Tag: Sun

Series: Decor-Eclectic Style

Myrnaly

The second style of decoration that we will study is eclectic. It is a style that has the impression of being easy to decor, but it is the opposite.

The meaning of eclectic is “deriving ideas, styles, and tastes from a wide variety of sources.”

It is also said that we can apply the definition to describe a type of person: “it is a person who derives ideas, styles, and tastes from a wide variety of sources.”

Based on that, eclecticism is spoken of as a philosophy of life. It is said to denote membership in a class of ancient philosophers who did not belong to or were founded under any recognized school of thought but to collect doctrines from various schools of thought.

All that philosophy sounds great because it draws the best ideas from different sources. In our case, Christians are going against the tide of the diversity of this world because our foundations, doctrines, and principles are based on the Scriptures and they do not expire or go out of date. The one who wrote the scriptures is eternal and knows all times. God knows the times that we have not yet lived. With such knowledge in his omniscience and wisdom, he is the only one who can give a word that applies to all the times that human lives.

The color palette in the eclectic style is very varied since it is about including variety in the style. It is not only about mixing a variety of colors, but a variety of textures, ethnic elements from different countries, and decoration materials are used.

It may seem very easy to create this style and many people lead the concept to a misperception since the difficult thing about achieving a successful style is being able to create a harmony that can bring together all those colors that collide with each other, those different styles and those. textures that are superimposed on each other, to achieve a beautiful room in its cohesion of elements that could be on the cover of a decoration magazine.

This leads me to reflect on how God creates the church of sinful people with different cultures, social classes, ages, levels of education who come to Him repentant through faith in Jesus Christ, whom He places as the head of this body made up of different parts. And not only that, we have people with different temperaments and personalities, different childhood backgrounds and experiences, hurts, grudges, and battles that through God’s love can coexist in perfect harmony and reflect beauty and light.

It is through the head, which is Christ, that the body can function cohesively since the rest of the body has the struggles of emotions, desires, and impulses. In a style where such diverse parts must come together, each part cannot seek to shine by itself but must flow in search of the whole picture.

As a result of the great diversity that exists in people, God in his wisdom gave us different gifts to exercise together. To meet different needs, different gifts are required, all guided with the same purpose. God has thought of everything! I must delight in the grace that he has showered on me that leads me to serve him in specific tasks, necessary for the edification of the church, and to carry the message of the Cross to those who should listen to it.

The eclectic style is one of the most difficult but when it is worked with skill, it is a true work of art. Each piece of decoration is not seen as isolated, but rather contributing to the room that holds them.

Let’s learn to appreciate and love our differences by seeing it as one work, the work of Christ in this world. From that perspective, we can only surrender so that it is God who places us in the place where we will be best seen, and we make the decorator shine and not each individual piece.

Let us pray to the Lord giving thanks that his wonderful work includes us, uses us for his glory, and makes us part of his family and his church. May it guide us to know our gifts and the use that we must give them so that we do not clash with our brothers in the faith, but on the contrary, we work together with the same goal, and others can admire and praise the Creator.

Series: Decor-Introduction

Myrnaly

I love to talk about home decor. I watch programs, I read, I look for ideas, and I try to apply all that to my home aesthetic.

Decorating is the “placement and combination of functional and ornamental elements in a place or a space to beautify it, adorn it, or create a certain effect”.

In simple words, you take a space and change it to give it beauty, but not only that, you want it to be functional.

In this series, we will see the different styles of decoration, or at least the major categories because there are many variants.

But the interesting thing about this whole series is that we will learn from the Word as we talk about these topics.

From the old testament in the Bible, we can see different illustrations about the decorations in those times. And if you think a bit, did you know that the color combinations used in the decoration palettes are taken from the combinations that exist in nature?

God supplied us with that master color palette. God made everything beautiful and varied as well.

We can be amazed by the variety of species of flowers, plants, trees that we see while new species and new colors are still being discovered. We can relax by observing the different blue tones of the sea. Sunsets are full of stunning sparkle combinations, and each season of the year gives us a feeling of freshness by completely changing the colors we see every day.

And it says in Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him, his eternal power and deity, are made clearly visible from the creation of the world, being understood through the things made, so that they are without excuse.” Through what we see in creation we can see the glory, greatness, and power of God. And every day we continue to discover new things.


But he created man and woman in his image and likeness. Initially, he made us perfect, to be eternal. Sin brought our spiritual death and the need for a savior for our souls.

Sin no longer allows us to be functional. It fills us with attitudes and feelings that are neither beautiful nor perfect. But God, in His grace and mercy, through faith in Jesus Christ, gives us life, cleanses our life, and, guided by his Holy Spirit, transforms us. Through this transformation, God calls us saints “separated for Him”, he changes us, and now we are light to shine in this world.

