Examining My Walk with Jesus Christ: God Gets Me!

I will be the first to share and even admit that I have never been a religious person. I grew up in the Catholic faith because we all did. In my hometown, we were either Baptist or Catholic, and a sprinkle of Methodists or Church of Christ folks. As children, my sister and I went to church because, as I said, “It was something we did.” One thing we knew we had to do as good Catholics was to go through the seven sacraments: Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick …. and if you planned to be a priest, there was Ordination. I can check off six out of the seven. That should make me Good with Christ…right?

I just felt like a square peg in a round hole… like a misfit or nonconformist who struggles to fit others’ expectations. I just couldn’t fit into the niche of my Catholic religion. During this time, I was made to feel guilt and seek repentance. Priest: How many days have you missed Sunday mass? Me: Ugh…. maybe six…. no, it is really three…yes, that’s it… That’s the ticket! Priest: Say 5 Our Fathers and 3 Hail Marys, and you will be absolved of your sins. Me: That’s all? Oh, I can do that…. See ya next week, Padre. Okay… I am not making fun of the Catholic faith; I am sharing MY perspective. So, by this point in reading my post, if you are in judgment mode, you don’t get it and never will, unfortunately. Ask my friends, I have never been shy about telling you how I feel. Questioning the status quo and rebelling against the system are traits of my favorite decade, the 80’s… Some of you are rolling your eyes and thinking, “Is everything she writes with an 80’s theme?”… maybe, but is that really a bad thing? Keep reading, it gets better.

So there is Baptism – I had no choice. I think they had a big party and cake to celebrate ME! I don’t know, I was probably asleep in my crib. First Communion – all good Catholics parents send their kids to participate in this sacrament. We went to catechism, learned prayers, and prepared to eat the body of Christ and drink the blood of Christ (Communion). For a kid in elementary school, this sounded scary and not really cool. This lack of understanding is not an indictment of instruction in Catechism. God knows my teachers tried with me. I will share that I almost didn’t go through communion because the priest told my mom that I wasn’t into God because I didn’t pay attention. Well, if I weren’t forced to sit in the front pew at church, my behavior would have been between Jesus Christ and me. He gets me….Let’s see what is next…Ah, yes, Confirmation. I was in high school during this time. We went to classes after school and talked and talked about how important it was….Unfortunately, I couldn’t see the connection, or it wasn’t explained to me without being threatened with burning in Hell. Speaking of Hell… How in the heck does one tell a teen, you are going to hell? Do they have some background information on my one-way ticket to Hell? Hmmm, that sounds like it could be an 80’s song. Maybe not. Okay, getting back to the topic at hand. Let’s see…Ah, yes, Eucharist and Confession. I will combine these two because you can’t participate in the Eucharist unless you have gone through confession. You must guessed it by now…. The paper wafer (AKA Body of Christ) wasn’t going to be in my body anytime soon. But as I have mentioned earlier, God gets me…. He knew what was in my heart…and he still does. Next, Marriage….I married at age 19! By today’s standards, that is CRAZY. My daughters have questioned my sanity many times during this time. Hey, my excuse is that I was a teenager… what did I know? By the time I was a young adult, mother and wife, I threw my hands in the air and said, “This is it!” I cannot participate in something that doesn’t touch my heart. There was a period in my life when I just went through the motions, and like Moses wandered through the desert in search of the Promised Land. I never realized until now that God not only gets me, but if I had taken the time to look at my footprints in that hot desert, there was another set by my side. It literally took 40 years to get back to thinking about my faith. I decided to try again, so I became a Methodist. I thought Methodists are like Catholics without lots of kneeling…some, but not as much as I was accustomed to. For some reason, I didn’t stick with it. I was still of the belief that God gets me, and we can share a cup of coffee at Starbucks on a Sunday afternoon.

