destiny

What a Funny Question

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Do you practice religion?

What a funny and revealing question to ask if someone practices religion. But maybe that’s a normal activity outside my little corner of the world.

Practicing a religion creates an image of rituals, traditions and an adherence to a law or laws that has not relationship, no interaction, no love for real persons. Practicing a religion makes me think of practicing for a sport, an activity, or an upcoming event but never allowing that given circumstance to become a part of you. Because practicing for something is very different than embracing something, becoming something, and allowing that something to become a part of you.

When something is a part of your life, and you embrace it for all it is, it becomes who you are. You don’t simply practice a ritual, but you live a lifestyle. You don’t simply follow a tradition, you know it like the back of your hand. You don’t simply obey a law of the religion because you’re told to do so, but rather you surrender because there’s a higher purpose for the obedience than just the obedience.

So, to answer the question directly, “Do (you) practice religion?” I guess, I’d have to answer in complexity and simplicity, all at the same time.

You see, I’ve fallen in love with a man named Jesus, who is both God and man. I have a relationship with Him. I have embraced His ways as my own, and although, I may fall and don’t get it quite right at times, I keep striving to seek His ways and follow them for the betterment of my life.

Some people might call me religious because I do somethings that are considered traditional, like prayer, church attendance, and paying my tithes. And I do somethings that some would believe to be ritualistic like following certain words of wisdom, listening to preachers, or even things I won’t indulge in.

But I’d have to disagree. Because it’s not about a religion, and it’s not about a tradition; although, those things are attached to the reality of it, I suppose.

It’s all about a relationship with a Savior who has completely changed my life and the trajectory thereof.

It’s all about His knowing every tiny intricate detail of me, my emotions, my thoughts, my being and my beliefs, and He still loves me. It’s all about His knowing me, loving me, and long me enough to never leave me the same.

He invites me into a personal relationship with Him, and my mind cannot even fathom everything about Him. And in exchange for my surrendering my will and ways for His, He gives me eternal life and the promise of heaven that is more beautiful than anything ever imaginable.

He’s amazing.

And I’d encourage all who read this to check Him out for yourself…

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

What’s Your Angle?

/ The WheatandTares
How do you like that? Even little Judy there's got an angle going.
(This is a small video clip. Just click to hear sound.😉)

This little clip from White Christmas is so revealing for many of us. If you live your life a skeptic or a bit of an “investigator,” this phrase makes perfect sense, because you already search for the angle in every person you meet. If you live your life as an ostrich or a small child, you may not comprehend it because you don’t look past the simple words someone uses or you completely ignore innuendos as a self preservation technique.

Either approach you take in life, many times, we ourselves as well as others have an angle for what we say and do. We may be protecting ourselves from further pain, or we may be in attack mode and looking for every opportunity to fight. But we all approach life with an Angel or looking for someone else’s.

So, what do we do about that? Do we live out everyday angry, reading into, and often misreading the other person’s responses, continually in strife for every hour of the day? Or do we turn a blind eye to every whim and wind coming from the direction of a person and just ignore any possibility of malice, believing as if we live in a Pollyanna World where we are all innocent and nothing could ever be evil or vile?

I say NO to both these extremes. I say Get your trauma healed; so, you can live effectively in this world and go out and help another. I say Get your head out of the sand; grow up, and realize there is evil all around, but we get to choose to what we listen, to whom we interact, and to how we react.

If we live out lives by choices than we take responsibility, recognize failures and celebrate successes. Stop being a victim! And stop being an antagonist! There’s a better life out there for all of us!

There is wisdom in reading, gaining knowledge and asking good questions to help yourself heal. There is wisdom in gathering around ing good people who look out for you, defend you and protect you. There is wisdom in submitting yourself to a process of growth, to a challenge of change and to a hierarchy of those who will look at you and say, “You’re reacting with an angle. Stop it.”

So, get honest with YOU. Fo some deep soul searching today. Figure out your angle and why it’s there. And go get you some accountability to make yourself better than you are today.

Or not. And continue to live your life in the mud hole of brokenness, angst, confusion and failure.

It’s your choice. 😉

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

Choices for 2024

/ The WheatandTares

I read somewhere today this statement, and it’s such a great way to start the new year.

(Yeah, I know we’re 11 days in. I’ve been traveling, but I’m back! 🤣)

The statement was this:

Read this today, and it’s worth repeating:
“You can either have a good life inspite of —— (the issue), or you can have a bad life because of —— (the issue). You choose.”

