MY HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED...
This may not be what it appears to be.
Back in the day, I could tell you exactly what it was. No question about it. However, these days, life is extremely different than it once was.
BACK IN THE DAY
Back in the day, if you saw @papa-pepper with some sort of compressed green plant substance in his possession, it would most certainly have been marijuana. Now I'm not going to argue about whether or not there are medicinal purposes, a lot of plants have things that they are useful for. However, I used it in a recreational manner, not for medicinal purposes, and it was more like a wreckcreational manner.
All day every day I live to get drunk, high, and whatever else came my way. I hoped to die in the near future so I wouldn't have to deal with life for much longer and wasted my time away chasing temporary distractions like inebriation and physical pleasure. Each day I would wake up sober, and more often than not, run right back to the bottle, the weed, the cocaine, or whatever else I could get my hands on.
I would lie, steal, and manipulate to try to get what I wanted, and I was a very untrustworthy individual. Basically, I was on the path to self destruction and I would take you along with me if I got the chance. I paid no attention to the future other than looking for my next high or pleasure, and I certainly did not want a wife or any children.
THESE DAYS
These days, I am happy, sober, and have a wonderful and loving family. I've been sober for almost nine full years now and married for over ten. @Mama-pepper and I have five @little-peppers,and rather than living a hard, violent, messed up life for myself in the city, we live a wholesome, peaceful, and relaxed life in the country.
Rather than wanting to die soon I enjoy every day of life and look forward to more. Rather than poisoning my body and negatively infecting the lives around me I now enjoy a healthy life and have a positive influence on others.
Trust me, I couldn't have done it on my own, as it took an act of God to set me free from all that I had enslaved myself to. Without Jesus I can testify that I would still be drunk and high, I would be a terrible parent and a bad example, and my marriage would not have lasted. I still remember the old me and I'm glad he's gone.
Anyway, I was feeding our goats some alfalfa hay earlier, noticed the slight resemblance to a brick of marijuana, and appreciated the incredibly different life that I live now. It made me once again reflect on where I had come from, who I had become, and how much more I enjoy every moment of my existence here these days. Thanks for letting me share, and I appreciate the opportunity I have to share our lives with all of you. STEEM ON!
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-alfalfa
Until next time…
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Thank you Jesus for saving Papa-Pepper!
No kidding!
All glory to God. Only Jesus can do that for a person.
Fully agreed! Thank Brother!
....I'm not who I was....
The miracles of God are many and we can fight him but he wins!
He trains us all.
Amen to that!
You continue to impress me. Funny, it is almost like I "saw" that guy at first, instead of who you are now. I am a medical marijuana advocate, because I devoted a career to making money lying to glaucoma patients and feel I have a little debt to society I can never repay but I can at least stop racking up the bill...
Yeah, It's interesting how you viewed me at first. Glad that you gave me a chance! LOL!
LOL! Glad YOU gave me a chance.
I don't think it was accidental, Universe does odd things to get my attention sometimes. For all the times I have been a pain in your butt, one day you will find it was worth it. I lost a lot, but Universe filled me back up with other gifts. I don't get to pick when and how they are delivered, but those who bother to be kind to me usually are glad they did. And thanks especially for the pic with the dreads and blunt... THAT should be on a T-shirt somewhere with the caption "This is your pain on drugs."
HUGS!
Very inspirational post! I wonder if it was a certain incident that made you change your ways because I know quite a few people like the old papa-pepper and we as friends tried a lot to make them see they are destroying themselves and the life of others but with no avail.
I cover more of the full story in that video, if you are interested.
Thank you, definitely going to look into it!
That was a very moving, beautiful and inspiring video, and I agree although it is very 'unfashionable' nowadays to believe in god and Jesus Christ once you lay your life in his hands things will turn for you and you can't help changing for the better. Peace and Love!
I kinda disagree with your VERY last statement...😏
I think it IS YOU! You simply needed the support of God. YOU still chose to follow what you are following. Sure, HE may be helping, but ONLY because YOU took the first step. Like you said, you had 3 very good reasons to walk out, but YOU chose not too. That's pretty awesome. "God helps those who help themselves." Sometimes that help starts just with a teensy bit of faith. 🕇
The first half of this had me all teary-eyed. But I'm glad of the outcome.
Keep asking. Keep listening, because you're right: GOD CARES.
Hugs! 😍
Thanks for checking it out. Some people do get teary eyed...
All I know is that I couldn't have done it by myself, and this life that I am currently living is not my idea, it's His. True, I had to choose to follow, but He is the one leading for sure!
winking emoji face
None of us can do it ourselves. It's pretty magical when we realize we have help. 😍
A living testimony of Gods Grace and Forgiveness. Soon the quiver of arrows shall take aim at the world for His glory.
Amen Brother!
What a complete life you lead. And yes sometimes it takes our past, no matter how revealing and detrimental, to open our eyes to the greatness life is.
Cool
Awesome testimony! Thanks for sharing @papa-pepper I guess God was not done with you yet and had better plans for you than you did! Praise the Father and of course Steem On!
No kidding! All glory to Him!
Looks like the new @papa-pepper is here to stay! Glad your in a great place in your life!
He better be!