Tag: Familia

Honor Women Everday |Women’s Day

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Proverbs 31 Woman

To my wife, daughters, who exemplify the meaning of sacrifice. One day is not enough to tell you how valuable and precious you are to me. You have been hard-working, kept to your affairs. Tried to live at peace with everyone and are an integral part of my life.

  • And to all the women I know, may today be a great day for all of you.
  • Something I wrote some time ago, which still holds true today…
  • “There shouldn’t be a day for us to celebrate women and what they do. Proverbs 31 tells it all.
  • To all women(especially in my family), know that you are loved by the Creator of the universe! Know that you don’t need to serve man below him but be there alongside him. You don’t lord over man either.
  • Know that you can’t be mistreated but treated like royalty. You are all queens and princesses of His court.
  • You don’t need anyone to legitimize you to make you feel good. Jesus has set you free! That’s all the legitimacy you need to be a woman of God like Proverbs 31! Use your talents for His will and not man’s!”
    — Oscar Roca

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The God of Love & Bananas! |Letters to My Kids

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*New King James Version

Letters to My Kids Series

My little Dude(Rosh),

You just got done spending some time with us over the weekend. It is a joy watching you grow up. As I sit here smiling at all the toddler antics you can create, I want you to learn the lesson of the banana.
When you woke up early on Sunday, and we were getting ready, you decided to grab a banana and told Nana you wanted to share it with Poppa. We had bought those specifically for you.
I was in the bathroom getting ready and could hear the conversation you were having with Nana. It was music to my ears. The thought of you being that young and wanting to share something with your Poppa made me joyful.
But the temptation was too strong for your little mind, hands, and mouth.

  • I kept hearing Nana say, “Are you still sharing with Poppa?”

I had to smile because I knew what was happening…
That banana you had in your hands was calling out to you! Begging for your attention. Your little toddler stomach was, like always, super hungry. You had this wonderfully delicious fruit in your hand, and your stomach was on empty.

  • So your little toddler body was hungry and wanting to continue to feed itself. But your spirit wanted to share with Poppa.

I heard Nana asking you the same question four times. I listened to you answering her four times. You would come knocking at the bathroom door and asking, “Poppa, Rosh share the banana with you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh and answer, ”Hey! Don’t eat it all! Hold some for me!”

  • At that very moment, I saw myself as a toddler and God as my  Poppa.

The joy of giving of ourselves and our blessings are just like that banana. You see, God owns everything. Our houses, our jobs, our spiritual and physical blessings. He holds this whole universe. Yet, when we give with a cheerful and willing heart, He takes joy in it.
Why? Because just like when I could hear you happily wanting to share your banana with me, I knew how hungry you were. I knew that you had just woken up and that you, at that moment, had the thought of sharing your banana with me. That moment was a joyful satisfaction because you were acknowledging the relationship that you and I have built.

  • Even when at the very end, the tenth of the banana was all you could muster to give your Poppa, it was all that I needed!

I looked at your famished little chunky toddler face of joy in giving me what you could handle giving me. All I could do was laugh, and cut that tiny small piece of banana into two and give some back to you.

  • You will learn that God is the same way. He is not some angry old man jotting down every little mistake we do. Nor is He looking at how much we give Him.

His love for us is so much more than what we can ever give Him. He doesn’t need our money or possessions. He owns everything.
Rosh, all He wants is your little heart. He wants you to acknowledge and share your heartfelt joys, sorrows, and pieces of your bananas with Him. Because like Poppa, God is enjoying just observing and hearing your fruits and temptations of life…

If you want to know the God of love and bananas:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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May The Tempest’s Cruelty Subside |New Year 2019

“”22 Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed,

for His compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness!

24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in Him.””— Lamentations 3 

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May The Tempest’s Cruelty Subside

“May the storms you have sailed into

be ending

And calmer winds and waters lay ahead of you

May the tragic paths in the Tempest’s cruelty subside

And your sorrows thru these trials

Be turned into joyful peace

And the coming year the Lord appease

May He see you thru the dark waters

And light your way back to the Rock’s foundation

Where the Glorious Light on the Hill of Grace and mercy

Shine so bright that your rudder follows toward calm

waters where peace is still

And your tears wiped away by the Great Healer

Happy and blessed New Year”—Oscar Roca

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2019— Make The Best Resolution |New Year 2019

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New year resolutions come and go. Some want to get fit for the new year. Some want to eat healthier. Some want to go back to school. Some want to start new jobs or businesses.

—This year make the best decision of your life. Get to know God personally and intimately. Ask Jesus to forgive you of all your past mistakes and shortcomings.

Remember, most resolutions don’t last. And that’s okay. Some are meant to kickstart us into doing other things that will benefit our lives.

