Wednesday’s Ode #40

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 / The WheatandTares

…oops, I mistakenly noted last Wednesday W.O. #40, and I’m sorry I miscounted!

I love our boys, and I love my man. I am definitely outnumbered, but honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way. They keep life fun, challenging and adventurous. If it were just me, it probably end up being a little boring.

Our youngest is sweet, compassionate and ready for whatever adventure may come. You can read about him in my post from yesterday.

Our oldest is strong, loving and daring enough to try anything once. He just amazes me! You can read more about him here.

My husband is one of a kind. He always says, “Upon meeting me, people either love me or hate me. There’s not a lot of in between.” I suppose, that’s true. He is an intense guy when it comes to his convictions and the love he has for His God and his family. He’s not an easy one to disagree with; however, he’s also incredible when it comes to interacting with people. I have seen very few with the ability to lead as he does. I know, I can be bias; however, there’s an army of people who would agree with me. His ability is uncanny, at times. He seems to see things others don’t see, and he has the courage to “make the call,” even when others around him are wondering if it the right one…and he’s rarely wrong! He never meets a stranger, and after he hangs out, you’d think he’s your best friend. He has a knack for making people feel welcomed and at home. Often, I envy his outgoing personality, because I am so quiet and reserved, most of the time.

Our house is always “moving.” Something is always going on; there’s always action of some kind. Well, we do have “down time,” don’t get me wrong. Each one of us, actually, has learned to find a place of calm and serenity to regroup and recharge, but with my personality of introversion and reserve, I suppose, I feel as if there’s always movement. Haha. There’s is always an adventure to get to and something new to explore. 😉

I just love these guys so much; my heart feels as if it might bust sometimes. They are my heartbeats. They are my world. I am so blessed to be with each of them, and I’m excited to see where our adventures, and our God, will lead us.

…I guess if I must be outnumbered, this is the best way to be! 😊

Wednesday’s Ode #39

November 4, 2015November 11, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

I love ORGANIZATION! When things are out of order, I start getting a little anxious and unsettled. If things get in total disarray, I actually might be able to handle it for a day or two, especially if I’m really, really busy; however, if it rolls on this way, I will set aside needed priorities simply to get things back into order. This isn’t always a good thing, but I have definitely determined this is one of my characteristics.

It’s not really that I am overly organized either. I certainly joke about having OCD and how everything has to be “just so;” however, if you read articles and books about true OCD, I suppose, these descriptions wouldn’t quite describe my home or my office space.

I think I might be more of an “organized piler.” I do like things in their place, and I don’t like chaos in my cabinets, drawers or closets; yet, I, also, have certain areas where I might have a basket full of things I really need to go through or maybe a small stack of papers on which I need to follow up. I’m trying to get better with these two things, because even that drives me crazy! … You know it’s bad when you’re getting on your own nerves! Haha.

I really do love being organized. I am often reading to improve some area, or space, in my life; however, I don’t want to be so crazy about the organization that I miss the point of it: to spend more time with the people I love and doing the things I enjoy!

If your organizational skills become as such that you constantly forsake family time, or friendships, simply to organize something more, then you might want to take a step back, reassess, and determine the more important things in this life.

You only have this moment, right now, and you may not have it again for the rest of your life! You’ll never, again, catch this memory that may be happening right now. I challenge you to set aside the need to organize today and go spend some time with those you love! Get out in nature. Go see a waterfall or watch the sky for the first constellations to appear. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed! 😊

Life Is So Short…Stop.

November 2, 2015November 1, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 8 Comments

Friday, some good friends of ours lost two of their nephews in a tragic car accident. Today, another family will be saying goodbye to their father, grandfather and husband, whom they lost suddenly about a week ago, and yet, another family just laid to rest their family matriarch, yesterday, after her sudden illness in just the last few days. There are several more I could mention who are going through a season of grief or who are just on the verge of it. Sometimes, when it rains, it pours.

