bondage, heartbreak and torrent rain

Let the winds of change come

Let the waves wash over the sum

Let them wipe away what they will

Let them bring in the peace and still
Penned – MG – 6/7/16

Daily Prompt:  Childhood

Slippery Slope

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

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We all get angry. Being angry is an emotion. It is a natural emotion that happens when something goes not as planned. It is a part of human nature. Yet, when it becomes a part of your life, a holding which you will not release, and a habit that you simply expect everyone to accept and tolerate, you have entered the slippery slope of failure and eventual disaster.

Anger can be a natural reaction, just as joy, fear and sadness are natural reactions and emotions with which we all live. We can’t truly shut these off, just as we can’t shut off our own breath, without a part of us dying inside. Yet, we can learn to control our anger. We can learn to compress it into submission, and we can choose to embrace joy and life in its place.

Now, let me clarify one thing. There is such a thing as righteous anger, or indignation, and sometimes, you just need to get ill! The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry, and do not sin…” There will be moments in our lives when we must get angry against things that are just wrong, people who are bringing harm, or just plain stupidity that has brought about danger. For instance, if a child has been intentionally harmed by an adult, and you simply stand around proclaiming peace and prosperity, you’re the one who needs to wake up. If there are people dying at the hands of another, by all means, get upset. Take the action needed to stop the injustice. The proclamation of peace in war times is foolish and nonsensical! Let’s use some common sense here. I am not talking about anger against injustice, violence and hatred against the innocent. These things should never be tolerated! However, I am talking about unbridled anger that brings about rage and unnecessary harm.

You see, unbridled anger will eventually lead to death, either in ourselves or in someone else. Uncontrolled anger leads to resentment, bitterness and even rage. When you allow anger to rule your life, you are allowing all of these things to follow, not only within you, but around you. It will infiltrate the lives of those around you to the point they must choose to leave you or confront you.

Unbridled Anger is a slippery slope we all must avoid. Choose life. Speak life. Be life to those you encounter. Let that anger slip away to give room for more joy, more love, more forgiveness and hope. If you need help, ask for it. If you need hope, search for it. If you ask the right people, and you seek the right places, you will find it.

“So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.'” Genesis 4:6-7

Daily Prompt: Angry

Do You See A Purpose?

/ The WheatandTares

What is your purpose?

Sometimes, you can dream about your purpose for the future, for the world, for your nation. These dreams are fun, exciting, and if pursued, they can be life changing. Everyone should have a dream and a purpose bigger than they are. When you live your life for a purpose bigger than you, one that is for the greater good of those around you, it’s easier to avoid things like selfishness, arrogance and even self-loathing.

Yet, what do you do when those dreams seem too big, too far or too foreign to the struggle and turmoil of everyday life? What about those lives who are broken and in despair, and the next breath seems too hard to imagine? What about them? What does purpose mean then?

Sometimes, you just have to realize your purpose for the here and now, and set aside those bigger purposes, those bigger dreams for another day. It doesn’t mean those things can’t happen, but when your spouse is lying debilitated in a hospital bed, those “purposes for the future” seem a little farfetched. When your child is suffering from a terminal illness, and you don’t even know if she’ll make it till tomorrow, those “dreams bigger than life” seem a little nonsensical.

At these times, you simply do what comes next, and you do it well. You take care of the one you love and the ones you are with, and you let tomorrow take care of itself. You find purpose in today, in the now, in the value of those around you. That purpose, sometimes, can become greater than any “big purpose” you could find elsewhere.

When things don’t turn out as you imagined, and your purpose seems a little less than you dreamed, just hold on. It doesn’t mean that purpose will never come to fruition. It doesn’t mean your dreams will never be realized. It just means it’s on hold for a little while, and what’s in front of you may need more attention than those “big” things. Your purpose is before you always. Sometimes, you just have to open your eyes to see it.

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“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.”  Habakkuk 2:3

 

Daily Prompt: Purpose

If we were having coffee 5/28/16…

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

  If we were having coffee, I’d ask you to join me in the living room, because we’re having our deck redone, and there’s wood and nails everywhere. I’d open the blinds and let us look out into the backyard full green leaves and trees with the evening sun beaming gently through the branches. It’s been a gorgeous day today.

How has your week been? Has it been hot your way? If you got kids at home, are they out for the summer? What are your summer plans? Are you writing anything new? Does summer inspire you or kind of wear you out?  …

Honestly, I spent the first several days of this week longing for a repeat of our week in Daytona last week. It’s been a week full of getting ready for the last day of school, looking toward summer and thinking about summer vacation. It’s been a little busy, but it’s been a good week. 

