Jan 28 2012
Yes, I am Catholic and still consider myself one even though the current Pope and I don’t see eye-to-eye. In as much that I call myself Catholic, I am open to other religions as well. I listen and I take the good things that I can get and keep them to guide me through my journey.
Jan 28 2012
As someone who loves to travel, I have been very lucky. I have been to much of Europe and Asia, and have also lived in several cities in North America.
I travel mostly on vacation but I did have an opportunity to travel for work. The best place for me has been Brazil and I have gone to Brazil every year since I visited in 2009. I was planning on going again this year but I may have to put off my plans because the airfare this year have gone through the roof.
So, in place of going international, I would like to explore more local spots. I have lived in New York City but I wasn’t much into the gay scene while I lived there. I wasn’t out yet. I have always wanted to visit the San Francisco, Castro Area and maybe that’s what I will do this year instead. Besides, the hassles of coming in from a foreign country back to the US has gotten old for me. I always get stopped by Immigration every time I come in (something to do with the random list) and I am tired of it.
Jan 16 2012
I am coming to blog about this very late in the game because I wasn’t sure whether what I initially felt while watching the video (Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus) was the way that I should feel. Jefferson Bethke posted a Youtube video on 01/10/2012 and within a couple of days, the number of views reached millions. As of this writing, the video has garnered over 12 million views and it continues to climb.
When he opened the poem with “What if I told you that Jesus came to abolish religion”, I didn’t hear it. I somehow got caught in the poem after that. When he continued on, I felt the sincerity of what he was trying to say and the message I got in the end is that I am loved by Jesus regardless of what I have done, doing and will do in the future. That’s when I cried.
I have always known that but with Jefferson’s delivery and how he said “I WANT THAT MAN”, I literally saw visions of God pointing at me saying that He wants me.
But after I saw the video a gazillion times, I began to actually listen to the words. When I heard him say that Jesus came to abolish religion – - I had to think again. “Did he just say that?” Because in all my years of studying the bible, one very distinct phrase I remember Jesus saying is this:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. – Matthew 5:17
Although I agreed with Jefferson’s message, I sincerely hope that he is not misleading people who’ve seen the video and take his words as fact. Because if you look it up, Jesus DID NOT come to abolish the law.
I still believe that Jefferson’s message is one that has to be proclaimed. One special part that touched me was when he said that the Church is not a museum for good people, but a hospital for the broken. I agree with that wholeheartedly. It’s the most powerful part of his message. The church, being the bride of Christ should accept ALL people.
And when he said, “The Son of God did not support self-righteousness; not now, not then” – I almost stood up to applaud him because it is true. Self-righteousness is really not how Jesus taught us to deal with others. James 4:10 states, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
So, in total, I think Jefferson has the charisma and the power to preach. I do hope that he will rely on the bible for his facts before he spills it out as if they’re true. He is definitely gifted and he can deliver speeches and lectures well – - – he just has to be careful. He is a young and passionate kid and I must commend him for that. But it is easy to get caught up in things and I hope that his celebrity status doesn’t murky the waters that he’s trying to tread. (One interesting thing from his video is that a link to the watch company was provided below saying that it was the watch he was wearing on the video and if you’d like to purchase, to click the link. HUH? Sales?)
Jan 10 2012
I was a little careless in 2011 about my finances. I usually plan my vacation very carefully so as not to go over budget and make sure that I keep my lights on… ha! But, somehow I went overboard last year.
I went to Brazil in May and then in November, I was coerced to go to a Mediterranean cruise by a friend of mine. No regrets here. I had a great time on both trips but you know what that meant right? I went over-budget.
Jan 04 2012
I appreciate the guest post, Jewel Rodgers
We just installed a Home Security Family system in our home. Now, I feel much safer when I am home alone. My husband has recently started working the night shift. I feel like I hear everything that goes bump in the night. Any little creak or noise will startle me. For a while, I was tossing and turning. I was getting hardly any sleep. It made for a very stressful day at work. I would sleep with the lights and television on. After I got the alarm system, by suggestion of my mother in law, I started sleeping better. My father in law is a surgeon and worked a lot of nights. She said that she was in the same situation when they first got married. She said that she would toss and turn and was totally exhausted when she worked as a nurse during the day. I really got to the point where I couldn’t afford to loose anymore sleep. It was fraying me at both ends and I was having all sort of problems. I was getting sick and wasn’t able to focus. Now, I’m back and work and back on track. I wish I had gotten an alarm sooner.
