Go Carlitos! We LOVE YOU!

We LOVE YOU man!

Sooooooo PROUD of you!

Wow. This kid did awesome! Orgullo boricua!

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the L-rd hath promised to them that love Him.”

James 1:12

Today we spent a good part of our morning in prayer. We also got together as a family to study G-d's Word and it was really nice to have Rick and Jenn join us.

They're awesome.

G-d is awesome.
His presence was felt so strong. Very special.
Claudia is doing much better, praise G-d!

Up All Night

I was up all night with Claudia. She wasn't doing well at all.
Couldn't even go to work today. Wasn't sure if was going to spend the rest of Saturday at the hospital with her. She seems to be doing better and I am just hoping that her tremors don't come back tonight.
She really had a horrible night.

Right now I am just chilling.
My Abuelita got me hooked to watching the World Cup and whenever I turn it on, I mute the thing.

Someone out there should've thought of confiscating those vuvuelas. That stuff really gets to you after a while. Sheesh!

Shabbat Shalom!

Today was just divine!

Totally enjoyed my time of relaxation. G-d is good.

The kids enjoyed their day too. The entrance to the local Aquatic Center is only $5.00 and it is just perfect for the kids to cool off and for me to take a break.


Really enjoyed my day. Praise the L-rd.

Thank you Abba for such a wonderful day and for Shabbat.
Love You my L-rd!

Another Dream

Another dream.
Writing all these down since I have not dreamed this much EVER!

I was at a picnic surrounded by a lot of Hispanic people except that they were all speaking to me in English.
Anytime I go out to a picnic with my Hispanic friends, we all speak Spanish. These people didn't. That was odd.

In the dream I sat next to a really nice lady. She was with a little girl who wouldn't stop smiling at me. We talked for a bit and she seemed to have been through a lot. In the dream she pretty much let me know that she was a single mom and well, the conversation wasn't over when I found myself at another place.

All of a sudden I was inside a classroom. It had desks and white boards, posters... you know... your typical classroom decorations. Carmen and Mrs. Lagormarcini were there, in front of me and Lagomarcini was trying to convince me to come back to work for them. Carmen was quiet. She did not speak a word. As this was going on, I was torn inside. I wanted to say "yes", but then I began thinking about the teachers who had left and why they had left. I began to feel uncomfortable about going back to the school, because I was feeling as though Carmen was not being completely sincere. Deep down I lacked peace.
Strange how in this dream I remember pondering on so many things while this was going on. I also remember thinking about my job at the resort, and how it is a steady job for now.

Once more... before I could offer an answer, I found myself in another place.
I was in a room full of women who were praying deep in the spirit. In my dream I could feel G-d's presence so strong, my entire body was shaking.

Then one of these women, came over to where I was and began pouring oil on her hands. She literally drenched her hands with oil.
Any time I've been anointed with oil, it's usually a small dot on my forehead. This woman was drenching me with oil and the anointing was so overwhelming, and as she prayed she said, "You love. You love. You love."
Then she said, "You know how to love.".

Then she said, (or I am thinking that G-d was speaking through her)"The door is open and I have given you the authority to make decisions."

As I saw a door open, I saw the picnic. I saw the picnic with all the Hispanic people in it. The ones who only spoke English. I saw the lady with her daughter at the table.

I was so overwhelmed that in my dream I fell to the ground.
The lady got on her knees next to me and began to pray in tongues. She prayed and everyone in that room just prayed and prayed and prayed... and as they prayed, I felt strength like I had never felt before.

To be honest, I did not want to wake up. I was covered by prayer. No idea who these people were, but they were covering me in prayer and all I wanted to do was run to where that lady was with her little girl and give her a big hug. I wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright. I wanted to be there in that picnic listening to her.

Unfortunately I woke up.

The dream was over.

G-d has given me the authority to make decisions... but I think that what He really wanted to let me know through this dream is that my decisions will be surrounded by His peace, and that He's got me covered.

Decisions.

Who are the people at the picnic?
Who is that woman?
Is she real or did she represent something?

All I can do is pray.
Pray and pray and pray... and walk through the opened door... G-d's door.

Plans for Tomorrow

Laundry.
Clean my car.
Vacuum
Clean the bathrooms.
Lakefront Park Picnic (gotta grill'em Hebrew National hot dogs)
Makinson Aquatic Center for a few hours.
Dinner
Evening service.
Bed!

Then it's off to work at 5:45 a.m. with the kiddos cause as soon as I clock out we are heading out to Sea World for some Shamu splashing.
This weather is CRAZY HOT!

My legs are killing me, but I'm not going to let that get in the way of life.
Life is great!
G-d is GOOD!
My kids are AMAZING!
...and I am BEAUTIFUL!

LOL!

It's That "Naked" Time of the Year Again

So I am in line at K-mart waiting to pay for some slippers and into the store comes this very white chunky lady in the tiniest two piece bikini with a huge sunflower on the behind.

