Groundhog Jesus

"Well, I sure hope Jesus doesn't ruin the weather on Sunday. You know what Easter is, right? It's when Jesus gets out of his hole and sees his shadow or doesn't see his shadow... " ~ Jeff Wilcox.

What the heck is wrong with Mr. Jeff?  That is supper offensive, isn't it? Well... it depends. I call offensive those jokes I used to tell back in college about not anybody wanting Jesus in his soccer team since he was not a good header (ask me if you didn't get this). Or this other one that said that resurrected Jesus was unable to decently hold a ball gum in the palm of his hands. I was making fun of the Savior of the world. Back then, though, He wasn't my Savior. To me,  Jesus was nobody.

Kiss to the camera

That tells me that Jesus can take a joke. He doesn't get offended easily. After all love doesn't anger easily, and doesn't keep record of wrongs. Not my words. The Bible's. If it were up to me, I would make anybody who was wronged me pay dearly. Thank God it is not up to me. That guy Jesus forgave my offenses, helped me overcome my unbelief, and gave me a new beginning. 

NOT TOO SHABY FOR A GUY WHO DOESN'T PLAY SOCCER :)

OK... enough with the sarcasm. Well, no. Actually not. Come on, people, it is three in the morning!! I have never felt like getting up in the middle of the night, and start writing a post. The only time I have felt this way is when I was writing my book, that by the way, Mr. Jeff proof read. I guess he is a good man after all.

FROM NOW ON I WILL CAPITALIZE IN RED MY SARCASTIC OR FUNNY (TO ME) COMMENTS. THEY REALLY SHOULD COME UP WITH A SARCASM FONT. 

Admiring nature

So yes, I GUESS MR. JEFF IS A GOOD MAN AFTER ALL. He is not a good man, you know. He is a godly man. I have never met a man who is more committed to share the gospel with random people than Jeff is. Jeff and Trilva are very good friends to our family. We met back in Ohio a LONG TIME AGO. Since then, we have talked to each other for two hours every single Friday. I can count with my fingers the Fridays we haven't had a Spanish lesson in seven years. SEVEN YEARS! Of course I took a break when I had babies, but that's pretty much it. 

I thought I was gonna get rid of him when we moved to Houston, but then I introduced him to Skype. Now he threatens with calling all the way to India. One day, we had a lesson over the phone. Good thing I had thousands of roll over minutes... Anyway, he is a very good friend. He is actually an ordained minister, so if you need to get married, I can hook you up with him for free. He volunteers with hospice patients, attends church every Sunday, holds church group at his home every Thursday, sponsors children through Compassion International in Kenya (or somewhere along those latitudes... I think it is actually Mexico). That old man is basically a saint.

NOW ASK TRILVA... 

Making cake pops

No, seriously, why does a "good" man such as Jeff would make a joke about Jesus? He should know better. Those kind of jokes could drive people away, or make them think you don't even have respect for your own faith. If you don't respect your allegedly Savior, why would anybody else?   

I have never asked him directly. I don't think I have to. I think Mr. Jeff would do almost anything to engage anyone into a having a spiritual conversation. That's his thing. He loves talking about Jesus with people. He even holds a seminar at his church called, "How to start a spiritual conversation without being weird". I took it once, and I loved it. I've learned from him many things about sharing my faith in non-weird ways. Most people feel uncomfortable when you come up with God-questions. That's the reality. Jeff's gift relies on sharing his faith by making people feel at ease when talking about God. We should be comfotable talking about Him. Why wouldn't we? God is not here to get us!

And a paaartridge in a pear tree...

Bono and Superman

Jeff would joke about silly stuff like that to gain many. You know, like Paul in the Bible...

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 

1 Cor. 9:20-22

Even if they don't believe, at least they hear what he has to say. They listen JUST because Jeff made them feel comfortable. That doesn't mean Jeff compromises his believes, washes them down, or gives them the cool aid. But he is not pushy, and overall he is a nice guy :)

So... I should have titled this post, 10 REASONS WHY JEFF IS GOING TO HEAVEN... 