And there is more truth in these two sentences than I could possibly expound upon! Choices make who we are. Choices create who we become.

We are not victims. We are not helpless. We have a choice, and we need to start choosing, or we give the power to someone else.

Our society has become a victim mentality of “It’s your fault. It’s mama’s fault. It’s daddy’s fault I’ve become who I am. I just can’t help myself, and it’s someone else’s job to fix me and my situation!”

WHY??

Why should someone else fix you?

Why should someone else fix your circumstances?

You’ve got a brain. You’ve got legs. You’ve got abilities. If nothing else, your lungs are still breathing, and your heart is still beating. You’re not dead yet.

So, get up. Get moving. And make a change.

You might have to fight and claw your way out, but you can do this!! You can make it!!

Now, if you’ve stayed with me this far and read this much, I can assure you, there may be some who are offended. Some who cannot believe what I’m saying because after all, I don’t know you, and I don’t know your situation.

You’re right. I don’t know you. I don’t know your situation. And I don’t know you’re trauma or history. But I don’t have to.

I know my own. And I know my God. And that’s enough.

I have a family history full of sorrow, agony and pain. There was enough dysfunction in some places to write a book.

But the past is the past, and we must choose if we will remain in the mud and wallow in it, throwing it upon everyone who walks by to help us. Or do we climb out of that mud hole, by our fingernails, if we have to, and let change come?

It’s time to get out of the hole.

If you need help, then ask. If you need counseling, then find someone who will actually help. Don’t stay in a psychotherapy maze, where they take your money, and nothing ever changes. Find someone who has an endgame lined up for you. Find someone who cares enough to help you get better not just settling for status quo.

Move beyond that past and learn to forgive.

I know. That’s a trigger word. Why should you forgive when they’ve done the wrong?

Forgive because you deserve better. Forgive because it frees you not them. Forgive because that’s only way you can move forward and be strong.

And forgiveness doesn’t always mean reconciliation. Forgiveness doesn’t mean to walk back into the fire you escaped. Forgiveness doesn’t mean to step back into the arena where you were abused to return to the hell you got out of.

Forgiveness only means you take away their power to wound you again. Forgiveness means you remove their authority to bring harm.

So forgive today.

Choose life today.

And for goodness sake, choose to LIVE!!


I personally, I choose LIFE! I choose to LIVE! And I choose JESUS!! Because He’s the only One who gives goodness, joy, peace, redemption, faith and hope! … ie. the good life! ❤️

So for this new year of 2024, what are you choosing??

And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it moreabundantly.

John 10:10

#speakoutspeakloudspeaklife

January is Coming

/ The WheatandTares

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you a very happy New Year’s!

With Nee Year’s comes new year resolutions, reservations for new school vents and sometimes even “revolutions” to start a new thing and accomplish it with fire!

But then, after only a few months, we often see so many temporarily quit, back up or walk away altogether from their declarations. Why?

More often than not, it’s because a great proclamation can’t change the heart.

If you too closely resemble the world you are wanting to change, it will be harder for you to being about change.

If you never implement accountability, you’ll never have a foundation for truth and honestly.

If you never truly come out a be separate from that thing you are leaving, how do you ever believe you can truly transform?

So, as the new year quickly approached, let’s do some reflecting. Let’s go some pondering.

But most of all, let’s do some deep soul searching to find the true depth of the change we want and so desperately need.

And then, let’s step out of the comfort zones. Let’s rip through the veils of secrecy.

And let’s shine the light of absolute truth and stand apart from what was to become what can and will be.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..

1 Peter 2:9

For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:2

Turn Back

/ The WheatandTares

C. S. Lewis has such a way with words. We work so hard to move forward, make progress, never wanting to pause the success and forward motion of our journey.

Yet, sometimes, a good pause is warranted.

Sometimes, an about face turn is in desperate need.

For if we continue to advance, never changing course when the path is in error, we will end our journey devastatingly off course.

So, if you find yourself on the wrong track today, if you recognize this is not the destination for which you first set out, have no shame, have no fear.

Make haste. Do a 180 immediately.

And return to the one degree you missed way back beyond.

It’s never too late.

Unless of course, you stubbornly proceed until you have no more breath.

Now, therefore,” says the Lord,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.

Joel 2:12-13

How Big is Your Dream?