LOL!

Yeah... she was kindly escorted out.

Tourists here think that they can just let it all out! Well, if that's what they want to do they should go to Cypress Cove on the other side of Marion Lake.
It's a nudist resort hidden deep in Poinciana.

We actually found out about it like ten years ago when we first moved to Florida.
My dad was looking for a place to eat. Poinciana had NOTHING back then and we found a road with a sign that read, "Cypress Cove Resort".

We drove right in and freaked out when we were greeted by very old, very crinkled and wrinkled naked people. The vast collection of crinkled dangling skin was something we will never ever forget. LOL!!!!

Yeah.
It's that "naked" time of the year again.

Vacation to St. Augustine

I'm finally planning a vacation from August 12 to August 19.

Taking the kids to St. Augustine and then to Georgia to get away from all this.

To Bed!

Exhausted.

Loved my "time alone with G-d" in the car.
We had an awesome conversation.


Love You Abba! Nite.

Are You There G-d? It's Me... Rose

I love You L-rd... but You know that.
Just waiting for You.

Waiting for Yeshua to return and making sure that I let EVERYONE who ever crosses my path know that You are the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIGHT.
What's the point of waiting if we don't encourage others to wait for You too?


Love You Abba.
You are my EVERYTHING.

I don't feel pretty today.
I've been walking like I have bricks for legs and people stare.
Please G-d... don't let them notice. It hurts, and it's so embarrassing at times.
Today is not an easy day.
I love my life...
but I have my days.
Today was one of those.

I found an old wish list in my closet.

Wish #18 "I want to be able to wear high heels and a pretty skirt. One feels quite insignificant, always wearing trousers and closed shoes when all the pretty ladies get to show their legs and increase their height. It's humiliating."

I wrote this several years ago.

Ouch.

It still is what it is.
Maybe G-d will have a nice pair of high heels in heaven for me.
Pretty ones that will make me feel like a princess while I dance around for my KING of KINGS in a wedding gown of His own creation.

That was wish #5: "I want to be able to dance again... but this time for my L-rd."

(tears)

It's all vanity down here on earth. I know...
but limping and all, deep down I know that I am a lady.
It hurts that I can't show it.
Instead of a lady, people see Igor... lol.

I Am Sam

Watching the movie "I Am Sam" with Dakota Fanning and Sean Penn, and I am bawling. Yes... I am literally bawling.
I can see tears in Claudia's eyes and Ricardo is hiding behind a cushion sucking his thumb.
This movie is definitely a tear jerker!!!! Oh my gosh!
What a BEAUTIFUL story.
Wow.
Where was I when this movie first came out?
Oh my gosh! (sniff!sniff!)
Sean Penn's performance is simply AMAZING!!!

I love You G-d.
That's all I wanted to say.

Father's Day...

It was nice. My dad really enjoyed his time with the family. I got him a book called "The Journey" by Billy Graham.
He really got into right away. No time to waste. He wanted to read his new book (smile).

I love my dad.

I really do.

“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Yeshua who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:12-13

Friends

I love my friends.
They sure know how to be THEMSELVES at ALL TIMES!!! Even when that means ruining a wonderful picture opportunity! LOL!!!!

Couldn't sleep, so I decided to browse through old pictures I had taken, only to realize that my friendship file was packed with pictures like these...



Ismael



Marta Villamizar



Julito



The Albarran Family - Neyda, Nereida, Tito...



Martita y Kenny

I Am Tired

Really want to get home already.
So tired.
By the time I get home I won't eat anything.
Too tired to eat.


The kids are doing good.
Just need my bed right now.

Gotta be back here by 6:45 a.m.

Fifteen more minutes.
Yawn.

Toy Story, Thunderstorms and Blown Tires!

Toy Story 3 turned out pretty good. A bit bipolar... to the point where we were all laughing hysterically, then crying, then laughing a second later, then crying again, especially towards the end. Oh my gosh. EVERYONE was crying in the end! I could hear the people around me just sobbing, "mocos" and all! I was sobbing too, I must admit. Andy had to go to college and I sobbed even harder at the thought of my two kids... ok... I know it will happen one day, but I don't want to think about it yet.
I truly appreciate the one lady in the movie theater who passed the Kleenex box around! LOL! The place was packed with grown ups and quite a few college age kids! Claudia and I kept looking around, but found only a couple of toddlers.
Too funny.
Must add... couldn't get over the one creepy... oh my gosh! CREEPY as CREEPY can get bald baby doll. So glad I didn't take Emma to see it, because she has one JUST LIKE IT! Oh my gosh.

After the movie we decided to head out home but got caught in the middle of a torrential storm. A few minutes later we blew a tire in the middle of John Young Parkway and although we very scared, G-d took good care of us.
It was night time, it was storming, and we had no tire and no spare. I remembered that out of the goodness of my heart I had loaned it to someone in need and forgot to get it back.
Dumb one Rose.

