Lessons Learned

People are Just People

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

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Originally posted January 6, 2015… Hope you enjoy…

Okay, I admit it, I’m a people watcher. I like to find a place to sit, on a busy street, and just watch the people go by. Some hurry, some saunter. Some smile, some frown. Some look you straight in the eye, some look away simply to avoid the encounter. They’re all living their lives in the way they choose, but I wonder what that life is like…

Every time I grow impatient and frustrated, I must remember. When I want to rant and rage, I must recall this simple fact: People are just people. I must work to be more like my Father.

People are just people.

Some are so frantic, it’s hard to know they genuinely see. They are so consumed with the deadline. Some are so depressed, it’s difficult to know they sincerely care. They are so consumed with the foreseen doom. Some are so angry, it’s impossible to know they earnestly love. They are so consumed with their own revenge.

People are just people.

Every time I grow impatient and frustrated, I must remember. When I want to rant and rage, I must recall this simple fact: People are just people. I must work to be more like my Father.

People are just people.

Many are so confused, it’s problematic to engage in conversation. They are so consumed with the implications. Many are so fearful, it is wearisome to strengthen an alliance. They are so consumed with the unspoken and unknown. Many are so grieved, it’s toilsome to deepen a friendship. They are so consumed with the sick and the dead.

People are just people.

Every time I grow impatient and frustrated, I must remember. When I want to rant and rage, I must recall this simple fact: People are just people. I must work to be more like my Father.

I must love Him more; so, I might love them purely. I must seek Him more; so, I might speak to them truthfully. I must know Him more; so, I might see them clearly.

After all, people are just people.

“…We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6b


“Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us,[a] to the glory of God.” Romans 15:7

Grace For Today

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

Originally posted January 3, 2015… I do hope this will encourage you today…

God has given us grace for today. His Word says, His “grace is sufficient” for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9). It’s not too much, not too little. It’s just enough. It’s not overflowing; it’s not deficient. It’s not in over-abundance, and it’s not found wanting. It’s just the right amount at the right time.

I have found that, often, we think we don’t need His grace until we’re in the middle of the battlefield, and we find ourselves weary, broken, battered and afraid. At that moment, we cry out for His grace. We know His grace will give us strength to stand. His grace will give us refuge from the storm. His grace will give us faith in that moment of doubt.

However, His grace is there for us, not only in the battle, but it is there to grasp every day we rise. His grace can give us sweeping victory. A victory that comes with a battle that has been fought with a valiant faith rather than doubt. Victory that comes on the other side of a tenacious stand which says, “I’m still standing here!” Victory that comes from knowing our God is on our side and believing, “If God be for us WHO can be against us?”

So often, we tend to only state the first part of that Scripture, “My grace is sufficient for you;” yet, we fail to realize the rest of it: “for My power is made perfect in weakness.” This is the part of the Scripture that we, too many times, don’t understand until we are in that “battered, bruised and ‘about to quit’ stage” of the battle. We find ourselves at this point, because we fail to lean on His grace from the beginning. If we could just realize, from the start, in comparison to Christ, we are so weak, and we so desperately need His grace from the time we awake in the morning till the moment our head hits the pillow at night, we could then rest in this grace. We could, then, be at peace knowing His strength is made perfect through our imperfections and weaknesses rather than the other way around.

If we could remember His grace is sufficient for us, FOR His power is made perfect in (our) weakness, we would be SO much better off! If we could remember that we are just so weak without Him, we would not be weak! If we could remember, we are powerless without Him, we would not be powerless!

Yet, so often, I find myself trying to make it on my own, thinking I can do things in my own strength, in my own power. I get to that place of struggle, that place of faltering, and I wonder why I am there. I wonder why I feel so weak, so powerless, so frail; then, I realize I have been walking and fighting in my own strength rather than His. I realize I have been relying on my own wisdom and understanding to survive the day rather than His infinite wisdom and grace. It is only grace which sustains me. It is only grace that remains when all else is lost. Grace is right there waiting on us. All we must do is receive it. It is a wonderful gift for which we don’t have to strive or toil. All we must do is freely receive.

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16

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Living and Dying

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

Originally posted January 31, 2015…

Just came from the hospital… thankfully, not as a patient today, just a simple visitor. Yet, my heart aches deep inside for those I met, those I passed as I walked the halls. A wife praying over her husband, doctors can’t seem to find the source of infection. A mother, elderly, awaiting dialysis and hoping to heal from her fall. Others along the way, broken, battered and bruised. Some dying to live, others living to die.

