Good Friday!

On this day, we remember what our Lord and savior Jesus Christ went through so that we may have a REDEEMER.  The story is very familiar ~ even to those who don't claim to be believers in Jesus Christ.  But sometimes things become too familiar.  May we take time today to remember what Jesus went through on this day we call "Good Friday".

Today is "Good Friday" and we recall the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and all that he went through so that we may believe in Him and have eternal life with Him.  So on this day ~ take a moment to remember.

Today is Good Friday ~ but Sunday is on its way!

Another Milestone

Well, we have reached another milestone at the Wheat household.  I know that many of my blogs deal with how fast time goes by, but once again it has flown by.  Just this past Thursday we acquired another licensed driver in our family.  Well, if you consider a "learner's permit" a license, then we have arrived.  Ashlyn passed her written drivers' test and now she can legally drive with anyone who is 21 and has a valid driver's license.  I am proud of her for her accomplishment.  In fact, as she got up from the table from taking her test, I knew she had passed as she gave me her "special grin" and gave a "fist pump".  It was a great moment.

As we walked out of the testing center, which is in Gentry, she went towards the passenger side and then said, "Hey dad, can I drive back to school?"  Without hesitation, dad said, "Sure!"  She didn't know that I was already planning on allowing her this great privilege.  Once again, memories began to flash in my mind.  She is growing up and there is nothing I can do.  She jumped in the driver's seat and brought us back to Siloam.

Isn't that just like our Heavenly Father.  We reach milestones in our lives and He is there to teach, train and celebrate with us when we accomplish the task.  He isn't there to keep us from moving forward and "growing up".  He is there to cheer us and to encourage us.  You see, this was Ashly's second time to take the test.  We had gone the week before and she missed passing by only one question.  She was heartbroken and disappointed.  Me and Krystal just encouraged her and told her that she just needed to study a little harder and she would pass.

How many times have I not passed the test the first time and had to "re-take it."  There have been many tests in life that I have had to take more than twice.  But each time our Heavenly Father is there, not condemning or scolding, but encouraging and teaching us.  I am so thankful that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me and helps me to pass the tests that I face in this life.  When I pass, He is the first one there to celebrate as I give "fist pump" of celebration.

By the way, Ashly is a very good driver and did great driving us back to Siloam.  In fact, she drove Krystal and herself to school this morning.  Another milestone has been reached.  Wow!

20 Years

It was 20 years ago on March 1st that I said those two words to Krystal and I haven't regretted them:  "I do".  It doesn't seem possible that we have been happily married for 20 years.  They really have been happy, too.  Looking back it seems as if time has just flown by.  As we reflected over the twenty years, there are some great memories and stories to tell.  It may seem a little crazy and "unusual" but we really never have had a fight.  There have been some disagreements and apologies have had to be made from time to time, but never has the thought of separation or divorce ever entered into our minds or came out of our mouths.  I'm not saying this in a prideful way, but in a thankful way.  God has really been good to us as a couple.  Krystal has been God's blessing and gift to me.  I also think that she believes that I am a blessing and gift from God to her.  That is probably why our marriage has been so good.  When someone you love gives you a precious gift, you take care of that gift.  Our relationship is my gift from God and I want to do all I can to nurture & protect this precious gift.  I'm not perfect and I'm not always good at nurturing, but we both do what is needed to keep our relationship a priority.

"Big Cedar Lodge"

This year we were able to do something really special for our 20th.  Just a couple of weeks ago, we went our to eat at PF Chang's.  It was a great night of dinning and spending the evening together.  Then this past week, while Krystal was on spring break, I had booked two nights at the Big Cedar Lodge which is located just outside of Branson, MO.  Neither one of us had been to Big Cedar and we were not disappointed.  I rented a log cabin for two nights and we didn't really have a schedule.  When you live by a schedule, not having one is a great gift you can give.  We did have dinner at the Worman House at Big Cedar and spent a day in Branson just passing the time away together.  We did go see the show "SIX" and really enjoyed it.  We would highly recommend it.  We spent time talking and taking a walk around Big Cedar Resort.  It was quiet and very relaxing.  It was a great time for us both to wind down and just be with each other.


