Wednesday’s Ode #11

April 22, 2015April 27, 2015 / The WheatandTares

Today, I’d like to be headed toward what I am going to give tribute: the mountains! Oh, how I love the mountains! We live near the North Georgia Mountains, and every time I get near, every time I get even a glimpse of them, I have to take a couple of really deep breaths and just close my eyes and let everything else simply slip away.

I am, specifically, in love with the N.GA mountains and the Smoky Mountain National Park; however, I have been to the Rockies, as well as, several other parks and mountain ranges along the East coast, and I love them all!!
There is just something about standing at the base of an ancient hill that has withstood the test of time. Those ranges have stood strong amidst rain, blistering heat, earthquakes, snow and mankind. Their strength precedes them. Their peace hovers around them, and it can be felt with more intensity the closer you get.

Some fear the mountains, because they are unpredictable and unwavering in the raw elements; however, I have found my time spent hiking, walking, or simply gazing up at the trees, is always refreshing, revitalizing, and it reequips me for the days I have ahead. Some grow frustrated and restless as they draw near to the sheer size of the mound; yet, I find myself longing for moments of solitude in their midst. They are a fortress, a refuge, a high tower upon which I will lean and find rest. They bring me peace, strength, and even, wisdom, as I gaze at their majesty. They are a constant reminder to me of their Creator and mine.

I just love, love, love the mountains!! My heart is longing to escape to that fortress even now. …Hmmm, I wonder if I could possibly squeeze in a trip to them today…or at least, over this coming weekend! 🙂

First Priority vs. Last Resort

April 20, 2015April 18, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

I want to ask you today, do you live your life by first priorities or by the last resort? I mean, we all do it at some point, don’t we? Delay something until the inevitable happens…yeah, you gotta go to that dentist before they have to do surgery or something!

Let me explain a little more of what I mean…

FIRST PRIORITY

– you set out to do it…First

– you have lots of energy and focus for it

– you will forsake other things for this one… Often, all others things for this one

– your failure rate is lowered b/c you have incredible energy, intense concentration, deep passion and determination to

complete the task

– you willingly suffer pain, ridicule, criticism, heartache, even complete loneliness…if that’s what it takes

– you’ll change your hair, your clothes, your house, your town or location

– you’ll rise early, stay up late, not eat, not sleep, just to accomplish the goal.

– many times, you will quickly, or at least determinedly, alter your whole LIFE for this first priority

If you don’t believe me, let’s plug in a few words for that phrase “first priority”… Boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, children, your BFF, sick or dying parent, new friends, new job, new position or title. We will do a lot to accomplish those first priorities.

But what about those last resorts? …those things that we wait and we ponder on …those ideas we “need more information on before we can complete” … (😉 wink) …those people maybe we “put on the back burner” for a little while …

You know, those things we just don’t accomplish or deal with at the onset…

LAST RESTORT

– this option usually isn’t much fun

– this option isn’t always attractive or exciting

– this choice may cost you emotions, energy, even suffering

– this choice may cost you monetary means or pride

– you put this off until there are no more options

– you have tried everything else with no success

– often, getting here is a result of procrastination, fear, laziness or even rebellion

– often, when you get here, you have lost your dream, your purpose, your passion and, sometimes, even your hope

Shall I name a few? Let’s see…

bad habits, weight-loss, doctors’ appointments, that 1500 page textbook reading, annual reports, or maybe it’s people… The in-laws and the outlaws, your boss, that friend that really gets on your nerves but keeps wanting to get together for coffee, …or maybe it’s just…..your mother! Ahh, those last resorts. They are definitely a sore spot, aren’t they?

Now, I’d like each of us to take a minute and examine our hearts to see where God fits in. Is He our first priority, or is He our last resort? Is He at the top of the list or the bottom? Do we give Him our first, our best or our last, our leftovers?

Living a life with habits which lead toward first priorities helps you to have better focus, more energy. It causes you to be more dependable and committed, and it saves you a lot of headache and worry in the end. If you’ll put God at the top of your priority list, you’ll be able to see more clearly and you’ll be able to find strength in what you must accomplish. It doesn’t mean everything will always be perfect, or without struggle, it simply means, you’ll have an internal peace and strength that will help you through those times. You’ll find as you consistently place Him at the top, those last resorts will be less frequently needed. As you consistently look to Him as your highest priority, you will find that many things just seem to “fall into place” a little easier.

