Two Love Birds

So today I was asking Father to inspire me to draw, but instead He has filled my heart with love and has inspired me to write. It's been a while since i've written poems, and I had left poetry because it didn't seem to suit me, but now as I've matured in heart and soul, I "draw" the feelings harbored inside. So here's one of the two poems I've written. It's not really about anyone at all, honestly. It just sort of popped in my head. More like about nature and love within it.

Two Love Birds
by: Rita Martinez

Two Love birds sing away,
Branch to Branch,
from a tree on a steep.

Each heart is array
waiting,
for their love to meet.

One tweet tweets,
the winter day away.
The other, to impress,
his wings it flaps.

One is bright,
and
with a colorful display.

The other,
large in size,
and dimmer colors it has.

The one offers a straw
for a nest to bear,
The other,
the warmth of her bosom
for little ones to hatch.

When spring arrives
and flowers bloom,
the tweeting,
carries off into the wind
A song to join two lovebirds
on a branch.

Picture taken from: MAARS.org

Wisdom, Medicine, Science and God...

As a medical student, I have learned quite a handful of incredible facts about the human body. As a person interested in how the world ticks I have sat numerous of occasions in front of the television watching Discovery Channel, Discovery Home and Health, Animal Planet and other channels of the sort, and I have learned many interesting FACTS about how this world works. One thing that does not cease to amaze me is how people view Science and Theology (if it can be put that way) as opposites.
I had a teacher once ask me 'how can you be a Christian and study a science?' I, very fond of this teacher, tried to explain all the reasons why I believe in God and how it doesn't conflict at all with the career i'm studying. But today after reading some parts of Bertrand Russell's "Why I am not a Christian" I have come to the conclusion that it is incredible that a medical student after knowing how a human body works, after studying carefully every little system, every organ, every vessel, every fluid, and most importantly the brain; would not conclude that for such a wonderful creation to be able to exist, there has to be something, Someone, a Designer of it all.
I have heard many an argument of non-believers in which they state that there is no God, and that we exist just because. My apologies to these fine people, but to live with such a thought, is to have an empty life. Is to deny any knowledge they have acquired throughout their lives.
Be not mistaken, I too lived a life blindfolded from the Truth, but still I wondered could this possibly be life!? If we can imagine that the universe is inside a box, where is the box resting? I fear these to be unanswerable questions to a person who thinks that we're here just because. I've always been afraid of telling such people "then what are you living for?"
You see in my opinion, which is to be respected just as I respect others choices and opinions in life, there has to be a reason for us to go through all of this hassle of a life. To study, to make a career person of yourself, to work, to make money, to raise a family and teach the generation to come to do the exact same thing. I believe the great and Wise Solomon would say to this, as he has said in Ecclesiastes,

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecc 9:7-10)

BUT ladies and gents, the good news, to all of those who believe, is that there is a purpose. We're not here just because. Our lives are not composed of the many years spent seeking wisdom and knowledge and making something of ourselves. Life trully starts the day you meet the Lord. For the lucky ones, they've been raised in a family where the Truth lives in abundance inside their hearts. For the late lucky ones, it happens throughout the many years of our lives, whether it be in our 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's-90's.
So fear not dear friends. There is always time, it is never to late. And God is always knocking on everone's door.

May God Bless you All!
Rita

Talk about Purpose...

Sometimes I wonder, who am I writing all of these things for? Don't get me wrong I do it because I love to write, thoughts are always jumping around in my head, and when an idea pops my heart is restless until I write it down. But the Lord well knows that in my little heart lies a hope that these blogs might come a cross anyone and might make their little hearts itch with curiosity. I've been asking myself this question for quite a while, and the Lord has answered it many times, but sometimes my patience comes to a stop and I wonder.
One of the answers I was given was one day at church, not that I had asked anyone, the answer just came across. I can't remember well what the Pastor was talking about that day, but I do remember he said "Remember that while Isaiah spent many years preaching and though never won a soul he did what he was called to and that is what mattered". So sure I am not a prophet but I do feel called to use my talent for God's glory. And telling the world how He has changed my life, how He has given me purpose and happiness and LIFE, wether it makes a difference or not, is what I feel to be the right thing to do.
So this is to whoever is out there in space reading my rather long blogs about God and what He has done in my life. I know there are more thoughts than actions in them but hopefully and SOON!! I will be used in many other things as well.

God Bless!
- Rita M.

