character

Friday Fun Day

/ The WheatandTares / 6 Comments

This isn’t a great picture, but I wanted to post it, because it was such a fun and funny moment.

For this man right here, this week has been full of real estate talks and land sales (and hold ups), attorney convos, assisting of various church organizing and leading (in other cities), office move preparations and oversight of room renovations, combined with parental directions for a soon to be college student who is being presented with some big opportunities, and just the normal day-to-day stuff as well.

Needless to say, my husband has had a full week, and it’s not even Friday yet.

But today, as there were renovations and closet clean outs going on in our gym, he sat down in a rolling chair, stuck a sombrero on his hat and carried on a funny conversation with our Hispanic campus pastor.

Once off that call, he proceeded to roll around in the room, “racing” one of our college students through a maze of tables that were being set up for an event tomorrow night.

Then, as we left the building, he flirted with me all the way out the door and carried the folders with which I was weighted down and transported them over to my truck; so, I didn’t drop the pile as I tried to run for cover in the threatening rain.

All of this fun was in the midst of all the busyness, all the potential chaos and all the business that had to be done.

He’s my hero. ❤️

For many, many reasons, but especially today because he reminded me to dance in the rain.

He reminded me that regardless of the workload, it’s important to just take a moment to breathe.

He reminded me, in the middle of what could make a man be totally frustrated, angry or even bedraggled, he always chooses to laugh.

Thank you, my love, for setting me up to have an amazing Friday Fun Day! ❤️

Whimsical Wednesday… forgotten till Thursday

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

If you are a “faithful reader” here at the Grizzle Grist, my sincerest apologies to you, and my deepest thanks for putting up with my neglect over the past two weeks! Between traveling to Ukraine for 12 days, a bit of jetlag, and the mounds of emails and just everyday catch-up that’s needed right now, I kind of feel like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. 🙄🤦‍♀️😂

I have restaurants to review for Tuesday’s Treats and thoughts for Whimsical Wednesdays and adventures for Friday Fun Days, and I’ve just got to take the time to sit down and write! Isn’t that the difficulty of every “well intended, self initiated writer?” Lol.

Well, I’m working on it. So, I just wanted to say, “Thanks for you patience and for not giving up on me!”😉 You’re amazing! 💕

Btw, I know yesterday was Wednesday; so, let me share this thought with you! Since I was a freshman in college, I’ve had this hero who is an amazing speaker, preacher and teacher. Well, now all of a sudden, he’s at our church, speaking to our congregation, and I am having direct conversations with him, like just common, comfortable, “How’s it going today?” kind of convos. It almost seems surreal; yet, he’s so humble, that he doesn’t appreciate the “fan club” type status; so, I definitely try to interact “normal.” 😂

I really began getting nervous yesterday, because I had to speak during the offering time, right before he spoke. 😳 Then, I had to remind myself, “He’s only human, too. God has appointed this time and purpose in the journey of my life, just walk in it and watch His blessings flow. It’s all about HIM anyway!”

Have you ever experienced something like that? Who’s your heroes and have you ever been able to speak to them in person, or has it only been by fan mail or signing autographs? How do you deal with “out of the norm/beyond your comfort zone kind” of moments in life?

Whimsical Wednesday

/ The WheatandTares

Are you strong and fierce?

Are you courageous and bold?

Does your roar reach the heavens?

Do the “animals” around you tremble at your nearing?

Or have you become just a legend?

Just a moment in time, wrapped in stone.

The stories of greatness wrapped up in your past, but somewhere along the way, you became lost and undone.

Start again in this new 2020.

Refresh your mind.

Renew your spirit.

Roar again.

…Just a thought for your Whimsical Wednesday…

Sometimes, You Can See It

/ The WheatandTares / 9 Comments

As a parent of two older teen sons, there are often times, I wonder if we’ve raised them right.

When their attitudes are stinky, and their relationships are floundering. When they’d rather threaten to “punch you in the face” to show brotherly love than express a kind word. When they’d rather goof off and smart off than do what they’re told and help out around the house.

As a parent, you work real hard to train up your children in the way they should go. You work real hard, constantly hoping your words are matching your own deeds, and somehow, that example is being seen by the tiny feet (now big feet) that follow.

As a parent, you spend long hours teaching the hard lessons, conveying life truths and praying, “Dear Lord, help this child to hear and understand what I’m trying to tell him.”

As a parent, you’re continually pleading with God to protect, guide and help, give grace, and most importantly, to love and help them to realize just how much.