Life is so short. It slows down for no one. Stop. Inhale. Breathe. Make the Moments Last. Cherish those you love longer. Treasure those around you, even when you feel like they’ll be there forever. Don’t let those memories be lost, simply, because you haven’t the time to remember. Don’t brush away the tears, simply, because you don’t want them to see. Pause and ponder. Look up and wonder. Gaze into the eyes of a child, and remember what matters most.

Sometimes, life can be a fierce reminder of what can be lost in an instant. We are never guaranteed tomorrow. We are never promised our next breath. This why it’s so important to savor the dimming light in a sunset, to treasure those last embers around the campfire. We never know what may be around the next bin or beyond the next horizon. How we handle “right now” may determine our regrets and our joys for tomorrow.

We can live our lives letting life happen, or we can choose to make life happen. We can roll on, allowing life to impact us in whatever fashion it comes, or we can choose to make an impact on the life around us. We can be a victim, or we can be the victor. What we do with the time we are given may very well become our anthem or our lament.

If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to share with you what King Solomon said about this in Ecclesiastes 3…

“To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,

    And a time to die;

A time to plant,

    And a time to pluck what is planted;

3 A time to kill,

    And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

    And a time to build up;

4 A time to weep,

    And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

    And a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones,

    And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

    And a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to gain,

    And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

    And a time to throw away;

7 A time to tear,

    And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

    And a time to speak;

8 A time to love,

    And a time to hate;

A time of war,

    And a time of peace.    
…(14) I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever.“
From the wisest King who ever lived, we are given confirmation that time never stops; there are seasons for everything, and that whatever God does, that is what will last forever. So, I leave you with this question, ” What things or people do you hold so dear, and for whom are you living your life today?”

Let Go to Grow

October 29, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Have you ever watched a toddler hold tightly to his broken toy while crying that it’s broken, or a young child who covers her cut, refusing to let you clean and bandage it for fear of the pain?

I think we, as adults, can fall into this tendency with God as well. How often do we hold tightly to our broken dreams, our shattered emotions, our cracked ambitions, foolishly believing that somehow we can fix them on our own? How many times do we avoid His presence when our hearts are scarred from the pain, and we simply keep our tears hidden, somehow, convinced He can’t really heal the wounds?

He is simply waiting there for us. He is as close as a whisper. All we have to do is call on Him, and He will be there. All we have to do is believe. All we have to do is let go.

He is faithful. He is kind and merciful. He is full of love, and that love is for each of us. When we let go of the brokenness and the pain, that’s when we begin to grow.

Will all our problems go away immediately when He shows up? Not necessarily. We are humans living in a humanistic world; we haven’t reached heaven yet. However, when He shows up, our perspective begins to change. Our eyes will see more. Our ears will hear more clearly, and our hearts will be free to heal. Our dreams will begin to grow again.

Why? …because when He shows up, we have HOPE.

Try it. Let go today and begin to grow.

Blessed Heart and Home

October 22, 2015October 23, 2015 / The WheatandTares

I read this article the other day, and it really hit home…

18 Things That Are Hard to Explain to Third World Country Friends

Please, know I’m not bragging at all, but I have to say, I consider myself an incredibly blessed person. God has blessed our family so much that, many times, I am simply overwhelmed to tears because of the favor and blessings we have. Please understand, I’m not going to be one of those “prosperity preachers” who claim you will always have favor, you will always be blessed if you just do (blank) and (blank). No, you don’t give to get.

That’s not how God works, but He does honor obedience. He does give wisdom, and when you walk in it, you find blessings. He does honor prayers when you diligently seek Him, and, sometimes, He simply blesses; so you can, in turn, bless another. I can’t tell you all the reasons our family is blessed; I’m sure I could write another post on that later, and I won’t tell you that I’ve never gone through sufferings and pain. That, too, can be saved for another post…and another, and another… but all I am saying is I count myself a very blessed woman.

With that being noted, I really try to keep a grateful heart at all times, and I guess I do pretty good most of the times, but there are moments in life when I forget to be thankful. I forget to remember there are greater struggles in this life than the ones I am facing. There are people in this world who do not know from where their next meal will come, or even, if it will come. There are those who don’t even have a roof over their head, much, much less, an abundance of stuff that they’re needing to throw out!

