You Shall Not Covet

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's (Deuteronomy 5:21).

. A commentary from yesterday makes me think in this commandment. How may time we which have that house, or that car, that job, that happiness, that marriage, those kids, that degree, and so on. Why everybody wants what they don’t have? People with curly hair wants straight hair, people with straight hair want curly hair, people that are tall would like to be shorter and short people would like to be taller, and so on too!

I believe that we should be grateful with what we have, but also, I believe that if we want something is because that something is good for us, and not because our neighbor have it.  I want a better job, well I have to work hard to get a better job, for me, for my family not because my friend have a better job than me. I want a better marriage,  work harder to get it, no try to imitated others marriages because will not get better just worse. I think is ok for us to want be better, furthermore is good (just my opinion) take others people blessings, and use it as encourage to want be better. I have friends that I see how the are so rich spiritually, and so close to God, that I want that too, I don’t envy them, I take them as example, and inspiration for me to do the same, not because they have it, but because is something good for me.

I believe is not wrong want to be better, progress, and have good things, with what we have to be very careful is the reason in our hearts of why we want that. I want it because everybody have it? Or I want it because is convenient for me? I am learning something, when I go buy things I buy it because I need it or because I can look like someone else? I buy it because will help me or because I want apparent what I’m not? This is a good tip to avoid this commandment, and to save some money!!!

1 Timothy 6:10

¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Big Hug,
MRM 

Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery

Thou shalt not commit adultery; this one is so easy to fall in it.  Not too long time ago I learn that is not so simple as its sounds. “As long I’m not with a married man or woman, I will be fine” that is the way most people think. But this commandment go litter bit further than what we think. The word lust means something for you? I did not know the definition in Spanish so I ignore it. Lust have the same meaning as desire, envy, you want something or someone.

I am a really big fan of Chayanne a puertorrican singer that I admire, and like very much. Couple years ago I tell to one of my son that he was his father but that Chayanne did not know it.  Of course I was teasing and joking with him, but how wrong I was, first because how I can say that to my kid??? And second I desired him, and that is just not right. Could sound silly or insignificant but that is how wrong things starts. First you just think about it, and you laugh, and stay in you head, then you say it out loud, and then is a joke, and keep escalating until is something normal to you. When you do not expected you have the opportunity, and you will see it as something not so bad or not bad at all.

We tend to play around with our love one (partners) making comments that refers to someone for the opposite sex, comments that can be “just joking” but are wrong, because create insecurities in the relationship, create low self-esteem to your partner, because indirectly we are been unfaithful to our spouse, boyfriends, special one (however you want to call it) and definitely is adultery.

One last thing if you are single and you are with someone that is married or is in a relationship you are double sinner because you are in adultery but also are making someone else commit adultery too.

Matthew 5:28

²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Big Hug,

MRM

Thank You

I don’t know if have been laziness or too much homework from school or what? But have been out a little bit. Every day I get up, and fight with my kids to get ready for school, ride a bus, train, and trolley to get work, and do the same going back home. I get to do tons of things during the day in and out of work. I don’t have much of free time. Every day or almost every day is the same routine. Sometimes I get tire or bored or worse get mad, and with very little patient.

Today when I get to my bus stop to get out and take the trolley, from the back of the bus was coming a blind guy which of course didn’t see me that I was getting out so I wait to him pass and then get out.  The bus driver warns him that we were one lane further than we usually are.  The guy said thanks, get down from the bus and start walking his way, I guess going work? Why I complain about my everyday routine? I have the chance to see my kids every day, to see the beautiful sunset or sunrise every day. Why complain of all the things that I have to do?

Will be better if I start thanking God for my eyes, my hearing, my good health, because I have a job, because I can go back to school and get crazy with the homework, thanks God because I have my siblings, parents and friends around me and I can reach at them when ever I want. Why complain about how tire I am? Why I just don’t get up and walk around and enjoy the outside? I have legs that can take me anywhere I want.

Today that blind man remained me how lucky I am and how ungrateful I tend to be sometimes. Do you have something to thanks God today?

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

Big Hug,

MRM

Spread the Word

I am going to use the today “Good Morning My Friends” to create share thoughts.  If you would like to participate will be great because will help everyone share, and spread God’s word to everybody around us.  At the end of the day that is what God’s wants from us, right?

If you have a friend that would like to know more about God, How do you will help him/her to get closer to God without pressure?  How often do you talk to someone else about God? And how do you feel when you talk about God?