And you wonder…

Are they getting it?

Will they hear it?

Much more, will they believe, receive and repeat it?

Then, in one brief moment, one twinkling of an eye, you get a glimpse…

You and your sons are sitting in a restaurant, awaiting your food, and an elderly couple pulls up in the rain. The husband is bent over in stature, trying desperately to help his wife, who is just as feeble, to get to the door and out of the downpour.

All of this has been in your peripheral vision, not completely cognizant of the events, until at the same split second, you hear your 18 year old’s chair loudly scrape the floor, and by the time you turn to see him, he’s already at the door.

He proceeds to hold the door, take the lady’s hand from her husband (so he can go park the car that’s been running on the curb) and he proceeds to walk the little lady to her table and make sure she’s alright.

Wow. He’s gonna be okay. Not just ok, he’s already become an amazing young man, and I just got to see the proof of it.

This momma’s heart is full. ❤️

Friday Fun Day

/ The WheatandTares

Sometimes, you have to choose to dance in the rain.

Life isn’t going to always be what you want.

Circumstances aren’t always going to be what you like.

These things may laugh and mock at you while you faulted and flop.

What you choose in that moment will often determine your destiny.

Choose life. Choose joy. Choose peace.

Choose love over hate.

Choose truth over lies.

Choose a smile. Choose fun.

These things might not change your event, but they will change your perspective.

They will change your heart.

They will change your mind and your eyes.

Fund Days are happenstance.

Sometimes, you stand to make it happen.

Whimsical Wednesday

/ The WheatandTares

Maybe it’s a bit colder than you’d like

Maybe it has a bit more rain

Don’t let the wind hold you back

Never let the wet lead you to lack

A brighter day is just around the corner

A shinier future is just around the bend

If life feels a mite disappointing right now

Just step back and blink; you might just say, “Wow!”

Penned – MG – 11/12/19

My Hearts Weeps No More

/ The WheatandTares

You converse with me

But no one is standing there.

You laugh and tell me the stories

But no one is smiling.

You rewrite the history to fit your look

But no one hears the news.

You embrace my form and shed a tear

But no one sees your charades.

You reach once more for my hand

But my heart weeps no more.

Penned – MG – 10/21/19

Friday Fun Day

/ The WheatandTares

Sometimes, you just need a bath…

Wash away the muck and mire of life’s journey. Purify. Purge. Expunge.

Blot out the ugly and the waste of living experiences. Scour. Sanitize. Refine.

Wipe off and polish up for a new beginning.

Fridays are a good day to accomplish a good cleansing. It’s the end of the work week, right before the free weekend.

Great time to make anew.

How ’bout it? Are you ready to let it all go?

Press On

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

(UPDATE: For those who tried to read this early today…it sure does help when the picture is readable, huh? *insert eye roll! Sorry about that!!)

I saw this quote the other day, and I just loved it! It says so much!

In life, there are always going to be trials, challenges, and hurdles that we must overcome. If we come to the obstacle in the road, and never go over it, around it, or through it, then, we simply will never grow. If we constantly back away because of fear, intimidation or even laziness, we will never become who we were meant to be.

It doesn’t mean it will be an easy journey. Growing is hard. Changing is difficult. Sometimes, breaking an old habit or making a new one might feel as if it’s going to break us before we “break” it!

However, if you can persevere, if you can push through the hard, the victory will be unbelievable! The success will feel far better than the defeat! So, whatever you are facing today, press through.

Don’t give up! Don’t back down! Don’t turn around! Keep going, and I promise you, when that goal is achieved, you will breathe a sigh of relief, and the victory dance will be so sweet!

The flower is ever changing, growing, pushing through to be more, and when it has broken through the ground, and the bloom has burst forth, it’s beauty is there for all to see. What is more, the fragrance will fill the space and even change the atmosphere.

Press on.

Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Yeah, You be YOU!

/ The WheatandTares

There’s not a lot I need to add to that. You be you, because God didn’t make you to be someone else! If He wanted us to all be the same, He would have created us as clones with no individuality and no difference of personalities, and definitely no difference of backgrounds, families or even race. Yet, here we are, and not one of us is the same!

So, why do we have such a growing consensus that demands everyone to think, speak and act the same? STOP IT! Let us all demand individuality instead of demanding conformity. Let us all expect uniqueness of those we encounter in this world instead of uniformity.

If we will refuse the cultural agenda to make us all identical robotic minions, we can turn the tide back to originality.

Be original. Be unique. Be like no other.

You be You!