I read this article the other day, and what the author described reminded me, again, of how very blessed I am…

Each of our family members sleep in their own beds every night.

When I’m hungry, I simply walk over to our refrigerator and decide what I’d like to eat.

When I’m cold, I put on a jacket, cover up with a blanket, or turn the heat up.

When I’m hot, I pour a glass of ice water, go outside and feel the cool breeze, or in the summertime, go stick my feet in a creek or waterfall.

Both of our boys have all the clothes they need, food they can eat, and even too much of material things they want.

When I want to go to the store, I simply jump in my car and drive over to the nearest store.

If we want to travel, we drive the car, fly in a plane, rent a boat, or ride in a train.

I take all the pictures my heart desires on my little smartphone and download them onto a “cloud” program to be retrieved at a later time.

When I want to share with the world what’s going on in mine, I simply sit here at my desk and begin to type, clicking the little blue button when I am finished.

When compared to our daily lives in America, these things I’ve listed seem like little, meaningless things, things that we each take for granted. Yet when compared to the daily lives of those from a third world country who don’t even live at the level of poverty, these simple things seem monumental. We all have something for which to be grateful. We all have someone for whom we can be thankful.

Can we take a few moments today to remember what and who those might be?

Appreciate the things you have. They are just things, and we should never be obsessive nor materialistic; yet, we can acknowledge the ease those things bring to our lives. We can enjoy them and not take them for granted.

Cherish those whom you have in your life. You never know which moment may be the last. Never let the sun go down on your wrath, and never let a moment to be cherished be one forgotten. Live. Love. Laugh, and remember what and who is most important. ❤

Wednesday’s Ode #37

October 21, 2015October 21, 2016 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Today, I would like to dedicate this Ode to a man who has always been very special in my life, and who will always hold a special place in my heart; even though, I had to say goodbye to him 13 years ago…my grandfather, aka Pa”T”.

Although, it has been 13 years ago (October 6), it feels like forever since I held his strong hands and kissed his cheek. My heart still yearns to see him again. My ears long to hear him say, “I love you, baby.” My arms still desire to wrap around his big ol’ frame and receive a great big bear hug from him. I miss him so much. Time doesn’t erase the pain; it just makes the pain tolerable to live through.

You see, Pa”T” was not just my grandfather, he was like a Daddy to me, the only dad I really knew until my mom married my step-dad when I was 12. Pa”T” always looked out for me. He always made sure I was doing ok in school, at home, at church; wherever I was, he wanted to make sure I had everything I needed or even wanted.

He was always proud of me, and he always wanted me near. He taught me how to listen to a good story (and he could tell some great ones!), catch and clean fish (well, at least how to watch them get cleaned! ha!), how to take care of my money and even how to act around strangers. He taught me how a man should treat a woman, and how he shouldn’t. He even taught me how to pay bills by buying my first car and then sending me a check each month to deposit into my own checking account so that I could send off the payment.

He loved going on an adventure, exploring a new town, finding a new experience, and never met a stranger. Often, my grandmother and I would go in a mall or plaza to shop for a while, and we’d always come out to find he had made a new friend. He would proceed to introduce us to this person and tell you some of the most interesting things about them, as if, he had known them for a very long time. He liked meeting all sorts of people, but he had standards of character. He didn’t care for rude, hateful, lazy or user-type people. He believed in hard work and earning your own keep. He believed a man should provide for his family, and a wife should love and take care of her babies; yet, he didn’t believe so much in tradition that he would look down on a couple whose momma had to go to work either, just so long as those babies were taken care of!

