Restauración de lo Alto 2

IT IS GOD HIMSELF...

2012-01-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

Then Gideon and the 300 men who were withhim came to the Jordan

{and} crossed over, wearyyet pursuing.
Judges 8:4, NASB

Thestory about Gideon and his meager band of men defeating a massive enemygathering is always inspiring to me. First, I'm reminded that no battle is everwon in my own strength. Second, I'm encouraged by the fact that nothing isimpossible with God.

Thislast week, however, as I reread this familiar passage of scripture, threelittle words jumped right off the page and into my heart: "weary yetpursuing." Wow. Though this story emphasizes God's strength and power andsovereignty, it also points out what is required of us as we partner with Himin battle. Certainly we will grow weary, for the battles continue throughoutour lifetime here on earth. But even when weary, we are to continue pursuing!

Whatdoes that mean? In the story found in Judges 8, we see the victorious Gideonand his 300 men pursuing the pagan kings who had escaped. Though we asbelievers aren't called to pursue pagan kings, we are definitely called topursue the King of kings--even when we are weary--for it is in His presencethat our strength is renewed. If we give in to our weariness and fall by thewayside, we will miss seeing the victory that God has already won. And oh, howthe enemy would love for that to happen!

Beloved,it is God Himself who fights for us, but He has called us to keep pursuing Hisheart, His presence, His mercy--even (and most especially) when we are weary.As the world changes about us and life as we have known it melts into therealities of fulfilled prophecy, it is more important than ever to pursue Godwith each step, clinging to Him and His Word with every breath, refusing toturn aside from following hard after Him (see Psalm 63:8, KJV).

Mayour motto today and always be that we are "weary yet pursuing," forGod will see that our pursuing is rewarded by His presence!

RESTING...

2011-11-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:5

How many times do we wake up in the morning and speak of starting a new day? Many of us did so even today, didn't we? And yet, scripturally speaking, we aren't starting a new day when we wake up, but rather continuing the one that started the previous evening. And that's an important distinction.

God doesn't do or say things capriciously. He always has a reason for every word, every action, and creation certainly is no exception. God began the cycle of a new day in the evening because He wanted us to understand the need to rest BEFORE beginning our activities. We, on the other hand, have turned it around so that we do our "busy work" first, and then fall into bed, exhausted and in need of rest. Wouldn't it make more sense to follow God's pattern of resting first--drawing on His strength--and THEN going out to do whatever it is He has called us to that day?

When Mary and Joseph noticed their twelve-year-old son, Jesus, was missing, they returned to Jerusalem and found Him in the Temple. "Didn't you understand that I must be about My Father's business?" was His response to their concern.

The Father's business. Isn't that what we are to be about as well? Isn't that how we are to spend our days? But how can we do so if we haven't first spent time with Him, as Jesus made a practice of doing regularly--listening for His voice, His Word, His direction, communing with Him, and learning to rest. For it is as we rest in Him that we understand what He has purposed for us to do and are enabled to respond accordingly.

Too many times we run ourselves ragged during the day--working, playing, serving, ministering--all in our own strength. And we wonder why have no feeling of lasting accomplishment when we're done and why all we want to do is sleep and recover from the day's activities. Perhaps it's because we have it all backward. Why not try turning things around by first thinking of your day as beginning at night, when you go to bed to rest. Spend some time communing with God--before you fall asleep, the moment you wake up--and then, rested and refreshed, continue the day in His strength, rather than your own. Chances are you'll accomplish a lot more of the Father's business.

YOUR BODY...

2011-04-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

There are a lot of books and movies and songs "out there" that declare our lives belong to us and we can do whatever we want with them. The problem with that popular concept is that it simply isn't true, particularly if we have received Jesus as Savior and are trusting Him to one day get us into heaven.

I know. As Christians we say we don't buy into that sort of all-about-me thinking, but do we live our lives accordingly? When circumstances or situations or various facets of authority get in our path and dare to suggest (or even demand) that we take a different direction, don't we often react with an it's-my-life-and-nobody-can-tell-me-how-to-live-it attitude? I must admit that's sometimes my first reaction. But then I stop and ask myself, Do I really want to come to the end of my life and exit this world singing Frank Sinatra's song about doing things my own way?

No, I don't. I want to step into eternity and hear the Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord." If I've lived life my own way, calling my own shots as if I owned my life and had to answer to no one but myself, I'm not going to hear those wonderful words of welcome. The Scriptures tell us we do not belong to ourselves because we have been "bought at a price." That price was so costly that our finite human minds can scarcely begin to wrap around the enormity of it. The sacrifice was beyond measure--and it was paid by the One who owed us nothing. Every scourge of the whip, every taunt of the jeerers, every pounding of the nails was willingly and lovingly endured to buy my pardon--and yours. Had the price not been paid, this world and everyone who ever lived on it truly would be hopelessly and deservedly heading for hell in the proverbial hand basket. And there would be nothing we could do about it.

May that great price that bought our freedom, our redemption, our reunion with the Father be at the forefront of our thoughts and deeds this day, as we serve the One to whom we truly belong, making our choices according to His will and purposes, and not our own.

REFINER'S FIRE...

2011-04-18T10:19:00.001-07:00

"For He is like a refiner's fire and like fuller's soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver"
Malachi 3:2-3

The Book of Malachi, in talking about the last days, refers to Christ as "refiner's fire," a "fuller's soap," and a "purifier of silver," the overall message being that God is the One who burns out of us all the sin, hypocrisy, and self-righteous deeds that count for nothing, leaving only the pure holiness and righteousness of God within. But the very fact that this act of purifying happens as a result of fire tells us the process probably won't be fun--or painless.

Underground believers around the world, particularly in China, have a saying: "True gold does not fear the refiner's fire." And that's the key, isn't it? If we are truly born again, truly God's son or daughter, truly a committed disciple who has chosen to live (and die if necessary) for Christ, then the true gold of a life submitted to God will withstand the refiner's fire, however painful it might be. The only things that will be burned away in the process are worthless and temporal attachments to a world that no longer has a hold on our heart.

Many of us are experiencing the refiner's fire right now, and I won't deny for a moment that it's tough. But I will tell you this: You are not in the fire alone. Not only are your brothers and sisters in Christ enduring fires of their own, but the Fourth Man who walked in the fire with the three Hebrew children (see Daniel 3) is also in the fire with you. And like the Hebrew children, He will bring you out on the other side, victorious and purified, without even the smell of smoke on your clothes.

So, like our beloved brothers and sisters in the persecuted Church, may we not fear the refiner's fire, for we know we have the true gold of God's Spirit living within us, and the flames will only cause it to shine brighter for those who are still trapped in the darkness.

SADNESS OR DEPRESSION ...

2009-05-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

Get glasses to see everything black and dark, this is how can one explain the depression, a disorder that impairs the lives and makes the vision of the world is negative. May cause changes in the cognitive and emotional changes, it affects everyone, especially those with a family that lacked in her childhood love, who have suffered traumatic experiences or who have been unable to overcome an emotional loss. Although all human beings have a strength in her personality to face the difficulties, not all possess the same ability to adapt to the loss.

For this reason, eventually entering a state of depression that can affect your mood, anxiety or living spaces that can last weeks, loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, living with feelings of insignificance, helplessness and guilt. May have changes in sleeping habits, feeling tired, loss of energy, feelings of sluggishness, agitation, restlessness, irritability, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, frequent thoughts about death.

It is important to distinguish between sadness and depression. The first is a normal state which is presented in person to events such as the loss of a loved one, the abandonment of the loved one, loss of freedom. Develops over a short period of time is passing, his recovery process is easier in humans. While depression is a mental disorder characterized by feelings of worthlessness, guilt, sadness, helplessness and deep despair. Unlike normal sadness or grief that follows the loss of a loved one, depression is a pathological grief for no apparent reason justifying it, and serious and persistent, that is when the boundaries of sadness are exceeded. It is a long time that the vision of the surrounding world is close to the point that distorts reality.

A depressed person does not make plans for the future because everything is dark, usually stays in the past and regrets what he has done in his life. Depression constitutes high risk factor that can lead a person to think of suicide, often by economic factors or unwanted separations, among others.

On many occasions, although the symptoms of depression are quite clear, most people affected do not consult or seek any kind of help, but it would be appropriate to reflect on this: Who told you that your problems have no solution? Do not let problems or crisis condition your life. Understand that you are unique and that God has given you a creative abilities, gifts, talents and other skills to solve problems and can bless those around you. With a new level of thinking you can see possibilities in your life instead of impossibilities. Say goodbye to stress, anxiety, depression, fear, fear because He who dwells in you has made you more than winning on all those things.

Make a stop to the anxiety and see clearly what the problem is. Sometimes what you think is the problem is not the problem. Get questions: What is wrong? What is the problem we are trying to solve? What is my responsibility in the matter? Specified, no turns or falls des sen assumptions. For those who are married, no marital problems, personal problems alone. Colócate targets. What I would like to see happen? How is the problem solved? Expand your imagination. Think about all the ideas that are possible to solve the problem. Think of possibilities. Make lots of questions. Forget the "crisis" for a moment and enjoy your life thinking it would be like without this problem, ask yourself now: What do I need to solve the problem? How can I prevent this? Take action on your thoughts.

Once you have found what they needed to solve the problem, design an action plan that will lead you to the life you want to achieve. Do not stay on paper. Do what you have to do: forgive, to love, serve, honor, discipline, perseverance, paid work. Do not give up until you see your problem solved. Acquire wisdom, wisdom comes from God and we should seek to assist us in every step. Still there are answers and solutions. ¡Really born to win!

"But in all this we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)

MORE THAN WORDS...

2009-01-31T22:02:00.000-08:00

We all know the secret to good human relationships, family, friends, mates, groups or whoever. It is based on comunication. But one thing is to know it and say it, and the other is to practice it and make it work. Specially on the basis of marriage relationships, which are the most harmed, and doesn´t matter how long have been, it could be years or maybe months, even days. What it´s really important is to feel connected to each other. And what counts is the way you share emotional information with your couple, through words or attitudes. It is not about how we say things, but how whe transmit them.