My parents couldn't come and get us because my dad does not drive in bad weather and most of my friends are in Miami or overseas on vacation.
Somehow by the grace of G-d I managed to drive my car (thump, thump, thump) all the way to Esther Jerusalem's apartment. When Cuqui opened the door we were all drenched, and since I had to be at work by 6:45 a.m. and I was one hour away from home, we spent the night there. My kids crashed on an inflatable mattress and I fell asleep on the couch.
Tires are expensive. It was $89 for a new tire, and life goes on.
That's what I get for not joining Triple A (AAA).


Goodness.
Thank YOU Heavenly Abba for keeping us safe.

My Kids Patiently Waiting for Me to Get Out of Work

Yeah! They are great at keeping themselves nice and quite while I work... but today they are a bit excited about going to the movies! LOL!

To My Children With LOVE!

Here are some precious moments captured on video... enter blog to see more.

My Day...

Seeing the insurance lady was my version of seeing the "Avon" lady.
No make up... just fees and rates and deductibles and percentages!

Well... that's pretty much done and over with, thank G-d!
She took forever!

It's ok.
My kids are worth it.

I don't feel well. All I want to do is sleep right now. My head hurts. Blah.

Tomorrow night I'm taking the kids to the movies. The toys are back in town and I think that I'm more excited than they are! LOL! It's Toy Story 3 and then a nice late dinner at Olive Garden.

Yup. That sounds soooooo good.
Now it's time for cuddles, story time and some well deserved sleep!
Nite.

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the L-RD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”

Proverbs 23:17-18

Toy Story 3 Weekend! Whoo hoooo!

Well, summer has arrived with great movies for the kiddos and Toy Story 3 is finally here! It's been almost ten years since the first one came out and now the main character, Andy, is grown up and ready for college!
Love that 1st time college kids all over the country are getting together to see the premiere, because they were Andy's age when it first came out and now they are all going to college together! I love that! (Read that online somewhere and thought it was so cute! Parents taking their 1st year college kids to see it as one big farewell before real life! Great idea.)
What makes it so funny (according to the critics) is that it has added new characters like Barbie and Ken among others. LOL! Buzzlight malfunctions for some reason and starts speaking in Spanish (too funny with the flamenco stuff) and well... see for yourselves:

The Last Airbender

My kids have read ALL the books and have seen ALL the cartoon episodes, and yes... I admit that I am a fan too!
I can't believe they made the series into a movie! Soooo excited. My kids are gonna love this one!

Night Audit

Yawn.
Covering for someone who had an emergency.

Yawn.
I still have 5 hours and 20 minutes to go.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

The Canyon Looking Fortress

I had a dream last night. Yup. I rarely dream, but when I believe that my dream actually means something, I just go ahead and write it down.

In my dreams I never see myself. I am there, looking at everything and walking through places... and this time I was in front of a fortress. It almost looked and felt like I was in some sort of fortress, but it was shaped like a canyon. We have a fortress in Puerto Rico known as "El Morro" but this fortress was different. It was built of rock and it blended in with the scenery so that when you looked at it, you couldn't even tell that it was there. In my dream I was all set to go to work, so when I got to the beautiful canyon looking fortress, I climbed up a ladder and inside this beautiful rock there was a school!
The picture I posted on here looks A LOT like the canyon in the dream. Beautiful, isn't it?
The kids, elementary and high school, were greeting me as I walked through the hallway.
I could see the decorations on the wall, and the "team spirit" flags and all that stuff. Even their trophies, so my guess is that these kids were quite involved in sports. It was pretty cool. My classroom was in a corner with a big window and it was beautiful, but the part that made me curious is that as I walked through this school there were still sections of it under construction.
Funny how in this dream I was just so happy to be there.
Not sure about climbing up a ladder to go to work... he he he... that part was funny, but the rest was just plain cool.
Oh well.
I miss teaching. I really do.
I was watching how Tony Danza (the actor) decided to become a teacher and now teaches H.S. English. He was even emotional about it as they did the interview. The administration and the kids just love him!
Teaching is a very rewarding vocation. I don't consider it a job. I think that when you do something you love, it doesn't feel like a job at all. I looked forward to teaching every single day. (sigh)
It's ok.
G-d allows certain things to happen for a reason.
I found out a few weeks ago that most of the teachers at PHA decided to not renew their contracts. They don't want to go back, even though they need a job badly, they just can't take it anymore.
My heart hurts about that because I know exactly how that felt. It's as if you are doing your very best but your very best is never good enough. Sad to say, but Mrs. Carmen perhaps needed to see and understand that when more than just one teacher feels the same, perhaps the problem is not the teachers.

Just writing this down.
G-d spoke to me through several people already and told me that even my surroundings would change because this was a year of new beginnings for me, so I'm curious to know if this dream has anything to do with that.
Can't wait to find out if maybe part of His plan is for me to go back to teaching.

