Rand Rambles

Haz click aqui para leer version en Español

Quiet Strength, those would be the two words with which I would describe my Grandma, Mi abuela,  Margarita Quiñones. Today I was given the news that she passed away and those are the words that keep coming to my mind. I can still remember my Grandma’s days, she would wake up early in the morning and make some coffee for her and grandpa. Then she would get ready to walk her grandchildren to the nearby elementary school, something that was done so often since there was a new kid to take to school everyday. After leaving the kids in school she would come and cook and take care of her home, go outside, work around the garden and take care of the smaller kids, until it was time to get the others from school. She was a really loving person, I still remember when she would tell us all that she was able to learn in just a couple of years that she was able to go to school, how she would tell us some of the English words she had learned and how all of us would gather together with her and grandpa to watch comedy shows and the news. While Grandpa has always been the storyteller, she was the quiet one, when Grandpa would flare up and fight against wrongdoings, she would be the one that in her quiet disposition would try to make things better with love. I am pretty sure they were a match made in heaven, as balanced as a couple could ever be. Now, that she has passed, the thing that saddens me is thinking about Grandpa, his heart belonged to her from the moment they laid eyes on each other. Even in the frailty of her last years, Abuelo in his strength would move mountains if it was necessary to make her feel more comfortable. He would feed her, stand by her, change her clothes, love her and give her all that he could possible could. I pray that during this time he will have strength and comfort in knowing that he loved her the best that he could have. I pray that the women in my family, and even the men would learn from her, how through her life and her quiet strength she made a difference by raising all her grandchildren. I pray that all of us in the family can learn from their marriage, how in the the hardest of times they learned to count on each other, fight alongside each other and made love the most important thing… for our benefit. There is no doubt in my heart and mind that she is enjoying heaven now, where there are no tubes going in and out of her body, where she can freely speak and move and where there is no more pain and suffering.

I loved that woman and will always love her.

Click here to read the Spanish version…

(more…)

This generation is a bit upset with religion. A new generation of Christians is rising up with ideas to make Christianity more like it was meant to be, living like Jesus. In the midst of that they have turned against religion. Wearing shirts and all sorts of propaganda stating things like: “Religion Kills” and “Religion sucks”. And while I understand where they are coming from and how they state it as a way to say that religion can keep us away from God and a relationship with Him is what really matters, I believe there is a lack of understanding in this.

I have heard many times that religion is just our way to trying to reach God, while he has already reached out to us. Sounds good. But what does God have to say about this? In the book of James there is a certain type of religion mentioned, an acceptable one.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27.

I believe this is God’s view of religion. I believe as Christians this is what we have to strive for. Don’t get me wrong, it all starts with Jesus, he has reached us and made it all worthwhile. But that’s the important thing, true, undefiled religion is born from a close relationship with Jesus.

It is through that relationship with Jesus that we start to care for what he cares the most, and is through being close to Him that we desire to be more like Him. Holiness and purity are part of a pure and undefiled religion, as fallen human beings this is only attainable by surrendering all to the one that already surrendered the most precious thing, his own life.

Religion… Your life unto others and unto God.

originally posted on 11/03/2008.

It’s Friday in New Zealand and I am being part of the #50Pic challenge. I will be posting 50 random pictures of my day. It’s funny because I thought it was gonna be really easy but sometimes it’s a bit difficult to find what to take photos of. If you want to know more on the #50pic challenge visit Joshua White’s blog and you can find the instructions.  It’s basically taking 50 photos during the day.I will be posting them in intervals, maybe 10 per group.

Enjoy!

Here is my 1st group of photos…

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

2nd Group…

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

3rd Group…

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

4th Group

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Aaaaand the last group!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Leave a link to yours in the comment section!

If God is not just and fails to deal with sin accordingly, he is a liar when he says he is love.

This quote was by my friend Victoria while we were having a great conversation regarding this generation’s view on some crucial points in Christianity, especially God, sin and Love. I personally love it.

What do you think?

I’ve been having a great time in New Zealand. I feel like I haven’t done a whole lot, mainly because that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come, to not do a whole lot. I came to relax, regroup my thoughts and plan at least a little bit of what is to come in my life. This is some of what I’ve done and want to remember from this trip.

• I went Skydiving. I always said I would never do it and all of a sudden my mind changed, even though it was scary it is one of the things I will always remember as being a badass experience.
• I have read three books. To Kill a Mockingbird, Angry Conversations with God and The Noticer. Great books, I didn’t know before choosing them but they would help me getting insight on some of the decisions I’ve been making.
• I killed my iPhone. Sad, very sad. I went on a boat, the iPhone was in my bag, the bag was on the floor, too much water came in the floor, iPhone dead. Two and a half weeks later, I still miss it and can’t wait to get another one when I’m back.
• I’ve been to the beach more than 10 times. I am not the biggest fan of the beach, I mean, i like it but I guess living in a coastal town for 24 years made me this way. Having said that, I have enjoyed been able to go to the beach here, since now I live in Dallas. Ugh. Photo 1. Photo 2.
• I cooked Puerto Rican food for Ben and his family. It was a bit hard since it’s difficult to find the spices that I usually use but i did it and they ate it all. Success.
• I have made a decision that will drastically change my future. More on this soon but I have finally decided to invest on what I want to do .
• I’ve been reading a lot of blogs. Some of the people whose blogs I follow are awesome. Enough said.
• I said goodbye to 2009 before most people I know. Since I’m in New Zealand, I’m living in the future and I’m glad I could say goodbye to 2009, not a great year. Watched fireworks in the Bay of Islands as 2010 rolled in, very nice.
• I’ve had some awesome conversations with my best friend Ben. We will no longer be roommates but being able to share things about our future and look forward into our awesome friendship is great.
• I’ve eaten some great food. The highlight I think was the Eggs Benedict that I had on my birthday, they were great.

That’s all I can remember for now but it surely has been a great time. Ben’s family is great and an example of some of what I want my family to be in a future. Ok, that’s it back to relaxing… I may read another book while I’m still at it.