Here are my questions; I help someone get closer to God, making an invitation to go to the church, sharing a book, hearing what are their questions about God, talking about my experiences. I love to talk (thanks dad!) so I talk very often more than before about God.  Yesterday I was trying to hurry up before the traffic light change to red and I start saying “please, please don’t change” I pass the light and then I said, “thank you, thank you!!!” my son ask me to whom I was thanking. I answer him “to God” and then I start taking to him about it. So I guess I talk about God every time I see an opportunity.  I feel great! And feel like a good person when I talk about God to others.

Mark 16:15

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Big Hug,

MRM

Honor Your Father and Your Mother

Honor your father and your mother. This commandment I think is the one I follow the best of all (I think) my parents has to say something about it! I remember as a child almost every Sunday we have to visit our grandparents. This was a routine for us. We go there, and stay there for at least 30 minutes. Maybe at that moment I didn’t see the importance of the visit, today I totally understand it, and even that I don’t follow the visits so close like my parents did.

Honor means obey, we should obey our parents because God give them that responsibility. We as parents must guide our kids to the right path. I always tell my kids; in this world there is nobody that wants the best for you than your parents. This is true in most cases.  I know cases of parents that never take care of their kids, or abusive parents. Also, I know cases parents who neglect their kids and still, the kids love them, stay with them until the end. That is honoring your father and your mother.

Even that I am in my 30’s my parents still and will keep having influences in the decision that I make in my life. I also believe, this commandment includes all people that are older than us.  Our parents are older, wiser; they have more experience in live than us. This means that we should honor our elders because they are older, wiser, and have more experience in life than us. I love talk with people older than me, because they represent wise and experience from which I can learn.

I do not expect that my parents or older people are correct all the time but they deserve the respect and the honor to be listened.

Proverbs 1:8-9

 ⁸ Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. ⁹ They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

Big Hug,

MRM

No Other Gods Before Me

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is the first commandment. Just by see it I can tell that I definitely follow this commandment because I just believe in one God, our Father, Jesus Christ. I pray to Him, and I only believe in Him. But what is exactly this “simple” commandment mean?

This means that you put God first in your life. You have to put God first than you, your kids, spouses, parents, friends, money, hobbies, jobs, etc, etc, etc. Now lest re-think about this commandment, do I truly follow it? Would I be able to no sit in front of the TV and read a scripture? Would I be able to not miss one game for go to church? Would I be able to do not spend money in “miscellaneous things” and just give that money to someone that truly needs it? Would I be able to do something special for somebody else without expect something in exchange?

Following God will help us to comply with this “simple” commandment. What are you doing to demonstrate God that He is number one in your life?

Matthew 19:16-24

¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” ¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

 ¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.”  ²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”  ²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  ²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.  ²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Big Hug,

MRM

Sabbath Day

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” This is one of the commandments that I will love to do every day!!! But I guess I can’t. God works for 6 days, and He rest on the seventh day. The same way God wants us to take one day off during the week to be our “Sabbath” day so we can enjoy and spend time with Him, with family, and friends, with us. Sadly we don’t think about the “Sabbath” as we should. That day we clean our houses, go shopping, and probably do the 1,000 things we did not do during the week, and not only that we prevent others from following this commandment.

The “Sabbath” is for everyone and each of us. We should try to commit our-self to this commandment that at the same way we would be helping others to follow this commandment that looks very simple, and insignificant but if you see in the big picture would help us, and make our society better.  Think about this, imaging that everybody in a whole county decide that on Sunday (as our Sabbath day) nobody will go to the stores, if there is 50,000 people living in that county any of them will go the stores on Sundays. What you think will happen eventually? There is a good chance that the stores remain close on Sundays.  That means; more time to spend with God, family and friends. When you spend more time with God, family, and friends you feel better, you feel rest, you feel a better person, without counting that you are doing the same with the people around you.

This commandment it is so simple to follow, God is demanding us to take time off, and still, we fail to follow what He is asking us.

Exodus 20:8-11

 ⁸Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  ⁹Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  ¹⁰But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Big Hug,

MRM

Psalm 30:5

A couple of weeks or maybe couple of months I wrote about how do you know God talk to you. Last night God spoke to me in the simplest way, all I had to do is open my eyes (literally). I have been dating a guy for the last couple of weeks.  He is a very nice guy which make me feels good, and I found him very attractive, but he is missing something, something that I tell him is in my top 5 must important things that my couple must have, but I was wrong, is the top one thing in my list of my prince charming. I need to be willing to share with him me believes, believes in the same God. Sadly we don’t have that, and even that he thinks we believe in the same God I think not. My God create the heaven and earth, and my God don’t believe in the abortion. I try to resonate with him because I understand why he think the way he thinks, but if God can not change the way he thinks about Him, who I am to change that?

