Birthday

Usually, when we go to a birthday party we buy gift for the birthday person, we celebrate the birthday with family and friends. Today, in Jesus birthday, He is the one that give us the gifts, He is the one that filled our live with blessings and love. Today, a day to celebrate with family lets to give thanks to Jesus for all His gifts that He give us today and every day, even when is hard to see it.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Isaiah 9:6

⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Big Hug,

MRM

Just One

Well the sun comes out, that is a good signal! No end of the world… Last night, I was watching a movie with my kids. The movie was Arthur Christmas, an animated movie where Santa Clause has children, and when that Santa retired one of his kids take his position as Santa Clause. It is a clever and technological movie, literally very technological. Make you think how we life today with so much computers and technology something that is good and give us a lot of advantages and can even make easier our live up to certain point, but when we abuse it can be very dangerous for us.

I could not see the whole movie, because I fall asleep couple of times during the movie. In the movie the elves move very quickly through around the world with a time frame established, because the have to delivery all the gifts on time before kids wake up, and they have to be very diligent with the time since not every country have the same time. It was a really funny movie. They finish on time and delivery all the gifts and Santa Clause went to sleep. One of the elf realize that one kid left without a toy, that her toy was accidentally drop out of the line of delivery. The big deal here was that Santa has 2 sons. One of them wants to deliver the give and the other say “It is just one kids in millions of kids”

The rest of the movie move around all the difficulties of one of Santa’s boy to delivery that special toy for that “just one kid” That reminds me the parable of the lost sheep, it does not matter if is one kid or one person out of thousand of them, everybody need to receive their gifts, salvation. God want us to care of each other; make sure that nobody stay without a gift (gift = word of God, grace of God, salvation). I believe, that is the main reason that we are here in this world, to taking care for each other and help who is in need.

Today, it is a very sad day for me. My kids just left this morning with their dad for the holidays. Before they leave, I hug and kiss them and tell the how much I love them and say have fun. Driving to my work, I realize that the sun came out very shiny and bright that is when I realize that life will keep moving and that everything will be just fine.

Matthew 18:10-14

¹⁰ “Be careful that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. I say to you that their angels in heaven are always looking into the face of my Father who is in heaven. ¹² What do you think? If someone had one hundred sheep and one of them wandered off, wouldn’t he leave the ninety-nine on the hillsides and go in search for the one that wandered off? ¹³ If he finds it, I assure you that he is happier about having that one sheep than about the ninety-nine who didn’t wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way, my Father who is in heaven doesn’t want to lose one of these little ones.

Big Hug,

MRM 

What You Can Do?

It is sad and really, makes me cry the recent news about the elementary school at Newtown, Connecticut. I pray for the healing hearts of the families of the victims and for the souls of those angels and heroes who died in the misfortune. As I have been following the news and the updates, I can not imagine how devastated the parents and family of the victims have to be feeling right now, specially in a season like this one where everybody is happy and sharing time in family. What can be in the mind of a person to do the horrible things that man did to those angels and innocent people that day? How much anger, resentment, sickness, and craziness thoughts a person has in their minds to do something like that?

That could be only few of questions that come to our minds. As parents, we want the best for our children, we want to protect them at all cost, but sadly is how I heard in one of the conferences, as our children give their first steps and as they keep giving those steps, they are walking further from us. There are stories that will start arising from this horrible scene, like that teacher that give her live for her students, or like the father of one victim that wants unity and keep helping others. Terrible things like this one are the one that we most learn from it, this experience and other people tragedies are our tragedy too and we need to take action to prevent things like this keep happening in our communities.

We cannot point out the governments or school systems or even family systems as responsible of this tragedy. We all are responsible of tragedies like this one keeps occurring in our country. As mother and member of a community, I am going to put my part; I will not give violent video games to my kids. I think if every parent, uncle, aunt, grandparent, and neighbor figure out his or her part to prevent things like this keep happening, I am sure we all together can make the difference. There are so many small things that we can do like avoiding certain videos games, movies, toys, speak out when you see a different behavior, teach good values, praying, help someone in need, and many other little things that we can do to prevent tragedy like this one keep occurring. What are you going to do?

Psalm 14:1-5

14 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.

Big Hug,

MRM 

Accountability

As we approach to a New Year, we start thinking in our resolutions for the New Year to come. I can tell my list is really long. From losing weight to finishing my degree to finding a new job in my new career path to saving money to finding love, and on and on. My list is really long and just writing and thinking about it makes me anxious and gives me uncertainties that I will be able to accomplish all of them. Why I do that to myself? I never have been organizing, and I don’t think I will, but I improve my organizations skills so that is a point for me. I will organize my new resolutions in order of priorities. I will focus in one at a time.