Sunrise service. Easter 2014.

Anyways, I was just wondering while in bed what the heck I am wearing tomorrow for the sunrise Easter service at my church. Why would that matter? I won't quote, but the gospels say the linen where Jesus was wrapped with was lying there when he got out of his cave. They also said that when people saw Jesus, He was wearing a white-as-snow robe. So naked or not, I don't think Jesus cares what I wear. But I want to look pretty. I want to wear nice clothes to celebrate this day.  

Then my thoughts randomly changed to asking Google if there was an actual time recorded for the resurrection. The Bible says at dawn, after the Sabbath. But you know when you google stuff you find all kinds of stuff. And so I came across some websites that were arguing that Jesus didn't rise on Sunday morning, and that it was a stupid tradition we had in the church. I mean the Church, being all followers of Jesus. Those who believe He was the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that He rose from the dead. I am NOT talking about those who go to church on Easter but they don't have a genuine faith. And don't take this the wrong way. Let me elaborate.

Admiring living bugs

Being a Christian, a true follower of Jesus, is not about going to church. God won't give you a sticker because you paid Him a visit on Easter or Christmas. Being a Christian is not about believing the right things, or just believing that Jesus was the Son of God. The Bible actually says even the devil believes that. A follower of Jesus is he who has made a choice. A well-thought choice of trusting in Jesus. You have chosen to follow Him, you follow the leader.

You have come to the realization that you are a sinner and need a Savior. You ask Jesus to be yours. And your faith becomes real when you live your life according to it. That is not to say that you will no longer sin. Of course you will. But by Jesus being your Savior, God will still hold you accountable for your sins, but you don't have to pay the quote for them. You know what I mean? Jesus already did by suffering in your place.

And then I also read Jesus died on  Wednesday, not Thursday. They said it had to be Wednesday for Jesus to be dead for 72 hours if we wanted Him to rise on Sunday morning. REALLY, PEOPLE?

Then you have the Holy Week, and my dad asking me why the Catholic Church cannot make up a date to celebrate Easter on the same days every year, much like Christmas. I DON'T KNOW, DAD, YOU ARE CATHOLIC. ASK THE POPE. But I am a good daughter, right? So here I was doing research and explained to him that we follow a solar calendar, and Jews follow a lunar calendar. Easter is totally associated with the Jewish Passover Celebration, so it cannot be celebrated on the same days every year. All this I remembered while in bed.

Ready for the pancakes

My brain went berserk, and I also remembered a Thanksgiving dinner at Emerson's advisor home when we were still in Ohio. What do you know? He was Jewish. AWESOME. While grabbing some turkey, his wife and I were talking about Christmas, and she let out a question, "You do know that your Christmas celebration is wrong, right? Because scholars seem to indicate that Jesus was born on June, not on December..." And me, being me, didn't take offense, because I don't think she meant harm.

My point is this...

This Easter as you go to church -or not go to church- do not act like me who wonders about stupid tiny details in the middle of the night. All those questions have an answer, but don't lose your sleep over them. Seriously people, who the heck cares if Jesus was born on June??!! NOT ME. I understand people study the Bible, and that's actually their job. I get they need to make sense of stuff. I also believe everybody needs unity. So if it has been decided -by whoever- that Christmas is December 25th, so be it.  I doubt Jesus is like, "Oh, no, Daddy! They missed my birthday again!"

As followers of Jesus, let's have unity in the important stuff. Listen to me. Listen to this.

Touching beetles

If Jesus did not rise up from the dead, we who follow his steps are totally screwed. If Jesus hadn't risen, there would be no hope for anybody. Biblical Christianity would become a total fiasco. I am not defending or trying to prove my faith right. I have made perfectly clear in other posts that Biblical Christianity is unique because our God reached out to us. We don't have to hope we did enough good things to go to heaven because our God loves us, and He came to save us. Our Savior is still alive.

