Doing what is right.....

My Dad told me once," Never pass up an opportunity to do what is right because you don't want to die with any regrets".













In life there are many such opportunities, like feeding someone who is hungry or telling a child good job! Doing what is right is not that hard but sometimes we make it that way, we sometimes act like we have to make some type of sacrifice to do what is right. We will buy $5 worth of lotto tickets but pass up the guy who holds the sign "will work for food." We will get up and be out of the house by 6 a.m. if we are going to the beach but struggle to get up to be at 11:00 a.m. church on time. We will buy and read cover to cover every gossip rag out there but fail to read the the one book that has all the answers.. the bible.



Psalm 25:9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.






Peace and thanks for listening.....

My boy the man

So I am at work and I was looking for and old form I created a few years back, when I ran across this letter. It is the letter I put into Marcos High school graduation card. I just wanted to say how proud I am of him that he remembered the last part of my message. See dads there is hope that your kids will listen... here is the letter

I remember…. I remember the first time I held you in my arms. I remember the little faces you use to make. I remember watching Cujo late at night until you would finally fall asleep. I remember you laughing so hard because each little step you took made a crunching sound during your first snowstorm. I remember your first bike ride and crash. I remember Boy Scouts, baseball, ninja turtles, soccer, flying kites, brief cases and ties. I remember you cried when you got your first C. I remember your first dance. I remember your first girlfriend and your first heartbreak. I remember who your first real love is. I remember never getting a call from a teacher or parent to say you had done something wrong. I remember my heart bursting with pride with each honor and award you received. I remember you hurt when your friends hurt. I remember your stubbornness and independence. I remember because God has blessed me with a little boy only for a short while. I remember that one day he will become a man and I have to let him go and experience the world …... I know that day is here… Now you remember: God first and everything else second.

I love you very much. Dad

Psalm 84:12 O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

peace and thanks for listening.........

Tis the season part 2.....

I guess 2008 is only going to have 11 months in it because I don't know what happened to July. Yes I do...it was all about family. After our Fresno trip my whole family went to Colorado for the Blue Feather reunion. Marcos and Mindy flew out there and Lee, Domonique, Broc and Gina and I drove out there. Let me just say that Broc is a trooper. 3000 miles and no fits.

Domonique had more restroom breaks than Broc did. It was a great time and I always enjoy driving through Utah and Colorado. God truly blessed these two states with wounderous beauty. I look at these places and this verse keeps going through my head.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

We stayed in my mom's cabin in Buena Vista a few days and then went to the Big Horn campground in Coaldale were most of my family met Lee, Mindy and Broc for the first time. We saw Big Horn sheep and, heard about a bear in camp. Smelled a skunk...yes Mindy it was a skunk not me.. We dressed as cowboys and indians and brave some questionable food. Is chicken supposed to be pink and beef runny..just asking? Lee and I almost won the horse shoe competition but after 6 hours in the sun it took it's toll had to settle for 3rd. After all the fun we had there was still something missing and it wasn't until I got back that I realized it was Grams. I miss her.

After the reunion we all went to Ft. Collins to moms and Lee and Domonique spent a few days there , then went on to Kansas to visit with Lee's family. We stayed a week in FC and then drove home..which is another blog altogether... All in all is was a great time and I love just spending time talking with mom and just being with my family. I thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful family. ..Now it's back to work.. finish up August and see what God has instore for us the next few months. Please keep us in your prayers..

Psalm 91:15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Peace and thanks for listening...........

T'is the season to reunion

There is an old saying, "You can pick your nose and you can pick your seat but you can't pick your family." July is here and yes we are off running again. Perhaps this will be the busiest month of the year due to two family reunions. One was this past weekend in Fresno, Ca. and the other is next weekend in Coaldale, Co. The older I get the more these gatherings of the aunts, uncles, ninos, ninas, grand kids ect.. mean to me. Family are the first ones to cheer for your accomplishments and the first to console you for your failures. They will be the first to criticize you but the first in line to fight anyone else who does. Family can be just as much a pain in the butt as they can be a joy. Don't believe me? Try and get 15 people (8 of those women) together for breakfast at 10:30 while you all are in 3 hotel rooms with 3 showers. Yikes!!! The reunion in Fresno was the best Hernandez family reunion I have been to. Marco and Mindy came and walked away with 1st place in the scavenger hunt and twist competition. I had the time of my life with Gina, Marcos and Mindy. However I did miss Domonique, Lee and Broc. O.K. maybe Broc just a little more.