Living a life with habits which always leads you to the last resort CAN be done; however, you do more surviving than you do thriving. You do more worrying than you do smiling. You do more crying than you do laughing. The Word says, “The JOY of the Lord is my strength.” Ask yourself, where is your joy today? Where are your concerns? Where are your priorities?

God is a gracious and loving God, and if you choose Him as a last resort, He will still love you. He will still forgive you. He will still help you, and He can still change and transform you! He will never neglect your cry simply because you choose Him last, but choosing Him first, as a first priority, helps YOU live a more full life. It helps you avoid more pitfalls. It helps you to love more deeply, and it helps you to laugh more freely!

Choosing God as your first priority helps YOU more than it does Him! 😉 So, if I can, let me encourage you today to choose God as you FIRST priority; so, you don’t have to seek Him out as your last resort!

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Hidden Within

April 14, 2015April 13, 2015 / The WheatandTares

Tears fall in the night

Smiles shine in the morning bright

Weary souls hide in the light

Broken hearts stand with all their might

Shadows linger where they don’t belong

Children flinch from being done wrong

Little hands clinch to remain strong

Tiny whispers dark are like a song

When will this pain ever end

Can His love really bring a mend

Will to Him your heart bend

His Son, grace deep, He did send

For only you, he loved so much

For this sin, He suffered such

To some, this faith seems a crutch

To me, this love my life will clutch

PENNED – MG – 4/14/15

Wednesday’s Ode #9

April 8, 2015March 19, 2015 / The WheatandTares

I love my Kindle! I mentioned this in my ode a couple of weeks ago; so, I decided I’d give it a little shout out today. 🙂 I have the Kindle Fire, and it was given to me about three years ago. So, no, its not the HD, HDX or even the 8.9, but it’s just right for me.

I have the ability to download books, games, photos and even documents via one of the apps. I can even surf the web and find needed research when necessary. I have so enjoyed this device. I take it with me almost everywhere.

With my love for books and reading, as I shared in last week’s ode, this device has been handy dandy! I can be sitting in the dr’s waiting room or sitting in my truck during carpool, and I can flip it open to read. I can be taking a short road trip or headed on vacation with my family. No matter where we’re headed, as long as I don’t have to drive, I can curl up in the passenger seat and run away to a dreamland through my books…but many times, I’ll be nice and close it just so my husband won’t feel so alone on the journey! 😉

My boys have benefited from it, as well, when we end up at a place where I am having take care of some business, and they have no electronic device to bide their time, Mom will have her trusty Kindle full of games and books to entertain them for awhile. Even my husband has benefited from the Kindle app, as all of his school books, as well as, books for enjoyment, have been loaded onto his iPad via this app.

So, if you’re avid reader, or you just like to read while traveling by bus or by plane, Kindles are a great investment. I’ve not been real hip on the other brands out there, but to some, a reader is a reader; so, you are welcome to make up your own mind. For me, this ode is well deserved to my Kindle Fire, and for that one, I am thankful! 😉

Wednesday’s Ode #8

April 1, 2015March 19, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Today, I’d like to give tribute to my grandmother. She and I share the same birthday this month, and since today is April first (and I’m not so crazy about April Fool’s Day), I think she is a much better subject to talk about! 😉

I absolutely love my grandmother! Many people say we’re a lot alike, and I take that as a huge compliment. She is a very loving, peaceful, pleasant, elegant, loyal, diligent, dependable, and noble woman. She is fiesty at times, yet, incredibly feminine. She is enthusiastic and always ready to have a good time; yet, she’s quiet and as easy going as the day is long.

She fiercely loved her husband of almost 59 years, and she loves him to this day; although, she had to say goodbye to him almost 13 years ago. They were best friends, confidantes, business partners and lovers. Together, they faced and survived being married at the young ages of 14 and 17, the death of their only son, several miscarriages, running a business together, politics and even cancer. She stayed by his side, through thick and thin, until the very end.

At four foot eleven inches, she is a strong, independent woman; yet, she is there when you need her, and she loves deeply. She is quick to smile and always the first to shed a tear of joy or sorrow. She is kind and gracious, and she is a woman of deep character and deep faith. She trusts in her God to take care of her, and she gives Him praise in the tiniest of blessings. She always looks to the brighter side of things and is able to keep a positive attitude through some life’s toughest storms. She reads her Bible and prays everyday and, even, many times throughout her day. She is faithful to her church family; even when she’s out of town visiting me (or others), she spends some time connecting with those back at home.

