This has a lot to do with the last post that I wrote….
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Backbite
Ms. C was a middle-aged woman who was very skilled, had studied hard and had many outstanding experiences with the Lord. She was by far not perfect but she humiliated herself constantly before God just like King David did in Psalm 51. Even though she was not famous; God knew who she was because she was a “prayer warrior”. She would find herself talking to God in those wee hours at 1, 2 or 3 AM; or whenever God would wake her up. She had seen visions of the Rapture, had spiritual fights with demons, joined intercessions with other spiritual warriors for the healing of the sick, the deliverance of the strong held and the petitions of the weary. God had forgiven Ms. C’s many, many sins; and she was very, very grateful.
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47
Ms. C joined a church where she wanted to work for the Lord. She was happy to offer her many skills and knowledge for the service of God’s work. Her new pastor was happy to have her join the church. He was well-known by many people in different ministries. He had always served the Lord. He used to have a huge ministry but was now a pastor. At first, he started letting her participate actively in lots of activities. Ms. C was content on doing something to please the Lord.
One time during a night service, a young preacher visited the church and gave Ms. C a message from the Lord: “Work and obey Me…OBEY, OBEY”. For some reason, Ms. C could never forget that message.
Meanwhile, the pastor wanted to reorganize the church and have a new leadership at church. It seemed that many things were going on and old leaders were being rivaled by a new group that had joined the church.
Many of the new members at church had their own agenda, they wanted to have the better positions, they wanted the titles and all the leading roles at every activity and the pastor backed them up. When the new organization ended, old leaders were seated down and new leaders were named and took control.
Unfortunately, Ms. C was overlooked and ignored when the time came to give the most important positions in church. Even her professional background was not considered when naming came in a leadership position where she knew that she could further her work for the Lord. The pastor’s son was named to the position that she was professionally and spiritually prepared for. She thought that there was nothing wrong with the pastor wanting to further his son’s ministry at church, but the truth was that the youngster lacked the experience, the knowledge and the spiritual growth needed for that relevant leadership position. She was disappointed; but at 3 AM the next morning she was praying and crying before the Lord. She was comforted and decided to keep working. The Lord backed her up in everything that she did, even if it wasn’t much.
Even though Ms. C was totally capable of being a leader; her pastor and other churchgoers always questioned her capabilities and knowledge. Remembering the message that she had received, she wanted to do God’s will not man’s will. She tried to keep herself away from comments when she noticed that some things were wrong. For some reason, it seemed to her that it wasn’t in their best interest that she should have a relevant role at church.
Then, God opened a door where she could study the Word of God and further herself in a serious ministry. But, unfortunately her pastor didn’t like that. Telephones were ringing, bad intended comments started spreading and other leaders frowned at Ms. C as if she was doing something wrong.
But the time came when she was tired of being overlooked and not appreciated for her skills, experience and knowledge. She felt stuck….she wanted to help others who felt the same way. Other talented churchgoers were also seated and ignored. She wanted to do much more not just be a back stage lackey for other leaders. Then, something happened….
A time came when she didn’t want to work anymore. She went to church, sat down, heard the service and then went home. She kept praying and wondering….was that “it”? What had happened to all of the promises that God had made to her? She had a lot of free time and there was a lot of work to do at church. But she didn’t want to work there no more. She loved the people there….but she hated the constant backbiting coming from the altar. So she did what many others do when the gossip and the lack of work affects a Christian: she stayed home.
The only difference was that she kept praying and working at her own pace. She wasn’t proud of staying home but at church she wasn’t being spiritually nurtured. She felt tortured…. Months went by but she kept praying and reading her Bible.
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
One good day, Ms. C encountered an old pastor she knew from way back. They started talking and she sent her regards to his wife; whom she knew well. The old pastor invited Ms. C to his church. Her heart was trembling….how much she longed to go to the Lord’s house to praise Him. She missed that so dearly. She accepted the invitation.
Long story short: she now works at church, helping with her knowledge and using her God-given skills to further His work. Her skills are growing so she can give unto others from what she has been given.
“For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance….” Matthew 25:28
The church where she serves now grows constantly. They fast and pray every week; they have services every other day, Bible studies, different ministries that work hard for His glory. Her pastors are humble servants who have never been famous but seek His guidance and appreciate each churchgoer letting them be fruitful. Ms. C is now content; free of the backbiting, the stockiness and the spiritual hunger.
Meanwhile, the church she left… isn’t growing. Lack of fasting, praying and wasting time in gossiping can do that to a church.
“Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Matthew 25:28
Rediscovering yourself
Have you ever thought that you can rediscover something about yourself? I’m still on that process but I never knew that I could achieve to play the piano. Yeah….I have a bachelors in music education but I could never learn how to play the piano. Strange, huh?