It’s bigger than you, and you are not me
The lengths that I will go
The distance in your eyes
Oh no, I’ve said too much
I haven’t said enough

R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” is about unrequited love, obsession, and frustration, and not actual religious faith. But I can relate to the song – yes, an 80s song. The lyrics portray self-doubt, overthinking, and feeling exposed, like being watched (“me in the spotlight”) by every Christian who knew I didn’t go to church while feeling isolated (“me in the corner”), struggling to connect and confess feelings. This was me, and perhaps still me. I don’t wrestle with self-doubt like I did when I was younger. Remember, God gets me.

She’s got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then, when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I stare too long, I’d probably break down and cry

Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns n Roses hits the nail on the head. In my analysis, she is Religion. Reminds me of a different time, and it continues to show its face throughout my journey. My understanding of religion and its complexities continues to baffle me at times, but as I said before, “God gets me.” It isn’t a bad thing…it is just my reality.

Quite a morning of reflection and introspection! I will leave you with two quotes. This morning, a friend shared something profound, and I just needed to share it with you. “You become a reflection of the people you spend time with. Choose souls who make you feel seen, grounded, and inspired – not the ones who question your light.” Think about that for a moment. It speaks volumes about friendships, relationships, and even religion. I have to give this young man a High Five for actually “Getting it’! The second is a quote made famous by Mr. Thomas Edison himself and my guy Denzel Washington. Who would have guessed it – A famous inventor and superb actor would be quoted many times. “If you want to become who you have never been, you will have to do what you have never done.” What does that really mean? If you want to become a better version of yourself with religion, friendships, relationships, work, goals, etc., then you must have courage and take risks. The quote we hear most often is “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” It is the same as my friend Denzel preaches. For example, I want to lose weight and have a butt that is perfect…okay, I am sharing too much, but I am keeping it real – then I need to get off my “ass” and do something about it. Sitting at home and watching Netflix isn’t going to produce results. What do I need to change? I think you get the picture. Most important friends – do not allow others to steal your joy.

Where am I in 2026? Well, I am not there yet… I am a work in progress. Last Sunday, I finally walked through the door of a small Christian Church, “Muy Grande Ministries”. After much urging from a classmate, I attended. Hell didn’t freeze over, and I didn’t sizzle to a crisp. So it was a good start. Everyone was kind and helpful. It also helped that I sat next to an amazing woman who inspired me in high school (Ms. Leticia). She probably will not remember, but she was a guest speaker at a FTA mini conference, and the words that will always resonate with me are “Never Settle”. I have held on to that message and shared it with my strong daughters. I also attended a “Women’s Bible Study” with some incredible women of faith and strength. My friend, Lisa, prayed with me and held my hand. There was a good discussion on Luke 9.26 NKJV. “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” To me, in relation to my thoughts of religion, it means that once you start on a path or journey, you must walk the straight and narrow. God knows everything we’ve done in our lives, and it is okay. We must forgive ourselves, give ourselves grace, and not look back. I admit that I still struggle with this, but I know I am loved, resilient, and a strong woman. Where will I be tomorrow, next week, or next year? I don’t know. But that is okay!

The link below is something you should remember wherever you are on your journey…. and Yes it’s another song…. I think you will like it…

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/171BfwWEpk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

After all, God gets me, and he gets you!

Enjoy my 80’s music… I guarantee it will inspire you and just make you feel good. Dancing is good. I have been up since 4 am because I felt a need to share my heart with my people.

Always,

Miss Stella

Growing up in the 80’s

I grew up in a small South Texas town between Laredo and Corpus Christi. We were kids in the 70’s and teens in the 80’s. The 80’s were indeed a special time in America. This decade was not only colorful but also the start of an amazing era in pop culture, epic music, and the best TV shows. Everyone watched MTV. We sang songs by Madonna, Culture Club, Air Supply, Duran Duran, A-Ha, etc. Punk Rock was in. Saturday Night Live was the show to watch every Saturday night. If you grew up in this decade, then you will know exactly what I mean.