People react in a positive way to that emotional conection, and instead of arguing and quarreling we should use "positive tools" as the sense of humour, affection and care, to make things work in a better way. All of these tools help to dissolve negative feelings, bad temper and resentment. Those who in the middle or an arguing can make a difference, and stand in a positive way are more likeable to solve conflicts, restore feelings and build positive answers from his opposite.

And although it sounds easy and even nice, one should begin to "work" before even an arguing would come. Everyday, with the emotional information exchange, as it should be, is how we establish more stable and loving relationships.

Most of the people who make the decision of share their lives and destinies, don´t do it with the intention of breaking up or failing. But it happens frequently, and sometimes it is because we don´t pay enough attention to other´s emotional needs. Many times that lack of interest is not intentional, we get involved so much in our own business that we forget. But the results are the same. On the other hand when we pay attention to our beloved ones, it evolves into more stable relationships. When you are present, and pay attention to your couple, there will be always be an answer. If your goal is to have a good relationship with your spouse, you have to focus on your couple.

Conflicts are unavoidable, when it comes to share activities and dreams. How to express our differences, is the key to solve those conflicts. The golden rule is justo to say what you feel, or to complain in the very moment and opportune space, but without criticism. What is the difference? Complaints always have to do with a specific problem. Criticism is global, and implies judgment. It includes sentences as: "you always..." or "you never..."

Criticism weakens our temper, with negative tags. To say and listen to complains is not always easy, but generally is worth to pay attention to them because, it can help to understand each other better or solve the problems. On the contrary, criticism, guides to the opposite. It hurts our feelings and increases tensions and resentment. When you are in a deffensive position, it is almost impossible to have a good communication and less likeable to have a good relationship.

When things get out of hand, people always ask to themselves if it was because of something they said. Well it could be so. But what really damages a relationship is what you don´t say. Many misunderstandings come out of situations and matters people need to talk about, but they never do. As a result confusion and tension are present, and come with argues, all of these leading the relationship to a hostile mood, fleeing away from the solution of the conflict. When conflict is our daily bread, we better watch for those things we haven´t said or expressed. In other word, all of the things we have kept inside us.

It sounds very easy to talk about what we feel, but not so many times is so easy to unveil our soul. But there´s always a way to begin. It is as easy as to focus en the feelings in that very moment. That little step would lead you to walk in the right direction towards a healthy relationship with your couple.

Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs

(Proverbs 10: 12)

FROM THE HEART!!!!!

2008-08-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

You can only fill what is empty, and in order to do so you have to clean up first. To clean up is to get rid of those things which are an obstacle in our lives. In this hard times of recesion there are few material things to get rid off, we rather buy than discard. But we need to clean our minds and to clear our spirit. Where to begin? There are many ways to begin to discard what is bothering us, one of those is to "erase and begin again", which translates in one wonderful word "forgiveness".

When we forgive each other, when we do so with those who we think have offended us, is because there is an offense between us, or maybe because we give others the right and power to offend us. That is to say, that we granted them the importance to make us feel offended.

Of course, one thing is to say it and other different thing is to achieve it. "It´s not about justifying negative behaviors, ours or theirs. To forgive is not to pretend that everything is ok, when it is not".

It is the most obvious motivation to get ride of the effects of chronical anger and resentment. Nonetheless, when we forgive, or we don´t forgive has many edges... to what extent one person can forgive when he has been hurted, and those injuries have disturbed his life? Guilt and self censure are some of the reasons why you can doubt about the effects of forgiveness, when it is not the result of a well designed process.

You shouldn´t feel bad when you can overcome a sorrow or when you have been offended. Sometimes what make us feel right is to be honest with our own feelings, and if our principles are to live under the divine laws, forgiveness become the gift that God gives us because of his great love and teach us lots of great advantages. Unfortunately many people, although, are well intended and want sincerely to forgive, they keep many resentments in their hearts.

Resentment and represion are harmful feelings to any of us. And sometimes we think that we can get rid of pain without forgiveness. Our goal, then becomes to feel better and more empowered. Sometimes we stop thinking about the matter, and we also forget about forgiveness, and we think that we are living peacefully with ourselves. That is the way some people think about forgiveness, but obviously, those people are walking in a fake line of forgiveness.

Being accepted, make excuses and acting opposite to what you feel, when you don´t feel it are the wrong way to try to get the physical and mental rewards of forgiveness. When it is perceived as an obligation and not as something done with a humble heart and true freedom, then the act of forgiveness makes us feel worst and increases the feeling of being victims. When we admit that we are hurt, and that we felt betrayed is an important part of the process of inner healing and real deliverance. Obviously, to get to that process, we have to break boundaries, otherwise it will be impossible to overcome vicious cycles.

Sometimes we think that little betrayals are unforgivable: when the in laws criticize about the delay of having children; when parents opposse to their children´s friends.. In these cases is not the fact, but who has inflicted the injury. Many of the worst transgressions come to the closest people: husband, wife, parents, friends, even when we overcome the problems and we continue liking this people. The problem is the lost of confidence and the intimacy level is affected. The worst thing is that in most cases you can´t turn time back and pretend that nothing changed.

How can we avoid that anger, resentment and fear may consume us? It´s necessary to begin to review carefully the facts and clarify the feelings. Maybe is shame, or disappointment, or represion? About offenses, where they intentionally or accidentally? In which state was the person who offended you? Was this person jealous, unmature, insecure? We should try to be in their shoes. But don´t try to explain it. Maybe, it´s probable that you may never understand why your couple was unfaithful or why your parents criticize every step you take. But what you can do, is to realize that the person who has offended you is a normal human being, with mistakes and weaknesses as any other person.

After this reflection process which can take a long time, you can achieve a true forgiveness. Or maybe you can decide to deny your forgiveness, because you feel that the other person can hurt you again.

One of the questions in which we can meditate is: Have you ever questioned yourself if is worthy to feel bitterness in your heart because of other person? Have you ever thought that you, as a unique human being never have to let other people over you to let you be affected by him? And sometimes because of pride, some people can´t flow and live a plenty life. And, because you have to begin with yourself, to what extent are you hurting others, or are you hurting yourself because you haven forgiven yourself? It is a heavy burden to carry.

And when you stand praying,
if you hold anything against anyone,
forgive him,
so that your Father in heaven
may forgive you your sins.
(Mark 11:25).

by Henry Leguizamo

EFFICACY

2008-05-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

EFFICACY

Being able to do something good, is not enough, it requires also of the trust of conviction that it is possible to reach the expected results we want. Withouth self trust, goals dissappear.

The ability to be eficacious refers to how able someone feels about reaching their goals. It´s the opinion that we have of our own abilities, and in which we relay to be succesful. It´s all about attitude. We can have all the important abilites to compete but if our self trust fails, failure will come soon.

Now we should ask ourselves, who are us really? If we have formed at the image of God, then, Do we know what God expect from us? Are us clear of who we are before God?

He has equipped us with so many and wonderful talents, with the ability to attain so many things, His words comfort us, and encourage us to a high level, to fly without doubt (to those with fearful hearts: Be strong, do not fear, your God will come..) Isahiah 35:4.

It is really necessary to trust in our abilities. And I´m not deffending the unrational optimism of those unrealistic people, but I´m attacking the chronical pesimism. Untrustness in yourself is the highest sign of low self esteem.

People without self trust are the ones who flee at the first moment, are less persistant, fatalist and eskeptical (they tend to abandon the ship before the others). They are loosers by nature, picky and soft tempered.

When we perceive uneficciency, it causes anxiety problems (I´m unable to do...) General anxiety, panic atacks and phobias have their origin in an early vulnerability scheme. What determines the impotence sensation it´s not the danger itself, but not to be able to face it. In other words, fears depends not only in the threatinga factor, but in the resources that we have to face it and being conscius of them.

The cause of uneficciency sometimes comes from childhood overprotection, and aprehenssive parents. Over excesive care sometimes comes with the hidden message of "I love you, but you are not able of..." (Or, the world is so hard to carry on that you need a permante body guard to help you). It´s better if we use a more encouraging message: "I love you, and I will let you, step from step until you learn and you can be able to cope with your own life".

Self trust can be strenghtened following basic principles: Deleting the expression: "I´m not able to..." It is also better to forget the bad things, and not to make of memory a masoquist resource. Be sure that your goals are reachable, and justified, so that you don´t reach for an impossible dream. And try not to avoid or postpone the solution to your problems (remember that every time we left our self esteem alone, it becomes bruised).

A good autoefficiency creates immunity and safety feelings. If the goal that you want to reach is possible, if there´s a conviction that your goal is also the will of God, and according to His purposes, and it´s really vital y trascendental for your life, then get stubborn and persever until you reach it. And if it is impossible to reach, destroy it and lear honorably that we sometimes loose. Tenacity doesn´t goes along with stubborness.

..God is with you

mighty warrior

(Judges 6:12)

by Henry Leguizamo

BE STRONG AND CORAGEOUS!!!

2008-05-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

BE STRONG AND CORAGEOUS

Believe in yourself and in your vision of tomorrow. Be sourrounded of those who will help you reach your goals. Keep your dreams alive, despite the challenges that may come in your way. There always be some who would try to steal your dreams with destructive crticisim.

They do not understand what moves you to reach for beyond. There are not defeat in inertia, but there is nos success either. Only if you take those risks of which the others are afraid of, you could attain excelence. Changes sometimes may be overwhelming, but only through them you will be able to grow. Only if you challenge yourself with what seems impossible you could know how much you can reach for. There is only one key to success: perseverance until you succeed.

It may be possible that you have to change so many things, but you can do it. The seed of excellence is within yourself. Feed it, make it grow and then, nothing else would be impossible for you.

Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged
for the Lord your God
will be with you
wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:9).

by Henry Leguizamo

SELF RESPECT

2008-05-31T17:15:00.000-07:00

SELF RESPECT

We live in a culture where "yes" is stronger than "no". "Yes" is associated to kindness, understanding and tolerance, while the "no" refers to rejection, selfishness and untolerance. We teach service, helpness and generosity as fundamental values to mankind and we overlook those who are opposite, or those who reject or protest. The right of setting a posture or express our disagreement is not well seen in our society, at least for those who want to follow what has been established.