God tell us to forget about the worries of the world and asks us to live in collaboration with Him. God wants that we hold on close to Him, and He will show us the right path and smooth our ways. All we have to do is count on Him. I always tell my kids that there is no one in this world that loves them and care more of them than their parents. I tell them that they can count on his dad and me that all that his dad and me want for them is the best in their life. I think that is what God our Father wants for us the best and only the best, but we have to trust Him and be still from time to time (a hard thing to do), but I think that we can make it, I think we can do that, right?

Proverbs 3:5-8

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence.
⁶ Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight.
⁷ Don’t consider yourself wise. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
⁸ Then your body will be healthy and your bones strengthened.

Big Hug,

MRM 

Driving

I am the kind of person that is really hard to make angry or mad. Sometimes I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Anyways, I come to realize after recently answering a questionnaire what really makes me angry or mad. There are only few things that I can recall now. The first one, having someone that snores next to me, that really, but really bothers me a lot! The next one, when I plan something, and don’t end up as I was expecting, and the last one, people that drive slow in front of me. The last one is the most common and I see it very often, I think more than I would like.

I know, I really need to slow down my driving, I recognize that I drive fast, but there are some people that need to recognize that they drive way too slow. This week, I was driving in a road where the maximum speed was 45. I usually go faster than that in those roads. I was on time, but if I slow down I could be late. Usually, when I am in hurry is when I find this kind of people that likes to go slow in front of me and usually in a one-way road. The person in front of me was going about 30-35 miles, but was not only that the person was going 30-35 miles, I guess he/she realize that I was trying to hurry up so it slow down to 25 miles and starts breaking without reason I guess just want to make me stop. He/she did not have anyone in front and still keep breaking. At last the person stop completely in the lane to turn right. There was a long line of cars behind me.

What was wrong in this picture? First, I need to get out earlier from my house so I would not be late or close to be late. Second, I need to slow down, and third, well I have to point at the car in front of me. The bible says that we should treat and love our neighbors how we would like to be love and treated. I wonder if this nice person in front of me were late, he/she would like to find someone that did to him/her what he/she did to me? I have to confess that I use to do things like that in the past. I guess because I see in other people and I learned, but as adult with my own thinking and believes, I change that. If I have a car that is literally pushing my car with his/her car, I just pull off and let it pass. Why I need to have the power over others? Why I need to do harm? Why I need to be conflictive with others? The person behind us might be a foolish, or might need to use the bathroom or is in a really emergency. We don’t know what is their problem, but we love to judge other.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-15

¹³ Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. ¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are disorderly. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else.

Big Hug,
MRM 

Unseen

This year, my first year without my kids on Christmas day, have make me feel very sad. Have you gone through moments that you know is coming and there is nothing that you can do about it to change it? Like a surgery, a test for school, your visit to the dentist, lay off from work, confronts someone, and many other moments and experience in life that are sad and make us anxious?

Just remember to breath, someone was telling me that yesterday, just breath. That is a very good advice; sometimes we even forget we need to breath, a very important unseen thing that we cannot live without. In moments like this one, I know God is trying to teach me something, but I really do not understand Him. What there is to learn about this? What it is the point of a mother spends Christmas time without her children? All I know is that I need to trust in Him, because everything happened with purpose and for a good reason, right God???

In my book of everyday devotions, today’s topic remained me something; God is with me in all that I do. It said that when our focus is wide enough to include God in our thoughts, we feel safe and complete. How true is this. Yesterday, I was sitting outside in the emergency stairs in my 4^th floor building just looking outside and processing everything. I ask God to be with me in these hard times to come. I just sat there repeating the same thing. Suddenly, two girls (I don’t know their names) that work in the same building get out from the same emergency stairs where I was sitting. One of them looks at me and tells me “I need a hug” she comes to me and hugs me very hard and I hug her back very hard! At that moment, I realize that I am not alone, that God is with me all the time, even in the emergency stairs!

2 Corinthians 4:18

¹⁸ while we look not at the things, which are seen, but at the things, which are not seen; for the things, which are seen is temporal, but the things, which are not seen, are eternal.

Big Hug,

MRM 

What Are You Doing Today?

Many people, including me might have ask themselves, why God allow so much hunger and misery in this world? Why God allow people being so mean with the nature destroying and killing everything in it just for fun or money? Why God permit war? Why God permit parents kill their kids? Why God let husbands abuse their wives and vice versa? Why God permit people kill each other?

