Home

So I’m back home for a little bit for my little brother’s high school graduation in California. Although this isn’t home for me necessarily, home is where my family is, and right now home is in this little humble dwelling the East San Francisco Bay.

My brother’s graduation marks the last kid in the family to graduate. It’s an awesome achievement for any parent to see, and special for us as well. It’s the first time in ten years that all of us kids are together in one place. Military deployments, work schedules and last minute cancellations hindered us from previous engagements, but I’m glad we’re here to celebrate this last one. I’m cold from the weather here in the Bay, and the three hours of time change are enough to cause some sleep troubles, but I’m just glad to be home.

Sometimes God’s love is just so obvious. He makes it so easy to love Him.

The Time Has Come…

Death. The more I say it, the more I understand it. It’s a tough pill to swallow. To the natural mind, the end of anything good summons emotions of discomfort, be it temporary disappointment or lasting pain. To the natural mind, the end of life is full of sorrow. Full of despair. No happiness here. It’s as if all that was good is now gone in an instant.

Then there are many that say at funerals that death is a celebration of life. But why do we wait until they die to celebrate their life? And how so does one celebrate their life?

God has a plan for each and every one of us. It says so in Jeremiah 4:19.

We learn this.

We teach this.

We live this truth.

So why do we get sidetracked when God’s plan involves a sudden death? It’s like we’re saying “Hey God, this isn’t what we talked about. Why are you doing this?”

A very close friend of mine passed away this week, killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. It would be easy for me to get angry. It would be easy for me to be hurt. It would be easy for me to shut the world out and curse the circumstances of it all.

But I refuse to do it.

I refuse to see only the natural pain for what it stands for. I refuse to see a life full of compassion and committment to ministry and his family ended by a seflish and irresponsible act.

But, you see, my friend went to see my dad. Our dad. I will not stand here and question God about something that I long to experience myself. Now, I’m not saying that I want to die this very second. Nor am I saying that people who mourn are idiots for doing so. I do believe that there is a very real sense of compassion and reverence in mourning. We wouldn’t be compassionate humans if we didn’t know how to mourn. I do, however, think that a part of mourning requires a sense of conviction. Conviction in the sense that we realize how much we need to cherish our loved ones and honor the memories, whether we do it when they are alive or dead.

My friend and I went way back, as early as our childhood years. We shared countless sleepovers together, shared bikes with each other, checked out girls in high school and even joined the Coast Guard together. He truly was a brother in more ways than any family would expect.

I thanked God everyday for him, as I do with everyone in my life. I make sure I made mention of his name whenever I went before God in prayer.

 That’s why even as he is dead in the flesh now, I don’t feel a sense of worry at all. My heart still drops at the thought of him not here anymore, and I forget how many times I’ve driven around the island this weekend thinking about it. But God has reminded me so many times how much He is with me through this. He’s reminded me that my friends and family are, without a doubt, the best people I know. He has laid on my heart revelation after revelation of my own life through my friend’s death. He’s comforted me through the tears, and granted me a peace I wasn’t even expecting at all.

I could get angry. I could get angry at the drunk driver. I could get angry atthe drunk driver’s parents for not instilling in him a discipline against it. I could get angry at the bar or house where he got his drinks from. I could get angry at the stoplights that turned the light red at that intersection. I could get angry.

But I won’t.

I choose to forgive. Even as I sit here thinking of my friend, I choose to forgive. To forgive the driver. To forgive it all.

When Jesus died on the cross for me, he forgave me for the wrong I would have caused him 2000 years later. He knew every single thing I was gonna do wrong when He dragged that cross up to Calvary, and He still gave His life for me. I choose to forgive because God chose to forgive me. I may not have killed anyone physically, but I’ve sent my God to the guillotine with the things I have done, and will do, because of my humanly mistakes. But I am reminded that I’ve been forgiven. Forgiven fully.