Well….here’s the sad story. When I started studying music more than 20 years ago, the only instrument that I could play, like a beginner, was the guitar. I had taken private lessons with a teacher and I learned basic chords. I used that knowledge to play the guitar at church. It was useful at that time.
When I started studying music to achieve a degree, my focus was on singing and theory/solfege. Well, in the theory classes that I took, I gained a lot of knowledge about harmony, major, minor, augmented and diminished chords. I had all that knowledge and I could see it in the piano but I could never play it to accompany someone or even myself.
My piano lessons were limited to scales and playing while reading the music. So I did learn the major, minor, diminished and augmented scales. I learned to read music and play it, after practicing like 100 hours, of course! I was never good at that, honest. All of this instruction can’t help you play in the secular world, unless you know how people do it “in the streets”.
A good musician knows how to play by ear. Even though I have good ear and I can imitate with my voice any sound I hear….when it had to do with the piano: I was totally blocked. I felt like I had all these empty spaces in my head: insecurities and fear. But I do love that instrument. It has always been a dream of mine to sing while playing the piano.
After studying music, completing my degree and seeing that my knowledge about the piano had not increased; I was resigned to think that I could never, ever, play the piano to accompany anybody. Well….that was until last night.
I saw a video on YouTube about this young man teaching how to play Worship music by chords in the piano. I watched the video several times and I watched it this morning again. I memorized the coordination and movement of his hands. I didn’t have to memorize the chords that he played because I already knew them by heart. I even knew more chords than the young man who was teaching!
Well, I sat in front of my keyboard awhile ago. My hand coordination was a little hazy at first, but then I was amazed at all the chords that I could play. All I needed was the perfect rhythm and someone to point me in the right direction. I was actually playing a song in the piano. Now I feel more confident that I can actually do more in my music ministry. I know that if I keep this up, I can play anything by ear. Praise the Lord for that!
Sometimes we don’t know our own potential until we try to do something. Maybe you have a hidden talent that you don’t know of, until you try doing something different. Probably somebody asked you if you could teach a class, do some community service….but you were afraid to do it because it was out of your comfort zone. Why don’t you challenge yourself and say “yes” for a change?
You might even surprise yourself for the things that you may be able to do. All you need is someone to point you in the right direction. Maybe it’s God himself using someone to tell you: try it because I will help you and I will use you for My Glory. He is the Giver of Talents, you know…
God Bless You and keep working on your talents.
Former transexual Angel Morell will visit the U.S.A
For those of you who live in the U.S.A. (specifically in the Florida area) and if you are interested in witnessing how God can transform a young man from the claws of sexual abuse, drugs and homosexuality into a servant of God: know that Evangelist Angel Morell will be visiting Vero Beach & Palm Bay in Florida on August 23 and 24. The above image has the phone numbers and addresses about these glorious services. He will also have available his powerful testimony in DVD. More info about that on his Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/angel.morell.71?fref=ts
Hope that you can be there and be uplifted by the powerful Word of God! GbY
You can get the DVD of his testimony at the email address in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMcTpUadpSM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Sponsor
In August 2013, I felt the need to do something different in my life. I had always heard about sponsorship programs whenever I saw those sad commercials where they show you very thin kids with even flies surrounding their faces. It always made my heart churn to see kids crying and begging for food.
All those commercials make you think about how well you got it even if you know that life is not easy where you live. It seems that everything gets more expensive; the more you got, the more you have to spend.
But those commercials show you what you can’t see otherwise because you don’t have enough money to travel and see how poor can other folks be.
We are poor but at least we can manage, right? There are others out there that can’t manage. There are other people in other countries that have to maintain a family of 4 with only $194/monthly. How can they do it?
I have to manage with $600/monthly with only my daughter and me and it is very hard. It is extremely hard sometimes. I know it has to do with the place I live. Food here is very expensive when you compare it to the mainland U.S.
I always use the milk example: in the states you can get a gallon of milk for aproximately $2.50 depending on the state you live. Here in Puerto Rico a gallon of milk is $6.00 and they want to increase the price. And milk here is not imported or exported.
And if you’re like me; lactose intolerant, then you have a bigger problem. A half gallon of lactose free milk is $6.00. If I want a whole gallon, I have the pay the whooping price of $12.00. Consuming milk and it’s derivatives is a luxury in Puerto Rico.
But I didn’t want to write about food; the thought of it, it’s just too depressing. I want to talk about blessing others. We can make a different for the less fortunate, even if we overpay for milk unnecessarily.
That’s why in August of last year, while in the midst of poverty, I made numbers and decided to sponsor a child.
I heard of Compassion through the Contemporary Christian Music ministry. I searched the internet to make sure it was not a scam or a hoax.
