“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.
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)
“To understand the phenomenon of a bad seed is to recognize that we could be someone else’s bad seed.” – Joan Ambu
There’s an old Elm Tree across from our Home which releases white seeds by the hundred during Spring and unfortunately for us, those seeds land in our yard. I often gather them into piles using an outdoor broom and I either use a dustpan or my garden vacuum to collect the seeds before disposing of them. At the end of the day I still have a few more hundred lying around my property. As long as they are non-existent in the area I want, I let the others be. There’s no way I can possibly get rid of them all as their light shape makes it easy for the wind to move them from one location to another. All it takes for those seeds to germinate is a little bit of water as they seem to thrive in any type of soil (I know because I have spent countless hours pulling the seedlings).
The same scenario applies to Weeds. How do you feel about those weeds growing on your property? If you are like me, I bet you don’t like them (at least not all of them). Year after year you weed, you use chemicals and do everything you can think about to get rid of them yet, they keep coming in the numbers. After a while you realize that it’s not about preventing the weeds from growing or your method of weeding which is questionable. It’s about understanding how those seeds end up on your property and how to prevent them from spreading too much since it’s impossible to completely eradicate them.
Image Source: RelicsWorld.
Dealing with Weeds
Dealing with People
» Know your geographic area » Learn about the different types of weeds (to recognize those growing on your property) » Figure out the weeds you can live with and those you don’t want » Find ways to control them (fencing, chemicals, hand weeding, etc) » If you don’t mind the weeds, then just let them be.
→ Be aware of your surroundings → Learn more about the people around you → Figure out those who are true to you and those you don’t need around you → Find ways to maintain peace with everyone → If you don’t care, simply allow bad energy to free-float around you.
Bad seeds are everywhere and chances are, we are a bad seed in someone else’s life.
Some Characteristics of Bad Seeds:
Answer to no one
Is their way or nothing at all
Are resentful
Have nothing positive to say about others
Play tough and ‘seem’ to have no remorse
Erratic behavior when overtaken by guilt
Play the victim when hell breaks loose
Hope to be forgiven yet withhold forgiveness
The truth about bad seeds is that they can be found everywhere and they are here to stay, just like every other living thing. Their various sizes often make them hard to see and by the time we spot them, they have spread, using their roots to seek out nutrients from other plants, subsequently draining them in the process. Weeds fight for survival, for that last drop of water (not caring about the other plants around them). How does this relate to people? Most of us have become an attention seeking species with a dangerous taste of perfection, which unfortunately, is not of this World. Our quest for self-worth and self-acceptance often cause us to put others down, give ourselves too much credit just to feel superior in comparison (which is self-destructive).
We often withhold forgiveness as a mean of punishment (“If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” ― John 20:23 (NIV)) and often because somewhere in our twisted minds we think we are better than the other person. Withholding forgiveness is simply fatal to our spiritual growth and the pleasure we get from it is just temporary. In the end we are the ones with a heavy load in our heart and on our mind: unable to find peace, happiness, to think straight, to love ourselves and unable to receive the graces of God (“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” ― Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)).
Forgiving someone is your gift to yourself to be released from bondage, to start healing and experience joy.
“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.”― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
“Many people go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”
― Henry David Thoreau.
Yesterday I celebrated my birthday, peacefully at home, fighting a cold. It was a good day as I received all the love that I could hold. I am aging slowly but surely I am loving it. It’s quite difficult to remember the last time I actually felt this good. Perhaps when I left home? When I met my Wife? When I became a Parent? I can only hope that the feeling lingers on. I am grateful for my Life, for my encouraging Family, Friends and for the unknown.
When you are surrounded by people who have genuine concern and interest for others, they instantly bring out the best in you. The path that I chose almost sixteen years ago led me to a road of certainty and the life changing decision I made twelve years ago has led me to clarity. I have experienced strong emotions and bonds that I had never felt before and I have also experienced great deceptions from individuals whom I believed in.
Source: WXNetwork.
I want to acquire more knowledge, to be more loving, more understanding of my surroundings, more forgiving, more humble, more patient, more conscious, to be present and fully live the moment, to give more, to reach out more and to accept as well as embrace the things I cannot change. Above all, I want to have a personal relation with my Creator. To truly understand His Words and to live by them all the days of my life. I want Serenity.
In my moments of reflection, I have traveled many roads and arrived at different conclusions based on each action and reaction from individuals. In this crazy society that we live in today, it seems that every spare moment is used to check our status updates, our friends pages, our text messages, our favorite show updates and so on. But I ask you, when was the last time you sat outside listening to some music and watched the clouds go by? Do we have three minutes to spare on our crazy lives? I do and I hope for your sake that you do as well. If you do not let your mind wonder then how will you be able to wonder in your mind?
Thank you all for your well wishes and kind words on my Facebook page. Thank you for the phone calls and Text Messages. It was nice reading and hearing from you all. I appreciated the extra ray of sunshine.
So, what will you catch this year and in the years to come?
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” – Romans 13:8 (ESV)
LOVE
. What exactly is this four letters word? Could it be gratitude and compassion for every living thing? Is Love other than what we think we know it to be? Do I love you because you give me the ultimate high or do I love you because you are a necessary piece in the Universe? Do I love you because you were molded by the same God who shaped me, advertently making us Brothers in Christ? Yes, I do. You might be a pain, but you are a necessary pain and I need you for my continued growth. We all need love, especially the type that elevates and brings out the best in us. Love is, and without a doubt, a beautiful thing.