You never know someone’s journey unless you walk alongside them. Some come in smiling, only to leave weeping. Others come in desperate, scared, only to leave rejoicing for one more chance. We are none guaranteed our tomorrows. We are not promised our next breath.

Are you ready for the end? Are you prepared for that last sigh of life? Some live like there are no goodbyes. Some trade the beauties of today for the sorrows of tomorrow. Some just wander aimlessly, never really living, not immediately dying, just simply existing in the nothingness.

Can I challenge you today? Can I spark a flame within? Live deliberately. Make your choice to breathe. Die with grace. Never give up a moment simply to clutch what might have been. Never let a minute go by that you forget the joy of living for the sake of sorrow, regret or even fear.

Grasp today by the neck and don’t let go until it’s done. Drink in the sun. Soak in the rain. Take it for what it gives, and make the best of it. Don’t shrink away from the pain. Don’t boast in the joy. You may see it change in the next millisecond. Appreciate and love those around. Forgive and forget when you can. Impact your world for good. Love deep. Laugh much. Live full.

This moment is a gift! Open it. Enjoy it. Share it with those around you. It can never be returned. It can never be saved for another time in space. It is this moment. It is this day. Live it to the fullest in every way!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Light Peeking Through

/ The WheatandTares

Whew, it’s been busy around here, because we are moving (just across town)! So, if you will indulge me this week, I may do a little bit of “resharing” of posts. I hope you don’t mind, and I hope, maybe, I’ll share one you haven’t seen before. Next week, I should be able to get back to writing! 🙂

Originally posted 11/6/14…
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Have you ever felt lonely, wondering if anyone cares? Have you felt as if everyone has left you to wander through this life without direction or love, ever reaching, ever hopeless, ever desperate? Have you felt you were, perhaps, standing in a forest of trees all around, and if you fell, no one would hear your cry or even notice you were no longer standing there?

Sometimes, in life, we can feel as if there is not a soul on earth who feels the way we feel right at that very moment. We feel as if we are isolated, ostracized, and severed from those who love us.

We may be alone, but we’re not truly alone. We may be isolated, but we’re not really isolated.

There is always light peeking through the darkness.

There is always hope in the midst of hopelessness.

We only need to know where the source of Life is. We only need to realize there is an escape from the voices of despair screaming at us in the night. We only need to believe there is something more.

There is always hope for change as long as you have breath in your being.

There is always hope for life when there is a beating in your heart.

Just breathe.

Just believe.

Just be freed.

He is The One…the Light peeking through.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6

Isolated for Purpose

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Just thinking about this today, and thought I’d reshare… 

(Originally posted May 7, 2015)

Have you ever been in a crowd and felt so alone? Have you ever been surrounded by family and friends and, yet, still felt as if you’re isolated and no one cares? I have, and it’s not always a fun place to be! 

Sometimes, I’ve done it to myself. I’ve pulled back from relationships, rejected caring hands, or simply stepped away from the fun and festivities, all the while, feeling as if I didn’t  belong. Other times, a certain responsibility has hindered and caused me to feel isolated,  because sometimes, God will ask you to simply obey and follow His directive rather than allow you to “go play.” Then, there have been those times, where like Esther, He allows me to go through a season of isolation to teach me something and to prepare me for what He has planned ahead in my life.  

No matter the reason, no matter the season, I’m not sure I’ve ever found isolation to be an “exciting” or “thrilling” time; however, I’ve always come out on the other side a little wiser and more experienced, having a little more understanding and compassion for the world around me.  As I’ve grown older, I have learn to be patient in these moments and have actually begun to look forward to the end result, knowing that on the other side, I’ll be a better person for it. 

I’ve always emerged from the times of isolation with a deeper awareness of those around me, with a keener sense of confidence that I can make it through the next time and a more intense passion for where I am going. Those times of isolation, especially when they are appointed times to walk closer with God, have always caused me to have a deeper thirst for His presence and a deeper hunger for His grace. These moments have always caused me to realize more fully the Scripture, “He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6,8) For it is in those times of isolation, we all find that He “sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). 

