LaUnicaReina

Hello to all my dear friends who have been sitting alone in the dark corner awaiting for my next blog. It has been awhile! Don’t really have a reason why I haven’t blogged, because really Reina always has something to say. To start off, not much has changed, I have been trying to lose weight and tone up, and lets just say that the process is going rather s l o w l y…but I am seeing results. My amazing husband is still amazing, and my adorable son Diego is still incredibly aborable……..but he is becoming more and more active.
Right now I am in Orlando staying a week with my mom. Truthfully I’m bored to death. Nonetheless, I love being here with my mother and keeping her entertained. My grandparents are old…lol…but they are hilarious expecially my grandfather, and I have a cousin here from Puerto Rico in whom I have not seen since I was 7.

Stay Tuned and I will keep you updated with much more of my thoughts, writings, and life.

Muah

La Unica Reina

After much thought and consideration
I’ve come to a decision that will change this situation
A resolution that will affect my atmosphere
Letting go to what I hold on so dear

Pending a destination that’s unfamiliar
I stride to a rhythm that keeps me from falling under
Grind into the ground the rubbish I discover
While I break off the sins I’ve covered

Returning to the core that made my heart whole
And seize the moment that will enrich my soul
Dampen my purpose as I let my self go
Unbound, released, as you take control

Lead me down the waterline
Where healing waters intertwine
So this soul can one day find
A reason to live this life of mine

I don’t know what it was about my childhood that influenced me to swim against the current. Even before Christ bursted into my life, I knew deep down in my heart there was a bigger plan. I grew up in a very rough neighborhood where eveyday I had to defend myself either verbally or physically. I lived in a house that was loud and violent. It was my mother, my father, and my 4 older brothers that made my house a riot. I have great childhood memories, and I have bad ones that marked my life resulting into some bad decisions. And as crazy as it sounds, I would not have traded shoes with anyone else in the world. But, I can’t help but ask is this what God intended to happen in my life? My father left when I was about 12 and then moved to Puerto Rico when I was 15. My mother was left to raise 5 kids and slaved away to make ends meet. I remember when we didn’t have enough money for food and yet we never went starving. When the heat bill wasn’t paid on time in the middle of winter and yet we never went cold. God has a funny way of showing his grace and master plan. The rollercoasters that I’ve endured have been lifechanging. It is true that I come from a crazy family, my personality and character reflects craziness. Still I cannot ignore how He shaped and molded my character to be strong and courageouse.

Remaining faithful extended so far for me. Everyday I hoped for tender moments and still I was constantly surrounded by chaos. I learned early on that faith wasn’t tangible. I somehow understood that there was a deeper part within my heart that beat for something more significant than my chaotic world. It was invisible to my eye but I found it irresistable to ignore the warmth and comfort of a stronger force pulling me in and keeping me safe.

I cry when I am alone sometimes, not only for myself, but also for a dying world. A world that needs change. My world was flipped upside down when He came into my life. I look back at my childhood and see how much everything has changed. How many time God had to intervene in the times that I needed him most, and HE still does it to this day. We all have encountered it one way or another, both physically and mentally. It can be good in many ways, yet scary as hell itself. (excuse me for being so blunt) but a transformation can be scary. It takes a lot to realize that God is all we need to rid ourselves from a meloncholic life. Someone once said, “Attitude is the way you mentally look at the world around you. It is how you view your environment and your future. It is the focus you develop toward life itself.â€

There’s one thing that I learned through out the years and that is change comes from the inside out. My attitude towards life is more vibrant and lucid than ever before, all because I am accessible to His change.

la Unica rEiNa

Now of days we can take an unflattering photograph and alter the imperfection within the photo. We can enhance the image by removing any blemishes, darken or highlight the color pigmentation of our skin, we can reshape or redefine our bone structure, and we can even make our teeth look whiter, all with what we call today “computer enhancement”! This creates an illusion that promotes a false identity. How often have we seen a commercial on the television or an ad in a magazine of a celebrity who, in person, not quite as attractive as you perceived them to be?