She can spruce up the dullest of rooms or ceremonies with her elegant Victorian ways, and she can bake a “mean” pound cake, fried shrimp, fried mullet and even Thanksgiving dressing! She, also, makes an awesome sweet potato casserole for me during the holidays, and she doesn’t even eat sweet potatoes! She loves to decorate for every season of the year and even keeps a Christmas tree up in her rec room, which is transformed into a “whatever holiday it is” tree throughout the year. …yes, that tree has been a snowman, an Easter bunny and a pumpkin man! Haha.

I stayed with her and my grandfather many times, as a youngster, and I cherish every memory I have with her. Oh, and she’s definitely got “young genes!” She sure doesn’t look like she’s about to celebrate her 86th birthday! (…this picture was taken two years ago!)

I am thankful that God saw fit to have me born on the day of her birth, and I will always cherish this honor and this blessing. I pray that I can carry on the legacy she has set before me.

In the Depths of the Falls

March 30, 2015March 29, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

I saw a glimpse of something today. We took a little hike to Amicalola Falls and were standing on the bridge, looking up at the falls when I saw it. Looking up, this song started rolling over and over in my mind, and before I realized it, I was softly singing:

Peace, peace, wonderful peace

Coming down from the Father above

Sweep over my spirit forever I pray

In fathomless billows of love

As I stood there, listening to the waters rush over the rocks and tumble down below, I began to really see it…The rocks were solid, strong, unyielding. There were sharp places and dark places…green, squishy patches and dry, splotchy parts…even some spots with crackly, dry weeds. Yet, where the water flowed, the rocks were smooth and even shiny, almost like jewels glistening in the sun. The waters rushed over the edge at one place and trickled down, hardly noticeable in another. Sometimes, it would bounce and jump, almost seeming to dance in laughter off the rocks, and in others, that same water swirled and pooled, making little collections of shimmery basins in which you could’ve cooled and refreshed your feet. The falls were simply beautiful, invigorating and peaceful, inviting and overwhelming, all in the same breath.

As I stood there, tears streaming down my face, I could see the depths of my very soul. The rocks are the image of my soul. It’s solid, strong, and unyielding, sometimes for very good reasons, sometimes for not so good. The water is the Living Water of God. It washes my heart, cleanses my mind and purifies my soul. It causes the green patches of soft, squishy grass to grow.Those are the places where I’m tender and soft toward the things of God. I’m pliable, moldable, easily moved and quickly changed. These are the places where I long to stay, to learn, to grow.

Yet, there are other areas where it’s not so sweet. His water has to smooth out the sharp, ragged, painful places, those places we’d rather not talk about, those pains we’d just as soon forget. He pours over those jagged rocks of my soul to bring life, restoration and joy.

I was reminded, in that moment, all our souls are in this similar state of being. Some are more, some are less, but we all have sharp, jagged rocks that need His soothing. We all have dark places, those things which are ugly and hidden from the world that need His cleansing. Each one of us has a dry spot or two that needs more water and oh, those pesky weedy areas that are in such need of His purifying. Every one of us has a need for so many more of those soft, squishy, green patches, those places where His love and mercy abide. Our soul longs for those times when we are fully immersed in His goodness and grace.

You see, when we let Jesus into our soul, His rivers of Living Water rush into our lives to show us His love, His grace, His mercy, those things which He’s just been waiting to pour out. Sometimes, the water is so loud, so consuming, we can’t even contain it or comprehend it. Other times, He lets it trickle down a forgotten path, one we thought we’d pushed far into the past to a place never to be seen or remembered again. Yet, He gently lets His waters flow, washing over those places, drawing us back, soothing our soul.

Just as these falls towered before me, His Living Water towers over our souls. He cleanses us, changes us, and transforms us into a beautiful spectacle for all to see. As we allow His water to wash over the depths of our being, we will know He is God. We will know He loves us; we will experience His grace, and we will be transformed into a new creation. We will become a beautiful waterfall that others will gaze upon and feel refreshed, invigorated, challenged and changed. They will gain strength and wisdom as they see what the Lord has done in our life. Many will long for the same as they see the place where He abides. All we must do is allow His Holy Spirit, His Living Waters to flow into and through our lives. Will you let Him flow today?