This way of always "agree with everything" and avoid disagreements, has created the philosophy of meekness. We admire submission and silence: to low our head is a simbol of "loveness" even when the want to cut it off. We missunderstood simpleness with submission, and it´s not the same. The person who is humble, sometimes bows, but doesn´t break. It´s humble until his values are touched, because, humbleness has a limit: Personal Dignity.

The culture of submission, reaches for two goals. On one hand, tries to calm or be glad to others (fear). And on the other hand, to be able to feel "good and clean". Nonetheless, kindness is not self punishment, because love always has to begin in our own house, "love others, as you love yourself". We could have respect to each other, only when we have attained self respect.

Nobody, denies that others are more important than ourselves, and if we have love, we could even give our lives for one another, if needed. But, we have to keep our dignity at high stakes, understand that even in the most altruist acts of our lives, we have to be dignified. We could acknowledge our failures, but without loosing self respect. (self worth is very important)

I´m not preaching here about being unsensible and greedy when it comes to stand for our personal rights. But, to say "no", to have the right to express my disagreement, to be opposite sometimes, to get angry and express it, and to be steady in what I believe. Obviously, all of those, without tresspassing the rights of others. It´s is simply having the freedom of moving in the territory of my own values, and at the same time be compassive. If I deal with my principles and values, what´s left of me then?

When we say "yes" instead of "no" in a non negotiable circumstance, something displeasable happens inside us. Something breaks. We have this kind of shame, we avoid mirrors and our insight becomes unbearable. And when we go to sleep, it´s only left the unpleaseant flavor of thinking: why didn´t I said no?

In so many times we are unable to deffend from abusive people. We tend to be quiet, even though we are dying inside. In other situation, avoiding to say "no" may be fatal (like in the case when we can´t say no to drugs).

Being assertive is to be able to deffend our personal rights, without violating the rights of others. Assertiveness is self affirmation and honorability to ourselves. Is an act of self esteem. It´s to set that love is not submissive obedience, specially when our values and self respect are being violated.

We have to learn too, to let it go, if the ocassion has no importance at all (you don´t want to become a rebel without a cause). But when it come to fundamentals, you should say what you really think and feel. Express it. With respect and empathy, and even with a smile (if you can still do it), but don´t be quiet. The art of being assertive is the hability of balancing the rights and duties without entanglement. It´s a complex science, in which we create a respectful site of mutual inhabitance within respect, when everybody is ok, but you are ok too.

Always be prepared
to give an answer to everyone
who asks you to give a reason
for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness
and respect.
(1 Peter 3:15).

by Henry Leguizamo

FAITHFULNESS

2008-05-22T19:46:00.003-07:00

FAITHFULNESS

A trustworthy or loyal person is the one who keeps steady and perseveres in his affections or fulfilling his obligations. Faithful is the one, who doesn´t deceive the trust that has been given to him.

Faithfulness goes along with thankfulness. A loyal person is the one who has received something good from someone and never forgets. Blessed is the one who can give without remembering and receive without forgetting. Unfaithful is the one who betrays, the one who forgets and chooses the 30 coins, as Judas did.

Faithfulness lays on memory, but also in the will. Because faithfulness is a virtue of endurance, and perseverance. In an ever changing world, where everything flows, the only thing that could keep us steady in our ways is the voluntary memory of faithfulness.

Faithfulness in the couple is linked directly to exclusivity. Not as in friendship where you can have more than one friend; or as in the ideas, when you are faithfull not only to one of your ideas.

But, what does it mean to be faithfull to your couple? Desire, is unavoidable, but, the satisfaction of my desire can´t lead to the suffering of the person I love, or betrayal, or putting at risk the history you have together. A couple is not a couple only because the sex they have toguether or because they live in the same house. A couple is such, because they have love and endurance.

Our couple is one of the most valuable things we have, and that´s why we can base our relationships only in passion. That would be like having a very superficial and weak basis, that in most cases tends to break. If having a couple is endurance and love, then faithfulness is its basis, because love endures only if there is memory and good will. Faithfulness is that mix of trust and gratitude to a received and given love, a shared love. Faithfulness is memory and history, but it is also, good will and present.

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
he whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.

(Psalms 101:6)NVI.

By Henry Leguizamo

REMEMBER!!!!

2008-05-12T18:27:00.001-07:00

Remember

Thinking about the history of humankind, it becomes so obvious the great paradox we face in this time. That we have higher buildings, but lower spirits; wider freeways, but our points of view remain being so narrow. We spend more, but we have less. Buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses, yet smaller families; more comfort but less time to enjoy it. We acquire so many Diplomas, and titles, yet our wisdom diminishes. And as much as we try to get more knwoledge, our criteria becomes smaller; There are more experts and the problems grow and grow; and the biggest paradox, we have more medicine, and science advances, but sickness and disease expand more.

We drink a lot, smoke a lot, spend unwisely, we laugh less, drive too fast and we get angry faster and faster. We go to sleep later, and wake up so tired. Read less, watch too much tv, and we scarcely pray.

We´ve multiplied our patrimony, but reduced our personal values. We talk to much, and love to little, and hate so much so frecuently. We have learned to get our bread, but we don´t know how to live. We have added years to our lives, but we have forgotten to add life to our years. We have gone and come back from the moon, but we struggle, when we have to cross the street to say hello to our new neighbor.

We´ve conquered outer space, but not our inner space. We have accomplish big things, yet not better things. We are cleaning the air, but we´ve polluted our souls. We´ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudices. We write more, but learn less. Planify more, but accomplish less. We have learn to move faster, but we have forgotten how to wait.

We build super computers to store more data, to produce so many copies, but we communicate lesser every time. This are times of fast food, and slow digestion. Of big men and small personalities. Times of higher revenues, but superficial relationships.

These are the times of two salaries, and more divorces. Luxurious houses, but broken homes. Remember to spend more time with those who you love, because they won´t be there forever. And remember to say something really nice to someone who is looking up to you, because that little person will grow soon and will go away from you. Give a big hug to the one that is closer to you, because the only worthy thing that you can offer is your heart, and it doesn´t cost a penny.

Remember to say "I love you" to your couple, and to your beloved ones, but only if you mean it. A hug and a kiss will cure any wound, when they come from deeper in your heart. Remember to always lend a helping hand, because maybe tomorrow that person may not be there. Give yourself some time to love, some time to talk and some time to share your thoughts.

And finally, remember that you can´t measure life for the moments you take a breath, but for those moments which are breathtaking.

by Henry Leguizamo

Be Confident!!!!!

2008-05-09T01:06:00.000-07:00

Be Confident

Life is a long road, sometimes we walk it slowly, sometimes fast, and sometimes we hop along through it. We should keep on walking, if we stop we may seem cowards, we may reflect fear, we always have to keep on going!!!

Struggles will bring strenght to your spirit, walking steady will make you a heroe, you should always walk... There will may be some turns in your path; or maybe the road will have its flowers, and its thorns.

But there, far away you will have your resting place. If you keep on going, don´t stop to look back, but to recover your breath. To recover new air, to give a word of "LOVE" to those who need it, as well as love, respect, understanding. To be a just man...

Don´t stop to see how much you´ve walked, or to count how many obstacles you overcame. Don´t stop to spend your night in fear and doubts. Don´t stop because you don´t know the future path. Don´t waste your time and energy in useless, negative thoughts; but keep on walking with the conviction of triumph; with a song of Love in your soul, with the light of hope in your eyes, and a bright shine in your cheeks.

Keep always walking, safe and pleased, being confident that other lives will bless your footsteps, because you walked through life doing good things; and that you never walked alone, God was always besides you!!!! Those who embrace christian love ideals in their hearts, never go walking alone... because God will always go with them, by their side...

Keep on walking, always, with hope and faith; and may your footsteps will transform arid soil into beautiful valleys, because you left along peace as you walked through them.

Keep on going always, with optimism and being confident that a miracle could happen, but reamin still, walking an standing...

Keep on walking, being confident that even though horizon seem so far away... Even that you can´t see what you are expecting, be confident that it will come, and be always convinced that you will attain it.

Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakkuk 3: 17-18)NIV

by Henry Leguizamo

TRUE LOVE!!!!!

2008-05-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

True Love

We all want to be loved, with an unconditional, eternal, love. A love that goes beyond beauty or inteligence, or any other superficial reason. We want to be loved because "we are". We all have a tendency, to want to share our love with others.

This worry comes because we are really eternal, loving beings whose souls are overflowing with knwoledge and joy. And even we are now in a material body, our nature is divine, and we are always looking for that love which comes from the spiritual reign, where our real satisfaction lies.

But, there´s always something that seems to go wrong. Despite our constant search, we often feel dissapointed, founding that our love situation is just temporary. And even though, we try and try again, we persist to believe that our special person is there, somewhere. For any misterious reason, it seems to be that we are never in the right place, at the right time.

There are so many people who hasn´t felt truly loved ever. They don´t have an idea of what real love is about, though love is their highest hope. And it´s really that in everyday relationships, that love has acquired a very vague meaning, and sometimes it would mean control or need instead of what it really is. As an example, we sometimes reduce the notion of love to a simple fisical exchange, or trying to please someone. That is not love.

The problem comes when we try to find answers in the wrong places. We have forgotten the spiritual dimension of life. A society without a spiritual core, a nucleus, lacks of direction to make everything work. Love is the adhesive that bonds one to each other, and finally that guide us to relate to the divine personality of God.

It seems that we forget all of this. But deep inside us, even when we often see love avoiding us, we know that love is our natural right. It´s like if someone will show us something really tempting and delicious, but is out of our reach. We want it, we know is available, but we can´t grasp it. Then, we subtitute that for other things, hoping to find happiness, maybe through riches, prestige or power.

Most of us consider love as something that grows or diminishes according to circumstances. But genuine love is not linked to what we feel, and it doesn´t depend on outer circumstances. True love is divine, and cannot subsist without it´s origin: God.

If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames,
but have not love, I gain nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13: 1-7).

by Henry Leguizamo

DON´T FORGET THEM!!!

2008-05-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Don´t forget them

It´s so usual, that as long as years go bye, people become apart from their beloved relatives, maybe because they have grown up, maybe because of an overload of work, or perhaps, simply because they have a family of their own.

