Life’s Many Blessings

Don’t discount the bad times with just being bad times. Let Him teach you something, even through the storms of life…

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Do you ever think about how many times God blesses us in a day??

Sometimes, it’s just as simple as receiving a sweet phone call or a little card in the mail.

Sometimes, it’s as precious as getting an extra hug from my teenage son before bedtime.

Other times, it’s getting through the yellow light when I’m running late and really should have slowed down a little more.

Other times, I realize I may have been running late; yet, there was also a wreck that might just have avoided.

Maybe it’s the “surprise” answer to a very long ago prayer.

Yet, what about those times we hold out for that answered prayer that, much later, we realize wasn’t answered for very good reasons?

What about those aches and pains which teach us to rely on Him a little more?

What about those heartwrenching seasons that help us to understand another’s…

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He Is All You Need

Thinking of so many who live their lives desperately searching and never realizing the answer is just a prayer away. He is just waiting for you to call on Him…

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

sunset-lake

The day is dawning; your heart is breaking; the sun bursts through the clouds.

He is speaking your name; yet, you refuse to hear.

You begin your day with cute little answers, a quoted little word.

You try to pretend you are drawing near.

 

The morning is moving; your heart is aching; the children are skipping to school.

He is calling out to you; yet, you refuse to care.

You continue your way, filling every moment with worry and regret.

You try to pretend all this you can bear.

 

The sun is setting; your heart is longing; the families are gathering around.

He is shouting across the chasm; yet, you refuse to yield.

You allow the cares of life to consume you, supplying your fleshly desires.

You try to pretend all your dreams are fulfilled.

 

The night is falling; your heart is bleeding; the stars are shining through.

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Tell it Tuesday w/ B. Parker: A Few Things You May Not Know About Prayer

I wasn’t able to comment on this blog, but the content is so good, I couldn’t help but reshare it. I hope it ministers to you.

Stepping on Dandelions's avatar

Have you ever hit a low point? A point where you felt like God had abandoned you? Maybe you felt like you were praying to no one. Maybe you even doubted God’s very existence.

I have.

Those moments are so hard, especially when you’re so used to having total trust in Him.

I cannot tell you how many times I have flat-out asked God if He cared about me, or if He was even real.I’ve asked Him to prove it to me. Then I feel guilty. Guilty for asking Him to prove something to me, like He has something to even prove.

So the very fact that you don’t trust Him enough makes the low moments you’re already going through even tougher.

I’ve been trying very hard to make more time for Him. I feel like we sometimes forget that God isn’t our servant. He does not exist to…

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The Little Things

I know last week was Valentine’s Day, and we celebrated “love” and all that ‘mushy stuff’ then, but I was thinking about my marriage today, about our 20th anniversary coming up in a few months, and I’d like to share a little secret with you…

It’s not always the big stuff that will make you fall in love with your spouse every day. It’s not the dozen roses that he might bring or the expensive ring he might buy. It’s not the extravagant dinner or the fancy theater on which he splurges. It’s not even the great big words used to describe his love or the great big card on which he wrote them. 

Yeah, all those things are beautiful, fun and exciting. They make celebrations special, memorable and great posts for social media. But the things that make me fall in love each and every day are the little things…

The placing of reservations in the nice hotel the night before he speaks at the State Capitol; so, we don’t have to fight the traffic at 6am…because I’m just not a morning person.

The patience he has to wait beside me in the coffee line before we leave the hotel…when he doesn’t even drink coffee.

The phone call he makes to see where I am, because I dropped off our son a half hour ago and decided to drop by the grocery store before coming back home.

The walk down the hall and around the corner to ‘drop by’ my office just to see what I think about a new idea.

The excitement he brings our boys by taking them on an adventure while I have a meeting or other obligation to attend.

The way he looks at me across the room, without saying a word, to tell me he believes in me and knows I can do this thing.

These are just a few of the many little things that make our love so big, and it turned my thoughts toward God and His love for us. He is so much greater, and His love runs so much deeper than anything we could ever imagine. He shows us His love every day in so many big ways; yet, it’s the small ways that often bring me to greater emotion…

The song that comes on the radio to lift my spirits just at the moment I’m feeling a little blue.

The flower that blooms despite the wind and the rain.

The people who just “happen” to be there when my husband and I are meandering through the halls of the wrong building trying to find the office we are looking for.

The snow that falls on the day it wasn’t supposed to, but it falls anyway just to show the weatherman it can.

