Expect miracles.
Photo by: Gabriela Yareliz
“I’m choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I’m making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
Live life like it’s the most magical thing you have in your hands.
And don’t forget to expect miracles.
-Gabriela Yareliz
The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the LORD’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.
By: Gabriela Yareliz
I don’t know much about soccer, so when I watch it, I am looking for one thing: magic. Skill needs no explaining; it is plain for all to see. My standard of magic was set by the one man who defines the word.
This post goes out to my favorite soccer player, Zinedine Zidane. I saw him for the first time on TV in France, in 2006. The World Cup was in full swing, and seeing him play was magic. In the evenings he was on TV, and when he would help win a game, men would blow the horns of their cars like crazy and even get out of their cars and take their shirts off (usually jerseys). In the mornings, he was on the cover of every newspaper. I still have them.
Zidane, you are my soccer legend–
Happy 42nd birthday Zizou.
By: Gabriela Yareliz
We’ve all had our thoughts as we watch the matches.
All of our thoughts are seeped in biases and hopes.
Below is the song Univision plays at every halftime and at
the end of the matches. It is the soundtrack to this post. Why not?
Casillas (Spain Goalkeeper), we love you. We do. We remember your skill and charisma in 2010 South Africa. Let’s not repeat this years’ match against the Netherlands… Help Spain beat Chile tomorrow. Please!
“The Netherlands played phenomenally, and we didn’t. I also didn’t play well and what happened happened, we knew at 1-3 it was over. We had certain expectations but we did things badly. We’re sure that this will change. It doesn’t mean anything. But we have to think about Chile now as if it were the final.”
– Iker Casillas, after Spain’s match against Netherlands | 13-06-14
MAKE IT HAPPEN! BEAT CHILE!
Mats Hummels (Germany), you have made us all Germany fans when you showed your face. Your header goal, you gorgeous man, made us cheer. You are the reason many of us will be following Germany into the semi-finals. The longer we get to see your face, the better.
Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico Goalkeeper), you are the goalkeeper of all goalkeepers. You showed Brazil who was boss, and we loved it. You were like a mattress that every ball at every angle bounced off of.
John Brooks (USA), your header for the USA made us BELIEVE. We all screamed, and Ghana’s coach’s face said WTH?
Pepe (Portugal), you got red carded (not good). The German superstar was a crybaby, though. We know; we saw what happened. You were one of the only ones on the Portugal team who played like a boss. I have a soft spot for red carded bosses (i.e. Zidane).
Dear Karim Benzema (France), you brought back memories of French men jumping out of their cars screaming when Zidane would score. You brought back the magic for me this year. France, you have played like a team. Let’s see more of this ruthless, neat, magical team.
Robben (Netherlands), you are the beast from Holland. AH-MA-ZING! And memorable. I remember that incredible bald head of yours from 2010–you continue, just as fantastic.
Facts:
Brazil, we all knew you’d beat Croatia (no offense Croatia). Your first real match was with Mexico– it was zero-zero because you both played well. Don’t think we didn’t notice your initial arrogance (Dani Alves, we are looking at you) and biased refs, though.
Neymar, your hair looks fine–and you know it.
Spain, that was not a rematch with the Netherlands. You didn’t play.
Switzerland, you surprised us all.
France, no one knew what to expect. You fulfilled all of les bleus expectations, hopes and dreams against Honduras. Let’s see more.
Argentina, watching you was boring. Bosnia is an excellent team. Your goals were overrated and lacking glory. Don’t get too arrogant; a team like the Netherlands could leave you in the dust if you keep playing that way.
Portugal, you lost to Germany because you played like pretty boys. Germany, we are impressed.
USA, we believe. 🙂
We’ll see who makes it to stage 2.
From Christine Caine’s “First Things First”:
“My word of encouragement for you today is:
PRAY BIG.
BELIEVE BIG.
EXPECT BIG!
‘For with God nothing will be impossible.’ (Luke 1:37 NKJV)”
Today, cheering for my soccer first love, France.
