Isaiah 1:11-17 (The Message)

11-12"Why this frenzy of sacrifices?"
God's asking.
"Don't you think I've had my fill of burnt sacrifices,
rams and plump grain-fed calves?
Don't you think I've had my fill
of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats?
When you come before me,
whoever gave you the idea of acting like this,
Running here and there, doing this and that—
all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?

13-17"Quit your worship charades.
I can't stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You've worn me out!
I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion,
while you go right on sinning.
When you put on your next prayer-performance,
I'll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray,
I'll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you've been tearing
people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
so I don't have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.

The other night I read this passage and it really spoke to me. Basically, God is frustrated with all of the craziness in worship. I related this to the church and how we can sometimes get all wrapped up in meetings, and events that need to be planned. We get stressed, and in such of a hurry that it becomes more about the event than about God. I especially like the part where God says, "When you come before me, who ever gave you the idea of acting like this, running here and there, doing this and that- all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?" God just lays it out there that we have become too busy and that we should just take a break and focus on God. Be still, and know that I am God. God demands our time, so why don't we just take some time out of our day to sit down, be still, and know that he is God.

Viva La Vida

Have you heard Coldplay's new song "Viva La Vida?" It's a great song that I really enjoy! But there are many explanations to what the song means. Here's one I found on another website:

"If we analyze the lyrics, the song has obvious biblical references and I think it's a song about Jesus Christ.

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sweep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

All catholics should know that Jesus Christ gave the word and he controlled the seas - I think that the line now in the morning I sweep alone clearly means that Jesus Christ was betrayed and had to endure many things alone! The first verse is talking about a decline from wealth and fame to a nobody, just like Jesus Christ experienced on his life! He used to be a king, but he had to die for all human beings..So on a certain way he turned over his kingship (I used to rule the world). Clear reference of someone giving God kingship over his life.

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing,
"Now the old king is dead, long live the king!"
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, pillars of sand

The line upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand, possibly is a reference to the sermon on the mount where Jesus speaks of a wise man building is house on a rock while the foolish man builds his house on the sand, only to be washed away.

Those days, there were different kings! Ones thought the king was Jesus Christ himself, others thought the king was the Roman authority and other thought the king was the Jewish priests.

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you know there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world

Jerusalem bells and Roman Cavalry, it's obvious it's a biblical allusion. I think the line Be my mirror my sword and shield, it's a praying to God for strength. Also, the line my missionaries in a foreign field, has to do with the idea of taking the message of God and Jesus Christ all around the world. Finally, never an honest word, meaning the betrayal to Jesus Christ and his subsequent death.

I know St. Peter won't call my name, referring to the fact that Saint Peter denied Jesus 3 times.

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever wanna be king?

This could be a reference to John the Baptist of the New Testament.

In The Book of Mark, John is noted as the one that comes before Jesus to announce His coming to Earth. A lot of people thought he (John) was going to be their Messiah, however he corrected them and told them that it was the One after him that would fill that role. I, also, argue that point because it is said somewhere that John's head was brought to king Herod on a Silver Platter.

Blew down the doors to let me in, meaning when Jesus Christ got furious because they turned the temple into a market!

EDIT: After thinking about it, the line "The old king is dead, long live the king" could be a reference to Jesus being on the cross. All of the people mocking him, and King of Jews above his head."

The person who wrote this really thought out this song. Here's a link to the lyrics in case you want to look at them. I agree with this analysis because the song really does make sense if you think about it along with Christ's life.

Just a random bit from me!

Why hello everyone! Ha ha...sorry. I've decided to write on my blog for the first time in forever about something totally random! Yay! So I got an email from my Cuban Papi, and I must say that I was super excited! We email a lot back and forth but he hasn't written in a while, so this email was super special. So when I got the email, I read it and wrote him back. I wanted to print the email so I could put it in my notebook at school because the email was so kind with a lot of encouragement in it. So I copied and pasted it in Microsoft Word and it came up with a lot of misspellings. One of the words that was spelled wrong was "abundantly." So I right-clicked on it and it said, "abundantly?". This question mark made me think that it was wrong. You don't need a question mark beside abundantly! The sentence was talking about how God would bless abundantly. There doesn't need to be a question mark! Do you know how I know that? It's because as Christians, we believe that the Lord will provide and bless you! There is no question whether the Lord will provide or not. He will provide!

"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 1:14

Cuba: Day Five

Today was a great day! We got to the house church at 9:30 and we headed out to evangelize. The first group went to Eduardo #2's house, while the second and third group went to Santiago de Las Vegas. I sat with Leonel on the bus and we talked some. We also got lots of snacks from Margaret and we talked about eating popcorn! Yay! We went to one of the poorest places I've ever seen in my life. People lived in shacks with tin roofs and there were homeless dogs everywhere. But even amidst the darkness Jesus was at work. We had a bunch of people get saved which was great! We walked around until about 2:00 and then we left to eat lunch. The lunch was SUPER good! We then sat around and talked to Juan Carlos because everyone else was gone. Me, Ashleigh, and Juan Carlos talked about college and school. Somehow we got off on a story about a woman that was really ugly, and she looked like a monkey! (that's what Juan Carlos said!) He said that people called her the monster! Then she got plastic surgery and was beautiful! He said she had a beautiful face, like mine, and a "sexy body!" (this is what he said!) We also talked about a Cuban singer that had plastic surgery, and I won't get into that, but it was HILARIOUS! After that we went to a kids club and we mat a lady that had been waiting for 12 years for the government to give her a house! It was so sad! We then came back to Alamar and at tasty food and I hung out with Juan Carlos and Leonel. Tomorrow is our last day! :(