Marriage isn't always easy because it has been ordained by God.  Anything that has been ordained by God, Satan wants to destroy it.  This precious gift that me and Krystal have isn't an exception.  Our prayer is that God receives the glory in everything we do in our lives ~ especially our marriage & family.


Krystal, thank you for 20 great years.  I'm glad I fell in love with my best friend.  I am looking forward to many years to come.  By the way, we need to begin planning for our big 25th Anniversary.  It will be here before we know it!

The Dinner Table

The Dinner Table; If you are like a lot of families, the dinner table is something that becomes a "catch all".   As we pass through or get home from a busy day we lay items such as the mail, a backpack or other items on it while we are on our way to another destination in the house.  Sometimes it is used for a craft or coloring table for the kids to create their latest piece of artwork.  But the real use of the table is to sit down, eat and fellowship.

The Wheat family is just like many families today in that we have a busy schedule.  "Between Sundays" isn't just a name for this blog but it is our life.  When school, church and other activities begin to fill the calendar it is sometimes hard to use the dinner table for what it was designed.  We try to make an effort to sit down at the dinner table but it doesn't always work.  But this week we have been able to sit together, eat, talk and laugh as we have sat down at the Wheat's dinner table.  Ashlyn & Mitchell tell us about their day.  The conversation is usually about the exciting things that happened in school or other events that are coming up.  Ashlyn's topic is usually homework and sports.  Mitchell's topic is usually about a trip to the library or what took place at Sunshine Montessori.  It's usually nothing too deep but a time spent together around the dinner table. 

I wonder what would happen if we, in our busy schedules, would take time to sit around God's "dinner table"?  As a father, I enjoy sitting and listening to my kids share about their day.  Sometimes they ask questions but for the most part they are just talking and not asking for anything.  It's a time for reflection, direction and also connection.  We all get busy, but for some reason I think God would love for us to just take some time to come and sit at His "Dinner Table".  The great thing about God's "Dinner Table" is that it can be anywhere you want it to be.

I know personally that our busy times get in the way but I also know how precious those times around the dinner table can be.  Our schedules don't always allow us to sit at the dinner table, but when we do make time it is a precious moment.  All of us have busy schedules but what would happen if we did take time to sit at our family dinner table more often?  What would happen to us spiritually if we took time to sit at our heavenly Father's dinner table more often?

No Bed of Roses

 

We have all heard the term "no bed of roses" and most of us understand what that means.  Basically when we say "no bed of roses", we are saying that it won't be easy.  The rose is considered one of the most beautiful flowers but along with the beauty comes the stem.  As pretty as the rose is, it has a stem that has many prickly stickers that can draw blood from someone who isn't careful.

This morning I was reading in Exodus when God had given a promise to Moses and the Hebrews when they were in Egypt.  They were slaves in Egypt but God had a plan.  Here is God's plan:  

Exodus 3:7 Then the LORD told him, "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.8 So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.

What a great plan ~ God was telling Moses that he had seen the situation and had a plan to "lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land.  It is flowing with milk and honey..."  This is a great plan.  The Hebrews were getting out of slavery and they were going to have their very own land that was fertile for crops to grow and spacious enough so it wouldn't be crowded.  This is AWESOME!  But now look at the rest of the sentence and what God also was saying...."the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live."  Wait a minute!  Did I read this correctly?  Aren't these "ites" enemies?  It's interesting to me that God was delivering the Hebrews and giving them a wonderful promise of a land that was flowing with milk and honey, but it was already occupied by others.  Don't worry.  God knew what He was doing.  As you continue to read, God uses Joshua to go and conquer these "ites" that God is talking about.

As I read this, I began to think of all the promises that God gives to us.  We like the promises, but we don't like the enemy that we have to overcome in order to "occupy our promised land".  Just like we like the rose but we don't like the thorns that come with the rose.  God gives us promises, but He also wants us to step out and fight in His might and strength to make the promise a reality.  

