your lips are moving...

Your lips are moving...but all i hear is BLOG, BLOG...BLOG,BLOG, BLOG...LOL.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TOO ALL...
of you...

from ME!

T-minus 4 days and counting...

Think really hard about this one...
Christmas is coming early this year for us, can you guess what I am talking about?
Hmmmmm....

New Post.. I know its been a long time...

Hey, Happy Thanksgiving!
Peace-Out :OP

Whom are you following, and why?

My alien wife (not Area 51) just became a citizen of the United States just a few days ago, during an oath-taking ceremony held at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium. To her, I say, "Welcome", "Congratulations", and "What took you so darn long, woman?" LOL. After being married to me for six years, Jescel decided that she needed to take this step towards citizenship, but why? Well, she left her native country, the Philippines, to follow me here to the U.S.
That's it -- just to simply follow me here to the U.S.. She knew that she had to follow me and she did so willingly, not that things have always been easy --especially those first few years, right? She did not follow me because she needed a "green card", nor did she plan to come here to take advantage of the different financial opportunities here in the U.S. that maybe she wouldn't have had back home. She knew that I was not independently wealthy nor an heir to a famous families fortune -- So why did she come here?
She simply chose to follow me because thats what she knew she needed to do, not only as my wife, but because proximity is important to relationships. The more imtimate the relationship, the more important it is to follow the object of your affection. I must ask the question, "Whom are you following and why?"

Because Jescel followed me, and continues to do so, she reaps the benefits of being in close proximity to me. But the "benefits" were not her primary focus of being in relationship with me. The benefits she receives are secondary to the relationship itself. Likewise, it is much the same way we are to follow Jesus. It has been my experience that many here in Miami, seek "stuff" (benefits) first -- and relationships second. To extrapolate, that means people follow people only because they want the "stuff" that comes in the form of "benefits" for themselves. Jesus want us to follow him first in (primary) relationship, and then all the (necessary and beneficial) stuff will be provided for us -- because Jesus knows we need it.

But the "stuff" should not be the motivating factor for your relationship with Jesus or with
anyone else for that matter.





I admit that it frustrates me to see so many people come here to the U.S. for a better life , only to chase after the "stuff" without regard for what really makes this country great, the idea that people from many different places and cultures can willingly jump into the "melting-pot" and become part of something bigger than just themselves. Simply put, their attitude towards relating to anyone outside their clique really sucks! Yet, I do see many converts here in Miami that embrace being here in the U.S. and appreciate what that means, and don't mind welcoming you into their "circle". Yeah, hate to break it to ya... America, it's not just about "stuff". (rant complete)
As I sat watching the oath-taking ceremony, I saw moments of joy and recognized moments of sadness on my wife's face. She was joyous because she realizes how GREAT this country is among the many Nations of the World, and yet sad because of her tremendous love for her family, her people, and her native country, the Philippines, in that she feels like maybe she's giving up a piece of her filipina-ness in the process. Truth be told, Jescel knows that she's not selling her heritage she's simply deciding to FOLLOW the best way she can. The "stuff" is a secondary benefit to our relationship with one another, and through our primary relationship with Jesus, he blesses us with what we truly need! Congratulations, Jescel ... I Love you!

Finally, A New Post

It seems like I have been so busy since my last post back in January (embarassing). Well, I will see how things take shape this year. Last year was very demanding on our time, resources and relationships but hopefully we can march victoriously forward throughout the remainder of 2008. Please, dear friends, know that I have lived through my wife's blog for the last few months, seeing her passion for creating new and exciting things in our kitchen. Does that count? (towards my "blog potential") I don't know. LOL.


It feels weird, but after not being actively involved in ministry and feeling like an integral part of our local church for quite some time, perhaps the one-thing I would ask from our friends is to pray that we find the church and the place (of service) where we are called to serve.



It is inspiring to know that our "best-est" friends in the whole world, the Logan's, are out there doing what the Lord has called them to do. Way to go guys! You're willingness to go is encouraging to us... ROCK ON!

Saturday Night

Well, this Saturday Night was one of the BEST I've had in quite some time. Our friends Kevin and Holly, and their kids, Emily and Katie, were RSVP'd to come over for dinner. Earlier that day, Kevin calls and says that David and his two little boys, John and Josh, might be coming over, since his wife, Vicky, was spending time in the hospital with her abuelo, whom is not doing well at this time. All of them showed up around 5:30-ish and made themselves comfortable while I finished cooking the main course -- STEAK!



I really didn't know what too expect with all of these little ones, but I quickly found that they enjoyed chasing our dog Prince, all around the house. they had so much energy and laughed and laughed so much -- it was really quite a treat to see them play and have a good time. Finally, someone that can make my dog tired by chasing him around the house for hours. YEHEY!

Well, we all had a good dinner. A few people made some noises at the dinner table and YES, they were the good kind of noises. (Thanks Holly for liking my steak, btw). Our friends came in mini-vans, and yet some of the onion soup left in to-go containers. You know what? It took quite some time to prepare everything that day, but it was nothing in comparison to what I received in return through the fellowship of our closest friends.

Good friends rock!

For Jescel's take on our evening.