When I read Scripture, I see the great heroes of the faith went through many times of isolation and loneliness. Abraham left his family to obey God and move to the land of Canaan. Later, he became the father of nations. Joseph spent years in isolation, while in prison, until he became the second in command to Pharoah. Daniel was isolated in his times of prayer and later in the lions’ den before being valued as a friend of the king. David spent years tending sheep in the pasturelands and then spent years running from Saul before he was crowned king. Esther spent 12 months in isolation while being prepared to meet the king. Paul was isolated in prison before preaching to noblemen and rulers. John was isolated on the Isle of Patmos while writing the Book of Revelation. All of these men and women were isolated, and each one of them did great works for God. They made an impact. They left a legacy. 

Loneliness, when given to God, can bring out the best in us. It can make us strong, more aware, more deliberate in our actions. Isolation, when guided by God, develops within a deeper walk with Him. It causes us to focus on Him. It causes us to hear Him, and it will cause us to have a greater impact for Him. 

So, I leave you with this… How deep is your walk? How far are you willing to go? Will you step into a season of isolation if He leads you there? Can you submit to loneliness in order to grow and be more effective? 

Will you go?

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14b

Their Destiny

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

When you look at your child, do you ever wonder about his or her destiny? Do you wonder whom he will follow? Who he will become? Or maybe, whom he will encounter along the way? What path will she choose? Will she fight hard against conformity, or will she bend and sway to whomever screams the loudest at the moment?

How do we ensure their safety in this big, dangerous world? How do we protect them and guide them, while also, giving them the freedom to grow and develop their thoughts, their dreams and, even their faith, on their own?

We can only accomplish this, successfully, when we look to the Creator of their souls. He can and will help us, if we will but ask and follow His lead. The Word tells us God has a plan for their lives, good plans, prosperous plans…We find this, specifically, in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” So, we must entrust them to Him at an early age. We must submit our own lives to Him and follow His lead. Our children not only learn from what we say, but they learn most by what we do. If we follow Him, they learn, by example, what and how to do it. If we’re resistant to Him, they will, also, learn how to resist and fight against Him.

I saw this come to fruition the other day, as we came upon a beautiful waterfall on one of our hikes. You see, my husband and I absolutely love waterfalls. We will purposefully go on a hike to find those which we haven’t yet seen. We will revisit many, and even though we’ve seen them countless times, we will remain at them for limitless amounts of time just gazing and listening. It’s as if our souls settle as we stand in front of the gushing streams of water. Our thoughts are purified, our hearts are untangled from the cares of this world.

Twice, in the last week,  we took our boys to a couple of waterfalls. Last week, we went to a very well known waterfall in North Georgia, Amicalola Falls.

We stayed there, admiring the falls, for probably close to 30 minutes, just simply lost in its beauty. As we stood there on the walkway, gazing up at the falls, people were constantly moving in front of us. Some would remark on the heights, on the beauty; many would turn their backs to the falls, take their little selfies, and then walk on pass. Others would simply walk by, glance at the falls and keep on walking, as if the 600+ steps of the hike was their one and only goal, or maybe just being able to say, “I was there,” was their purpose for coming.

We stood in amazement at their lack of amazement, as if this was simply some mound of dirt on the side of the path to whatever was more important in their journey right then. Even as I didn’t say a word to our oldest, I watched as my oldest son became livid with these people he didn’t even know. He couldn’t believe their disdain for God’s creation. He said nothing to those around him, but I heard about it for quite awhile as we made it back to our truck.

This past Friday, we went to Horse Trough Falls, again, in the North Georgia Mountains. It is set off the beaten path, and it is simply gorgeous! Joey and JMan stayed for a bit, but JMan wanted to get to the creek to build a dam and cool off from the heat; so, JGrizz and I remained at the waterfall while dad and youngest went back to the creek bed.

JGrizz sat at the man-made platform for a bit, then, ventured past where he could get closer to the falls. He took a few pics; then, he just found a comfortable spot on an old tree that had fallen across the creek, took off his shoes and just enjoyed the sights, smells and feel of the waterfall for a good long while.

As I watched him, I realized, he has become his Daddy’s son. This may sound silly, because, of course, this is obvious to anyone who knows the two of them. Yet, sometimes, I think, as our children grow into adulthood, there are definitive moments, those moments when we actually see the handprint of God on their lives and the tiny part we played in their development. This was one of those moments for me.