It happens mostly when our children are born, people tend to dedicate all the time to family and forget about friends and relatives. Even though this is the time when they most need the company of them. Isn´t it ironical? Nonetheless, it´s when people has hard times, such as job lost, divorce, that those relatives or friends are the ones to give support. And then, the ties bond again and we recover touch with those that we love.

Ok, it´s not that we have to wait that something bad happens in our lives, so that we get close to the loved ones. Someone told me once "look, even God said that when we marry, we have to leave our parents and go with our wife. So you go away, leaving them apart and forgetting them". But, this is not the realm meaning of what God says in his word, He don´t tell us to abandon our family or even forget about them.

We find in scriptures, commandments with blessing promises within, which surpasses the mere concept of forgetting about our relatives. It was the heart of God where the concept of family was born, so that He commands us to care and love our relatives.

Friendship, as well as love, is a feeling to care for, and to preserve. Interpresonal relationships are dynamic, and grow as well as people grow. So, it´s necessary to design strategies to preserve the love "with our friends".

Leaving our beloved ones, is not something that happens just because, this is something that you let it happen. Quit that bad habit and do the best to keep closer those who you love.

You may use a portion of your time, lets say 20 minutes of your lunch time, to call your friens or family. Or if you can, you may email them. Short sms work too, so that the other person would feel you are thinkin of him/her. A simple call, a message in the answer machine are details which would make the other person aware of your care and that is still important to you. Don´t forget to offer and apology, or give a just reason of why you have been apart.

Forget about resentment and hard feelings. Leave behind that 20 year fight with your brother. Go to family meetings and share with them your experiences, your happy times and your worries. Ask your parents about their dreams before they got married, and don´t be afraid to ask for advice.

Be bold to show your real feelings, this would make you feel a strong connection with those you love. Hug your parentes, kiss your siblings, and tell them how much you miss them. Caress are fundamental to tell and motivate love, and a way to say without word what you have kept inside.

Forget for one day your daily role in life and go out to have fun with your parents. Take advantage of holidays to get together with your relatives, those who you have forgotten. It´s worthy to get closer to those we love and honor them, mostly with our parents.

Precisaly, the firs commandment with a blessing promise is:

Honor your father and mother
that it may go well with you
and that you may enjoy longlife
on the earth.
(Ephesians 6: 2-3)NIV

by Henry Leguizamo

DON´T GIVE UP!!!

2008-05-02T13:10:00.001-07:00

Don´t Give Up

Do not abandon hope. Hope gives you the strenght to keep on going, whenever you feel that nothing matters anymore. Don´t ever stop believing in God. As long as you believe, you will have a reason to keep on trying.

Don´t let anybody take happiness from your hands, grab it in your own so that it will always be with you. Don´t expect that those things you wish, would come to you. But, look for them with all of your heart, knowing that life will meet you in half the way to achieve them.

Don´t feel that you have lost your dreams and goals, when you feel that there´s no time to reach them. Because everytime you learn something new about yourself, or about life, you have advanced. Don´t you ever do anything to diminish your self respect. To be satisfied with yourself is essential to be satisfied with your own life.

Don´t ever forget to laugh, don´t let pride stop you from crying. When we laugh and cry, is when we are really leaving to the fullest. Always keep a clear mind with fresh ideas. And most of all, don´t you ever lose your optimism, that is basic to keep on going.

by Henry Leguizamo

A SEED!!!

2008-05-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

A Seed

Every act, every word, every smile, every look is a seed. Every one of them has a vital power within. Thus, always, try that your seed would fall in the open path of the heart of men, and keep on watching how it grows. Also try, that your seed would be like wheat, that feeds the world and that it would not produce thorns or weeds that would leave sterile souls.

Some time you wil plant your seed in pain, but don´t worry it would bear joyful fruits. Sometimes you will plant your seed crying, but, who knows if your tears would be the blessed water which would help your seed to germinate?

If dawn is here and a new day has born, greet it and sow your seed. If there´s the suffocatting sun hour, open your hand an throw your seed. Is it sunset and the sun is going down? Raise a prayer, and plant your seed... If you are a child, plant your seed, so that you will harvest the fruit with your own hands. If you are an adult, sow your seed... and maybe you will not harvest the fruit, but your children will.

Every act, every word, every smile, every look, will grow according to the way you have planted it. Go on and throw your seed, open the soil and saw. And when the afternoon of your life comes, you will face death with full armas and a big smile, as the sower who having ended his labor, goes with his blessed harvest and smiling towards his home, when his beloved family is waiting for him. Every act, every word, every smile, every look is a seed.

And don´t forget to always:

“Sow the seed of love"

by Henry Leguizamo

BE A FOUNTAIN!!!

2008-05-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

BE A FOUNTAIN

Be water, overflowing water, abundant, pure, crystalline, for those who are thirst of love, of strenght, of support.

Be a shore... a shore to the arriving souls, those who are tired, hugging and receiving them with love, those who are lost. For those who need a resting place from the world, for those who want to leave their burden behind. Be also a departing shore, for those who need to sail for a better life, inspire them to look for better shores, with renewed hope.

Be a bridge... To connect earthly life with eternal life. In order to be a bridge you have to understand, to forgive and to let people pass through you towards the infinite love.

Be a way... A long, and exquisite way. Be a guiding path, to take the pilgrims of life to the truth. Them with thankful hearts, then will plant flowers besides you.

Be a star... A shining star, which enlightens freely those who approach you. Be a guiding star, for those who sail in life and get lost. Be a higher star, to show everybody the path to happiness.

Be pouring rain... To soak dried hearts, empty of love, hope and peace. Rain is always expected, because it´s from it, that depends the subsistance of humankind.

Be a tree... a big tree, which bears fruit for those who are hungry. Spread your shadow, and refresh those tired pilgrims of life. Because if you are a tree, your roots are deep and solid. Your arms enlarge, to hug those needed of love, you produce flowers to decorate the soul of somebody and you have the necessary strenght to face and endure strong winds and storms and remain planted and standing.

by Henry Leguizamo

MOMENTS!!!

2008-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Moments

There were moments in our lives we rather didn´t want to have lived, but, as time goes bye we realize that those were necessary. That nothing happens just because, and that God has all wisely planned.

There were moments in which we cryed and thought that our sadness wouldn´t have an end, but now we are surprisingly laughing again.

There were moments in which we tought that we didn´t have any friend, when we face betrayal, but now, we look around and we see kind faces smiling at us with lots of love.

There were moments in whiche we thought we never end our studies and achieve our goals and Career. But, now, we have many experience gained through the years in our field.

There were moments when we thought that nobody would understand us, and we felt so alone, but suddenly someone came, someone who could read our heart perfectly.

There were moments in which we thought that God had left us alone. But today, we know that He has always been by our side, and that we were the ones who left him apart. That is why we should be grateful for all those moments, because without them we wouldn´t have learned to value so many things, those things we sometimes lacked of.

Present time gives us the answer that we didn´t understand in the past. We wouldn´t have learned to forgive, if we wouldn´t have been hurt. We wouldn´t have learn to organize our finances if we wouldn´t have gone through a bad financial period. We wouldn´t have learned to comfort, if we wouldn´t have had the need of being comforted. And most of all, we wouldn´t have learnt to trust God and his fidelity, if we wouldn´t have lived the despair and the need of having him in our lives.

That is why if there were moments that you were in denial, arguing and quarreling with God. Or maybe you are doing it right now, lift up your sight and your heart, and instead of being mad with God, thank him for those profound lessons you are learning.

Since my youth, oh God you have taught me
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

(Psalms 71:17).

LIES!!!

2008-05-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

Lies

Lies are one of the main reasons to disagreement between couples or friends. It´s the worst blemish in a human being. It´s also a weapon, used by those who want to hide from a situations. But, even though is a common thing among ourselves nowadays, there are still some people who find difficult to detect wheter is a lie or not. There are so many kinds of it, merciful, big or small, uttered by love or pity, by costume or chance, you can see lies in the face of who´s telling them. They are easy to detect, by the tone of voice, the questions and answers of the lier... or maybe even in his postures, and reactions.

Don´t let yourself to be deceived or manipulated with lies. But remember, that in order to achieve it we have to decide if we want to be clear and transparent people. Between truth and lies, God´s Word determines a very strong difference, and overall, thruthfull results that we may want to keep in mind: Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. (Proverbs 12: 19) NIV.

Truth is tighly linked with life and its span. Lie brings trouble, binds and affects a big deal people´s lives. The lier never looks at the eye when he talks, he lowens the sight. The lier tends to touch his neck or face while speaking. He moves his head in a mechanic way. When he is faking, some expressions limit only to the face area, and not to the whole face. His gestures disagree with his words. E.g. love words frowning, or a pleasure expression with the fist closed tight.

The lier knows how to use words in order to make his plot. And because, he wants you to buy it, he doesn´t have time to think, so he would answer you using your own phrases, but in a negative way. As an example, he would give you information that you never asked for, this until he thinks that you are convinced. Truthful people wouldn´t care if you misunderstand one of their words, because there will be always an explanation for it. The most other person stress to convince you, the most you have to worry.

The one who says lies, doesn´t answer directly. As an example: sometimes he reflects his real feelings with words uttered without consciousness, filtered by his subconscious. An spontaneous answer is the best reflect of a truthful people. On the other hand liers are not natural and spontaneous, there is always a little delay in expression, or the endurance of the expression is too exaggerated and disppears abruptly. When someone is confident with what he says, his interest is mainly to make you understand his concept, rather than what you think of him. Be always careful of those who keep on asking if you believe in them. The one who tells you the truth is the one who´s giving confidence for granted.

Liers are not questioners, they are interested only in convincing you, rather than to ask you. When you change the lying subject, the lier becomes easier and quieter. In a fake story the missing element is "what turned wrong".

It´s possible to lie for some time, and get benefited in some way from it. But you cannot lie all your life, deceiving, bribing and making fun of innocent people. God has designed our lives in such a way, that sooner or later we harvest what we have sawn. Christ Jesus said: What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. (Luke 12:3). He knows the intimate secrets of our heart, and he judges and condemns evil not only in this life, but in eternity.

There´s nothing better than to live a clean life before the eyes of God and of men. It´s better that we never deceive anyone, nor give fake testimony of our lives, no matter what happens. Why do we have to suffer unnecessary consequences? We have to give our lives to Christ Jesus. He is willing to change our life once and forever.

by Henry Leguizamo

WE SHOULD RENEW OUR MINDS!!!

