My Precious Mother

Mother of grace, beauty, strength, loves to serve others, peace of joy, rock of the family, mother of wisdom, loves her shoes, loves to travel, love the color of red, loves flowers and woman of the Lord.

For the last 31 years of my life, I watched my mother go through many seasons of her life. 

My parents was a team for my family for many years. I did not know how my mother was going to manage as one team member many months ago with my father's death.

In the last few months, my mom taught me to be strong when storms come in your life. She would cry to the Lord for her strength when she had rainy days. She would look to her family for guidance and the Lord. Beautiful is my mother who like a rose. A rose who continues to grows in her life with her grandchildren and her older children by her side.

Yesterday, after we came back from the movie theater, she told me that we are strong as family. My mother told me, “ She may be single but we are here as a family for each other.” I would say, “ Team Family”. My mother will always have us children to surround her with lots of love. My mom is just a phone call away like my dad would be there for us children.

Isleen 

One Nation under God

Dr. Tony Evans did a Teaching call " God's Message to America- Part 1". I heard this teaching and it changed my thinking of how I think about my life, my career, my family's life, and about America of today. Check it out!

Click Here to hear the message 

I did a little research of the speech of Abraham Lincoln on March 30, 1863 called, " Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day." 


Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day

Washington, D.C.

March 30, 1863

The Resolution asked President Lincoln to proclaim a national day of prayer and fasting. The Resolution was adopted on March 3, and signed by Lincoln on March 30, one month before the fast day was observed.

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.

And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.

And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!

It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.

Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.

All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln
William H. Seward, Secretary of State

Check Link for more information on Abraham Lincoln's Speech

My Beautiful Bride

“You are so beautiful to me. I wish for one moment that you could see what I see what I see when I look at you. When I gaze at you, I see a treasure ready to be discovered, a princess ready to shine, and a bride ready to be loved. When I look at you.. I love what I see!” Sheri Rose Shepherd

My latest project has been working on side with my friend Rashad, who takes amazing wedding photos. Check out some of Rashad's work here. I love this latest project to help give great ideas to design for wedding photos for the bride to be. As, I am doing this project, I see part of me as a bride one day.

The other day, I was organized in storage closet and found my mother's wedding box of memories. In her wedding box which I found my mom's wedding dress, wedding cake knives, wedding bead rope, wedding book (empty), my mom's veil, wedding heart shaped pillow and her wedding album. I was in awww mode to find these special treasure items because I felt like I was going back in time. As, I picked up my mom's wedding dress from the 70's, I felt like one day, I will use part of her wedding dress in some kind of design in my wedding dress or hair accessory. This was a special day for my parents because they waited 5 years to get married in 1972 and then they spend 36 years together married. My parents kept their promised to each other to be married until death do them apart. As, I look at the wedding pictures and see more than the vintage wear from 70's but a promised to each other for life. Life didn't happened for my parents until their wedding day. My mom said to me that other day, “Being a married couple build a good life for us with a home, our children, careers, and being together.” Mom cried because she missed her husband. My mom met my dad at the age of 16 years old. One day, my mother will meet her prince in heaven (Jesus) and her husband, one day. Marriage is more than wedding reception and everything else about the wedding. The important part of the wedding is the ceremony between the two couple. Life happens between the two couple. Marriage is about two coming together become one for life.

“For your Royal Husband Delights in your beauty: honor him, for his is your Lord”,Psalm 45:11

I'm called to live my Father's Legacy

For the month of March... It is Colon Cancer Awareness. Blue is the color for colon cancer. I am one gal who has a computer and social media to get out the word to help save the lives of grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers, sister, fathers and mothers regarding colon cancer. Colon cancer is the 2^nd cause of deaths when it comes to cancer in America according to one article. My father, Dan Rodriguez was a victim to colon cancer. He was a survivor of colon cancer for 4 years with surgery and help of herbal pills. Then, the cancer came back 2^nd time in August, 2011. My dad was admitted to the hospital, the doctor told the family the tumor that was discovered in his chest is the same cancer that metastasized from the colon cancer. My dad passed away in hospice care. I held my dad's hand every night to know that he would passed away. I was there from the beginning of his fight for cancer and I was there at the end. On the last day of my dad's life, I gave my dad water to drink before he passed away on September 14, 2011. For many months, I have cried without hearing the voice of my father. I remembered the places, the conversations, the places we went out to eat, the shows we watch but nothing could bring back my father. I read the words that my father wrote about the Lord to give me a vision of what I am suppose to do. It occurred to me that I have to reach out to the community every month of March to teach about colon cancer, in social media, in my writings, in my community, at my job and speaking with my family. I cannot go on with my life without help saving someone's life from this colon cancer disease. I have a voice and the research to speak about this terrible disease. 5 years ago, my family did not hear about colon cancer until my father was diagnosed. My dad dealt with the disease and he was healed for 4 years until 2011. While my father was healed from cancer my dad reached out to the community of those who were dealt with any cancer. He spoke to many individuals in person, on the phone, or on the web. My dad wrote his story on butt-check.org about this story about colon cancer. Check out his story here. I will continued his legacy to reach to others to teach other who are dealing with cancer. My mom said it well in statement she told me once, "Cancer does not discriminate in any age, color, race, religion." Cancer is silent killer but it is up to us to do what we can while we are placed on this earth. I feel like the Lord has placed me here for a reason. I want to help those who are in need when I can. I can't be silent and shut my month to watch others die from this disease.

