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The Harvest of Life

JM Perez By JM Perez3 min read609 views

Last Fall, my Son went on his first field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. When I picked him up later from school, he proudly showed me a small pumpkin he received as a souvenir from the trip. After a couple of weeks, the tiny pumpkin started deteriorating and he allowed me to plant it (I just dug a hole and shoved the whole thing in it). Winter went by and so did Spring. Up until last week I believed it was a lost cause until I saw the first sprout.

The Harvest of Life process reminded me of the Harvest of crops.
I once shared bulbs from the same bag with a friend; hers germinated and bloomed long before mine. For a while I wondered what I did wrong and wondered what I could do to have better results in the future. After trials and errors, I realized that while some seeds will germinate in warm soil, others will not and vice versa. Some crops will be ready to harvest in no time; others take a very long time. There’s a time and season for everything. How slow or quickly it takes a seed to grow is not up to us. The good news is that we can control the quantity of our crops by following the necessary steps (watering, fertilizing, getting rid of weeds and using pest control) to encourage a healthy growth. Regardless of the methods/techniques used for planting, harvest season always comes.

Image Credit: Willow Tree.com
Image Credit: Willow Tree.com

Just as with plants, some things are in our control and others, not so much.
The cycle of life is to be born, to grow up, to grow old and to die. But it never happens in that exact order regardless of Technology, Advancement in Science as well as other natural remedies (healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, exercise) to help us live longer. The choices we make in life will determine the outcome of our fate.

“Whichever season you’re in, rejoice and celebrate your life as you might not experience it twice.” – Joan Ambu

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die.
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal.
A time to break down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh.
A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together.
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get, and a time to lose.
A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew.
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate.
A time of war, and a time of peace.” ― Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)

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Parting Cutting Cords Scripture Faith Life Lessons People

Scripture: 1 John 2:19

JM Perez By JM Perez3 min read527 views

Relationships can be a double-edged word. Like domesticated animals, everything is alright until they come biting you for little to no apparent reason.

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” – 1 John 2:19 (KJV)

Like everything else in my Life, I took my job seriously and looking back, I almost became a workaholic. I tried as hard as I could to keep an ongoing communication with the outside World and me. I wasn’t as available as I would have loved to be and I didn’t realize how committed I was to my work. I was excited about a potential promotion. It became tricky to make time for Family, Friends and it seemed there were not enough hours in a day to do what I wanted to do. I had responsibilities, deadlines to meet and my sanity to keep in check.

Little by little, without realizing and/or inciting, I started distancing myself from others (and vise versa). Some people were happy for me and stood patiently beside me. Others simply couldn’t bear the silence and absence and decided to keep moving until I caught up to their rhythm, which I totally understood. One individual, whom I never expected and didn’t think was capable of, saw an opportunity to start a feud. That was eight years ago.

It happened at a time when I was deep in prayer for the right direction regarding the relationship. Looking back, I believe this was inevitable. Though not perfect, I was a faithful friend. However, to be blamed for not supporting a hurtful and hateful decision and to be asked to go against my belief – that to me, was the last straw. Keep in mind that, prior to this, I had my own sanity to keep in check. I have always believed that the Lord works in mysterious ways and I know He freed me from a load which wasn’t mine to carry.

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Image Source: InspirationBoost.com

I know a little bit about cutting cords and I have learned over the past years when to hang on and when to let go. Often times we stay in a relationship because we are scared of the unknown and we do not believe we can make it on our own. Because we do not believe in ourselves and in possibilities.

“No one is ever alone and silence does not equate defeat.” ― Joan Ambu

Some relationships are meant to be and others not so much. You can know someone all your life and then, out of the blue, the relationship ends. Does it mean either one or both individuals were bad? Maybe, but I think not. It just means that their chapter in the story of each others life is over at that particular moment. Parting and cutting cords doesn’t give us the right to hate or hurt each other. Besides, how does one begin to belittle someone or something he/she once loved without belittling him/her self in the process? Does it hurt? Yes and it will hurt until you learn to take charge of your Life and emotions. Should you regret ever knowing the person? Absolutely not. Hold on to the good memories and move forward with your Life. Our encounter with one another is a life lesson.

Love and Air are two of a few things which should be free. Do not force anything which doesn’t come naturally and remember that those who leave us, were never really with us. What’s the point holding on to them?

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Scripture Faith Life Lessons People

Scripture: Proverbs 27:6

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read1.1K views

A couple of months ago, my husband and I watched Initial D, the film adaptation of the Japanese Initial D manga and anime series. We really enjoyed it as it was both entertaining and educational. Initial D tells the story of a young tofu delivery boy who fell in love with a girl, got his heart-broken and became a drift-racing legend.