2008-05-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

WE SHOULD RENEW OUR MINDS

Human mind is conservative by nature. Change scares, frustrates and make us feel uncomfortable. When some important or different event comes to our minds, then chaos appears. The supposed peace and tranquility we had disbalances from the new data input and our traditions become treatened by the new invasor. Our mind is not used to check itself periodically, it becomes negligent about it, resists and hides from change. We rather move on what is usual, in habits, and what´s well known, than to wonder into unknown fields, even when it seems better.

When our mind saves a belief, a value or a theory, it keeps it at any cost. It´s less painful to protect what is old, than to accept what is new. We are lazy and conformist by nature. But it is necessary to check the way we think, so that we can see how we are really living. God teach us the importance of this in His Word: Pero es necesario revisar nuestra manera de pensar, para poder ver como esta nuestro vivir. Dios por su palabra nos enseña la importancia de esto y nos dice: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2) NIV

We certainly, have to try to renew our minds. Something really incredible is that, no matter what kind of beliefs we save in our minds, no matter how racional they are, or they aren´t, they are defined the same way. Mind doesn´t discriminate concepts, nor ideas. If you save any information in your mind, it stays the same way for a long long time. And the fact is that, even when it is something harmful, sometimes, our mind tries always to defend it.

Since we are children, we began to elaborate and establish theories about ourselves and the world around us. If our contact experiences with our relatives and other people are healthy, we will develop healthy patterns: "the world is nice", "I am loved", "people is not so bad". On the other hand, if we have negative experiences, our patterns would have a unhealthy content: "I´m dumb", "Nobody would love me" "I am ugly", "I don´t do things right". Once we set our values, our mind would keep them, and would take care of them as a life or dead matter.

We call Self-Deception to the tendency of being faithful to what one believes and deffend the acquired experience. As an example, we tend to remember in an easier way, those events which confirm our ideas (we forget about those who are oppositte to our ideas). We attend those incentives which back our way of thinking rather than those which dissent from it. We even, could forge reality in order to confirm our theories. We are that way, if we don´t win, we get even.

The most used method for people to self deception, is the manipulation of things, events or ideas. So that we can coincide with our thoughts and deceive other people. Nontheless, despite of the resistance of our mind, and even against those who forbid to think in unadequate schemes, we can attain the renovation of our minds, with lots of effort and perseverance. People who are fanatics to some kind of authority, destroy creativity, inventive and healthy risk, and are victims of traditions.

We don´t have to momify ourselves to be in what is truth, we should learn from the past, but not abide in it. There´s an excelent guidance, in the Bible, Book of Ephesians advise us: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (Ephesians 4: 22-23) NIV.

The real inner transformation requires rupture and reestructuration, that is to say, to demolish and build again. It doesn´t mean to mild mends or cold water wipes. We have to confront our minds boldly and without any anesthesia. When we don´t let space for traps, when we force it to see facts as they are, it doesn´t have any excuse, than to accept change. Then, we open a new door, and the renew of our minds, if it is based mainly in God´s advise by his Word, then it would lead us to a better way of life.

All a man's ways seem
innocent to him,
but motives are weighed
by the LORD
Commit to the LORD
whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
(Proverbs 16: 2-3) NIV.

by Henry Leguizamo

DISCIPLINE WITH LOVE!!!

2008-05-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

DISCIPLINE WITH LOVE

There was the awful tradition in older schools, to spank the children, in order to phisically punish indiscipline, and low grades. Teachers, seemed more likely prison guardians, spanking, pinching, and shaking children. If you failed, then you had to show your hands and be hitted by the teacher´s ruler, in silence. If you wep, then you received a double portion of it.

The horrible concept, of getting children to learn through physical violence, was applied perfectly, in a very meticulous way. They knew exactly how to be cruel at the most. And that is besides, the mental abuse (the humiliation suffered by the child when he was exposed in front of the class wearing donkey ears).

Physical discipline brings fear. Obedience obtained through this kind of techniques, is only a matter of survival rather than of respect. There´s not admiration, nor acknwledgment towards the authority who inflicts this discipline, but fear. And when children are in fear, mental functions tend to lower, because it is being altered by an invasor, a distractor which consumes almost all the energy. One thing is to teach, and other is to domesticate. You domesticate animals, you teach humans.

Those parents who use physical agression as a way, are out of focus. They are completely wrong. The sistematic application of violent methods in order to teach is abominable. When we read the Scriptures, the concept of discipline is completely oppossite to those aggression practices: My son do not despise the Lord´s discipline and don´t resent his rebuke. Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delinghts in. (Proverbs 3:11-12) NIV.

Children who have been subdued to the "bruise discipline" learn to escape and avoid, but they don´t learn the concepts and values as they may. The aplication of this kind of discipline, only causes problems in the affective development of these children, it produces anxiety, phobias and and a high tendency to develop stress.

Another secuel, is that violence is an obstacle to attain communication between the punisher parent and the child: children of abusive parents end up being apart affectively from them (It´s difficult to talk to your own tyrant and not feeling any pain). It also causes, a refusal in the child to admire o follow other authority models, or role models. The refusal to obey an authority in many adults nowadays, it´s only the result of a punisher attitude who has hurt his feelings in the past.

And as a last point, there is the influence of the example: children of spanking parents become bullies. They tend to imitate. To inflict suffering to a child is unthinkable. I´m not talking about patting them as to say "you should not do that". But, I´m talking about the violent punishment through punching indiscriminately, to spank violently, or to enjoy the fact of hurting and destroying the personality of those who "supposedly" we love the most.

We should discipline our children with only one purpose in mind: to educate... not to terrify our children. El disciplinar debe llevar el propósito de verdaderamente educar y no atemorizar al hijo. Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4) NIV

We are a generation hit by the terror didactics. For many of us, our father sight was the signal to obey immediately. It pierced us, stroke us like a thunder and made us paralize. Then, the dialogue, almost a monologue: "Yes" ... "Yes what!...?" "Yes Sir!". It was fulminant, terrible. Violent education, in any of its ways, only has as a result more violence and enormous amounts of resentment, some time impossible to manage.

The good educator doesn´t need to carry a whip with him all the time. He has decided to replace physical punishment by other more humanistic estrategies. A package of well balanced directions, where steadfastness, respect and love are mutually compensed so that the suffering doesn´t exist anymore.

Hatred (violence)
stirs up dissension
but love
covers all wrongs.
(Proverbs 10: 12) NIV.

by Henry Leguizamo

LETS TALK!!!!

2008-05-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

LET´S TALK!

Do not be misled: "Bad conversations
corrupts good character".
(1 Corinthians 15:33)

Telling somebody that he is fired, ask for a rise, apologizing, explaining to your son why he doesn´t have to smoke, the break up of a relationship, o telling your couple something that is bothering you, are unpleasant conversations, that may make you feel frozen, or controlled by panic, just ready to run away.

But, expressed words don´t have to be a battleffield, or a chance to be mislead. Those conversations related to personal relationships should become a peace field, where the people involved have to understand each other, learn from each other, and exchange their feelings.

In order to face this kind of conversations, in your intimate life, and in your working life, you should improve your expression skills, and the attitude in your way of thinking. You have to be convinced of the words you are going to say, and if it is really necessary to say them. This would have a clear and strong effect on the receiver of your message. Of course, you have to check if you are being kind with what you are saying, and if it would bless the other person. If what you are going to say brings peace and unity, and not damage or conflict, so that everything doesn´t become worse.

Have a clear mind on what you are going to say. Do not try to deduce or guess about the other person mind. If you do so, it would affect your point of view about him/her, and will also affect the development of the conversation. It is important to have in mind, the goal you want to achieve with this dialogue, and no matter which goal is this, you have always to be understanding. Remember that, understanding the other person point of view, doesn´t mean that you have to agree with him/her, and lose yours. The fact that you are willing to understand the other person doesn´t diminish your purpose of making him/her understand your decision and state that is definitive. Don´t forget that if the receiver doesn´t feel understood and heard, you would never be able to lead the communication to a positive point. So, listen, in order for you to lead the dialogue. It´s an advise from God:

My dear brothers, take note of this:
everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak and slow to become angry.
(James 1: 19)

Always avoid the dialogue to become a simple exchange of conclusions. But be ready to change positions, to hear different points of view, and to enrich conversation with new information. You will always have the opportunity to learn from other people, and they need to learn from us too. Instead of questioning yourself with "How can he think that?" ask yourself "What is the information that he has, and I don´t?" Stop leading the conversation to blame someone, or to get affirmation from someone. That only would lead for both to feel frustrated, mistreated and being apart from each other. Don´t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. (2 Timothy 2:23).

It is always good to ask your interlocutor to tell you what he/she has understood of what you have said, so that you may verify if your making your point clearly and to avoid misunderstandings. Let the other person know that what you´ve heard from him has left an impression on you, that you care about his feelings, and that you are trying to understand him. Don´t miss that no matter who we are, how unworthy we could feel, how powerful we think we are, we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

The way you say things, would determine the answer you will get from others and how the conversation would develop later. Using words, like "I feel..." "I think..." can avoid you to fell into the judgment trap. So that the other person will be less willing to be at a deffensive position, and would like to talk about his feelings. It is different to state: "It´s bad to spank kids", than saying "Listeng, I don´t know why I´m feeling this but, I think that spanking children is not a good way to correct them". Think, the first thing is not to persuade, make an impression, or being more clever than the other person. What it´s important is to say what you can see, and why you see it that way, how you feel about it, and who you are.

And never stop saying your important points of view, remember that the cost of silence can be greater, because it can damage your relationships. Sometimes, saying things could become difficult and unpleasant, but it gives relationships a chance to change and become stronger.

LET YOUR CONVERSATION
BE ALWAYS FULL OF GRACE,
SEASONED WITH SALT,
SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW
HOW TO ANSWER EVERYONE.
(Colossians 4:6)

by Henry Leguizamo

AS YOURSELF!!!!

2008-05-02T12:44:00.001-07:00

AS YOURSELF

Self esteem is in vogue. To learn how to love yourself is the key to any self motivation. According to some, it is a way of trascend. It´s not about the others anymore, now it´s about you. And, in some way it is true, we see many people burdened by the problems of others, rather than their own.