Isleen  

Forever 21

As, I walked into the store one late night in the Dillard’s store looking for jeans on sale, I met a new friend. This sales lady is student, a mother of a teenager and works full time at Dillard's. We both talked about fashion. The sales lady told me what jeans were on sale and where the jeans were located. We started to talk about jeans. The sales lady asked me where did I get my jeans I told her in China. She liked the appearance of the jeans and how it was made. I told her fashion should not be expensive. 30 something gals should not be afraid to wear junior clothes. I gave her advice to look into skinny colored jeans for this spring season for her daughter and for herself. She looked at me for saying skinny colored jeans for her. Yes. Why not? What do you think? Getting older is mind set but why not going into Forever 21 store at 30 years old. Wearing Forever 21 clothes to work is questionable but on your off time you can wear whatever you want. If the clothes is modesty looking then go for it! A gal is forever young at any age, how many kids she has or what her appearance. Don't make yourself old looking by saying I can't wear it anymore or it is not for me. I say take a risk and who cares what others say about your style. As long as you feel good about your appearance. While I was in Bible school many years ago, I told 60 something lady that I liked her outfit. I told her what is her secret to keep herself young looking? She told me that I will never forget, “ Keep yourself young by what you are wearing and don't grow old.”

Isleen

Mossimo Supply Co. Skinny Jeans Colored Jeans $22.99

Valentine's Day in America, China & Israel

As a woman Valentine's Day is important to be recognized from her husband or boyfriend on this special day. The day of love to me is not celebrating with my boyfriend only but with my family, my friends, the people I love in my life. If you hate Valentine's Day, I was once like you. I hated roses and loving couples on this day but I have learned to accept and show my love to my friends, family and my two young nieces. I am woman who is loved by her family. My family is number one in my life and this year I will celebrate with my mom (who lost her husband to cancer last year), my sister ( A single mom), my guy and my two nieces.

This summer, I got to see Valentine's Day in China and I had experienced Valentine's day in Israel 2001. The holidays are no different from other countries because it celebrating the day of love. What is the difference from American Valentine's Day compare to others countries? China & Israel is the focus in this blog. Get ready for history lesson because it will be interesting. Forgive me if my blog is long but I had to do some research online. So, Enjoy! :)

Chinese Valentine's Day

“中国情人节(Zhōngguó qíngrénjié) Chinese Valentine’s Day" will be on the 6th of August. Nowadays, Chinese people celebrate this special day in various ways.

Many young lovers in China go for a special Chinese Valentine's Day candlelit dinner. People often float red, pink, and white helium-filled balloons or hang fresh flowers above their dining table. In addition, they like to create a romantic atmosphere with music wafting through the room.

"情人节电影(qíngrénjié diànyǐng) Valentine's Day movies" are also very popular in China. Lovers go to cinema together to see a moving love story. Moreover, a lot of young Chinese people like to go to Karaoke to enjoy a romantic "情人节(qíngrénjié) Valentine's Day."

Most young people in China are also keen of Chinese Valentine's Day. Actually, in China we have a similar holiday dedicated for love, as in the west. In Chinese, it's called "七夕节(qīxī jié) The Seventh Eve."It is also known as "中国情人节(zhōngguó qíngrén jié) Chinese Valentine's Day"and "女儿节(nǚér jié) The Daughter's Day." It occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Chinese lunar calendar. This day was originated from a beautiful love story. The seventh daughter of the Goddess of Heaven, 织女(zhīnǚ) Zhi Nv, fell in love with a cowherd called 牛郎(niúláng) Niu Lang. Regardless of the taboo that an immortal could not marry a mortal, she decided to marry Niu Lang. They lived happily for several years. Eventually, however, the Goddess of Heaven became fed up with her daughter's absence, and ordered her to return to heaven. However, the mother took pity on the couple and allowed them to reunite once a year. Legend has it that on the seventh night of the seventh moon, magpies form a bridge with their wings for Zhi Nv to cross to meet her husband.

In ancient times, various activities were held to celebrate the festival in different places, but young people nowadays like to release the "孔明灯(kŏngmíngdēng) Hung Ming lanterns"on the Chinese Valentine's Day, which was invented by Zhuge Kongming at the time of Three Kingdoms. In the evening, lovers make good wishes together and light Hung Ming lanterns with full blessings of faithful love between them, just like the love between Niu Lang and Zhi Nv.

In Chinese Valentine's Day, you can hear all kinds of Valentine's Day greetings, such as "情人节快乐(Qíngrénjié kuàilè) Happy Valentine's Day!" "情(qíng)"represents all kinds of emotion such as "爱情(àiqíng) love," "亲情(qīnqíng) the feelings between family members," but here, it means love. "人(rén)" means person or people. So "情人(qíngrén)" means lovers and is the same as another Chinese word "情侣(qínglǚ)." The character "节(jié)" means festival, which comes from the Chinese word "节日(jiérì)." So "情人节(qíngrénjié)" means the lovers' festival, namely, Valentine's Day. "快(kuài)" means fast and "乐(lè)" means happiness.
At such a romantic festival, it is a great chance to express yourself to your loved one.