I could see his Daddy in his awe of God’s beauty. I could see the settling of his soul as he sat there lost in his surroundings. I could hear his Dad’s blunt (not-meaning-to-be-harsh-only-truthful) voice as he told me he didn’t want me to talk if I sat beside him on that log. I could feel his Dad’s love as he later hugged me, as if to say,” I really wasn’t trying to be rude. Sorry it came out that way.” I could even see his Heavenly Father’s courage, confidence and strength as he walked boldly among those slippery rocks just to get a closer glimpse of its beauty.  My heart was full as I gazed at the man he was becoming.

Then, he said the words that sealed the moment within my heart. We were talking about the little streams of water which break off from the main portion of the waterfall, yet, still find their way to the bottom. JGrizz said, “Those streams are like me, and the rest are like society. I find my own way.” It was as if God was showing me in that moment, he has what it takes to make it. He will reach his destiny.

When we made our way back to the creek bed, I could see the sparkle in JMan’s eyes as he built his dam in the creek, it was the same sparkle his Daddy has. It’s the spark of wonder, adventure and just plain fun! Oh, the wonder of a child. We should never lose it, no matter how old or busy we become.

I saw my husband’s love for life within the lives of our sons, and I saw the love of our Heavenly Father wrapped up in their wonder for His creation. These things come to be as our children follow in our footsteps. They not only hear what we say; they see as we see and act as we act. If we will but submit them until God and allow Him to guide their lives, they will follow Him, and He will help them to reach their destiny.

 ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Plug Me In

/ The WheatandTares

Originally posted Oct. 14, 2014…

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This day in age, we all have to have plug-ins and cords and iPhones and iPads and Samsung and Galaxy…. They’ve all got chargers , and they all take time to charge. I walked down the stairs after a wedding yesterday and almost tripped over a guy, because he was sprawled out on the stairs watching a video while his phone charged.
I watch as a family sits in a restaurant, never speaking to one another, all tuned into the little hand-held device grasped between their tiny fingers. I read status updates daily where husbands and wives, parents, and kids are joking about how they are sitting in the same room while typing to one another via Facebook or texting via iMessage. We are a “plugged in” kind of world, but I often wonder how “plugged in” we actually are. We no longer want to talk on the phone, go for a walk or even have much of a face-to-face conversation, because these take up too much time, too much effort, and, frankly, too much emotion.
We are more high-tech, computer savvy and data ready than we have ever been; yet, I read article after article that this generation is less connected than ever before. I learn that, too often, this generation doesn’t even know how to be engaged in an actual conversation, because they are more comfortable with the typed word and unimposing responses than the vocal language and heart-felt reactions. I often wonder if we’ve advanced far enough or progressed too far.
Before you think I’m just “way too old fashioned,” and write me off as some “old geezer,” realize I am the mother of 2 very savvy boys who keep up with the “latest and greatest” fad (yes, that can qualify on a few notes. lol). We’re a “Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and gaming” kind of group. We have 2 iPads, 3 iPhones, a Kindle, 2 laptops, 2 iPods, and an iPod Nano, oh, and a PC, too. So, needless to say, we are a very “plugged in” family. I just, seriously, ponder the depth of this involvement at times. We can get so caught up in tweeting, blogging, posting pics and reading about everyone else’s life, and latest happenings, that we miss the very things, and people, who make up the world in which we live.
I have made it a rule that when we sit down to eat together, the electronics go off. I want to know my family, and I want our boys to know how to carry on a conversation beyond, “Hi…Uhh? … Do you tweet?” It’s not a perfected rule, and I’m surely not the “mom of the year,” but I can say, we’re a work in progress, and we’re learning to sit back and take a “breather.” Sometimes, you have to cut off the life support system to learn to breathe again.
So, I guess, I wrote all of this to simply remind myself, and others, to unplug the techno and plug back into the life-o.

A New Beginning

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

“It’s not the end. It’s only a new beginning…”

A good friend shared this revelation with me as he had just been diagnosed with a curable sickness and was beginning to learn to eat differently and take some new medications in order to feel better…all at an age well over 60. 

I said goodbye to a precious woman the other day, a goodbye that will last until I see her again in eternity. She was a strong lady of character, dignity and grace. Her family is starting each new day with her absence, learning to grieve, to cope, to live again. 

Some great friends of ours moved away to another state months ago. We probably won’t see them but maybe once or twice a year now. They are greeting new friends and learning to grow and adjust in a new home, city and surroundings. 