He sure loved his “little buddy!” (2001 – Pa”T” and JGrizz)

I’ll never forget the moment he met Joey. We were all kind of nervous, because he could “size someone up” real fast, and if he didn’t like my new love, it sure would be hard for me to continue to like him and stay with him, not because Pa”T” would be hateful to him, but because I cared so much what he would think and say. He shook Joey’s hand, looked him eye to eye, and said, “Well, he sure looks like a fine, upstanding, young man.” At that moment, I knew I had a keeper, and years later, I realized these two men are so much alike. 😉

He was a real man’s man, a “John Wayne” kind of man… Well, I won’t be redundant for those of you who might have already read my post about him last year…If you’d like, you can read more about him in Bigger than Life. I hope you enjoy…

Today is his birthday, and if I were able, I would say, “Happy Bday in heaven, Pa”T”! I know you’re having a blast, and you’re probably telling somebody a good ol’ tale today. I love you, and I miss you so much. Life just isn’t the same without you!! Thank you for all the love you gave, character you taught and wisdom you passed along. You didn’t miss much, and for that, I am so grateful. I am, also, so thankful that I’ll get to see you again one day…and I sure hope it’s sooner than later! 😉 “

I always felt safe and secure in his arms. (1990 – me and my little cousin)

Heart Overflow

October 19, 2015October 31, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

I sit here this morning with a heart overflowing with gratitude. We had a housewarming shower yesterday, from our church family, and they really just “blessed our socks off!” I told my husband last night that I almost feel guilty by how much they blessed us!

I have just been in amazement lately by how much God has blessed us. I am just overwhelmed, and my heart is full. It’s not because of “stuff” that I have received, it’s more because I know it’s God blessing. It just seems that He has been pouring out blessings for our family recently.

For example, this house to which we just recently moved. I’ve told people, time and again, it’s as if God just took a checklist of all the things we desired in a home, added a few desires we didn’t even think about, and said, “Here ya go.” I mean, seriously, we have a WATERFALL in our backyard!! Not one we built ourselves, one that is formed by natural rock with a little creek running over it! If anyone knows us, they know that had to be God to provide that kind of beauty in our very own backyard!

Another example, I had a truck that I absolutely loved. It was really hard to decide to sell, but we decided, in order to lessen our monthly cash outflow, we’d go ahead and sell it. It was an item that car dealerships were really looking for, and we came across a really sweet deal. So, now, we are without one car payment, and I’m driving a Cadillac!! Yeah, I know, that’s hard to believe, but it’s true.

These are just two of the many blessings we have received lately. I am just simply in awe of my God. Some would try to argue that it’s just circumstantial or, even, coincidental, but I’d have to disagree. I believe in a God who is the Creator of the universe, the Creator of my being, and the author of time and space. He is a God who loves us enough to send His only Son to die for our sins. He is a God that cares about the world’s greatest catastrophe and the smallest sparrow that falls from a tree. He’s just a good God, and I’m so thankful I serve Him.

Do you know Who I’m talking about? If you don’t, I encourage you to meet Him and get to know Him on a personal level. I promise you, He won’t disappoint you, and He will never let you down! 😉

John 3:16-17, “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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Wednesday’s Ode #36…belated!

October 15, 2015October 20, 2015 / The WheatandTares

Again, I just want to take a quick second to apologize for my delay in this weekly post! I was just, simply, a day behind in my scheduling and writing! Thank you for your gracious understanding. 😊

My Ode this week definitely must be about Fall. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Fall in Georgia! It is the season for beautiful fall colors, yummy dessert combinations, pumpkins, hay rides, bonfires, apple pickin’ and, all around, lots of fun!

I also love this season, because I get to wear all my most comfy and most favorite clothes…long sleeves, vests, overshirts, jackets, sweatshirts, boots! Fall is the season when you can add layers and layer, and make your own decisions as to when to shed a layer if the weather gets a little to warm in the middle of the day (thankfully, this only happens a in the beginning of the season!) The daytime temps start around 76-78, leveling off around 70, when the season is in full swing. The evenings begin in the low 60s, and level off around 40. Ahhh, the wonderful temperatures of Fall!

