This Week’s Picks: March 31, 2013

By: Gabriela Yareliz
April begins! 🙂 February and March have been very intense, and April has more up its sleeve. As a law student, it is time to finish classes, prepare for the ever exciting and grueling exams, and time to celebrate because we are almost done with the famous 1L year, by God’s grace.

With April here, we must keep hope and Truth ever before us. No matter what we go through, we must cling to God. As Ravi Zacharias says, no matter what we face just say “but Christ…” for Christ is the center of all things, and He is the reason for our hope and blessing.

1] “Cynicism is the last link before apathy.” Ravi Zacharias

Don’t let this happen to you. Always stay engaged; always have hope; always be interested; and always be different.

2] “Sometimes before the darkest moment, the brightest light will shine. I believe it will be like this in our days.” Ravi Zacharias

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5] /Sit by my side and let the world slip; we shall never be younger/ Induction II, Sly, The Taming of the Shrew

6] Jaane Kyun…

Searching

By: Gabriela Yareliz

A current theme in my studies of scripture is Truth. How far are we willing to go to search for Truth and to live the Truth. How much are we willing to sacrifice for Truth’s sake; are we willing to leave tradition, formulas and our own little ways–all of this has been running through my mind.

I couldn’t agree more with the following quote. I think that no matter what it is we each believe, we can make this message ours and take it to heart as we continue to be searchers of the Truth. You’d be surprised how many people believe what they believe, and they don’t even know why. Refuse to be a puppet or blind follower of anything; instead, search all things, and know how to explain what it is you believe.

“Jesus meant just what He said when He directed His disciples to “search the scriptures.” Searching means to compare scripture with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual. We should not be satisfied with a superficial knowledge. We should search for the hidden treasure concealed beneath the surface, as the merchantman seeks for goodly pearls. Light, great light, will reward the diligent searcher for truth….We have lost much in not living up to the light of the solemn truths which we profess to believe.” Review and Herald, June 4, 1889

“But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 1 Corinithians 2:10.

Holi Hai! NYC Bhangra

Holi was a lovely cultural experience. NYC Bhangra and Time Warner Cable put on a great party at the Dag Hammarskjold Park on 47th. There were hundreds of people there. I was there from the very beginning when they first began coloring, and DJ Ricky was setting up while the dancers practiced.

It was a nice day. Cloudy, but in the fifties which is more than we can ask for at this point because it has been so cold. Finally, some spring-ish weather.

They had tables with Henna, face painting, food and colors (of course). Very sweet young women would walk by with plates of colors and swipe your cheeks. As more people arrived, however, colors went flying in the air. Some people climbed trees, some were on others’ shoulders once the music started. They did a Bhangra dancing lesson; the DJ played some Bollywood favs like Om Shanti Om, Mashallah, etc. People were pumped. It was great because there was no alcohol, and it was a family environment. Little kids with painted faces were clapping on their parents shoulders and sprinkling color onto those below.

I ended up with blue, turquoise, green, yellow, pink, purple, orange and red in my hair. My part was mostly pink and orange. Somehow, my collar bone and chest ended up green. How that happened is still a mystery.

I met some really nice people, and everything was very well done. Monty, the host, was hilarious.
The lines for food were so long they eventually ran out of khanna. There were so many people there that there wasn’t much space for dance, but everything is possible, believe me. They did make an effort to make sure colors were only sprinkled on people and not the park floor (because they would be cleaning up), and everyone was very respectful when it came to putting colors on others–so, it was a great day.

I missed Prateek who was unable to make it, but there is always next year (grin). Maybe, next year it will be warmer. It is the perfect festivity for white t-shirt and white shorts.

I had a fab time. I always end up explaining to people that I am not Indian when they ask me what city my family is from. When I tell them I am not Hindustani, they look at my suspiciously, not believing me and still prodding, insisting my grandfather is Indian, and I am not telling.

Hahaha. Always a funny moment. I shrug. Suit yourself. I always tell the truth, but in the end, perhaps the heart speaks louder than words. 😉
Enjoy the pics.

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New York: NAD Health Summit-FLUSHING, Queens

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Kaidi and I went to one of the NAD Health Summit nights.

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Korean guy I decided was date worthy because he is a makeup artist. (Just kidding; though it would be convenient, I kid you not)

We got so much food at this Chinese place, that we had to take it home in boxes. Honest mistake. But it was so funny when they’d keep bringing food, and our eyes would get bigger.

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All of the meat on one side for KK, and the veggie stuff for me.

I don’t do chopsticks, I do it a la Americana…

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The snowy Sheraton–this was on Sabbath, when I went by myself.

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Just a subway ride away…

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Good Friday

The spotless Son of God hung upon the cross, His flesh lacerated with stripes; those hands so often reached out in blessing, nailed to the wooden bars; those feet so tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree; that royal head pierced by the crown of thorns; those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe. And all that He endured–the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet, the agony that racked His frame, and the unutterable anguish that filled His soul at the hiding of His Father’s face–speaks to each child of humanity, declaring, It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bear this burden of guilt; for thee He spoils the domain of death, and opens the gates of Paradise. He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead to life,–offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to thee. The Desire of Ages, 755, Ellen G. White

Purposes veiled in mystery

God’s purposes are often veiled in mystery; they are incomprehensible to finite minds; but He who sees the end from the beginning knows better than we. What we need is to cleanse us from earthliness, to perfect our Christian character, that the robe of Christ’s righteousness shall be put upon us…. Faith, patience, forbearance, heavenly-mindedness, trust in your wise heavenly Father, are the perfect blossoms which mature amidst clouds and disappointments and bereavements….

The order of providence in relation to His people is advancement, progression. Continual advancement is the way of holiness, rising higher and higher in the knowledge and love of God…. God is unchangeable—the same yesterday, today, and forever. Faith must be exercised in all our prayers, for it has not lost its power, nor humble obedience its reward.

—Letter 1, March 29, 1883, to J. N. Andrews, our first missionary, who was dying of tuberculosis in Switzerland.