This morning, I was hearing a radio station where they were collecting money for food for the poor. They were explaining how children in Guatemala die of hunger, how mothers give their kids water with salt to fool their stomach, how a baby when born weight 6 pounds and now that have 13 months only weight 10 pounds. It is sad, very sad. Why God allow that? The ironic thing is that those people have more faith than food, those people pray and believe in God more than probably some of us.

Why God allow all this? Well my hypothesis is that He does not allow all this misery; actually, we are responsible of all this bad things happening in the world. We as a whole world community allow that this thing happened everyday. We human being are the only responsible of why elephants in Africa are about to be extinct or the rhino or the giraffe. We are the only responsible of people dying of hunger around the world, we are the only responsible of so many innocent death. As matter fact our choices in everyday life is why things like this happened every day in the world.

God give us the tools to and the resources to avoid so much wickedness. Why we do not do something? Why don’t start with baby steps? How we can help? Helping our neighbors, feeding the hunger, stopping injustice, and teaching our kids good values with our examples. Teaching our kids will stop the blindness and unconscious cycle. It is easy blame government, the system; it is easy blame everybody else than do the job. Try this, take your index finger and point something in front of you, now count how many fingers are pointing at you when you point one finger forward?

1 John 3:17-18

¹⁷ But if a person has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need and that person doesn’t care—how can the love of God remain in him?

¹⁸ Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth.

Big Hug,

MRM 

Christian Community

This week we had our CRHP meeting and were very interesting and thankful. We thank God for our friendship and our community. I do not know if you feel part of a community or not, but in the last almost 3 years, I can tell what is be part of a community, is awesome! Do you know if you are part of a community? You are part of a community when you need a hug and you know where to find it. You are part of a community when you need prayers, and you received, when you want to share good and bad news with others, and you share them. You are part of community when you need to talk, or need a shoulder to cry, and you express it. You are part of a community when people look for you, because they need you. You are part of a community, because people know your name and they are happy to see you.

Being part of a community specially a Christian community gives your more than you can think. The most important part is that your faith in Christ will grow faster; you will be able to understand things that by yourself would be hard or difficult to understand. You will learn things that by yourself or just reading the Bible you will never discover. Also, being part of a Christian community teach you that nobody is perfect, that everybody have different opinion, that we all are sinners, and that we all share one same God.

Do you know how to be part of a Christian community? Start going to church; look for the ministries that your church has, and offers your talents that God gives you to share with others. Soon, you will find God’s purpose in your life. If you do not have a church, I suggest you start looking one near you. By the way a Christian church is the one that believes in Christ as our creator and savior (just in case). If you don’t find one let me know I will help you J

Romans 12:3-13

³ Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. ⁴ We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. ⁵ In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. ⁶ We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. ⁷ If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. ⁸ If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached.

Big Hug,

MRM

Today

Today is a wonderful day! I wake up like everyday, late, wake up my kids late, I even went to bed late last night; because my son did not did his homework of one week. I cannot go to the retreat that I was anxious to go this weekend, but something was different, what do I did different today??? This morning, I did not run like crazy around the house, getting everybody ready including the dogs. I did not scream around because my kid will miss their bus if we don’t get out of the house now. My older son give food to the dogs without I even ask him, something that he complains every morning.  I drive normal, not my normal, but the normal speed. As I enter to the subdivision, my son bus was in front of me, uff! He did not miss it.

What this mean? I think mean that God is with me. I ask him for patience with my kids, with my dogs and with myself. I ask Him to help me to be more organized, I ask Him to help me not be so anxious all the time about tomorrow. I had to drive today, thing that I hate very much (traffic!), but as I was driving my dad’s car, he have his old CDS, and I was listening it (Willy Colon) that is salsa music, which I don’t like much, but remained me when I was little and happy days. I was dancing and singing in a bad traffic. I look around the faces of the people, and realize that most of them were faces of distress, madness, and sadness and bored.

Today, is not a holiday, is not special at all, or maybe it is. How we think is how we feel and how we feel is what drives our actions. Our thoughts are more powerful that we thought. We have to stop life and start living. As I was taking my kids to catch the bus, I tell them to appreciate the nature look at the trees how beautiful they are, we did not have that in my country, they are always green. Last night, as I was trying to find a document for work, I found a little pocket prayer book, a really tiny cute one. I read couple of prayers last night before go to sleep. A good friend of mine that I visit yesterday for dinner, gave me a nice book, inspirations for everyday; this is one of the scriptures for today:

Luke 12:29-31

²⁹ “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Big Hug,
MRM

Planning...

I think it does not matter how hard you try to go where you want to go or do what you want to do, if is not in God’s plan it won’t happened. Even the things that you might think are good things for you or other people, if you are letting God guide your life, He will really change your plans. I planned around three months ago to go to a silence retreat this weekend, cancel! I plan to sign up in a new ministry at church this coming year, cancel! It’s not that I need to work hard for it, it is just that literally God is telling me NO, at least not this time.

