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Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
RIP whoever you are...
I watched a fatal car accident today... I don't know who that woman was, but if she had just looked over twice before she tried to cross 70 West tonight, she would still be with us...
It doesn't sound fair that someone daughter, mother and sister would lose their life because they didn't take a second look... RIP whoever you are, I hope your family will have the strength, peace and patience to get through this.
I will do my best to pray for those left behind including the driver of that truck which was totally caught by surprise.
An update to the story here.
It doesn't sound fair that someone daughter, mother and sister would lose their life because they didn't take a second look... RIP whoever you are, I hope your family will have the strength, peace and patience to get through this.
I will do my best to pray for those left behind including the driver of that truck which was totally caught by surprise.
An update to the story here.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Weekend Update + +
* The Silvas are officially selling their house. If this works out, we hope to be back in Lynchburg by the end of the Summer, if it doesn't, we will try it again next Summer.
* The Wii Fit is awesome. I've been working out on it at least 30 minutes a day, and by the time I am done, I am usually soaked in sweat... probably a good thing.
* My wife got me Guitar Herro III for Father's Day (even though we're still a few weeks away from it)... Anyways, I honestly didn't think the game would be as much fun as it actually is. It is awesome, and I am surprised by how well I've been playing it.
* My parents are in town this week, they go back to Brazil on Friday. It's always nice to see them, and I know that kids always have a blast with them when they are around.
* The pool is opened, but the water is freezing. I did take the kids to it on Saturday, and as always they had a blast.
* The house is very nice and clean, and we are getting pictures of it done today for the sale process.
* I just misplaced my car keys this morning... good thing I am working from home, yet if I had gone to work I'd known where my keys were.
* The Wii Fit is awesome. I've been working out on it at least 30 minutes a day, and by the time I am done, I am usually soaked in sweat... probably a good thing.
* My wife got me Guitar Herro III for Father's Day (even though we're still a few weeks away from it)... Anyways, I honestly didn't think the game would be as much fun as it actually is. It is awesome, and I am surprised by how well I've been playing it.
* My parents are in town this week, they go back to Brazil on Friday. It's always nice to see them, and I know that kids always have a blast with them when they are around.
* The pool is opened, but the water is freezing. I did take the kids to it on Saturday, and as always they had a blast.
* The house is very nice and clean, and we are getting pictures of it done today for the sale process.
* I just misplaced my car keys this morning... good thing I am working from home, yet if I had gone to work I'd known where my keys were.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
There is no tomorrow
Think about it, tomorrow never comes, when it does, it becomes today. That's all we ever have... today (at least in this reality).
This is another huge flaw in our society/culture (inside and outside the church), we live for nothing because we live for tomorrow.
I sin. :-(
This waterfall of thoughts about tomorrow were inspired by these news, which breaks my heart. I pray the Lord will comfort his family, and that their loss will be used by God to bring hope and grace to millions of people around the world.
Between that, and the dead in Myanmar and China... It's a struggle to maintain a positive attitude towards life in general, which without the hope and grace of Christ would be impossible to be achieved.
Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
This is another huge flaw in our society/culture (inside and outside the church), we live for nothing because we live for tomorrow.
James 4
13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
I sin. :-(
This waterfall of thoughts about tomorrow were inspired by these news, which breaks my heart. I pray the Lord will comfort his family, and that their loss will be used by God to bring hope and grace to millions of people around the world.
Between that, and the dead in Myanmar and China... It's a struggle to maintain a positive attitude towards life in general, which without the hope and grace of Christ would be impossible to be achieved.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Thanksgiving in May
Nothing like having your daily bread, health in your bones, people you love, and people who love you back.
Contributing to the development of society, while watching out for the less fortunate ones.
Realizing that the complexity of life is as simple as trusting the Creator.
Knowing that if you don't wake up tomorrow, people will miss you.
Trusting God loves us all without exceptions.
Denying the desires of your heart.
Controlling yourself.
Being an example.
Repenting.
Learning.
Living.
Contributing to the development of society, while watching out for the less fortunate ones.
Realizing that the complexity of life is as simple as trusting the Creator.
Knowing that if you don't wake up tomorrow, people will miss you.
Trusting God loves us all without exceptions.
Denying the desires of your heart.
Controlling yourself.
Being an example.
Repenting.
Learning.
Living.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
hard to write
I am incredibly short in words these days. I am not sure what think, write or say. I am trying to pinpoint my treasures... what makes my eyes sparkle? I am trying to see if I will find my heart mixed in with it, and if I do... I pray it rusts away so I can focus on the 1 thing that really matters.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
The definition of 'sin'
Another interesting message from Pr. Greg Boyd: Taking out the trash.
