A Child’s Perspective

January 5, 2015January 2, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

I love to see pictures that a child has taken, especially a younger child, like maybe between the ages of four and ten years old. Have you ever taken a moment to look? My son took this picture the other day, and I thought it turned out incredible. The cabin is totally focused; yet, all of the surroundings are completely blurred.

This picture created a thought within me… “What if we approached our lives like this?” Living life with one focus and one focus alone. Carrying on through our daily routines with one main goal, one desired end. Living a life in which the central goal is in complete focus while the surroundings are just sort of out of focus. Having that main focus being Jesus at the center of our life.

Too often, we go through life with so many goals, so many desires, so many ambitions that, too often, it seems the central focus gets blurred, and we get tuned into one thing and then another. We move from one agenda to another, many times, forsaking the real purpose we are even here on this planet. When we have too many agendas, too many goals, too many desires to be met, we become scattered, distracted, even chaotic in our witness and our testimony.

When we keep “the main thing the main thing,” HE is able to bring all the other things into the right focus. HE is able to show us the things which are needed and those things which are not. He is enabled to be the Lord of our lives, and the world turns to gray as it loses its hold on us.

In this new year, let us remember Who that central focus should be. Let us remember Who the one goal of our lives should be. Let us start this new year with one main thing, one goal, one central focus, JESUS, who will take us to higher heights, deeper depths and wider opportunities than we ever thought possible!

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…” Philippians 3:13

Purpose in the Mundane

December 22, 2014December 29, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

The other day, I was sweeping the hardwoods…I hate to sweep, but it’s something that must be done, or crumbs and filth will build up, and then we’ll have nastiness, filth, and even bugs. I hate bugs in the house. I hate bugs in the house more than I hate sweeping! …So, I was sweeping and thinking of all the stuff I needed to do around the house. The end tables needed dusting, the carpet needed vacuuming, the blinds needed wiping, the sheets needed washing and changing, etc.

All of sudden, JMan said, “Mom, come here quick!” I walked into the office, a little begrudgingly, because I had so much to do, and he was simply calling me over to the computer. He said, “Look at the house I’ve built!” Then, he proceeded to show me the house, with all its rooms, and a “treasure chest” in one of them. He said, “Mom, look what this is,” and he proceeded to show me a “Bible” that he had created himself, complete with the whole chapter of Matthew 4, or least most of it, all of which he had typed from memory.

I stood amazed as he showed me his masterpiece, and it was as if I had an epiphany that very moment: We, as adults, should be more like our children who have a heart after God. If my nine year old son can create a place for the Almighty right there within the walls of the house he created in his computerized building game, why can I not create a place for Him right there in the middle of my mundane routine of cleaning house? That’s what I should do, and I am well aware of this fact; yet, too often, I find myself heavily burdened by the cares of this world and over-consumed by all the “thankless jobs” and mundane rituals which fill my everyday that I tend to often forget for Whom I’m doing this!

Oh sure, I remember when I’m doing my morning devotions and when I’m tucking my sweet boys in for the night. I remember when I’m using an object lesson to teach those same young men this very principle. I remember when everything is going my way, and the sun is shining bright in the sky, but, oh, how quickly I forget when our boys don’t want to follow the rules, when my husband and I can’t seem to see eye to eye, and the clock just seems to be running faster than before. How quickly my memory fades when the sun won’t shine, the rain won’t stop, and it seems my prayers won’t reach beyond the brass ceiling above my head.

Those are the moments when I tend to forget to grasp that beautiful wonder of a child. Those are the moments the simple and, often, the most important things, seem to fade to gray as the expectations and demands of this life scream ever louder in a war for my complete attention. Those are the moments when I desperately need to remember this sweet moment of truth: God is wherever we are, and He just wants to be a part of whatever we are doing, even if it is simply creating a “Bible,” complete with Matthew 4, inside a treasure chest, within a beautiful “block” house being created by a 9 yr old, and even if it is simply sweeping the hardwood floors and keeping a clean house for my husband and boys to enjoy…and eventually mess up again! (Ha! Ha!)

