Wonderful Illustration

Nice illustration:
There was this man who wanted to get into the paradise. He saw this shop ahead of him called ' Paradise ' and walked in and asked the man standing behind the counter 'how can I get into paradise?' The man said, 'No Problem man,' and gave him a 'five foot' plank and took him to the back of the store. He then showed him a long narrow winding road and told him that he had to carry this plank all the way, and when he got to the end, he would be in paradise. So the man started on his journey walking up this narrow winding road. He walked for miles and miles and the plank that he was carrying started to get heavy, so he broke off a foot of the plank and continued walking. He now had four feet of this plank left and as he progressed on his journey, the plank once again started to get heavier and heavier. He broke off another foot. He was now left with three feet. He continued on his journey as he came closer, he saw this sign that said ' Paradise '. Now in order for him to get into paradise he had to cross a cliff that was ahead that had a 'five foot' gap!

The moral of the story is that Jehovah has arranged five weekly meetings per week to take us through to paradise. If we miss one, (the one foot that the man broke off) or even two, (the other foot that he broke off), then we are missing a lot of meetings. This is not the time to be slacking off no matter how tired we are on meeting nights. It is going to get harder too. Next year we move to three meetings on one night; if we miss that day, we will be missing 'three meetings! So let us all strive to be at each meeting, no matter how tired mentally or physically we might be. I want to see you all in the 'paradise.' So let us continue to fight the fine fight. We are too close now, can't you feel it?

Sam

Wooolah! i finaly get back to to my blog. almost a month havent write my thoughts and feelings.

Uhmmm... nothing much right now. My life is so busy right now, and its funny, now i have to buy a notebook calendar which I need to write down all my schedule per day, and write the field service hours that I made. Before I used to log in all the information to my celphone. Now i find that its more effective to keep up in schedule using paper and pen.

Two months ago, i find this bible text which everyday i always think of this whenever i feel down:

"The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it."—PROVERBS 10:22

What makes this bible text is really true is when I prayed to Jehovah that take little by little the some of the unecessarry things that I should not to worry. It take a while to happend its, but now, I feel its fullfilling. Not thinking negative things and too much worrying for the little things, give way for time for my personal study and focus on the spiritual goals.

And ofcourse I also want to thank my brothers, I know i'm the oldest but they taking in charge of the responsibility that supposed to do. Now I feel more freedom ... but its weird because right now. I enjoy to stay at the house during weekends, which I usually dont want to do before. Maybe because I start to look for the things inside the house that I need to do. And I start to look after my niece, which everytime i see her, she blow me up coz she is super smart... Sam , sarangheyo!

Here are some of the basic questions, that she can answer it correctly and 75% fluently.

What's your name? "My Name is Samantha Mackenzi Santiago Rivera"

How old are you? "I'am two!" ... she was born July 13, 2006

What's your Mom's Name ? Jean .. and your Dad's Name? Lance

Where is Uncle/Auntie / Grandparents ____ working at? ..... a lot to remember

What's the name of your stuff toys? Shenna, Violeta, Eric, and Dora

I continue observing her and I found out that she also has some of my traits, ehem... (im proud) She act like a boy, but she love pink (I love VS Pink) . She love to make herself fall on the edge of the couch, jumps and push up. She always wanna tell stories what she did everyday and talks about what she saw on the book. I see that she enjoy more listening on guitar than violin. Believed it or not , I cant imagine she has a very sharp photographic memory for age of 2 years old.

Last Friday, since that day finale of "My Girl" ( Rhea! me and Sam watch it too :)) I can't wait for 8:30 pm to watch it on TFC. So when im baby seating Sam, we watched it on the computer at pinoychannel.tv. She enjoy watching it and after that we went to the park for a walk. When we came home all of my brothers watching the finale of "My Girl" on the ... then Sam keep bugging her uncle sayings "Same!!! its same on the computer, Uncle!".. and she point out the pc. I was laughing coz she says it a lot of times to them, and i told to my bros that we already watched it via internet.

One thing when we tell to her the "My Book of Bible Stories" and she can mention now the name of some the characters on the book. And today she turn the pages of the book at Solomon's wisdom, and she shout " Oh gosh! Don't cut the baby!" (I cant remember what chapter is), and then we start story telling on Solomons life.

There are more fun moments everytime im with Sam. I just amazed, because maybe i under estimate her capability since she is only two. She loved to listen and imitate the words you says. I guess when im communicating to her, she can understand and speak both tagalog and english, because most her sentenced are combination of Taglish.

Alright, i gues i got so much kwento's about Sam. Yeh, it has a lot and some of its, should be capture by video. hahahah! never mind! I dunno wanna miss the thing.... just to watching and talking to her.

Gudnite!