In this message, there is one sentence he says that really made me think. As always, you must leave your pre-disposal to accept what you have learned on your culture (inside and outside the church), and focus on the words of Christ.
Sin is anything that separates you from God.
Yet, in Romans 8:38,39, Paul says:
Some people may use the verses above to say that it doesn't really matter what sin is because it can't separate us from God, well... read the verse again. The verse talks about nothing can separate us from His love...
All of us sin, we sin all the time, yet nothing we do can makes God stop loving us.
God loving us does not equal God saving us.
God loves me, He loves us, no matter what! Yet, salvation is way more than that... Salvation is believing... not believing in the sense of knowing and acknowledging Jesus. That is not it!, specially since even Satan acknowledges who Christ is (Matthew 4:1-11).
Salvation is trusting in Christ, is depending on Him, is realizing that without Him life doesn't make much sense, is repenting from anything that keeps you away from wanting to know Jesus more... that's salvation.
Think about it.
In this message, there is one sentence he says that really made me think. As always, you must leave your pre-disposal to accept what you have learned on your culture (inside and outside the church), and focus on the words of Christ.
Sin is anything that separates you from God.
Yet, in Romans 8:38,39, Paul says:
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Some people may use the verses above to say that it doesn't really matter what sin is because it can't separate us from God, well... read the verse again. The verse talks about nothing can separate us from His love...
All of us sin, we sin all the time, yet nothing we do can makes God stop loving us.
Acts 10
34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
God loving us does not equal God saving us.
Matthew 5
45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
God loves me, He loves us, no matter what! Yet, salvation is way more than that... Salvation is believing... not believing in the sense of knowing and acknowledging Jesus. That is not it!, specially since even Satan acknowledges who Christ is (Matthew 4:1-11).
Salvation is trusting in Christ, is depending on Him, is realizing that without Him life doesn't make much sense, is repenting from anything that keeps you away from wanting to know Jesus more... that's salvation.
Think about it.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Where do I begin?
1. I work for a Top 25 technology company in the world, at least according to these guys.
2. Fedora 9 is out today!
3. I installed Fedora 8 on my Macbook Pro today... I didn't go with 9 because it's too new still. There are a lot of things working on it, the most important thing I haven't been able to get it working yet is wireless. I am trying it one more time tonight.
4. I currently have 7 items on sale on ebay.com. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
5. This weekend, my wife and I will be having a yard sale in our neighborhood. We spent most of last weekend going through stuff we want to get rid off, and throwing away trash... I cannot believe how much junk we had stored... and we just moved last year.
6. If you remember how much I paid for my good old 1992 Mercury Topaz last year, let me tell you, I just spent that much (and a bit more) just on dentist work today! Sigh.
7. During the first week of June, I am going to be taking RHS333, here at work. I am trying to build up on my RHCE.
8. I pushed a new version of rpmrebuild to Fedora 7,8,9 and 10 and EPEL-5 last Sunday night, it should start showing up on the distros sometime this week. I hope.
9. My wife and I have been working together on a new budget, and with 2 weeks past, I am very excited to say that it seems to be working. The premise of the budget is simply: minimize your debit card use.
10. A bit more about the 'house cleaning': During the past few weeks I have been feeling challenged to get rid of 'vanity' in my life. I've been trying to slim down my 'wants' and focus on my 'needs.' I am becoming more and more self aware of how privileged I am for having the opportunities I have, and to waste my resources on shallow things is nothing less than I sin... I think. With the world around us suffering more and more everyday, I want to keep focusing my strength and resources in making it a little bit better somehow.
And finally, for the big announcement of the day... When my family and I moved to NC, I made a deal with my wife, the deal was that we would try North Carolina for a year, and if it didn't work out, we would go back 'home' to Lynchburg. Well, we are laying it down in front of God and His perfect will right now because we do feel that Lynchburg indeed is our home.
With that said, there are all sorts of issues that we need to resolve which directly affects our plans to move back to Lynchburg or not. Our house being the biggest issue, we just bought it, and the way the market is, we don't know if it will be possible to sell... So, we believe, if it is meant to be, it will be!
I do not intend to find a new job, I really like my job, and as long as they will have me, I will stick around and do the best I can. The move would mean a bit more traveling, but not everyday of the week... a small price to pay, I think.
One of the main reasons we are leaning more and more towards going back 'home' is the fact that we miss our Church so much. During this past year, we've visited at least 5 or 6 different churches, and even though there were 1 or 2 that I didn't mind, they didn't feel like home to us...
So, if you do get to the end of this post, and you care at all, I'd ask for you to pray for us, that the Lord will show us clearly (as He has in the past) what paths we must take.