So excuse me if at five in the morning I don't care when Jesus died or when He came back to life. All I care about right now is that He did die, and He did overcome death. He is alive. How do I know He is alive? Because I was dead. I was empty. I was alone. I was addicted. I was really lost. But now I am alive because He lives in me.

He is risen. He is risen, indeed :))

Here's a link in case you want to have Passover and Easter answers to your questions from Jewish Christians.

Double Date :)

Nothing much has happened from the last post until now, but I just wanted to post some cute pictures that we took during the weekend.

On Friday, Emerson came back from work, cleaned the house and vacuumed. He also helped me with the children which was very nice. I had to go run, so when I came back he suggested that I take a shower... so I did. I didn't really wanted to, but okay...

It seemed that he was in a rush to send the children to sleep sharply at 7 pm, so I helped him getting them ready. At 7 pm, our neighbor came in the apartment, and said that he was ready to babysit our children. I'm friends with his wife, Cora, but instead Josh came. 

Anyway, it was awesome that Emerson gave me a surprise like that :)

We wanted to go see the movie God is not dead, but it was sold out to Emerson's surprise. It seems God is very popular lately :S Instead we went to Best Buy, Charming Charlie, and Starbucks. It was neat talking to him about other things rather than our children. However, I have to say, both of us felt really anxious. We knew our children were in excellent hands, but we felt almost paranoid because we felt as if the children were walking behind us. We really needed a break. I mean, when you can feel your child behind you... it'd been a LONG time since we have had a date.

My love and me :)

On Saturday we went on a double date. I had been telling Emerson that I've noticed Enzo misbehaves when I don't give him my full attention. I am all the time interacting with Libby, but not with him. She is the one who speaks right now, and she asks me to do this or that for her. She also brings me books, and puzzles... When I do cuddle with him, he hits me!

If he misbehaves and I spank him, he kicks me. He is a very sweet boy, but I've noticed he has trouble forgiving and letting go. Libby and him are so different, and I know they would. I am just trying to be fair. I cannot let him be one way, if I didn't do the same with Libby, for Libby's own sake. If he hits her right on the face, I have to correct him. I know he hits her because he is angry, and maybe even because Libby took a toy away, but still he cannot be a little jerk hitting his sister.   

My date :)

She forgives him from the heart when he comes. When she wrongs him, she apologizes and kisses him. She shares gladly with him her cookies, cheese cubes, etc. Most of the time anyway. But Enzo doesn't even want to say he is sorry. He doesn't share. But then again, I cannot force him to be something I want him to be. I do make him apologize, but I know his heart is not there yet. All we can do now is teach him right from wrong. But it is difficult and sad to see that he keeps on choosing wrong... because hitting me or sister earns him spankings at our household. 

So anyway... I thought we could have a date on Saturday, Enzo and me. And Emerson and Libby another one on their own. But Emerson had to go to a service at a church since a coworker's dad passed away. So all of us went with him. I gave Enzo almost all my attention that day, and it was like giving me a bag of chocolate kisses. I'm addicted to those things, that's why I don't buy them. 

Enzo would cry or yell whenever I was not holding him anymore... Still both children were very good at church (ha! because we took them out)

 

My real hair. Emerson said he loved it :)

For the first time in a long time I didn't do anything to my hair to straighten it. I'm really self conscious about it, I don't like that it puffs, you know. That's why I'm always wearing a pony tail, but Emerson said that was the hair God gave me, and he thought it was beautiful. It made me feel special ;)

Libby was always taking care of Enzo. Enzo fell on the bushes head first, and Libby had fun kicking a beetle. We took some photos with a new lens that Emerson bought on the way to church.

Enzo and Libby

Not happy

Not very happy, either

Always behind Brother

Grabbing some petals

Awesome Big Sister

"I cannot leave him behind, Daddy"

After mass was over, we had lunch. We went for a dosa, it's like an Indian crepe. It was amaaaazing :)))

It was weird to see Libby and Emerson interact on their date. Enzo and I were cuddling and hugging each other all the time, and Enzo loved it. Libby and Emerson barely talked. Emerson said there was nothing wrong with that, and I know that. They both have such similar personalities... no wonder why Libby never lets me touch her. It's like I have to steal kisses from her, just like from her Daddy :)

That's all. Oh, yeah... and I found Enzo like this at 3 am. last night. 