—The best benefit is knowing Christ.

Get to know God who never quits on you; even when we try to quit on Him!

How to Know God:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

 

 

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Christmas Comfort & Peace |Christmas Series 2018

Christmas Series Part IV

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Psalm 56:8

As all of us are trying to make this Christmas Season special and joyous for loved ones, may we not forget those that are hurting during this time of the year. Some people will be spending Christmas alone. Some may be going through some tough financial times. Others may have bad memories of this season. Some may have lost a loved one too close to this Holy day period.

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Jesus in the gospel of John 14

Whatever the reason, may we be sensitive to the needs of others.

  • May we first pray for those that need comfort.
  • May we then extend a hand to them and bring them closer to Christ.
  • May we add to their joy instead of bringing them more sorrow.
  • May we love them so that they see Jesus in us.
  • Especially those that choose to hate this Holy day season on purpose. Those that have decided not to believe in anything.

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  • May the God of comfort bring all who are hurting in silence, peace and joy of knowing that one day, Jesus will wipe all their tears away and then and only then, will each of us see how much God cared.
  • Enough to know the exact number of tears we shed during our times of sorrows. Enough for those that may think no one cares to finally find out how much a little child born in Bethlehem cared. So much so, that He came to earth to bring goodness and joy by one day dying on a cross. Taking the sins of all who call upon Him, even though He was innocent of any wrongdoing.
  • This season, if you are one of those that are hurting, whether you have lost a precious person, or are going through something traumatic, I invite you to feel joy this Christmas, like those that heard the greatest of news about two thousand years ago.

That a Child was born in a manger, to bring mankind back to a lasting relationship with their Creator. His name is Jesus, the Savior of the world.
He is here to comfort all who need comforting.
He is here to counsel anyone who asks for His wisdom because He is called A Wonderful Counselor.

  • He has come to bring peace because He is the Prince of peace.

The baby in the manger is Jesus, who is all this and more. He is the Eternal, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. 
He will bring you comfort and joy if only you should ask Him. Go ahead ask Jesus to heal those wounds you have. I promise that He will take all the burdens you have and make them lighter…

Need God?

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

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Laughter Is The Best Medicine — So Be Joyful! |Letters to my Kids Series

Letters to my kids:

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Romans 15:13

There will be some great times ahead for you and the rest of the grandkids. I want you to know that even when things get tough for you or your mom and dad, always remember that Jesus loves you and that He will always be there for you. Even when life seems to get you down, God will always give you joy.

  • A wise man once told me that a person of God never stays down, because God always lifts them up from the floor.

I want you and the rest of the kids to know that Poppa and Nana had some incredible times on our journey together. But we also had some tough times. It was in those tough times that we learned more about our Mighty God and held on to his promises more.

  • I want you to do the same thing. Always depend on God guiding you. Always be joyful no matter what life brings you.

Always love your family and family in Christ. They will be there alongside of you because nobody can get through life without Christ and people around them to be there for them. And when those you love need your help, always joyfully lend a hand!

Love you kids & always praying for you!

Poppa

Picture made with Canva.com

Scripture from biblehub.com

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Godly Wisdom v.s. Street Wisdom |Letters To My Kids

“Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
” The Book Of Proverbs— Chapter 1 verses 1-3 NLT

 

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Wisdom of the world or God’s wisdom.

Kids, I want to let you know what happens when God is with you and you have found favor with God. No, there isn’t anything you could do about this. You see, God loves us so much, that He calls out to us even before we understand that it is He who is calling out to us.

  • Poppa did not always have Godly wisdom. He grew to know who God was at a young age but still did not learn enough to understand the purpose of His teaching…

I grew up in a neighborhood with different ethnicities. I hung out with everyone and quickly realized there was a difference in the way kids acted. I learned that certain neighborhood kids were feared, and looking for trouble. Those were the kids that would be in my life for a few years. I did not pick them, they somehow picked me.  Yet, I knew, hanging out with them was not a good thing.

  • No one had to tell me this. A still small voice kept whispering in my thick-headed brain that this was not the way that I needed to go.

Back then, I had a choice, to talk to everyone or just the kids who wanted me in their gang. I chose to talk to everyone but hang out with the gang kids. To me, they weren’t gang members but kids in school and close to the neighborhood who played in the same park I did, were coached by the same coaches I was, and had the same skin color I had. So when they needed my help, I was there for them.

I won’t tell you the details of those times, because they are not important. What I do know is that by the grace and protection of God, I am still alive. A few of those neighborhood kids ended up dying too early, not by choice.

God had put Godly families in my life to pull me away from the kids I would call friends for a bit.