“…And let anyone drink who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38

Wednesday’s Ode #7

March 25, 2015March 14, 2015 / The WheatandTares

This week, I’d like give my ode to books. I love books, and I love to read! Books can take you to lands unknown. Books can take you to places of which you’ve never even dreamed. Books can give facts, and books can give fiction. Books are wonderful!

I guess you could probably call me a book hoarder. I have always loved books, old ones, new ones, little ones, big ones. I buy them in bookstores, online and in antique stores. I’ll even find many treasures in the Goodwill and thrift stores! These are incredibly cheap, too. I love it!! I find those I can actually sit down and read, and some I just buy for a collection. We’ve decided, when we have a “forever home,” a place where we will someday retire, we must make one room a library. My husband loves books, too; so, we have quite a growing stack.

I just love to read. Reading can take you away to distant lands; it can instill wisdom and grace to your weary soul. Getting immersed in a book can teach you new things and can sharpen your skills. It can expand your mind to imagine and dream. You can ask any teacher or scholar, reading books WILL make you smarter!

My heart’s desire has been to instill this love I have for reading and for books into the hearts of our sons. I have bought books for both of them since they were babies (actually before they were born!), and I buy them even now that they are nine and thirteen. I am grateful they have grown to have a love for books and reading as well.

Our, now thirteen year old, got the complete Sesame Street alphabet board books on his one year birthday. He sat in the floor, amidst all those toys, looking through and ‘reading’ each individual book. There were 29 in the series! He now still enjoys some reading. However, school requires quite a bit of textbook reading; so, he has a limited interest, at best. He is reading the Hunger Games series; so, at least the desire is there a little! 😉 Our nine year old loves to read about all kinds of things, but he especially loves his Action Bible, The Hobbit, the Magic Treehouse series, and How I Survived series. My husband is an avid reader. He favorites are The Lord of the Rings trilogy, all Louis L’Amour westerns and most John Grisham novels.

My reading spans from fiction to non, self-help to leadership and mentoring, biographies and autobiographies, and so on. On my nightstand (actually within my Kindle) right now, I have two books in which I am immersed, and about twenty-five, or quite a bit more, which are waiting “in the wing.” These days, I put most of the books on my Kindle; so, I can take them wherever I go. I absolutely love that Kindle! Oh, but that ode can be given on another day!

How about you? Do you love books? Do you love to read? What is on your bedside table right now? What are some wonderful books you have found lately? Which is your favorite?

Why Break Their Hearts

March 23, 2015March 22, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Ya know, sometimes, this world makes me angry at how easily people can walk away from a life commitment. I want to remind them that they made a vow before and to each other, before their family and friends, before GOD. Vows shouldn’t be made flippantly nor should they be taken lightly. Your word should stand for more than just a simple piece of paper that can be shred and burned in less than a minute. Your word should be solid, one that can be passed on from generation to generation.

I understand, there are legit reasons, cases of infidelity, abuse and illegal activities. I got it. They’ve got their reasons, but sometimes, I just want to scream at those who give up for stupid reasons, especially when there’s kiddos involved. Statements like, “Well, I just don’t love you anymore….I’m tired of trying.” These nonchalant attitudes, thoughts of reckless abandonment, these kinds of things should be scoffed at in today’s society, not “understood” and consoled, even congratulated. These are the words that shatter young dreams. These are the actions that implode self esteem and fragmentize tender hearts, and I’m not talking about those who make the decision but, rather, the lives surrounding that decision. Everyone is effected. No one is immune.

Moments fade. Lives change. Hearts are never to be the same. The decision makers think, “All will mend in time. It will eventually be okay.” What they don’t see is the permanent limp they’ve caused, not only to their own life, but to all those involved. Yes, limps can be managed, compensated for, and sometimes, even hidden for a while, but eventually, truth always unveils what is left in the shadows. Water always finds its level, and that is when surviving begins, and thriving is left in the dreamland.

Yes, I know, thriving can come. Healing can come. I am a testimony to this kind of pain and to this kind of healing. It is possible. There is hope thereafter; however, I still experience the pains and the healing…and I’m in my 40’s…and the deed was done just shy of that many years! It’s just not an easy road to travel for those following behind.

Be careful what you say in anger. It may come back to bite. Be cautious what you do when lonely. It may come back to haunt you. Live your life for the eternal moments more than the momentary pleasures of relief. Live out your days with determination to keep those commitment which matter to those coming behind. Live in such a way that generations to come will be eager to follow.