All in G-d's perfect timing though. All in G-d's perfect will.
(sigh)

************************************************************************************

On to another subject!
Oh my gosh!
So I started my diet on Sunday and it's only Wednesday and I have officially lost 4 pounds. The diet was not meant for me to lose weight. It was intended for my heart, but ohhhhh my gosh!

Four pounds is a big deal!
Applause please!!!!
Yay!

I'm On A ROLL!!!

Wow.
Productive AND relaxing day.
Now we are all cuddled together hoping that by the time this severe weather is over we're not in the land of Oz.

Whoah.

Freaky stuff.

Nice Relaxing Day

I just made the most delicious salmon nicoise salad EVER! (Minus the eggs, of course. I'm only allowed eggs once a week)
This diet rocks.

It's all good.

Back to folding clothes. The kids are cozied up reading and coloring. It's a nice relaxing day.

Love it.

The A/C is wonderful.

Laundry Tuesday

Way too hot to go outside this morning.
Claudia had a small episode at my mom's yesterday, so I'm keeping her indoors today.
Great day to do laundry while watching Dr. Oz and, of course, Animal Planet and the History Channel.
Just had papaya, bits of white cheese and blueberries.

The A/C feels good. Yeah. I have all this energy and it's probably because my new diet is kicking in.
Nice.

I like it.

Last night's prayer meeting was awesome. G-d's presence was very strong and ohhhh my goodness! Soooooo good!
I love YOU my heavenly Abba! You are my King!

Ok.
Back to laundry duties and making breakfast for the kids.
Whoah... utilities. Gotta go make those payments too.
Yeah. I'll do that much later.
Maybe when it's almost sunset I'll take the kids to the pool for a bit.
Nothing like a nice evening swim. Yeah. That and some steak grilling sounds really good.

Well. My day is all set.
Cool beans.

Ezequiel Bread Tastes Like...

Ok.
So not eating it.
Yuck.

It really... REALLY... tastes like the one biblical ingredient people forgot to mention, and of course don't use to make it.
If y'all are wondering what it is, please take the time to read your Bibles carefully. Please turn your pages to Ezequiel 4, and instead of reading a verse here and there...like most "churchians" do, READ THE WHOLE THING!
Helloooooooooooooooo!

The last ingredient was human dung.
Yup.

Check this out:

"And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them." (Ezekiel 4:12-13)

Some people say that the dung was used as fuel, but this cannot be true because you can't use human "caca" as burning fuel for cooking. That was not scientifically possible back then. In this day and age you would need very complicated devices to turn poop into fuel.
If y'all notice, verse 13 specifically says that it is defiled bread and verse 14 describes it as "abominable flesh"! Hellooooooo! Why don't people read their Bibles?

Of course stores don't sell it with human fesces and people would never add this last ingredient, but unfortunately that doesn't take away from the fact that it's just nasty. It really is.

In reading more about how this bread was ORIGINALLY prepared, I found out that it was made with wheat, barley, spelt etc. and formed with "caca" into a flattened shape. The poop was a substitute for water and it helped retain the heat like a clay oven would because it's the first thing that dries out.
Let's think about this for a second, shall we?
Poor starving people would not want to use up their precious water supply and did not have access to clay ovens, especially if they were nomads who were roaming through the desert. The poop had to be cooked into the bread, and that's why it is considered defiled and abominable.

Oh my gosh.
People seriously think that they are being so Biblical...

If they would just take the time to read.
If I were starving in the middle of the desert, I would probably eat it too...
but in this day and age, I live in Florida, I have an oven, and my name is not Ezekiel!!!

Maybe towards the Apocalypse... who knows... but for now, I don't think so.
Eeeeewwww!!!!

Jeremiah 33:3

'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'
— Jeremiah 33:3 —

Wow. Isn't it something special to grow in knowledge as you fall more and more in love with your Savior?

O Positive: High Protein Diet

According to the diet my doctor handed me (which was put together by a Dr. Michael Lam, MD, MPH), I can ONLY eat the following in order to get my heart back on track. My blood is O positive and here is my "blood type" diet:

PROTEIN
Beef, Lamb, Mutton (what in the world is that?), Veal, Venison
Cod, Herring, Mackerel

CANNOT EAT: Pork (I don't anyways), Barracuda, Catfish, Salmon (Excuse me?), Caviar, Octopus, Conch

DAIRY

NONE WHATSOEVER!
Only real butter and soy milk are allowed on my diet.
No dairy... no ice cream... no yogurt...no milk... zero dairy!!!

FAT

Olive Oil and Flaxseed Oil. That's it.

