The Children of the Past

September 7, 2014September 7, 2014 / The WheatandTares

They used to run and play in the sunshine.

They used to laugh and cry on the playground.

They brought a tear of joy back into our eyes.

They brought the joy of youth back into our hearts.

They had an air of innocence, not knowing any lies.

Where have all the children gone?

The sun is not shining.

The air is filled with gloom.

The wind is blowing fiercely.

The clouds are filled with doom.

Where are the children playing now?

Where has the laughter gone?

Where is all the joy that once was here?

Where has the innocence been?

Why have the children’s faces disappeared?

The children have vanished.

They no longer run in the morning sun.

The laughter is nowhere to be found.

The innocence has drifted from the air.

The joy in our hearts has been bound.

The children spoke with tiny hands and feet.

They longed for the love and freedom of life.

They were never given a chance.

They were never given the choice.

They weren’t even given a second glance.

They have been stolen from this world.

They have been taken from the womb.

They were destroyed without a care or a moment spared.

No one cried for them. No one shed a single tear.

No one worried for one second. They didn’t even seem to care.

When will this world understand?

When will they really ever see?

They are killing our generation.

They are killing the Father’s gift to us.

His precious treasures of life and fun.

When will we all understand?

When will we really ever see?

We have let them destroy the girls and boys.

We are letting them destroy this nation.

It is up to you and me. We must stand and be their voice.

Penned – MG – 10/21/89

Just A Little Spark

September 6, 2014September 7, 2014 / The WheatandTares

Years ago, someone gave me this little analogy, and I have adopted it as one of my mottos in life. It came to mind today; so, I thought I’d share it with you…

In every situation, whether it be crisis or peace, excitement or sorrow, you carry with you two buckets to use (Figuratively speaking, of course). With one bucket, you can soothe or dispel all you encounter. With the other, you can explode or inflame from the very core of a matter. You see, in these buckets, you carry water in one and gasoline in the other.
When you walk into a crisis, and you don’t know what to do, you have the option, at that very moment, to choose to pick up that bucket of water and sprinkle a little soothing liquid to calm the soul. You can even take the entire bucket and pour it out, leading an entire assembly to an utter calm by the words and actions you use. You can walk into that very same scenario, carrying with you the bucket filled to the brim with gasoline, and using that, you can send the whole congregating body into utter and complete chaos!
This can also be applied to a child and his dreams or a teen and her aspirations for life or even an adult struggling to make a new way for him/herself. You have the choice, in those moments of inspiration or desperation, to diminish any hopes of survival or fuel that tiny spark into the biggest flame, one that even a rain cloud won’t be able to quench. You can build a ladder upon which these tiny seeds can grow and thrive, or you can demolish the very foundation within which they were planted. It is up to you.
So, I ask you today, “What will you choose to do with those buckets you hold within your grasp? Will you do good or evil to those around you? Will you bring harm or joy to those you encounter?” You carry the power within your words and actions. You may bring life or death, depending on the liquid you choose. It just takes a little spark.

Memories Lining The Tub

September 2, 2014October 5, 2014 / The WheatandTares

My eight year old LOVES to take a bath! We have a nice sized garden tub, and he will ask to go take a bath just about everyday, especially, when he’s got a new toy! The other day, I walked in there, after he was out, and shot this picture. The whole side of the tub was lined with toys. I’m not talking one or two toys, this is a whole collection of Lego men, Transformer robots, and Hero Factory creations! My first thought was, “Ugh. He didn’t put his toys up!” Then, something stopped me, and as I looked around that tub, I realized in that very moment, “This will all, very soon, be gone.”
Parents of grown children, give me a witness here. The days just fly by too swiftly. One day, you’re holding this tiny little being in your arms, hoping not to break them; then, you turn around, and you’re waving goodbye as they trek out to make their way in the world. Even if you spend as much time as you can, make all the memories possible, grab all the hugs they will allow, the hand of time still keeps ticking. The moments still slip through your fingers like tiny grains of sand.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give, for one more minute, to have those tiny fingers wrap around mine; yet, to go back would mean to give up the adventure of today, watching him create his imaginary Hero Factory armies and see him as he gently cares for the little hermit crabs in their cage and even hearing him say, “Watch this with me, Mom,” as we watch the Superbook series video for the fifty-seventh time this weekend. No, I don’t think I’d like to forsake today only to grasp hold of yesterday, but please, God, help me to not be so worried about the plans of tomorrow that I somehow miss the sweet memories that are right here today. Help me to embrace those moments that can be remembered forever, and let me not miss out on the simple, little things that make those minutes last…I do think I’ll let those little toys line the side of the tub for just a little longer today…yes, maybe I’ll move them on another day.

We Do Loud…Really Well.

July 29, 2014August 13, 2014 / The WheatandTares

“Arggggg, Matey!”

Have you ever had that moment when you notice how really different your kids can be from another child? Last night, I was reminded…once again. We went to this cool dockside restaurant with some old friends. We don’t get to see each other often, but our kids love to play together. The restaurant had a really neat play area out front, complete with a pirate and pirate ship; so, as we were leaving, we decided to let our kids play. Our kids were “wide open,” having a blast. They were running, screaming, “walking the plank,” chasing one another, and being very loud “pirates.” In the midst of this chaos, there stood a very petite, shy little girl, maybe about five or six years old. She seemed very intrigued by all the festivities; however, by the facial expressions, her grandmother didn’t seem so amused. She looked as if she might just lose her mind; she appeared very amazed, and even alarmed, that children could actually get excited and speak above a whisper.