Tomorrow is a new day. It’s easy to praise God when all is well, but your faith is confirmed truly when you can give up your worship and praise to God when life is going downhill. But life will continue, and my God will still be the amazing God that He is to me. In a sense, He’s more real to me than before. I know my friend is gone, and maybe down the road it will sink in more. But for now, I choose to honor him by forgiving another.

And that is how death becomes life.

Go ask the Chief!

Friday marked the beginning of a new phase in my career in the Coast Guard. After seven long years of hard work and determination, God placed me in a position to receive a promotion to the greade of E-7, or Chief in the Coast Guard. Along the timeline of paygrades and military careers, the rank of E-7 brings a prestige unlike any other. It is at this point that you are no longer a junior Petty Officer, but now a Chief, a seasoned and experienced mentor in your field. You carry with you the tradition and ambience of a senior advisor to hundreds of Coasties. It’s a very important step, and one that defines so many people in their careers.

Now, I’m pretty young to be a Chief – I won’t lie. I’m only 24, and although that may rub some to think I simply hopped on a gravy train to my success, you can trust me when I say that the road wasn’t easy at all.  I don’t particularly care for my age in this regard. I don’t even like to bring it up in conversation with other Coasties. Timothy encourages in his fourth chapter that we shouldn’t let others look down on us because we are young, but to make them believers in life, in love, in speech and in truth. I’ve made this the anthem of my career. I’ve always believed that actions speak louder than words. How did I get his far? Simple. God showed me that putting others before me and being a genuine steward at work brings with it the most meaningful of rewards – respect.  I knew that being young has its disadvantages, but I don’t believe God waits for some magical age to begin to use us in people’s lives, so why should we expect to do so?  I can say that my success is not a result of my doing, but by God. Many a time have I considered throwing in the towel, getting discouraged by others who didn’t believe I could do it. I get so choked up to think that God chose to release His favor into my life this way. I am truly thankful for what He has done in my life as a result of it.

My peers were stoked about my advancement. Me – I was just blessed. The day finally came , and although I was feeling physically sick, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude to God, to those at work who were on my side, those who encouraged me, those who fought for me, my family, my friends and everyone in my life who’s made an impact to me. I can’t understand how I deserve this. I can only say that my God is so good, and that He NEVER failed me.

God is going to use me in the Coast Guard. He wouldn’t give this to me if He didn’t plan on it. Whether it’s helping my peers with their careers, or pouring into the lives my subordinates,  I can’t wait to do this good work for Him and to see what He has in store next.

New Leaves

You know that part in the story of Joseph where he faces his brothers for the first time since they sold him into slavery years before? Can you imagine what it would feel like to be in his position? Imagine your siblings who wronged you years before now bowing before you for a request. Imagine what emotions would be going through your head, circling in a never-ending kaleidoscope of uncertainty and emotion.

I will always hold Joseph to a high regard for reacting the way he did. I recently came face to face with someone that wronged me in the past. I remember having those initial feelings of hurt and pain, and as time passed by I sometimes imagined what I would say, what I would do or how I would react when I saw that person again. I remember asking God to grant me peace about it, and to a degree I believed I had it. But it’s funny because as much as I thought I was over it, it didn’t really hit me just what the peace of the Lord truly means until I actually saw that person again. I imagined all the things I would say and how I would react, but when God suppresses all that into a reaction of peace and humbleness, you get this overwhelming comfort that God has everything under control. All of a sudden what I thought would happen under my terms didn’t happen at all, because I let God handle my reactions.

I could say this is how Joseph felt. He could have sought out revenge for what his brothers did to him, but what changed his heart at that moment and the result of years of God’s work in his life was one thing: love. The same thing that started this whole thing called life in the first place. God’s genuine love can tame the fiercest of tongues and deadliest of thoughts. It came with the highest price, and can never be made void.

Next time you run across this situation, make sure love runs the show to turn over a new leaf. You’ll be surprised just how much you’ll grow in that very moment.

Jesus Wants to Save Christians

I just finished reading a book by Rob Bell called Jesus Wants to Save Christians. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good read like that. I like Rob Bell (contrary to some readers out there) because he presents things plainly and unbiased. He doesnt try to sugarcoat it to give me a warm and fuzzy feeling about the words of Jesus. His words need not to be dressed up – they are powerful in itself. He puts it in plain perspective.