Santa Maria Family Trip

At last! me and my whole family got a chance to get together in a road trip. But of course we always have road trip every Monday and Saturday on the way to hall, which its only take 1 hour to Oceanside... I get used to it for almost 4 years :)

We drove going to Santa Maria for Kuya Roy's public talk and to visit our friends there. It's a different expirience, I thought I can handle the 3 hours driving, but I can only seat at the driver seat for one hour. Here are the photos that I wanna share to you it's a long trip so I got tons of picture of views.

The road and stop over going to Santa Maria:

I love this picture, sooo cute:)

Still filing up gas...

Mom and Dad... we just watched "Nacho Libre" at the DVD

After 3 hours of travel, we ate lunch at Serna's house and head to their kingdom hall

Fresh vegetables and frutis at FOODMAX, the best price I've ever seen!

Me and Mahina played basketball while waiting for food...

(see how we throw the ball on the ring)

Barbeque and Videoke at Serna residence

Night walk at Pismo beach Pier...

more photos at :

http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa30/riverafamily_album/2008/08%20August/Santa%20Maria%20Family%20Trip/?start=all

District Convention 2008

Hellow!. wow it took me a long time to get back on track to write a blog for district assembly. I got distracted with so many things, and its hard to gather my thoughts and focus on my writings. Anyway, we enjoyed the three days conventions and we take a lot of notes...

Here are some of the notes that my brothers made (hahahaha!)....

Thanks my dear younger Abiath for accidentally deleting my pictures from my camera. I put your sorry note you wrote last (7-27-08 @3:30pm) here at my blog

You owe me dinner now....

But anyway, I'm glad my friends took pictures with me at the district assembly. Here are the happy moments during 3 days conventions.

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Del Rosario's and our friends:

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my sisters..

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my brothers...

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Sam's friends:

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Im glad that we have this conventions and we get a chance to know Serna Family and Amanda Rogers. Thanks for the happy moments you shared with the Rivera's we have so many funs and bloopers events, which everytime I remember it makes me LOL!! :)

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Saturday night (Irvine Spectrum) ...

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Sunday night At Ate Unice House. Me and Abiath missed this dinner... we're with the Malicsi at the Cowbow Restaurant where I ate the best beef stake, woahoahh!!. Thanks Abiath, you paid my dinner! yeyeh! You dont owe me now, but i still want a camera.

More photos posted at my photobucket : http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa30/riverafamily_album/2008/07%20July/District%20Convention%20July%2025-27/?start=all

Expression / Vent and Prayers

Venting of feelings and thoughts makes our life healthy. Keeping the thoughts and feeling Unsaid, is not good, it just making your own life miserable and this is Satan lure to take out our happiness by filling our heart and mind with stress, we don’t want this happened, right? Don't keep it; express it to Jehovah thru prayers. He assure us that when we are “broken at heart,” Jehovah, like a loving parent, “is near”—ever watchful, attentive, and ready to help. "Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves" - Psalm 34:18
God answers the prayer of the righteous and who keep knocking If we open our eyes and sometimes it is good to be super nostalgic, because Reviewing our past help us to see our prayer is answered little by little on certain time and season. We feel happiness when find the answers from the bible, and we feel so much joyful because we are surrounded with Christian family and Jehovah’s congregation who cares so much to us. These are the answers: bible and the congregations. Knew how to count the blessing so we can see Jehovah is answering our prayers, if we see the answers are happening, take care of it, work on it and don’t even try to resist the blessings/ answers, because in our mind we have our version of answers on our prayer that we want to happened. But always remember Jehovah is righteous and He knows the right and good things for His servant “O Hearer of prayer, even to you people of all flesh will come" - Psalm 65:2 These are good points from Bro. Andrade public talk last 6/7/08: Jehovah's will answer prayer if we have 1) faith, 2) humbleness, 3) work according to our prayer and 4) praise Jehovah. Another encouraging scripture "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us" - 1 John 5:14

My Murrieta friends I read your blogs. I hope this little note light up your day before District Assembly. Oh! i can't wait to see my sisters tomorow. Are you prepared? Notebook and pen! food, wahaahhh! .. "Heart and mind" ! ... Wake up early :)

Let's Watch How We Walk

This is very encouraging, I recieved this today thru email. Hopely it will help.

A Witness moved to Houston , Texas . Some weeks afterHe arrived, he had Occasion to ride the bus from hisHome to the Downtown area.When he sat down, he discovered that the driverHad accidentally given him a quarter too much.As he considered what to do, he thought toHimself, 'You better give the quarter back;
It would be wrong to keep it.

' Then he thought, 'Oh, Forget it, it's only a quarter;
Why worry about this Little amount? The bus company
already gets too much fare; they will never miss It;
accept it as a 'gift from Jehovah' and keep Quiet.'When his stop came, he paused momentarily at theDoor; Then he handed the quarter to the driverAnd said, 'Here Sir; you gave me too much change. . .'The driver with a smile, replied, 'I saw you hadthose magazines that the witnesses carry;
Are you One of Jehovah's Witness? I have been
thinking lately about going to worship somewhere;
I just really wanted to see what you would do if I gave
you too much Change!'