Our sons started a new school endeavor this year. They are no longer taught in the classroom but now receive all their instructions virtually through the Internet and tutoring videos. They are beginning to transition and learn new ways of communication and knowledge gathering. 

In all these things, and in so many more, we close one chapter in our lives; yet, another is quickly opened. We may no longer have the comfort zones of our past, but in the new, we learn to thrive. That’s what life is all about. 

So, when changes come and transitions must be made, try not to be drowned by losses; look to what is ahead. Those things, and those people, will surely be missed, but if we remain stagnant in our grief, we will never be able to embrace the new which is ahead. We will never be able to start on the new beginnings, and growth will fall beyond our grasp.

So, reminisce over what was; cherish those memories. However, don’t stay there without forward motion, or you will surely miss the sweet moments which can be treasured ahead. 

One of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors might sum up this little thought…

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ~ Dr. Seuss 

What’s On The Inside

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment


 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:27-28

You’ve heard it said, “When you spill the glass, you see what’s inside.” If sweet tea is inside, you see tea, and if it’s sour milk, you surely don’t get sweet tea! 😉 This is so true for each of us. No matter how pretty of a face we paint on, no matter how many smiles we flash, if our character is ugly, when pressures come, (and they will!) ugly is what will come out!  

In the moments of stress, it’s never a matter of what we know, who we know, or even what we’ve learned. It’s a matter of what we’ve allowed inside our hearts, what we’ve processed and what we’ve consumed. What is within our hearts is what is brought to the surface when we face hard times.  

I love how one author puts it, “When you’re upset, you upset what’s really in you.” -Ann Voskamp 

I long for good to flow when I’m spilled out. I don’t like sour milk, never have; yet, when pressures arise, sometimes, sour is all that’s left. It gets messy, and others can see it. I long for purity. I long for less mess, and I’m really working on this; I truly am.  

Yet, I have found that it’s not a matter of the mind. You can’t just make yourself act better. ou can’t just decide in your mind, “Ok, today will be different. No more spills. No more sour milk. Today, I shall be on a better course. I shall be better!” No, it’s not just a simple making up of the mind, and all is well. It’s a matter of the heart, and, oh, how that heart can be so stubborn sometimes… 

I can determine in my mind that I will not doubt. I will not grow angry. I will not be afraid. I can convince myself that this time will be different. I will be different; however, if I’ve only convinced my mind, and I’ve not dealt with my heart, that heart will rebel. That heart will even revolt. When the heat of the moment comes, and my guard is let down, that heart will adamantly revert back to its comfort zone of fear, doubt, anger, or whatever emotion consumes it at the time.  

You see, the heart holds all the wounds, all the pain and all the joy. The heart is full of all the emotion, all the wonder, all fear. When troubles come, it really is the heart that speaks, and this is why it is always a matter of that stubborn heart which determines what will spill out. This is why Jesus longs to rule our hearts. If He can hold our hearts, He can change our mind. He can transform our will. He can even change the world. If He can have our hearts surrendered to His will, He can consume our whole being.  

If we want the inside to be purified, to be empty of the mess, to really be as pretty as the outside we paint, we must lend Him our hearts. We must surrender our emotions, our pains, our wounds. We must allow His living waters to wash over our hearts. We must let Him heal us from the inside out, and then, we won’t have to worry when the glass is spilt. There will be no sour to pour. It will only be full of fresh, living water, flowing from His heart to ours, and out to the world.  

Life is so Short

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

  Life is short. It stops for no man. Stop. Inhale. Breathe. Make the Moments Last. Cherish those you love longer. Don’t let those memories be lost simply because you haven’t the time to remember. Don’t brush away the tears simply because you don’t want them to see. Pause and ponder. Look up and wonder. Gaze into the eyes of a child, and remember what matters most.

There is a host of generations quickly coming behind us. What will we leave them? What will we say? Will we win them, or will we toss them away, believing they weren’t worthy of our cause? Those stepping forward will come with or without us. They will keep marching forward. Time does not stop simply because we wish it to. If we refuse to lead them, someone else will, and then, we will weep.

It is our choosing. It is within our grasp; yet, it is just like a lifeline thrown to the drowning. If we don’t take hold, the rescue can be lost, and death will eventually come. We must decide who, when, how, and we must do it quickly. If we turn away, they will keep advancing with their drum beat deafening our ears. We may be able to hold the line, or we may just be trampled under their feet.

Penned – 8/25/15 – MG