He made everything beautiful, including us. The best decoration and remodeling is that of our soul, which brings us to life, and to an abundant life of joy and peace, even in the midst of life’s circumstances.

In the next blog I will start with the decorating styles, but now, let’s pray: Lord, thank you for coming into my life to make it new. If I haven’t taken that step yet, may you guide me in order to start there. Thank you because you have given purpose and functionality to my life and every day you continue to renew us until we reach perfection until you come. May we be that light that the world needs reflecting your glory. Amen.

Need for light in the dark night

Myrnaly

I think we all agree that these times of pandemic have changed all of our plans and our routines. The physical distancing has made it difficult for us to do some tasks, to be able to share quality time with those we love and we see how the churches have also been affected.

Meditating on the Lord about these times, it came to my mind the times when the apostle Paul was locked up, in jail, and isolated from the plans he had about his missionary trips. But did Paul put his ministry on pause because he was isolated? Definitely not.

From prison, he influenced people, continued to cultivate his relationship with God, and wrote letters that are part of the Bible as we know it today. The power of God and his work does not stop at four walls. It only took a man called by God, who in complete humility and disposition placed himself in the hands of God.

We read verses like the ones I shared in the beginning and we often raise praise to God telling him to use us, to do his will, but do I make myself available? I am willing? When they call for volunteers for an assignment, do I volunteer?

The world is full of people who go with the flow. The world needs people who remember that they are the church of God and that the church is not made up of a building or a meeting place. Can those who see me say that they understand what the church is? Do you see the character of God in us? How have the lives around me been impacted on a daily basis?

These times call for creative, special measures. All we can accomplish is by the grace of God. What prevents me from serving? What prevents me from saying “here I am”?
Our ministries don’t stop. If I have stopped my ministry and am not doing anything, I must present myself in complete humility and transparency before God and ask him to help me and direct me to act according to his will. What we lack is probably direction, because training is always from God. All the good we can do comes from Him.

In times of greater darkness, the stronger the church must shine, reflecting the light of Christ. It is at night that the moon shines the brightest. The moon has no light of its own, it reflects sunlight. Although we can see it during the day, in the presence of the sun it doesn’t make much difference. It is in difficult times that the church must consecrate itself and be a reflection of God and not the world. If my drawback from serving is my job, my entertainment, my economic situation, that I hope others will do it or that I do not feel qualified, the root of everything is the status of my relationship with God.

Let us pray to the Lord to help us to be the church that the world needs and not people who get confused with the current of this world. May we make ourselves available before waiting for others to come and we can understand the privilege of being used by the Lord to carry his message. May we recognize that there is nothing in us that enables us to produce spiritual fruit except the Holy Spirit who indwells us and convicts and directs us according to God’s Word and his will. May we finally surrender to the Lord and say: “Here I am.”

At the shadows running away from the sun

Myrnaly

Summer has arrived! Here in Puerto Rico, we have experienced extremely hot days. Around the island, the heat indexes have spiked over 100 degrees.

In the midst of that heat, and the protocols of the COVID pandemic, my husband and I went out to get some boxes for some Father’s Day gifts. Due to the social distancing that now governs all the places where people can gather, we had to queue outside the building where we planned to buy the boxes.

But the waiting line at the side of the building was well shaded. It was a refuge to run away from the hot sun that was being felt, brought relief and we could even wait in line calmly without the rush to get out of there. At least throughout the afternoon, that shading would be refreshing everyone who lined up there.

I like the verse I shared in the first photo because the Bible tells us about the protection we have under the shadow of God. That shadow that brought me relief would last an afternoon there, but God’s favor and protection last forever.

Life brings us to all situations that can overwhelm and exhaust us, as does the heat of the sun. But the blessing of being God’s children gives us relief, keeps us so we can enjoy God’s undeserved faithfulness to us. It is always a reason for devotion to contemplate the love of God and that He remains faithful even when we are not.

This sin-corrupted world brings anxiety into our lives, showing us how fragile we are, and how little control we have of external circumstances.

This year has been difficult in Puerto Rico due to the tremors and earthquakes, the pandemic, and the corruption situations of our government. But, in all these things we are more than conquerors and today we are witnesses of the power and the provision of God, even in difficult times, where the logic of what is expected does not agree with the fulfilled promises of God.

Enjoy under the shadow of the Highest the abundant life that Jesus Christ won for you on the cross. The Lord is always around, we are the ones who turn away from Him.

Feed your spirit with the water that jumps for eternal life and the Bread of Life so you can enjoy the good things of summer in your life.

Let us pray to the Lord giving glory to his name for his faithfulness. May we remember each morning his blessings and may the Holy Spirit help us to cover ourselves under his grace and care at all times in our lives.