Itsuki Tachibana, after seeing Natsuki Mogi, Takumi Fujiwara’s girlfriend, leaving a love hotel with an older man, decided to inform his friend Takumi who didn’t take the information well. He insulted his friend and almost beat him up for ‘disrespecting his girlfriend.’ Had I been in his shoes, I am pretty sure I would have acted the same. How could he fathom the idea that his girlfriend was an escort girl, telling him she was going out of town just to find out that she was around this whole time? He eventually sees Natsuki with an older man, which confirms Itsuki’s claim.

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” – Proverbs 27:6 (KJV)

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Image Source: DailyLifeVerse.com

Yes, faithful are the wounds of a friends. Itsuki knew that telling his friend about what he saw would hurt him deeply and he also knew that it was the right thing to do. As much as Takumi was hurt, coming face to face with the truth, made him realize that his friend had his interest at heart and was just trying to save him from more heartache down the road. Itsuki earned his friend’s respect and their relationship was strengthened in the process.

Some of us have been in a situation where we thought using flattering words was the only way to win a friendship or to get out of an uncomfortable situation. We smile with people even though we are so sick of their sight. We pretend to like someone just because they are popular and being with them means having a free pass to many events. When asked by your friend if her makeup looks right, you quickly say yes, when you know it’s really bad. I know they are people out there who hate rejection and are only happy when others flatter and make them feel special. Part of it has to do with their upbringing (when parents allow their children to do whatever they want without consequences or for fear of their children resenting them). Such people should be avoided because they are a pain to be around and they don’t care about what we have to say.

We need to be around people who can build us up and whom we can help build up too. Let’s not settle to be someone’s puppet even if we are getting something out of it. We are not helping each other by lying to one another and we are not helping ourselves by concealing the truth.

For an in-depth explanation of this scripture, visit LetGodBeTrue.com

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Blessings Scripture Personal Quest Death Faith Love Family

Reminiscence

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read791 views

“The best effect of fine persons is felt after we have left their presence.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I remember as a little girl, sitting right across my sister and mimicking her every move. While most little girls thought their Mothers were the most beautiful person in the World, I thought and I knew my Sister was the most beautiful person in the World. I loved and admired her so much that I was for her and into her. Though she loved to tease me, she always made sure I was taken care of. She was three classes ahead of me and at the end of school she would wait for my brother and me and together we would walk back home. Sometimes during rainy days, when the thunder would be so severe that I couldn’t sleep, I would jump off my bed running to her for comfort.  She would always receive me with open arms. Those are blessed good old memories.

Today marks the fifteen anniversary of her death and the fourteen of my beloved grandmother. In the mean time I have had the opportunity to find out my strengths and weaknesses, as well as whatever else I am made of. Over the years, my faith has been tested (and is still being tested) in so many ways and stretched in all directions to mold me. Mold Me Lord, shape me, feed me Lord. With your knowledge that I may absorb and retain …

As I am looking forward to seeing what He has in store for me, I now have a good idea of why I am still here and what He desires from me. I am in awe of Him and the transformations in my Life.

There isn't a day that goes by where I don't, at some point, think of you.
Image Source: Pinterest.

CANDLE-LIGHT

Day has its sun,
And night the stars.
But God has candle-light.
Upon the world’s great candle-stick He sets
The little taper of yourself ashine,
That when the sun has sputtered out
And all the stars are dead,
Your immortality may flame and burn
Across His infinite immensity forever.

Wherefore He will sometime blow out the sun,
And snuff the stars,
Preferring candle-light.

— Sister M. Madeleva, C.S.C.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV)

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Scripture Faith Inspire Life Lessons People

Self-Freedom

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read532 views

Self-Freedom, Breaking Free from Bondage, Mind Healing, Seeking the path to Serenity, call it whatever you want as long as it means being at peace with ourselves and our surrounding.

“I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” – Harriet Tubman

Image Source.
Image Source.

We are all slaves of the mind and each one of us in our way is still struggling to break free (often without realizing it). We struggle with honesty, patience, understanding, gratitude, pride, shame, envy, bitterness, gossip, revenge, acceptance, communication, broken promises, forgetfulness, forgiveness, deceits, betrayal, illnesses, letting go, we compete for love, for perishable things as well as nurturing other bad habits just to name a few. Our lack of knowledge is the main cause for us missing on opportunities and being rewarded for what is rightly ours.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. – Hosea 4:6 (NKJV)

When you stay true to yourself, live in accordance with and act in obedience with the Word of God, you change not only the way people view you, but you change people as well. Once you believe and come to terms with the fact that the Word of God is precise, clear, true and that everything you learn and relate back with the World can be found in Scriptures, then and only then will you achieve self-freedom and break free from bondage.

Stand your grounds, guard your heart and thoughts, do not let anyone fool or use you and do not willingly put yourself in a compromising situation. Know and understand the God you serve and trust that His Words, which are alive and active will prevail and free you from the hands of your oppressors.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

My heart goes out to the Boston Marathon bombing victims. I pray that the souls of the departed rest peacefully in the Almighty’s arms and wish a painless and swift recovery to the injured.

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