Before Mine Eyes

So this morning, well..i wouldn't call 12:17 PM morning, but as I lay there still in bed a poem sprinted inside my mind, out of Divine inspiration I can only assume. And well here it goes:

Before Mine Eyes
by: Rita and The Big Guy

I fell on my knees
in Prayer to the ground,
And Light had shined
before mine eyes

An Angel had appeared
With golden wings
And fire engulfed his deepened eyes

And in his hand
he held a Gem
Crystal clear
and Blue as sky

And in it I saw
A beautiful face
And Christ,
a carved name that shinned

As he turned the glorious gem
inside it held a Golden key.
And up he threw the gleaming Gem
And clouds did part
to open the sky.

A glorious throne
was made evident,
A radiant light
before mine Eyes.

And In his other hand
he had held a copy
of the Golden key,
A Name was carved around the top.

Twelve gems now lay encrusted
Inside the Golden key's design.
A story written in brilliant letters
And blood indicating a sacrifice.

Up he threw the key again
And narrowed was the door up high
"Few Shall Pass" the Angel said,
And vanished right before mine eyes.

Everything is Meaningless!

Before I write my fave proverbs I thought it important to write a little something about what I've been reading in Ecclesiastes.. Truthfuly there is a time for everything and the perfect timing for me to read about Ecclesiastes is precisely now. Not because I feel the way the auhor (presumed to be Solomon) was feeling at the time, but because I feel a tad identified with some of the things he wrote.

The introductory parragraph for the first 6 chapters in the bible I'm reading is the following:

"The Emptiness of the ocupations in life
Summary The average man of the street may ask himself: 'What is life' And his answer may surprise or entertain us. You can ask the same question to the Preacher of Ecclesiastes and his answer may baffle you: 'Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless'(1:2). This answer is not merely a comment of any bohemian nor of the philosopher on the corner, it is a reasoned conclusion of one of the wealthiest, wisest man and with more influence from the Bible: King Solomon, 'Son of King David', (1:1). Looking at life from under the sun, Solomon realizes that all his vast possesions and grand enterprises will not bring the ulterior happiness and satisfaction possible. Just by including God into the ecuation can we really put all the pieces that make up life together inside a significative and complete frame."(a) Amen!!

Reading the first 6 chapters of Ecclesiastes brought back memories of the days I used to ask my college friend Jenny what the meaning of life is, I'd expressively say "This can't be living, this day to day thing". Now don't get me wrong I'm not the wealthiest, nor wisests, nor powerful, nor popular, nor famous person ever, not even close to any of that. But I had started to lead a lifestyle in search of that "Ulterior Happiness and Satisfaction possible" and just like the Preacher I found that everything was meaningless. That every single thing I did would never grant me what I had always wanted and had always looked for ever since I can remember, happiness and purpose. But just like the Preacher found the answer to the question, so did the answer find me. The answer is God.

"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil." (Ecc 12:13-14)(b)

May God Bless you All!!
in Christ,
Rita M.

(a): Translated from the bible "Tu Andar Diario" (Daily Walk Bible)
(b): Taken from BibleGateway.com (NIV)

Patience

I wrote this while reading proverbs which is like one of the best books in the bible ever..I know its a tad repetitive but that's one of the things I love most about the bible, it is not obvious in some teachings. In a lot of things you really have knock your head down thinking about the meaning of what you've just read. The fact that Solomon repeats things a lot in different ways is not accidental, he's only stressing the importance of a few things. I haven't finished reading proverbs but when I do I'll make a list of the wise advices I liked most and why. For now here's my little devotional on Patience.

Patience, a virtue or capacity that many people lack and few would like to have. Some people have it by default, others acquire it in time, others are too selfish to want it and many would like to have it but can't.

By definition, Patience:

1. The capacity, quality, or fact of being patient.(1)

"Synonyms: patience, long-suffering, resignation, forbearance

These nouns denote the capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint. Patience emphasizes calmness, self-control, and the willingness or ability to tolerate delay: Our patience will achieve more than our force (Edmund Burke). Long-suffering is long and patient endurance, as of wrong or provocation: The general, a man not known for docility and long-suffering, flew into a rage. Resignation implies acceptance of or submission to something trying, as out of despair or necessity: I undertook the job with an air of resignation. Forbearance denotes restraint, as in retaliating, demanding what is due, or voicing disapproval: “It is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other” (Patrick Henry)."(2)

The great Solomon advices us to be wise and among the many qualities of wisdom, patience is highly esteemed. Not only this but as you read on you can see that Christ was the biggest 'patient' of them all. He carried patience on his back. When you read about Solomon, in the bible it says that there is no one else like him, nor will there ever be. Thats true, but I heard someone ask is Solomon then greater than Jesus? If we take a look at Jesus' character, Jesus was wiser and of course greater than Solomon. The difference between Solomon's wisdom and Jesus' wisdom? Solomon talked about wisdom and taught how to obtain wisdom. Jesus is the living, walking and breathing incarnation of wisdom. All wisdom comes from God, and Jesus is the son of God.