By: Gabriela Yareliz
Let’s talk loneliness. Being alone can feel maddening at times. Why do you think people in solitary confinement end up with serious problems? New York City can sometimes feel like the loneliest place in the world. Sometimes, it is pointless to escape the white walls and fluorescent lamps of your studio for a bustling park where you sit on a bench with the same look on your face– the difference being, now, you have a squirrel next to you.
Loneliness makes people settle in relationships with shallow people. Loneliness can also be a school. It teaches you to know and be comfortable with yourself. This scares everyone else around you. It may even make the server at a restaurant give you a pity-filled look when you tell him or her you only need a table for one.
It’s strange how sometimes we really want to be alone; strange how despite this, we still want someone understanding us, sharing with us. Decisions are made more confidently when the plan is consulted with someone. There can be wisdom and power in numbers.
Is loneliness something we ever outgrow? What about that silence with oneself which is comfortable and peaceful, all at once; after all, being alone doesn’t mean lonely. Is it weird that we feel alone, even though we never really walk alone?
“All great and precious things are lonely.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden
Didn’t Jesus himself pray alone in the garden? Didn’t He bring three to keep watch, yet none prayed behind Him?
‘Tis midnight, and on Olive’s brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone;
‘Tis midnight; in the garden now,
The suffering Savior prays alone.
‘Tis midnight, and from all removed
The Savior wrestles lone with fears;
E’en the disciple whom He loved
Heeds not his Master’s grief and tears.
– William B. Tappan
A.W. Tozer once wrote, “Most of the world’s great souls have been lonely…Enoch walked a path quite apart from his contemporaries.”
Tozer wrote in “The Saint Must Walk Alone” that perhaps spiritual people feel lonely because they are at odds with those around them.
“The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity.” A.W. Tozer
The problem with some, he wrote, is they feel at home with the world, and they “lose their pilgrim character”. And so, as they try to fit in where they do not fit, they end up missing out on who they ought to be. Meanwhile, the rest of the world recognizes them for who they really are, someone who doesn’t fit.
This is not about pride or people thinking they are better than others. It is about a choice regarding life’s purpose, the seeking of truth, the desire to be different and care about others before oneself. This makes people peculiar, and it often makes others uncomfortable.
If being peculiar is what you desire, then, it’s okay to walk the path at odds with everyone else. Priorities require sacrifice. But always remember, the Greatest One walked alone so you wouldn’t have to.
God says:
/When you walk down the road
Heavy burden, heavy load
I will rise and I will walk with you
When you walk through the night
And you feel like you wanna just give up, give up, give up on the fight
I will come and I will walk with you
Walk with you
Until the sun don’t even shine
Walk with you
I’ll be there all the time
I tell you I’ll walk with you
See you through
When you walk from this place
And you gotta go to meet Him face to face
Take my hand and I will walk with you
Oh, oh walk with you
Till the clouds fade away
I tell you I ‘ll walk with you
Each and every day
Oh yes I’ll walk with you
Oh, oh oh when nobody cares
I’ll be right there by your side
If all your hope is lost
I’m the one that’s gonna help you see the light
Just look into my eyes
Please know you’re not alone
I’m here, I’m here by your side
Walk with you
I’ll be there all the time, I’m gonna walk with you
Walk with you
I’ll be there until the clouds just fade away
Walk with you
I’ll be there every day, every day, every day, every day
Walk with you
I’ll be with you all the while
Walk with you
Be right there through the longest mile
Walk with you
I will walk with you yes I will, yes I will, yes I will, I will
Walk with you
I will walk with you
I tell you I’ll be there and I will
Walk with you
Believe me I’ll be there and I’ll walk with you, yes I will/
I Will Walk With You, Della Reese
“If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us. But passion and party blind our eyes, and the light which experience gives us is a lantern on the stern, which shines only on the waves behind us.” Samuel Taylor Coleridge
GABRIELA YARELIZ 