NUTS

ONLY Pumpkin Seeds and Walnuts

BEANS

Aduke, Azuki, Pinto and Black Eyed

GRAINS

NO WHOLE WHEAT PRODUCTS AT ALL!!! THEY COULD KILL ME.
I can only bake and consume Ezequiel Bread and Essene Bread

VEGETABLES

ONLY Kale, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, spinach, artichoke, chicory, dandelion, garlic, horseradish, leek, okra, onions, parsley (Baruch HaShem!), parsnips, red peppers, sweet potatoes (no white ones AT ALL), pumpkin, seaweed (Who lives in a Pineapple under the sea?!?!) and turnips.

SPICES

Oh Dios mio... kelp based seasonings, iodized salt, parsley, curry, cayenne pepper.

BEVERAGES

Seltzer Water, Club Soda and Tea (Hallelujah... I am free to have teaaaaa!!!)


Can't have anything outside this list because my blood cannot handle anything else.
So... I can't have eggs for breakfast but I can have steak.
That's not so bad.

Alright.
Let's do some groceries.

Time to extend my life expectancy since all else has failed. Well, I take that back because G-d has NEVER failed me, but perhaps I am finally on the right track with relying on HIS natural foods to help with my condition.

Had An Awesome Day

What a nice day today.
Loved it.

Wow. I love G-d.
He makes my days so special.

Thank You L-rd. You are my KING!!!!

Butt

You know... hypokalemia can be so weird at times.

I can't feel my butt, but I'm off to Sea World anyways!!!!

Stupid butt. LOL!

August is Coming... Again.

I have learned to appreciate life "as is", but some things are just a bit too much for me. People go about living life in their "normal" way and I do my best, but my life will never be as normal as I'd like. Then again, I have the most amazing life.

Am I running again?
Hmmm...yes and no.
With a better part of wisdom
I guess.

Once again, I still have my reservations about this one.
I have only met people who don't use me for favors and have taken the initiative to call just to see how I am doing.
For several years now G-d has awaken me to pray for several very special people. Out of the five, I've already met four and it's been awesome. Rick and Jen now live with me while they find a place to live, and I treasure their friendship dearly. G-d knew they would somehow end up here in Florida one day, and it was awesome to have prayed for them years prior to their arrival. Leaving California was extremely difficult for Jen, but they have been called into ministry and having friends here in Florida has truly helped her with the transition.

When G-d tells you to pray for someone, you just do it, whether that person cares or not. My grandma prayed for a nephew who she didn't hear from for more than 20 years. In the end she was the one holding his hand and ministering to him. He died saved after accepting Yeshua into his heart. My abuelita knew that those 20 years of prayer had not been in vain.

I know that praying for my friends has not been something I've done in vain, because prayer is something that G-d wants us to do more. Interceding for others and lifting them up in prayer is a way of warfare to keep G-d's people protected and safe. We are called to be prayer warriors, and although G-d has already added more people to my prayer list, I just know in my heart that this one distant friend is not quite ready to meet Ms. Rose. :-)
Oh, and it's not like I don't want to meet this person. I do... I really do, but
friendships are a precious thing, not an experiment.

When you meet someone for the first time, and it's a friendship from the heart... it's just there, regardless of physical limitations or appearance, race, language, politics because true friendship just is.

That simple.

Do you know that you can learn a lot about someone's heart even when you have never met them personally? When you take the time to pay attention to conversations and details, you kind of catch an inner glimpse, and the fun part is that their physical presence doesn't get in the way.
It's easier for me to figure out people from a distance than up close.
Once I've got someone figured out, I know if it's ok to meet or not.

August will be here once more, and something just tells me that it's ok to stay away.

“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.”
Martin Luther King Jr.

Planning Out My Day

Jen, the kids, and I have been out because she needed a sun dress and Victoria needed some sandals. My kids got away with fun drawing books from BooksAMillion. Loooove that place. We can be there for hours. I needed the fresh air after being in a hospital room for a day and a half.

By the time we got home Jen's husband, Rick, had already arrived and after a nice refreshing shower we all settled in the living room to watch Disney's "Mulan". Jen had never seen it, and she enjoyed it quite a bit. It's really one of Disney's best movies.

Today we relax in the morning and then we are off to Sea World. My legs need the exercise. The doctor wants me to walk but not to sweat too much, so I told Jen that we should take the kids there later in the early afternoon. That way we can just spend a couple of hours there and be back before sunset.

Cool beans.
It's going to be a beautiful day! Praise G-d!

Potassium Lows and Hospital Rooms

Two nights ago, after leaving work I knew something was up.
My left leg started burning and my chest was hurting, and of course this is the classic beginning of a hypokalemic paralysis flare.

With a heavy heart I drove myself to the hospital, knowing that if it was a bad flare I would have to be admitted into the ICU once more. Very depressing.

After being in the ER for a couple of hours and having blood work done I finally caught a glimpse of my nurse coming over with the dreaded silver looking IV packs.
Intravenous potassium HURTS like there is no tomorrow. It burns at first, but then it hurts, so with this in mind they handed me a Darvocet, got the pump started and wished me luck.