After my inquiries I went into the Compassion site and decided that I wanted to sponsor a child born specifically in November 23. That’s my daughter’s birthday and I allowed my daughter to choose the child we would sponsor. I wanted her to be a part of such an important decision.
My daughter selected a girl from Peru who had been waiting for a sponsor for more than a year.
Her name is Keila Yvette and we’ve been sponsoring her for almost a year. She was 4 years old when we started sponsoring her. Now she will be turning 6 in November.
Sometimes I like to image how happy her family must’ve felt when they got the news that after more than one year on a waiting list; someone got interested in helping their little girl.
There are no words to describe the happiness we feel whenever we receive a letter from her. In her last letter, she called me “madrina”. That literally means ‘godmother’. I was so touched the day I received that letter and read those words.
Today I saw a photo of how she’s been. She has grown sooo much, she looks very happy in comparison from the last photo that was posted on the Compassion site.
I loved her pink Minnie Mouse clothes. She looks well fed, well taken care of & her smile made my heart overflowed with joy. I wish I could travel and meet her.
Compassion will be hosting a trip to Peru in June 2015 and they will be opening the seats in August 2014. I really wish I had the money to go; but even if I can’t, I’m so satisfied to make a change in her life.
But I’m praying because God will continue to help us, help her.
Today I just want to tell you, the reader, make a difference in someone else’s life. There’s no greater satisfaction to know that you are loved, needed….and when you’re gone….you will be missed.
Enjoy your weekend! GbY
Sponsor a child!
Dadda
Psalm 27:10 “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”
Dadda….that’s one of the first words that a baby says when they’re still toddlers. It’s easier to pronounce the consonant “d” than the consonant “m”. Kinda frustrating for all of us devoted mothers. But there are still devoted fathers out there. Not in the majority; but they are still there.
Well, these thoughts go for those devoted fathers who are awesome enough to not just think about themselves; but to live to see their offspring thrive and become honest citizens of this society. We need more fathers like them. Fathers who will dare to take a challenge of being real men by assuming their responsibilities.
It is often believed that a boy becomes a man when he lays with a woman. But that is not true. A boy becomes a man when he is unselfish enough to make a difference in the lives of those who surround him; starting with his family and then to his other acquaintances. A real man is not just smart; a real man seeks wisdom.
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despite wisdom and discipline.”
A real man is a good servant of God; he loves God with all his heart, mind and soul. A real man is a good son; respecting his parents and honoring them. A real man is a good husband; considerate, faithful and kind to his wife. A real man is a good father; by being a good example, a counselor, a guide and a provider.
There is no perfect man in this world; the same way as there is no perfect woman. Both will make many mistakes until they reach a certain level of maturity and wisdom. But the effort of reaching that goal has to be seen and it’s not worthless.
I always like that saying that says: “a man is tall when he falls on his knees”. It’s a beautiful thought. Humbleness makes a person great.
But why did I mention Psalm 27:10 as the beginning verse? Well, it is law of life that our parents should leave this earth before us. Unfortunately, it’s not always like that; but that’s another sad story. But this thought is for all of us who have lost a parent because of that law of life.
While your dad is still alive; tell him that you love him, hug him, talk with him, give him a call, take him to his favorite restaurant, take him a movie. If your dad is sick, make sure he has everything he needs to make his illness a less painful experience. If your dad hasn’t been the best dad: forgive, forget, ask for forgiveness. Heal your heart with feelings of love, warmth, mercy and grace.
If your dad is gone (like mine); remember him, treasure the good times, share with your kids those experiences that they may enjoy to know and eventually, they will share them with the next generations. Keep the memories alive and honor them. Our Father in Heaven will father us in the meantime. Enjoy your weekend.
Happy Father’s Day!
(Painting was made by my uncle Frank Cruz) Representing my sick dad being touched by the merciful hand of Jesus.
I Fixed The Comments Issue!
I really apologize to my readers because the settings in my dashboard didn’t allow to make comments on my posts. This was not done on purpose. I had no idea what was causing the problem and I tried to fix it and succeeded. I changed the settings many times but for some reason some of my posts couldn’t be commented and others could. Now if you have a comment on any of my posts you can comment freely because the problem was solved. I will gladly reply to you. I’m really sorry about this past situation and I hope it doesn’t happen again. Thanks for your understanding and support. God Bless You all!
Dear Iguana
I know it’s not your fault that your kind was brought to this island. I also know that you are running free without any natural predators that could stop you. You are not from this place, iguana; you were brought here by people who could care less about the dangers that they could do to our ecosystem. Iguana, I don’t want to harm you; but everytime I go to my car and see your droppings all over it, I can’t help but get mad.
Today, while I washed my car, I was talking to you. Yeah, I know that it sounds crazy, iguana. But you have bothered me more than you will ever know. I can’t help to park my car under your favorite tree. That parking was assigned to me. But you have transformed my car into your own personal toilet and while I was washing it today; apart from being truly disgusted by the stench, I wished that the guys who work in the chinese restaurant near my apartment would capture you.
