Tag: United States

Mirror, Mirror…

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I look into the mirror and what do I see?

A new creation

the old has been swept away into the sea-

of forgetfulness.

I have a new role to fill;the old one is obsolete,

it has been swept away

into the sea of forgetfulness,

nothing new exists there,only the old.

I look into the mirror and what do I see?

A new creation who trusts in You more than before.

It’s not a blind trust but a quiet certainty.

a steadfast determination from way deep inside;

a knowing You’ll see me through.

Gone are the old worries, fears and tears,

they tried so long to alienate and annihilate my soul.

Now I know for sure you have it all under control.

From my inception

came so much corruption and deception-

the worst of my enemies.

They fought hard to keep me blind and hopeless.

My blind guides led me to a pit of distress.

 The past has no eyes.

Looking back there for direction is  useless.

The past is an old sage holding up signs,

warning me of the paths I’ve tread on before

and reminding me those I should now avoid.

From my past I only take the good:

memories to warm and comfort,

 on my journey forward.

On my left and right my two loyal friends-

HOPE and FAITH.

During the worst of times

 I hoped against Hope,

while Faith carried me on her strong shoulders.

Before God builds a new creation,

He sweeps away the old debris.

A new foundation must rest upon solid new ground.

He doesn’t search in the rubble or debris,

those He cast into the sea.

A single cornerstone He saves:

My Faith.

Up ahead I see  brighter days.

God never REBUILDS;

for to re- anything is a do over,

from a pre-existing plan.

 The Master Builder employs  His own blue print:

THE ORIGINAL!

Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

I see me no longer

fearful, worried or angry.

 Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

 I like the new me…

I  smile at myself and I’m standing tall!

 

Eva Santiago Copyright 2011 

TFCL (talk from the clothesline)

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When you sing a song to God, hold on because He will sing it back to you!

When you praise Him for all that He’s done and all that He is; He will praise  and brag on you, His child.

When you give something to God,He gives it back to you-multiplied! everything he does is magnified.

When you worship God from your being, He shows you how much He adores you!

Hallo Gott! (Hello God, in German).

Yesterday I was telling a friend  how people can look at me as if I’m crazy for the way I praise you during a church service. Some people will give me funny looks  as if to say,” What’s the big deal here? Does she need really to go on like that??” I find it amusing that folks will literally fall apart when their favorite NFL team scores during a game, yet when it comes time to praise YOU, they turn suddenly shy and uncomfortable.

 So next time you pass judgement on someone like me, who has freedom to hoot and holler for her God; remember  if you have that kind of zeal for your favorite pro ballers, God would like to hear you go on like that about Him from time to time 🙂

Ich werde mit dir reden später … Ich liebe dich!

TFCL (talk from the clothes line)

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Animated flag of United States of America.
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Bon Jour Dieu!

I want to greet you in other languages because I wonder if you ever get tired of hearing English all the time 🙂

Please watch over my friend who is serving our country in Afghanistan right now. Please protect him and help him out with his duties over seas. When he gets weary and home sick, let him know you are near. Help his family out in his absence by meeting all of their needs while he’s away.

God, I’m not going to stand out here and bring you my laundry list. You deserve so much, much more than that!  So instead I shall tell you how fantastic you are because I know you like it when I praise you.

Thanks for resolving that conflict that I had with that one business; I don’t need to mention names because I know you know who I’m referring to. Grant me favor!

 You are so beautiful to me. There was a song like that; wasn’t it back in the ‘7o’s? Anyways, the song suits you and so I shall sing you the little bit I know. Hang on though because that’s the ONLY line I know. hee hee

The US flag I have hanging in front of my house reminds me to pray for all of our troops defending our freedom here at home and over seas. God, America needs you more than ever right now, so I’m sending out an S.O.S. confident that you ARE hearing your people and responding accordingly.

Chao for now!

 Je t’aime mon Dieu!

The Star

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There once was a girl with curly black hair.

She loved to write and her name was Clare.

She loved to sing which was on the beat;

and she liked to watch birds,

now that’s pretty neat!

Her writing was her talent-

she was so great.

She wrote a book,

which tops the cake.

Clare was on a journey-

the longest of all.

Everyone said she was the shiniest star.

Before she began her journey,

Clare packed all of her stuff;

the village people were sad,

they went out in a huff.

The journey was long,

the journey was short;

it was the best of them all.

Clare made a friend: Tammy Defoe.

Clare’s husband’s name was David Defoe.

She made a lot of friends- Manny and Jenny.