What about you?  I hear people say, "God promised...." but they haven't done anything to take a step toward that promise.  God's promises are wonderful and they are great but some promises aren't "a bed of roses."  I love the rose, but I have to overcome the thorns to enjoy it.  I love God's promises but many times I have to overcome obstacles (with His help) to enjoy them.

Jesus never promised us a "happy life" but He did promise that we could have "life and life to the full".  This doesn't mean we won't have to deal with the "thorns" that come along with the "rose of life". 

Social Networks ~ Good or Bad?

A few years ago the term "social network" wasn't in our vocabulary.  Today, many people use the internet and "social networks" such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and many others to "stay connected".  I don't believe there is anything wrong with having some type of social networking, but I do believe it is like anything else.  You have to be careful in how you use it.  One of two things will take place ~ You will control it or it will control you.

For example:  I just read an article in Leadership Journal that shared about a pastor who has banned Facebook among his church staff.  They could delete their account or they could resign.  He has also called on married people in his 1,100 member congregation to delete their Facebook accounts as well.  The pastor said that 20 couples from his church have had marital problems in the last six months afer a spouse reconnected with an "old flame" on Facebook.  "What happens is someone from yesterday surfaces, it leads to conversations, and there have been physical meet-ups.  The temptation is just too great."   The article continues and says that according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 81% of its members have either used or been faced with evidence from social networking sites in divorce cases in the last five years, including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.

Wow!  It's also important that we are careful not to use social networks to "blast" people or gossip or use it in any negative way.  My father-in-law says that it's just a place and another way for people to gossip.  We laughed, but there is some truth in his statement.  It's interesting that people will share things over their social network with their "friends" that they normally wouldn't share with anyone else.  The problem comes when their "friends" have "friends" and their "friends" have "friends".  Your "opinion" or what you are doing, feeling or sharing becomes a headline.  Be careful what you put on your "status" or what you "tweet". 

There are also studies that show that companies lose billions, yes BILLIONS, of dollars in productivity because of social networks.  Are we being good stewards of our employer when we spend time checking the status of friends on Facebook?  Probably not.  If you work for a company and you just have to update your status or check your friend's status, you may want to do it on your break or lunch hour.  What a great example this would be to others.

Don't get me wrong.  I AM NOT against social networking.  I do believe that we need to be careful in the way we use it.  I believe it is a great way to communicate but we must guard against being tempted in misusing it.  I would like to challenge every person that reads this and has some type of social network to use it in a positive way.  You can use positive quotes and even put daily scriptures to encourage others.  

So, is social networking good or bad?  It all depends on how you use it and control it.  Do you control it or does it control you? 

Two Dogs ~ Two Attitudes

We have two dogs in our home.  Both are Yorkies and both have two totally different personalities and attitudes.  Molly is our oldest.  She is actually a birthday gift for Ashlyn.  She is a little older and is very mild and "rolls with the punches".  She is pretty much set in her ways and just goes about her business.  She will sit by you and be relaxed as long as you have to pet her.    She is a little hyper when guests come over but settles down pretty quickly. 

Max is our other Yorkie.  He is younger (just turned 1) and has a totally different personality and attitude.  He is hyper except when he is sleeping.  He is full of energy but has a mind of his own.  He is as cute as Molly, but doesn't like to be bothered when he has found a comfortable place to rest.  It's not the fact that he doesn't like to be bothered, but it's how he shows it.  He will give a little "growl"; not a "I'm going to bite you" growl.  It's more of a "leave me alone" growl.  It's pretty funny. 

In fact, Max is sitting by me as I write and I disturbed him when I moved him over a little.  He just looked at me and gave me that little growl of "leave me a lone."  Molly is laying in the middle of the floor and would never think of growling at me if I went over to move her.  It's just funny how even dogs have different personalities and attitudes.

People have different attitudes and personalities and it is wise to treat them accordingly.  There is a book called "Personality Plus" by Florence Littauer that helped me and Krystal learn that people have different personalities and why they act or do what they do.  It was a great help.  I would highly recommend it.


We love our dogs.  They are always happy to see us when we get home and love us back.  But we also understand that each one has its own personality and attitudes.  What type of attitude/personality do you have?  Do you try to "roll with the punches" or do you "growl" to let others know they are bothering you?