If they get you iguana; you will probably end up being a nice dish of pepper chicken. And I wish from the bottom of my heart, that the same people who brought your kind to this island, are pepper chicken lovers…
You’ve been blocked!
Have you ever blocked somebody on Facebook or on another social media? Or worst, have you ever BEEN blocked by somebody? Either way, it’s never a nice experience. If you have blocked somebody it’s because that person offended, stalked or was even hostile towards you. If you were blocked, then you have some serious issues that need to be taken care of.
I’ve gone through both experiences. Of course, I don’t think that I’m mean; but I admit, I’ve had my moments when kindness hasn’t been my best trait. I’ve had to ask for forgiveness many times…and I’ve had to forgive many times more. But if a person doesn’t want to forgive me, then at least, I tried to mend the situation.
Two weeks ago, I had to block someone from Facebook. This person (whom I don’t know personally) read my post from this blog: “I Taught My Daughter a Lesson” and she insulted me on Facebook. She posted on my Facebook account, that I was xenophobic and that I had to delete that post and offer a public apology for what I posted. It wasn’t the first time that she’d been hostile towards posts that I’ve made on my FB account. I had been tolerant before, but not this time. My response to her uncalled post was simple: I deleted her post and I blocked her. I won’t waste my time in futile arguments or insults. Jesus gave us an example when he kept silent before those who accused him. Sometimes the best way to end an argument is not starting one at all.
If there is something that I respect about social media is that on your personal page, blog, account, forums…..if it is yours, you can put whatever you want. It’s your opinion, your rant….it’s your voice. I don’t have to agree with you, but I respect you. I don’t delete people or relatives because they are homosexual, agnostic or even from another religion. I won’t even comment to a post that was made on their page, even if it is denying the existence of God…..and it’s not because I don’t care. It is because….I do care.
Sometimes the best way to win a person for Christ is not arguing….it’s praying and giving testimony with our acts of love. And by this I’m not saying that we should accept sin; but it’s not our place to change people, God can do that without our intervention. If we even try to intervene; we may even screw things up for God. His plans for redemption may be altered. Prayer and testimonies are our best weapons against the social media hostility.
About that person that I had to block, I pray for her. I hope that someday she will find peace and respect others the same way that she deserves to be respected. If we learn to be considerate, tolerant and respectful with each other; then the world of social media might change for the better. Keep enjoying your weekend. God Bless You
I’m going to a concert today!
In 1994, when I just started my first semester in the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico; Rev. Billy Graham came to San Juan for a Crusade. It was so near from the campus that I usually walked from the Conservatory to the Hiram Bithorn Stadium where the Crusade was being held. One of the invited singers for the Crusade was Michael W. Smith. At that time, he was pretty famous even in secular music. I had all his recordings because I had been following his career since he started playing keyboards and singing with Amy Grant.
That night that he sang in the Hiram Bithorn Stadium, it was literally packed. He sang his iconic song “Friends”. All the youngsters that were congregated that night, started to walk closer to the stage so that they could get a closer glimpse of such a famous christian singer. It was a very exciting moment during that night. I had hopes that after that experience, Michael W. Smith would decide to do a concert here in Puerto Rico soon after that. But the truth is…that it took 20 years for him to come back to this island.
Here are my observations about some things that have me scratching my head. First, the promotion for this concert hasn’t been the best. It’s like a huge secret. I haven’t seen a single announcement of this concert in any newspaper of this God forsaken island. But the newscasts will rather give free promotion for some unknown girl who won a stupid beauty pageant.
Second, and I will confirm this tonight at the concert, I know they are still selling tickets: so I guess that the tickets haven’t been selling too well (and the Coliseum tonight will be in the small modality).
Third, I know the economy in this island is not the best, but couldn’t the promoters at least make a couple of announcements in the newspapers? I found out about this concert because I’m an avid fan of Smitty and I constantly read his Facebook page. But I didn’t see a single announcement of when the tickets started selling or anything. This promoting campaign has been a disaster since day one. I don’t think Smitty is coming here ever again unless Rev. Franklyn Graham, Billy’s son, drags him back in another Crusade. And I sincerely hope that I’m mistaken.
It’s sad that Christian concerts have to have such bad organizers and promoters; and that also the news in this island will only promote if they see $$$. But they will freely promote crimes, politics, beauty pageants and other stuff that don’t help us better our ailing society.
Anyway, my daughter and me, will be a part of Godly history. We will go to the concert, praise God, enjoy awesome music…hopefully make new friends and savor this night. God still visits His people. Have a blessed Memorial weekend!