2. Fedora 9 is out today!
3. I installed Fedora 8 on my Macbook Pro today... I didn't go with 9 because it's too new still. There are a lot of things working on it, the most important thing I haven't been able to get it working yet is wireless. I am trying it one more time tonight.
4. I currently have 7 items on sale on ebay.com. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
5. This weekend, my wife and I will be having a yard sale in our neighborhood. We spent most of last weekend going through stuff we want to get rid off, and throwing away trash... I cannot believe how much junk we had stored... and we just moved last year.
6. If you remember how much I paid for my good old 1992 Mercury Topaz last year, let me tell you, I just spent that much (and a bit more) just on dentist work today! Sigh.
7. During the first week of June, I am going to be taking RHS333, here at work. I am trying to build up on my RHCE.
8. I pushed a new version of rpmrebuild to Fedora 7,8,9 and 10 and EPEL-5 last Sunday night, it should start showing up on the distros sometime this week. I hope.
9. My wife and I have been working together on a new budget, and with 2 weeks past, I am very excited to say that it seems to be working. The premise of the budget is simply: minimize your debit card use.
10. A bit more about the 'house cleaning': During the past few weeks I have been feeling challenged to get rid of 'vanity' in my life. I've been trying to slim down my 'wants' and focus on my 'needs.' I am becoming more and more self aware of how privileged I am for having the opportunities I have, and to waste my resources on shallow things is nothing less than I sin... I think. With the world around us suffering more and more everyday, I want to keep focusing my strength and resources in making it a little bit better somehow.
And finally, for the big announcement of the day... When my family and I moved to NC, I made a deal with my wife, the deal was that we would try North Carolina for a year, and if it didn't work out, we would go back 'home' to Lynchburg. Well, we are laying it down in front of God and His perfect will right now because we do feel that Lynchburg indeed is our home.
With that said, there are all sorts of issues that we need to resolve which directly affects our plans to move back to Lynchburg or not. Our house being the biggest issue, we just bought it, and the way the market is, we don't know if it will be possible to sell... So, we believe, if it is meant to be, it will be!
I do not intend to find a new job, I really like my job, and as long as they will have me, I will stick around and do the best I can. The move would mean a bit more traveling, but not everyday of the week... a small price to pay, I think.
One of the main reasons we are leaning more and more towards going back 'home' is the fact that we miss our Church so much. During this past year, we've visited at least 5 or 6 different churches, and even though there were 1 or 2 that I didn't mind, they didn't feel like home to us...
So, if you do get to the end of this post, and you care at all, I'd ask for you to pray for us, that the Lord will show us clearly (as He has in the past) what paths we must take.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day 2008 (Day 54 Remixed)
There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it. ~Chinese Proverb
Friday, May 9, 2008
I was sick like that...
The above was my life, literally. I have to say that I am not 100% healed yet, but I've made a lot of progress to keep most of it at work.Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What's a friend?
A friend is a creature who depends on you, and you on them. A friend is the one who is always there for you... independent if a friend is human or not.
Some people live a lifetime and never get the chance to experience true friendship.
Thanks Steve for letting us in, there isn't anything I can say that will make your pain go away, but if you need anything, you know where to find me. I am listening.
Some people live a lifetime and never get the chance to experience true friendship.
Thanks Steve for letting us in, there isn't anything I can say that will make your pain go away, but if you need anything, you know where to find me. I am listening.
Now that we're men
Title inspiration:
Today, there are 4 of us. The 4 men of the Silva family are hanging out around the house, working, doing homework, watching TV and drooling :-)
I've just ordered some pizza for us. I am so hungry.
My wife drove up to Lynchburg, VA for work, and I've been working from home today. I got online at work a little after 6 AM, and stuck around until 4:30 PM. During that time, I had to feed the baby a few times, put him down to nap a couple of times, and take and bring the kids from school. It was mostly an A.D.D. day, but stuff got done.
It was a fun day, but I miss my honey :-)
Today, there are 4 of us. The 4 men of the Silva family are hanging out around the house, working, doing homework, watching TV and drooling :-)
I've just ordered some pizza for us. I am so hungry.
My wife drove up to Lynchburg, VA for work, and I've been working from home today. I got online at work a little after 6 AM, and stuck around until 4:30 PM. During that time, I had to feed the baby a few times, put him down to nap a couple of times, and take and bring the kids from school. It was mostly an A.D.D. day, but stuff got done.