The greatest of them all was Clare’s own Pappy.

He was very strong; the strongest of them all.

He told her to quit writing!

For Clare, this was the worst of all.

She was sad, sad, sad and MAD.

Her pappy told her to cheer up;

he told her not to be sad but glad.

So on her journey Clare cheered herself up

she made many friends and she bought a pup.

When at last  Clare’s journey ended

God brought her in a great big blast.

He had a big plan for Clare;

He gave her a family and she got her writing back.

I tell you this story is true:

There IS a BIG God and a writing girl too.

Her name is Clare- she doesn’t blend.

She has all her needs met,

God has been with Clare from beginning to end!

Raquel Brincat Copyright 2011

Talk from The Clothes Line Part 1

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Teddys on a clothesline.
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I enjoy hanging my family’s laundry out to dry on a clothes line my husband made by the side of our house. I live in the desert so in the summer the clothes are air dried in a matter of minutes. For years I have done this and I want to share some of the things I muse over in my mind as I talk to God while I hang the clothes.

Hey God, I ‘m so glad you meet me out here as I do this because I don’t feel so alone in this heat. Please tell the annoying wind to stop blowing so hard b/c I’ll get sand on these fresh clean clothes…Thanks! ( As the wind quiets) 🙂

 You are so cool God! You have given my family and I so many blessings that when I sit down to write them all I run out of paper. Since you bless me so much in big and little ways everyday; feel free to tell me what I can do for you today to make you smile.

Thanks  for letting me write JR’s story. A long time ago I had a t-shirt that said: ” Speak for those who can’t speak for themselves” printed on the front of it. Well I never forgot that and ever since You have been blessing me for doing just that.

Ok, I’ll be back with the next load. It’ll be the whites; since it’s pretty big load, I’ll be out here more with you God. Thanks for hearing me and as always I look forward to our next chat! Chao!

Music Brings Back Memories

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When I was six years old I was living in Colombia.My parents had passed away and I was living in the home of a family that was assisting me in acquiring the proper papers so that I could come to the Unites States legally. The lady of the house had grown up children who attended college. They enjoyed listening to American rock and roll music on a short wave radio that transmitted from a station in the U.S. The first American song I ever heard was Simon and Garfunkle‘s,”The Sounds of Silence“. I didn’t know any English so the words didn’t mean much to me. The haunting melody of the song grabbed my attention because it served to comfort me,reminding me that I wasn’t suffering alone.Just the other day,I heard that song again,and it took me back to that time when I first heard it. I could even picture exactly what I was doing that day. The family was re-upholstering some chairs in a luxurious red brocade tapestry . I even remember running my small fingers along the ornate design of the fabric to the sound of the music as I tried to sing along.

listening to this sort of personal anthem, and it brings me great satisfaction to see the personal growth I’ve done in the twenty years of the song’s release. Mr. Springsteen,thank you so much for that inspiring song that has become ingrained in the grooves of my soul!

Music is immensely integrated in our lives. My husband and I encourage our four children to listen to many types of music genres. They all play an assortment of musical instruments. In order to play great music you have to first be exposed to great music. I see much of today’s young people becoming narrow minded especially when it comes to music. I have a young friend who only wants to listen to rap music,that’s where its at for him. My children on the other hand find his point of view rather dull and uninspired. I thank God that my uncle exposed me to a vast array of classical music, because I am doing the same with my children.

God,thank you for giving us the gift of beautiful music.We can worship God in so many ways,but when we run out of words,music is there to bridge that gap between our limited earthly realm and that of God’s Kingdom.
Eva Santiago Copyright 2011

When Your Sister Turns Her Back on You

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I am the youngest of eight children. My oldest sister is six years older than I. Our mother became ill after having me. So naturally my eldest sister stepped in and took care of me as best as she could when I was but an infant. My mother passed away on what happened to be my sister’s birthday, my father’s passing came not too long after.

Looking back on my childhood, I see my sister in and out of my life at different intervals.I remember being separated from her for I don’t know how long. The day she came back,I was elated . I hung on to her when I finally saw her and I asked her.”Will you stay for a hundred days?” Back then at that age, that increment of time seemed like an eternity in my young mind.I looked up to her like a form of God at that moment . My sister… my hero.

Then there was the day that she had to leave me to come live in the United States. I was devastated. To this day I remember that we ate watermelon sprinkled with salt for breakfast. Then she was gone. I wasn’t taken to the airport to see her off. All I knew was she was gone for good.We wouldn’t be bathing our dolls anymore or letting them sit in the sun to dry off while we washed their clothes.

