BIG MERCIES

July 11., 2011 will always be a very special day in my life. It is the day I smiled even though I was going through some changed in my life. I have always said to be thankful for small mercies but on this day we received a big mercy... the birth a a baby girl. Maija Aurora entered this world in the evening of the 11th and I was pleased to learn that our family had grown with the presence of one more girl. I know something special happened that day and I know that I will carry it in my heart for the rest of my life.

Thanks be to God. Our heavenly Father has blessed us and me in particular with a purpose to continue this life.

God bless this little girl as she makes her way into this world.

SMALL MERCIES

Almost a year and five months ago I lost the love of my life in one of the most brutal forms possible. He was stolen from me while I slept, the victim of a murder that still remains a mystery today. Now, not a day goes by that I do not wonder what happened. What did he do? Who did he anger so badly that they could have stolen him from us, his wife and his girls who loved him so much. Abel Martin Lopez Rodriguez was not a saint but he was not a vicious person either. He was a very quiet speaking person but was also very intelligent and in many ways a revolutionist. He instigated many peace marches and ideas from his desk and sought always to assist those who needed his help. Our home was always open to friends and strangers. That was the type of person that he was. He would give the shirt off his back or his last dollar to you if you asked for it.

Those of us who were privileged to know him in in the music world enjoyed a voice that could touch our hearts and stay on our minds long after the music had stopped playing.
We were fortunate to have known ALDO REY. That was his name in the music world.

Chetumal, Mexico and Corozal, Belize lost a great friend that day. I lost the part of my heart that I can never replace.

I thank God for small mercies. I thank HIM for allowing me to live three wonderful years with Abel. I thank HIM for never leaving my side even when it seemed to me that HE had.

There will always be things we cannot explain and there will always be things that will make us smile or cry.

STOP FOR A MINUTE EACH DAY AND THANK GOD FOR SMALL MERCIES.

Have a wonderful day and God bless all of you who find this post today.

RIGHT PLACE OR WRONG TIME!

SOMETIMES WE WONDER WHY WE ARE IN CERTAIN PLACES. SOME PEOPLE SAY, " I WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME." BUT ARE WE REALLY? IF WE ARE TO BELIEVE IN DESTINY THEN WE ARE NEVER AT THE WRONG PLACE... THINGS HAPPEN FOR A PURPOSE AND SOMETIMES WE WOULD HAVE WISHED THEY DIDN´T. IT NOT ONLY LIFE... IT ALSO ONLY GOD!

HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY.
ALL MY LOVE, BRENDA

A LESSON JESUS TRIED TO TEACH US

"LOVE EVERYONE AND LIVE A PEACEFUL, CARING LIFE" (Brenda A. Ysaguirre)

I RECEIVED THIS LETTER FROM PETA... HOPE WE CAN DO THIS FOR MORE ANIMALS AND ALSO FOR MANKIND

Good news: This year's barbaric seal slaughter ended last night, and thanks to caring people like you who repeatedly took action to save seals, we are one step closer to ending the seal massacre once and for all. More than 80 percent of the seals who had been marked for death were spared this year!

The worldwide demand for seal fur is plummeting, thanks in part to activists like you, and this is the beginning of the end for the seal slaughter. The European Union has banned the sale of seal products, and the U.S. Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senate Resolution 84, which calls for an end to the annual seal slaughter. There are few places left for sealers to sell the pelts of the dead animals because of the global outcry against the slaughter that we have created, and as a result, we are slowly but surely winning the fight against the annual massacre. Thank you for all that you've done to save the seals—your efforts have made a difference!

However, while this year's slaughter is over, we must all promise not to let up in our fight. At PETA, we have year-long plans to continue to apply pressure to the Canadian government. And we hope that you'll continue to visit CanadasShame.com to find out other ways that you can help seals. Please also visit PETA.org in order to extend your mighty reach to other animals who are suffering as we speak. Seals need us now more than ever.

Sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Find THEM on Facebook and Twitter!

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR ANSWERING OUR CAUSE.

HANDY LITTLE CHART - GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER

YOU SAY GOD SAYS BIBLE VERSES
You say: 'It's impossible' God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: 'I'm too tired' God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: 'Nobody really loves me' God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )
You say: 'I can't go on' God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: 'I can't figure things out' God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6)
You say: 'I can't do it' God says: You can do all things ( Philippians 4:13)
You say: 'I'm not able' God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: 'It's not worth it' God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )
You say: 'I can't forgive my self' God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: 'I can't manage' God says: I will supply all your needs ( Philippians 4:19)
You say: 'I'm afraid' God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated' God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: 'I'm not smart enough' God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: 'I feel all alone' God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

GREETINGS

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. THANKS FOR VIEWING MY BLOG IN 2009 AND THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING ME AND SHARING MY MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS AND MY MOMENT OF LOSS. I WILL TRY TO BE BACK WITH THE PASSION I ONCE FELT AND THE TIME I ONCE ENJOYED IN THIS NEW YEAR. IT IS THE LEAST I CAN DO IN HONOUR OF A GREAT COMPANION, LOVER, TEACHER, AND FRIEND WHOSE LOSS HAS TORN MY WORLD APART.

