Happiness

One patient the other day asks me what happiness is. The patient was depress and is looking for happiness. I ask the patient what means being happy, the patient responses “I don’t know, what is happiness?”  My response to that question was that happiness is different for each person, makes happy some people are not necessary the same things make happy others. Even that I responded to the patient, I stay thinking about what is happiness.

My very personal opinion about happiness is that are just moments that we enjoy for a moment and we keep in our hearts for some period of time some times for ever. The truth is that we tend to live our life looking for happiness some times without even knowing what we are looking for. Some people look for the big picture instead simple things like the smile of your kids, the hug of your family, and the flower in your way to work, the kiss of your spouse, and the word of God to comfort us.

Happiness is only one part of our life, there is anger, there is resentment, there is joy, and there is love, and so on… We should not only concentrate in looking just for happiness but live every moment of our lives, because each moment that we live brings a lesson that we need to learn, brings a memory to keep, brings a new opportunity to be grateful to God, but most important a new opportunity to be closer to Him.  I hope you enjoy you day today and every day.

1 Peter 5:6-7

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Big Hug,

MRM 

Compliment

Did you know the importance that a compliment have in people lives? Think about it, when was the last time you tell someone how good she/he looks? Or I like you hair, or you are a very nice person, or you are a good men/women. We live our lives in such a hurry that we sometimes forget to look and notice people around us. Sometimes we forget to be humans, sometimes, we forget what means have feelings.

Doing my internship, I have the opportunity to work with all kind personalities and people, and even though I am there to guide them, teach them, and help them, there are occasion where they are the ones that teach me the lesson. I have been working most of the time with a group of people that have chronic mental illness, people that are abandoned by their families, or are abuse because of their condition by their care givers or even their families. This past weekend I was going to start a group therapy and one of the old guys told me “you are a good woman” and I say back to him; thank you, but you are a good man. I think I make his day with those simple words. He replies back “really? I am a good man? Thank you.” 

That old man remains me that we are humans with feelings, no matter if we are sick, old, young, we have feelings. Do you remember what is the second most important commandment that Jesus taught us and want us to follow? “Love others as much as you love yourself.”  Try to make the time today to give a compliment to someone, maybe you will be making the day for that person with a simple couple of words. 

Matthew 22:36-40

³⁶ “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”

³⁷ Jesus answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. ³⁸ This is the first and most important commandment. ³⁹ The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” ⁴⁰ All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets^[a] are based on these two commandments.

Big Hug,

MRM

Looking

Some people go through their lives looking for a purpose for it, other people do not even think about goals for their lives, another people think they have all the answer and have their life already set up and have a clear path where to go. I believe everybody and nobody have the answer, contradictory, right? Certain people, like me are in constant searching for the truth, but what is really the truth? What is that we truly are looking for and why we are looking it?

Last week, I went to a church where Frank Kelly was speaking. He has a ministry where he serves as spiritual guide, gives classes, retreat, and conferences about God’s word and work. He claims to have a gift of discerning word of knowledge and healing- often accompanied by scriptural verses personally designated for the person with whom he talks. He talked to me, and even was not what I was expecting; he could tell me the reality of my anxiety. Moreover, he told me that anything that gives me peace it comes from God. Yes, I know, any Christian person know that peace=God, but this was not the case.

I tend to be a little bit skeptical with this type of things, but I feel that I need answers, answers that only God and I can give.  Reading my devotional of today, Jesus tells me that He is everywhere, in people faces, in the sky, in the breeze, anywhere where I want to see Him.  Again, time is a precious and expensive (not only monetary) thing when we do not manage correctly. I acknowledge that I need to start make more time for God, as I use to do, because as a conclusion; when I start letting time pass by without thinking in God, without recognizing His work in my everyday life is when I start feeling lost.  The best part is that He always is waiting for me no matter what I have or haven’t done, He is always waiting for me to seek Him, and that gives me peace and hope. 

Jeremiah 29:13-14

¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.

Big Hug,

MRM

Judging the Coffee

At my work there, is a guy that no matter how many times at day I see him, he is always walking around or getting in the elevator with a cup of coffee. This guy does not have any expression other than serious in his face, and every time we get on in the elevator he does not say a word. Where I work is a four-story building, and I get really aggravate when people specially this guy take the elevator just to go from the first floor to the second. I think he is not that old to just go up one floor from the stairs.  

The other day, I was walking to the elevator, by the way the elevator is really, but really slow, which can make you somewhat uncomfortable if you are inside with someone that have a face that said “DO NOT TALK TO ME!” Standing there, I realize that the coffee guy was behind me leaning against the wall with his coffee in hand trying really hard to breath. I just go toward him and ask him if he needs help or if he would like me to call someone. He told me no, that he was ok, that he just need to catch his breath, because he just use his inhalator. So, I just stand there with him until the elevator came. We get on the elevator and he gives me thanks for caring and asking him if he need help. I say “no problem.” He get out of the elevator, of course just one floor up and he say “have a nice day” and I say “you too.” I think that was the first time in more than 4 years that guy talk to me.

Yesterday, I saw him again in the elevator going up just one floor again, but this time I was not aggravate by that. He says hi to me and I reply back. I felt weird to receive a greeting from him. This experience teaches me that I definitely need to stop judging people and that people definitely can change for good when others show them humility. 

James 2:14-17

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[a] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Big Hug,

MRM

Time

Times fly when you are so busy and things comes around, and then before you can finish what you just start more things, issues, and situations that need you prompt attention comes around at the same time too.  In those times is when we really need more from God, to give us wisdom to make right decisions and patient to wait for His answers and deal with other people specially love ones.  

Jesus have been with me during this past two crazy, busy, unusual months, and even that I might not remember Him or talk to Him how I use to do, He always  have let me know that He is there waiting for me to return to Him. God definitely is our Father that knows how to let us know that He is here with us in the only way and unique way that only each of us can understand and nobody else. 

Yes, we are living in times where electronics, invade our daily lives and privacy, yes, we are living in times where it is hard to sit around the table with family and have dinner every night, yes, we are living in times where people need to have 2 and 3 jobs in order to provide the needs of a home, and yes, we live in times where communicate with God sometimes are not part of our “to do” list, but there is always the opportunity to add Him in our busy schedule of issues, work, cleaning, studies, parties, families reunion, sadness, etc, etc, etc. 

We are the lucky ones, because not matter how busy God can be, He never leaves our side and is always taking care of us, and providing us what we need to let us know that He is watching us, and that not necessary means happily ever after, sometimes we need a storm to help us to open our eyes and stop for a second…

Deuteronomy 31:6

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Big Hug,

MRM