Slow Progress

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I’ve heard so many times that the only person you should be better than, is the person you were yesterday. It’s never rang true to me. I’ll tell you why…

I believe it’s an unrealistic possibility. There are days, weeks, and even years where I feel extremely way behind from the person I was before. Physically, mentally and spiritually. However, some days I feel on top of the world.

Many days, I’m just barely hanging on for dear life. A lot worse off than I was the day before. A lot worse than yesterday, not better.

I believe life is more like the four seasons. With very few extremely great perfect days of spring and fall. A lot of the time life is way too hot, or way too cold. And there’s nothing we can do to change the weather.

I think most of the time we are here in the world just trying to get out of the elements and survive. Are we becoming better? Maybe. Maybe becoming better in spiritual attributes like patience and love, but very very slowly. Then we fall back two steps. A lot worse than yesterday.

Dont beat yourself up if you’re not where you want to be yet. Especially as the world defines as “successful”. It’s just a lie. If you’re still here and trying, that’s a success.

I think we are here to learn and really understand the negative the universe has to offer in every form. Mixed with some excellent times. But few are far between. Just like the few great days in spring and fall.

I think the true answer to life is to just be grateful for each day, moment by moment, and try to see what it is God is teaching us in the next season he has. Trying to do what He would have us do moment to moment to moment. Most of the times one step up, and two steps back. And when we think we have it figured out, here comes the next season.

Besides, the moment we check the temperature of our own oven of happiness too soon, our cake falls, and we need to start again. It’s never even about us anyway. It’s about others.

Don’t try to get ahead. Again, try to be in the moment with gratitude. It’s hard but I think that’s a huge key to happiness. Even if we aren’t better than we were yesterday.

Just a few thoughts.

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The Forced State Religion?

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The Forced State Religion?

The Pittsburgh PD unveiled new Pride decals on a patrol car this morning. Does anyone remember me saying this was coming coast to coast a few years ago? People thought I was crazy then, too.

One of the main reasons why the Founders left England a few hundred years ago, was to flee from the government who were forcing people to think how they thought, live how they wanted you to live, and to “worship” how they wanted you to worship. So they left, to built America. However, it seems we’ve now come full circle back to that idea. Where is the separation now?

This movement seems to not stop until it has literally painted itself on ever faction of our lives (including our government cars), and if you disagree with it, you will put you on the same level as a racist.

It’s scary today to speak up against it. Employment, jobs, certain FB friends you know will be offended if you speak out. But, do it anyway, come what may. Do it with love and conviction. Articulate yourself and WHY you believe the way you believe. That’s why America should be America. We all believe differently. Let’s just not force one belief into another; especially force by the government.

MJ Sobran once said, “What the secularists are increasingly demanding…is that religious people, when they act politically, act only on secularist grounds. They are trying to equate acting on religion with establishing religion. And—I repeat—the consequence of such logic is really to establish secularism. It is in fact, to force the religious to internalize the major premise of secularism: that religion has no proper bearing on public affairs.”

I hope these cops around the country who are being forced to put this on their car will, with love, fight back. I hope the people of Pittsburg stand up, with love, and speak. As a people, are we going to let sexualism become the new forced state religion? We shall see.

 

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Christ, Sin, and Hope

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A few thoughts about Christ, sin, and hope.

Did you know that Christ not only suffered for our specific sins, but also suffered the full Eternal sentence and punishment of each of our sins, for what we have done and what we haven’t done?

Many times we think of sin as only the things we’ve done wrong (sins of commission) But we sometimes fail to notice many of the sins we commit are because we fail to do the best we know how in each decision (sins of omission). Especially for those of us that know the truth. We forget about that. I think that’s where the devil wins more than we realize. By slowly taking the light out of our souls. The great things we don’t end up doing throughout the day is his game. Small things we fail to act on.

I don’t think we understand the great things we could accomplish if we partnered with God more than we do. We get so caught up in the ways of the world and we can spiritually plateau so quickly. Then that plateau turns downhill faster than we know. Because we fail to climb any higher. The ways of the world inevitably take our sight and mind off of God and we stop moving in toward Him.

The good news is that through faith in Christ, repentance, commitment, and change of behavior, we can be fully forgiven and born again each day and allowed that spiritual light back into our lives. But everyday we have to want and ask for it. It’s not automatic. Sin is automatic and we are all guilty. Love and light are action words and take work each day.

Remember, Christ loves us not because we are good, but because He is good. It’s His light that fills us if we allow. I’m so thankful I know this truth. But without effort on our end we grow dim. He suffered and died for us because He loves us enough to do it. We just need to accept His great gift and start moving in goodness. There’s a lot of hope in that. It’s the only thing that keeps me going.

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Depression is Real – And there’s more to it.

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I’ve come across and been reading a lot about the devastating incline in suicides in our country, especially in teens. It truly is an epidemic. Numbers are skyrocketing. I believe around 30% across the country this year from last. A high school near me had 8 teens commit suicide this year alone. What?! The saddest part is, I don’t see that going down with the direction the world is heading.

There would be nothing worse for a family to go through. I’ve seen it with people I love dearly. It rips me apart and I can’t imagine the pain and suffering they feel each day.

I’m also seeing that “mental illness” is what’s ultimately being blamed in many articles and conversations. Which is true to a degree. However, I think we are missing the root cause to the problem. Which is that somehow we’ve forgotten God in all of this. We don’t even know why we are here.

