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