Now, please, don’t get the wrong impression, our kids were not being rude, nor were they invading this young girl’s space, and this was going on outside, not around a lot of people. In fact, there wasn’t anyone else around at the moment, or I would have definitely put a stop to their lively activities. Even so, the difference between this meek, timid little girl and our loud, rambunctious brood was like the plundering pirates and the delicate handmaiden. It was quite the contrast. This contrast continued as we went to our car, too, because this other family just happened to be parked right beside us…

Our boys were “sword fighting” all the way to our vehicle while this little trio of daughter, mother and grandmother walked quietly and peacefully to theirs…with the grandmother still looking shocked and appalled, and I’m assuming, by the expressions, the commentary she was giving her daughter was anything but pleasant. Once we were in our car, with the doors shut, I just had to laugh, and say, “Well, we DO have boys, and we do loud REALLY well!”

You see to me, it’s okay if your child is really quiet, really loud, really silly or really serious. They are all made different, and each home should run differently. What works for my home may not work for yours, and that’s ok! I don’t expect your kids to be like mine, and I don’t want mine to be like yours. I believe each child should be encouraged to be who God had created him or her to be. We don’t know what the future holds for each of them, but each one has a unique purpose in this life, and often, that little (or big!) personality he or she was designed specifically for that special purpose. There will be moments when they all will need to be quiet, listening and observing, and there will be other moments when they will need to take charge, speaking out and standing up for their given cause. So, “Play on,” I say! No matter if your play is rowdy and loud, or if it’s gentle and quiet. You have a place on this playground of life. Find it, and enjoy it, while also, appreciating the method in which others play. You never know when you’ll need to be those plundering pirates who raid the enemy’s ships or that gentle maidservant who wins the heart of a king! Play on!

Life In the Little Things

July 19, 2014October 14, 2014 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

I asked Joey the other day, “What are some reasons you like me?” Without hesitation, he said, “I like how you see things. I like the way you see the little things.” That simple statement stayed with me for days. It birthed something inside of me that had been growing for a while: another layer of confidence in who God has called me to be. It birthed inside me the confidence to begin this blog…the one I’ve been thinking about for years now but never put into action…
You see, I do have quite a “knack” for the little things…the details, the small things, the minute things that, to some, may seem unimportant or even insignificant. Often in my life, I’ve tried to hide this trait from others, or at least, not relish in it, for fear of being the “odd man out.” Sometimes, I’ve even tried to deny or ignore it within myself, because it seemed like a petty flaw. To shed a little light, I grew up with a single mom for many years of my young life, and she has a real “knack” for the more unstructured, artsy way of life; then, I married a man who is incredible at seeing the “big picture,” and who really doesn’t like to get bogged down with the minute details of things. In addition, we have two growing boys who are just that: “boys;” details to them just sound like a lot of work and rules, and “it definitely takes up too much time, Mom!” LOL.
Oh, but how I relish in details! For example, one of my favorite things to do is to edit/review papers for grammatical errors. I love to journal in full detail all of the happenings of the day…and sometimes, of a particular hour! I thrive when I can share every fact I know about personality traits or leadership styles. I get excited when I can evaluate, analyze and project about a particular subject I’ve been reading. I also love to sit by a campfire and watch the moving and crackling of the tiniest flame. I enjoy watching the flight of the small butterflies around the edge of a beautiful waterfall, even as one decides to land on my son’s shoulder (see pic). I smile as I watch a young mom on a crowded putt-putt course stop to teach the youngest of four rowdy children just how to correctly hold that club. I just love details! However, details take time, and in a society that seems destined for the fast lane, in a culture where things must be achieved this instant, and in a generation for whom waiting for a microwave to finish seems like utter torture, time isn’t something we always have, nor are quite willing, to give.
So, my love for details can, often, get in the way.
My love for the little things can often be a speed bump in this fast paced life in which we live, and sometimes, I do have to work to move beyond my hang-ups…like while telling a story, and I can’t remember the date and time of the given event! (If you’ve ever heard me tell a story, you know exactly what I mean!) I do have to strive to overlook the not-so-rinsed-off dishes that my sons just loaded into the dishwasher (because after all, they did load it!) I do need to not get so uptight when my husband decides it’s time to make a change which I wasn’t quite expecting.
However, I will choose to thrive in the small things which bring life back into focus. I will choose to recognize the small things that bring life back into life. There is life in those tiny hands and feet which remind me of days gone by, those days I won’t ever get back again. There is life in that little smirk my 12 year old gives me as he sees me “trying to dance” while doing the laundry. There is life in the unpredictable moments of my husband’s love for adventure and spontaneity. There is life in that tiny star which shines through the clouded sky as I gaze at it tonight. There is life in that small moment we set aside to make a call or visit to an elderly with failing health. There is life in that small, un-praised minute you take to pick up some trash so someone else just sees the park’s beauty. There’s life in that blooming flower which reminds you to stop a moment and breathe it all in. There’s life in that tiny trickling brook which brings refreshment to a weary soul. There’s even life in that rainbow which you send as a mobile pic to someone just because they were sick and couldn’t get outside to see it.
There’s LIFE in the little things of life. Don’t miss them!