After several hours of that, the doctor was still not happy with the labs and the ECG (echo cardiogram), so he admitted me.
Ugh.

Hospital rooms are so depressing, yet they are perfect for having long conversations with G-d and serious spiritual growth time. So, with no time to waste, I got to work by summoning G-d to a personal intimate meeting (at like 4 a.m.) so that we could discuss once more, the whole vitamin K, B-12, potassium deficiency that has haunted me for a great part of my life.

After a while of that I got hungry but couldn't eat because I was going in for the infamous "stress test". So I did my thing on the treadmill, the doc took pictures of my agitated heart, and I went back to find a delicious breakfast waiting for me with... yeah, you guessed right! Mrs. Dash.

I know that I need to get my act together with my salt intake, but sprinkling Mrs. Dash over my omelet was the last thing I wanted to do. That stuff looks and tastes like sand dirt granules.

Well, I am back home. Didn't slip into a dreaded paralysis this time, thank YOU G-d! My heart didn't stop. THANK G-d!
So I am taking advantage of my LIFE and I am going out with my kids.

It's a beautiful day.

The truth is that each time I go into the hospital with a distressed heart, thanks to low potassium, I never know if I'll make it out or not.
That's just something chronic hypokalemics have to live with. If my potassium drops suddenly or decreases significantly, my heart could stop and that would be it.
I'd be gone... that fast.

Here is what hypokalemia is and does:



However, my beautiful and amazing G-d has sustained me so far and I have faith that one day I'll be completely healed.
In the meantime I work for Him.
I live for Him... and if the time comes, even if I don't like to think about it, then I'm willing to die for Him too.

I love YOU my L-rd.
You are my EVERYTHING.

Here is a video of a doctor who recorded himself while having a paralysis attack. I don't ever want to record myself having one, but althought this seems a bit funny, this stuff is not funny at all.
I walk funny too most of the time and people stare... but it's ok. I just continue with my life singing that song in my head, the one from West Side Story!
"I feel pretty... oh soooo pretty....la la la" Ha ha haha!

I'll share a secret, though. When it does get to be a bit too much, I hide.
I hide and don't go out to places to take a break from all of that, and then after I gather a bit of courage I am out and about again.
Working behind a desk makes it easy for me. Standing still in one spot keeps me kind of safe. The people I get to check into the resort have no idea that I have a problem. I am sure that my bosses suspect, and they know that I have been in and out of hospitals, but I don't think that they have any idea of what I really have to go through on a daily basis.
Every day I have to thank G-d that my heart did not stop in my sleep.
Every day I thank G-d that I get to see my kids.
They know.
I have talked to them about it often enough.
Why can't there be a transplant of some sort for people like us?
Why can't there be a cure?

I'm sure that cancer patients wonder too.
It's not easy.
I'm just fortunate to have lived life this far and I am blessed to have children who have made my life so special, and I theirs. Every minute and second of every day is a breath of fresh air. A new beginning. A new EVERYTHING!
I love G-d.
I love my kids.
I love my life. Limping and thumping and paralyzed or not, I seriously love what G-d gives me every day what others tend to take for granted.
I can't have a love life. That's a fact.
That is perhaps (and I admit it) the one MAIN truth behind my desire to remain single, and then of course, the other reasonings behind it that have nothing to do with my condition.
But, there is one good thing about all this.
I have good caring friends who are not embarrassed to hang out with someone like me, and...
they have me as a friend and that is great because I AM AN AWESOME friend!

It's a gift and I use it to the fullest. I love caring for others and nothing will ever take that away from my heart. It's my legacy. It's the example that I want to leave to my children because I want them to be caring towards others too.
I know that often times being a giving person hurts because not everyone appreciates what you do.
Then again, when you give, not expecting to receive is when you have actually learned what true giving is really about.
Yeshua was not hypokalemic, but He sure knew all about feeling lonely sometimes and was the most giving person ever! He gave His life for us!
All I want is to be like my L-rd.
It really helps to know that He understands me and knows what it's like. He KNOWS.

The prognosis for hypokalemics is not that bad as long as treatment is received on time. The problem with potassium lows is that it can happen in your sleep, or suddenly and the heart has a mind of its own. It can just say, "Whoah... not enough potassium. Let me take a break" and stop.
So it's a banana every time I eat, orange juice three times a day, broccoli and well... Beano or Gas X so that I don't end up floating into outer space.

Busy Day Tomorrow

Can't wait to go home.
It's one of those beautiful evenings when I just wish I had the solution to the BP Oil Spill so that I could make millions of dollars and never have to work a day in my life.
All I want is to be a stay at home mom.
Travel.
Help women out there who are in desperate need of G-d...

Sigh.

Malta

No. Not the country... the drink.
How delicious.
I grew up on this stuff and I can have an entire six pack of it within an hour.

No.
It's a non alcoholic barley drink.
Some people think it's nasty.

White people don't know what they are missing!