ABEL, TE AMO HOY MAS QUE AYER Y MENOS QUE MAÑANA. Y LA PREGUNTA SIEMPRE ES LO MISMO.
SABES QUE, CIELO?
TE AMO!!

SIEMPRE EN MI CORAZON!!

ABEL MARTIN LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ
NOV 14, 1955 - OCT 18, 2009
GONE WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE

REST IN PEACE, PAPI. DESCANSA EN PAZ, CIELO. YO PUEDO!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

At this time of the year, with pain in my heart and tears in my eyes at the loss of my best friend and soul companion, I reach out across the miles to greet all my blog readers. I promise to return in the new year with a vigor and the passion I once had. Now I wish to thank you for your support.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU ALL WELL.

ABEL MARTIN LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ

NOV 14, 1955 - OCT 18, 2009

Alias ALDO REY (MUSICIAN) AND ABEL DESESTRESS (BLOG WRITER)

Darling,
You taught me to love and to give. You taught me to think and to meditate. You taught me so much and still I learn new things every day. Thanks for being a part of my life. I won´t let you down.
All my love,
Tu Negrita Latosa

GUARDIAN ANGELS ARE EVERYWHERE

I am forever reminded that when we need them, angels come into our lives in the form of friends who stick by us through thick or thin.

I would like to thank all my angels for being there for me when I need them.

One of the greatest joy in life is the possession of true friends. (Brenda A. Ysaguirre

ABOUT NATURE THERE IS SO MUCH TO ADMIRE

LOVE, LIKE A STREAM FLOWS PEACEFULLY, AND THAT'S GOD!

IF CHICKENS CAN BE SO LOVING, SO CAN WE!

THIS MOTHER HEN AND HER 13 YOUNG ONES LIVE ON PANTO-HA RESORT IN XUL-HA, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

LIKE JESUS

PLEA TO ALL FATHERS TO PLEASE LOVE THEIR CHILDREN LIKE JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE ONES.

JESUS SMILING

IF ONLY THE WORLD COULD LEARN TO DO THINGS LIKE JESUS DID. LOVE CHILDREN. DON'T HURT THEM.

LA BIBLIA EN EL INTERNET

Fourth-century Bible to go online
By Al Webb
LONDON -- The Codex Sinaiticus, thought to be one of the world's oldest Bibles, is going online this week in a project led by the British Library to reconnect all its 1,600-year-old parts that are spread across Europe and Egypt's Sinai desert.

MEGACHURCH MULTI-SITES FOR MUSLIMS

Muslims begin to copy the megachurch multi-site model
By Mallika Rao

WASHINGTON -- Mosques across the country are beginning to use a model similar to the one used by some suburban and downtown megachurches, operating multiple sites to serve a large and dispersed congregation.Many of these "mosque chains" brand themselves as progressive, and sometimes feature gymnasiums and mixed-gender prayer areas for men and women. Some groups even host weekly services at churches or synagogues with the expressed goal of fostering interfaith goodwill."If they weren't Muslim, they'd look like one of the biggest Catholic churches you'd ever seen, from an organizational standpoint," said Marshall…

Read the entire story

Authors offer up a racy view of the Bible

Most believers would say the Bible is the Word of God, or at least a divinely inspired book written by divinely inspired men.But what if the Bible had been mistranslated, or censored to remove the tawdry bits about pimps, cross-dressers or a, ahem, Brazilian wax as punishment?

That's what biblical scholars John Kaltner and Stephen L. McKenzie of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., were wondering, and they set out to investigate a handful of unorthodox interpretations of Old Testament tales.

The result was their new book, "The Uncensored Bible: The Bawdy and Naughty Bits of the Good Book," co-authored with Christian satirist Joel Kilpatrick.

They're questions like: Was Eve actually created not from Adam's rib, but "from something a little lower down"? Was the "knowledge of good and evil" in the Garden of Eden a euphemism for sex? And, as chapter 6 asks, "Did Abraham Pimp Sarah?"