Lord, help me to find You in everything I put my hands to do. Help me to see You in the simplest of things. Help me to find Your purpose for me even in the mundane.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

“Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

A Season For Tears…A Season For Cheer

December 14, 2014December 15, 2016 / The WheatandTares

Yesterday, I was so emotional all day, I felt I had to hold back the tears with all my might. It all began when I read a Facebook status update from a friend and relative who has lost her grandmother and grandfather within almost a month of each other and how she is struggling with the grief while trying to maintain a cheerful home for her children during the holidays. The feelings just washed over me like a tidal wave of how much I miss my own grandfather, even though, he’s been gone for over 12 years now. So much changed within my family after his death, and without him here, it will never be the same. Christmas has never been the same without him.

Several times throughout the day, I thought of him, and I began thinking of so many who have lost a mom, a dad, a child, or another loved one during this past year and even those who have lost someone during the past several years. I, also, thought of so many families I know who are facing divorce, or have already divorced, and even though their significant other hasn’t died physically, their love has died, and that is as painful as the reality of death. Losing a precious family member or friend makes the holidays a little tougher to handle. It makes the cheer and the joy of the season seem a little less festive, and sometimes, it makes it a lot less festive, maybe not even worth celebrating at all. Often, losing a loved one, especially those who filled such a huge part of our heart and our home, makes the Christmas season almost unbearable. Everyone else is cheerful, excited and filled with joy for all the wonderful things that bring the love of Christmas, and our world has just turned a little more gray from the loss of color with which our loved one took away.

If you are one whose world is a little more gray today, there is hope! It’s not a fairy tale, and it’s not a fallacy. It’s not a plastic mask which you wear just to convince your family that you’re okay. It’s, also, not a “snap of the finger and you’re perfect” solution, and it’s not a formula nor is it a potion or a thought. It’s not even an “it.” It’s a person, a Messiah, a Savior and a King.

His name is Jesus. He can comfort your heart and encourage your soul. He can give you peace which surpasses understanding. He can consume your mind with good thoughts, and He can give you a reason to get up one more day. He is HOPE. He is LOVE. He is LIFE, and He can give you all this and more. All you have to do is call on His name, and He will answer. He will wrap you in His arms of love, and He will give you purpose again. All you have to do is just trust Him.

For all of us who have learned to cope with the deep scars of loss, and for those who have yet to experience this heart-wrenching pain, maybe we can be a little kinder to those who are hurting this Christmas season. Maybe we can be a little more attentive to those who may not feel as festive as we expect them to be. Maybe we can share a little more love, a little more encouragement, a little more hope. Those of us who have found this One Hope who helps us survive through the darkest of nights, we must share Him with those around us. We must share this Hope with a hurting and desperate world. We must share why our Christmas is so Merry.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Train Them Up

November 24, 2014November 22, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 10 Comments