Faithful Servants

Allow me to say that G-d wants a relationship with you, and not your religion or your title.
I could care less if you are an evangelist, popular pastor, political figure...etc.

We are all bound by the same rules of humbleness.

We are servants.
If you are way up there and I am way down here, it really doesn't make a difference to G-d.
We were all called to serve, not to have fan clubs.

Get it?

Blessings and Shalom!!!!

Arthur Blessitt

Last night I decided to spend the night at my parent's house, and right as I was getting ready for bed my mother walks in and tells me that she wants to share something.
She was holding a picture of a man who was carrying a cross.
I learned last night that this guy's name is Arthur Blessitt.

She told me that when I was two months old I, once more, had blood issues and had to be admitted to children's hospital in New York. The doctors told my parents that the prognosis was bad.
Parents were not allowed to be with their infants in neonatal ICU so my parents decided to literally spend the night walking all over Time Square.
That's when they saw this dude carrying a cross and talking to a group of people on the street.

I have never heard of this man until last night.

Mom told me that this sir walked up to them and told them that G-d had very important plans for me and that I would be out of the ICU the next day. He also told them that I would have to endure many things but that it all was part of a greater purpose. He prayed with them, told them to go home and sleep and be at peace.

My parents took me home the next day like he said.

As my mom showed me this guy's pic... an old man with a cross, I wondered if he was still alive. The pic I posted on here is from the 70's, so this is what he probably looked like when my parents met him.
Now I am doing a google search and it looks like he carried that cross for 40 years!
I am 39 so he must have been on his second year of carrying that cross around when he found my parents roaming through the city. I was born in May of 1971, so he must have met my parents right before leaving for Europe. (I read a bit of his bio online)
Wow.
Amazing, isn't it?
I'll read more on his testimony when I go home.
Interesting.
I just wish I had known about their experience a lot sooner.
Endure many things?
No kidding!!!
My parents keep too much information to themselves... lol.
Maybe they had forgotten about it until they saw his picture on one of those Christian magazines. Who knows, right?

Wow... just found out about his divorce.
Oh well. Too bad he became and ageist later on and decided to leave his wife at the age of 49 so that he could marry a 29 year old Brit.
He dumped his wife and his 6 children for a younger woman, because according to him, "It's what G-d wanted for him at the time".
Geez. Are you serious?
Middle aged men... always trying to prove their virility.
LOL!
I'm sure that at this point G-d forgave him, but I'm sure it wasn't without consequence.
My goodness.
You see? That's why I don't even bother with trying to date. It's not worth it.
I'll keep G-d as my husband, thank you very much.
HaShem doesn't have those issues. LOL.

It's rather sad to see husbands leaving their wives for younger gals, and wives leaving their husbands for younger men. Kind of sick, I think.
In the end of all that infatuation, the children are left to suffer the split.

There are mistakes people can't afford to make once they have children. My goodness.
If men were how the Bible says they should be, then I wouldn't have a problem with giving myself a chance at having a relationship. I don't have an issue with submitting to a husband because on the contrary, I'm as submissive as they come. G-d knows that.
It's just that the issues surrounding middle aged men are way too many.
Mid life crisis is no joke...
seriously!

It is as real as it gets and to see so many men of G-d go through it when they already have loving wives and wonderful children is just gripping.
This Arthur Blessitt was used by G-d in wonderful ways, but to think that he left a wife and six children to marry someone younger totally wrecks his testimony.
Very sad.

Sigh.
The other night I was telling G-d that if loneliness was to eventually become an issue in the future that I wouldn't mind getting married to someone with one eye on his forehead or antennas on his head.

Love and growing old together.
Where did all that go?

Loved It

PHA's graduation was a blessing. I had the privilege of being on stage while my students were handed their diplomas, and get this... they did not walk up to me, the almost ran! When they saw me up there they were so happy I got the best hugs!

That's my reward.
Their smiles. Their accomplishments.

How ironic.
None of the teachers that Carmen hired to replace me back in March showed up.
G-d had other plans.
Esther's mom walked over to tell me that G-d wanted it this way (tears).
G-d is good, isn't He?
He gives everyone their place and He gave me mine. Amen?

Although Claudia did not get to graduate with her peers, because she now homeschools, she was a very happy camper through it all.
We had a great time!

Prepping for Shabbat

Shabbat is at sunset so today we relax and bake Challah bread.
Gotta pick up Esther Jerusalem first. She's waiting for us.
Tonight I also get to see my students graduate!
Oh my goodness!
Can life get any more exciting?

I love my life.
I love my friends.
I love my kids! I love my family!
I love EVERYONE!
But above all, I LOVE YOU HEAVENLY ABBA! You are my EVERYTHING!

Life is what you make of it. If you only work and work and work to keep yourself from being lonely, the LONELIER you will become.
Yup.
If you, however, do your very best to delight yourself in the work of the L-rd, He will then open your eyes to the REALITY that in Him you are NEVER alone.