Here we offer you some classic Chinese expressions on this special day:

好希望陪着你一直到老，让你做我手心里的宝。我爱你！ 
Hăo xīwàng péizhe nǐ yìzhí dào lăo, ràng nǐ zuò wŏ shŏuxīn lǐ de băo. Wŏ ài nǐ!
I hope to accompany you until we are old, and let you become a treasure in my palm. I love you!

每一天都为你心跳，每一刻都被你感动，每一秒都为你担心。有你的感觉真好！ 
Měi yì tiān dōu wèi nǐ xīntiào, měi yí kè dōu bèi nǐ găndòng, měi yì miăo dōu wèi nǐ dānxīn. Yŏu nǐ de gănjué zhēn hăo!
 Every day my heart beats for you; every moment I am moved by you; every second I am concerned about you. I feel so good to be with you! ( Read more about Chinese Valentine's Day Here)

Israel Valentine's Day

(August 15^th) I was told the holiday occurs by looking at the moon during summertime. Tu B'Av, the 15th Day of Av, is both an ancient and modern holiday. Originally a post-biblical day of joy, it served as a matchmaking day for unmarried women in the second Temple period (before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.). Tu B'Av was almost unnoticed in the Jewish calendar for many centuries but it has been rejuvenated in recent decades, especially in the modern state of Israel. In its modern incarnation it is gradually becoming a Hebrew-Jewish Day of Love, slightly resembling Valentine's Day in English-speaking countries.

There is no way to know exactly how early Tu B'Av began. The first mention of this date is in the Mishnah (compiled and edited in the end of the second century), where Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel is quoted saying, "There were no better (i.e. happier) days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, since on these days the daughters of Israel/Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards. What were they saying: Young man, consider whom you choose (to be your wife)?"(Ta'anit, Chapter 4).

Origins of the Date

The Gemara (the later, interpretive layer of the Talmud) attempts to find the origin of this date as a special joyous day, and offers several explanations. One of them is that on this day the Biblical "tribes of Israel were permitted to mingle with each other," namely: to marry women from other tribes (Talmud, Ta'anit 30b). This explanation is somewhat surprising, since nowhere in the Bible is there a prohibition on "intermarriage" among the 12 tribes of Israel. This Talmudic source probably is alluding to a story in the book of Judges (chapter 21): After a civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and other Israelite tribes, the tribes vowed not to intermarry with men of the tribe of Benjamin.

It should be noted that Tu B'Av, like several Jewish holidays (Passover, Sukkot, Tu Bishvat) begins on the night between the 14th and 15th day of the Hebrew month, since this is the night of a full moon in our lunar calendar. Linking the night of a full moon with romance, love, and fertility is not uncommon in ancient cultures.

For almost 19 centuries--between the destruction of Jerusalem and the re-establishment of Jewish independence in the state of Israel in 1948--the only commemoration of Tu B'Av was that the morning prayer service did not include the penitence prayer (Tahanun).

In recent decades Israeli civil culture promotes festivals of singing and dancing on the night of Tu B'Av. The entertainment and beauty industries work overtime on this date. It has no formal legal status as a holiday-- it is a regular workday--nor has the Israeli rabbinate initiated any addition to the liturgy or called for the introduction of any ancient religious practices. The cultural gap between Israeli secular society and the Orthodox rabbinate makes it unlikely that these two will find a common denominator in the celebration of this ancient/modern holiday in the foreseeable future.”

(See more information about Israel Valentine's Day Here)

Isleen

100th Blog Posting!!!

100 blog posting ago, I started this blog in 2008. I have learned a lot about myself and about life. I wanted to write this blog to capture my words on the net instead of on paper. I have noticed that this blog turned into a blog not for me but for other women.There was a season when I went through some grieving moments but I turned this blog to be positive. To show the world a woman can live by faith if she has enough faith in father in heaven.

This blog posting is not about shoe ideas, style ideas, and crafts, to cook, about church, cancer, places to visit or talk about art. I will give some insight of the purpose of this blog……

I am woman with a dream…. A woman who goes into many nations to reach other women from the darkness places. A woman who is willing to share her make up tips or hair tips to help open hearts of other women. I have seen so many women in the dark places saying that I am not beautiful and not loved. I tell them that you are loved. You can’t find that deep love from any man but the father in heaven. This is what I am called to do. I am woman who has a vision to help women to come to the light. Women can be mothers, widowers, divorced, single, married, upper class, lower class, and middle class, from America, Mexico, Texas, China, Middle East, New York, and California or rest of the world. I am here to help and serve you for the rest of my life. I may use make up tips, cooking ideas, style ideas, exercise ideas…. But this is who I am.This is why I write this blog… for you. To help you make your life a little easier, to help you escape for just a second online.

1^st Blog Entry in 2008

Isleen