Cuba: Day Four

Ok so I haven't written in 2 days which means that I get to write extra! Yay! Yesterday we went to Pinar del Rio and we swam! On the way there me, Juan Carlos Jr., Keren, Diana, Ashleigh, Ashley, and Braden played cards. We had a lot of fun! We got there and we took some pictures and then we all jumped in. It was SUPER cold! Eduardo got in and shivered! Juan Carlos Jr. hurt his foot when he was going to jump off the rock. We all swam and had so much fun! We got out to eat and I didn't have a towel! I stole Maureen's and me and Leonel held each other and shivered! It has been very cold the past two days. We all ate and had fun and then Juan Carlos Jr., Leonel, and I went to the bus to give David and Andres some food. We all talked and got to know each other and laughed! They made fun of me when I would sigh because I was tired. Me and Leonel hung out for a while and I love him! They are all great people. Today, we were the first ones to breakfast AGAIN! We all piled on the bus and went to Alamar where we got assigned our house church groups! It was me, Ashley, Bobbie, Suzanne, Brent, Daisy, and Miriam. All of the people we talked to got saved! Six people! Gloria a Dios! We got finished and had to wait for the bus for like a hour! We thought they left us! We were the last ones back for lunch and it was good! Juan Carlos Jr. gave me a bracelet today also! So now he has my bracelet, and I have his! After lunch we went with Juan Carlos to visit and we ended up sleeping! Ha ha! We then went to a kids group where we sang songs and told our little story! The waves were so big outside that they came up over the malecon onto the street! It was scary! After that Brent, Kevin, and I went with my "aunt" Miriam to her home group and man was it scary! We got there and we had no translator at all! They made Brent say a testimony and they didn't know what he was saying! It was crazy and fun! Then they brought out this thing of tea and Kevin drank it all! After he drank it, Alfredo told us to read this passage first. It was about poisonous snakes and drinks! Ah! It was scary! But in the end, it was all a joke! I so don't want to leave yet! I'm so happy where I am! I love it here and I want to stay forever! I'm so tired! Goodnight! Gloria a Dios!

-Bye the way, these are my journal entries from March when we were in Cuba. We're not actually there now! :)

Cuba: Day Two

Today was another great day in Cuba. It was a late start for us four girls, three of which had to take a shower!! By the time we got to breakfast we were late! But it was all good in the omelet line! Yay! After we ate, we planned everything out and we decided what needed to be taken. We then gathered at the pool to leave, and found out that we had only one bus. David didn't come and so Andres came to pick us up. Ashleigh, Erin, and I were in one kid's group. Unfortunately, we were split up. So Ashleigh and I panicked because Erin was supposed to tell the story. By the time we got to Alamar, we saw Juan Carlos, Leonel, Daisy, Karen, and even Isaac. It was great to see everyone again and be home. Cristian and Jordan came later with Rosanna. After we got there, we started out lesson. We decided to do the bear hunt first, along with the chicken dance. Everything went great and it was HOT!!! Especially when we went to play beisbol it was very hot. That part was fun also. We were on a totally different field with a kung-fu stage! Yay! Ashleigh got hit in the leg which wasn't fun! Maureen, Leonel, and I walked down to the post office but we had to come back or else we would have had to wait thirty minutes! After that we headed to the house church to eat because I convinced Juan Carlos to take us back. The food was great (as usual)! Then it rained for three hours straight! We had the party outside at first and then we had to move it back inside because it rained. The dance party was GREAT!!! They played Rihanna, Sean Kingston, and Elvis! It was great! I got to dance with one of Juan Carlos Jr.'s friends who was really good! He told me that Juan Carlos Jr. was my boyfriend. The one thing he could say in English was "boyfriend." We also got to play some fun games!! I played one where I had to hold a bowl of merengue while Juan Carlos Jr. had to eat it without hands! I shoved the whole bowl in his face! The bowl stuck to his face as he pulled back! It was great! That was the most fun I've ever had! Once we got home and I took a shower and of course I couldn't get it to turn off! Lucky me! Well it's late! Night! Gloria a Dios!

Cuba: Day One

Today was a long and hard day that started at 12:47 am for me, and 4:00 am for the others. Of course of all people I'm the one that doesn't sleep, and that rolls around all night long. My aunt snored all night, so that didn't help either. We left at 4:00 am from the airport and headed out to Atlanta! The airport was packed with people moving to their planes. We got all of our luggage in without a problem and we boarded the plane easily. Take off was a little nerve racking, but Erin's laughter and support cheered me up! I seem to have a constant theme for this week. PEACE. The whole time on the planes I prayed for peace; and God gave it. We landed safely in Miami as we hurried to our concourse to meet Magaley. It turns out that the concourse is closed, and we are approached by a police officer with two guns. They weren't just any guns! One of them was a machine gun! It turned out that we were lost, and he escorted us around. His name was Heath, and he loves Jesus! How amazing! We sat and sat for an hour and a half. Magaley calls and says that she had a family emergency but is on her way. She finally showed up, and again they changed the concourse! We had to go halfway across the airport to get to the gate! And, by the time we got there, we had 15 minutes to get all of our baggage checked! It turned out that we all made it and got on the plane without a problem. Our plane was different this time; it was bigger. It held like 60 passengers! It made me a lot better about our flight. We arrived in Cuba at 12:08 pm and we preceded into the airport. We all got through quickly and smoothly. No problems at all! We got all of our luggage and prepared to meet Eduardo at the van. We met them and put our things in the two buses. It was really cool to be back again with "mi familia" in Cuba. Eduardo treated us to a special dinner of Cuban pizza! Delicioso! After we had fun and ate we went to see the Christ of Havana and we prayed over the city. It was a long, stressful day but a fun one. Gloria a Dios!