It is a question I ask myself all the time. I compare this example to our society and culture today. It’s heartbreaking to realize that our lives have evolved into a culture of fake people: air brushing our lives creating false impressions towards a society that manifests themselves in artificial possessions. Meanwhile, we hide behind a disguise because we are not willing to admit our faults to others. This is a question I have pondered on now for weeks, even months, particularly more towards Christians. It can appear that many, as believers, have to hold some kind of modesty and integrity. But most of the time we can give off the impression that we are much more mature than what we really are. We’re terrified to feel vulnerable or exposed, avoiding the fact that if our true identity were to render forward, how will our friends view us? Instead, we occupy ourselves by ridiculing others on their sins and their past, or even present mistakes. We resort to pointing our figures laying out the dirty laundry of others. The word of God says in Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” The irony of this passage is that Christ was rebuking the upholders of the law. As a believer myself who defends the faith of Christianity, I have found my own heart to be bitter, dark, and selfish, and when I look into the mirror at times I do not like who I see, but I somehow believe and know that there is purpose in my life, and I am here, not by mistake, but for a divine reason.

Our society has become less empathetic, because the compassion in our hearts is committed to our own desire for personal safety and comfort. So that leads me to another question: What do we really stand for, and whose identity do we long to reveal? The book of James 5:16 shares that healing occurs when you come to the point in your walk with Christ that you cannot rid yourself from sin by masking it, but instead you need to become more accountable as a believer. When we confess our flaws and imperfection of who we really are, then little by little we become more who we were destined to be, without having to hide behind any disguise.

The truth is I AM selfish with an underdeveloped sense of love and compassion. There are times where I’ve come to a comfortable level of my spiritual existence where I feel I don’t have to face myself the way I should. It can be like cancer eating me up inside. I know and recognize this, and everyday I try to please God with my life, and I feel like everyday I fail. That doesn’t mean that I stop trying, it just gives me more of an opportunity to try again. He always shows himself strong in the weakest part of my life. But, what about you? How is your heart? Are you comfortable with the life that you choose on living? How is your compassion for others? Do you love as though you should? Are you led to action, to prayer, to help, to minister to others when they are in dying need or do you air-brush it off because to face the needs of others means that you have to face yourself?
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In the series that was given to me by Valerie Nelson, “Making Sense of it ALL-With or Without God,” was the subject last night in our youth group. I am amazed everyday of how much these kids think they know. The harsh reality of their fake world exploded in their faces yesterday. We engaged upon the issue of what would happen when “God is removed?” To my surprise these young kids all agreed on the same thing…”CHAOS.” Chaos is what happens when GOD is removed from everything. Yet even when God is removed, our soul being still longs and yearns for something more beyond our five senses. Our society has replaced God with artificial truth. Our culture, our society, OUR WORLD has twisted the truth to fit everyone elses truth, and in doing so GOD was taken out of the picture.

Life without GOD doesn’t make sense. Why do you think our kids are running around having sex, doing drugs, experimenting with the same gender, taking their own lives because they are so depressed with the life that they are living? We need to stop sugar coating the truth!!! God is REAL! Life with God makes sense. Christians need to start breaking out of their nightmare into the harsh reality of whats real and true. Something happened in these young kids last night. I know and believe that these kids will break free from their current worldview. Last night was a breaking point, a beginning, a seed that was planted in these teens. I pray for that seed to grow into something far more than what my heart can hope for.

God is practical, God is logical, God is dependable and consistent, God is universal…GOD is REAL. Whether you believe in it or not “GOD MAKES SENSE.”

la unica rEiNa

JUST KIDDING! I had a full house this past couple of weeks, and I must say it was good to see old friends and family. We had a blast! From beach bums to rock and roll bandits, it was full with endless nights of laughter,sleepless nights, and a whole lot of home cooked loving. I will miss them and can’t wait to see them all again during Christmas. Jesse and “The Saturn Project” rocked the house as usual, and I had my personal make-up artist for the weekend. I made some Empanadas (Pastor Travis, I tried my best to save you some, but these guys devoured them. I guess you have to wait for the next batch…SORRY)

Life is grand, Love is pure, and I am grateful.

La unica rEinA…( - :

1. MOLLY RINGWALD
2. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (STAR WARS)
3. GHOSTBUSTERS
4. 1980
5. REESES PIECES
6. RONALD REAGAN
7. “VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR” BY THE BUGGLES
8. “I AM THE CATCHER IN THE RYE”
9. ROCK WITH YOU, BILLIE JEAN, BEAT IT, WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL, DIRTY DIANA, BAD, MAN IN THE MIRROR, WE ARE THE WORLD(CO-WROTE), THRILLER
10. THE BEARS WON THE SUPERBOWL IN 1986 BUT WERE OBVIOUSLY THE BEST IN 1985 AND THAT IS WHY THEY WON IN 86…LOL…(FOOTBALL FANS CUT ME SOME SLACK HERE)

