A Wood In Progress

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

When wood is raw and freshly cut, it is still rough and splinter-prone. If you rub your hand across it, you may pull away filled with a little pain from a piece of wood merging with your tender fingers. It is hard to grasp and difficult to display, but it can be used for very practical things, such as saw horses, firewood and boarding up holes or drafty windows.

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To be a bit more useful, a woodsman will begin to sand that raw wood. (Sanding, Planing and Scraping are all methods of smoothing wood. Each depends on the type of wood and the desired results from the smoothing. For simplicity, I will only refer to sanding.) The first sandpaper applied is very coarse, and it will shave away much of the roughness and splinted wood.  As the plank become smoother, more refined pieces of sandpaper are used to cause more and more fine-tuned sanding. Once, the piece is smoothed to the creator’s liking, he or she will run his hands over the fine, smooth piece of wood.

In the final stages of refining, the carpenter might even smooth the wood with cloths or apply a varnish, fiberglass or stain to finish the handiwork. He may create shelves, cabinets, tables, chairs, or even doors and window frames. In the end, a beautiful work of art is presented for daily use or display.

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This is how our Heavenly Father prepares us as well. When we are first saved, our approach to Christianity, life and even each other can be so rough that, if we aren’t careful, we might leave “splinters” in the lives of those around us. God has to smooth out those rough places. He has to apply pressure, allow challenges and even trials to come to “sand away” those splintery spots. In the end, He creates a beautiful work of art within our lives that might be used by His might hand to bring impact into the lives of someone else.Sometimes, the method might seem strenuous, tedious and even unrelenting, but just trust, He will finish what He has started. Never give up through the process, and when He is finished, know you will never be the same. It will be worth it!

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Love Me Challenge #3

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Oops, So sorry for a delayed post! This is yesterday’s, and today’s will be post d at 11:00 am today. 😉


There is a “name game” we play, often, in settings with new people. You introduce yourself by using an adjective before your name, one that starts with the same letter as your name, to help people remember your name. I almost always use “Mindful Mia.” I would say that describes me a lot. 

I am, probably, too mindful at times. 😂Haha. I am always thinking of my family, our church, what’s going on with others, what’s going on with me, what’s next, what do I need to plan, etc. If you’re not much of a planner and wish to be, you might can think that’s a good thing, but I can tell you, it’s not always. I have had to really get in a routine of “turning down the volume” in my head; so, I can clearly hear the most important voice, God’s. Well, that’s another post for another day which you can go read about. 😉

Yes, I would have to say the one word  that describes me the most would be “mindful,” and even though, it can get me into trouble if/when I allow my strength to become my weakness, I wouldn’t change this aspect of myself. For, I know this is the way God created me, and in the good, the bad, and the ugly of it, He is still God if/when I allow Him to be. If I can help it, I will always work to allow Him to be God of my mindfulness; so, He can get all the glory from my life! 😊

Friday’s Friends #1

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

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Hello there! It is Friday, and that means it is time for our very first Friday’s Friends event. As I shared last week, each Friday I will be sharing about at least one new blog in the blogging community. I will try to share more than one, and I will also try to share those blogs who not only have been an inspiration to me, but who also might be rather new to the blogosphere. Now, they won’t always be new, and they won’t always have a smaller number of followers, because some I would like to share simply because they are great blogs. So, if you will give me the liberty, I would like to share with you my first choice.

I picked It Is Still Real because she has been such an encouragement to me on my blog, as well as, she was the first to reply to my “big announcement” about today. I thought since she took the time to send a word of encouragement, I could take the time to notice her first! 😉

Emissary has a wonderful blog all about encouraging the readers and diving into the Word of God. I love her post from the other day, and her cat is absolutely adorable! I do hope you will check it out, and I do hope you will enjoy “meeting” her. 🙂

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Choose Your Weapons Wisely

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments
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Monday I posted about winning the battle against the enemy, but it made me wonder…Sometimes, I wonder if we, as Christians, give the right answers to those who feel like they are losing the battle of life. I mean, to the common reader on this site, what does this mean, “winning the battle”…”we’ve been given the weaponry”…”pick up your sword of the Spirit and your shield of faith?” I know for those of us who have grown up around church and the things of church and Christianity, these words might be a common vernacular; however, for others, these might make as much sense as a foreign language.