This brings me to my point. See as a young stud I thought what a great excuse to party!! I never knew what it meant to the older generation to have all the family together just to celebrate "FAMILY", until I became the older generation. I think they call that wisdom but I am not sure. The one event that brought this home (and I am tearing up just typing this) was when my wife's cousin Raul said Uncle Frank got his kids together when they started to plan this reunion and told them " This will be my last reunion in Fresno make it great." ........... This young people is why us old people cling to you so much. We know our time is limited and we want to spend that time with the people who are most precious to us. "OUR FAMILY" All the houses, cars, boats and any other worldly possession you can imagine can not compare to the twinkle in Marcos eyes when he tells a story, or Domonique's infectious laugh when something hits her funny bone. Or that beautiful smile and warm greeting you get when Mindy sees you. Or the way Lee always wear his heart on his sleeve and wants to make sure you are taken care of. Nothing can compare to the pure joy it get when I call out " Hey pops" and little Broc turns around, smiles, jumps up and down and melts my heart. No, nothing can compare to the hugs and kisses of my wife. So is family important? Well in the tupperware of life it is GOD, FAMILY, then Self . So I would say yes. Thank you God for my blessed family, no matter how big a pain or joy..

How great is this verse...

1 Timothy 5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

Peace and thanks for listening.........

Time marches on

Well 2008 is almost half way done and I have had a full year in the past six months. January saw Lee leave for Iraq again and the beginning of the Surrendar program. Feburary and March were filled with anxious moments for work and apparent layoffs as well as the height of convention season. April saw the passing of Grams and a trip to Colorado to be followed 2 weeks later with a trip to Dallas for work. April also marks the passing of my father whom I miss very dearly. When your voice of reason is gone it is a very lonly feeling and even though it has been 4 years, it is a wound that only God's grace can fill. May brought my 48th birthday and mother's day with the typical combo BBQ. I then made still another trip to Colorado for mom's 70th. Sheree and I were there and Scott came in and suprised all of us. June came in with Marco and Mindy closing escrow on their first house. Also fathers day where we went to Taco Chon and heard the mariachi band with Marcos and Mindy's family. We have been with Domonique since Lee left and it has been a blessing to be able to watch little Broc grow as well as my daughter develope into a wonderful mother. Although I enjoy the time with my daughter and grandson I look foward to Lee's return and a little private time with gradma nana. We have celebrated 11 birthdays, a wedding, 2 graduations, coyotes, snakes, bobcat, and ants, made 2 trips to the ER and done battle with the IRS. Since JanuaryI have lost 16 pounds but have found 12 more... and was given a membership to the gym from Broc for fathers day. Yes the last 6 months have been a blurr, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love my life and my family and God has blessed me so much. I am off to buy a new pair of tennis shoes as we still have half a year to go.


Psalm 116:7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

Peace and thanks for listening.....

Surrender

Why? Why do I keep finding myself right back where I swore I would never be again? Why do I fail miserably at listening to the voice that would lead me down the righteous path? It is because "I" keep choosing what I want to be right and not what I know is right. For 30 some years I have been running from what God would have me do. Every time it has got a little tough, I have tried to fix things myself. Always, always falling way short of where I should be. This year I attended a class at High Desert Church that challenged me to surrender my will, the "one thing" that separated me from God's grace. What I learned is that I need to take that one thing this day and surrender it to God. Let it be my lust, my finances, my pride, my hurt. I just surrender it to God and try and remain at one with him for today. This is my daily trial by fire. God thank you for my trials.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Peace and thanks for listening.......