This is a mental revolution, and it´s good, if we happen to manage it correctly. As the word says: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." (Romans 12:3). This way, it leads to a inner restructure, when people begin to feel that they are not really that bad, or that mean. We are a mix of virtues and failures, and at last intance, self worth, the essence are never at stake. "I am highly worthy" so I have to care about myself. "I am a miracle", created by God, which can be despised. I don´t have to suffer unnecessarily.

Happiness granted by self esteem is amusing. There are people, who when they feel well with themself, go to the priest to confess, seek for the help of an espiritual conselour, or simply go to a terapist, arguing: "I´m feeling weird" And what really is happening to them is that their self love is being activated. For those who don´t know to love themselves, happiness is weird. Thus, when you strenghten your self esteem, you are not becoming a narcisist, or an epicureous searching for unlimited pleasure. But what you are looking for is to enjoy life and reward yourself. You can do whatever you want to please yourself, as long as it doesn´t hurt you or other people.

You don´t have to punish yourself constantly, or being an eternal mourner. People who love themselves (in a healthy way), achieve a better quality of life, rather than those who hate themselves. There are evident advantages, I would mention three of them:

First of all, good self esteem strenghtens you. That means that you will have a higher affective and racional assurance in your life. Problems will become challenges, and no longer would be headaches for you. Self esteem should be taught at any time, in any place. It is more important than know physics, or winning the math olympics, or trying to understand a complicated chemistry formula. And, I´m not saying here that we have to despise science, but the point is that if you learn without confidence in yourself, then every hint of success would be imposible to achieve. The firs requirement to go farther intelectually, is the conviction of that you would be able to achieve it.

The second advantage about self esteem has to do with health. Research has proven that when we are ok with ourselves, all the body functions perform well and the inmmune system process is strenghten. Body, obeys the mind. That is to say, that if I can bear myself, i get sick. It´s auto annihilation.

The last factor, is love for others. Yo do not give what you are, but you give others what you think you are. If I feel like a roach, if shame hunts me, ifI´m constantly apologizing, if I run away from compliments and finally, if I feel guilty of being happy, I don´t have too much to offer to others. My display of love and affection would be weak and miserable. Love is an experience that always reflects what we are. When someone, really loves us, that feeling pierces us, from side to side. That is why, positive affection always have a self reference implicated. If I don´t believe that I deserve the love of others, I will not know what to do with it, and tendernes will be unknown. The best way to know if our self esteem is healty, is to accept interpersonal love, withouth any barrier, prevention, distrust or suspicion. Then, we could way safely the way that God establishes in his Word: Entonces podemos andar en el mandato que nos da Dios, en cuanto a: “Love the others, as you love yourself”(Mark 12:31). To tell you the truth, it´s difficult to love someone, who doesn´t love himself, because there isn´t a receptor.

If by loving ourselves, we can increase personal trustness, become sick less, love comfortably and without fears, isn´t it worthy to promote? Why don´t we make it a beautiful task in our lives? We should give it away in every corner, school, at home. We should bottle it and drink it it, (with all his "selfs" as vitamins, self image, self concept, self efficiency, self respect, self fulfilment, self knowledge) until we burst of self esteem. Whe should tickle it, and make it laugh. And without falling in any exagerated love for ourselves, we should blow up the esteem with lots of love.

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF…
(Matthew 22:39)

by Henry Leguizamo

THE QUEST FOR HAPPINESS!!!!

2008-05-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

photo credits: Rodney Smith

THE QUEST FOR HAPPINESS

Happiness is a well-worn word. An ideal state. A wish in every human heart. A feeling, and sensation which only can be felt daily, from time to time o maybe never. And though, the secret of how to reach for it hasn´t been revealed to all of us. That´s why some of us consider happiness as an Utopia.

What is true, is that attitudes, reactions, and the way we manage to live, can open a path to be a happy person. Thus, in your hands is the choice of being happy or unhappy.

There are many ways of amaking that dream a reality, and it depends only on us. Never compare yourself to others. Do not depend of the different pastimes that you find in life to escape of unhappiness. Try to make important and significant things a source of finding joy for your life.

It´s important to know that not only the most succesful job, or the one which brings more money is the one which would give you happiness. Be conscious that reaching for happiness takes efforts, and some times we can difficulties. But, there´s hope, God never leave us alone, in His words He says: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you for your own." ( Joshua 1: 9).

The purpose here is not to avoid the difficult times; do not despair, but to strive. Do not be satisfied by unrelevant things, or by events you can´t modify. Don´t lose your goals, and keep on mind the reward that you will get. So you will be willing to reach for it.

Always remember that gratitude and goodness are the essential ingredients to be happy. The most goodness you do with people and the most thankful you are with God, the most interior peace you will reach.

Try to avoid bad thoughts, as much as you can. God advises us in his word: "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure., whatever si lovely, whatever is admirable... think about such things." (Phillipians 4:8).

Develop constructive habits, rather than destructive ones. Do not forget that moderation is the key to enjoy life, more than those who have addictive patterns of life. Accept, withouth bitterness, that everything in life has a price, and you have to choose between paying that price or forget about what you wish for. Your attitudes and your perspective of life, are the best vaccine against despair and your best tool to face tragedy.

Do not compare financial success with happiness. If your quest for it, is because of a desire for the tranquility, safety and joy of your beloved ones, it will make your happines grow. But, if you do it to, just to boast about your riches, or amaze others it would guide you to unhappiness. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10)

Do not sabotage your own happiness, trying to find the utmost imperfection even in the most beautiful scenario. Nothing is perfect in this life. If your achievements are not what you had dreamed, quit that search and enjoy what you have, or keep on going and change your reality.

Try to minimize the expectations about your children. They are not obedient automats, they are individuals and so they can dissapoint you or give you bad moments. They are in a process of learning and can be wrong ocasionally. Expectations can also, damage the relationship with your couple, we take for granted that they are there all the time, and we forget to thank all the good things they do for us.

It´s good for you to make inventory of everything good in your life. When you begin to feel gratitude for those things, you will no longer want the unnecessary things. When one of your friends, do something that you don´t like, do not be angry at him, do not blame him. Just make him know that you were dissapointed on what he did. Stop remembering those bad things you had received from people. Instead, try to bring to your memory all the goodness you have received, or you will end up loosing them all.

If you discover, that in your life there´s a tendency to attract unpleasant people to you, then there is a failure in your nature. To be identified with other people´s nature, try to speek deep issues that will bring up their values. One of the ways of knowing if you have chosen a good friend is to ask yourself why is he my friend? If your family relationships are of love, and the bond with your couple is a solid one, then your chances of beng happy will raise up.

One of the blessings of God for our lives, is to live free from enemies, that is when we are concerned about the well being and the harmony amongst those who are around us.

WHEN A MAN´S WAY
ARE PLEASING
TO THE LORD,
HE MAKES EVEN
HIS ENEMIES,
LIVE AT PEACE
WITH HIM.
(Proverbs 16:7).

by Henry Leguizamo

IT´S YOUR CHILD!!!!

2008-05-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

HE IS YOUR SON

He carries my blood in his veins and stands with my bones. His eyes are full of my dew. He is my ticket for the next generation, my starship in the country of the younger. He is the opportunity to give strength, and solidarity to one part of my future. He offers me the chance of being all I wanted him to be. Thus, loving him is loving my self. When I heal him, I´m healing myself. The process of saving him of making mistakes gives a purpose to my pain. I´ll endure as long as I can, waiting for him to be a man. He is my fellow, He is myself. He is my son!

Whether chosen by my heart, or carried in my back, he is my best investment today for the challenges of tomorrow.

Father approval is what makes the little child to run faster than others. If he only listens "well done my son" it will make him a brave child who can suffer bravely the strange sounds of the night and the bites of mosquitoes in summer camp. The smile of a pleased father is for a child, sweeter than any other candy and worthier than diamonds.

The consequence of absent or exhausted parents have filled the nation with a waste of confused and angry children. Millions of young men are bitter and abandoned, and become men without any role models. So, how can we expect from the to teach others how to be a real man, when their own wounds were never healed? The lack of dreams, and bitterness in the heart of men of this generation, has given birth to a violent wave of conflict, promiscuity, perversion and domestic violence. Broken and agressive children ask their fathers for a trust of real manhood, but their fathers are bankrupt, no one really has given them that kind of value!

It is really painful to admire someone who is absent. A one sided love affair is never pleasurable. Empty arms don´t offer a calm and comforting hug, they only reflect the risk of a child which took the risk of exploring himself, because he was rejected in a divided home.

Our youth, have grown up, gettin bored of practicing sports without anyone to admire them. When they were little, they used to color their drawings, and may brought them proudly, but Dad was never there to admire and reward them with that needed fatherly praise. Now, at the end of their hopes, they had left their coloring books aside. They had pricked their footballs and had acquire arms. They got sick of dancing alone the dance of manhood.

Our youth is dying of anger and pain, asking themselves: What do I have to do to bring my Dad back? The absence of one of the parents, leaves desperately searching for "other" to fill in the empty space. If church doesn´t fill it, then the gay comunity would, or the gangs, or pornography. Empty children will always be looking for something to fill in the absence of their parents.

Broken men always try to mask their wounds, behind empty trophies of success. But, behind this fragile facades, there are crying hearts screaming in a forced silence. We hide behind our masks, and try to do chivalrous acts, and then as kids we boast about sex, even when we have never known real love. We long for a tender touch, yet we are afraid of tenderness. We want to be strong enough to help being supportives, and tender enough to be receptive to the pain of others. Can the wounded one heal the injured?

This is the momento of taking responsability, to change the circumstances which create pain. I hope that you haven´t buried your trauma, thinking that pain can´t be healed. Remember, God can raise from the dead, as He did with his Son Jesus Christ! If you really want to revive a dead situation, stop cryaing and go find your child, even when he is in the grave of drug addicction! Raise up your father from the drinking abyss! Maybe you would get closer to the cold look in the eyes of your father. It doesn´t matter what brought him to this state, or what divided you, if you want them back you should raise them up! Go over the gap and chose love at any cost. If you want to heal your relationship with your son, your wife, your daughter o your father, then you have to become involve in the resurrection of that relationship.

