Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Today, October 2, 2010 would have been my Daddy's 62nd birthday! Instead of a celebration and joking about how old he's getting (which he obviously was NOT!) it's a time of sadness for me. How selfish is that? My dad is in Heaven with his Jesus and I can only think about how much I want him here with us! I will always cherish the past we shared but I miss, nearly every day, the future we will not have. He lived life fully, courageously and passionately after being diagnosed with lymphoma. I am very grateful that I had him in my life, that he knew my daughter and that Maya has precious memories of him. Her most precious memory of him is also mine. After a lifetime (literally) of praying for Salvation for my dad, we were able to witness the moment that he asked Jesus into his heart, exactly one week before he passed away. By witnessing this, on days when I miss him with a huge ache in my heart, I know that the One who is holding me and comforting me is also holding my Daddy! That closes the distance between us! So on his birthday, I will sing to him and close my eyes and imagine him laughing and eating a gigantic slice of German Chocolate cake! Love you Daddy!

10/02/48 ~ 05/14/2006

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope."

Grateful & Grouchy?

As summer was coming to a close and we began to get ready to start school this week I have to admit I wasn't doing back flips & happy dances! I was a little grouchy and my Valery called me a big whiny baby...does that give you a clear picture of my state of mind? I decided that Valery was right and I realized I was lucky I'd had a summer off with my girl. I also chose to focus on the fact that I have a job in a time where many people don't. There's that quote, 'The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.'

It's hard to be grouchy when you're grateful!

Maya woke up Wednesday morning, our third day of school with a HUGE cloak of grouchy wrapped around herself! It was apparent before she even spat out her, 'Morning Mommy'. She stomped around the house almost steping on her bottom lip a few times. BUT...just before we walked out of the door she asked me to pray with her because she recognized her emotional state was less than attractive. As soon as we sat down on the couch the words spilled out of me. I began by thanking God. No, not for my daughter's attitude, I'm not crazy. I thanked Him for the roof over our heads, the food in our bellies, the water in our bottles, the car that would drive us to her Christian school and on and on and on...she began to join in by naming the things I'd left out and by the time we said amen, her mood had shifted!

It's hard to be grouchy when you're grateful!

I DON'T SMELL LIKE KRILL!

Today at school as I was teaching my babies their Bible story, about Jonah and the whale, and we were making our crafts, a thought occurred...if God still chose to discipline us like that today, how many stinkin' times would I have ended up in a whale belly?!

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.

Shamefully, I've done that several times but thankfully, I've never ended up smelling like krill & chum! God is good! I definitely try my best to be obedient but I stumble and when I do, I know I can just do what Jonah ended up doing...reaching out to the Lord... "I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!"
Jonah 2:2

Are You Popular?

This afternoon while I was driving Maya to and from activities (and waiting for her!!!) I was listening to Tony Evans preaching. I heart that man. He brings me to tears and makes me laugh until I can't breathe! One of my favorite things he said today was, 'Our job is to please the Lord and ain't everybody gonna like it! We're not here for a popularity contest'

What if we all lived our lives by that? What if the only thing we worried about was if we were living the way He intended? I know my life would be different. Would yours?


Look to the LORD and his strength; seek His face always
1 Chronicles 16:11

UP!

Last night, Jorge, Maya, my in-laws & I went out to a delicious dinner and then over to watch "UP". I had been looking forward to seeing it! I love the Pixar movies, Monster's Inc. and Finding Nemo are incredible! Although I don't think it was as good as either of those two, this one didn't disappoint either. It seemed to have a bit more adult themes than the others have. It made me laugh out loud and reach for tissues. Definitely worth seeing.

Without spoiling it for those who haven't seen it, I will say that it exposes how many of us hold on to the past so tightly that we can't grab the 'right now'. I've done it and still have one area in my life where I have to CONSTANTLY make a conscience effort to not live that way! This quote is a great reminder:

One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us. ~Michael Cibenko

It's Good to be Home!

'It's so good to be home!', those were Jorge's words as he walked through the door this evening! He had a tough day at work today and couldn't wait to come home. After 10 or 15 minutes of decompressing, putting on some 'comfy' clothes, and talking to Maya, I was able to see his whole demeanor change. He'd (literally) let out a huge sigh of relief! He was HOME! Don't we all just want to have that feeling?

My new church, Two Rivers Church South Florida hasn't opened it's doors yet but we do meet in Small Groups and I know these people. They are my 'framily'! So, do I know exactly what 2RC looks like structurally? No. BUT, I know what it feels like! It really does feel like 'coming home'!

