We are our own worst enemy

Isn't life funny. We spend half of our time blaming others for our lack of happiness. And we depend on others to make us happy. We can't help but to always find a way to blame others for whatever we need or don't have. For some reason this generation in our selfishness have been able to manage to not take accountability of the things we do or say. It is because of such behavior that this generation spends so much time searching for happiness. We indulge in food, we seek out for more money, we engage in new activities and hobbies, we run away from life because we think that what we need will require no sacrifice. It isn't a bad thing to do these things, it isn't bad to find new things in life but whether or not we are using this to excuse ourselves from life and depend on other things or other people rather than ourselves to be happy can be dangerous.

What is most scary of all this is that we have no idea many times what truly makes us happy. We are controlled by our thoughts of the present, past and future. Because of ourselves we are found in a struggle of completion. A struggle to finding out what truly makes us happy. Depression is at it's highest and although many factors contribute to depression at the end of the day we have to be willing to come out of that depression to enjoy life. It is so important to be able to take time to love ourselves, take time to get in tune with our faith, and do what we can to not only be happy but become accountable for what we do.

This selfishness is what drives us to hurt each other. IT is this behavior that has so many people not being accountable for the things they do or we do. How can we heal this generation? Will we continue to hurt each other and become afraid everyday more and more to trust and love? Have we become our own worst enemies?

It is these things that have created such a cruel world sometimes. Instead of us saying "wow bad people do exist" sometimes.. we are more shocked when we stumble across a good person. At the end of the day the choice will always be ours. Our goal is to make sure we are not hypnotized by this cruel generation we live in. Don't allow ourselves to fall into the trap of "selfishness" and continue to shine some love on this world. It is up to us. It is our world, we are our own worst enemies.

-- yours truly

Importance of time.

"There's a very positive relationship
between people's ability to
accomplish any task and the time
they're willing to spend on it."
- Joyce Brother


In the morning I am running around trying to get myself ready for work. I keep glancing at the time, trying to see how much more can I squeeze into those last minutes I have left in my apartment before I have to run to catch the bus. Each minute that goes by only means I have to make sure I use it wisely so I tell myself Gaby, you will have to make sure today you are not that long on your makeup because you have to prepare your breakfast. Then I glance at the time and see oh I have 4 minutes left, perhaps I can pick up my messy room a little bit. Then the watch hits 8:18 and run out the house, counting my minutes because the bus gets here at 8:38. At that point even how I walk will matter, will I gallop my way to work or will I have to speed walk? Will the bus be early or will it be late today?

What is my point you ask? As you saw my morning was constrained by time. Every minute I had was accounted for. If I decided to not do something or change my plan it would change my course of the day. The world we live in is surrounded by time frames which are determined by society or the particular goal that you or I may have set for ourselves. Some of these time frames are positive and some may not be. When it get's to the goals in our life there are certain things that will require more time. How do we value the time we have in this world? What are the things that take up the most time in our life? I have decided recently to really take the time to get to know who I am. Take time to work on my personal goals and dedicate time to those goals in order to accomplish them. The quote above was on my google homepage this evening when I went in to open it. It got me thinking about the amount of time that we dwell on the NOT so positive things.

Joyce Meyers in her message this past week was talking about the time we spend as woman on our personal appearance and how if we were to spend as much or some more time on the important things like bettering our internal self perhaps we would discover some great things about who we are. As I live this life I learn that every moment we have or share with others is important. When I look back to life how can I accountable for the time I have spent on this world? Did I make the time to love myself and value the person that God has made in me? Sometimes we live our life trying to substitute an emptiness we feel by consuming our time with unimportant events or habits. My life and time is worth more than just wasting it. We are called to first become ministers of our own life before we can become ministers to others of their life. Every second matters in our life, even those that sometimes we fail to see.

I know sometimes we are chasing time, we want to race towards certain moments in our life or even back to certain things in our past. We think that life needs to be programmed to where we want it to be at the moment but if there is something we learn is that patience is the key. When awaiting certain moments in life we need to learn to be patient and let go. Live each day for what it is. Appreciate your today as much as you sometimes value your yesterday and worry about your tomorrow. Count the blessings of today and allow for time to show you the importance of living in the present. If you have any goals set for yourself today remember to make the time for them, your relationships require time, your education, your well being, top of it all your spiritual life requires time. May we learn to prioritize our time and know how to manage it wisely because at the end time is of essence in our lives.

Everything is made new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New King James Version)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Another year lies ahead for me and I am ready to embrace it. I have had my highs and lows, my losses and gains... a little bit of everything and all I can say is that if it wasn't for all of those I wouldn't be where I need to be today. Clearly, in life we will face good and bad days but it is what we make with those days that will teach us something. There are many things for me to be thankful today, the list will be super long but I will keep it simple. Here are just some:

1.God
2.Life
3.Love
4.Family
5.Friends
6.Church
7.My faith
8.My apartment
9.My Job
10.The strength giving to me to achieve my goals.
11.For today

I am super proud of where God has allowed me to be today, and know that I will continue to strive for the many goals I have ahead of me. I just have to keep my head up high and my strength relying on HIM. My focus on my goals should never cease and if it did happen remember that I can get back on track. Gaby, you are a blessed child from GOD and there are so many more promises that we need to see unfold so keep going forward. I shall see it all come to reality in my life. I just have to keep believing and trusting.