And I’ll leave a little bit of Smitty’s music…(Free promotion!) His latest CD “Sovereign” is amazing! You’ll enjoy it.
I taught my daughter a lesson
When my previous car broke down in December 2010, I had to walk my daughter to school every morning. On February 3, 2011, that was no exception. (This happened before I started homeschooling).
But that day, something was different. While we walked, a car stopped beside us and the driver started talking to me. I’m a very cautious person; I don’t talk to strangers and less while it’s still dark. I kept a considerable distance and observed something that I didn’t like. The guy had a Dominican accent, I could’ve sworn that I saw a head behind his seat, the car’s windows were tinted so dark I could hardly see inside that car. All I heard was that he was saying that he had seen me everyday walking with my child and that he wanted to give us a ride to wherever place we were going.
You can imagine that I immediately refused. At least he didn’t insist and left immediately when I said: “No, thanks”. I was worried about him saying that he had seen us before walking to school every morning. I couldn’t change the route at the time, because that was the only way to Anna’s school. I’d never seen that guy before but you never know who’s been watching you.
I always read the newspaper because I consider important the knowledge about the new tendencies of criminals. A recent tendency is to kidnap people so they can ask for ransom money. That tendency is not originally Puertorican, but it was brought from Dominicans and other Latin American countries. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t think that all Dominicans are criminals just the same way that I don’t think that all Puertoricans are decent people. So it’s not that I have something against other Hispanic races. Just making this clear. It’s just that: it could happen to anyone of us…
I always remember that on September 1990, I had recently started a job and I didn’t have a car. I was waiting for the bus when a car suddenly stopped beside to where I was standing. Then this guy came out from the car with a gun in his hand cursing and yelling with all the intention of kidnapping me. Of course, my reaction was to run. I was much thinner, younger and very nervous. But in my nervousness, I started rebuking the guy with a very loud voice: “In the name of Jesus!”. The guy eventually reached me because he was taller and faster. When I felt that he touched my hair, I turned and pointing a finger at him I yelled again: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus!” Then he suddenly stopped, his eyes reflecting some strange remorse and said to me: “I won’t touch you because you have the Fire”. (That’s an expression widely used in church to describe the Spirit of God). He tried to take my purse, but not even that he could take away from me. He ran back to the car he left beside the road. I ran to safety still trembling and thanking the Lord. God saved me that day. I didn’t save myself.
Days later, I read in the newspaper how a girl had appeared very near the place I was nearly kidnapped. She had been raped and shot in the head. That could’ve been me. But God was my protector and he had a different plan. I still felt sorry for that girl, if she would’ve just claimed to God….
Back to February 3, 2010…. You can imagine that the rest of our journey to Anna’s school, we had a little talk about safety. I advised my daughter about how important it is not to talk to strangers and to be cautious every time we have to go somewhere, no matter if we have transportation or not.
We all have to be careful. But my advice to you, reader, is to pray before you get out of your house. Read Psalm 91; believe that the Lord will take care of you and your loved ones. You never know, what or who you may encounter on your way.
Be safe and God Bless You!
Not Good, But a Great Mom!
1 Samuel 1:8-18
“Elkanah her husband would say to her, ‘Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?’ Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hanna stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple. In bitterness of soul, Hanna wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.’
‘Not so, my lord,’ Hanna replied, ‘I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.’
Eli answered, ‘Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’ She said, ‘May your servant find favor in your eyes.’ Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.”
Whenever I think of a great mom; I think of Hannah. Some people may say: “Hannah?! No way! She abandoned Samuel in a temple with strangers, when he was just a kid!” And I will answer: “She made a vow to God and she delivered. Her decision was made out of pure love and gratefulness….and never selfishness.”
Let’s learn a little bit more about Hannah’s background and traits. She was not the only wife of Elkanah, he also had another wife: Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah did not. In those times, it was very important for a woman to have children. Fertility was a big deal because having children was a blessing; it meant prosperity & the continual of the linage. That’s why Peninnah would provoke Hannah until she made her cry. Even though Elkanah loved Hannah, that was not enough for her. She wanted to be a mother.
There are a couple of ways to see this… Hannah may have wanted to be a mother because she also loved Elkanah and wanted to give him children too and make him proud with a sense of accomplishment as a man. She may also wanted to be a mother because she was sick of Peninnah’s provoking and wanted to gloat back at her for being such a nuisance. Whatever was true reason was….being sterile made a profound impact in her life. That situation was so heartbreaking for her; it made her lose her appetite and cry all the time. Meanwhile, Elkanah was unable to understand her.
