JM Perez

493 posts

Poet, Writer and Published Author. Insatiably passionate about gardening, Health and Wellness. I enjoy collecting Vintage and Antique choice pieces.

Poetry Strength of The Small Life Lessons

I’ve Learned

By JM PerezJanuary 17, 20122 min read776 views

I’ve learned
That knowledge does not update itself
And even though I’m constantly learning
I must keep my mind active.

I’ve learned
That I must save life
Even if at some point in time
That life will end mine.

I’ve learned
That hate, though not contagious
Is a self-destructive illness
And I must not practice it.

I’ve learned
That Blessings come in small packages
I must not hold on to perishable things
When all I really need is around me.

I’ve learned
That appearances can be deceiving
We judge people by the image they portray to the World
Rather than the person within.

I’ve learned
That you cannot envy someone
Until you walk in their shoes
And embrace their flaws.

I’ve learned
That a simple “I Love You”
Goes a long way
It heals the most incurable disease.

I’ve learned
That the pain of death
Has the power to bring people together
And end feuds.

I’ve learned
That when we have a heated argument
And you hurt my feelings
That’s precisely when I must not betray your trust.

I’ve learned
That I must always be true to myself
No matter what others think
That I must be grateful at all times
Because Life can end abruptly.

I’ve learned
That when I feel lonely
And the World seems to ignore my cry for help
I must keep trusting
In the One who watches over me and never sleeps
I must be patient and keep trusting
Because He has never let me down.

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By JM Perez

Updates Strength of The Small

Welcome to Our Blog

By JM PerezNovember 2, 20111 min read500 views

Hello dear Readers,

We’re excited to announce our new official blog, StrengthOfTheSmall.org.
We will be sharing news and blogging about the following topics: Parenting, Friendship, Poetry, Life Lessons, Gardening, Upcycling/Repurposing, Home Improvement/DIY, Fashion, Vintage finds, Health and Wellness, Recipes, and much more. Occasionally we will share Guest Posts and review a few things that appeal to us.

Don’t forget to Subscribe by email to receive our latest posts and updates directly in your inbox the moment they are available. It’s quick, easy and free.

Thank you so much for visiting.

-Joan

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By JM Perez

Yahoo! 360° {Archive} Home Improvement Family Gratitude High Desert

Our Front Yard Landscaping

By JM PerezJune 12, 20102 min read717 views

Today has been such a wonderful day. We were able to accomplish so much, all thanks to Mom’s babysitting services. She is and has always been a tremendous help when it comes to lending a hand.

We now have some Before and After pictures of the front yard landscaping to share with you (the pictures speak for themselves). Those of you who visited with us have seen some of the progress we’ve made around our Home and while there’s still much work to be done, we will take a break for now.

I purchased a couple of Phoenix Roebelenii (Pygmy Date Palm Tree) a few days ago and planted them. I know they will look lovely in a few years and add so much charm to the yard if they survive the Winter.
We are still debating about whether to grow grass (perhaps installing synthetic grass), using stepping-stones or just let the middle section as it is (plain dirt). After all, isn’t the yard colorful enough?

Do you see the dried plants below? Those are weeds. It saddens me to know that a family with children once lived here and never thought about getting rid of those dried and ugly plants. This is a front yard for goodness’ sake! Forget for one minute about what the neighbors think of you and how much you will have to pay in fines for being careless. How do you feel going home? Those things right there are a fire hazard.

We are changing the exterior appearance of our Home one day at a time. We purchased the gravel from The Rock Yard, the garden edging from Big Lots! My husband surprised me with the Cherub Fountain and we did the work ourselves. The next outdoor project will be the backyard landscape and continued clean-up.

Happy Gardening!

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By JM Perez

Yahoo! 360° {Archive} Personal Quest Love Family People

Holy Week and Us

By JM PerezApril 1, 20102 min read452 views

My daughter turned two months old. She now gives out genuine smiles and makes our hearts flutter whenever she smiles back at us in response to our silliness. She loves looking around; mostly at the chandeliers, ceiling fans and lights. She’s getting heavier (ferocious eater with good appetite) and we are just happy she’s a healthy baby. We had visitors last weekend, who prepared delicious meals for us and bought gifts for the baby. My older son is wonderful and a very protective brother; he’s just full of surprises and love.

Physically and mentally I’m doing alright. I’m going through a ‘Soul Searching’ phase. Though I’ve pretty much lost my post-pregnancy weight; I’ve gained muscles from my daily exercises and I’ve reached an ideal body shape. I’m happy where I am now. My husband too, has been losing weight, thanks to his routine exercise and he has never been happier. We owe it in part to our ongoing commitment to a balanced and healthy diet.

Holy Week this year is very meaningful to us. We never truly realized how lucky we are until lately. We’ve seen so much pain and destruction around the World. Just last weekend, for instance, we visited a family friend in Los Angeles, CA whose son got shot a few times (and survived, thankfully). A week earlier we visited a friend in Upland, CA who lost her sister-in-law and while at the residence, we found out about the dead of someone else. Life is just too short and too fragile to waste lingering on meaningless things.

While using our time wisely, helping others and keeping ourselves happy; we are clinging to hope, thriving to do the right thing and praying for the forgiveness of our sins. As we look back at the past, we hope for a better tomorrow.

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By JM Perez

Desserts Snacks and Treats Yahoo! 360° {Archive} Gratitude People

Neighbors Welcome Gifts

By JM PerezAugust 17, 20091 min read681 views

Two days ago, we received a “Welcome To the Neighborhood Cake” from the Robinsons, our kindhearted neighbors from across the street. It looked delicious and I told my husband he could take it to work and indulge with his co-workers (which of course, they loved). We moved to this quiet neighborhood a couple of years ago and this thoughtful gesture shows that it’s never too late to reach out to others.

Today we received another surprise gift from our newest, next door neighbor, Gregory. He moved here about two months ago and was doing major renovation in his home along with his friendly twin brother, Arthur, whom I’ve seen a few times around and finally met Saturday morning. My husband and I were having a conversation in the kitchen early this evening when the door bell rang. It was a good surprise seeing Gregory holding a basket full of delicious Armenian bread in his hands. I was so touched!