I look forward to the things that lie ahead for me, and will enjoy today for what it is.

*** This picture on my blog just shows where I would love to be now but can at least enjoy a picture of it. jeje.. Maine =)

Just saying. =)

What makes you feel special?

This one will be short and sweet as I still continue to figure some of this stuff out. What is feeling special? What does it take for me to feel special? Will it take a trip, a nice outfit, a diamond, a good job, a kiss, a man, ... what is it that makes us feel valuable? I haven't been in a relationship in a well real long time that it is safe to say that I have never been on in one. Somehow I don't really know what feeling special in a relationship is but as I get older and learn so much more about how confident and strong I have become things have changed for me. I am not saying that people shouldn't contribute or that certain moments won't make us feel special but what exactly makes us feel special? I have to really analyze my own life and figure out what things make me feel special. What is the core of who Gaby is? What makes me feel strong, valuable and worthy of the best? So many times I feel like we depend on other people to make us feel special, not that they shouldn't but what if the person let's us down, what then? Will we lose value of who we are? Will we be depressed? So many questions I know, but I am trying to figure out where do we draw the balance. So far, I have learned that I feel good, when other people love me, when they make time for me but letting that identify or define my quality or value seems rather unrealistic to me. Don't worry I am not saying that I am 100% correct, I can be very much wrong and have much more to learn about all of this.. meanwhile I find it all mind boggling.

I will open my heart and emotions to a man one day but meanwhile as a single person what makes me feel special? Will I not be completely special or happy until a man comes into my life? I say NO, if I cannot be happy now, there is no way on earth a man can be held responsible for my happiness or value. While every woman likes a gift, loves some chocolate and flowers... is that all that makes me happy and feel special?

Right now, I am learning to value myself for the woman I have become. While many of us women struggle with insecurity because of the meaningless limits placed by the world, media and society we need to acknowledge the incredible amount of strength that we have developed over the years. One thing that I always say quoted by Joyce Meyers is " I am not where I need to be, but I am not where i used to be".... remember YOU have come a long way... things have come your way that have tried to deviate you from the purpose in life but you have made it. Never stop dreaming, while finding a man, planning a future, may seem like sometimes the most important thing in our life.. while finding love we shouldn't forget about ourselves. Nothing will make You and I a better team player than a strong confident woman that has overcome adversity and learned her value.

Just saying. =)

Like bull riding?

"it's not if you get hurt, it's when." -- this is a quote that bull riders say very often.

Life has been described as a roller coaster amongst many other adventurous rides, but today as I walked back from work the only thing I can think of is "bull riding". Now, I know that like me, many of us have just seen this sport but have no idea what are the rules to the game or how can this even be a game. I did some research on this sport and from what I read the only rule to this sport is, well stay on the ride for more than 8 seconds. I am not going to focus on how the game is scored but on how it is important to stay on this bull ride for 8 seconds.

Now what do you need to to bull ride: Here are some basics, bull riding vest, bull rope, bull riding glove, rosin, boots and helmet. The vest helps protect against punctures during the pulls done in this bull ride, the glove protects your hands, the rosin is an interesting tool that is used to make the rope stickier for a better grip, (it is a rock form that is rubbed on the rope), and well the rest are all protective armors. That being said, every rough ride requires a special armor, --- Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We won't be able to stay on this bull ride if we are not properly equipped. And like every rider we need to make sure that in our path we are equipped to face whatever is thrown our way.

Sometimes we want to become champions and overcome, become the best but fail to acknowledge on how to do so. If we want to beat those 8 seconds that are required we must make sure we have the proper tools. How equipped are you for this bull ride?


What bull ride you ask? That life of ours that can sometimes be described like a bull ride. When having a strong grip on those horns is all you have left. When holding on to dear life, in hopes of not falling, is all that matters. This is a life bull life ride. A verse that comes to mind as I write this is: "We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4 So yes, this bull ride will leave some scars, it will have some moments of pain but at the end of it all we know that it will just build a positive traits in our life. So although, this path is a great one, and everyday I face life I appreciate every moment i can of it, I can't help to feel as if sometimes I am almost bouncing all over the place with this ride. So don't think that life is supposed to be all dandy and pretty all the time, because NO we will have our rough days.

You see on this ride, the good part of it all is that even though it will toss you around we have to remember to get back on the ride even when we do fall. Psalms 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I know that we put effort into living each day and trying to stay on the ride or on track with life, we do feel weak sometimes but just keep in mind always our reward that lies ahead. "Be strong. therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

So are you on a eight second ride, right now? Do you feel like you are being tossed around? What will you do? Are you ready to grab the bull by those horns, grip that rope and stay on no matter what?


http://rodeo.about.com/cs/bullriding/a/bullbasics.htm

Running towards love.

