Small Things

Keep it Low

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

I’ve heard people brag about all their achievements and success.

I’ve watched as they receive the awards, the accolades and applause.

And there have been tiny moments when I want to raise my feathers higher and proclaim.

And then, I take a step back and remember to wait for the ovation.

I remember to pause and let someone else sing my praise.

It’s so much better when the cheers come from another’s lips rather than your own.

It’s so much more rewarding when the hand claps come from the crowd rather than your own hand to your back.

Especially, when your enemies get to hear it loud and clear.

So, keep on keepin’ on.

Stay the course.

Finish the race.

And run it well.

When it’s a worthy cause, and you’re a well placed runner,

Your praise will arise.

And you won’t have to say a thing.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:30-31

Saying Goodbye

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Saying goodbye is never easy.

It doesn’t matter if it’s to a human or to a pet.

Honestly, some would disagree, but I’d have to say the goodbyes to our pets aren’t half as difficult as saying goodbye to our closest family members.

But truly, I do understand if you’d like to argue that point because they are like family, too.

Yet, I’m not prepared today to argue.

I’m not ready today to put up a fight, even in jest.

My heart is broken as I say goodbye.

Our little friend was a good and gentle creature.

He was the most docile cat I’d ever met in my life.

And our son had practically taught him to be a dog. (Lol)

Every time you’d come home, he’d be there to greet you, and as soon as you stepped on the walkway, he’d plop over to get a belly rub.

He was quite the character, meowing in protest if you left him out too long or maybe didn’t get him in before the rain.

He was like an old man on cold, misty days, not wanting to get up and go beyond his warm bed.

He was like a small child, ready to come to you, yet skittish if your boots were too loud or had rustling papers in hand when you reached to pet him.

I felt almost silly crying over a cat this morning, but goodbyes are never easy, no matter who you are.

And I do believe his brother will miss him, too…

To everything there is a season, time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Merry Christmas to You in 2022!

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

No matter where you are or where you’ve come from,

No matter your lifestyle, your home life, or your family dynamics,

No matter your persuasion, your religion or your traditions,

We pray you have a very blessed and Merry Christmas!

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:13-14

Merry Christmas Eve!

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

Spread some holiday cheer today and enjoy a smile and friendly greeting!

Savor the hugs and laughter and all the happy feelings of the meeting!

Settle in for a peaceful sleep, snuggle deep into your bed.

And drift off to dreamland tonight with sugar plums and sweet delights dancing in your head.

Merry Christmas Eve to all!

Praying blessings and joy come to call!

…for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10

What Do We See and Who Do We Seek?

/ The WheatandTares

Today’s been one of my reading days…

I’ve been catching up on articles that have surprised, challenged or even overwhelmed my thoughts on normality and what “being good” is all about… no, I don’t look at life through sheltered eyes, and sin really doesn’t “surprise” me.

Yet, what overwhelms my heart is the truth of Scripture that tells us (paraphrased), “The fields are white with harvest, but the laborers are few.” …and they are SO few. We are so burdened with the cares of this world, I’m not sure how many lost we actually see in our day-to-day, and if we do see them, do we just keep on walking by trying not to offend?

What boggles my mind is the rampant demand in our culture to call good evil and evil good. There is a new “common norm” that is flowing like a rushing River. All those opposed to it are hailed as evil, trying to build a dam to stop the flow, and some in that parade even give the confusing claims to Christ while shouting everything He hates is good and everything He loves must be from hell itself. Others stand on the wall of the dam screaming at the water, describing all the nastiness in the liquid but never giving it hope to see that the dam isn’t there for its detriment but rather for it’s transformation to something better.

What challenges my soul is how I can reach out in love AND truth to share His story, even if it might be just one life at a time. How can we create a culture that loves God, hates sin, seeks His perfection while compassionately love the imperfect-ed around us?

Can’t it start with just one? Doesn’t it start with me and you turning our accusing fingers back at our own hearts and kneeling at the foot of a bloody cross and repenting?

Oh God, help us to have eyes that SEE the lost. Help us to have a heart to CARE that they’re lost, and help us to have the courage to SPEAK Your Truth! Your children have been silent for far too long…

“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 will I hear from heaven , and I will forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

Merry Christmas to you!

/ The WheatandTares / 33 Comments

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:8-14

Happy Thanksgiving!

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

No matter how you slice your Turkey this year, we are wishing you a very delightful and joy filled

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! 🍁🦃🍽🍁

Whimsical Wednesday

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UPDATE: this was set to post before I realized what date it was scheduled (9/11). Rescheduling to a Wednesday that might feel a little more whimsical…

Maybe just a note (or two) of love today…💗

Friday Fun Day

/ The WheatandTares / 7 Comments

What’s your Friday like? Is it a crazy day chaos leading into the weekend? Is it a mundane day of grind, constantly watching the clock for that 5:00 hour? Is it a dreaded day of misery, as everything must be done in such a way, and by such a time, only to wait in misery on the highway to final reach your destination hours and hours later?

Or maybe you have the day off today? Is it an unusual treat for you, or maybe you have a normal four day week? For me, as a stay at home mom, and we have our kids in a hybrid homeschool, today is usually an off day. Our oldest goes to work for the day, and our youngest has studied to complete.

Yet, today isn’t quite an off day; it’s found a bit of dread in it. Today, I have to do what hundreds (maybe thousands) of women hate to do. I have to go get an exam. Thankfully, it’s thermography rather than the other dreaded procedure, but still, not a joyous adventure for me. 😳 The joys of being a girl, I suppose. We will just make the best of it…

Well, let’s get this over with. Happy Friday, and everyone! 😉

What is your Friday going to be like today?

Satisfaction in the Small Things

/ The WheatandTares / 10 Comments

It’s so funny, but this little thing I did today brought such great satisfaction in a moment. Two years ago, I had bought one of those bulk packs of pens at Costco, and over time, the pens run out of ink, one by one. I kept them all in a drawer, as they are refillable. I just didn’t get the refills, because this was a bulk pack of 20; so, I had plenty of ready replacements.

As it probably happens for many, after loaning pens out, or having a pen in every notebook and journal you use regularly, that pack of 20 started to dwindle, and I kept seeing the pile grow in the drawer, knowing I needed to get the refills. Yet, I would remember at such inopportune times that I never made the order.

So this week, I finally bit the bullet and order the pack of refills. Tonight, I refilled all the empty pens in the drawer. It was quite a feeling of satisfaction knowing I have pens ready and waiting once again. Yeah, I guess, I’m a bit quirky like that. 😂

I’m curious to know. What’s some little thing that brings you a sense of satisfaction?