  • God knew better than me and knew that I would need extra instruction and discipline in choosing the right kind of wisdom.

Yet throughout all the years that I hung out with the wrong group of people, God was working in my life, instilling His wisdom and not the wisdom of the kids I hung out with.

  • You see, there is a big difference in being street-smart and God-smart.

— Street-smart is the way of the world. You are never too young for me to instruct you in what the differences are. Street-smart is what you think is right in your own mind. It draws you in, promising you fake stuff in order for you to get drawn into a life that little by little, turns down that still small voice of right and wrong, until you hear another voice. The voice that tells you lies and only gives you advice that makes you think you are smarter than everyone else. That voice will tell you to do things that are not right until you give into this “other voice” and do the things you know are wrong to do. You will know the street-smart voice because you will not be able to sleep at night. You will not be able to feel a peace. The peace that you once had will no longer be there. You will start lying to your parents when they ask you how your day was. The nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach will be a sign that you are listening to the street-smart voice and not God’s wisdom.

— Godly wisdom is the opposite of street-smart wisdom. It makes you stop hearing yourself and start depending on God’s instructions.

  • Godly wisdom brings you peace, it will encourage, uplifted and make you hopeful.

Hopeful that with God, you can conquer anything you set out to do. Why do I know this? Because with God all things are possible.

You can read about Godly wisdom in the Bible. Start in the Book of Proverbs. Read one verse a day to start. Then when you are away from your parents and get into a situation where you here the peaceful small voice whispering out to you,  ask yourself what Proverbs says. Remember to ask your self these three things:

1. Is what I am about to do the right thing to do?

2. Is this the just (Fair) thing to do?

3. Are the consequences worth doing this?

  • The short version—Is what I am about to do a right  and good thing to do? Or will I be in trouble for doing it? What does God say about this? Will Poppa give me the look?

I’ll explain more next….

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Your True Wealth Lies In… |Faith-Family-Others

There’s a story I have heard about a man who kept acquiring wealth…

He would stop at nothing to get more money into his bank and investment account. He was outstanding at buying something and selling it for three times it’s worth.

He came from a humble background growing up…  

He married in his late thirties because he didn’t want his children going through tough times like he did. He worked hard during his twenties and very rarely socialized. Everyone knew him as the guy who would someday “make it” in life. But no one really knew him well enough to invite him anywhere.

He met a woman while doing business out-of-town. This woman quickly realized that she could live a life of luxury with this man. He was too busy to recognize that she was paying attention to him for his money. They married and had kids. He was too busy making money, and she was happy that he was not around since he always complained about her spending too much money on things she didn’t need. Years passed by, he would lavish her with expensive luxuries and vacations anywhere she wanted. As time went by, the more he was out, the more she would live her life on her own. His kids enjoyed the fine things that their father was providing.

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Yet, he was a stranger to them. Soon, the kids went on to college. The wife was left alone and realized that she could do whatever she wanted. She was lonely and soon found someone else. After the divorce, the man became angry and made a vow never to marry. He continued working ungodly hours and hoarding more of his wealth. Time passed, kids got married and had their own children. They would invite him to all the important life events, he always had an excuse why he couldn’t go.

While working late at night, he grabbed his heart, it was excruciatingly painful. He reached for the phone and all he could tell the emergency operator was that he was having a heart attack. After a week in the hospital, he woke up, with no none at his bedside. There were tons of flowers and notes all over his hospital room from all his business clients and customers, but not one form any of his family members. Dejected, the man’s heart was broken. He died with no one at his side…

It has been said that a person is defined by the possessions he or she attains in this life. That the material wealth or things that a person has at the end is what determines their whether they have made it in life or not.

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Are material things important? Only to sustain and protect a person. We all need housing, food, clothes and have necessities. We also need emergency funds just in case there is ever a life emergency like you lose your job or have a health issue that keeps you away from making money. But aside from this, the rest of what we call necessities are more of luxuries.

Make sure that the most valuable things in your life don’t grow up too soon and walk away from you. Make sure that the precious person whom you have promised to cherish in sickness and in health is still that, the beloved person who you said you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. Time comes and time goes…fast! Enjoy the journey.

Don’t get caught up in the stuff that doesn’t matter. Get caught up in the attention that you give to others. Especially your loved ones. They are the most cherished and valuable possessions a person has, Not the material stuff you can’t take with you. Leave your spouse and children a legacy of working hard, playing hard, enjoying hard, praying hard and worshipping God hard. All the rest is just added expenses… Expenses because at the end, what does it profit a man to have gained the whole world and lose his soul? Or his family?

If you want to have a deeper relationship with God:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Bible Sources:

Matthew 6:20

Mark 8:37

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