As runners we set ourselves to run towards our fitness goals, some of which we have yet to see. Yet we continue to run knowing that it is through perseverance that we will see the results. Live a life like a runner, eating healthy, making commitments to running certain distances. Point is we live our life as runners. How can I live my life in love and impact others so that they know I am a runner/lover. Don't get me wrong, not a lover as we may know it, but a love that imparts love through the mere act of living. Like our faith, love has undergone it's own personal turmoils. I want to believe that I have been able to display love in the past? But how true can I be to my own heart. This leads me to my other question. Is love something you believe in only when you see it? Or is love something you start to believe within your heart without even meeting a "person" or a "moment" that will change it all? For a while I have analyzed my own feeling towards love and I guess all these dating shows have helped develop what seems to be a bit of an interest into the depth of love. I was watching something today, yes another dating show "Millionaire Matchmaker" and one thing the host of the show said was "she would give up everything for 'true love'. So I went ahead and asked myself the same question, what would I give up, and do I have to really give up something in response to love? To be honest at this point in my life, I find myself one moment saying, YES I will, I will give it up all to find love but what is "all" that I have to give up? Like running I have had to give up laziness and unhealthy eating habits but what will I have to give up to walk in constant love? Not always I follow through my plan for running and find myself putting excuses in order to walk a life fully satisfied and filled with love. I have faced moments of frustration when things haven't worked out in my running routine and take me off course for a while, and in my "love walk" I have also found moments that seem to take me off course. Things that make me question will I ever really live a life of a runner/lover?

I have to say that deep in my heart I do believe in love, or at least I try. But can I truly believe in it without being a champion of love? How can I face adversity and still claim a life of love? For a long time I have continuously tried to remain optimistic about love, and can say that a good part of me does believe in it. Love is such a strong word. Because of love many have overcome hardships in their lives. Love conquers all things; let us too surrender to love.- Virgil Can we say that we believe this? In my own experience, I have learned that LOVE is so strong that at the end it does allow us to feel a sense of hope even in the most helpless situations in life. How else can we face the world? How else can we live our lives with our heads up high when the world seems to be collapsing all around us? I know that we will all have our good and bad days, we will have days when life will not be a rainbow with unicorns but do what we do with that day will determine how will you approach the next big moment in our life.

There are many things I don't know, and there are other things I have learned. Bottom line is we never fail to learn as long as we keep things in perspective. Love cannot guarantee that things will work out the way we want them but it will give us a reason to keep going. Perhaps my "love" life in all spectrums of it is not at it's best right now but I stick to believing that if I continue to believe in this love that has saved me from an eternity of fire it will keep me from my daily fires. I seek to find not only the agape, eros but all the loves, philia and storge. So aim to never give up on love, whether it is in your friendships, love life, family or just loving yourself remember that at the end of the day we will conquer all as long as we continue to believe in LOVE and it's ability. Like you live your life striving to improve and work towards your fitness goals, life your life striving to live a life of LOVE. Knowing that putting the work will only promise you a guarantee that you it will come to you.

End of the day, while finding my walk in true love, I will continue to believe in true love. Don't live your life so much searching for it, just believe in it, knowing that at its due time it will come to you. You will be a pro-lover/runner. =)

Love concedes in a moment what we can hardly attain by effort after years of toil.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goeth

Love 2011 <3

I continue to believe.

I know there are some situations in our lives that we think perhaps, just perhaps hope and love will not be enough. I know for one that it is in my nature to always be hopeful about certain situations in my life. Don't get me wrong, I have my off days where I will be certain that I won't make it. Those thoughts come to each and one of us, there is not escaping however it is our duty to move forward and not let those thought empower our lives. Recently I have been reading and hearing alot about the power of the tongue and how it can impact our lives, positively or negatively. I know that I along with you have had had our moments where we wondered if hope would be enough to get us through certain situations in life. We I chose to not wonder but believe. That is the gift of hope, we have choices in our lives. We can chose to wonder, or believe that it will happen.

Yes, let's face it some situations are not going to happen but remember the essence of hope. A friend shared with us yesterday a truth to hope. Why hope on something we already have? The amazingness of this hope we hold on to so tight is that we are somehow giving a guarantee that because of our continious belief that GOD will take care of our problems, we are at peace. That brings me to this, what is peace? Is it knowing that things will be okay? Or seeing a problem resolved? I know that i tend to lose sight of the true meaning of peace, because I get caught up in the problem. I am learning as we all are, that because I have peace I trust that all is going to be okay and things will change. You see in order for us to see the wonderful results of hope we must believe. So don't just assume that because you are hopefull things will magically happen. Every change, every event, every situation in life requires some belief in our part. Remember faith without works is dead. So whether or not you see the change in your life, you have to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that it shall happen. When left with nothing to say, in those moments of dispair don't let the situation control the outcome of the moment. Take a moment to shut down and just listen and pray. It is only then that peace will come to us, because we continue to believe despite what we see.

From my heart.