To My Uncle Neto

Neto was always that guy to crack jokes and put smiles on faces. Always saying "looka here" or "in your mouth". Like everyone explained yesterday he could be serious but then loving and cheerful, i guess it runs in the Madrid blood. I remember the time that my cousin David and i where fighting when we were young. Neto grab us and said to kneel down on the floor and hold dictionaries in both hands. The first to drop would get it. When our mothers came to get us they laughed while we was crying and complaining. He would make a serious situation in to one that was always funny. That was him. Then he would always take my sister to Food 4 less and show her a bottle of raisins and tell her it was cucarachas, scaring her to eat raisins and just laugh at her, that we her Pocahontas since she loved her at the time. I remember all the time we went camping, went to laughlin, thanksgiving, christmas and the times to just go eat dinner. One of his favorite places was Steirs n Steins. He would always get his big steak. He loved steak, especially Medians steak. I guess thats where some of us in the family love to just eat steak. He had the compassion of being a father, brother, husband and friend, but he was ready to be a grandpa. When Alena was born, it brought him so much joy. For alena that was her Tata. But one thing that seized to amaze me was how Neot and her would always walk in to there kitchen and saying good morning or hello to Jesus, in the picture of the last supper. She would give Jesus a kiss. He loved Jesus a lot. Although he might have not showed it much, as many of us do, he desired the Love of a Savior. Even my baby cousin at the age of 2 understands this. That is Love, every single one of us has this. So let me remind you what the love is. First i will start in 1 Corinthians 13: 2-3 and apostle paul writes " If i have the gifts of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if i have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, i am nothing. If i give all i possessions to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, i gain nothing." Neto had love. Many of you said he was a working man and i believe a working man enjoys work if he loves life. Then others said he was "the brain". Well let me tell you, a smart person cannot handle knowledge without being humble and loving. Neto loved others, he loved his family, and loves His Savior. I will continue with verse 4 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record or wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Everything that Apostle Paul talks about here is tough to keep, but as sinners it is our Christ personality to love. Neto always protected his family, Neto always loved his family, he never kept the records of wrongs, he always rejoiced in truthful thoughts. He always hoped for the best and he never let go. Thats Love. I will finish with my last personal experience that i had with him. I always wanted to see my uncle and talk to him in the hospital, but some how i was always speechless. I even told Henry can i pray with your dad, but for 2 weeks i found myself just being speechless and standing there. I bet he thought dude cmon man just speak up im the same Neto you know. So the day that he left to be with Christ, i arrived to the hospital early. When you know that you have strength to accomplish anything, you know its not of human strength, but the strength of Christ. I finally had the time to pray with him. I was alone with him. I started to talk to him and tell him that Jesus does love you, that he is strength, that he will always protect, that he has forgiven your sins. I remember just seeing the look in his face, it was not of frustration, but of tears of love. Instead of crying because he was crying, my heart and holy spirit told me to be joyful, for he understood the love of a Savior, for he understood that his family will be protected by someone even greater than him, Jesus. The Love of Christ will always protect, when the fires consume you, you will not be burnt, when the river's current is strong, you will not be swept away, for the power of Love will never fail. So today was we remember Neto, remember what Love means. Remember what our Savior Jesus did for us on the cross. Remember that Jesus is Love, for Love is truth, and truth is hope, and hope is faith. For our family is a family of faith. Look at huge our family is, there has to be something that we are doing right, but have to be continue-sly reminded of. We have to remember to Love unconditionally, as Jesus said. He said this was the greatest commandment, to love your God your Father with all your heart and strength, and the second greatest commandment was to love others. If you ever get the chance to read these passages on your own. Fill in Jesus for the word Love. Thats how powerful his word is. Nothing but his Blood, will make us whole, nothing but his blood will make us white as snow. Jesus is love and Neto is with him. Thank you.