Friendship

Earlier today, moving around I thought to myself:  "My thighs are dying!"  And after 200+ squats at work yesterday I would say I would hope some of the fat there would be dying to form some muscle!


Love--is to desire and will the greater good of the other.  To the point of death.  Achieving new life comes at a price.  Death and surrender are necessary parts of that.


Death…is not necessarily the physical death, though love may necessitate surrendering one's life.  There are many ways we "die" to our own thoughts, plans, ideas, previous behaviors---in order that something new and beautiful may be nourished.


Just came back from watching Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier.  My little bro, Jake told me about it--about one scene where the Captain can't bring himself to kill his old friend Bucky, even though Bucky is on the enemy's side and undergone quite the brain wiping and brainwashing to where he doesn't even remember the Captain.


Without detailing the rest of the movie, I will say it is a testament to the truth and power of the following statement:


"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."


Those who are familiar with Christian scripture may recognize it as John 15:13.  What a challenge this truly is.  How many times I have failed to love in this way.  How many times have I chosen instead to ridicule friend's shortcomings, instead of lovingly and gently bringing them to light--out of the public arena.  


And now another statement also comes to mind:


"But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."  Romans 5: 8.  I should be willing to love even when frustrated with the shortcomings and failings of myself or others--even and especially when it hurts!  To love even when someone is opposed to the direction I am heading in.  To hold my temper, hold my tongue.  For truth without love is cruelty.


May we remember too that in most cases our families taught us first about friendship, because our families likely first taught us how to love--even when members were different, at times obnoxious, or otherwise challenging to get along with.

May we all strive to truly love one another--both in and outside of our families.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014  English translation

Life is always an adventure!  

The last 9 to 10 months I have adopted this saying…or rather, it found me.  And so I begin a new step on this adventure…creating a blog!  Many thanks to my friend Luisa for helping me start…on my computer programmed in Spanish even though she doesn't speak it…all is part of the journey!

Why am I writing?

Well, I like to write, and typically have more to share than I have time to do…with my family, my friends…etc.  I think its partially thanks to how my mind works…always connecting ideas, even while I am doing something different.  Working as a technician for various scientific projects the last 5 years in Idaho, including some of my own, I have experienced time after time that while I am focused on doing something specific, and repeating it, my mind can rest a little.  While I rest from actively thinking about what I am doing…my brain is reflecting and making connections.  Writing these connections gives me direction, and helps me process the meaning of the events in life.  Its my hope that this blog, more than being a place where I can reflect and practice my written Spanish, would be a place that inspires others to reflect on life too.

Why do we need to reflect?

Many times we are spending time doing, doing, doing various things.  

In modern US culture, we feel pressure to do so many things.  I have fallen and continue to fall in this trap.  And when I do not prioritize time to reflect, I notice the difference in my life.  I walk without direction, I feel like I am doing everything and at the same time I don't finish things, I can't make priorities well, and my attitude towards my self and towards others is one without patience.  So I have hope that making this blog will give me another opportunity to reflect on the days and perhaps encourage others to do the same.

And the goal of reflection?

The goal of reflection…is to see the positive.  For me it is "to discover the adventure" in a difficult situation.  Many times this requires effort on our part…but it is always worth it.  "Rejoice always." (1 Thessalonians 5:16) comes to mind.  With what difficulty do we do this.  Sometimes it requires that, as we say in english:  to "fake it until you make it" or rather, we try to rejoice and trust that afterwards the feeling and belief that there is something to rejoice about in the difficult situations of our lives.

And what can I expect, reading this blog?

I hope you can expect to read the unexpected.  This naturally includes opportunities for you to help me with my written Spanish by means of the comments.  Keep reading the days to come to see a reflection from the time I spent with some friends at the beach in Oregon last weekend!

 

La vida es siempre una aventura!  

Los últimos 9-10 meses he adoptado este dicho…o mejor, me encontró.  Y así empiezo un nuevo paso de esta aventura…crear un blog!  Muchas gracias a mi amiga Luisa por ayudarme empezar…en mi computadora programada en español mientras ella no lo habla…todo es parte de la jornada.

Por que escribo?  

Pues, me gusta escribir, y típicamente tengo mas para compartir que tengo tiempo para hacer…con mi familia, mis amigos, etc.  Creo que es parcialmente gracias a como funcionar mi mente….siempre conectando ideas, aun mientras hago algo diferente.  En trabajar en como técnico para varias proyectos científicas los últimos 5 años en Idaho, incluso algunos de mis propios, he experimentado vez tras vez que mientras enfoco en hacer algo especifico, y repetirlo, mi mente puede descansar un poquito.  Mientras descanse de pensar activamente en lo que hago…el cerebro anda reflexionando y haciendo los conexiones.  Al escribir estas conexiones me da dirección, me ayuda procesar el significado de los eventos de la vida.  Es mi esperanza que esta blog, mas de ser lugar donde yo puedo reflexionar y practicar mi español escrito, seria lugar que inspira otros reflexionar en la vida también.

Por que hay necesidad para reflexionar?  

Muchas veces pasamos haciendo, haciendo, haciendo varias cosas.  En la cultura moderna de los Estados Unidos, sentimos presión hacer tantas cosas.  He caído y sigo cayendo en esa trampa.  Y cuando no hago prioridad tiempo para reflexionar, noto la diferencia en mi vida.  Ando sin dirección, siento que hago todo y a la vez no termino cosas, no puedo hacer prioridades bien, y mi actitud con mi misma y con otros es una sin paciencia.  Entonces tengo esperanza que hacer este blog me dará otra oportunidad reflexionar de los días y tal vez animar otros hacer lo mismo.

Y la meta de la reflexión? 

La meta de la reflexion…es ver lo positivo.  Para mi es "descubrir la aventura" en una situación difícil.  Muchas veces esto requiere esfuerza por nuestra parte…pero siempre vale la pena.  "Rejoice always." (1 Tesalonicenses 5, 16) llega a la mente.  Con que dificultad hacemos eso.  A veces requiere que, como decimos en ingles :  to"fake it until you make it" o mejor, intentamos regocijar y confiara que depues llegara el sentimiento y creencia de que hay algo para regocijar en la situaciones difíciles de nuestras vidas.

Y que espero yo, como lector de este blog?

Espero que puedas esperar leer de lo inesperado.  Esto incluirá naturalmente, oportunidades para ti ayudarme con mi español escrito por medio de comentarios.  Siga leyendo en los días que viene para ver alguna reflexión del tiempo que pasaba con amigos en la playa de Oregon el fin de semana pasada!