After couple of hours trying to figuring out what to do and how to fix this, I finally ask him if he will be willing to discover who is God with me since I am right now in that journey, but he said no that he mind is set up already.  So that was the end. I cry and cry and tell God that I did for him just for him, and ask Him don’t let me alone, so I went to my room and open my bible and opens in John 8:12-20 and I cry more but with a feeling that I was doing the right thing.

But still I was sad because I really like him, so I get up and prepared a tea.  I use a tea bag that I got in an exchange gift from Christmas.  Each tea bag has a verse from the bible. I take my tea bag and prepared my tea then as I put my tea bag in my cup I read my verse and was Psalm 30:5 weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. I that was it, I knew I was in good hands and just fall asleep in peace.

John 8:12-19

 ¹² Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 ¹³ The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true. ¹⁴ Jesus answered and said unto them, Even if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go. ¹⁵ Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

 ¹⁶ Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. ¹⁷ Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness of two men is true.

 ¹⁸ I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.  ¹⁹ They said therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Father: if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also.

Big Hug,

MRM

Thou shalt not steal

Thou shalt not steal; this is an easy one to fall, and sometimes without notice it! We know steal is wrong, no matter from which side you see it, is wrong. One time my oldest son finds a wallet with a $50 bill, and of course the driver license from the person. I was with a group of friends, and one of the kids from the group suggest him take the $50 since he found the wallet, my son took the money, and then toll me about the wallet. We give the wallet to a police man that was around so he can return to his owner. After a couple of days, from one of the boys that were with us I knew what happened.  I ask my son if it was true that he took the money from the wallet, he didn’t want to say yes, but my face and my tone was too scary for him to try to lie to me. 

My first idea for him was take the money, and let it at church during the collection at mass, but that week I was without no money, and no food in my refrigerator, and I have to wait one week before I get paid from my work. I rethink, and I tell him that he will use the money to buy food for us for the week.  I don’t know if what I did wrong or not, but that money came to my hands just in time. He was planning buy video games with the money without telling. I explain him that because the wallet has identification the money have an owner, and is not like he “found it” I tell him was wrong to do what he did.

Steal can go from steal something small like a pen from work to rob a bank. I think there is no measure if is small stealing or big stealing. How we can know if what we are doing is stealing? Our conscience will tell us right away, if I am doing something, and with just the thought about if I am stealing, I think that is exactly what I am doing.

Romans 2:14-15

¹⁴ Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.

Big Hug,

MRM

Do Not Lie

Well I will share another commandment with you today. “not bear false witness against thy neighbor” In simple words do not lie. In this one I think 100% of the population is guilty, in some with or another. White lie, dark lie, brown, or red, does not matter of the color that we call it still a lie. Ouch!

Sometime we lie without even notice, other occasions we lie to protect our-self or our family or friends.  Sometimes we lie to our-self, I think this is the worse one. Because when we lie to us we believe in something that is not true, and this can turn us to do not accept our mistakes, which can lead us to another sin or lead us to hurt somebody else.

I know that we can lie to everybody but God; he knows when we are lying or when we are been truthful. One day I was picking up my son from his day care and I always tell him put your buckle up, that day he didn’t do it, and I see through the mirror. I ask him “ did you put your zipper on? He said yes, and I tell him, “don’t lie to me I know you don’t have it on, put it on!” he ask me how I know, I tell him that I am his mother and I know it. The same way, God is our Father, and he knows everything about us, He knows when we are good, and when we are not that good.

I know it is really hard not to lie, but I think that if we really truly try not to lie that at least count (I hope).  I’m very grateful that our nose doesn’t grow like the Pinocchio’s one when we said a lie.

1 Corinthians 5:8

so let's celebrate the feast with the unleavened bread of honesty and truth, not with old yeast or with the yeast of evil and wckedness.

Big Hug,

MRM

Thou Shalt Not Kill

I have been reading an interesting book “One Heartbeat Away” and find out that is a very interesting one, especially for people that have some trouble believing in unseen things, like me.  Mark Cahill explain with reference (proof) why God is the only creator of the heaven and earth, why we should believe in the bible as a true book, and many other interesting subjects that probably I will write another day.