It’s a good read for those who just want a perspective. I’m not a full-fledged member of the Rob Bell fan club, but like any author, I appreciate his insight. It doesnt foray too much into the inspirational stuff, but I think that’s what’s great about it: it leaves it up to you on how you digest it. It makes you start thinking, which can go a long way.

Take it for a spin sometime – its pretty good stuff

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everyone’s Christmas has been great so far, and I pray all the joys of this season come flooding into your homes! If you are like me and can’t be with your families this year, know that you are loved no matter where you are!

Remaining Certain in the Uncertainties

Someone close to me recently made a big decision with her life – a decision I’ve been sensibly praying about for her for some months now. The decision involves a career move, which of course means a life move. I know she tossed it back and forth in her head more times than she would have wanted to, and Im sure it’s bred some tears and stress along the way. At the end, she followed what she felt would make her happy and not anyone else. I am so proud of her boldness and who she has become in the process. I’ve seen her mature in a way that, unbeknownst to her, defines her gumption in character and along the way, she’s rediscovered what makes her happy. Her decision to move isn’t an easy one, and it didn’t come easily, but out of that stress came a peace that flooded her heart in a way that fulfills.

God will take us down some pretty crazy roads. His ways are mysterious, and to man, it can sometimes make absolutely no sense. But let’s never forget that God holds the big picture in hand. What may seem like an unending phase in your life of uncertainty and pain is simply a small lesson in understanding in respect to the multitude of things He has in store.  Jeremiah 29:11 teaches us that God has plans for us. Plans. Think about all those times when you didn’t have a plan. When it was mere chaos. And then think about how much relief was gained when there was a plan. Especially when someone made a plan for you. Now just think about a plan for your life. You would be lying to me if you said that there was never a time in yourlife when all you wanted was a plan. A plan to ease your troubles and take it all away. A plan to take away all the worry and doubt you have about the future. A plan that can supplement even the most heartiest of anxious hearts.

This is what Jesus offers: a plan. A plan that has already been in place long before you were already born. How awesome is that! It boggles my mind how the God of the universe can have such an intimate plan for my life. Me! MY life! But even though this is true for everyone, only those who believe by faith will be able to really grasp this. You see, when you live by faith, you not only put away your worries, but you grant God the trust He needs from you to accomplish His glory in your life. I can’t expect to really reap the blessings that God has in store for me – in relationships, friendships, life, fellowship – until I ALLOW God to do so for me. This goes for everything about us. God has a plan in store for us – plans that will prosper us! But I can’t expect Him to bless me unless I allow it – unless I get rid of the worry and the anxiousness about life that hinders me from trusting God. I can’t say, “Lord, I trust you with my life” and then turn around and worry my butt off about how I’m gonna get through a rough situation. God can’t put back together a broken heart unless you give Him all the pieces. He can’t help you get over your addiction until you stop worrying about it and stop trying to do it your way. He can’t help you overcome the lowest times in your life until you give it up to Him, trusting wholeheartedly that He will deliver you out of the darkness in the end.

God is our peace. He is our strong tower of refuge. You can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength. These promises from God’s Word are yours for the taking. All you have to do is trust God to do this for you. When you do this, the plans He has for your life will become your glorious destiny, customized for you only. Your struggles, your pain, your triumphs, your victories – all of these are a part of that amazing plan. Stop trying to do it your way – I learned that a long time ago. Let go of your insecurities and put your trust in His security, ALLOWING Him to be your guide. Never leave anything out of the question, and never limit yourself to your understanding.  With God, nothing is impossible. Trust Him with your life and He will grant you true happiness . Never rule anything out.  Do this – and TRUST ME – rich and abundant peace will engage your heart and fashion your heart – the very place He wants so badly to dwell in.

It took a beach in Puerto Rico…..