You see, the love of a man cannot compare to the love of a child. I have to be really honest about this: you can change your husband but you can never change your child. Blood will always be thicker than water. A great mother knows and lives this truth. Loving a child is one of most purest and deepest feelings of all. It can never be substituted, exchanged nor it will end; not even with something as definite as death. The love for a husband can change or end. The road of romance is a bumpy one…but that’s another story. Now, let’s bullet Hannah’s great qualities so that we can acknowledge how a great mother should be:
- A great mom will always, first and foremost: honor the Lord.
- A great mom will bring her troubles to the Lord.
- A great mom will trust the Lord.
- A great mom will not be selfish; no matter what!!
- A great mom will honor the vows that she makes to the Lord.
- A great mom will be thankful to the Lord.
- A great mom will love her children and dedicate them to the Lord.
- A great mom will rejoice and acknowledge the works of the Lord in her life and her children’s.
- A great mom will also be a great wife and be kind to others.
- A great mom will testify of the great things the Lord has done to her and her loved ones.
Once Hannah honored her vows to God by giving up Samuel to serve Him; in exchange, God honored her. The best deals that you can make in your life, are the ones you make with God. You can never lose! From being a sterile wife, Hannah became a proud mother of six kids. She took the risk of giving up the only child she may have had, and decided to trust God and honor her vow in total blind gratefulness. Needless to say, God honored her unselfishness and rewarded her five times more. She only prayed for one child; but He gave her six! God wants to give us the best! All He asks of us is to be obedient and honor our vows….and even if we are disobedient and unfaithful, He will still love us. But we are the only ones who can stop the prosperous hand of God in our lives.
Meanwhile, Hannah’s unselfish choice affected the lives of the people of Israel. Her son Samuel became the last judge of Israel, he anointed the first and second kings of Israel and he was one of the most prominent servants of God in the Old Testament. Your decision as a mother will affect the lives of your children. Make the best choices for them and for you. Finally, let’s learn this lesson from Hannah and not be just a good mom; but a great one!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Rain
“After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.’ So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.”
1 Kings 18
I remember when I was very young and read for the first time the story of Elijah. He has always been one of my favorite prophets.
There are so many things about this man that demands my attention. He was very obedient to God, but he also got depressed in the middle of his persecution. Queen Jezebel was that mean evil witch who wanted him dead…she killed almost all the prophets of God…and wanted Elijah’s head no matter how she could get it…..She was horribly evil.
Anyway, it’s such an entertaining story…but the part I was remembering now, was when the Scripture described that there was a great famine in Samaria because it hadn’t rain for a long time. King Ahab, who was married to Jezebel, was worshiping the false god Baal so Israel was sinning against God. Because of this disobedience…God stopped the rain.
The Scripture describes that the prophets of Baal prayed to their god for rain…they cried, shouted, cut themselves and did all sorts of noises and pleas…but it never rained…not one drop. Instead, Elijah prayed to God just once…and God answered. I also remembered the story of Noah and the ark…that’s another instance where God was the One who sent the rain.
These stories came to my mind…because lately I have been having these dreams where I see myself in the middle of a torrential rain. At first, I thought that it was something bad…but then I looked at the Scriptures because I wasn’t sure what to think. But then again, God always has the answer. It only rains because God allows it to happen. Rain is blessings from Heaven. Without rain there is no life, there’s famine and death. God is our Provider. He cares for His children.
In these times where we see that the economy is bad, and we think that everything is falling apart around us, we should never forget that God is still King. He reigns over Heaven and Earth…He has everything under control. The ones who get scared are those who have their eyes in material and earthly things…in the visible world…not in the invisible power of the Lord.
Let’s thank God for His mercies each day and let us never forget that He protects and provides for His children.
Leftovers
“Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.’
Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, ‘Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.’
He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’ The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she said.
He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.’
‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’
Then Jesus answered, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:21-28
How many times do we have to live with the leftovers that others leave behind? So many times in our lives we feel that we are not appreciated or valued enough, so we have to conform ourselves with what we know is much lesser than what we really deserve.
Reading the example above, I think I can relate to the Canaanite woman. I remember how many times I have grabbed that “crumb” with so many illusions and how happy it has made my life for awhile.
There are many “crumbs” in our lives. It could be an emotion, a memory or a material thing; but each one of these “crumbs” have a lot of value for all of us. We grab that feeling or memory and we hold it dearly to our hearts and mind, so it could fill us with so much happiness or excitement. It makes us feel somewhat special; even though it’s just a “crumb” not the whole bread. Just imagine what would happen if we could have the whole loaf of bread…
To whom we relate better..? The “children at the table” or to the “dogs who eat the crumbs”? I have seen some “children at the table”. They are blessed in many ways but don’t seem to appreciate their blessings. They’re not grateful for what they have and they are always wanting more. They’re never satisfied. They see themselves as worthy of such good things. I guess that’s why they let those “crumbs” fall to the floor. They don’t need what they have in abundance.