If your father is still alive, go find him. If your father is already dead, become a good father to your children. If you can´t have a father... then be a father. You have to overcome your lost or belief, and become what you always wished to have. Give your children what you´ve lost! Overcome any obstacle in order to love and restore what has been lost. Be free of the pain of your divorce, or abuse, or fear and open your arms to your son.

It is time for you to open your tired arms, maybe to your husband or wife. Give the welcome to your daughters and sons, despite of their failures or yours. If we are going to have a family, we should let love take us beyond the wounds that set us apart. It´s time to forgive and be forgiven.

Your son could be a moral handicapped, or may have changed his sexuality. He could be inestable or irresponsable and may need several hours of love and quietness, before he accepts the God of his father. Let him be, and love him, because the only glimpse of the love of God for your son, may be the one he sees and feels, when you are embracing him.

No matter how dark the night would become and how bitter the tear drops you pour, embrace your child and declare to him: YOU ARE STILL MY SON.

EVERYONE WHO LOVES
HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD
AND KNOWS GOD
(1 John 4: 7).

by Henry Leguizamo

HE WILL CONFRONT YOU!!!

2008-05-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

HE WILL CONFRONT YOU

We can´t no longer let our past destroy what God have for us in the present time. We should face our concealed problems, which treaten our future. We all have disabling concealed inner wounds.

No one is free of any inferiority.

We all know when we are missing something. That "something" is what we want to reach for. Even when we try our most, we can´t have it, it´s out of our reach. We go back. And even when we are ashamed, whe know we can´t have it. But, if we want to be free, we should be willing to face those problems, those who make other people run away. Peace only comes, when you challenge yourself, explore, and acknowledge those things that maybe you wouldn´t tell to your wife, friends or parents. It´s time to face up old sequels. They are enemies of your soul.

I´m not so worried about witchcraft or astrology. I´m not afraid of thiefs, burglars o rapists. I don´t want to be a victim of them, buth they are not my biggest worry. I don´t suffer from anxiety, thinking about the red, character, with horns and tail, and a trident in his hand. There´s something which keeps me struggling constantly, is the enemy within. My biggest concern, and worry, is the "enemy within myself".

If we would examine ourselves, we could se how many corrupt things are concealed in ourselves. Even those things we despise in other people. Oh, yes... we try to hide them, so that they don´t show up, but there they are, hidenn in the darkest corner of our our hearts. Under hard circumstances, this weaknesses, would come out, with devastating consequences. You may be surprised of who you are, if pushed by unfavourable circumstances. How many emotional mines are buried in the deepest part of our souls.

I apologize, if this matter bothers you. But it would be worst if you couldn´t see, all the tings that could hunt us from within. Generally, people could be hypocritical. We, usually condemn others for the things we are guilty of. The best weapon your enemy can use against us, is our inner self.

God challenge us in so many special and unique ways to help us realize how we really are, despite our weaknesses. Many of us are suffering due to manipulation. When we don´t have a goal to reach, it´s easy that other try to impose their ideas of who we are, o we are not, and what we should be doing. Manipulation results from the lack of purpose in our lives.

Anyone can write the agenda of your life, if you don´t know who you are. But you can face up your weaknesses and trace the map of your vulnerabilities, and then you will be prepared to resist the attack. If you are not ready, you will be telling yourself: "I never thought I could ever do such a thing" or simply "I neve thought I could be that mad" "How could I be so weak?"

Who are you? Who are you when nobody is watching you? That is the real you. ¿Who are you when you have washed out all the make up, when you don´t have an ego to deffend, when you no longer have something to prove?

I´m alone when surrounded by people who doesn´t know whoy I am. When I´m in the situation of not being capable of being myself, then I´m alone. And in this point is when God can work on us, when you are all alone. No one receives a visit in the operation room. When you are ready to go on a surgery, they don´t let anyone to go in with you, nor your wife, neither your children, or friends.

There was a man who was left alone... Jacob (Genesis 32: 24). But he wasn´t precisely alone... he was left alone. The Word says that someone who was with him was set apart. Someone, he thought he could trust went away. Someone, who he thought was his friend, deserted him.

And then he struggled and fight until dawn with a man, explains verse 24. Instead of being comforted, God face him. And in this point we could argue: "Oh no, Lord, you can´t be fighting against me, my wife is fighting against me, so my children, and my mind... and now you too!"

And God would say: "You are right. But I didn´t come to fight you, I came to face you, to challenge you. I came to fight with you, because I have a purpose for your life". The Word says: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (Proverbs 27: 6).

If your loyal friends hurt you, they do it because a good reason. Well, this is really the only way you can call them "friends under any circumstance", a trustable friend who is with you, not only because of interest. A good friend it´s the one who not always agrees with what you say or think. Or how powerful you can groan, o the strenght of your acts. A real friend is the one who will see you in the eye, and tell you "I´m listening to you but, you are still wrong" In the same way, God knows that if He don´t stop us, if He don´t save us from ourselves, we will reach the end of our lives and regret what we have done.

God has given you a wonderful gift. Life. What are you doing with it? Life, energy, strenght, power, thinking and creativity are flowing from your body right now. And if you are wasting all of these, God will make you stop and will help you fight for your life, to make you understand how blessed you are.

It´s us, who get older, or lose strenght. It´s not God. If you or me were like Jacob fighting against God in the middle of the night, maybe we would say something like this: "No, I´m not going to pray. I´m not ready to stop doing what I´m doing. I want to cheat, I like my ingenious mind. I don´t want to care for my wife. I don´t want to set some more time apart for my kids. I´m strong enough to do things by myself."

If you have been deeply wounded, and need help to rise up, and get out of those issues, you can ask yourself: "Have I been struggling against the only One who can lift me up? Have I, been fighting the Only one who can help me?

GOD LOVES YOU
THE WAY YOU ARE
BUT HE DOESN´T LEAVE YOU
THE WAY YOU ARE.

by Henry Leguizamo

RIGHT NOW!!!

2008-05-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Patience

It is really something admirable that some people are able to flow with the fact of not fighting against the clock, and wait calmly for what has to happen. Out of stress, or insomnia, without any sign of physical damage. Hurry is a killing habit.

They don´t let doubt an uncertainty affect them, and solve issues easily. Realizing that they can't control all things and be prepared to the worst that can happen. It is one of the most prominent features of wisdom. Patience, is inner peace, soul quietness, self-control, without any worry.

On the other hand, impatience is linked to anxiety. Not only, overcharges our mind, but makes us daring and out of control. If we could examine our behavior, we could see that a big deal of our daily mistakes are because we don´t know to wait. Because sometimes if we could only waited some more minutes, maybe those would be enough for the solution, or response to come. Pushing for the events to happen is not always good, undoubtely, sometimes its good to have initiative, but in many cases, the best is step aside and let God take control over them.

On the opposite side of those who exercise patience, restless people want to establish their lifestyle, so that we follow their rythm, and walk their steps. They disrespect silence, break rules, and become like rebellious children facing life. They can´t stand the "later" or "after". Their own existence revolves around the "right now", or the control of everything in the mere moment, they are time slaves. Impulsive, by nature, accelarated by vocation and highly toxic for human relationships.

Thus, this kind of people live suffering the consequences of a restless, exhaustive life. Meanwhile those who exercise patience flow with the natural events. One plays with random and uncertainty, while the other smiles facing destiny.

Patience is a fruit from which the Holy Spirit wants to make us full of, so that we can live and practice it. (Gálatians 5: 22).

You can see, kind and joyous children who sleep a lot all day, and cry little, and their reactions to frustration are few. On the other hand, there are some restless children, slepless and highly demanding for attention. Elders, acquire the strenght of an inteligent conformity. They don´t go against all odds anymore, do not search for certainty in a stubborn way. Delays are seen as an oportunity to rest. There are certain calm earned by years, a mischievous but cute look goes with all grandparents. Patience has become their companion.

The art of learning to wait, is a hard virtue to acquire. It implies the realization of our own limitations. It means to flow with circumstances and make peace with the need of control. It´s to learn to be steady in first base. And face delays without worry.

If you learn to wait a little bit more than you are used to, maybe things could be better. It doesn´t mean that you have to become a "chronical waiter" pasive, and without motivations. But, if you could wait a little longer, maybe just second, you would realize is really not that bad to give life some space, and get patience give its fruit in your life.

When hard times come, God cheer us up, and says:

Consider it pure joy,
my brothers,
whenever you face
trials of many kinds,
because you know
that the testing of your faith
develops patience.
Patience must finish its work
so that you may be mature
and complete,
not lacking anything.
(James 1: 2-4)

I waited patiently
for the Lord;
he turned to me
and heard my cry
(Psalms 40: 1)

by Henry Leguizamo

TRUE LOVE FOR OUR CHILDREN!!!

2008-05-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

True Love for Our Children

Love for our children is doubtless, the purest and unconditional one. It doesn´t matter the risk or the sacrifice that it implies, we are always willing and listening to their hearts and needs. This feeling knows no limits, or malice, the best reward we get from it is to see them happy and fulfilled. We love them to the marrow.

We live a great deal of our lives for them, and it´s not a voluntary decision, it´s genetical affection. Society despise bad parents rather than bad children. The problem is that sometimes too much love can lead us to make mistakes. Excessively and uncontrolable love may become harmful, to the one who gives and to the one who receives it. Eg. The lady who sponsors drugs for her son, because she "loves him" and doesn´t want to see him suffer. An older father who still supports his 50 year old son (who never has worked because of laziness). A couple who spend their life savings so that their little girl could travel to Europe for her 15th year celebration.

I´m not saying that we have to lessen our affections, what we have to do is understand that sometimes the labor of being a parent takes courage, and wisdom, and sometimes, we have to overcome our feelings and focus on the fact that our feelings won´t harm our children. When we as parents, fail to apply our discipline or rules, with the excuse: "I can´t stand it to see him suffer" we become accomplices, and selfish, because we are thinking more in our benefit than in their well being.

We have to learn how to moderate this love, which shakes us every day, and makes us doubt and frightens us. There are negative feelings associated to us, specially to those parents who "love too much". One of those is fear to failure: "If I fail, I can create a trauma". When we think with our heart and not with our racional mind, we are most problably to make mistakes (thinking with the heart is highly risky).