The peace He brings my heart right as I step up to the podium wondering why in the world I am going to speak on what I chose.

The voice mail left on my phone by a friend who calls just to say how much her pastors mean to her and the difference they make.

It’s the little things, sometimes, that bring the biggest impact…the little words, the smile, the hug, the phone calls. Why don’t we try today to share our love toward others in those little things? Why don’t we make an effort today to share our love in the little things toward our Heavenly Father?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 37-40

 

 

 

Do Not Weep For Me

We had to bury a precious elder in our church today, and it made me think of this. I hope it blesses you…

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

IMG_4624.JPG

Death engulfs me in its grasp

Darkness is surrounding me

I hear wailing and mourning

But the faces I cannot see.

 

You weep for me to return

But do you know where I am going?

I am to travel the streets of gold

I am to see His Heavenly Throne

 

I am sorry for your loss and sorrow

You will miss me while I am gone

But you don’t have to be without hope

You don’t have to be lost and undone

 

You can join me here when life is through

You can walk in this Paradise Land

You can have eternal life and happiness

If you will just ask Jesus to take your hand

 

Penned – MG – 2/27/01

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Let Me Be Found True

Shared this yesterday as a Happy Valentine’s note to God… Hope you enjoy…

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

Oh, Lord, how do I love thee?

Let me count not the ways

I speak of You in public grace

Yet, ignore You in the secret place

I praise You when it’s convenient

But neglect You when it’s intimate

I look to You when I remember and when I’m in need

However, forget You when my schedule is in the lead

 

Oh, Father, please forgive me from this wretched sin

Cleanse my heart and mind from within

Let me not be a person of works alone

And have not a single seed yet to be sown

Change me from this life of chaos and pride

Transform my soul to one in which You may abide

I give You my life, my heart and my breath

I surrender my dreams, my future, my death

 

Oh, my King, how do I love thee?

I pray You can count the ways

I…

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Happy Valentine’s Day

In light of Valentine’s Day coming up Sunday, I couldn’t help but reshare a note I wrote last year concerning this day of love…I hope you have a love-filled weekend, wherever and with whomever you find yourself to be. ❤️

The WheatandTares's avatarthe grizzle grist mill

IMG_9457 As I sat in a memorial today to celebrate the homecoming of a life well lived, I thought about love, life, faith and death. I thought about the wife of the deceased who had been married for 53 years. I thought of the precious lady who sat beside me who, just a few short months ago, had said goodbye to her husband after so many years of loving each other. I thought of the young man I would see just a few minutes later, who just lost his wife to an organ transplant failure. Surrounded by so much grief, I wondered how it could possibly be Valentine’s Day today.

So many getting ready for their ‘hot dates’ tonight. Others bragging about all the candy, cards and roses they had received. My husband and myself exchanging our love just a few hours before, yet, waiting to truly celebrate until tomorrow because…

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Questions to Ponder

   
 I saw a list of questions today on a delightful blog post here, and as easy as the questions seemed while reading, I began to ponder them for myself, and I realized they’re not as easy as they first appear. I’d like to share them with you now and see if you might want to share your answers as well…

If you had a shelf for your three most special possessions (NOT including photos, electronic devices and things stored on then, or people or animals) what would you put there?

I don’t consider myself a real materialistic kind of gal; so, this question took me a little bit of time, because my first thoughts were of my family, all the photos I cherish, and one special book that I treasure. Since, I wasn’t allowed to include people or photos, my list shortened, and since my treasured book will be placed in the ‘happiness’ box below, I was back to square one. I, then, thought of my wedding band, but I could never leave that on a shelf, I would always be wearing it; so, again, I pondered. The next three things I treasure in life would be these: my journals, my camera and my gun. That may seem like a very strange combination, but let me explain…my journals for all of my writings of thoughts, goals, dreams, feelings and agonies of life. Here is where I work out my emotions and seek out the depths of my heart…my camera for all the many photographs I take to try and capture the moment and document the memories forever…my gun for a sense of security and protection, for if this world goes crazy one day, I will protect my family with everything I have and more. 

If you had a box labeled ‘happiness,’ what would you put in it?

This one was pretty easy for me to decide, because I believe true happiness can never come from a thing or even a person. True happiness can only come from within, and it can only be found, and be found everlasting, within the joy of the Lord. The One True God is the only one who can bring us perfect peace in a storm, beauty from ashes and joy through morning. So, my Bible would go inside this box, but it would be opened everyday; so, I might read, listen, learn and commune with my Heavenly Father. 

