with child Blog (more like rambling than blogging)

Hello everyone!

Well, just in case you haven't heard, Lucia and I are expecting another baby. Lucia and I have come to an agreement to have 3 kids. Well, number two is on it's way. We've been trying for a few months. If you ask Lucia, we haven't been trying to prevent it. I'm extremely happy! Olivia needs a little friends. Lucia took a pregnancy test on Mother's day and surprised me with the news during lunch at Masitas.

I was really happy to hear the news. Then it quickly hit me. Alot of things went thru my mind. Some of it was financial, since we recently lost the restaurant, but I know God will provide. But my biggest concern was whether or not I could love another child as much as I love Olivia.

I spoke to Wilmer, my good friend and old pastor. He and I have spoken about this topic before. Lucia and I love Olivia so much that it hurts. It's the kind of love that you don't think you could have for more than one person. But Wilmer is wise in his ways. As a matter of fact, Wilmer is so wise that one day he saw Mike cleaning up a deck and asked him... oh oh.. sorry.. went on a tangent there (inside joke).

Wilmer said that God gives us the capacity to love all our children. And just like the love we have for our spouse is different than the love we have for our child, the love for a second child will be different.

I've heard message about child idolatry. They teach that adoring our children is not right in the eyes of God. But I disagree. I think that God has shown us how to love our children the way he loves us. He loves us so much, that he was willing to give up his life for us. (John 3:16)

It concerns me because we've all seen families in which one child seems favored over the other child. That kind of stuff can mold a child to grow up in-secure about themselves. I know that fairness isn't a reality, but I want to make sure that all my children feel like their mom and dad love them with all their heart.

Lucia and I have spoken about adoption and that's been my biggest concern. What if we adopt a child and I unconsciously don't give that child the same amount of Love. Or what if I over compensate and don't give enough to my nature born children. Oh goodness!

At the end of the day, I have to trust God.

We have to seek Him and trust that He will give us the capacity to provide for these children and the capacity to love them. And to trust Him to guide us to raise them correctly.

It isn't news to anyone that Olivia is a very under-socialized and misbehaved little girl. It's mostly my fault. I spoil that little girl. She has me wrapped around her little finger.

But now, it's going to bite us in the butt. She's so used to being the center of attention, and here comes a new addition. Someone that's going to demand alot of attention, more than her for the first year for sure. It's scary stuff.

I went to visit my cousin Amy and Olga-Lidia the other day. I went to carry my cousin's new born, and Olivia went nuts with jealousy. Oh my goodness! It's going to be hard. So.. we're going to put Olivia in a summer camp / daycare to try to get her better socialized and get her a little more independent. God help us.

So.. that's the list of my concerns. Got to trust in God.

We didn't tell our family about the coming baby till my birthday on May 23rd (the day of the Lost finale). It was a great moment. Lucia had me make a wish before blowing our the candles and then we shared that our wish of having a little brother or sister for Olivia is coming true.

My mom went nuts. She was so happy. For one.. it was because she and my grandmother had been claiming that Lucia was pregnant since Mother's Day (the day Lucia actually found out). They said Lucia was glowing. She was happy that her suspicion was right. It was kinda scary that she asked on Mother's Day if Lucia was pregnant without us having had told anyone.

Poor Lucia's mom was confused because we announced it in English and she only understands Spanish. Our friends and family were very happy for us. Tiana, Argelio and Rosemarie expressed their happiness about being there when we first announced it.

Well that's the story till now. I'm going to try and take a page out of Natalie's book and blog about the pregnancy. I tried it with Olivia on BabyZone.com, but I never really got around to it. Well.. it also had alot to do that no one uses BabyZone.com. Lucia didn't even use it. She uses BabyCenter.com. Well, now BabyCenter.com has community area that's like a social network for parents and it has a journal area. The few things that I posted on BabyZone.com, I posted them on BabyCenter.com. This will be our first post there about the new baby. So.. from now on, we'll be blogging about the baby over there instead of here. So visit the link below

http://community.babycenter.com/profile/withchild

By the way... withchild won't end up being our user name. It will probably be LuciaGarcia. For some reason BabyCenter.com chose that for us.

Hope you don't have a headache from reading my blog.

God bless,

David

P.S. Please forgive my spelling and grammar. I am a product of the Miami-Dade Public School System.

Division Among Brothers and Bickering with the Lost

Division Among Brothers and Bickering with the Lost

As of late the topic of division within the body of Christ has been on my mind. My friend Danny Detres and I have been debating this topic for the last couple of weeks, especially concerning the controvery around Rob Bell. I read his book, Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith, there might be a thing or two that I disagree with, but I there is nothing heretical, divisive or un-biblical. I think that there is to much division within the church today. We are here to preach the gospel, make disciples of the world and lift our brothers and sisters up, not down(Matthew 28:19-20). Paul teaches us that we should not debate or get caught up on silly details that are not cosiquencial when it comes to salvation, which only cause division (1 Corinthians 1:10-31/Titus 3:9). Jesus himself was apposed to such bickering to the point in which he didn't choose he's own people(the Jews), but the gentles to be his church(Matthew 23:37-39/John 8:31-41/Romans 3:27–4:25). When confrunted by the Pharisees, he had more distain for their judgement attitudes then even the sin of adultary(John 8:3-11). The Pharisees at that time were so caught up with silly matters that they didn't pay attention to what's important, like loving and seeking God and loving our neighbor(Matthew 22:37-39/John 14:6/Matthew 6:33). Everything else are details.

I never advise getting into a Biblical debate with a non-believer. You should preach them Christ, through faith, not through proof. You will never CONVINCE a person to believe. The Holy Spirit is the one that softens the heart. We just need to plant the seed by sharing our personal testimony and speaking to them about Jesus, His love, sacrifice, and ask them to ask put their faith in Him and ask Him to give them understand through His Spirit. Before and after you have spoken to a person, pray for them, that God may take the veil off their eyes to see the truth. And last be there for them, be there friend, love them un-conditionally. Don't be there to point out all their sins and problem. Be and example and testimony of God's love, not God's judgment.

References:
Titus 3:9-11 "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless....
2 Timothy 2:23 "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels"
1 Corinthians 3 Division in the Church... Some are calvanist, some are armanians, but all are Christians.
1 Corinthians 12 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit - One body, many parts.
Mark 7:9-13 Man made traditions
Mark 9:38-49 - "...not one of us..."
Matthew 20:1-16 - Or are you envious because I am generous
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 ...but have not love
John 13:34-35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples
1 Corinthians 8:9-13 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block

Disclaimer: Please forgive my spelling and grammer. I am a product of the Miami-Dade County Public School System.