The heart is deceitful above all things...
(Jeremiah 17:9 )

To educate is to have balance. Another negative feeling is pity, or sorrow: "I´m not capable to make him suffer" Nonetheless, even if it causes sorrow there is no other option. The teaching-learning process requires setting limits and if it generates some frustration in us, it´s a healthy sign. If the kid, becomes "sad" because he doesn´t have the last sneakers, let him be sad. And maybe, it would be the best time to evaluate if our family values scale is right.

And least but not last, there is another feeling: guilty. When we think "I shouldn´t have punished him" It is when regret doesn´t let us sleep and we began to re-evaluate how we behave with our child.

Excessive love make us lost the way and fail constantly in regret, even when we have proceeded right to correct the way of our children. Loving with responsability is to have the courage to educate, even when we feel the deepest pain in our soul. God is never wrong when he says: "The father who love his son, will discipline him..." It is the red thin line between serving our loved ones and to be pleasant with them. It's knowing when to embrace, and when to say "no". It´s the application of discipline, and the essencial kiss.

Love for our children always leads us to an implicit combination of pain and pleasure. It´s not a calvary, or despair, but a strange feeling of an "acomplished duty". We enjoy it and suffer at the same time. It´s the cycle. And when we get used to the loving hurrican that it raises, we have to go back to our senses, and real life. There won´t be ever a softer or a painless way to love them. To educate our children it´s a responsability before God:

Sons are a heritage from the Lord.
( Psalms 127: 3 ).

Train a child in the way
he should go,
and when he is old
he will not turn from it

(Proverbs 22: 6.)

by Henry Leguizamo

I PROMISE THAT...!!!

2008-05-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

The worth of our word

A "serious" person is the one speaks when he has to. If his acts go along with what he says and thinks, there´s a solid person ahead. All points to the same target. Behavior and feelings are one. We could then say that he is a trustable person. We can rely on him.

Although, we have to recognize that as humans we tend to fail. We are not that consecuent as we should be. We constantly forget about values and contradict ourselves time from time. And even when we talk about morals and eternal values, when it comes to action, we fail. Our attitude is rather rethorical than real.

People who acomplish a real cohesion between mind, conduct and affection, become extremely powerful, because problems tend to disappear. They don´t need to call for attention, search for position, status or power, their strenght comes from within. The energy of those who say what they think and act, makes the world tremble.

There is a tale about a British minister who was forced to resign. His quotation was "I quit because they are getting closer to my price". The utmost expression of honesty is to realize "I´m weak, but i wont´fail". It is possible that we all have a price, and sometimes we have to face the fact that decency lays more on acknowledging our weaknesses and face them with courage.

Some years ago, contractors didn´t sign any documents. Their word was enough to make a deal, it was like a blank signed check, available at any time. Those strange characters from 50 years ago didn´t use credit cards. Their lifestyle was the best business card and their personal history the best reference. Again the facts, there were also bad things on those years, but some values and honorable practices were well known. There was certain worry about being of good reputation, not only apparently, but there were respectable people back then: "How I act defines me as a person".

What it´s really important is not only who we are, but how we behave. When we fail in pieces, we become ambivalent and suspicious. Our daily life is more an issue of total quality. If by the morning I behave as a sanguinary man, and by the afternoon I became loving, it distorts reality, a clear short circuit. If I steal by dawn and give my offerings by the noon, I´m deceiving no one but myself. When what we say, doesn´t go along with what we do, there's only left an image of what it could have been in our life. Nothing else. A lie.

To be honest is to struggle in being clear and sincere. Almost transparent. It´s to think, act and feel in the same way, because we are convinced that it should be so. It´s to show ourselves without costumes, masks or emotional bribery: "This is what I am, and there is nothing to hide". In order to exercise the complex art of righteousness, we don´t need to be milimetric and rigid as a train rail. We only have to talk truth, and try, with courage and intention to shorten that exhaustive way which goes from "what we say... to what we do". It´s despairing to see people loose their trust in you, even when it happens with your own family.

The word of God advises:
Whatever is true, whatever is noble
whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirably...
do such things.
(Philippians 4:8)

A truthful witness
gives honest testimony.
but a false witness tells lies.
(Proverbs 12:17).

WORDS WITHOUT
ACTS ARE DEAD
AND TAKEN
BY THE WIND.

by Henry Leguizamo

I TAKE BACK!!!

2008-05-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

I Take Back

Revenge is the expression of anger and agression towards mending some physical or spiritual wounds. It´s not deffensive, but offensive. Some think that for weakness, this is the best way to restore self confidence, if it was wounded: Taking advante accordingly to what says "an eye by an eye".

For some people, it may seem as the ideal vision of equity. Other believe that a vengeance emotion is the pure origin of Penal Justice. And there are some which say that is a wicked intention in order to erase in a magic and irrational way, something that has happened before.

It is senseless to attack when the damage has been done, that as a physical survival resource. And when it comes to love, retaliation can be a response for a broken heart. The intention: Be even with your partner, pay the same way you were damaged, envy the right you think you should have to do such harm or simply get back the power balance which was taken from you. "I´m tired of being inferior to you". It´s the way to take affective control to level the relationship and take down your partner so that you can put him in an inferior level.

Revenge is a strange way of a pleasant violence. The agressor perceives it as a deffensive act, morally accepted; But, it is really an outdated preservation instinct. The attack is over. The competence to get equality, through destruction is a very exclusive fenomena. It is a product of the mind and ego. No other animal acts only for revenge

There is a kind of living inmaturity in those who are willing to get back the offense at any price, and act as those children which, moved by envy or anger, destroy the toys of the others. When we try to protect ourselves from betrayal and abuse with the same weapons of those who had offended us, we fail in the risky trap, of becoming just like our agressor. When we attack unloyalty with the same, lie with lie, dishonesty with dishonesty, we lose moral authority. We get contaminated with the same things we are fighting to be cleaned of.

The advise in the word of the Lord, says:
See to it that no one misses the grace of God,
and that no bitter root grows up
to cause trouble and defile many.
(Hebrews 12:15)

There is a clear contradiction, in those who seek desperately for revenge. It´s like killing those who kill, just because killing is wrong. And they do not look for forgiveness as the way of solving the problem. One of the most beautiful teachings from our Lord is the Our Father prayer, specially when it says: "Our Father forgive our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us..."

The desire for revenge makes us to be anchored to the past, and doesn´t let us sleep in peace. Besides, as universal history has shown, it could become an ascendent spiral of pain and fanatism. Francis, the Writer, says:

He, who dedicates to get revenge, keeps fresh
his wounds, it´s like a insatiable thirst

If we keep in our hearts feelings like anger and resentment, God advices us to go as soon as we can, and talk to the person, and settle down differences, so that we can be free and receive the blessing of forgiveness. Do not take revenge, my beloved, but let God do Justice.

IF IT IS POSSIBLE,
AS FAR AS IT DEPENDS ON YOU,
LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE.

(Romans 12: 18)

by Henry Leguizamo

NOBODY LOVES ME!!!

2008-05-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

Nobody loves me

There will be always a "suspicious" attitude in woman for the man who considers himself "undesirable". His lack of self esteem would make him see himself as someone nobody wants to be with. And maybe one of his thoughts when a woman shows interest in him, would be: "Let´s not be foolished, if a woman sees me, it´s because there´s something wrong with me. Or maybe she is not so bright".

The foremost expression of a lack of self love, is when people see them as deffective and worthless. They avoid being with other people because they are afraid to deceive them. Asi if they were going to be caught, thinking: "If someone comes closer, he would see how worthless I am and will reject me. So, it's safer for me to be apart from them." For this people, their best survival strategy is to avoid, run away as soon as possible. Dissappear.

To be ashamed of yourself, is the highest and sadest kind of self-rejection. It is impossible give or receive love, when you doubt about your self worth. What can you offer if you see yourself as a fraud? Besides, of having the big trouble of coping with yourself, whether you like it or not. And not being able to escape from yourself! People who see themselves as loveless, see their problem as irreversible, they see themselves as unfixable genetical mistakes. There are not surgeries, or pills to fix their horrible inner world. So, they tend to use masks where to hide.

They think that love has been forbidden for them, because they don´t deserve it. When someone feels attraction for them, they panic and try to be away from them. They can show themselves as cold, senseless, even rude in order to be apart from the one who loves them. They have this inner feeling of being repulsive, and so their thought is always: "It´s better that no one gets to know me".

When they manage to find a couple, there is a tranquilizer effect. Marriage covers them and they no longer have to compete in the love market, so they can hide again. Thus, what we can see as an estable relationship can become a shield, and not as something that nourishes and make the person grow in affective matters. Many of this people see as a normal thing, the lack of love. There is a self destructive fact in their lives: "I don´t care for those who care about me" It´s undoubtely, a negative predestination, with no escape, the most they love me, the most I go apart from them. Or can be worst, the most I attracted to someone, the most I reject that person.

And as they get used to the idea of being constantly under the eye of the negative critics, it tends to create a low tolerance to uncomfortness. As time goes by, their mind gets used to the idea of "I can´t stand suffering", or worst, "I avoid problems instead of facing them". And a kind of weakness takes over in every act of their lives. "I get lost, because I use to hide a lot, so many lies about myself tend to make me feel lost. Because I use so many masks I don´t know who I am anymore. If I am so hated, I better dissappear from this world, and because I can´t do anything to make my loving life better, I lay down and wait for the worst."

Nobody deserves to suffer this way. No one is that repulsive. Do not hide anymore, just show yourself as you are. What it is interesting for some, it´s not for others. Theres is always a way to see things in a different way. That´s the way of God, that´s how He sees you, as his beloved son, the courageous one, the brave one. Because, his word says, that He created you on his image and acordding to his own nature created you, and He saw that what He has done was good.

So don´t fear, do not be afraid. Take His strenght and be happy. God is with you, He is your Creator, and gave you beautiful values, He would not leave you alone, do not be afraid. Do not deny your values and qualities, men only sees what is outside, the outter appearence, but God can see you heart. His words says: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name: you are mine.

SINCE YOU ARE PRECIOUS
AND HONORED IN MY SIGHT,
AND BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.
(Isaíah 43: 4)

by Henry Leguizamo