This past weekend was interesting. From Mark’s slamming birthday party to Pastor Travis crying in the movie “Bella”???? Sorry Pastor Trav ( - : It’s like they always say “It takes a man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.” Good thing there wasn’t a bigger man there…(da da ching…that was a joke…(cricket…cricket). Okay, so aside from me not quiting my day job, I had a good time this weekend. The Martinez had an abundance of food, and as usual is was delicioso. We missed the movie “Bella” but from the sounds of it, I heard it was fantabulous. Alex, my brother in law, came into town last Wednesday and has been chillin at our house (Diego adores him). Our friend John flew in today from Puerto Rico and plans to finish out his vacation here in Florida before he heads back home into the blizzaring cold. (Blizzaring? Is that a word?) Any-hoot…my weekend overall was relaxing and I hope yours was too.

La Unica Reina

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.
-Margaret Young-

Happiness comes from within. I’ve learned throughout the years that in order for me to be happy I had to learn to be happy with myself first. I cannot rely on my husband, my son, a fancy home and car, or all the money in the world. True happiness has come from discovery myself, my true potential, the person that GOD originally disigned for all the world to see. I may not be a doctor or a lawyer, a hollywood actor or a famous author (and I’m not saying that can never come about), but what I am, and try to be everyday, is a great wife to my amazing husband, a loving mother to my adorable son, a good friend to those who need one, and a worshiper who never ceases to worship and serve all the days of my life. My journey has only begun. Each and everyday I discover more and more of what GOD has in stored for me so that I can fullfill HIS purpose, and that brings me pure joy and happiness that money or fame can never buy. Being married to Jesse makes me the happiest woman alive and having his son and future children only brings me more excitement, but having GOD as our rock and foundation, and the SAVIOR to our lives…that is the utmost and purest of all happiness.

la unica rEiNa

It was a decade that brought forth great music like ACDC, Prince, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd, Madonna, and we can’t forget Michael Jackson (back when he was…oh I don’t know…normal). To me, personally, the 80’s have some of the best movies of all time…Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Ferris Bueller’s Day off. The style was impacting and yet very wild. I think at some point or another, we all have been somewhat influenced by the 80’s. Even the current fashion is bringing a fresher, young urban look that was inspired by the 80’s…(legwarmers, colorful tights, skinny jeans, big hair). So it should come as no surprise as to why someone, in their right minds, would want to reenact the 80’s.

Well, this past weekend, Jesse and I had a housewarming party. To make it a little more interesting and exciting we thought dressing up would be a great idea. So, Jesse and I came up with the idea of dressing up like we did back in the 80’s, giving us the theme of “I love the 80’s.” Now for those younguns, you may not recall the style back then, but had you done a google search, I can assure you that the world wide web would not have let you down. Now allow me to elaborate a little of what the 80’s generated. From a butt load of AquaNet hairspray to maintain those obscene hair-dos, to the fish nets stockings, I have seen some very…hmmm..how should I say this…i n t e r e s t i n g outfits. It was all about making a statement, and statements were made. We had big hair, lots of pilled on make-up, tight jeans, wind breakers, florensent colors (such as pink and greens), strange and oversized glasses, and we can’t forget 1the amazing music that the 80’s produced.

Overall, we had a great time! We played games, danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and laughed at each others outfits. If that’s not a good time, then I don’t know what is. Jesse and I received some great gifts that’s gonna help us out a lot. So without furthermore, I leave you with 2 things. Pictures of our “I love the 80’s” weekend, and some trivia questions. Now on the Trivia questions don’t go cheating by looking up the answers on the web “PAUL!!” Try to do the best you can and see what you get. I will post the answers later this week. Enjoy!

TRIVIA QUESTIONS

1. Who was considered teen queen in most of the “mega popular” John Hughs films

2. What movie was the highest grossing film of the 1980’s?

3. Fans still quote this “I’ve been slimed” from what popular 80’s movie?

4. What year was the Rubiks cube made popular?

5. What candy snack came about from the movie E.T?

6. Who became president in 1981?

7. In 1981 MTV played their first video…What was the video? and Who was the band?

8. John Lennon was shot and killed in New York. The gunman, Mark Chapman shouted what just before dropping to the ground and firing the weapon?

9.Micheal Jackson had 9 no.1 hit singles in the 80’s. Name 4 of the 9.

10.Who won the superbowl in 1985?