I’m in Puerto Rico right now visiting a friend of mine I’ve known for some time now. I had a blast getting to meet new friends and sharing in the fellowship of good people. There’s a lot I could write about, and trust me, I could dedicate a post to each person I’ve met and the incredible attributes they each posses. I’ll have some pics up later.

I’m staying on the Coast Guard base in Aguadilla, and just a quick, and adventurous hike down a steep rope-led trail from the cliffside gate entrance is one of the most secluded beaches I’ve ever been to, aside from the beaches in Hawai’i. Now, I’m no stranger to secluded beaches, but the fact that this beach was secluded in a place I’d never seen or been to before made it automatically special. The low and dense tree canopy leading through caves and steep treks led to a nice, glowing floor of white sand flowing into a dark teal Caribbean Sea. The surf was low that day and the dramatic cliffs along the ridge made for a great sense of isolation around you. Now, every time I go to the beach back home, I simply find a spot to bury my slippers, take of my shirt and weigh it down with some sand next to my slippers, and head straight in for the water, but this time was different. This feeling of isolation in a setting so familiar to me threw me for a loop. I didn’t know why I wanted to just stand there. I walked on the stand and just stood there and stared out to the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks and the birds gawking in the air made the salty air smell even sweeter to me. I truly felt God’s presence there. I know that God is everywhere, there’s moments in your life, be it during hard times or times of peace when God makes himself OBVIOUS to you, as if He walks right in front of you and passes you by ,almost like the encounter Moses had with God. There’s times when I can look around and appreciate God, and then there’s times when God uses His works to speak to you. Could I attribute this feeling only to Puerto Rico? Does this beach have a magical portal to heaven? Unlikely. But did I allow God’s presence to engulf me? Yes.  You see, the beach was simply just another beach, albeit beautiful in many ways. But as much as God’s presence is in all of it, I had to stop and allow it to happen. In a setting that I am so familiar with, I was baffled that this was probably the first time I’ve been to a nice beach and just stood there and allowed myself to really let God show me His glory through His works. It was crazy to me how the same intimacy I get from my deepest moments with God transpired into a setting I never really stopped to appreciate.

Are there places in your life that you’ve “gotten used to?” You don’t have to be in a tangible location literally, but maybe somewhere in your life where you’ve taken for granted? Are there places around you that ooze God’s wonders that you haven’t really appreciated? Are there people in your life that have drawn you closer to God that you’ve never really appreciated the company of for the same reason? Are there portions of your life where God has done amazing things in that you haven’t really given much thought to since that miraculous intervention?

God has always been in those places. He’s always been with you in those situations. He’s always worked in your life through those people. Don’t take advantage of it. Seek God through and through in those things. Even in the routine things and the strengths that you have already put away in your spiritual artillery. Even in the things that we go through everyday and the places we see (literally) that take our breath away. Take the time to thank God for it, and offer up your praise to Him. He truly is all around us, even when we don’t even bother to realize it.

Veterans Day

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. ‘I’m glad I have a good book to read Perhaps I will get a short nap,’ I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. ‘Where are you headed?’ I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

‘ Chicago – to Great Lakes Base.
We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we’re being deployed to Iraq ‘

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago , and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. ‘No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks.
I’ll wait till we get to Chicago ‘

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. ‘Take a lunch to all those soldiers.’ She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. ‘My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.
‘

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.
She stopped at my seat and asked, ‘Which do you like best – beef or chicken?’

‘Chicken,’ I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. ‘This is your thanks.
‘

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. ‘I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.’ He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, ‘I want to shake your hand.
‘

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain’s hand. With a booming voice he said, ‘I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.’ I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.
Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. ‘It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.
‘

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little…
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life,
Wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America ‘
For an amount of ‘up to and including my life.
That is Honor, and there are way too many people
In this country who no longer understand it.

Happy Veterans Day

Calm Down Everyone

The holidays are upon us once more and it looks like this is going to be an illustrious one. With the elections almost over ( and I’ll hold off blogging on this until after it’s all said and over), everyone should really just takes the time to put down their passion-filled protest signs for their candidates and elude from the analytical nonsense about every nook and cranny of each candidate. The holidays are near. A time when we cherish all that is good about this life and more. 