I complain a lot with God about how He in times B. C. He talks to people so directly and how He doesn't do it any more with us today, but you know what? He sends people to speak for Him to us. For the ministry that I want to sign up he sends around 3 or 4 people to tell me not now. OK! I get it, not now. He even send a almost stranger for me to tell me quit doing something that I knew I should not do, but still do it.

God have thousand of ways to talk to us, what is more amazing is that he really know what is the way He needs to talks to us for us to understand His message. All we have to do is open our hearts, ears, and minds to His message. It is sound so simple, but by experience I know it is not as simple as its sound, this is the part when I make Him crazy asking Him to be more clear to me when He talks to me. I know is hard to believe in the unseen, I think is easier to believe in feelings, so be open to feel how God works in your life that helps to believe.

Proverbs 16:9

 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps

Big Hug,
MRM

Noah's Ark

Have you read the story of Noah? If not, I am going to give you my Noah’s story version. God was very mad with mankind, “Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth” He wants to wipe out all mankind except for Noah, because Noah was righteous and was faithfully with God. So, God ask Noah to construct an ark. Noah lives far away from any kind of body water (river, lake, ocean), there were a drought at that time, and Noah was around 500 year-old. It took Noah around 100 years to construct the ark and after the food he live 350 years more. You can find the Bible version in Genesis 5:32-10:1.

Now lets analyze this. From my understanding this is not a true story. Sorry for the disappointment. I think this is a metaphor. I definitely was not there to proof that Noah really live almost a thousand years and to say that this is a true story. What is the message behind this story? Why a story that is in the front page in most of the every kid’s bible, is in deed in the bible? Why Noah, an old man constructs a big boat in front of his yard just to please God? What the HOA (home owners associations) will say about this? People in these days probably lock him up in a psychiatry center for the rest of his centenary of years that left him. God just said, Noah construct the ark with the specific measures, with a pair of each of every living animal inside and stay there. To me that sounds a lot of work and not only a lot of work, but also an impossible work!

What God is asking us today? Do not trouble because He will take care of our problems? Love our enemies? Do not judge? Be kind with the poor? Love your spouses? Love and take care of our kids? Help people in need? Take some time to spend with Him? What it is that God is asking us today? Trust? Faith? Love? Follow Him? I think that are things easier to do than construct an ark where all your family fit and a pair of each animal fit, especially if you are not talented with wood!

Romans 8:28

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Big Hug,
MRM

Judging

Have you ever judge somebody? If you are part of the human been, I guess you have done this or you are judging someone right now. I have to confess that I have judge people in the past and hopefully will do it less in the future. I think is human nature judge other people, a human nature that I think we can fix or improve. We have tons of good reasons to judge someone; because we don’t know what is the story of that person, because she or he seems to have better life than we do, because that person hurt us, because have better body, because we think we are better than them, etc, etc, etc.

A week ago, I was taking a class and I meet two people who I did not trust and judge them. One, because his past and the other one, because I could not understand when he talks. I was thinking how people like this two people can be in the mental health field trying to help others? How institutions let people like this kind help others to deal with so delicate things like mental illness? Days pass, and I start meeting them more inside and their past, and I have to recognize that one of them if keep the right track as he is doing right now, he can be helping lots of people that are in the same situation that he was in the past. He is a true healing and hope story for many people out there. He represent that God can make miracles when people surrender to Him.

The other guy, I did not understand him very well yet, but I guess he have his way to help others. At least he keeps trying to find his place in this world that is a good step to start with. I think God have a special purpose for each of us in this world, the adventure is in find that purpose while living here. I realize that most of the time when we judge someone is because we have done or are doing the same thing or because we want what that person have. Next time I judge someone, I will analyze why I am judging that person, what that person is doing or have that make me judge the way I am doing it. Maybe I will find some answer to my many questions about life and God’s purpose for me in this life.

Matthew 7:1-2

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Trees

I really enjoy more and, more going hiking in the afternoons. It gives me some sort of peace, I guess, because there is no one around or because I just can hear birds, crickets and squirrels running around. As I walk, I start thinking about all the things that I want to do, but not sure which one I should start or which way I should go. I keep asking for light to God, but seems that I can’t see it.

As I keep walking, I saw in front of me a really big tree, but was not just a tree, was a straight up more than 15 feet and just straight up without branches. At the top of the tree then you can see some small branches with lot of leaves. I start thinking (but of course!), have you ever put a small plant near to a window, the plant tend to grow toward the window, because there is light. Plants need the light to be able to grow. Plants grow up toward the light. That is what we all need to do look and grow toward the light.

