The blessings in between

My grandmother died May 2008. Although we had been expecting it, we didn't think it would happen the way it did. She had been doing dialysis at home for a while and now was dealing with an infection on both legs. Being diabetic the infection was hard to hold back but they made progress and sent her home on Friday the 23. I was able to talk to her that night. She seemed her old self. Both my aunts were with her and though still worried, they were relieved to be home. Her voice sounded good and strong. I can't tell you how many times that same voice made me smile. I prayed once again that God would heal her. For years I had asked and pleaded with Him to give me the chance to go to Venezuela again so I could spend some time with her and so she could meet Sean. That night I still had that hope.

Tuesday morning she was taken in for emergency surgery with a perforated intestine. That night my aunt Nacarit called to tell me that she has died at 9 pm. She didn't wake up from the anesthesia. I cried and felt useless being so far away unable to help my aunts. Death is very much about the living. It's about those of us left behind to deal with the aftershocks. I knew my grandmother was now sleeping. Sean said it best: "Baby, can you imagine? She was asleep when she passed and the next thing she knows she will be seeing Jesus." How true and comforting. No more pain and tears and days of loneliness for her.

I was disappointed I didn't get to see her one last time and that she didn't get to meet this amazing God-fearing man I had married. But I was so thankful for all the blessings in between. It was a blessing that Ana was with me when I got the news. It was a blessing that she had her daughters with her. It was a blessing for them to have had 3 days at home before rushing back to the hospital. A little calm before the storm. Daisy and I got to talk to her.

I learned many wonderful life lessons from my grandmother. Her story is very interesting. She was given away in marriage at the age of 15 to some stranger that happened to be passing by her town. She raised 4 children on her own. She was always involved in the life and her grandchildren and loved us like her own. She loved me like her own. On the few occasions that she came to the states and we would talk she would take my hands and tell me all the things she wished for me. She would say, "Mariangela, I want you to be so happy. I want you to have something of your own that no one can take away. Someone that loves you beyond anything on this earth. Something that's yours and only yours."

That's the biggest blessing of all. I got to tell her that God had blessed with all she wished for me.

It snowed here in texas last month. Some parts had more than us. There's a picture of our small plant to the right. So cute! Last night it rained really heavy with huge lightning and thunder, but on Friday it's supposed to be sunny and warm. I love Texas!!
And that's my weather report.

And the winner is...

My aunt Nacari is the Teacher of the Year in her school. She invited me as her guest to the awards dinner this past Thursday. There were around 300 teachers that were the winners from their schools. Throughout the evening they were giving out 13 prizes. All were good, but the last 3 were the best with number 13 being the grand prize.

When we first got there my aunt read over the prizes and said, "I want this one." This one being the grand prize. I said, "Yeah, right."

They called out winner's names and when they got to number 12 I told her, "Let's go, we didn't win." And then, we heard these words.

"And now for the grand prize. Our winner is, from Success High School, Iris Betancourt."

How crazy is that? What were the chances? I started screaming and cheering and she walked up to receive her basket.

Looking back I realize that many times in our christian life we see all others receiving and think that we did not win. But God is saving the best for last. He is saving the best for those that wait upon the Lord, all the way to the end. We should always be aware the the One that made us will not let us go unrewarded. We should look to the list of "prizes" he left us (the Bible) and say, "I want that one." Is eternal life not the best award of all?

Baby baby

Maxton came to visit us and brought his parents. Can we say cute and cuddly? I wanted to bite his chubby legs. Publish Post

Come spring.

Have you seen the trees when they start budding? You see the small buds of future bloom all over the branches? Picture that or look out for those ( if and when they start doing that in your area.) That's how I feel. I feel like a tree with bare and empty branches, but at the ends I have small powerhouses of life covering me. I feel like my spring is coming.

Why, you ask? Well, for the first time in my life I am experiencing the full, amazing, glorious emotion called FAITH. I know, you'd think that after 22 years as a Seventh Day Adventist I would have felt it by now. Don't get me wrong, I've had faith and prayed with faith. But this is so much more complexed.

I believe that this feeling of Faith and renewal is due to my reading the whole bible this year. I've come to realize that there is an unbelievable number of things I don't know. I started with one Bible, but am waiting to continue with one my friend Delina is sending me. Apparently my bible of choice was not correct. I encourage you to pick a bible, any bible, and read. The Lord will undoubtedly find a way to reach you.

It's taken me a while

So, it's taken me a while to sit down and write again. Sometimes things happen and I think...'Oh, I should blog about that' ...and then I don't. Turns out I'm not too into writing, but I've decided to be better this year.

Actually, that's what I'll blog about today. What I've decided to do this year. You know, the infamous resolutions. I could just keep them to myself but then it would be easier to ignore. If I write them and have others read them then there's accountability. Someone will inevitably ask at the end of the year "so how did you do about reading?"

So here they are.
1. There's the one about weight (duh).
2. There's the one about reading.
3. There's the one about writing.
4. There's the one about listening.
5. There's the one about discipleship.


See, now you can ask me in 12 months and I'll be able to tell you. Haha.