A few years later,my turn came to come live in the United States. I was being torn away from my other sister and brother. My last night with them,we all huddled closely in the same bed Each of us trying to comfort one another. I recall going to sleep while my other sister rocked me …I couldn’t stop crying and neither could she.

Boy was I ever surprised when I stepped off the plane on May 7, 1976 at Miami International Airport to be greeted by my eldest,”long lost sister”. It was the salve that my aching soul needed to feel welcome into a new country, family and life!
My first Christmas in the United States came and went with much fanfare. A lot of relatives came to visit. The music was rocking the house. Latin sounds permeated the atmosphere. Plenty of food and spirits to celebrate the season. In all the festivities,no one noticed that the two orphaned sisters were quietly tucked away in grandma’s bedroom. The older held the younger as they both rocked back and forth. Crying, trying to find comfort in each other’s arms.

Then there was the last Christmas that I saw my sister as a child. She came with my aunt and grandma just for the week-end. The hours flew by so quickly. When it was all said and done,she was on the Greyhound bus on a cold,damp, dreary morning. I went straight to my bed and I hugged my pillow so hard,wishing it was her instead. To this day, I still feel that ache;it reminds me of that nagging tooth ache that tells you to go see a dentist pronto or else you’ll be in for far worse.

So now where are we? More distant than ever. Life has dealt both of us blows. She is a success in her world. What she thinks of me? I have no idea! I used to resent her for still trying to mother me when I needed a sister. But time has whittled down those feelings too and left in place understanding. If she was with me right now what would I tell her? Thank you! I’m glad that you are my sister. I regret having hurt you but I was being merely human. To err is human to love is divine…I accept you with all your shortcomings and strengths will you do the same for me? I love you Mireya!
 
Eva Santiago Copyright 2011
 

Spanglish Spoken HERE!

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Photo: Jefferson_on_Mt_Rushmore.jpg Thomas Jef...
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I am bilingual. I grew up speaking Spanish and English and I see how knowing a second language can expand your vocabulary. Did you know that English is  60% French? So it would be a smart choice to teach your children a second language. Ever since my kids were born I have spoken in Spanish to them; some of them have taken to it and they speak it back to me. Not all my kids have been fans of wanting to learn Spanish and I think that’s fine; I’ve also introduced them to French. The way I see it I’d rather have them learn it because they chose to and not because I rammed it down their throats. I wanted them to embrace the Latino culture by choice not because I made it a mandatory requirement. And guess what? So far all my kids have accepted the fact that they live in a home where more than one culture is embraced.  So even though my kids aren’t fluent in Spanish; to be honest we speak a lot of Spanglish, having introduced them to another language has helped them to expand their vocabulary in ways I’d never expected.
 
” Apply to that ( The study of Spanish) with all the assiduity you can.That language and the English covering nearly the whole face of America. They should be well known to every inhabitant  who means to look beyond the limits of his farm.” – Thomas Jefferson
 
 
 

BORROWED VS OWNED

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Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blythe, 1766
Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blythe, 1766 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Borrowed knowledge versus ownership of knowledge. Why do parents send their kids to school? Is it so they will become smarter? Let’s face it, children are born with a natural ability to learn and soak up knowledge. But  at the end of 12 years of conventional education do they own the knowledge or did they just borrow it? There is a huge difference: Borrowed knowledge is when you are given facts by a teacher or from a book and you are required to memorize it so that you can then regurgitate the information on a test in order to pass you to the next level. Most of us who went to public school borrowed the knowledge; that’s why when you look back at so much of the information you supposedly learned in 12 years of school most of us draw a blank.
When you own knowledge on a particular subject, it stays with you for life and you will use it through out your whole life time.  Look at our youth today, why is it that they are barely graduating high school and they don’t know much. Could it be the difference between borrowed  and owned knowledge?
EVA SANTIAGO copyright 2011
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams, Letter to John Quincy Adams (May 8, 1780

PRAY FOR THE U.S.A.!

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We are a nation made up of people of faith. Christopher Columbus came to The New World because his faith told him contrary to what the experts of his day dictated. The Puritans came by faith. Other explorers followed after because of their faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen. Every immigrant who has set out  from their country of origin has been led by their faith; a faith that hopes for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The evidence of that faith is seen when you come to the U.S. as an immigrant and God blesses you so that you can be a blessing to others.
 
People of faith began this nation; they fought and many shed their blood for this nation. And it’s going to take today’s people of faith to restore the U.S.A.. Pray for The U.S.A.!