Clear your heads everyone. This election may almost be over, but we’ve still got the tail end of 2008 to look forward to. After all, it is the most wonderful time of the year.

And we’re live again!

Okay, so after a week or so of technical difficulties with my profile, it seems my account is restored. It’s a long story of lost posts and password dilemmas; one in which I don’t plan on retelling for the sake of my insanity. 

Well, if I’m not mistaken, the last post was during Fine Arts. Since then, a lot has happened. We finished Fine Arts out with a bang, and shortly afterwards, we got in our rental car and headed for our first stop in Charleston, South Carolina (by the way, quick praise report because the rental car company didn’t have a standard vehicle for us to use, so they upgraded us for free to a premium car, a Chrylser 300, which, yup, now I want one )

We got to Charleston 3 hours later and checked into our hotel I have lived in Charleston before, so it was a bit of a homecoming, I suppose. We met up with Jonathan and his family, who now call there home. For those who might remember, Jonathan attended our church for a few months while he was in transition to move. We got finally meet is family, and I’m glad to see someone I consider a brother once again. They are doing better than ever since God came into their lives, and their kids were a joy to be around with. Dominik and Ashlyn, we miss you guys! And you too Quincy! I especially enjoyed meeting his wife Kacy and visiting with their church, Faith Assembly of God in Summerville, that Sunday morning.

We left Charleston and started the long 6-hour drive up north to finally end up at my older sister’s house in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Kourtney and Hosanna passed the time by, well, sleeping for 3/4 of it all, so it was pretty much just me, God and my iPod, getting through the entire Eastern seaboard. We stopped and spent the night in a hotel in Roanoke, Virginia, where my friend and up-and-coming music artist Leslie lives. We spent the day with her parents, who are Pastors at Oak Grove Assembly of God, and we had a lovely dinner at their house too. I’m still loving the brisket! We also got to finally eat at a Chik-Fil-A again, which I’ve been craving since we boarded the plane in Honolulu! It was good to hang out with Leslie and the gang, who are, in reality, some of the funniest people I’ve met. Kourtney and Hosanna also had fun making new friends. We also watched the Mummy together in the theatres, which was a good treat too! I’m glad we stopped; it was so much fun!

After a 3-hour drive from Roanoke, our next stop the next morning found us checking into our hotel on F Street in Washington, DC, about four blocks from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave – the White House. It was my third time in the Capitol, but Hosanna and Kourtney’s first. It was cool to see them enjoy seeing some monuments in real life for the first time, but the walk killed them almost! We toured, amongst others, the Smithsonian, the capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial, but not without stopping at the WWII Memorial pool to dip our feet and get relief from the sweltering ninety-four degree day that goverened our walk that day. Kourtney was a little disappointed the the National Mall wasn’t an actual shopping mall, but the parkway that held all the museums and offices We also were only able to get a rear entrance view of the White House due to some high-profile event taking place later that night. I enjoyed being back in a big city, but after a long day of walking, we ended up going to a nearby mall and doing what we’ve been doing for the majority of our stops – shopping! We headed over to Tyson’s Corner Center Mall, which HUGE by the way. It was a fun time and a nice stop.

The next morning at 9:30, we started the 8-state marathon on our way to my sister’s house in Cape Cod. Kourtney and Hosanna, like clockwork, slept for most of it. I went through all 8, though I think they only saw three of them With all the songs on my iPod, I never thought I’d get sick of them, but I sort of did. We stopped at a Chik-Fil-A for some reinforcement, where I also bought a gallon of sweet tea for the road! Thank you Tomas for getting me hooked on it

We drove past and through some cities of interest, like Baltimore and Philadelphia. It was a good ride, but boy was it long. We didn’t arrive until 5 that evening – yes, 7 hours later. It’s still funny to me how I can drive all that way and be fine, and yet nearly take out my own car going from Honolulu to Waipahu. Interesting

We got to Hyannis, and I finally got to see my nephew Jacob!!!!!! He is a cutie, and a crier too! I am so glad to be able to spend some time with him. I can’t wait until he gets older! It’s good to see my sis and brother-in-law again too. Hyannis is a small community on the south side of Cape Cod. It’s beautiful here, though muggy most of the time.