I heard that in hell there is darkness, and is down, like underground. Heaven is pure light and is up like sky. Trees grow up toward the light, and they don’t even have a brain to know this! Pretty smart ahh! Then, why is that we, people with brain to think and eyes to see, it is so hard to follow the light? I have some answer for that question. Could be our thoughts (my thoughts) that are like fog that prevent me from see the light. Could be pride, selfishness, mulishness, and many other adjectives that blind us and keep us out of sight of the light.

Today I am going to try to look more for the light, the sun, moon, friends, family, bible, and God. I hope that you can see the light and follow it; I have heard that there is peace in it.

Isaiah 42:16

¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. 

These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Big Hug,

MRM

Teaching

Have you ever taken the time to think about why this society, this world, it is the way it is? Why our society is corrupted in so many ways? Perhaps our government is damaging our society? It is the bad school system? It is the bad health system? What it is that make our society so twisted? When I see the news, which is not too often, I usually think about this things. Why people have to be so mean with each other? Why we have to be so hurtful to each other? In my opinion, it is neither the government, nor the educational or health systems that cause our society be the way it is. We are the ones that cause that the society be the way it is. Our family structure, the values that we are taught growing up, our experience life it is what make us, as society be the way we are.

The other day, I took my kids to the pediatrician for the annual check up. I was inside of the room with my 13 years old son, he was kind of worry about getting vaccine, which are hurtful shots. I told him that I was not sure. He had some friends at school that recently had the shots and told him that hurt a lot. When the nurse came to the room, she explains us that he needs two shots. His face change multicolor and my son told her that he don’t want the shots. The nurse asks directly to my son in a sarcastic and mean way, “What are you going to cry like a girl?” What kind of message my son could get with those 9 simple words?

First that men don’t cry, second that adults can hurt minors feelings and it is ok, third that he should be ashamed of his behavior of being scare of a vaccine, and so on you can keep adding to the list. What is the message that we are giving to our children these days? We are the only ones responsible for why the society it is so corrupted. It is the education that we give to our children. I want to clarify that yes, the parents have the majority of the responsibility in what we teach to our children, but think about with who else our kids interact, teachers, nurses, doctors, school bus drivers, family, people from our work, librarian, cashiers from stores, and many, many other people.

Jesus came to earth and taught us how we should treat to each other, especially how to treat kids. Kids born innocent, they do not know any wickedness. As they grow older we taught them good things, but also a lot of bad things. Lets start been more responsible of our actions with every kid, it not only the parents job, because we are in some way or the other part of the kids live and in some way we influence their life too, lets try to be a good influence to every kid with who we interact.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Big Hug,
MRM

Walking

Yesterday, I went to a place that I was avoiding for years and years. Finally, I take the courage to go there, and like always happened, I was glad that I did and also, feel silly because I did not went before, but never is too late when there is something good. Going there make me realize a lot of feelings that I did not know were there. When get out I went to walk to Elachee Park, I need to walk and think and think (wow! Me thinking???)

As I walk on the trails, really nice trails by the way, I figure out couple of things, I was alone, I just can hear the squirrels jumping around the trees, which make noises like someone was behind me, I can hear the birds, which relax me. As I was walking on the trail, I decide to take a long stick, just in case, I am not use to walk on trails alone. I don’t know how many miles I walk but I walk around 1 hour and half. After 45 minutes walking, I feel more relax and find a really nice spot and decide to sit for a while.

While sitting there I start talking with God. I tell Him “lets talk seriously” and I can hear Him laughing at me, “you seriously?” “Yes! Seriously,” what do you want from me? Which way you want me to go? I just sit there waiting and waiting and of course resting after running/walking. You know what? I did not hear answers for all my questions, but I feel so good, calm and relax, so I keep walking. I tell Him “I am going to wait for you to show me the way just give me patience to wait and wisdom to recognize it” You should try it, get out from everything and everyone for couple of minutes 20, 30 minutes, even 15 minutes! We really are living a life that go too fast and make us blind and make it difficult for us to see and recognize when God talks to us. He really talk to us in the most easy way for us to understand, but we are so involved in our “life” that we forget to have a life! I guarantee you that couple of minutes away from everything and everyone will give you a new perspective from life, your life.

The picture is the place that I found walking on the trail.

Isaiah 40:30-32

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Big Hug,
MRM

Yes or No?

Sometimes, I don’t even debate with this two words, must of the time I just say “Yes” to everybody and everything, but I learn in the hard way, as most lessons that we learn, that “Yes” is not always a positive thing as we might think. I am the kind of person that like to please people and help others, that is the reason why must of the time I said “yes” to everything including things that are not good for me or things that I might not be able to accomplish because lack of time.