The answer to many of their questions was no, but it nonetheless makes for some interesting (not to mention steamy) reading. Kaltner and McKenzie were inspired to write the book after hearing the intriguing account of Eve's origin at a conference. From there, they researched other unusual interpretations tucked away in scholarly journals.

Kilpatrick, the evangelical creator of religious satire Lark News, was also brought on board to further the book's witty and light-hearted tone.

In the account of Eve's creation, the Hebrew word used for "rib" is "tsela," but that's not how it's translated in other parts of the Bible. Rather, it's usually translated as a "side" or "appendage" jutting out from a central structure.

All male mammals possess a penis bone -- except humans and spider monkeys. So was the "bone" used to create Eve not actually Adam's rib after all?

The authors conclude the theory has "compelling advantages" over traditional interpretations, and is not "bizarre, outrageous or unreasonable."

The authors insist they are not challenging the integrity of the Bible, but "just dealing with parts of the Bible that aren't preached from the pulpit that often," Kilpatrick said.

In an attempt to simplify biblical scholarship, complex ideas are brought into layman's terms. Rather than sacrilegiously picking on accepted biblical translations, the authors say their book simply picks those translations apart, revealing potential long-standing misunderstandings."

No Bible Bashing, Please," reads the introduction. "We are not trying to make fun of the Bible. We love the Bible."

However, with eye-grabbing, provocative titles like "Was Joseph a Cross-Dresser?", "Did Jacob Use Ancient Viagra?", and "Does the Bible Command Bikini Waxing?", the authors' approach to biblical appreciation is sure to ruffle some feathers.

Joseph's alleged cross-dressing theory roots itself in the vague Hebrew word used to describe his famous "coat of many colors." The same word is used only one other time in the Hebrew Bible, describing the clothing of Tamar, daughter of King David. The authors delve into the theory authored by a professor at Chicago Theological Seminary that Joseph's garb could not possibly be unisex, and wonders if maybe Joseph was instead transgendered. The author's mostly disagree, and say the idea can be filed under "highly unlikely."

Euphemisms, puns and sarcasm abound in the breezy read that journeys through risque ideas, including a translation from Deuteronomy of a woman's hand being cut off to mean a primitive Brazilian wax as punishment.

Given its frequently sexual and snarky approach, the book is already drawing fire in the blogosphere. But the book's authors -- and its publisher -- don't seem to mind."

This stuff is in the Bible. It deals with murder, rape and incest so to object on that basis is to object to the Bible itself," said Mickey Maudlin, editorial director and vice president of publisher HarperOne. "Sometimes people miss the grittiness of Scripture because they feel it goes against holiness of Scripture, and it doesn't."

THE BIBLE IN 50 WORDS

God made,

Adam bit,

Noah arked,

Abraham split,

Jacob fooled,

Joseph ruled,

Bush talked,

Moses balked,

Pharaoh plagued,

People walked,

Sea divided,

Tablets guided,

Promises landed,

Saul freaked,

David peeked,

Prophets warned,

Jesus born,

God walked,

Love talked,

Anger crucified,

Hope died,

Love rose,

Spirit flamed,

Word spread,

God remained.

Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE HOSTAGES OF THE WORLD

I have been looking at the news surrounding Ingrid Betancourt's freedom from captivity and I was not surprised that she mentioned her continuous praying to God for this day to arrive when she would be once again with her mother and her children. That day was July 2nd, 2008 and it shows that God has plans for each and every one of us. It shows that we are able to keep our faith even under harsh realities.

THAT'S GOD!!

Let us now pray for those estimated 700 hostages still held by the FARC because we can only hope and pray that the lost of the 15 to them does not make them become more cruel to those still unde their control.

Heavenly Father we ask you to watch over and protect all your people in captivity, especially those in the Colombian jungle under the FARC. Help them to keep their faith and help their oppressors to know and love you and to realize that it is time to set these people free. Send them a Moises, Dear Lord to show them the way to freedom. In your merciful kindness let them know and love you, AMEN.

BELIZEANS ARE A PEOPLE WHO CARE!

AS Belize goes through one wave of disaster after another with the rising rivers over the past month that have caused lost of life, homes and personal defects, we can still look at the skies in the morning and see the hope of new days with better to come in the eyes, hearts and actions of those who suffer at this time.

I would like to thank all those kind persons who have given assistance in the form of money and clothing to the less fortunate at this time. To the Belize Red Cross for their continuous assistance in delivering food and clothing to those in need. To the Belize public for giving in whatever way they have and continue to give. To NEMO, for keeping on top of things.

A people can only survive if there is compassion and understanding around for them to experience. Belizeans continue to show that they are always willing to give a helping hand to the less fortunate.

That's God!