On Thursday, we went to Newport, Rhode Island to look around and tour the place. Kourtney was a bit disgusted, as in Charleston, by the lackluster beaches there. It was a nice town, nonetheless. We then headed off to Providence, the capitol of Rhode Island, to, yup, another mall! Why do we always end up shopping?!?!?!?!

Friday found us in Boston, touring around and shopping. Kourtney enjoyed it for the most part. Boston’s more of a historical attraction, with all it’s colonial and revolutionary contributions to this nation’s history. Hence why Kourtney and Hosanna, weren’t that much into it We shopped more, and ate! Mmmmm, chowder!

Saturday morning, Kourtney and I headed to New York City. I’ve been there before, but this was Kourtney’s first time. Due to traffic, we didn’t arrive there until 3 in the afternoon. We parked over at Staten Island, and took the ferry over to Manhattan. After walking around and taking a cab to Rockafeller Plaza, we stopped to eat at TGI Friday’s at Times Square, where we also took some prime photos of the famous intersection. It was cool too because we were there at dusk, when all the lights of the Square lit up the evening, making for some great opportunities for photos. We shopped some more – mostly at the M&M’s store After a long night which included waiting for a hour for the next ferry to go back to Staten Island, we headed home at 10 in the evening. We didn’t arrive back until 4 AM, but as tiring as the drive was, I’m glad God watched over us and kept us safe the whole time. I’m also thankful for the 24-hour drive through at McDonald’s for some sweet tea to hold me over!!!!!

The trip is almost at an end, but not without more things to do until Thursday! Until next time, ciao!

NFAF Day 2, Amazing Worship

Day 2 of the Convention is in the books, and what an exhausting, but amazing day! Praise Report: Kourtney and I woke up today at 6 AM – on our own! It looks like we’ve FINALLY acclimated to this time zone. Praise the Lord! It’s funny because Kourtney knocked out last night, and while he was sleeping, I silenced his cell phone, which has been the culprit of the late night talks and wake-ups. Funny how he didn’t wake up at all – hmm, I wonder

Kourtney will be working the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, so he left this morning with some other Chi Alpha Students to the courts about 4 miles out of town. He’s enjoying the fellowship amongst a new demographic of people he’s not used to, and he’s finding out slowly that he likes it. Though shy at first, he’s warmed up to this. Who knows – he may be going to Chi Alpha instead?!?! He’s actually befriended a guy named Stacey – go figure. Two guys named Kourtney and Stacey – it was divine intervention, according to Stacey They’re actually planning to go white-water rafting tomorrow with some other friends, so I’m excited for him! as much as I wanna share this experience with him and Hosanna, I would rather more that they fellowship and network with others, and maybe even hang out. I suspect I won’t see them until after services, but it’s a good thing. We’ll have more time to hang out after this is over, but you can only see these others for this week.

I worked the Human Video – Large Ensemble Room today, announcing performances and entertaining the crowd and such. Hosanna was in the same category, but in another room. This year, they assigned the Human Videos to large halls rather than conference rooms, so the corwds weren’t an issue, unlike last year. In fact, they were so large, the music didn’t really fill the space, but crowd control was easy.

Worship was amazing tonight. In the middle of the hour-and-a-half worship, the room drew still unprompted, and someone started to prophesize from high up in the rafters out loud to everyone in the quiet arena, then answered by someone else across the arena, followed by a roar of tongue-speaking believers. Only the Holy Spirit can do that! I’ve never, honestly, been so close to God in worship, seriously. I cried my eyes out to God, to release it all from me, and he delivered this amazing peace to me that freed me from all my insecurities. I’m so blessed right now, I can’t even follow this up with more words about it. I’m glad the Holy Spirit is a road show, and that He doesn’t just show up in one place. We had a state prayer session, and I prayed for Hawaii on behalf of the state. I am so excited for what God has in store for the youth of Hawaii, it’s nerve-racking. KJ-52, a rapper and licensed AG Minister, closed us out with an amazing song he wrote just for Fine Arts. It was one of the best services I’ve attended in my life. 