So, today, I’d like to share a little of what I have come to know. I want to share a little of my story, what He means to me, and how I have learned to fight and stand tall in this fight of faith. I hope it will help you, whomever you are, and I pray you will be encouraged to seek more of Him to find the truth and love that I have found.

TRUTHS:

Life can be hard sometimes, and being Christlike doesn’t necessarily change that.

Being a Christian does not cause our lives to be perfect.

Loving God does not make all bad stuff go away, never to effect us.

Relying on Him doesn’t mean we won’t have doubts and fears.

Trusting in Christ takes just an ounce of faith and a whole lot of surrendering of our will.

Once you decide to trust, He makes up the difference between our ability and lack of faith.

Our Christianity isn’t based on good feelings, happiness or getting what we want.

He has given us promises on which to stand and build up our faith.

His promises are true, steadfast, uncompromising and unchanging.

He is a God who is full of unconditional love, unwavering mercy and unrelenting faith.

He is a God who is forever reaching to us and eternally seeking to draw us back to Himself.

I could quote Scripture after Scripture of who He is and what He is about. I could recite verse after verse of His goodness, His promises and His commands; however, unless, you actually develop a relationship with Him my words won’t make much of a difference for you. Until you come to know Him, truly know Him, as your Savior and your King, as your Refuge and your High Tower, and as your Prince of Peace, what I have to say will not really make an impact on your heart and mind.

Oh, but if you can just have a moment with Him. If you can call on His Name just once, and grasp even a glimpse of the love that He has for you, I promise you, you will be forever changed. All I can tell you is just try Him. Reach out to Him. Call on His Name, and see what He might do.

 

 

Love Me Challenge #2

/ The WheatandTares

Oops, So sorry for a delayed post! This is yesterday’s, and today’s will be post d at 11:00 am today. 😉


There is a “name game” we play, often, in settings with new people. You introduce yourself by using an adjective before your name, one that starts with the same letter as your name, to help people remember your name. I almost always use “Mindful Mia.” I would say that describes me a lot.

I am, probably, too mindful at times. 😂Haha. I am always thinking of my family, our church, what’s going on with others, what’s going on with me, what’s next, what do I need to plan, etc. If you’re not much of a planner and wish to be, you might can think that’s a good thing, but I can tell you, it’s not always. I have had to really get in a routine of “turning down the volume” in my head; so, I can clearly hear the most important voice, God’s. Well, that’s another post for another day which you can go read about. 😉

Yes, I would have to say the one word  that describes me the most would be “mindful,” and even though, it can get me into trouble if/when I allow my strength to become my weakness, I wouldn’t change this aspect of myself. For, I know this is the way God created me, and in the good, the bad, and the ugly of it, He is still God if/when I allow Him to be. If I can help it, I will always work to allow Him to be God of my mindfulness; so, He can get all the glory from my life! 😊

Love Me Challenge #1

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

I saw this pic a very long time ago and saved it as a draft here on the blog. With today being February 1, I thought I’d share it and encourage us all to take the #LoveMe Challenge. Learning to love ourselves can be the first step to learning to truthfully and authentically loving others…

 

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#1 – Why are you doing #loveme challenge?

It will be fun. It might encourage others to join in. It might be an encouragement and a moment to share love and kindness with another…

 

Tuesday’s Treats #53

/ The WheatandTares

Rocco’s Pub

Location: Jasper, Ga.

 This burger joint is located in the little town of Jasper, Georgia. They have great burgers and chili. Amazingly, they also have a choice of bison and elk burgers. My husband and boys had one of these, and they loved them! I had the regular bacon cheese burger, and it was good. Shoestring fries come with your order, but for $1.00 more, you can choose from steak fries, onion rings, Tator tots, veggies and sweet potato fries (complete with marshmallow creme). We ordered all except the steak fries and veggies. The marshmallow creme was a big hit with the boys! My husband also ordered a cup of the chili, and it was incredible. The sweet tea is good ol’ southern sweet tea, and the cherry Cokes are made perfect with grenadine. 