When I say God, I don’t mean religion. I mean love. Because God is love. We are becoming spiritually weaker and weaker, each generation that passes. And because we’ve forgotten God, and forgotten (or don’t know how) to love one another, blaming something solely on mental illness would only make sense.

We’ve become (myself included) so self-interested, self-absorbed, self-centered, self-indulgent, self-serving, and self-loving. In other words, selfish. And in the end, there’s not many places to turn for peace; so sometimes suicide seems to be the only way out. Because peace can’t be found in the interest of ones “self”. It can only be found in love, in God.

In many ways, we’ve gotten to a point where we’ve sucked every ounce of the “what’s in it for me” world, and ultimately haven’t realized that it should never have been about “me” to begin with. As Maxwell has said, “Selfishness is self-destruction in slow-motion.” And at last, that’s what suicide is. Complete destruction of self.

I too know that depression is a very real thing. I battle it every morning. I don’t talk about it a lot because I try not to focus on it. But sometimes it’s crippling the entire day. Even to the point where I can’t see any hope. Even with my belief in God. And so I write this because I don’t know how anyone with my type of condition could do it without God. I truly don’t. It breaks my heart when I hear people end their lives.

I believe the biggest cure to this epidemic is to talk to each other, help each-other, pray for each other, and love each other; especially in our own individual spheres of influence.

Even if you don’t want to bring “God” into a conversation with someone who is suffering. Just bring love, because that’s what God is, love. And hopefully people who are truly suffering inside can feel that spirit of love inside of you, and gain some hope, and let that love grow in them. We can’t do it alone.

 

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That’s my girl!

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Earlier this year, I looked out and saw three little girls walking up to my house before church. I thought “Here we go, it’s 8:15 and the neighborhood kids are already wanting to play?!”

I looked closer and one of the little girls was actually my 6 yr old daughter, Rachel. I found out Rachel had invited two of her neighborhood friends to church. They were even wearing Rachel’s other church dresses from her closet because they all wanted to match. My heart melted.

I’ve never even talked to my kids about inviting people to church. She just did it. We all piled in the van and went.

If only I could have a sliver of the faith my daughter has when it comes to being more Christlike and inviting all to come into Him. Rachel taught me a big lesson today about faith and love. Thank you, Rachel, for helping soften my heart, and renewing my spirit today.

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

(Matt 18:2-4)

Jon Romero. Stacey Hamilton Moutsos

 

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We are all One

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This last year our boy Chris, chose to follow the example of our Savior and be baptized. It was one of the best things I’ve been apart of. In fact, he was baptized in the same church building and font I was baptized in, almost 30 years ago.

9 years ago Stacey and I found out that we were chosen to be Chris’ parents. His birth parents were not in a position to raise him at the time. And Heavenly Father aligned the stars for us to take care of him on earth. It’s a long story and I’ll tell it another time. I get a little emotional just typing this.

We have had an open adoption and Chris will occasionally talk to his birth Mom Kristi and his birth Dad, Christopher. Even though the two have gone their separate paths in life. I am so thankful to them and for them, for being as selfless as they have been. Most of his birth family (Mom and Dad) attended the baptism today.

My brother Dustin spoke on baptism and my Mom Sherri spoke about The Holy Ghost. The feeling in the room was overwhelming. Ava and Bevin sang. My Mom testified that Chris was the link that brought everyone in that room together. She had everyone stand up and say how they were related to Chris. This is why I believe God’s family is One. All of us. Because in the end, we as God’s children will be all linked together when we return back to him.

My Mom presented a photo (see below) to each family that represented ALL of God’s family. Most everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. Chris then ran to his birth Dad and just gave him a big hug. I cried like a little baby. This is what life is all about. Sharing and helping one another to get through the sea of mortality to our final destination. Every possible way. Even if we are in separate ships for a short time. All to get back to our Father in Heaven through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Stacey Casey Brad Mindy Bobbie Cristi Ed Tiffany Albert Ashley Travis Lesa Awwen Kristi , Chris and Sarah for coming.

Today our boy Chris, chose to follow the example of our Savior and be baptized. It was one of the best things I’ve been apart of. In fact, he was baptized in the same church building and font I was baptized in, almo

9 years ago Stacey and I found out that we were chosen to be Chris’ parents. His birth parents were not in a position to raise him at the time. And Heavenly Father aligned the stars for us to take care of him on earth. It’s a long story and I’ll tell it another time. I get a little emotional just typing this.

We have had an open adoption and Chris will occasionally talk to his birth Mom Kristi and his birth Dad, Christopher. Even though the two have gone their separate paths in life. I am so thankful to them and for them, for being as selfless as they have been. Most of his birth family (Mom and Dad) attended the baptism today.

My brother Dustin spoke on baptism and my Mom Sherri spoke about The Holy Ghost. The feeling in the room was overwhelming. Ava and Bevin sang. My Mom testified that Chris was the link that brought everyone in that room together. She had everyone stand up and say how they were related to Chris. This is why I believe God’s family is One. All of us. Because in the end, we as God’s children will be all linked together when we return back to him.

My Mom presented a photo (see below) to each family that represented ALL of God’s family. Most everyone in the room had tears in their eyes. Chris then ran to his birth Dad and just gave him a big hug. I cried like a little baby. This is what life is all about. Sharing and helping one another to get through the sea of mortality to our final destination. Every possible way. Even if we are in separate ships for a short time. All to get back to our Father in Heaven through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Stacey Casey Brad Mindy Bobbie Cristi Ed Tiffany Albert Ashley Travis Lesa Awwen Kristi , Chris and Sarah for coming.

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