emotions | Reflections From the Heart

Category Archives: emotions

September 4, 2022 · 1:50 PM

This Thing Called Tears – Part II

Have your emotions ever run amok? Without warning or preparation, it hits you between the eyes (or in my case, the tear glands).

Allow me to share some recent experiences with you.

A friend of mine shared a music video with me. I turned it up as I drove home. I was reminded of the goodness of the Lord. It wasn’t about me; it was all about Him. Suddenly, my heart was uplifted. I couldn’t help but rejoice in the God I serve. I was able to focus on the Lord, on who He is and all He has done in my life. My spirit was lifted; my heart lightened. What a refreshing moment.

“The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Well, last week was a bit rough for me in a technical sense. I am not very tech-savvy. My internet was acting up, which affected my phone line and prevented me from doing my job satisfactorily. It was finally fixed, but not soon enough for my taste. The frustrations built up within, and I felt defeated. Once I left the office, the dam had burst. I cried. And prayed.

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.” (Psalm 56:8)

The other day, I arrived home from work. My husband told me to check out the progress of the repairs he had been doing in the front room. I went in, looked around, and yep, you guessed it. I started crying.

I was pleasantly surprised. After so much construction mess, I could finally see the light. I could see how it would look once it was painted. My heart was filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. I stayed there for a while.

The funny thing is, when I went to my husband, he looked at me and immediately grew concerned, asking what was wrong. My daughter also saw me and jumped up, thinking something had happened! But these were tears of joy, and it all surprised me as well.

There’s a time and season for everything. In the good, praise God! In the bad, when things are rough, praise God!

“A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

That truth has been around a long time—and it even made its way into music.

Who can forget this timeless song by The Byrds?

Please check out my first blog about tears: https://maryaperez.com/2013/10/17/this-thing-called-tears/

5 Comments

Filed under emotions

Tagged as Bible verses, encouragement, personal, Psm 56:8, tears, The Byrds: Turn! Turn! Turn!, weeping

July 12, 2017 · 9:41 PM

Pathway to Tears

I consider myself a tough cookie. After all, aren’t I a survivor? I’ve survived a few hard knocks along life’s path: A broken home by age three, followed by poverty, hunger, homelessness, alcoholism, neglect, loss of a sibling at age nine, two near-drowning incidents, in a car wreck, juvenile detention home, taunting, brawls, racism, alternative schooling, marriage to a ruthless man twice my age, bearing four children by the time I was twenty-two—three by cesarean—physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, betrayal, hopelessness, despair, rejection, abandonment, being shot at (he missed), divorce, single-parenting …

BUT God!

Howbeit, there is a softer side to me as well. This thing called “tears”. A family member has even called me sentimental. I have been known to cry after losing a beloved pet, even an insect (hey, they make pets too, at least they did for me when I was a child). I recently cried when my husband surprised me with flowers after having a taxing day. I cried – or blubbered rather – after shooting my first deer. I may cry during weddings, engrossed in a book, listen to a song, or when watching a movie. I especially cry when I hear a newborn’s first cry, whether in real life or on TV, I can’t help it, the tears flow. I sometimes cry while laughing at something funny, opening up presents, when saying goodbye, praying, or worshiping and singing in church. Seeing majestic mountains, colorful rainbows, the stillness of the ocean, a fluffy kitten, or a hummingbird nestling nearby can make me cry. I even cried when I heard my grandchild call me “Mimi” for the first time. And yes, at times I cry when I’m hurt, scared, tired, or angry.

But I don’t want you to know that. Because I am tough. Not weak. Remember?

Now I’m not much of a horse person, but I know enough to know that a horse is full of grace and strength with every muscle, tendon, and ligament working in unison to support a rider at galloping speed. Yet, that same powerful, majestic horse is controlled by a bit in its mouth and will move in the direction the rider wants to go.

When I read about Moses, he was the meekest man who walked the earth. When I read about Jesus, He was all-powerful, yet kept that power in check. His meekness was not a weakness.

So, I say: It’s okay. It’s okay to let your guard down at times and reveal your softer, sensitive self. It doesn’t mean you’re a softy, a weakling, or a pushover. Power under control means self-control, and that is a virtue. After all, we are human with God-given emotions. Besides, God. Bottles. Our. Tears.

And because God loves us so much, I would venture to say:

Sometimes God cries.

Thank you, Lord, for loving me for me.