Sweet dreams

Pornography and Lent

This is one of the most confusing paragraphs I've ever read. Too repetitive to make sense. Yet, at the same time, it made so much sense once I grasped the idea. Bear in mind I read it a long time ago when English wasn't really a part of my life just yet, since we had recently moved to Columbus. 

Please take a moment to read...

What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

Does that sound familiar? I can completely relate. I keep on doing things I know I should not be doing! I'm talking about silly things, like, eating a huge slice of chocolate cake yesterday when I met Dana (just after running). Why did I do it?! Aghh... 

There are deeper things than chocolate cake, though.

At Levi's birthday party

What about people who really struggle with food? When food is really a temptation in their lives, a constant battle... What about those who struggle with pornography, or other addictions. They want to quit, but at the same time they can't. I don't think you have to tell them pornography is wrong. They have heard that enough. They know it's wrong. I mean, if they didn't believe deep inside of them it is wrong, they would tell you they are into pornography the first time you meet them. 

Like, say I met a mom at the playground, and we are chit chatting, and I say, "Oh, I love baking cakes, and watching The Office with my husband". And then the other mom would say, "Oh, I'm into scrap booking, and watching child pornography with my husband." 

You could say she wouldn't tell me because she doesn't want me to judge her. Then, objectively, she wouldn't tell me she's into scrap booking, either. Because I can make a judgment call on whatever she tells me she likes (which is NOT the same as to judge her).

Or you may say sharing that kind of information is too personal if you are meeting someone for the first time. But baking cakes for my family is personal, too. OR... those of you who know me will know that I will start a spiritual conversation with you if you give me the chance. That's personal. Sharing the love of God is personal for me, and I talk about it.

Daddy and his boy making a snowman

But it's not the same, you say. You may say it's private. Well, okay. Why is it private? I'm not asking you how much money you make, or on what days you have sex with your spouse. That is private. But if you so much like pornography, and don't think it's wrong, why don't you chit chat with me about it? Maybe not at the park. Maybe it is something you only share with close friends. But in lots of cases, not even your closest friends know you like it so much... 

And I think the reason why is morals. 

Let's not talk about my faith right now. Any single person, whether Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or whatever, would agree child pornography is just dead wrong. Sick. Disgusting. Right?

I am only asking why. Where do those standards come from? I understand people may agree or not with them, but nobody can deny they are there. And as long as they exist, issues like pedophilia or abortion, or sex before marriage will always be touchy subjects at dinner tables.

Why? I keep on asking...

Not really into the snowman

Almost there :)

I think most people do not want to accept the fact that they are sinners. I think they believe sinner is a very big word. A word meant only for killers or rapists. Or for prostitutes. What do I know? But being a sinner only means you have made things or choices that are wrong. Wrong based on a golden standard. See, this is where it gets tricky. It is not your standard.

When I was in college I learned that there is always a golden standard to compare drugs. I hated my pharmacology classes, but I remember Aspirin (Bayer) was the drug to compare all other acetylsalicylic acid tablets you wanted to make. The needed to perform in all studies, like Aspirin. So I guess, if this  is for a headache, why not have golden standards for more important things? Spiritual things.

And it gets trickier. There is a golden standard. There has always been. But everybody has ditched it - almost everybody- because everybody falls short from it. There is The Truth. But truth nowadays means whatever you want it to be. Hence, if it feels great and you like it, go for it. You know, stupid YOLO mentality.

Case in point. Child pornography is wrong. That is the truth. Please, prove to me that under certain circumstances child pornography is right, or even acceptable. What about cheating on your wife? What about lying to your husband? It might get really back and white... lying is wrong. Nope. No white lies. All kind of lying is wrong. 