There is a difference in letting things fall to the floor than sharing what’s on the table. When there’s sharing, it’s something voluntary and it’s done at the same level of height; maybe the sharing takes place with people that are considered worthy of sharing it with.
But there are some of us who have been waiting beside the table to see when or if a “crumb” will ever fall to the ground so we can grab that memory, that simple kiss, that word, that presence and hold it dearly close to our hearts and it can fill our lives with happiness, hope, faith and love. Do we deserve to be eating from the floor? I think not. We all should be “children at the table”. But we should be grateful children, who know how to share, feel secured, loved and appreciated.
Then, why so many of us have to live from “crumbs”? It would seem life is not fair. But I think WE don’t make it fair. We just don’t take decisions to change our lives, we let others make decisions for us; we let circumstances take a hold on us; we live on excuses and more excuses….
So, let’s learn a lesson from the Canaanite woman who with one simple answer astounded even the Son of God…Each one of us is valuable, unique, rare…let’s make our faith move mountains… you see…if God, the King of kings, Lord of Lords, Creator of the Universe was amazed by the faith of a simple woman… then why can’t we amaze a simple fellow human being?
Translation jobs!
Well, I will use this blog to promote myself as a translator. I have a pretty good mastery of both languages: English & Spanish. I can easily translate both languages back & forth with good skill.
My years of experience are more than 10 years as a Bilingual Typist Clerk and an English and Spanish Teacher for more than 3 years. Plus, I have a Masters Degree in Education. I will create a page more professional but until then; this will have to do. So, if any of you bloggers need a translation job of documents online; for pricing and other information, you can contact me here on this page or at my email:
laurianncruz@hotmail.com or laurianncruz@yahoo.com. Payments will be accepted through PayPal.
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I like making new friends so if you want to be befriend me in Facebook you can add me or follow me there too.
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God Bless You in many ways!
The Grudge
Yeah, I hate Mondays. But I don’t want to hold a grudge against the One who created Mondays. That’s a battle that I will certainly lose. So I just don’t focus myself on the fact that Sunday is ending. I just try to enjoy Sundays as much as I can.
Somewhere I read that “having a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die”. I think a Hollywood celebrity said that but I can’t remember who. You know what? That’s a genius comparison. I have dealt with grudges all my life. I have met people who have held grudges for too long. Something that I’ve learned is that a person who holds grudges is never happy and ends up being lonely even from the people he or she loves.
Other words for grudge are: spite, rancor, animosity, contempt, hard feelings, alienation….but the worst of them all is hatred. None of these words are encouraging or nurturing. Holding grudges is feeling hatred so there is no space for love. Where do grudges start? How can they destroy a life? How can we know if we are susceptible to hold a grudge against anyone?
The Bible identifies in 1 Corinthians 13, four traits that can make us prone to holding grudges:
- Selfishness – When we are first, second and third in every one of our priorities. A selfish person doesn’t like to share; they don’t know the meaning of sacrifice… only for themselves. Selfish people look for their own benefit in any situation.
- Envy – This feeling goes hand in hand with selfishness. If we envy, we want for ourselves what others have. We get frustrated with others if we don’t get the best for ourselves. And that feeling will increase the next trait on the list:
- Pride – A proud person believes that they are above every other person. They can never lose in any discussion or any situation. They can never tolerate humiliation or degradation. Nobody likes to be embarrassed and we should have a level of personal pride to earn respect. But everything has a limit; and the line draws when we disgrace other people just to praise ourselves.
- Irate – If we are extremely irritable; we are very likely to get ourselves involved with grudges. Irate people easily get mixed up in misunderstandings, discussions, insults and problems that will compromise relationships and feelings.
If we have any or all of these traits, we are in danger! A person who holds a grudge is someone who doesn’t know the true meaning of LOVE!!! There is no happiness in holding grudges, only loneliness, sadness and frustration. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We don’t have to live with grudges. We only need these two ingredients:
- LOVE – Or should I say: God? God is LOVE. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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
- Forgiveness – “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”. Matthew 6:14-15 This means that the forgiveness we receive from God is conditioned. We have to forgive to be forgiven…it’s as simple as that. Once we sincerely forgive, then the peace that passes understanding will come upon us. We won’t be lonely anymore.
So what now? Let’s start with filling our lives with love and forgiveness. That way we will achieve our ultimate goal: true and fulfilling happiness. Now let me continue enjoying my Sunday and enjoy yours. God Bless You in many ways!
The Ideal Guy
I didn’t know what to write about for this week. So, I took an idea from a friend of mine in Facebook. She started describing her ideal man and she put a lot of things she wouldn’t like about him; then concluded that she would stay a “ham” for the rest of her future (the expression we use in Spanish to say that a person will stay single).