Check out our facebook page for more info! Two Rivers Church South Florida

~ 2 Rivers Church South Florida~

I am sitting here, excited and anxiously anticipating the launch of my new church, Two Rivers Church South Florida! It could be your church too!

The church is being led by two godly, trustworthy men that I feel privileged to know! I am thrilled that they will not only be spiritual leaders and teachers to Jorge and me but also to my daughter! Along with her father's example Maya will also have two other examples of what good Christian men are! I look forward to serving with both Pastor Steve Pridmore & his wife, my friend, Amy and Pastor Neal de Jesus & his beautiful wife, Lourdes!

It will be a place where we will be fully committed to following Christ, and to leading others to Him. We will go out into our community and serve!! We will be a family friendly, fun place that your children will want to attend and be a part of! Let's do life together in a way that the Lord intended!

As we see the Lord's hand driving this church forward, my prayer is that it continues to be 100% God-driven and that He continues to bless us!
Please pray with me!!

BLESSED!

I am blessed beyond measure. Really!

I have been given so many gifts! I have a roof over my head, a bed to lie down in, heat in the winter and air in this dreadful South Florida heat! I have a husband that loves me, a daughter that at 9 years old, adores me (and when she doesn't for a while during the teen years, will again at some point in her life). I have a family, that while dysfunctional, really does love and care for one another. I have friends in my life that I consider my family. I have a spiritual leader, a man with integrity,that brought my husband to the Lord and continues to bless my family. I drive my car to work. A place that I spend the day with women that I really like. I am fortunate enough to be able to eat three meals per day (if I want to and sometimes more!).

Most importantly I have a Savior that died for ME. He loves me, protects me, cleansed me, guides me, adores me, sacrificed himself for me, and SAVED me!

'He died to pay a debt he didn't owe, because we owe a debt we couldn't pay.'

Thank you, Lord!

UGH! Sickness Stinks!

Okay, so I woke up last week and my family was SICK! Maya had an ear infection and a stomach bug that brought with it 104 degree fevers! Jorge had a sinus infection that also included fever/chills. I had PINK EYE (a free perk that you get when working with small children)! It was a stinky week!! Thankfully, Sunday morning we all woke up bright eyed and HEALTHY! I gave a shout out to the Lord, thanking Him for His healing hand on my family and then said a prayer for families everywhere that deal with this daily with no end in sight. I had faith in the Lord and the antibiotics that my family would be well within a couple of days, we're the lucky ones. Praying for those that need more than antibiotics & 48 hours!

Hey 'Pot'~ Meet Kettle!

Often hypocrisy and insecurity are the very best of friends. They walk hand in hand. Why do we criticize a behavior that we ourselves show in our own lives? I have seen it happen and I am sure that I have even done it myself. Why do we do this? Insecurities? I believe that has quite a bit to do with being a hypocrite. We criticize, moan and complain about a behavior that we don't even recognize that we engage in. We should be in prayer and self examination about this.

The best analogy for hypocrisy is, "The pot calling the kettle black"...are you a 'pot'?

Forgiveness!

Forgiveness is normally very easy for me. I don't have a huge ego and I know that I am a big ole dirty sinner so I know I am forgiven daily...either by someone I have sinned against or just by my Father. He just forgives infinity and loves me. How awesome is that?

I am having such a hard time with forgiveness on some personal issues right now and I need prayer. I know that slander and hypocrisy are such small beans compared to what Jesus suffered from his peers and He never had a moments hesitation to forgive. So, I am asking for prayer and I am in the Word. He'll help!

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

skewed truths

Author, poet and motivational speaker Maya Angelou has many quotes that I love. She is such a wise woman and has such a way of seeing the world. I enjoy her and have tons of her quotes etched in my mind (well.....maybe not tons but quite a few)! Here is one that I've been thinking about for a few weeks:

"There's a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure the truth.”

Have you ever used and twisted words and while still telling the truth, obscure the truth? You can state facts and still tell the truth but at the same time it's a lie! Think about that one. This has happened recently in my life and I have to say that when someone you have had a close friendship with puts a skew on the truth it is very painful. It is more acceptable when it comes from acquaintances but when it is someone you've shared life with, had your home open to, your heart open to, spent holidays with and cared for, it is horrifying and nearly unforgivable.

I'll leave you with a Maya Angelou poem:

“You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.”

P.S.~ note that I wrote, 'nearly unforgivable'. I'm still praying about it! =]