/ The WheatandTares

Are you dreaming small or dreaming tall?

What you dream of, you’ll shoot for.

What you reminisce, you’ll reach toward.

What you chase after, you’ll find in one form or another.

So, be careful what you wish for.

Dreams can become reality if only given moment to live.

You’ll either fan the flame or squelch the embers.

The choose is yours.

And today is the telling hour.

What is your dream?

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Mark 9:23-24

Faith Over Fear

/ The WheatandTares

That’s really easier said than done, isn’t it?

Faith over Fear

It’s such a cliche, such a catchy phrase.

It just rolls off your tongue like so much psychobabble.

But what about when you’re standing in the edge of a cliff, and it’s either jump or fall?

What about when you’re hanging on the side of the boat, and it’s either swim or drown?

What about when you’re climbing the side of that mountain, and it’s either step or stumble?

What about then? How easy to do those words come?

What about the moment your spouse wavers?

What about the moment your child is impaired?

What about the moment you falter and fail?

What about these moments of truth?

Where is your faith now?

Faith over Fear is not be the fairyland you once believe.

Faith over Fear is not the jingle jangle of the faint of heart.

Faith over Fear is the moment truth is revealed for all to see.

What will your vision be?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

What are You Seeking?

/ The WheatandTares

Some seek religions.

Some seek fortune and fame.

Some seek education and intellectualism.

Some seek philosophy and a higher power.

What are you seeking?

What you seek, you will find, when you seek it with all your heart.

What you seek, you will find, when you seek it with no bounds.

If it’s religion, you’ll find tradition and law.

If it’s fame and fortune, you’ll find self gratification and temporary pleasures.

If it’s academics, you’ll find knowledge and affluence.

If it’s philosophy, you’ll find a wisdom and deeper meanings.

Yet, in all of these things, you will still find an emptiness, a void, a vast domain within your soul that cannot be filled.

But if you’ll seek a relationship with the One who created it all,

You will be filled.

…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 4:13-14

Speak to Be Understood

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

The English language is so prevalent across the globe, and yet, so many people do not understand each other.

Spoken by 1.452 billion people, I’d say it’s the most popular language in the world. Mandarin Chinese does come in a close second; however, I’d argue that this isn’t for it’s prevalence but rather it’s dense population of people groups in China, Taiwan and Singapore.

But the English language can be just as confusing as a foreign language, even among those who grew up speaking it and conversing with it.

I believe this is for the simple fact that the English language has more lingos, innuendos, and implications than any other language on the planet.

As in the picture I’ve posted, even the spelling and pronunciation of certain words can be confounding.

But if we want to be heard, we must speak to be understood.

Yelling and screaming only reduce to chaos.

Hatred and angry words only reduce to lunacy.

Lies and manipulation only reduce to thievery and destruction.

What are your words saying today?

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

The Greatest of These…

/ The WheatandTares

What principles define how you live?

Principles to live by… well, that can be a long list, I guess. But to sum it all up, I suppose the principle that all the rest would fall under would be a principle of love. Yet, if I start describing this in detail, it might look a little different than the societal demand for love these days.

In our current culture, there seems to be a demand to show love by accepting a certain opinion as truth. Or the demand might be that if I disagree with you, then, I’m not showing love but hatred.

Or if I’m not giving you what you want, then I’m not showing love. Or maybe if I’m not giving up something I want, or maybe I’m not suffering in a certain way, then I’m not showing the kind of love I’m supposed to be showing.

Pure, unadulterated love is sacrificial, gracious, and compassionate; yet, it is also full of truth, strength and courage.

True, unblemished love is is not one of these without the other. It is both.

If a parent loves his or her child but allows that child to run in the street to play while the truck is barreling down the path, is that really love?

If a spouse declares his love yet leaves and showers everyone else with his affections because he wants more, is that really love?

If a friend promises to share love and friendship yet breaks every confidence because she wants her liberty to share, is that really love?

If a child proclaims his love to his parents yet steals and destroys because he wants his freedom to live as he pleases, is that really love?

True love will rejoice in the truth, will bear all things, will believe all things, will hope all things, and will endure all things. Love never fails.

And love is impossible without abiding in the Only One who gave true love.

So, what principles define how I live? I guess I could begin with 1 Corinthians 13. I certainly don’t live it perfectly, but I strive toward it daily, only by seeking Him first.

Because He loved me first, now only can I begin to truly love.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. … And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13