Just a few Sundays ago, I was at church in Jacksonville, NC and Pastor Ivan Miranda (my pastor) brought up something really great about music. He explained how music these days is all about sex, money, drugs, gangs, killing, and Satan. He also mentioned that there is music that explains about how the world is, love for another, but what we don’t understand is what is the real reason of music.

God gave the Devil music, that’s a fact. But how the music is used is really for the love of God. There are so many styles of music we all listen too. I personally love listening to Spanish Rock music, like Annette Moreno or Alex Campos. I really love Bachata and Merengue, it’s so awesome, but let me tell you what I saw from personal experience…

I went to a wedding in August and I was listening to a Christian Bachata mix on my way to the wedding. Now, the music we played for the wedding was nice, everyone liked it a lot. After we all were leaving and packing up, I blasted Richard Cepeda from the car so that theres a Jesus Party in the car, and I say a woman just dancing as if it was a club. I looked at her and I thought to myself, “Why are you doing such a thing? This is God’s music, not clubbing music.” Then I spoke the Aseneth about her dancing, and she said that God’s music and be blinding to others and they don’t know it…it can sound nice, but are they listening the message of the song?”

It’s the sound of music that makes people move, but are they listening? Music these days have message if we just focus into the song, how it was written and the passion that was used to write and sing. There’s a song by Rush called “The Spirit Of Radio”, and it talks about how people listen to music but don’t understand why it was written. Close to the end of the song says “For the words of the prophets were written on the studio wall/Concert Hall/ Echoes with the sound of salesmen” as a change from Simon and Garfunkel’s song called “The Sound of Silence”. It goes like this “…the words of the prophets/Are written on the subway walls/And tenement halls/And whispered in the sounds of silence.”

Just a modification of words on the song, it’s a good song, but the message is do we understand what they’re saying?

In the Christian life that I happily live by, I listen to a variety of music, from Reggaeton, Bachata, Mariachi, Merengue, Rock, etc. I love listening to Alex Campos a lot because his style changes a lot and all of his music has a message to it. For example, “Que Eres Para Mi?” says that is God really for me? YES HE IS!!!! Are WE for God? YES WE ARE!!! The religion in this world is what makes people think that we’re not for Him, but we are, God created us to live for Him and be happy. A lot of people don’t know that and that’s what hurts them a lot.

Now if we go into songs like “To the windows, to the walls, to the sweat drip down my balls, skeet skeet skeet m(*&^*^*&^.” Whats that saying? It’s saying that the guy wants to do dirty things to another person.

I was on Wikipedia the other day reading about a band called Slayer. An 80’s Speed and Thrash metal band that is popular today and most of there music sounds Satanic, but in reality they’re not because what they write about is how the world is today and how we’re corrupted by those who have so much money and power that they don’t know how to use it. There are some in the band that do believe in God, but don’t put God into anything.

Now a band like Stryper, who started in 1983, they we’re a Christian Metal Band that are still today that are firm believer’s in God and they loved everything about God!!!! To this day, their greatest song “Honestly” is still a great song, It’s considered a love ballad, but really it’s a love ballad…FOR GOD! They are a great band and all their music has a powerful message if we pray, focus, and understand the song.

If we focus on how every song is written, are we going to learn something from it? Think about it…is this song healthy? Is it for God? Does it benefit me? How can I apply this song into my life? What is the message?

Think about it.

Well…the end of September time frame is so around the corner and I’m so excited to come home!!! I’m so excited to come home. I want to make the best of my time in California so awesome. Attend church, see Chachi, Julio, Josh, my bro Eddy, Mario…even Betty. I’m so excited, I’m taking well of course my clothes, uniforms, suits, and my sweer acoustin guitar.

I’m gonna use my guitar to help Mario learn the bass because this can help out even more and he can learn better. I want to make sure that this time I accomplish the mission of him learning the bass so he can be well trained. I want to help out Daysprings Christian Church as a temporary musician there because Pastor Douglas Young really likes my skill and is really blessed to know me and what I do. I respect him well, plus he’s the man because he’s MY pastor at home, no one else.

I want to go to Merced or Modesto and buy some sweet clothes at Aeropostle at any mall. plus I never liked them until I saw their prices, wow…THEY REALLY HAVE AFFORDABLE PRICES for everyone.

I also would like to spend some time with someone who is special to me…she know who she is.

