"Jesus Loves me," Just me?

After singing "Jesus loves me" before bed with my 5 year old granddaughter, she says, just me?  I say,  what?  She says,  "just me?  Does Jesus love just me?"  I say, "you mean, does Jesus love only you?"  I look at her scrambling for how to respond in the moment, and say,  " Yes, Jesus loves especially you and God also loves especially me and mommy and daddy and even your unicorn right here!"  Then she giggles and suddenly turns goes to sleep.

Wow! That was so cute, and also such an important moment...  Did I miss an opportunity?  Should I have said something about Jesus loving her so much that he died for her?   No, how thrilling for her to accept Jesus' love for her, purely and unconditionally?

I'm going to believe that she did that, by the smile on her face and her acceptance of that simple fact, Jesus is real.  God loves her without question or analysis like her not much older cousin who is already coming up with questions like, I thought Jesus is God? How can He be the son of God?

But that is another story!

Hints for your visit to Cuba

Some thoughts for Americans who want to visit to Cuba.

My cousin has gone to Cuba many times and taken other family with her.  When she goes, it is to educate, and to take things to help the Cuban people through the Church.  She is willing to share her tips with you.

She has contacts there for visitors and will share them with you if you ask.

Here are some points of advice that I prepared for a group from my home town who went through a Rhodes Scholar program. https://www.roadscholar.org/n/program/dailySchedule.aspx?dID=1-79UT97

What my cousin said about talking with the people: "the people carry the police inside themselves. They have no basis for comparison because they don't know what they don't know. They talk with authority about things they don't know.” (no world news, no internet)

The government choses the people to whom you will talk with and interview - brainwashing

When you talk with Cubanos, will you hear the Cuban's point of view or government point of view?

Be careful with your money not to have it stolen.

Bring plenty of loose dollar bills for tips. 

Don't believe everything you hear.  

Try to escape their watchful eyes and see and talk to people on their own. Where no one can overhear you.

Don’t do anything you are told not to do, be careful with exploring on your own…

Don’t know Spanish?  How do you know that what the translators say is what the Cubans are saying? Make friend with someone who speaks Spanish to find out more.

Things to take for the people:   Earrings and any custom jewelry, medicines, guitar strings, tights and leotards, leave your clothes there...
Take for yourself: wipes, little soap and little towel. (lacking in Cuba)

Questions to ask:

Paladares (independent restaurants) owners- how much do you pay to the Cuban government? How much do the employees make? Can they get what they need for their business? Vendors - do you keep all your earnings? Where do you get your materials?
About US/Cuba relations... What do they think are obstacles to US/Cuba relations? End embargo?  What does that mean to them? Benefits do they see?  how will your life change? What is your greatest  need?  What do you want for your children? For the future of Cuba? What is your greatest happiness? What do you miss? (for the seniors) How do you feel about the Cubans who left Cuba coming back?  What change do you want first?  What do you want to stay the same?

2018 resolutions... same every year!!

Why do our resolutions seem the same every year?  To me it's not that I break them but that I'm not there yet.  So, I write the same things but put them at the end and write some new ones first.

This year I first made a list of the things that gave me joy in 2017 and there were many that I did on purpose.
Then I thought I should make a list of the things that let me down or made me negative but NO!  those times I offered up and prayed.  Those things just ARE... no control... can't dwell on them.
They are times of not being able to "do" anything to make it better.  But knowing God with me and in me and God with him and in him (Don) to give strength and comfort.

Choose a word - NURTURE
be kind
be help
be positive
be accepting
be inspiring
be giving
be loving
be present

Relaxing, healthy, happy

Shake off the negativism around me

Focus again on doing - new things for my Swimming