Mexico Mission Trip

They line up early and the lines are long. Tomorrow morning I am leaving with a group from church on our annual Labor Day mission trip to Mexico City. This will be my 6^th year going. We work with a Mexican ministry called Armonia. They have 3 community centers that work with the poor trying to provide their physical as well as spiritual needs. It's always a great trip. I come along to provide translation (don't laugh) , music and sometimes even construction (stop snikering). Please pray for the team. We'll be back Sept. 6. Blogging will be light unless I can find a wireless connection.

Out On The Town

We had an unusually busy weekend last week.
We didn't get in till past midnight both Friday and Saturday night.

They say the 50's are the new 40's. I don't know... we're tired.

Kristina has returned to the Ukraine

Summer is over and Kristina has gone back home. Please pray for Leslie and her family as they deal with the loss of a child that for a short time became a daughter and sister.

Video of arrival here.

Story of her arrival here.

Kristina's story here. Start from the bottom and work your way through the monthly archives on the right if you're interested.

Rosie & Polito's wedding cake top

The future Mr & Mrs Polito and Rosita Gil

Yesterday, mi baby girl, Rosita became officially engaged to her sweetheart, Hipolito Gil. Polito, as we affectionately call him, and Rosie are planning their wedding day on June 30, 2007.

Polito has been a part of our family for the last two years participating in family functions and events. We are happy that he and Rosie will plan a future together and husband and wife.

Rosie is finishing her bachelor’s degree from Temple University this December in Business and Marketing. Polito will be completing his bachelor’s degree from Temple in Criminal Justice. He plans on beginning the New York police academy in January.

Rosie and Polito are planning on moving to New York (in the Long Island area) after they get married.

Bad Day

OK. I had a bad/busy/hectic last 3 weeks but I won't trade with this guy:

Wedding Bells / Wedding Horn?

Turn it up

Thomas Rolon Jr.

That's right folks, this is Tommy Rolon's last year in single digits as he turns nine years old on August 23rd.

Joe Black

This by far is the most romantic, ethereal piece of music I have ever heard. It's taken from the movie Meet Joe Black. It's a movie about death but it's not as creepy as it sounds. Tonight Laurie and I just got home from a wedding and the movie was on TV. I've seen it close to 10 times but I had to catch it again just to hear the music. I remember sitting in the theater enveloped in this haunting soundtrack. Turn it up.

Stuck

Ever have one of these days? Well my last 3 weeks have been like this.

Do, do, do. Da, da, da. That's all I want to say to you.

I must confess I became a fan of the 80’s band The Police after they broke up. I sort of snuck in the back door through their lead singer’s music after they disbanded. Sting was, and continues to be, my favorite musician/singer/songwriter. The above mentioned Police song came to my mind as I received a bit of sad news last weekend.

A friend had to step down from his position of leadership/authority for his self confessed individual indiscretions. He is a kind and gentle man and even though I wouldn’t call us close friends, the news saddened me. Almost the same kind of feeling I get when I hear of couples that have been married a long time, deciding to divorce.

Paul and The Police
In chapter 7 of Romans, one of my favorite books of The Bible, the apostle Paul wrote about the struggle with sin we all have to deal with. In verse 15 he wrote “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” These words came to mind as I thought of my friend. Lounging in the pool last Sunday (give me a break. I had a tough week) I thought of Do, Do, Do.

Do 1 is what we all ought to do. God calls us to live our lives a certain way. I believe this way is immutable and absolute. I don’t believe He says it’s wrong to steal in one breath, then turns around and says “Well, just this once it’s ok”. That would make God a liar and changeable and He is neither. Many times we try to justify our behavior by mudding the waters. We feign ignorance and say to ourselves “Does God really prohibit this type of behavior or this action?” knowing full well the answer. The enemy has been pulling this stunt since Genesis 3. Ask Momma Eve. Even the pagan knows (see Romans 1). The problem is not ignorance. It’s Do 2.

Do 2 is what we want to do. No pun intended but this comes natural to us. Paul knows that there is nothing good about the sinful nature he struggles with. The Christian also knows that since his rebirth there is good that he desires to do and therein lies the struggle. Have you ever heard the statement "but doesn't God want me to be happy?" I heard a preacher once say God is more interested in making you holy than making you happy.

We are a spoiled people in our blessed country. We are use to getting what we want. It's our right, damn it! I'm going to puke if I hear one more commercial telling me I deserve the product or service they're trying to sell me. If we all got what we deserved we'd be in big trouble.

Do 3 is what we end up doing. We all have to deal with forks in the road every day. Which road will we take? Who will rescue us from this body of death and the struggles that lie
before us? Thank God He has given us a way out and the power to take that road.

Dear family (and friends who read this blog), soak yourself in the basics of the faith: prayer and daily consumption of His Word. As we make our way toward the Lamb, let us humbly acknowledge our dependence on His grace to help us work through our struggles, for He is able.
Do, do, do. Da, da, da. That's all I want to say to you...

14 Days

It's been 14 days since the last entry. School started here in Florida and it's been a couple of hectic weeks. You'd think someone else would pick up the slack but noooooooo. Blogging will resume as soon as I can catch my breath.

. . . And speaking of Super Men . . .

A late birthday shout-out to little Roberto Rolón (aka Tito Bandito). Tito turned 23 years old last week and we had a pool party at Jimmy’s to celebrate the glorious event. Tito is planning to go back to school in the fall and (Lord willing) will continue to pursue his dream of following in his father’s footsteps. Drop him a note at beamer112@comcast.net .

The Men in Our Family

Fall 2004

Fall 2005

A few Blog entries ago, Dave was asking, “What the H-E-double-hockey stick has happened to all the MEN in our family? I wasn’t sure if he was serious & trying to make a point or he was just joking. Nonetheless, here’s a visual aid for Dave to refer to when/if he has anymore doubts. We’re here. Make no mistake about it.

Bahama-mama's and their men

Hola Familia,

Jim & Iris are planning a family/couples mini cruise next year. Currently they are looking at a 3-4 day cruise leaving Florida to the Bahamas. After sending an email to “Los Primos”, we have serious considerations from U & Laurie, Dave & Maureen (I think), Miriam & Papo, Patti & Danny, Jeannie Rolon & her husband and Roxane & I. This is great start.

If you are considering possibly trying to go, please contact Jim or Iris and let them know your preferences (dates, departure locations, price range etc.). At this point, if we plan and book it early, it would be less than $500 per person. I think they want to confirm a date and cruise line in the next week or so.

Mean and Funny

This falls under the catagory of mean and funny practical joke.