Thanks for the prayers, it’s amazing how it’s being answered. We walk a lot, so prayers of protection are cherished. Tomorrow will be another busy day, but I’m excited. We won’t have an evening service because everyone will be taking over the Carowinds Amusement Park, being closed out to only the Convention folks. You’ll find me with my funnel cake and ice cream, away from the rides

Ciao

Welcome to Fine Arts!

It’s Monday evening, and boy, was it an exhausting day! Day 1 of the National Youth Convention and Fine Arts Festival kicked off with the same bang as last year. I worked the Check-In booth again like last year, so my day consisted primarily of the same thing I’m doing now – typing. It still blows my mind how many churches in the AG are out there, and that’s not even all of them. Hosanna was my runner, gathering the student’s shirts and packets for my table, while Kourtney helped handle large church check-ins with massive amounts of students, calling for boxes of shirts and packets galore. We worked non-stop from 9 AM to 6 PM doing this, with a brief break for lunch. We were given more administrative privileges than last year, so we handled most registration problems on-site, but we had many churches join Nationals for the first time, so I found myself constantly going over procedures and rules, which I was happy to do, really.

I ran into a few frustrated parents, but quickly resolved them to ease the pain on both sides. I also met up with some of my best friends from last year and from college, so it was very nice to catch up. It’s funny sometimes to see the spectrum of people in this nation, from the eccentric to the conservative. Some you could tell where they were from, others – not so sure. I missed Princess today because we worked the same booth last year, so it was weird not having her around with Rachel, too. Some friends asked about them too, even for Noelle. It was great to see them all.

The first evening service headlined the amazing praise and worship team, the PlanetShakers, from Australia, and all I have to say was “wow!”. I’m always amazed how anointed this band is, and praise and worship was EXTREMELY refreshing for me. They introduced a new song they sang for the first time, so it was nice to hear the masses sing along. The Bobcat Arena was filled with His praises, and that in itself is powerful. The ambiance of the whole night was AMAZING! Simply powerful.

Tomorrow marks the first day of competition in Fine Arts. I’m excited for the students, whom I’ve had the brief pleasure of getting to know some of them. They are motivated towards the cause of Christ, which encourages me a lot. I’m stoked that they are heading this way in Ministry. I also can’t wait to see some of the presentations!

Sunday in Charlotte, Fine Arts preps

Today may have been Sunday, but it sure was a busy. Kourtney and I continued to struggle with the time zone change, waking up again at 3:45 AM for no reason at all, although it is an improvement from the 2:00 AM wake up from the night before, so I suppose “baby steps” is the name of the game with that one. We took the downtime to go workout, do some laundry, and Kourtney even found some time in the wee hours to take a dip in the pool.

I led the devotional this morning, talking about Job and how he remained blameless and pure before God; so much so that God named him particularly to Satan as a righteous man. Imagine if we all were like that. So ingrained in God’s will that he would tell Satan himself that our lives can’t be bought by no one else. Great inspiration, and I was glad we were able to fellowship on it and prepare ourselves spiritually for this week as well.

We checked into our new hotel, the Blake Hotel, shortly thereafter. It’s interesting how diverse these hotels around here are. The Blake is only four blocks from the Marriott, but it looked like it was in a completely different world altogether. This hotel has a very retro-modern look, complete with abstract lighting and mod furniture, very reminiscent of a modern 1970’s appeal. I felt like I was in an art show in the lobby. An art show in the Soho District in New York City or something of the sort. We lucked out and got rooms all to ourselves, so Hosanna has her own room, while Kourtney and I are sharing again. If you take a look at some of the photos, you can tell which is of the Blake rooms. We went from “ritzy” to “chic”. I am a bit used to it from doing a lot of traveling across the country, but Hosanna and Kourtney are feeling extra special because of it, which is what I hoped for