So, I hope you have a wonderful day today, and I hope, wherever you are, you’re enjoying some beautiful autumn days. “Happy Fall y’all!” 😉🍁🍂

Wednesday’s Ode #35

October 7, 2015October 6, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

I love fresh baked bread! I don’t want to be redundant, because I know I posted about my baking day on Monday; however, I just wanted to reiterate the fact that I love homemade, fresh baked bread!! My house smelled heavenly after that little baking session.

I tried my very first attempt at baking bread this past Monday, and I think I’m hooked! It is so yummy, and the kind I made is so very good for me that I don’t feel guilty pigging out a little. I had to hold myself back, ‘cuz I didn’t need to eat the whole loaf in one setting! Haha! Of course, the kind I made wouldn’t actually allow for that, because it is so filling. I made it with almost all organic ingredients, including freshly ground, authentically organic whole wheat flour and organic all-purpose flour.

Now, I have to make a note for you here: not all flour you buy in the store is good for you. Actually, unless it is organic, you can be certain it’s NOT good for you! There’s a whole lot I can share on this subject; however, I will simply give you a link to the person and company who can give all of the info so much better than I, because I learned the little I know from her, Sue Becker, at Bread Beckers.

I cannot wait to make some more bread, and, one day soon, when I can afford to buy the materials I need (and make it one of my top priorities to do), I look forward to grinding my own wheat and attempting even more baking of breads, rolls, and maybe even pastas, among other things! 🙂

Wednesday’s Ode #34

September 30, 2015September 29, 2015 / The WheatandTares

I love my little family…even though, I am totally outnumbered!!

Yes. I am the only girl amongst all the guys: my husband, 2 adventurous boys, and, now, 2 rambunctious cats! Haha! Evenso, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love them all. ❤️

I love that my husband is very much a manly man, totally unpredictable and adventurous; yet, he can be so tender and sweet to me. He seems to be able to read my mind at just the right moments, and sometimes even seems to know how to put my feelings into words better than I do. He can be compassionate and loving with our boys, and he can get them so excited and playful, it’s hard to wind them down! He is a man of deep integrity and strong character, and I never have to wonder if he’s telling me the truth, because he is a complete truth speaker… sometimes, even to the point of almost hurting my feelings (I’m quite a sensitive creature), but it’s always for my good not harm. I am so very proud to be his wife.

I love that our boys are full of life, love and laughter. They’re always ready to play, and yet they enjoy their quiet, down times, as well. Our oldest is consumed with music. Rhythm and verse being what fuels his soul. He enjoys the social scene, always wanting to get with friends and go to where ever the action will find him. Our youngest finds his creativity in building, reading and searching out what nature has to offer him. He loves to learn new facts, especially those concerning dinosaurs, science or the Bible. He has a very curious and insatiable thirst for knowledge.

The boys are so very different; yet, they find themselves meeting up on the same road when it comes to video games, funny videos and things of the Bible. They love to laugh together, and they love to have intriguing conversations with their daddy about the end of times, creation and so many things concerning God. They are fun-loving and oh, so fun to love! Sometimes, they run circles around me, and I need an extra nap, but I wouldn’t trade either of them for all the riches in the world! I love them so much; my heart just feels it might bust.

Those two little kittens, who are quickly growing into full grown cats are actually little sweethearts, too. When I go to spend time with them, they are so loving and kind. They sound like little purr boxes, almost immediately, when I walk through the door, and even when they’re in a energetic, playful mood, they want me to pet them and love on them. They’re so sweet!

I’ve always heard that when you have all boys, the mom gets to be queen of her castle. I’m not sure if I can say that, but I can definitely say, I love my little family, and most days (cuz we all have those days when we don’t feel quite queen-ish! 😜 haha!), I feel loved and cherished by them. I am truly a blessed woman, and my heart stays full to overflowing with my love for them. I am so thankful God saw fit to bless me so abundantly!!

Ps. For those of you reading this, and you know our family, I know these pics are many moons past, but I couldn’t resist sharing them. (Plus, you know, I don’t give out current pics of my not-so-little fellas!)

…Sweet, sweet memories of precious days gone past…way too fast!! ❤️