Something fun happened for our oldest on Friday. He went “on the road” with a local Christian rapper. That was really neat, and he had a lot of fun. He had to work his tail off, but it was great experience for him. That is the dream he has; so, it really gave him an idea of what it might be like one day. He’s looking forward to the next time he hets to go. 

That same day, our youngest was invited to someone’s house; so, we, in turn, got a free, kid-less Friday. That was fun. We went on a spontaneous little date. I love spending time with my man! 

Well, I guess, we’ll call it a wrap tonight. I’ve got loads of laundry to get done, and I know you don’t care to see all that. I hope you have an awesome week ahead! Try to stay cool, and I look forward to catching up again next week! 😊

Thank, Diana at Parttimemonster.com for hosting this wonderful #coffeeshare. It’s always a delight. 

Dream BIG!

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

If you’re going to dream, by all means, dream BIG! Go for broke! Don’t settle for second best, for what is just simply good and practical. Dream the big stuff! Dream the impossible! Dream the unfathomable!

Now, does that mean all those dreams will come true? Does this mean you must hold out for that dream until the day you die? Does it mean everything you dream must come to pass in order for you to have a happy, fulfilled life? Can I answer honestly here? NO, NO, and NO! Just because you dream big doesn’t mean each and every one has to become reality, and just because it’s a great big dream that doesn’t come to pass doesn’t mean it’s the end of your happy and meaningful life.

Sometimes, we can get so fixated on a dream that we miss the real stuff that is right before us. I’ve seen parents who are so filled with wanderlust and so focused on the unfulfilled dreams they had growing up that they forsake the very lives of their children for what they thought they would become. They miss out on the beauty, wonder and joy of their children’s love and “big sky thinking,” because of their own selfish grasp on the “should’ve/could’ve/would’ve” regrets of yesterday. That’s not the kind of dreaming I’m encouraging here. I’m talking about the kind of dreaming that pushes the limits while also drawing others in to join you!

dr seuss quoteWe should dream big simply because it makes us a better person. Dreaming makes us more interesting to those around us and makes us see beyond the reality of today, which sometimes, is a very difficult one to face. There are a few keys to dreaming big: (1) it is to not just dream for yourself, but to dream for those around you, and to allow them to dream big, to imagine the impossible for themselves; (2) to realize it IS a dream, one that may or may not one day be fulfilled, but its purpose is to stretch your imagination to see beyond the practical sensibilities of your present state, to give you the fortitude to reach beyond to where you can be; and (3) to realize the dreaming isn’t always for the realization of the dream, but for the possibilities, the growth and the learning in the process. Unrealized big dreams, sometimes, are more fun to imagine than the actuality once they arrive. Think of Peter Pan. He was always dreaming, always scheming, and even though, all his dreams weren’t completely realized, he had such fun while traveling on his journeys! (Yes, I know this is a fictional character, but work with me here! 😉 )

So, dream with me while living this reality in which we live. Dream big for your family, for your children, for your friends. Encourage them to dream big and to seek after those dreams. Most of all, dream big for YOU. You might be surprised at where it takes you! 🙂

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Daily Prompt:  Dream

Just A Phase

/ The WheatandTares / 6 Comments

“It’s just a phase.” Some people use this phrase to describe a little tyke who’s going through the terrible twos and needs to learn a little discipline. The little guy is just young, and he has a lot to learn about manners, tempers and self-control. You excuse so many things for him, because, after all, he’s just little. He simply needs a firm, loving hand, a parent who will help him grow up into a wise, spirited, and strong individual.

“It’s just a phase.” Some people use this phrase to describe a young woman who’s going through the turbulent teenage years and needs freedom to explore while learning her boundaries within the contents of house rules, school requirements and civil obediences. You don’t quite excuse as many things as you once did, because, after all, she’s a little older, but she still does have so much more to learn. She simply needs a firm, loving guide, a parent who will help her grow into a conscientious, yet tenacious and dauntless individual.

However, when “it’s just a phase,” is used to describe men and women who are well past the age of accountability and who are, now, quite capable of having self-control, who are quite able to follow rules set by any organization, and who are just defiant against any form of authority in their lives, this “phase” is simply beyond ridiculous!

