Are You Jiggly?

Megan has started a habit of going up to random people and shaking the bottom side of their arm. Once she does it she looks at the person and says "you have jiggly!" Not exactly the type of thing anyone wants to hear. Especially when Megan follows it up by saying "You have jiggly because you eat lots of jell-o!" When my cousin and her husband, who is a Marine, came down for a visit. Megan politely told him "put your arm up...I need to see if you have jiggly." As he flexed his muscle Megan couldn't shake anything...it was strong and firm. Megan, being surprised, looks back at me and says "Daddy! JD does NOT have jiggly...he does not eat jello!!! But daddy, you do." Good grief...I have jiggly....I feel like dancing to some Will Smith....and maybe getting Jiggly Wit It....

Bill Avila

....His Last Words....Part I

I remember when my father called me to speak to me about his sickness. At the time he called he was already in the hospital for a number of months and was very ill. I knew that he wasn't going to get any better but knowing my father as the strong person he was I always assumed he would fight through it. A few days before he passed he called me on the phone. He was always to the point so he didn't waste any time to let me know that he was tired and ready to go home (heaven). I remember weeping on the phone and he counsoled me that everything was alright. As i wept I remember he made a joke concerning the White Socks. He said "I waited all these years to see them win the World Series and now they have." It was his way of saying..he had no regrets concerning his decision.

In the days leading up to his death some amazing things happened. He came to know the Lord while in the hospital. He attitude changed and he was excited in a way i had never seen before. He INISISTED that we baptize him and we tried to accomidate his wishes in everyway. So I called the pastor who frequently visited with my parents to let him know of my father's wishes. He went out to the hospital right away. This part of the story is what was told to me by the minister.

Minister: (Voice Mail Message) Hey Bill, we went over to the hospital to baptize your father and this has to be the hardest baptism Ive ever performed! (laughing) Since your father can't leave the bed and he has so many tubes and devices hooked up to him we could barely move him. So we borrowed some buckets and we poured a little water to the back of his head and the water ran into a bucket. I told your father - Guillermo, I don't want to get you so wet that you go home to the Lord sooner then you have to! Your father laughed...and we got through it OK.

....To be continued.....

I was setup...

So there I was sitting on the couch taking in the day. Connor, my 7 year old son, notices me and sits down next to me.

Connor: "Daddy, are you having a bad day?"

Me: "Yeah, it hasnt been easy for sure"

Connor: "I bet all the kids drive you crazy sometimes huh"

Me: "Sometimes"

Connor: "Yeah, sometimes the other kids drive me crazy when I'm playing spiderman in my room"

Then Connor puts his hand on my shoulder...

Connor: "Everything will be good...oh yeah...so NOW can I play the Wii?"

Homeless Hero..Left To Die....

As a woman was being attacked a Guatemalan man came to her rescue. During the scuffle he is stabbed by the assailant and falls to the ground. He is left there...to die. People continue to walk by...he is clearly bleeding...yet no one calls for help or comes to his aid. This is the civilized western culture in which we live. As I listened to this report I am saddened. At what point did we give up on each other? People are trampled to death at Christmas time for the best deal at the local Walmart....funerals of fallen soldiers are protested by Christian radicals....and fallen hero's are left to die on the sidewalk as passer's by simply don't want to get involved.

I'm reminded of the parable of the "Good Samaritan". A Jewish travelor is beaten and left half dead off the side of the road. He is passed by two men...and is finally taken care of by a Samaritan man.

Is kindness forgotten? I hope not...

Exercising the body...to understand the spiritual...

It's been about 9 months since i started this crossfit journey. Since that time I'm down almost 6 pants sizes. I wake up every morning and hit the gym at 5:00 am. I'm met by a group of people..all of them there for different reason..all of them there for different results. I know my reason and I know what I want the result to be. What I want to share with you are just a few moments where the physical journey met the spiritual......

* In week 2 my trainer advised me that my soda days were over. He told me to cut back...actually..he said "quit". I really didn't want to. I enjoy soda...I enjoy how cool it is and how refreshing it feels. I enjoy the taste....plainly...I like soda! But I heeded his advice and quit cold turkey. It's been 9 months since I've had a soda. I don't miss it and I feel 100% better. I almost exclusively drink water. Can you imagine how incredible your spiritual life would be if you quit "soda"? Quitting the things that make you spiritually overweight? Eating the things neccessary to keep our spiritual life healthy and most importantly exercising in such a way that we're exercising the spiritual muscles in your body.....Just some things to think about...

*On one run I ran behind the pack. The pack finished a full 1/2 mile before me. I kept trotting along and hoped I would not pass out...oh yeah...I was carrying a punching bag over my shoulder while I was doing this! As I continued on I heard these steps behind me. I turned around to see that it was one of my friends who had just finished the run. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Don't ever leave someone behind" she replied with a smile. And so she finished the 1/2 mile with me...together. How often do we carry something like a punching bag on our shoulder wishing we had someone come along side with us? I know I do! Being part of the body of Christ means we're each responsible to "run" along the side of someone who simply needs us there. I could preach a sermon here...but I'll spare you :)

Why Jesus?

Last week we had what was perhaps the best youth group session we've had yet. As we broke up into groups of two we started to examine what is the "true" church? What an awesome time! And as we start this new series with David Nassar I wanted all of you to see a sample of what we're about to explore....Enjoy..!

Shoot'em....after all...they're illegal!

Driving into the office this week I turned on the local talk radio program. Usually this is a big mistake since I'm easily agitated by the two hosts of the morning show. The topic this time around was illegal immigration and the two hosts were talking about the various way's to keep illegals out of the state and out of our country. To my surprise, and really why am I surprised, callers would discuss how we should protect our country from the illegals coming in. One caller mentioned, "Get your guns!" Get your guns? Am I to understand that killing people crossing the border is an acceptable act? Am I to understand that the very same people who are disgusted by abortion would easily dismiss the life of an illegal because their life is so much less of value? Am I of the understanding that any person crossing the border suddenly deserves a bullet in between their eyes?






Let me clarify some points in order to make my position clear. I am against illegal immigration. However, let's be clear, I am against illegal immigration for some very specific reasons.

• As a person with a rich history rooted in Mexico and crossing into Spain I know what Latino's are capable of. We are a people that do NOT deserve the crumbs of what society has to offer. When i hear and see Latino's working jobs for very little pay I see a culture that has singled out the Hispanic as a "below pay grade" culture. I know we're capable of great and wonderful things.
  


• Tougher laws and military presence at the border. Latino's are a hard working group of people. If brought in legally we can change the perception that people have of us.

• Tougher laws against those hiring illegals. Remove the element that equip illegals from crossing the border. Stiffin penalties and shut down businesses that do not comply. Here's the deal. We are not a culture that deserves the scraps laid before us by employers. We are a culture of hard working people who deserve the opportunities that this country has to offer..but..we need to change the perception and get to this country legally.

My disgust, as of late, has been the attitude that people hold toward illegals. As a Christian I am asked to love my neighbor....the Bible doesnt say love your "legal" neighbor but to simply love..your..neighbor. A lesson learned from our ole Sunay School days...