What make this personal characteristic worse is that sometimes I am pleasing people not God and there is when troubles come in the picture. When I try to please others and don’t have God in my mind things go wrong, because must of the times I am doing things that not go exactly with what God wants from me or wants for me, and that is sometimes hard to define. We sometimes try so hard to feel acceptable, recognized, be loved by others that we start doing things that are not quite right, compromise ourselves with things that we can’t handle or don’t have the time to accomplish, even when sometimes go against our values.

I have to remember all the time that God already accept, recognize and love me for who and how I am no matter how many favors I do or how many people I please. No matter how much bothers me not be able to help someone, I have to stop myself and think, would I be able to do this? Would I have the time? Would I be helping truly this person or I will be damaging that person? Who I am trying to please doing that action, to the person or to God?

Galatians 1:10

¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Big Hug,
MRM

Humility

According with the Royal Spanish Academy, humility means, “The virtue consists in the knowledge of the limitations and weaknesses and act according to this knowledge.” We can find plenty information about humility in the bible. In Proverbs 11:2, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Matthew 23:12, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Do we really understand what is humble? Are we humble outside just for appearances to impress other people even ourselves or we are truly humbles from the heart?

I always had thought that I was humble, but the truth is I am far from that. How many times we go over other people just to demonstrate that we are better or know more? How many times we help someone just to feel good with ourselves and not because is part of being Christians? How many time our pride go over our actions? How many times our pride does not let us do what our heart tells us is the right thing to do? It is easy to say I am humble, but is that really the truth, or we are lying to ourselves to feel better?

I was reading a message about humility, it said that it is not humility feel less than others, it is not humility being material poor, and it is not humility do good thing to receive the approval of others or even approval from God. Being humble is the opposite of all above. Being humble is doing our job with dignity, without trying to go over other people; it is doing good things without expecting recognition. Being humble is recognized our mistakes and weakness before God. Being humble is say “I am sorry” and “I forgive you” from your heart. Have you seen when kids fight? If you tell them say sorry to each other and give a hug, they do it. Maybe at the beginning they will not be happy with the instruction, but in less than 5 minutes they will be playing again without resentment, that is truly humbleness. God ask us to be humble all the time. In Matthew 18:3-4, “And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Micah 6:8

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Big Hug,
MRM

Right Under Your Nose

Have your ever experience that you are looking your house or car keys, and they are right in front of you, and you can not see them? Or you are looking for your glasses or sunglasses and they are right on top of your head, and you did not notice it? The other day, I was going to work, and I was rushing around the house picking up my stuff and put it in to my backpack. As usual, I was rushing to not be late. I was looking for my college book. I look on the kitchen table, my bedroom, my desk, and on top of my sofa. I could not find my book. When I get home in the afternoon, was more relax, doing my regular afternoon routine, and there was my book! on top of the kitchen table. I think that scenario like that one happened to all of us some days, especially when we are in a hurry or we have so much to do that we try to do 10 things at the same time.

Sometimes we feel sad, disappointed, and even alone, thinking that God have been hiding from us. The truth is that He still there in the same place as always. Furthermore, He sends us angels (friends and family or even strangers) to remain us that He care and still around us. We are rushing to places, filling our agenda with activities (even church activities) that we cannot see Him next to us. It is only when somebody or couple of somebody remained us that God still here with us. Moreover, when we stop and take a deep breath, and stay still (which it is really hard for me) is when we realize that God is there in our living room, sitting on the couch, bedroom, deck, dinning room, and even in our car waiting for us to talk with us.

I definitely need to learn how to not fill up my schedule with so much stuff and take some time for Jesus and me, just the two of us. It is hard and the funny thing is that He does not ask for specific length of time or a specific hour of the day or any special day of the week. God is there waiting and available for us 24/7 365 days or 366 depending of the year. I think, will be a good idea to write down couple of appointments for Him this week. Again the amusing thing is that everybody tells me this, and I know it, but still sometimes with the rush and busy schedule, I cannot see it and is right there in front of me!

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Big Hug,
MRM

Blindfold

These past weeks, I have been blind, deaf, foolish, and many other adjectives that we can use to describe when we do not “hear God.” For the past weeks, I have been complaining that God do not care about me that God do not talk to me, and that God have abandon me. Why? Because all the things that have been going on in my head and everyday life. Did He really stop talking to me? Two years ago I start to hear Him, why He just decide to not talk to me?