Wednesday’s Ode #6

March 18, 2015March 14, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Today, I would like to give my tribute to America. Yes, the land of the free and the home of the brave. I love my home, America.

There are many in this world who would scoff at those words, many who would sneer at my homeland, believing they would be better off without it. Yet, for those who long for freedom, those held under tight regimental control, where do their hearts long to go? Where do their dreams take them when they think of freedom? Yes, it is AMERICA! This land was chosen to be a place where “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”* This is the land of the free and the brave. This country was founded on freedom, on liberty and on the pursuit of happiness. For those who live in this land and get angry at these words, I truly wonder why they still live here! Why stay in a country that you so clearly hate? However, I digress. This post today is not meant to be a rant. It is meant to be a tribute; so, let me pay honor where honor is due! 😉

I LOVE this land of freedom! I can worship freely. I can go where I please. I can do as I please (within the laws of reason). I can choose to pursue whatever course in life I’d like. I can be whomever I choose to be. If I want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a construction worker, a CEO, a fireman, a retail salesperson, or even a fast food worker, I can be any of these. If I want to pursue a life long dream of singing or a momentary whim of sailing across the ocean, I can do it. The only things that will stop me is my own limitations of dreaming and my own will power to pursue those dreams. This is the beauty of freedom.

Yes, I know we’ve got our problems. I’m not blind. I know there’s people who don’t appreciate this land nor the people who work hard to make it what it is, but that’s not my point today. Sometimes, you’ve got to step out of the darkness to truly see the light again. Often, we must re-shift our focus when there’s so much turmoil and remember the reason we got in this to begin with. This country was founded for freedom. This country was founded on hard work and pride in a nation of diversity and respect for the pursuit of a dream. These are the things upon which this country was built. Let’s get back to the main thing! Sometimes, I wonder if we’ve forgotten the goodness and wonder in the dream of a better future, because we’ve gotten so entangled in the futuristic dream someone else said we should have… (another thought for another day!)

I LOVE this land of beauty! There is an “old” song, sung by Lee Greenwood, that perfectly sums up my love for the beautiful land called America. He says, “From the lakes of Minnesota, To the hills of Tennessee, Across the plains of Texas, From sea to shining sea, From Detroit down to Houston, And New York to L.A., Where’s pride in every American heart, And it’s time we stand and say, God Bless the USA!” The beauty of this land is as diverse as the people who live here. If you long for snow, just travel north long enough, and you’ll find it. If the beach is more your style, just travel South, you’ll find it. Maybe green rolling “hills” (this term is relative to what you call a hill or a mountain) and Shenandoah Valleys are more your speed, or maybe you prefer peaks as high as the clouds, and tree as big as a house or maybe it’s beautiful plains that stretch for as far as the eye can see. Well, we’ve got it all, just find a map and start your travels! America is where it’s at! No matter, if you’re looking for the city and the night life or the ranch and the country life. It’s all here in this great big land of opportunity!

So, today, I call myself BLESSED to be an American, and I consider myself blessed to be living here in this wonderful land of the free! These are just a few reasons I love this wonderful place! There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Who’s with me?? 🙂

*Declaration of Independence (found here)

Wednesday’s Ode #5

March 11, 2015March 10, 2015 / The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Today, I’d like to give tribute to sweets. I LOVE sweets! I love cheesecake (of almost any kind!) and key lime pie and apple pie. I love cookies, brownies and just about anything covered in caramel. I love sweets!
In actuality, however, it’s not like I eat them in excess, really. Well, I have to amend that, because I’m sure that is completely relative to whose perspective we’re talking about. From the perspective of someone who doesn’t eat many sweets and someone who may be very health conscious, I am probably considered a sweets fanatic. However, to someone who eats sweets all day long or someone who can sit down and eat a whole box of Girl Scout cookies, I may be thought of a lite or moderate sweets person. Either way, I definitely like my fair share of the confections!
Some of my favorites would be warm apple pie, lemon meringue, key lime pie and almost anything cheesecake. I love to have dessert in the middle of the day or even sneak a little cookie at breakfast. *Shhh….. I promise, I don’t do this very often, and I definitely don’t want my boys to follow in my footsteps, but I have to be honest that my self control isn’t very strong when it comes to the sweet stuff. It doesn’t have to be a whole piece of pie, and it doesn’t have to be a half dozen cookies; sometimes, just a little chocolate after-dinner mint will do! …well, maybe two. 😉