Jumping on the trampoline

So, I'm gonna take it up a notch. What about homosexuality? 

Gotcha! 

I'm intolerant. I'm homophobic. No, I don't hate homosexuals. I just don't agree with their lifestyle. They believe they have a choice, and that they are who they are. Well, my conviction is yes, they do have a choice, and they are choosing wrong. I believe they were not born homosexuals. And so it is that my truth is not your truth. And you and I get to argue about what's the truth, but only because we want to find a truth that we can live with.  

But The Truth has always been there. Right there. 

More trampoline

We have made the truth relative. We usually accommodate it to fit what we like to believe, because we do not want to feel uncomfortable when we don't live up to it. Listen, I'm not here to argue that God's Word is The Truth I'm talking about, nor I'm here to defend God -trust me, He can take care of Himself. 

I just want you to see that you indeed do wrong things. And yeah... they may not define you, but they affect you. Every single wrong choice you have made until now has had an impact in your life. But that's my whole point. The Bible itself says it is not your fault!! 

God is not here to get you! He is here to rescue you!!

I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. 

Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it’s predictable...

All done!

YAY for our snowman!

Tell me, just tell me you have never felt this way. With any struggle. Tell me you have never willed a bad behavior away. Tell me you have never promised yourself you will never eat a doughnut, only to stuff your face the next day, not with a doughnut, but with fajitas. 

Tell me you have never told yourself you are going to stop thinking about what you should have done to save your marriage? What did you do wrong? 

Why do I suck at being a good friend? (This is one of my personal struggles). I try hard...

And with Lent all these weeks, and the fact that my family and I are about to celebrate that Jesus died, and rose from the dead... I mean, what's the point? Is the point to give up tobacco, or negative thoughts for 40 days? Is the point to prove you have will power? A rapist is able to do that, the scum of the earth can do that in a heart beat. Are you really telling me you are better than them because you have denied yourself a cup of coffee for the last six weeks??

I didn't drink alcohol for nine months when I was pregnant! Twice! Man, that is something...

At the very root there is evil in all of us. In our core. Just look at a child. You don't have to teach a toddler to lie, or to disrespect his mom, or disobey his dad, or hit a friend. They know how to do that. You have to teach them what is right. Everybody, all of us, know how to do wrong.

Under the right circumstances anybody is capable of doing anything .

I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.

Romans 7. The Message.  

Snowball Fight

You don't have to be perfect. Nobody is. Just trust Him. Trust that Jesus died for all those sins of yours. The bad choices you have made, the ones you are still living it, and the ones you will surely make. You are only a human being. You don't have to have it all together. You are living a lie if you think you can go through this life on your own, hearing yourself talk because you are amazing, and you are all you need.

Trust Him. Trust that He paid on the cross for your sins. Trust that He died, and He rose again. Ask Him to help you carry your load. God does not expect you to carry it on your own. He never did.

PLUS... if you feel that you don't need help from Him, God won't take it personal. Everybody makes their own choices. Own your choices, for good or for bad. But if you read everything I said up to this point, do not say later nobody told you about the Savior.

Oh, well... At least thank God for your free will :)

Houston Children's Festival

Lots of photos from the festival... I was wondering how they would make all this money at the festival if they gave away tons of tickets. Ours were free from Baker. But now I know...

Mommy, I want to ride a pony. I want to pet the sheep. Mommy can I ride the planes?

I felt terrible... but even though we had the money that day to let her ride whatever she asked for, we didn't let her. She had to choose. Enzo... well, he doesn't even speak, so we chose for him. 

Both children are very, very persistent. Enzo rode with Daddy only one ride. It was actually his only one. But Libby asked me about one hundred times if she could ride with them. And one hundred times I had to say, "No, Sweetheart, because you chose to ride the real ponies."

We had a wonderful time :)

Breakfast tacos before the festival

Libby and Daddy

Trying a little

YUM!

At the Festival

Elastic lady

Baker ballons

Going up the slide

Going down FAIL!