  
What do you want more of in this life?

There’s really not a whole lot more that I want more of. I feel like I have been blessed so much that I don’t really have a right to ask for anything more. I guess, if I had to choose, I’d say I’d like to, personally, have more discipline and confidence I my life. I get so frustrated with myself when I get lazy and when I back up or hesitate due to a lack of confidence. 

Daily Life List:  What do you do on an average day? Make a list of your usual activities that you do each day.

When I read Paardje’s daily life list, I have to admit I was quite jealous of her disciplined routine. I cannot say I am that precise in my daily agenda; even though, I so long to become that way. My daily life list is more like this:

1. 6:30am Wake up call

2. Devotions/Bible reading

3.  New found exercise routine (Mmm, working on the consistency of this one…As of this post, Day 5 in progress)

5. Shower and get ready

6. 3 days a week – Make sure the boys are up and getting ready for school…make sure they have lunches, and take them to school (2 days a week are home days; so, it’s a focus of schoolwork during morning hours)

7. While the boys are in school: 2 days of the weeks, we have a staff meeting and a prayer meeting, both ending around lunch time … And 1 day, I either work at the church or stay home to take care of “home stuff,” depending on the week and what the needs are 

8. Lunch with hubby

9. Pick up boys from school 

10. Run errands or return home and straighten/clean as needed

11. Dinner 

12. Evenings vary but are usually centered around family activities or down time

13. 8pm All video games and devices off…Tv/movies allowed if doing together

14. 9pm Boys to their rooms to read and settle down for bed…All electronics off and put up 

15. 9:30/10pm Lights Out for boys 😴

16. Bedtime varies for me… unfortunately, I am a night owl attempting to go to bed at earlier hours these days. 😁

Bonus Question: What are you grateful for from this last week? – and what are you looking forward to in this coming week?

This last week, I am grateful for the beautiful patches of snow we have had. It wasn’t much to speak of, only a dusting really, but I just love snow so much that even a little white dusting makes me feel like a kid again! 

This coming week, Sunday, is Valentine’s Day. My husband always says I’m a “sucker for love;” so, naturally, VDay is always a fun day for us! 😊❤️

I do hope you’ve enjoyed my little “heart and soul adventure,” and I do hope you’ll send me a few responses on some of your own answers. Or, maybe like me, it will inspire you to write up your own blog with your answers to these pondering questions. Please, be sure to link my blog; so, I can venture over to read! I’d love to learn more about you and what makes you who you are! 😊  I hope you have a great day today!!

Fly

flyquote.jpgToo often, I believe we focus so much on falling, failing and floundering that we can’t focus on freedom, finishing and flying. We get so wrapped up in the regrets of yesterday that we miss the “flight lesson” that is taking place in our lives today. If we are ever to succeed at flying, we must focus on the here and now and stop looking back. We must look forward, set our goals and take the risk. We must take the chance that just maybe we will jmp off that cliff, our sails will catch the wind and we will fly to heights unknown. 

The Word says, “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) It doesn’t say a few things. It doesn’t say only the things that we are good at or the things we might have perfected. NO. It says we can do ALL things through Christ! That means whatever He calls us to, we can succeed! 

Does it mean we will succeed the first time around? No, it doesn’t say that. Does it say we will never fail, never fall, never flounder at our first attempt? No, it doesn’t say that either. What it says is WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. That means, when “we let go and we let God,” we can do more than we ever imagined!! We can find freedom from past failures. We can finish those things we set aside because our of fears, and we can fly beyond what our hearts ever imagined!!

Is there a dream there in your heart? Is there something that you long to achieve? Put it in God’s hands. Let Him direct your path, and when He brings you to that mountain top to learn to fly, even if you falter, you can rest assured He will be there to catch you and teach you to fly one more time!

cliffhanger pic

**Note: I do not own, nor do I possess these photos. Simple google search brought me to these:

https://www.artesenciel.fashion/blogpost1 and www.rtbookreviews.com

Woman

I have read this before, but it struck a chord with me today as I reread it. … Woman, don’t forget your worth. Cherish it. Wear it with confidence, but, also, wear it with all humility and grace. 😉

Kriti Sharma's avatarMy small column of expression

When God created woman he was working late on the 6th day…

An angel came by and asked.“ Why spend so much time on her ?”.

The lord answered. “ Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her…

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