I can’t believe how time can fly by so fast. You first start off at school from First till Sixth grade. You then Middle school and High school. I remember this day perfectly when I joined the Marine Corps, September 24, 2004…Sacramento MEPS (Military Examination Process System)…then my ship date…July 17, 2005…to San Diego.

I remember July 17, 2005 so perfectly…

It was a Sunday morning I woke up and went to the Sunday church service at Templo De Alabanza. They let me play the bass on stage for the last time. I went, learned what Pastor Francisco Vasquez had prepped in the morning.  I was gathering address to write to people so when I arrive to San Diego, I can write to them.

Later on at 9:30 A.M. I got home from church and got to see friends and family for the last time and for some reason, I just couldn’t cry knowing that I’d miss them. So we drive off to Merced to the recruiting station to meet up with my recruiter SSgt Deniz. My mom is so strong, she completely knew what I was going to go through because Marine Corps training is the most intense training out of all the branch of services.  I got to say my goodbyes to my mom, brother, nina, and my mom’s best friend Violet.

I get in the gov’t vehicle with SSgt Deniz to go to the Greyhound bus to Sacramento. I go and I arrive to Sacramento, got something to eat and called the free cab that transports Poolees to the Raddison hotel for the enlistees to their proper training grounds. I arrive, I sleep.

All I can say is from July 18, 2005 till now, it flew by so fast!!! I’m staying in just another 4 years into another job so I can try something new…God has something out there for me, I know it.

Ok, this may sound kinda cheesy but I’m bored, plus, this makes me a thief for copying a certain somebody.

 

  • 10.  I’m pretty athletic, I don’t really mind going for runs or sports.
  • 9.    I know how to skateboard, though I haven’t done it in so long, but I love it.
  • 8.    I’m very musically talented, I love playing the bass, guitar, and vocals.
  • 7     My Spanish is not that great but when it comes to singing in Spanish, I can do it.
  • 6.    I love that fact that I can motivate others to do what they can’t do, break their limits.
  • 5.    I have a wide range of music, but no country…boo!!!!
  • 4.    I love learning a new thing everyday
  • 3.    Meeting new people and learning about them
  • 2     Going to church is my main thing.
  • 1     I love the fact that my life belongs to God, no one else but Him!!!!

I think I may make another one, lol…I’m bored, lol.

Pretty funny, the title is a song from a punk band called The Clash.  Well…I’m close to about three years in the Marine Corps and I’m completely undecided about the Marine Corps. I hit three years July 18, 2008, meaning one more year to go. This year has benefits for me, I earn the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.

I get a $150;00 pay raise for three years as a Corporal, and the truth is…I really enjoy being in. I got to do so much that God has planned for me in my career.

I ask God what should I do and I don’t know his answer. I have these feelings though that if I stay in, I’m gonna hurt lives and benefit others. I really want to be in serving in an independent duty station close to home. I want to go to Bahrain and learn what the world is. I’ve had so much fun in th corps.

My job is not like what you see in tv or about the military, it’s a whole new world for others. I’m an administrator, a paper pusher, but you know what, I may not be doing no shooting, though I have been shot at, but I have an easy life. I’ve gained so much friends, attending an awesome church, I love it. God brought me to Camp Lejeune for a reason and I never understood it till I deployed.

I really want to see the world, I don’t mind going back to Iraq nor a boat trip. It’s really ok to me. I get scared for my family when I’m away from them, I really want to be with them and take care of them, but duty calls.

I ask for those that know me to please pray for me. I’m completely undecided…then there is college…

I’m undecided to go to college…either University of San Jose or University of Texas Pan American. I’m very interested in studying business administration. The reason why because the Marines pretty much made me a business man…in camoflauge utilities uniforms. I really want to say, “I did it”. When I got home I thought to myself, “I did it, I’m home…no more boom nor small bed…I’m finally home.” I want to do it again.

God is using me, as His Marine…in music, military, lots of things. He is first in my life. He is my love, without Him, I’m useless, I’m binded in chains without no, NO FREEDOM!!! I want to be where He want’s me to be, be with someone He has for me…

LORD…you know what you want to do to me…whatever it is, I’ll do it…Should I stay…? Or should I go…?

For those that don’t know me…My name is Daniel Alejandro Barrera. Currently serving in the USMC at the rank of Corporal. I started this because I have so much to explain that maybe others can hear me out.

HELLO WORLD!!!!