Flying

My pilot

Baaaa

"Tina, you fat lard...."

Getting my girl ready

Walking around

She wants a pony :S

"When I grow up I can ride my own pony"

Spinning around

Daddy, Tiger, and Zebra

Tiger

ARGH!

WHAAAT!?

The last week has been kinda rough. Enzo can't get over a cough he's had for the last two months. It might not be the same cough, but he's still coughing. He had his 18 month check up on Friday, and he is a very healthy boy :)

That same Friday Libby began with a runny nose... that developed into croup. She sounded horrible and so funny, literally like a seal. But it only lasted that night. The next morning she was still coughing, but a very wet cough. The nurse said she was recuperating very fast, but that we had to take it easy for the whole week. I needed to sleep very close to her just to check on the cough...

First morning after croup :(

Add to this combo that we decided to take Enzo out of his crib, making him a big boy now with his toddler bed. Emerson said it was going to be rough for a couple of nights, but that it was better that way because once we move we don't have to deal with that anymore. Of course... I'm happy we did it, because I am not going to have to deal with it anymore.

First Night on his Big Boy Bed

New Bed

Go to sleep, Enzo!

Emerson passes out every single night, and I'm up taking care of them. The children love being together, but I cannot go to sleep hoping they will crash. I'm torn - not really- because I do not know what to do. Every single night they have been going to sleep after 10 pm. Anyway... all this has been happening at the same time that both of them are sick. They always end up sleeping on the same bed, but I carry Libby back to her own. 

Last night, though, she was very upset because I did that, and she cried, and yelled... Whatever. She wants to sleep with him, let her do it. I told myself. And I did. You'll see the photos in a little bit.

They love each other so much... I'm happy they are good friends. I think they are. This is so new and exciting to them. I never had that so I have no idea how it feels. All I know is once we put them "down" at 7:30-8 pm, they play and play and play without fighting. They drink tea, they share, Enzo lets Libby stuff him with bunnies on his belly and back, they read books... They are always arguing during the day, but this is the only time when they actually play peacefully. Yes, I know they need to sleep. But I also know there are making wonderful memories. 

Second Night for Super Man

Nice flash... Both are out

Libby actually climbed into the pack 'n play (which she is not supposed to do) to get a book to read it to her little brother. And he passed out while she read :) She is always taking care of him, she is so kind, and loving. He is a very sweet boy, for the most part. He is going through a phase where he gets really frustrated. But he loves Libby. The two nights she wasn't on the bedroom, he was so miserable. We actually had to come back and sleep on the floor, all of us. Not Emerson, he had to work.

I'm telling you, this morning I prayed at breakfast... We thanked God for the food, and we read our Bibles (just a little verse, don't think my children can listen for more than 3 minutes). 

Anyway, I thanked God. I thanked Him for making the seeds of His Word grow in the hearts of my children. 

What am I doing right? I don't feel I'm making a difference, yet I'm exhausted all the time, specially at nights. Thank you, God, for being with us. We are planting the seeds, and you are making them grow. It's amazing to witness something like that happen. There is no way Emerson and I, on our own, could make our children be the way they are. 

Sister's out

Taken at 11 pm

Taken at 5 am

Taken at 5:05 am.
Why do I bother covering them?

Other than that... what have we been up to? I don't know... just watching The Wheels on the Bus on YouTube. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

We had breakfast tacos last weekend. We've made crafts and colored. Oh, I sent the Evites for Emerson and Libby's birthdays. 

We might go to India sooner than expected... or not. I'm planning the party, but HR India is done with the paper work, and Baker here is almost done. I don't know a lot about it, because I just tell you what I'm told. That means Emerson doesn't know either. But when we have the tickets in hand, you'll know for sure :)

I don't know when I'll write again, probably after Easter. I'm planning on making some special treats with Libby and Enzo. Maybe some challah bread, or actually, some unleavened bread to celebrate Jesus' Resurrection, Jewish style. 

You know, JC would like that :)

Eating taco

Going for the bacon

Crafts FAIL!