Conversations with Ray Martinez

I think of Latino heroes in my life growing up and how they made something out of nothing.  I'm encouraged from people like Dr. Gil Carbajal, Dr. Lupe Salazar, Sam and Consuelo Trijillo (Consuelo's drive through), the Gallegos family who started the G&S sanitation business by mowing lawns as kids, Willie Lopez who was our first Latino City Councilman and County Commissioner, and the list goes on.  Power doesn't come from what we know, but it comes from what we need to learn.  Can we learn from our cultural history?  I think so...

Everyone has things in life they can't do with out, right?  Some of the obvious is food, water, and for other medication.  I share my personal things in life that I just cannot do away with, i.e. friends, a confidant, family, and God.  I find it difficult to not have social friends as well.  Iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

We are learning that Jesus was emphatic about not worrying about matters that He can help us with, which is everything when we think about it.  The Mayo Clinic has a list of physical side affects when it comes to worry or anxiety.  Jesus wants us to stay focused, and know that he he has  “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Don't worry, be happy...

I think most of us worried about money growing up to some degree.  My parents seemed like they were always just getting by, but yet we were happy.  I always paid my way through life, and I didn't like debt of any sort.  Jack Rauch was a car dealership in town, and he gave me my first car loan for a 1961 Cadillac DeVille ($500) on a handshake, after he talked to my dad.  Some how all things work together for good... Did I worry about money growing up?  Listen in to my podcast.

As we continue our discussion about Jesus' sermon on the mount, we are learning about money.  Nothing wrong with money as long as it doesn't control you?  It's nice to have things, but don't let things have you.  We learn  much about why it is good to have money when it's utilized in a smart way.  The more you have the more responsibility rests on you.  Giving is equally important.  The bible teaches us about investing wisely.

I've had some great conversations with Charlie Winn, MD, about healthcare.  He stimulates some excellent thoughts to cause us to ponder.  I share some of those views from my perspective.  Everyone wants personal care, with the doctor of our choice whom we trust. We can't afford to kick the can down the road anymore.

I remember the day JFK was shot to death like it happened yesterday. While in my sixth grade class, our teacher at Putnam Elementary school, Bob Asmus, walked into our classroom with the most somber, shocked, and emotional expression I’ve ever seen.  It seemed like the whole world was watching the news anchorman, Walter Cronkite, breaking the news as it was coming in rapidly as to what happened.  Oswald shot and killed Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit on a local street. Two days later, Oswald was fatally shot by local nightclub owner Jack Ruby.  I remembered the great speech that JFK gave on how we would land on the moon by the end of the decade. He was right... You may be able to destroy a person, but you cannot destroy their visions and dreams. Visions are real.

We are learning how to fast and why fasting is important.  How does it add to our power of prayer?  Can it change history or the course of our country? It Happened in Britain in 1756.  John Wesley tells us in his journal of a similar kind of deliverance in 1756. The king of Britain called for a day of solemn prayer and fasting because of a threatened invasion of the French. In 1990 Coach Bill McCartney asked 72 men to commit to pray and fast through lunch every Wednesday for Promise Keepers. Look how Promise Keepers grew!  Maybe this is a good way to start.

Brandon Unitt was a Larimer County Ranger who lost his life on August 20, 2020, responding to a call on Horsetooth Reservior to help people that were in distress because of an existing storm.  During the course of responding, Brandon accidentally drowned, but heroically.  It was less about Brandon and more about others--that was his character.  He served in the US Marine, and as a fellow brother of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.  As his advisor and friend, I am proud of his heroic service to community and for humanity.  Farewell my good and faithful friend.

...sharing why I like Cory Gardner as our US Senator, based on facts and work completed and in progress.  I share some specific view points from my perspective.  Cory works on our economy, environment, jobs, most importantly to me is our transportation in Colorado that impacts all of these key points.