The chapter that I am reading now talks about the 10 commandments, how interesting way of explain it, how terrible I found myself not following them, even the most obvious one.  I will just going to take one since they are 10; I guess I will have 9 more “Good Morning My Friends” to talk about the others J 

The sixth commandment that Mark explains is “Thou shalt not kill.” If you ask me today if I had kill someone I quickly will responds NO! Of course I have never kill. Now let me explain you how Mark clarify this commandment.  He said that “kill” and “murder” are two different things in Hebrew language.  He explains that the bible give us the right to defend ourselves from people who attacking us. Meaning, to defend our family, homes, our life or nations. Until now that is very simple, easy, and I am sure that we all agree with that.

Mark cited 1 John 3:15 everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Now how many people you have murdered? Especially If God is able to hear our most inner thoughts, He wills knows whom we hate in His eyes, which one we are murdering.

Now I am going to make the question of 54,000 cents (an expression in my country). Have you murder somebody? Or do you still murdering somebody? I think honestly I have murder, not many, but some. Thankfully I considered myself a person that forget easily (I think), but still at some point I fail to follow this commandment.  I have to keep this in mind for my next confession!

Matthew 5:21-22

    ²¹ “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the Supreme Court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Big Hug,

MRM

Light

Today, I did not have an interesting subject to write something until a good friend send an email about a dream that she had and wala! There is LIGHT!   She explains about a dream that she had and she was “enveloped in darkness" and she was trying to find the light. That light that she was looking is the light that must of us search everyday when we feel that we are lost, deep in a trouble, or when we need to make decisions, and do not know what step give.

How we can find that “light?”  Honestly, I think that we only can find it through God. Now the problem comes when we feel far or apart from God.  How we can find that light when we are distant from Him? Will He show us that light, even when we forget Him? I think yes, but we are so blind with anxieties that we cannot see it.

Friends that shine, scriptures that caught our attention, angels that come and go from our life are some simple, but bright lights that God turn on in front of our eyes, even when we are not that close to Him.  Is up to us seeing it, and follow that light to get out of the darkness. Today I will try to seek that light around me to feel closer to God, and will do my best to be a shine friend.

John 8:12

 ¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Big Hug,

MRM

So Easy...

Yes, definitely, I am back to reality!  This morning I wake up dizzy after a shot of NyQuil last night so I could sleep. I jump to the shower took me longer than usually take me get ready.  I wake up my kids they do the every morning routine. We rush to the car, I forgot my phone so ask my son to go back to the house and bring my phone.  I drive like crazy to my youngest son school bus stop.  When I get there the bus past in front of me! ARGH!!!! Of course I could not hide how mad I was that I miss his bus.

As I was driving back to take my son to his school I tell my-self “stop that! It is your fault not theirs!” so I calm my-self and feel better. Then I start reflecting how easy is for us to blame others for our mistakes, how easy is point at others to make us feel better that we are doing the “right” thing, and the other person is the one that make us do it the wrong way.  How wrong we are!

Do you know what you are doing wrong? Do you know whom you are blaming for your mistakes instead of take the responsibility? As I drove to the school I turn on the radio in “the fish” is a radio station that play Christian music, definitely that relax me a lot! Even that I do not blame my kids directly today, I know my reaction at the moment was wrong.  But I reflect, and talk with God, and ask for patient and humbleness to accept when I am wrong.

Galatians 6:4-5

 ⁴But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

 ⁵For every man shall bear his own burden.

Big Hug,

MRM

Family

Well, back to reality!  It is so sad when all craziness of the Christmas season is over, at least for most of us.  This morning I was wondering if God forgot to turn on the heater in this side of the world? It is a really cold morning, and looks are going to stay just like that.   I take out my list of my resolutions for this New Year, and I have way too much to do already to fulfill at least the first month!!! What I was thinking? So let’s see how will go. At least I think I am close to finish most of my house renovations, I think!

The first day of this new year was a lazy, fun, and for an instant gray, but just for few minutes. My youngest sister with her family, and my family spend the night at my parent’s house since New Years Eve.  I think this is the first time that we stay for so long together without major troubles. We spend a full day with the pj’s on, was really nice spend time playing with the kids “Uno,” chatting, and just be there. Kids really enjoy when we do things like this. 

I remember when I was a kid, my parents use to get together with my uncles, and I love it, because was a happy time. I get to play, and share time with my cousins without care if they were older or youngest or female or male, we just play together and have lots of fun. I remember even sleepovers with them, especially when we go together for vacations. That are the memories that I had from my childhood, and is the kind of memories that I would like my kids have. Those are happy moments that stay in our minds and hearts.

It is important that we try to be humbles as Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, they show us the meaning of what is a true family.  We need to create more family bounding, I am sure that bounding will help us to become better people, and have a better society for our world.

1 Timothy 5:8

⁸ But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Big Hug,

MRM