The 80s were a time of interesting fashion and hairstyles. Shoulder pads were the rage. Almost every girl I knew in high school owned scrunchies, leg warmers, and wore dresses with shoulder pads! I look back at some of my high school pictures, and honestly, we did look cool according to 80s standards. Oh, hairstyles… were like Crazy. I had short hair and really didn’t get into the hairstyle craze, but some of my close friends did. After our athletics class in the locker room, there were several upperclassmen with big cans of Aqua Net and lots of gel. If I had invested in Aqua Net back then, I would have made lots of “dinero” (money in Spanish). The bigger the better…. I know there must have been a competition on who had the biggest hairstyle in class. Oh my God…. Reeboks were in style. I recently came across a pair of Reeboks that looked just like the pair I wore in high school. Yes…. I have them in my closet. I may not wear them much, but they sure make me smile.

Some of the most iconic movies of all time were made in the 80s. Who can forget the dance moves in “Footloose” and “Dirty Dancing,” or the action-packed adventures in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Top Gun”? “The Breakfast Club,” “Pretty in Pink,” “St. Elmo’s Fire,” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” were must-see films. I can recall friends saying, “Bueller, Bueller, Bueller” to those who weren’t paying attention in class. Goodness, we were introduced to countless classics and exhilarating experiences. Patrick Swayze was just divine. Okay…. getting back to the best time in our lives.

Arcades were the place to be. I can remember hanging out at a local burger place called “Jimbos”. There, we could challenge each other to classic arcade games like ‘Galaga’ or ‘Pac-Man’. The local Dairy Queen had the only ‘Centipede’ game in the city. I can remember my hands hurting from continuously punching the rapid-fire missiles. Goal: shoot down waves of insect-like flying formations. Easy..Peasy.

The 80s were the dawn of VCRs. OMG! I thought our family was really cool when we received a VCR for Christmas. It was HUGE, but we had a VCR! Renting movies from the local video store was what we did for sleepovers or holiday gatherings. How many of you remember having to pay extra when you didn’t rewind the tape? Thus came the slogan “Be Kind, Rewind. ” We thought we had entered the new technology age. And how could I forget the Walkman? On school road trips, we would sometimes sit together with a friend, each of us wearing headphones plugged into a Walkman.

The 80s teen years (well, for girls) were all about spending hours on the phone sharing secrets, stories, and laughter. My parents had a rule that we could not use the phone after everyone went to bed. Thank God for Ma Bell’s extra-long telephone cord. I could take that cord all the way to the laundry room and chat all night. We were rebels!!!! My daughters will read this and say, “Oh yeah mom… a real rebel and rule breaker!” Also, back in the 80’s, we didn’t have free unlimited calling. Many forget that long-distance cost money back then! I can still hear my mom yelling, “Stella…come see this phone bill!” But that little rotary dial-up was the social media of our generation. Why is it that we could remember every one of our friends’ phone numbers back then, and now we have problems memorizing our children’s cell numbers? To be honest, I can only remember the area code (361), and back then our area code was (512).

I recently reminisced with a friend about our high school years. We were all close friends, but ran in different groups. After graduation, he traveled the world with the military, and I married very young. He asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. I thought for a moment, and I said, ” I wanted to be so many things in life that I could never decide. I rattled all the things that came to mind – an actress, an airline stewardess, a singer, an artist, an educator. Then I stopped my rambling and said, “You know what? I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I know we can’t go back to 1985, but we can still have the spirit, drive, and passion that led us to take a leap of faith. We may be disillusioned with the road we took to get to here in 2026, but I am a firm believer that we all have ‘do-overs’ with goals, plans, and life in general.