Well, at 46 years of age, I pretty well know what kind of man I would like. My ideal guy would be absolutely all of the contrary of the guys I’ve ever met in my life. That would make him: not puertorican, not a womanizer, not a “machista”, extremely handsome, tall, with a great sense of humor, a great friend, not selfish, very spiritual, decent, loving, considerate, romantic, really smart, oh and single like me. Unfortunately the singles I’ve found are either mentally disturbed or gay.
OMG!!! I can’t believe I’ve never met anyone with these qualities. I really have to get out of this island. Maybe I’ll find some crazy person who has a spaceship and I’ll end up finding my ideal guy in another galaxy.
Better luck next time; if it ever happens! What would your ideal person be??
Lack Of Romance In Life
Are you single? Have you ever fallen madly in love? Did you ever find “the one” and lost him or haven’t you? I bet lots of us have so many romantic stories to share. But I also bet, that if you’re single right now; there were no happy endings in your life. I’m one of those statistics of singles out there; but I’m not looking.
I’ve only fallen madly in love two times in my life. Of course, there were no happy endings. The first time, I was like 21 years old. I was not interested in being with nobody. At the time, I had recently finished my associate degree and was starting a new job. I met him at a small seminary where I was studying the Bible. When I suddenly couldn’t take the guy out of my mind; it took me by surprise. Then, a sharp pain with sadness would stay in my chest every time we were apart. Obviously, we are not together today because he didn’t feel the same way about me. It was very hard to feel my heart broken for the first time in my life. There was nothing nobody could ever do or say to make me feel better.
Five years after that experience, I thought that I would never feel the same way again. But it happened again: but this time, it was worst. The person I had fallen for was a mentally disturbed guy. There is nothing worst in the world than falling in love with a guy who is bipolar and doesn’t get psychiatric treatment for his condition. At the time I was totally unaware of it; I kept making excuses for his erratic behavior….always blaming myself. I’ve never felt so helpless and unworthy towards someone.
Needless to say, that when the day of my epiphany came, I was thrilled. I fell out of that miserable state when I realized that he was the problem, not me. He was the one who was not worthy of me. There’s nothing more empowering than getting out of a destructive feeling. It’s like being born again. I knew that I had changed a lot but I used that knowledge to my advantage.
After that second time, I had a relationship with someone but the feelings were not the same. I was conscience that if it wasn’t gonna work, I would just walk out without looking back. Well, it happened. The relationship didn’t work out and I’ve never looked back ever since.
I’ve never felt madly in love again. But I still remember how it felt. Being in love is a beautiful feeling…but it must be more thrilling if the object of your affections feels the same way about you. I didn’t have that experience but I imagine that if things would’ve worked out differently; I would’ve still be there.
Right now, I’m living a happy middle life level. I’m not madly in love with any human guy; but I love romance. I love God, He is my Perfect Love, “the One & Only”. He never makes me cry, He never makes me feel unworthy, unhappy, jealous, defeated, disappointed, mad, frustrated, ugly or old. He makes me feel loved, special, unique, beautiful, rare, worthy, young, willing to hold on, pleased and immensely happy. His love has made me love better my family, my friends, myself and my life. It doesn’t matter all the times that suffering, failure or rejection come to my life; I always feel loved and supported.
So I guess that my love life does have a happy ending. I have found a perfect love that keeps me really happy and in peace. Isn’t that what life is all about?
When Somebody Doesn’t Like You Anymore
Has it ever happened to you that when you try to talk to a friend, you have to be very careful choosing your words or else your gonna get it? It has happened to me many times. I won’t name any names but it’s always a very difficult experience. Sometimes you are very good friends with that person but something that you will do or say will eventually turn that person against you. Those people are like time bombs that are ticking. You may be successful in avoiding the inevitable for a long time but in the end they will eventually blow sometime. You’ll be lucky if the friendship continues after the blast, but if not, then you will at least live without regret that you did the best you could to make your friendship work.
Today a person stopped liking me because I dared to disagree with him. I don’t hate that person even though he offended me many times. I just tolerated his personality because I just accepted who he was. I knew that this person had a difficult personality and I tried to retain his friendship as long as I could, but sometimes he would start to attack my FB posts or if I made a joke, he wouldn’t find it funny and belittle it. Sometimes he would even insinuate that I was ignorant, less spiritual, and he even questioned my integrity as a christian. It’s funny because I have friends and relatives who are agnostic, gay, and with all kinds of backgrounds; but the person who made it really hard for me was the one who was supposedly to be more “spiritual”.
Now those are the times when life doesn’t make sense to me. But people can be that way. We can’t change them. I’m sorry to have lost an acquaintance, I pray that someday he will find the real light and I wish him well. But the truth is that I feel more relaxed now. I can post anything I want and know that he won’t be there to belittle me anymore. So, I guess that all is well that it ends well. Everything that happens has a purpose. God is still good!
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