My head fills up with dinosaurs, why the bible does not mentions them? It is real the two tables of the 10 commandments? Where is it? Why God could talk straight to people in the Old Testament, and He don’t talk that way to us today? and many others thousand of questions that I have in my head. The funny thing is that today, I realize that God have been with me all this time, I do not see him, because He is carrying me like the footsteps on the beach. Yesterday, God send me an Angel, well he did not have wings, but almost. He pray for me, and he even give me a book that he told me that he buy it for someone else, but that he have the urge to buy an extra one, so he buy it and keep it in the trunk of his car for couple of weeks, until yesterday.

The book is just amazing, answer me so many but many questions that I have. It don’t tells me about the creation of the dinosaurs, or why I have to follow the Bible, it don’t even tells me where are the two tables of the 10 commandments are hidden, but tells me what I have been doing wrong all this years, explains me why the poor communication with my sister, it tells me the reason why I think the way I think about my ex-husband, it also tells me why there are so many hypocrite Christians, it also tells me how to stop been a hypocrite Christian, and I just have been reading 40 pages!

Today, I see that God have been talking to me through, my CRHP sisters, through friends, kids, Scripture, dreams, but because I have been blindfold, I could not see it. So what God did? I ask Him for a miracle on Wednesday night, and I got it He send me this book to help me to realize that He still here with me and He does not let me go, not matter how many bad things I said or think about Him, He still carrying me because I am to weak or lazy to walk next to Him, so He do not abandon me, He carry me!

I Love you God!

  Philippians 4:6-7

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Big Hug,
MRM

I am Waiting

A year ago, I could understand or at least was very close to understand when God talks to me. Today, I am not so sure of that anymore. What have change in me? Did God is speaking another language to me? Did He stop talking to me? I doubt that last one! I think that the reason why I can not understand or hear what God have to tell me is because I have been so far, far, far away from Him that I feel like He is not here anymore. Have you try to learn a new language? What happened if you don’t practice the language? I am sure you will forget the meaning of some words and with time I am sure you will not understand the language anymore just few common words. I think that is what is happening to me. I stop taking with God that I forgot His ways to talk to me.

Yesterday, in our monthly meeting we talk about self-control, a big deal for me. Did you know that almost everything that you do in your life it is related with self-control? The way you eat, (I lose self-control of that long time ago!!!). The way you talk to your friends, kids, family, and couple, the way you manage your money (another uncontrolled area for me!), the way you think, dress, and organize your time (another one!). Be able to control our lives it is a hard work, but becomes worse and uncontrolled when we do not let God guide our life. For people like me that do not stop for one second, sit and wait for God to guide our life is almost impossible, but it is possible. 

Today, I weak up at the right time when my alarm sound, not 30 minutes or 45 minutes of snooze after the first sound of the alarm. Before getting out of my house I pray “Psalm 5:3 “Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” I confess that I am not relax waiting, but at least I give the first step of giving my day to God and let Him guide the day for me, and I will try really hard to let Him do what He knows best, make our life happier and simplest!

Luke 10: 40-42

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to Him and asked, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her

Big Hug, 

MRM

Accomplishments

Have you ever accomplish something that you were working really hard on it? Buy a house, a car, finish your career, have kids, get married, and many other accomplishments from life. Accomplishments can be named goals too. One of my goals was buy a house I accomplish that. What happened when we achieve a goal? What is next? There is plenty to do next. After I buy my house my next goal was painting it (still working on that one) then I want change the floors (still working on that one too!) and I can keep up with the list.

People need to set goals, could be material goals, character goals, relationship goals, and many other accomplishments in our life. Goals are what keep us living every day. Think about this, imaging that you have everything and you do not need to improve anything in your person, think that you reach all your goals. What will be the motivation for you to life each day? What make you get up from bed every day?

We always (and I don’t like use always and never) have something to change, improve or accomplish in our lives, in our relationships with friends, couple, and God. We always can do something more, there is always an extra mile to reach. I am trying to work in my organizations skills (which take a lot of time and self-control) but when I reach that I already thinking in my next skill that I want to improve.

We should never stop learning and there is always room for a new experience in life.

Philippians 3:13-14

¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Big Hug,

MRM

Follow...

Do you make time to pray? Do you make time to talk with God and discuss with Him things that you would like to change or fix or things that you would like to have in your life? I do it all the time, but lately I have been forgetting talk with God. I am trying to make so many improvements in my life as a mom, women, friend, person that I forget that the real thing that I need to make all this changes come true is talk and listen to God.

Yesterday, at church they were talking about how we try to do all our things in our way. I can tell you that I am just like that. A good example of this, when we ask for favors, we tend to say to the other person how to do it or even, ask for help and we end up doing all the job by ourselves, because we might think that the other person can’t do it, or we want the favor be done in our way. Then we complain that nobody helps us or that we have to do everything by ourselves.