I am so tired of those in our culture today who continually give excuses for people who don’t deserve this faulty alibi. Just because someone grew up in the wrong family, wrong town or on the wrong side of the world, does NOT give them the extenuating circumstances of just “falling into” a crime because “they just can’t help themselves!” You may not be able to choose your heritage, your upbringing or even your environment. You may have really been given the “raw end of the deal,” but that does NOT give you reason to abuse everyone and everything around you! It does NOT excuse you to being a jerk your whole life! Everyone has choices they must make. Everyone has to decide whom they will become. As Forrest Gump says, “I happen to believe you make your own destiny. You have to do the best with what God gave you.”

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“…and that’s all I’ve got to say about that.” 😉

Daily Prompt:  Phase

If We Were Having Coffee…

/ The WheatandTares / 20 Comments

If we were having coffee today, I might have you walk past a few suitcases and ask you to definitely not look at the laundry room, because we just got back from a week away. I’ll tell you more about that in just a minute. Let’s get a cup of warm brew and settle back here on the deck…

How was your week? I might even ask, How has the last few weeks been for you? I’ve missed a few coffee chats these last few weekends; so, we have a little catching up to do. Have you been well? Anything exciting happen? Did you have a good Mother’s Day for yourself or with your mom or your daughter? …

Things have gone well here. Mother’s Day was sweet; my guys always treat me so nice. I think maybe one of the most special moments of the weekend was that morning… I was already in a bit of a frenzy, because I had woken up an hour late. Yet, I was almost running on time. Haha. I had called out to my boys that we’d leave in about 5 mins., only to realize I hadn’t put on a stitch of makeup! 😜 So, I proceeded, finished up, and headed downstairs to leave. Our oldest said, “Five minutes, huh?” (Always the “smart” one. 😂 Lol) I told him it would’ve been had I not had to apply makeup. A few minutes later, as we were walking to the truck, he said, “Ya know mom, you didn’t have to worry about the makeup…You don’t need it…You’re beautiful without it.” Oh my! Be still my beating heart!! That boy brought me to tears…and I just about had to reapply the makeup again! 😂 Love him so much! 💕 We had family over later to grill out, and it was just a GREAT day.

The next week was pretty uneventful, I suppose, but we did get several pieces of needed furniture; so, that was fun. However, this week has been very eventful and simply wonderful! My husband and I celebrated 20 years being married, and someone blessed us with a week’s stay in Daytona Beach, Fl. The weather this week has been pretty stormy, but the moods of the ocean and clouds captured on film is totally worth it! Here, let me show you some of the pics…

A brewing storm

We had an absolute blast! It was just he and I, and we sure did miss the boys, but we made some wonderful memories together. We stayed in a great resort, right on the beach. Our room was really nice, and it had an extra large balcony that reached out toward the pool area. It was one of only two balconies like it; so, it kind of made you feel like you had an extra special room. We spent the week together exploring restaurants, walking the beach, “hiking” to the top of the lighthouse, watching the sunrises and trying to catch the sunsets when they availed themselves.

Sunrise on our anniversary

 

Our anniversary day couldn’t have been better. We woke to an absolutely gorgeous day! The sunrise was stunning. We walked downtown through several of the vintage antique shops then went to eat at a restaurant called Aunt Catfish’s. Talk about good food! I’ll be sharing about it on a Tuesday’s Treat real soon.

We were so tired after lunch, we went back to the room for a little nap. When we got up, we got all dressed up for an early dinner at Stonewood Grill in Ormond Beach. Oh. My. Word. It was a great meal! (Again, I’ll share soon on Tuesdays Treats…we’ve eaten great all week!) We then went back, changed into comfortable clothes, and drove to Ponce Inlet to walk the beach and the jetty.


It was absolutely awesome. Joey stopped, told me how much he loved me and how thankful he was to have married me 20 years ago and kissed me. The whole day was so overwhelmingly awesome, I cried! Yeah, I know, that’s sappy right there, but I did! I am just so thankful for him, our life, this trip, all of it. I have been so blessed. 💗

The moon “rise” after a storm

 

Ok, well, I could probably go on an on, but I’m sure you probably have enough to do without sitting here listening to me jabber. It’s been so fun having coffee with you. I always love our little chats, and I look forward to ‘seeing’ you again soon. Here, I’ll take your coffee cup and walk you to the door…I hope you have a blessed week ahead! 😊

*Thanks to Diana over at Parttimemonster.com for hosting this coffee share linkup. 😉