The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. As we strive daily to teach our children strong values and Godly principles, I often wonder how we’re doing. Dealing with the ever shifting cultural standards, the pressures from the outside that scream, “You’re too old fashion!” “You’re intolerant!” “You’re behind the times,” I am tempted, almost daily, to question my motives, intentions and purpose for setting these “rules,” these boundaries, these standards by which we live. Having a young teen in our home, one who is striving to find himself, to determine his own faith, ‘not that of mom and dad,’ and to become the man he so longs to be, it causes me, at times, to pause, to ponder, to almost take a poll to see if I’m doing right by him, if I’m teaching him these things for his own good or for mine.
Good parenting doesn’t come easy. Good parenting isn’t a popularity contest. It isn’t a survey we take to see who approves and who doesn’t. Good parenting takes faithfulness to the One who created it. It takes a lot of love, mercy and grace. Good parenting takes tenacity to carry on, to uphold your standards and to stick to your convictions, even when you’re all alone and “nobody else is doing it!”
The best kind of parent has the faith to remain a boundary while all others run away in fear of ridicule. The best kind of parent stands with courage in the face of rejection and loneliness. The best kind of parent has also learned when to say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong,” even when it hurts their pride to do so. The best kind of parent loves beyond the failings, keeps believing beyond the mishaps and keeps cheering beyond the cold winds of adversity. The best kind of parent knows when to push forward and when to pause and let them breathe. Lastly, the best kind of parent keeps loving when the door to their child’s heart has been slammed shut, and it appears he/she will never come back home.
Good parenting skills don’t come easy. It’s not a game in which you roll the dice and see if you hit the jackpot. No, good parenting takes faith. It takes determination. It takes a strong heart to love deep and remain true. It takes a strong mind to think the unthinkable, to plan for the unpredictable and to dream the unimaginable. It takes humility, love and grace for success to come, and, sometimes, that success may not be realized for almost a lifetime.
In this one thing you can rest assured, His Word does not fail. His promises are true. You train that child to follow Him, they will know the way home. Yes, it will have to be their choosing; He will never force their hand. He will never demand their love, but He will be ever present, ever drawing them with His love that is unconditional, His love that never fails.
So, keep the faith, Mom. Hold up that standard, Dad. Remain true to the One who called you to this purpose. You can do this! You can survive! Those little hearts are counting on you. They need your love. They need your guidance. They need your boundaries that protect them from the evil outside. They need your standards that protect them from themselves. Keep the faith! You only have a few years to fight this battle for the souls of the next generation. Don’t give up. Don’t give in, and never let them see you cower in fear. You were made for this. This is your destiny. Win!

…These are the moments when my heart is reassured that we are on the right path…

His dream is to be a Christian Rapper…so, we work hard to help him realize his dreams even while he is still young…

At bedtime, we find him like this more often than not… (He’s fallen asleep reading his Action Bible.)

At a summer youth camp, I looked up and saw him immersed in worship…

On top of the mountain, he said, “Mom, take this picture. I want to post it to [social media] and talk about pondering things of life and faith…”

I told them I’d like to get a picture of them with the mountains behind…
(Note: I didn’t ask them to “huddle up,” but they did.)

…Parents, be encouraged today. Sometimes, it’s the little things that we fail to notice, and sometimes, those are the very things that matter the most! 🙂

I Cannot See Your Face

November 21, 2014November 18, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

When I awake in the night, I feel Your presence near.

When I am all alone, I sense You are by my side.

I cannot see your face, for Your glory is too much to bear;

Yet, I know the Truth, for in You, I long to abide.

When my heart is consumed with grief, I feel Your arms surround.

When my soul cannot answer, I sense Your presence within.

I cannot see Your face, for Your glory is too much to bear;

Yet, I am convinced, for by Your grace, I will contend.

When I walk where none has traced, I feel Your Spirit guide.

When I am confronted by evil, I sense Your strength to stand.

I cannot see Your face, for Your glory is too much to bear;

Yet, I do believe, for only through You, the demons I command.

When my mind is declaring defeat, I feel Your hand overcome.

When my strength threatens to falter, I sense Your power swell.

I cannot see Your face, for Your glory is too much to bear;

Yet, I can trust, for with You, the lost You will compel.

Penned – MG – 4/25/01

The Old Gnarled Tree

November 12, 2014November 12, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

What caused those knots?
Blistering winds, relenting storms, sickness that threatened death? A tiny animal who burrowed its way in, stunting growth and nourishment?
Maybe it was just simply the challenge of growing upward that proved to be too hard, maybe the weight of growing older was just too heavy, and that pressure tried to bend and hinder the life of the tree.
Yet, somehow, it kept thriving, kept pushing forward, kept pressing on. Even past the knot. Even past the “pain,” always striving for greater heights, always moving beyond the simple expectations.
It kept reaching upward regardless of the hardships that came. The hindrance may have made it pause, resulting in the knots, but the tree strained and pushed beyond the limitations to continue on the path up toward the heavens.
Isn’t that how our lives should be? We will face turmoil. We will face strife. We may even face death a time or two, but where is our resolve? Where is our tenacity to carry on through the trial? Where is our strength to push back against this adversary called life and reach toward our destiny?
Don’t let the pressures of this life pull you down! Don’t let the winds of defeat threaten you and cause you to quit! You can make it through! You can do this! You can reach the end with dignity and grace. You can choose to win.
It may not be easy. It may not even be fun! Just remember there are those coming behind you who need your courage. There are those coming behind you who need your faith. Show them the way by shining in the darkness. Clear the path so that they may cross over as well.
We all have a purpose. We all have a place. Even when you feel battered and bruised, hindered and held back by the limits of this life, you have a destiny to reach.
So, keep fighting the cold; keep pushing back against the winds. Even when the twists and turns leave knots and gnarled bark in your way, Stay the course. Remain vigilant to the path. You can do this. You can win.
Just remain. Just have faith. Just believe.