When the Witness stepped off the bus, heLiterally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on,
And said, 'Oh Jehovah, I almost sold Your Name for a quarter! '

MORAL: Our lives are the only Bible some people will
Ever Read! So give them something good to read - OK !

'Let's Watch How We Walk.' -Hebrews 13:18

Awake August 2008

This is interesting, check this website and see how our Awake is on the home page of this website.

Scroll down to the bottom right of the page and you will see the latest Awake.

The inside cover credits this site 'SeaPics.com'. http://www.seapics.com
Credits: See how our pictures have been used to illustrate many renowned publication in the world. This issue focused on global warming.

i think, i wrote non-sense things, sorry.

Did you experience that you have so many things in your mind, that you want to express, but when you try to express it thru writing or speech you get stunned or stuck, because you don't know what words you should use and how you going to deliver it? Uhhmmm, I tell I experience it a lot of time. On the way to work, then on the way back to home. Lot of things that I want to say, to the people I care. But I know , it will be no good to tell it or express this is because of some situation already change, and at the end of this... all the words I should say, and things I knew it will never help anymore to make difference, to help others.. It will better leave UNSAID. Too worst to knew, that we waste our time, and we knew there will be no good result. And it’s painful to realize that there are some people you care so much, is actually didn't care to you or they being fake for all this time. You become blinded because of the charm, beauty, fun, excitement- and distort your decision to choose between the good and the right, and to know the bad and wrong, to follow the laws and principles. These are the thing that goes around my head recently. But I finally realize that this are all the things that Satan use in weakened our spirituality. Things that we see good, we always thought that is right. But that’s not all this is not right. We knew the bad things, but do we consider white lie is wrong too? We follow the laws (bible ten commandments), but do we examine and train our heart to mold our conscience to follow the principles which will leads to follow the laws. The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much- Luke 16:10.
This is the reason why, I don't want to express my feelings and thoughts. It’s better to be left UNSAID to avoid people around me to get hurt. This is the reason why, I don't want to see things or hear news that makes me stumble, because it will just weakened my spirituality. In contrast, on back of my mind I fall to a lot of questions and answer... why i have toungue to talk? Two hands to write or type? And eyes and ears to use to observe and hear the information? Questioning my own mind? This makes me more confuse. But getting the answer from bible and people who loves me and makes me strong in spiritual wipe out the confusion, and it paints the true happiness in my life. Thanks for my family, my Christians friends, you are always there. I guess... that’s all for tonight... I write these things, because I have fingers to type on the keyboards, a mind and heart that need to vent the thoughts and feeling once in a while. I want to DO the words "SORRY". But HOW? ... I don’t want to think anymore, coz it will be goes on and on......questions?? And answers!! Good night...

Have A Nice Day

Wednesday is the hardest day of my weekdays. But anyway, forget the job and focus on the happy things what we have now. Here is one of the email I recieved from my friend (Yvette), simple email but give complex question in life. I wanna share to you. We need to have "Joy".

..... Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

1) If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
2) Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.
3) Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.
4) Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
5) Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
6) Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
7) Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
8) Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

In addition we knew thats we live in "critical times hard to deal with." (2 Timothy 3:1-5). If we always remember, the times we endured the hardship in life and keep continuing serving Jehovah, this consider as "Joy", because we been walking far and almost in finish line. Here are some of the the bible text that I found on the watchtower library, about "Joy".
Joy is not something external. It is a quality of the heart. (Proverbs 17:22.)
External things such as family, friends—even a favorite food—can to a limited extent bring a feeling of joy. (Acts 14:16, 17)
Why, just anticipating something good can bring joy! (Proverbs 10:28.) True, the joy a person derives from external circumstances or material things can be short-lived.

C.O Visit Week

I survive without camera, whoa!....for two months! Thanks Allyson for taking pictures last C.O. Visit week. What happened on last July 1- 6? Fun!! Fun! Fun!! At field service with Ate Jeanine and Bro Hopnogels. We learn a lot of techniques how to be effective in field ministry and have successful return visit. We start our full day’s service on July 4, 5 and 6. Waking up at 6am, and fight for the bathroom, leave orange county at 8am sharp for field service at 9am at Oceanside, went home at 9pm then sleep, its like a boot camp, huh? , But I'm sure they enjoy the road trip going to Oceanside and going home (oh,yeh! they are sleeping:) the food and experience the busy life of my family.

During field service .....

Visit Christine- Rhea May's friend ...

Bornfrey and Joe miss this lunch at Teri Cafe (College Blvd) ....but its okay they went to their bible study.

See how Allyson's digital camera can change Jerick and Nathan in just 3 clicks...

After the 3 days of field service, we went back to Murrieta... Party!!!!

Photos link: http://s197.photobucket.com/albums/aa30/riverafamily_album/2008/07%20July/C%20O%20Visit%20Week/
Thanks for the happy moments my friends these are the true blessings from Jehovah.... Genuine Happiness... I will always treasure the memories of youth days.

The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it - Proverbs 10:22