When it comes to love, the heart seems present, but the mind is often not. Sometimes we fail even at the basic form of love (to listen, understand, to be open-minded, compassionate, etc). Love is a continuous struggle and we must be very cautious when dealing with difficult individuals. As a friend, I have failed to be patient a few times and I am conscious of my capacity to disappoint (taking too long to return phone calls, for instance as well as standing still in the midst of disrespect). As I am maturing, I’m also learning to be still (Psalm 46:10). I am not afraid to take the first step and ask for forgiveness regardless of the attitude of the other person.
Love is all I have to give; it’s all I seek and it’s all I need. I am not out to impress anyone, I use my words wisely.
Created by katie@kriselen.com.
FORGIVENESS
. Most people (including me, until last week) believe it’s a gift to oneself. Defining forgiveness this way is being selfish because we only think about us. Yes, our offender has done enough damage already, why should we include him/her in the big picture? Well, because our actions and decisions have consequences in the after life. Sometimes we believe that we have forgiven someone when in reality we have not. Take an accident for instance. You’re driving and you get hit badly. Because of the chock you don’t feel a thing at first and you do not see the need to seek medical attention. Then, within a few days or so, your body starts aching from places you never knew existed. Someone hurt you and you think, “Pfff, I don’t care!” and next thing you know, you’re all resentful. How do we go from forgetting/letting go to resentfulness? It takes a lot to forgive someone who has deeply hurt us and it can only be achieved through sincere prayers and love for our offender. If you can look at your offender in the eyes and all you feel is love, then, surely, you have forgiven him/her. If you hear someone talking about that person and all you feel is love, then you have let go of the hurt. There are degrees of offenses and hurts and forgiveness doesn’t happen overnight.
Fourteen years ago, after the death of my Sister, I was hurt. I understood that it was her time to go; however, I just couldn’t live past the fact that the individuals she needed the most consciously turned their backs on her. I was deeply hurt. My Sister and I were deeply connected so much that at times it felt like we were in each others mind. Though gone, the bond has not been broken. My Creator has blessed me with a unique gift which I’ve come to accept and embrace. Like many others, I am a Spiritual being who struggles with shortcomings.
To be shown how things went down and to be told not to hate, to be asked to promise not to retaliate; rather, to pray and love. That was painful to digest. Believing in the Word of God and believing it to be true has helped me tremendously in my quest for serenity. Having convinced myself that I had forgiven and slowly began experiencing bitterness; I was shown a list filled with wrongs that were done to my Sister and was asked again to pray and forgive. This time I had to go on my knees and ask God why? And how was I to forgive after learning about additional hurtful information? I was torn and deeply sadden. Then I stumbled upon the following Biblical passage: Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” – John 20:21-23 (NIV)
At this point, I was determined to pray and forgive. I thought about my own Sister and wondered if her personal sins were forgiven before she left the World of mortals? I hope so. I prayed for my sins, for hers and for that person who hurt her the most. Forgiveness is a painful yet rewarding process. It takes a lot to pray with love for someone who’s robbed you of everything. Once I was able to truly forgive, I felt so light and I received the Love of God. Now I feel joyful inside and out. I no longer refer to certain situations as lost causes because I see salvation and hope. I see new beginnings. You can never forget; you can only forgive and move on.
“Forgiveness is a selfless gift of love to others.” ― Joan Ambu
HUMILITY
. How many times have you heard the phrase ‘I pity you’, ‘you’re useless’, ‘you’re a wreck’, ‘you suck!’? Never? Once, twice, countless times? Those words are very hurtful and untrue.
If I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:14), why then, do you pity me? Why do you think I’m useless? Have you walked in my shoes? Are you judging God? Are you having issues with His Creation? “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.” – Job 6:14 (NIV). Don’t pity someone because you think you are better than them. We are not better than someone else. We might have what they don’t and chances are, they have what we don’t. We should pity ourselves for being self-centered (as it can be a sin in itself). In the eyes of our Creator we are all equals. If you truly respect yourself, you will refrain from labeling others.
We should strive to be compassionate beings and practice humility. Do not criticize others or brag of your accomplishments at every opportunity. Listen more, compliment more and help more. Give a little bit of your time to those in need. When you feel the urge to disrespect someone for whatever reason: resist through prayers by calling upon the One who never sleeps. Remember that, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV).
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (NIV)
Too often I have been asked about my beliefs and my answer remains unchanged: “I am a believer and I strongly believe in kindness, in everything good and true. I believe in my God, who has never left my side.”
A true Christian would educate, nurture, lend a hand or an ear; would council and be patient. True Christians should only judge others with love because we are all on a lifelong journey of discovery for truth and each one of us carries a personal sin. To the hypocrites the scripture commands, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV).
Belief in itself is not something we learn, but something we experience at a personal level. It’s like tutoring, a one-on-one experience that makes a difference and can be either good or bad. This is precisely why it’s so easy to judge others and hard to convert them. When you believe (or say you believe) you’re in; when you don’t, you’re out. Just like that.
Many things seem acceptable to people when they speak the same language. While some people lie their way into a circle, others get there righteously. It’s troubling to see how much some people sacrifice just to fit in.
Image Credit: Willow Tree.com
I am not without fault. I am a child of the universe and I have a profound respect for all living things, especially for those I do not understand. My quest for my knowledge of the Word is endless. I am a conscious sinner. I always say a prayer before letting go of that which no longer serves me. Not only do I seek daily salvation from my Savior, but at the end of the day I am not ashamed to ask forgiveness from those I offended.
I have learned that the best way to avoid being caught up in this masquerade is to practice kindness and stay true to oneself.
“Kindness is the catalyst that fuels our drive for love and compassion.”
― Joan Ambu
By JM Perez