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

My Heart Says

October 14, 2014 / The WheatandTares

I step out on faith, and I feel the whirlwind.

The gusts attempt to break my tired feet.

My anger tempts me to turn and not to bend,

But my heart says not to give in to the defeat.

I walk on not knowing where this will go;

This storm rages all around my weary head.

My sin tempts me to rebel so You will not know,

But my heart says to remember what You have said.

I run into Your loving arms, still fearing all Your wrath;

The rains are pouring down now on top of me.

My fears tempt me to put on this shiny mask,

But my heart says to uncover and allow You to see.

I stand in the great shadow of Your grace;

These clouds are cleansing from within me now.

My heart tempts me to hide my prideful face,

But my heart says to You only will I bow.

Penned – MG – 8/1/99

Stay With God

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 / The WheatandTares

No matter what comes. No matter who leaves. He is still God, and He never fails! Stay with God.

For many, these statements can be so controversial. Many will dispute these words; they will say because we live in a fallen world that surely we must be ruled by a hostile God. Some will say this cannot be truth, because, after all, truth is relative: what is true for me may not, necessarily, be true for you. Still others will say this is heresy, because their chosen god is, after all, more mighty, more logical, or more spiritual than a “simple man who roamed this weary earth until his humiliated death.”

Oh, but you can only state fallacies when you do not know my King. You see, I talk to him every day. He walks with me through every moment of every hour. I see His love in a baby’s smile. I hear His joy in a child’s laughter. I smell of His gentleness in the summer breeze. I taste of His goodness in the fresh fruits of spring. His faithfulness reaches the very depths of me, even beyond my failures, my fears and my frailties. You see, He speaks to me in the quietness of my very soul.

He was there when I drew my first breath, and He was there when I took my first step. He watched over me when my mother ventured the wrong paths, and He comforted me when my father refused to come back. He protected me when I fell and cut a main artery, and He shielded me when my classmate was mean and called me names. He has always been there, regardless the circumstance or enemies I have faced.

He brought me life when I called on His name. He gave me hope when I was hopeless. He delivered me from trouble when I lost my way. He restored my joy when all I could see was darkness. He removed my confusion when I couldn’t understand. He opened my eyes when I just couldn’t see. He surrounded me with peace when all around me was turmoil. He filled me with rejoicing when my heart had only seen mourning. He has been my song when I couldn’t open my mouth to utter a sound.

He has done too much for me for you to try to convince this weary soul that He doesn’t exist now. Once you’ve ever seen a glimpse of paradise, it’s hard to be satisfied with normal life. It sets a longing within your being that cannot be quenched by all the riches and wealth of this ordinary world. When your goal is set on higher thoughts, when your dreams are of things beyond what this place can even imagine, it’s hard to envision a lesser place or a lesser Savior. You see, He is my everything. He is the very air I breathe.

Do I have the “perfect life”? Oh, I don’t know. I think that all depends on perspective. I’ve seen hard times, and I’ve seen good ones, too; yet, I just keep trusting Him. I don’t have everything that I want, but I surely have all that I need. He gives me His grace that is so sufficient, and that has made all the difference. Things have happened that I’ve not liked, but life is just life. We’re not home yet. I decided a long time ago that I’d just stay with God, no matter what came my way, and that has carried me through.

No matter what comes. No matter who leaves. He is still God, and He never fails. Stay with God.