We do the same with God. We ask Him for help, but we do not let Him help us. Then we said that He is too busy helping others, because He never helps us. Or worse we blame God because how things goes wrong in our life without realizing that He want us to go north and we keep walking south. I know that I have to trust Him, be still and follow His directions not mine.

Isaiah 48:17-18

¹⁷ This is what the Lord says your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
¹⁸ If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Big Hug,

MRM 

Environment

Have you ever think about the environment? Do you care about the natural environment? This world is full of special species, plants, animals, and humans. That last one is a very special and complicate one! God create this world in a way that everything match and have it perfect place in this world. For example, everybody beneficiate from trees, they goes from cleaning the air that we pollute to provide shelter and food for animals and human, to increase property value. Imaging a world without trees.

Now, think about the animals, how graciously God made them, and they keep their balance with the famous food chain. Animals, no matter how disgusting or cute they are, each or them have their place on earth. Birds help us with spreading plants, providing food, pest control, and good music. Dogs, we call them “man’s best friend” they are specials for many of us. What about insects, they can be nasty but they help us a lot with pollination, spiders keep a lot of bugs out of your house. What about the annoying mosquito? Why we need mosquito? Simple, they are food for many animals from water to the sky (fish and birds), yes, they can be annoying but we need them.

God do not make things without a perfect reason. We are the “intelligent” specie, but we kill what we do not eat, we waste our food, and sources of shelter. We do no take care of each other, sometimes not even our own child, when you can see pictures of cat feeding puppies or lions feeding other animals that are not their own. We cut trees and plant cement; we construct and do not think on nature or the protection of our environment. If we are the “intelligent” specie why we are destroying our planet and waste our resources without measure? What are you doing something to protect the environment?

Job 12:7-10

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; ⁸ or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Service

Last night, I was in my monthly meeting with a great group of women that I call my sisters, my support group, and my friends. The topic last night was service. We found more bible scriptures than any other topic that we have discuss in the past. In many books of the bible, we found God asking us to serve and help each other. Today, I was reading a daily words book and today’s writing was about our talents. How I can merge both topics?

Well, I was thinking… I believe we all born with at least one talent, and I said “at least” because I am sure that we born with more than one talent. So do you know what is your talent? If not, I think you should start finding out what is that gift that God gives you, because with that gift you will be serving Him and follow the path that He knows is the right path for you.

In the meeting we talk about how many people that attend to church including pastors, do not use properly their talents and instead, they do not serve God as should. Moreover, they do not help others to have a good experience at church making many people stay away from church. People sometimes do not realize the influence that they have in others and the damage that they can cause to others by their actions. We are a big community, and we need to take care of each other as we do with our family, and the best way to take care of each other is through services.

Acts 20:34-35

³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. ³⁵ In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.


Big Hug,
MRM

Silence

A friend of mine, invite me to go to a silence retreat, I don’t think that is a good idea for me since I talk too much maybe must of the time, but I am going to give it the shot. Silence, what is truly silence? I don’t know yet what silence is. I read somewhere that “in silence you receive divine ideas for establishing new goals and new insights to overcoming familiar challenges.” Yesterday, I went hiking with a group of people. We hike five miles and most of the time I was quiet, thinking, and talking with God. I think would be better if there were not too many people on the hike, but still I manage to make time to talk to them and with God.

Sometimes we go in life without knowing where we are going, without route to follow, and I think that is just not right, because you can miss important things. In many of the classes that I have take already they talked about the silence during sessions, and even though at the beginning I feel awkward with silence when two people are talking, the truth is that silence helps to think, analyze, and realize; mistakes, new goals, wrong behaviors, missing things, and many, many other things.

I do not know if I can survive to a 3 days silence retreat, I think I can explode if I don’t talk! I also, told my friend that I would take duck tape for my mouth and hands (so I don’t pull out the tape of my mouth!), but the truth is that silence is so important for people as it is important to eat and drink water everyday. We have 24 hours in a day where from that most of us spend around 9-10 hours at work, which let you with 14 hours at day, which at least 6 hours are for sleep letting us with 8 hours. Take out at least 2 hours for commute. Six hours a day is what you have left. I know must of us have to cook and share time with kids or spouses or both give to those 3 hours. Think about this, can we take 30 minutes from that three hours left a day to sit with a cup of tea, coffee, soda, wine or whatever help you to relax and just be there in silence? I believe that a good exercise to help to reduce stress is Me Time. It is important and helpful for us and for everybody around us.

Proverbs 17:27-28

²⁷ Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. ²⁸ Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.


Big Hug,
MRM