It was a fun day, but I miss my honey :-)
Help The Cyclone Victms in Myanmar
Places you can donate:
* UNICEF and/or Disaster Relief International
* World Vision
* Save The Children
* Doctors Without Borders
"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed" - Luke 14:13
* UNICEF and/or Disaster Relief International
* World Vision
* Save The Children
* Doctors Without Borders
"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed" - Luke 14:13
Monday, May 5, 2008
Proud-Humble Servants
James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Living
That's what we do, we live... some live it better than others. I am trying to improve my living in different ways. Has anything changed? Yeah, they change everyday, sometimes good, sometimes not so much... On my plate I have:
* Eat better - I've written in the past month or two, how much my eating habits and tastes have changed. As my preferences change as I grow older, I decided to start giving all the things I grew 'hating' another shot... Surprisingly enough, a lot of the things I didn't like, I either love it now, or don't mind so much that I can still eat it.
* Spend better - This week I've reaching a breaking point on our family finances. No, I don't think we are irresponsible with our money... This year alone (as in Fiscal year), we've single handily bought a house, paid off 2 credit cards, and will finish paying off our only school loan as well. Pretty good, right. Yet, there's still SO MUCH ROOM left to improve!
We waste so much money in food and frivolous things, it is almost sad. I've decided to step up, and do something about it. My wife is on board, and although our plan is very simple, I think it will take us one step towards the right direction.
* Work better - I keep going back "The way you treat people is the legacy you leave" - at work that is what I want to be know as... The guy who treated everyone with respect, I have to confess, it is extremely hard to do sometimes, but I can't stop trying.
* Love better - From God, to my wife, my kids, my family, my friends, and the jerk who cuts me off in the interstate... I need to learn how to love everyone, give people the benefit of the doubt, and be ready to speak the truth in love, and be ready to be disappointed as well.
* Give better - From giving to my local church, ministries, charities. I don't mean only money, I mean time, I mean attention, I mean prayer... taking in consideration that I really suck at the latter.
* Worry less - I am trying to worry less about tomorrow, be at peace towards what the future brings to me, my family, this country and even the world. I keep going back to Christ telling about not worrying about what we will eat or wear, and Him telling us not to worry about when the world starts to give signs about the end.
Those are constantly in my mind, that's what I live for (I think), by doing those, or at least trying to do those, I think I see God's purpose on ones life... It is hard, it extremely hard, but that's what I've been all about lately.
* Eat better - I've written in the past month or two, how much my eating habits and tastes have changed. As my preferences change as I grow older, I decided to start giving all the things I grew 'hating' another shot... Surprisingly enough, a lot of the things I didn't like, I either love it now, or don't mind so much that I can still eat it.
* Spend better - This week I've reaching a breaking point on our family finances. No, I don't think we are irresponsible with our money... This year alone (as in Fiscal year), we've single handily bought a house, paid off 2 credit cards, and will finish paying off our only school loan as well. Pretty good, right. Yet, there's still SO MUCH ROOM left to improve!
We waste so much money in food and frivolous things, it is almost sad. I've decided to step up, and do something about it. My wife is on board, and although our plan is very simple, I think it will take us one step towards the right direction.
* Work better - I keep going back "The way you treat people is the legacy you leave" - at work that is what I want to be know as... The guy who treated everyone with respect, I have to confess, it is extremely hard to do sometimes, but I can't stop trying.
* Love better - From God, to my wife, my kids, my family, my friends, and the jerk who cuts me off in the interstate... I need to learn how to love everyone, give people the benefit of the doubt, and be ready to speak the truth in love, and be ready to be disappointed as well.
* Give better - From giving to my local church, ministries, charities. I don't mean only money, I mean time, I mean attention, I mean prayer... taking in consideration that I really suck at the latter.
* Worry less - I am trying to worry less about tomorrow, be at peace towards what the future brings to me, my family, this country and even the world. I keep going back to Christ telling about not worrying about what we will eat or wear, and Him telling us not to worry about when the world starts to give signs about the end.
Those are constantly in my mind, that's what I live for (I think), by doing those, or at least trying to do those, I think I see God's purpose on ones life... It is hard, it extremely hard, but that's what I've been all about lately.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Random happenings
1. I found out today Chuck Norris is delivering the graduation speech this year at LU. I thought that was funny... I came up with: "Chuck Norris doesn't do speeches, only eulogies."
2. Former President Jimmy Carter will be signing autographs at the Walmart 5 minutes from our house... A president in Clayton/Garner... how odd.
3. Something is up with my left eye, it is really red, I think I scratched it somehow. I don't think it is pink eye as I have no other symptoms.
4.
2. Former President Jimmy Carter will be signing autographs at the Walmart 5 minutes from our house... A president in Clayton/Garner... how odd.
3. Something is up with my left eye, it is really red, I think I scratched it somehow. I don't think it is pink eye as I have no other symptoms.
4.
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