Quotes on Patience,
Proverbs 14:29
"A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly."
Proverbs 15:18
"A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension,
but a patient man calms a quarrel."
Proverbs 16:32
"Better a patient man than a warrior,
a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."
Proverbs 19:11

"A man's wisdom gives him patience;
it is to his glory to overlook an offense."

(1)(2) Definitions: taken from Dictionary.com

Blessings to All!
Rita M.

Unknown White Male

I was watching a Film/Documentary of a man named Doug who one day lost his memory. Completely lost his memory. One day he was Doug the photographer waiting for a friend who was to sleep over at his flat, hours later he is an unknown white English male walking down the streets of New York, with a backpack on his shoulders and no documents to identify him. After turning himself to the police and finding a phone number of a person that came from his backpack he finally found someone who knew who he was. A female friend he had dated very shortly not too long ago. She told him who he was, the kind of life he led and all sorts of things. After that he embarked on a two year journey to find out who he was, his past friends, families. But the new Doug was no longer anything like the old Doug. The old Doug was a cynical, extroverted, sarcastic, cocky, cold English young man who lived life much like a lot of people in this world, having fun partying with his friends and enjoying himself. The new Doug is sensitive, emotional, kind of shy, a more intuitive and a more passive person. The old Doug lived a fast life, collected things, was once in the stock market, and not very happy with his life. The new Doug continued the photography classes the old Doug had started, didn't care much for collecting or keeping things, realized the importance of living life at a slower pace and was more philosophic about life and existentialism.
Doug got to a point where he just didn't want to remember anything at all anymore. He liked the way he was turning out now that he had been given a 2nd chance at life, if it can be called that. His friends though missed the old Doug.
As I viewed this movie I thought wow. Such luck. If only he would have been surrounded by Christian friends at the time wouldn't it have been more awesome to be born again with a, literally, clean slate? But you see we are given a clean slate. Our mistakes and sins are there for a purpose. You learn to appreciate your new life even more, knowing that the things you did in the past have been forgiven. But one must know what wrongs one has done in the past to truly know what one is being forgiven for, right?
Then I thought, look at how this person was changed completely by the "deletion" of his memories, his old attitudes, his old ways. Something big has to happen to a person in order for that person to change radically. In order to become someone else.
And then I remembered what happened to me the day I was given a clean slate. A second chance at this thing called life. Something "big" happened to me that day. I too like Doug was living life at a fast pace. And like him I changed completely. The old Rita sort of died off. She was "deleted" from the database. The memories are still there, but the person no longer lives in me. There are some traits still hanging on. But the old depressive, introvert, rancorous, rebellious, angry at the world, funny, "sweet" Rita was erased. That is my description of her at least. The new Rita is living life at a slower pace as well, I have a new view on life, a purpose, I live for God now, I don't drink, I listen to Christian music, I don't collect things, I'm shier, I'm sweet, and many other things that if you'd like to know you should get to know me. How others viewed the old Rita? Crazy, fun, drinker, emo, party girl, conversational, sarcastic, and many other things. They too have missed the old Rita.
The difference between Dougs friends and my old friends is, that they hang on to the hopes of him ever recovering his memory again while mine know that life for me is so much better and that I simply do not want to ever go back to being her again. The one thing Doug and I have in common? A chance at a new life and the desire of never becoming our old selves ever again.
This life is good. I can tell you that. Far better than any of the things I used to do and live for. To feel loved the way I do. To have a purpose finally!!!. To live for eternal things. To change. To have a second chance. To love. To be forgiven. To forgive. To be born again!

May the Lord bless you all. May He lead you through righteous paths, and may you all find a reason to live and be happy!!

Yours Truly,
Rita

Tis been long

I know I know it has been a while..oh wait only 16 views? heck well then I guess no one really reads my blog...so it really doesn't matter if I haven't written in such a long time...don't get me wrong I still write only it is kind of hard keeping up with 3 blog thingies..but nothing is too hard if the purpose is to honor God right? So..if anyone at all is interested, you can read all my writtings at:
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