Devo Time - Holy! Holy! Holy!

I'll keep this one short and simple.

G-d wants you to be pure.
Sure, it's hard.
We live in a very filthy, corrupted, sinful world.

Let me however, put it to you this way.

Two men are rolling all over a puddle of mud. They are dressed the same, look exactly the same and are doing the exact same thing.

HOWEVER, G-d, who knows the hearts, can tell the difference between the one who is rolling in the mud because he likes it there, and the one who is rolling in the mud because he is trying to GET OUT of it.

So you see... we are surrounded with tons of unholy stuff.
Yucky to the heart.
Yucky to the spirit.

Do your VERY BEST to keep your hearts pure.
Do your VERY BEST to keep yourselves for G-d.
Do your VERY BEST to have RESPECT for G-d when it comes to actions, words, thoughts...
especially thoughts.

I have met several pastors, and I am not afraid to write this on here... who seemed sooooooo holy... and pure... and awesome, and ended up failing the L-rd in horrible ways.
Unfortunately their actions began with a simple thought.
Just because you're not doing it doesn't mean that you can't think of yourself doing it. Is that blunt enough for you?
Don't talk to me about being holy, when you can't stop yourself from "thinking" the wrong "thoughts"... because G-d counts that as sin just the same.

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT A SPIRIT OF POWER AND LOVE AND SELF-CONTROL

2 Timothy 1:7

Did you get that?
SELF CONTROL!
You can control everything from urges, to thoughts, to words, to actions!!!
G-d GAVE YOU a spirit of self control and all you have to do is believe it, and use it towards your spiritual growth and intimate relationship with the L-rd!

Look... I'll tell your right now that this one is not at all like wearing Nicorette patch. You can't just stick it on and let it take your "sinful cravings" away. This one takes guts, prayer, fasting... EFFORT.

If people out there REALLY wanted an intimate relationship with G-d, they would do whatever it took.
Unfortunately, I've seen people do crazy things for things that they REALLY want that have absolutely nothing to do with the L-rd.

Well, let me put it this way.
Are you aware that HOLINESS is a REQUIREMENT?

LOL.
Are we ever going to be entirely holy while we live in this flesh?
Nope.
Dream on.

Can we at least show G-d that we are doing whatever it takes to get to that point?
Yup.
Not without flaws... but we can.
Oh, and please do it because you love Him, not because you are afraid of hell fire.
Thank you.

Start small.
Take a good look at your closet. Are you wearing something that pleases G-d?
Take a good look at your favorite music. Does it edify you? Does it worship G-d?
Take a look at the clock.
Make a chart and figure out how much time you spend on every day stuff.

Look closely.
Can you find G-d's time in there anywhere?

Aha!
You see what I mean?
Small changes can reap great results.

Love y'all.
Gotta go make lunch.
Holy! Holy! Holy! starts with simply doing whatever it takes to get there.
When Yeshua returns he won't find us holy.
He really won't.
He'll just find us in the process of becoming holy... and that is all He really wants from you. Your effort. Your devotion. Your faithfulness. Your love.

Blessings!
Rose

Can't Complain...

Good morning! It's been awesome last few days.
Rick and Jenn's birthday was this week (since they're only days apart) and my kids and I decided to treat them to some Sea World madness! They loooooved the park and we all had a blast.

They are burned to a crisp, but we're not. Lucky for me, Claudia tans rather evenly and Ricardo's skin is a beautiful cinammon brown. Wow. When Sheraldi saw them the other night she was stunned by how dark they both were. LOL!

I have a tendency to turn a weird "magenta" color that eventually turns to this honey brown... but this time the sun didn't want me. I'm still olive skinned. No tan yet. Oh well.

Can't complain about anything. Last night as we drove in from Sea World, we decided to go to Bible study. When we walked in, it had already started and well... we looked and probably smelled like we had been at the parks, but it's ok.
We took it all in.
Pastor Danny talked about Elijah and Elisha's double portion. Awesome study! Learned a great deal in 30 minutes.


When we got home last night we decided to watch the movie Extraordinary Measures and it was great!!! Totally recommend it!



Ok. Today's schedule involves doing groceries and cleaning the junk out of the car.
Really want to relax today. Perhaps the pool... a good book... grilled salmon.

The kids would like that.
Tomorrow I have to pick up Esther Jerusalem so that she can spend the day with us. We want to bake bread tomorrow and get in the pool, so let's see how that goes.
Then, Mrs. Carmen asked me to show up at PHA's graduation so that my students who are graduating tomorrow can see me there.

Truth? I don't know what to make of her decision, but I am dying to see my students graduate. They've worked so hard and I am so incredibly proud of them!

Ok.
Time to go.
It's a beautiful day and I want to soak up the sun and enjoy every moment.
Life is precious.

We serve a great big G-d.
I LOVE YOU ABBA!!!
I am yours and You are mine! Hallelujah!