We ordered the hot apple pie ala mode for dessert. The flavor was really good; however, the crust could have been a little crispier…it almost made me wonder if, maybe, it was made yesterday and reheated today. Evenso, I’d probably order it again hoping it might be a little better, because the taste was really good.

The atmosphere of the place is really cool. I wish I’d taken a pic of the inside; so, you could see it. They also have a large outdoor covered pavilion dining area, and apparently, they have live music karaoke  frequently.

Please note: if you order bison/elk burgers, an appetizer and a dessert, along with drinks, for a party of four, your ticket may be a little more than what you’re used to paying. It’s great food, and we will definitely be back, I just thought I’d make you aware of the pricing; so, you’re not surprised by your ticket total as I was. Of course, I’ve included a pic of the menu; so, you can take a peak at it. 😉

Here is the website, too. 😊

 

Like a Lion

/ The WheatandTares
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Too often, as Christians, we allow the enemy of our soul to defeat us, because we forget the promises we have been given. Too often, we lie down in the muck and mire of our lives and allow our circumstances to overwhelm us to the point of suffocation. We lay down our weapons, and we back away from our destiny, because the way seems too long and the fight appears too hard. We read the Scripture that the enemy is like a lion looking to devour us and we believe it, forgetting the rest of the verse that tells us to “resist him, standing firm in the faith!”

We have been given the weaponry to defeat what comes against us! We are not meant to be wimpy, noodle-spined children of God. We are children of a risen KING! We are destined to win this thing, not because we are so strong nor because we are able to be perfect. We are destined to win, because HE HAS ALREADY WON the victory! The Book has already been written. The end has already been determined!

All we have to do is stand firm in His Word. Ephesians 6:13-14 reminds us, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore…” So, if you are feeling weary today, be encouraged! Take up your sword of the Spirit and your shield faith one more time and slay that giant before you. God is with you, and with Him, you cannot fail!

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How’s That Breath of Yours?

/ The WheatandTares

 

Have you ever been talking to someone, and you feel like holding your breath, because theirs is so overpowering? Have you ever tried to keep your composure while the person speaking to you is breathing an aura of STANK all around your head? Oh! It can be downright suffocating, can’t it? You just want to put a clothespin over your nose, a mask over your face, or even just hand a piece of gum to the person as a great big sign that says, “Please! Go brush your teeth!”

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Did you know, HOW we talk can provide this same type of atmosphere? Our words can create an air of pleasantry or putrid disgust around the person to whom we are speaking. It is all in what we talk about. If our talk is of positive things, the atmosphere we create will be like a breath of fresh air, a mint filled aroma or even bubble gum popping fun. However, if our conversation is filled with negativity, gossip or the tearing down of another, it can be as if we just bit into an onion, forgot to floss for a year or even had a mouth full of rotten garbage. Nobody wants to smell that mess!

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Let our words be pleasant. Let our speech be charming and cheerful. Let our conversations fill the air with a beautiful aroma, one of which everyone will desire to be a part. There’s actually some truth in momma’s old adage, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!” 😉

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Friday’s New (event): Big Announcement!

/ The WheatandTares / 7 Comments

Well, we said goodbye to Friday’s New Angle a few weeks ago, and I’ve been thinking about a new weekly event we could do on Fridays to bring a fun and fresh outlook… My apologies for the delay. I had planned to announce last Friday, but I was still deliberating in my mind what to do. 🙄

Now, I have decided, and I do hope you’ll like it and join in to become a part! Starting next Friday, just as I hosted 100 New Angles over the past (almost) 2 years, I will now host “Friday’s Friends.” 

On Friday of each week, I will provide a link for a blogging “friend” I have found to be interesting, intriguing, or simply inviting. I will share with you what I have found and why I’ve chosen him or her. I may post more than one on a given Friday day, but it will be at the very least, one. 

I hope this will bring some excitement, commonality and community within these pages, and I do hope YOU, the readers, will chime in from time to time. I would love to hear from you, hear who is one of your favorite bloggers, and maybe even feature one of you in my weekly finds! 😊 If the requests grow rapidly, I may not always be able to get to all, but if you will give me the liberty, I will share all those I am able. 

Looking forward to launching this “friendliness” this time next week! Hope you will join me! 😉