When we walked around to find lunch, we noticed that in true Southern fashion, nothing is open until late afternoon in North Carolina, presumably so church is not compromised. I forgot how the South caters to Sundays like that, so although we were hungry, we understood. We’ve been walking everywhere primarily because cabs aren’t readily available, and the only other option is the CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System), or their bus, or LYNX, their light rail – yes the same rail being fought over in Honolulu. By the way, from the public opinion about it and how it looks like its running, I’m even more for it. Our legs are numb at times, but the city of Charlotte is arguably the same size as Downtown Honolulu, so it’s not as if we’re trekking across distant lands. We eventually found a Dunkin Donuts down the road to cure our hunger, and soon it was time to go to the initial volunteers meeting.

We met a bunch of amazing young adult volunteers at the meeting, and got to fellowship with some of them. We stood out like sore thumbs amongst the crowd of volunteers, for obvious reasons. Many complimented us on our shirts, and, like I briefed Kourtney and Hosanna prior to it, many were inquisitive about our being from Hawai’i. I told them that the mere fact that they are from Hawai’i is a conversation piece itself, so a lot of their fellowship may surround it. I was glad to see them interact with different college kids, some even trying to encourage Kourtney to attend, which I liked I met up with familiar faces from last year’s convention in Indianapolis, and caught up on a  year’s worth of updates not already provided through the MySpace/Facebook domain. Most of them remember me from being with Princess, Rachel and Noelle, whom they missed, and made me miss them even more for not being able to be with us . Some even still remember how Rachel would boss me around last year – see, the truth prevails Rachel  I still miss them though. Kourtney volunteered to join the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament Staff, which I was proud of. I’m glad he’s taking the initiative to branch out and make new friends. Since the Basketball events are being held out of, Hosanna and I won’t see him really until service starts in the evenings, but I’m glad he’s out and about. Today was busy prepping for this week, and the meeting/work-party hat started at 3 PM did not end until 9 PM. We ran around filling bags of essentials for the students, organizing their T-shirts around, and even setting up the rooms for Fine Arts – all 54 of them. I’ll be working the Onsite Check-In again, as Princess and I did last year, and Hosanna looks like she’ll just be running for the first day. We haven’t nailed down room assignments just yet for the rest of the week, but tomorrow’s meeting should take care of that. As we were working, hoards of other workers from colleges and businesses were setting up the exhibition hall with their respective booths. The Convoy of Hope Trailer arrived and dozens of AG workers came in and turned the Hall into a labor factory, which was interesting to see. 

After we were done, we headed back to Rock Bottom for dinner, and came back to the hotel afterwards. Here are some shots of around town from this morning. Some may be duplicates, I’m afraid. I was too tired to crop and edit and such. Well, I’m exhausted. It’s time to go to bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day, but I am excited for it. I can’t wait!

Billy Graham Library, Charlotte Day 2

This morning, we went to the Billy Graham Library. What an experience! Billy Graham, in his humble ways, led millions to Christ and really took the helm of that charge given to us by Christ 2,000 years ago – to go out and make disciples of all nations! The Billy Graham Library featured all of Graham’s life work in a museum format, and we even got to tour the house he grew up in! It was one of the best spiritual experiences I’ve had outside of church or formal services unintentionally, I suppose is how you say it. If you guys ever come to Charlotte, it is a must to visit! My favorite was just learning about how Graham used the Word to reach the world, no more. What an inspiration. Now I know even more why my elders talk much about him – he truly made an example of Christ for all to follow. The house was beautiful, and very much preserved from how Grandma Graham left it. the tour at the Barn/Library was about 90 minutes, and it was just a very nice presentation of Graham’s life work. It’s still boggles my mind how much of an inspiration he is to all to do the same for Christ. My favorite item of memorabilia I saw was the original IOU that Nixon gave him of 5 dollars, with his signature and a funny note on it. That and Graham’s first Bible. Here’s some photos, enjoy!