It has been over 40 years since I was an ’80s baby (CLASS OF ’85 RULES BABY), and I now look back at that time with fond memories and some sadness. We were young, we were alive in the moment, we appreciated friendships, we experienced life, we felt loss, and we loved like no other group of classmates. I can honestly say that I love every one of my classmates because we shared a moment together that can never be replicated. We were living during an incredible era, and we didn’t recognize it. Many of you can attest to feeling like you want to grow up and get out of your little hometown. If I could wave a magic wand, I would go back and maybe do some things differently. Perhaps I would have been a little less bossy when it came to forcing classmates to sell raffle tickets for “Cabbage Patch” dolls to raise money for our Senior Trip to California, or maybe I could have been more patient with teachers and stopped researching school policy on violations. Nah…… that wouldn’t have been ME! Like, who nowadays gives over $45K to the senior class president to purchase airline tickets and excursion outings for a Senior Trip? 1985 sponsors did……I say that with a smile…..

The 80s were truly awesome and the best decade ever. It was our decade. People today WISH they had lived during our time. We had the time of our lives dancing because girls just wanna have fun, and because this girl was always living on a prayer.

Much love always,

Stella Uribe, President of the Class of 1985

We Built this City on Rock and Roll. https://youtu.be/K1b8AhIsSYQ?si=1CXtDvLhjqzPC0Rp

New Season

When we hear the word season, we instantly think of Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. We forget that, as humans, we all experience seasons in life. These seasons shape who we are and who we become.

Everyone experiences “seasons in life. The challenge for many is how to move and embrace each season. Sometimes it takes deep reflection to understand that we experience a multitude of seasons throughout our lifetime.

In my mid 50’s, I moved back home to care for my aging parents. The decision wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was a process. Over the last ten years, I started assessing my parents’ health. I also considered their independence and autonomy. Almost five years ago, the decision was finally made to buy a home and be more accessible to my parents. There was never a question of which of my siblings would care for my parents. As a middle child, I always exhibited firstborn tendencies. I was the one who always had an opinion…. good or bad… I had an opinion. Little did I truly understand how my life would change.

In 2007, I left my small hometown and moved to a large suburban city. A girl who grew up in the brush country of South Texas was literally blown away by a new life. If I needed to see a physician, I just made an appointment and drove down the street. If I needed a special ingredient for a recipe, I just drove to the nearest grocery store. I didn’t have to worry about finding the item. These small conveniences seem so normal to many, but it wasn’t for me. I became involved in service organizations. I volunteered in the community. I made lifelong friends. I fell in love with my new life and soaked up every new experience.

In 2021, my season was about to change. I just never anticipated how much it would impact my life and me. As my parents aged, my role shifted from being a child/daughter to becoming a caregiver. This marked the start of my new season. I can look back now and say that I struggled internally. At first, I tried to balance my life in North Texas. I also tried to balance my life in South Texas. It worked for a while – challenging but workable. Then the balance shifted. I spent more time away from my life in North Texas, my husband, my friends, and my home. This change began to impact every facet of my life. This was the moment I began to struggle. I am sure all of us at one time or another have wrestled with life-changing decisions. At first, I didn’t handle it well. Only a small group of friends was aware of my internal turmoil. I was in a state of great confusion. I felt like a boiling pot of water, chaotic and unsettled. My health suffered. I was stressed and felt I was losing myself and my identity. It wasn’t a good feeling. One can stay in this state briefly before an explosion occurs. The explosion didn’t occur, but what did occur was deep reflection and acceptance.

My life had changed, and I realized this was part of my journey for the next five to ten years. I remembered my supportive parents, who taught me to stay positive and never give up. I knew that I needed to reflect daily. When I accepted my season, I found peace in my heart and learned to give myself grace.

I can tell you there are truths you must remember as you go through your season. 1) Seasons do not last forever; they evolve. 2) Reflection is necessary for understanding, love, and peace. 3) You always have friends who will support you. Sometimes, you must reach out to those friends. 4) You are stronger than you think you are. 5) You are never alone in your journey. Sometimes, it takes opening your heart to others.

My season is unique, as yours will be. Just know that this too shall pass, and you will look back and tell yourself, “I made it and I did a pretty good job!

Are you going through a season? How are you moving through your season?

With much love,

Stella Uribe Stevens