Peure

I am usually not one to watch a full length presentation, more than once, if it's up to me. Why? You know what's going to happen! Even my favorite movie, Stardust, I have only seen three times.

There is one movie that I hate because I've seen it a lot... Having seen it once or twice early in my youth, it appeared through out the rest of my scholastic tenure. It has a total view count of at least 10.

Another Teacher: Sorry guys, but Mr. Barber called in sick today, we didn't have time to call in a sub.
George: BAAAAALLIN.
Another Teacher: But don't worry! We're gonna watch one of my all time favorite movies!
cue Jurassic Park Theme Song.
Another Teacher: Welcome. To Jurassic Pahk!
George: fu*boop* this *boop* God *boop* from *boop* in a *boop* Jurassic *boop* again.

This happened usually two to three times every semester, in one of my classes before any major break, this would include Spring/Fall/Winter/Summer/MLK/Thanksgiving. Also the occasional surprise free day that teachers would give us was usually graced with this theatrical thriller.

There was a foolish moment that was in a day a few months ago where I thought something ignorant. As I was beginning to make progress through my 52 week Bible Reading plan that I started two years ago I thought to myself...When I finish the Bible, will I become stale and bored with it? So I just continued to pray that God reveal himself to me...And these past few week(s) have super humbled me. I know now, for sure that I don't know anything about anything from anywhere at anytime because of anyone but God.

It all started as an inquiry in Predestination/Election, that I got to learn a bit of the just side of God, and his wrath. Listening to sermons, reading commentaries/books, talking to seminary students/pastors/elders, and then a climax at a seminar put on by a seminary has led me on a wild lamb chase. Predestination/Election has led me to then look into freewill-> John Piper-> human depravity-> Calvinism-> Salvation-> Lukewarm-> Once saved always saved-> God's love-> Evangelism-> Irresistible Grace-> Malachi 1:2-3-> Romans 9:10-> Ephesians 1-2-> Revelations.

A by-product from all this learning I would say is a new awe-struck love for the Lord. A new stunning fear of him, not motivated because of my possible eternal destruction. A motivation that comes from my need to be with him. The feeling of obedience and to please him are new convictions laid into me from the Spirit that I do not wish to resist and would break my heart to do the opposite and have that disconnection.

Something that's been argued long since I dropped my first deuce, I don't think I will find a real answer to it for myself. But I know this, that my reaction will be the same, to worship him all my life. If you are curious I urge you to look into it for yourselves.

Perdre

Recently I have begun a great purge in my life. I have been removing illegally attained files on my computer, usually affiliated with media/games/programs. In all the five prolific years in which I stole without second thought, never has there been conviction in my heart until recently.

What brought the Holy Spirit's conviction was a sermon a few weeks ago in which my pastor was discussing on when it comes to legalities, Christians are just as comparatively guilty to non-believers. As he went through the check list I just thought about what it was like for me.

In the work place Christians are just as likely to steal from the office.
HELL NAH.

Christians are just as likely to call in sick when they are not.
YUP.

Christians are just as likely to leave early/come late.
YUP.

Christians are just as likely to pirate music,
movies and software off the inter---HAEL, YEUH.

Since I am not currently employed anywhere I thought there was only one thing I could actively do to live out the change God wants. So, before I started deleting files I had less than 10 gigs on my computer of free space(out of 222gigs). Now I have over 92.

I used to download stuff just for the sake of downloading. The Asian in me would feel like my internet was getting its money worth. I downloaded educational material to make myself feel better under the pretense "Education should be free!", which I still in a way affirm. I could have learned Cantonese over four times if I actually used all my material...as well as around 27 other languages.

There was a time not so long ago when I would wear diapers, veins hooked up to IV fluid and game non-stop for days beating illegal games back to back. After each game, I would triumphantly rip off my diaper, wad it up, and slam dunk that ho into the trash. The diaper would hit the trash can so hard, all the stuff inside would fling out, usually destroyed from the force of impact. With rotten food and fruit peels/seeds on my face I would then challenge my roommate to "BEAT THAT, SUCKAAAAA!", then sit back on his chair, diaper-less and continue to game. I would then put on a pair of Huggies when I needed it.

As I was uninstalling the last classic hit game, that I never played but installed, it came to my attention all the wasted time all of this was and could have been. If I could have never stole any of this music or any of these games/movies, my time could have gone to something else. I could have learned to break dance/krump, read the Bible more, prayed more, read books, learn to fish, build stuff, go camping. Or maybe I could have learned how to build rockets and shoot them off after school in the hopes of being able to go into space while my dad wanted me to work in the coal mines to support the family.

In a way this sin has lead to death. It has also lead to me not having anything to listen to, besides looping the soundtracks of Gladiator, Mulan, Lion King, and Wedding Dress... But in a way it also gives me more time to work at the things that matter and in that I praise Him.

Lastly the programs I did not delete are the ones that I need for school(Adobe CS3 Garbahj). I'll buy them when I graduate...maybe.

Noveau

I have been thinking for awhile for the latest My Way of the Ninja series but I just couldn't do it. Mainly because there are other things that need to be said. Usually I am not one to make super serious/personal posts. But lately there has been so much going on that I can't just keep what God's been doing in my life to myself.

This Thursday will mark the duration of five weeks in which I have been on an unparalleled spiritual high. An unparalleled level of love for God, reliance on him, and knowledge would be unfair in description to even begin to give what God has done justice.

Challenged, destroyed, rely, renewed, rejoice...over and over. The biggest highlight lately probably was that while during all of this, in what I will name the Third Revival or (Revival III) story arch, I was looking for fruit in all the wrong areas. Wrong areas, as in where it's not my time to blessed in those things. God was at work everywhere else.

Imagine the hired fool that farms peaches, hoping for fruit when only standing between these two barren trees. While oblivious to everything around him, the trees around him have sprouted to an enormous height, age and mass, that can only be described by ambiguous legendary names/terms like Methuselah, Behemoth and Leviathan. The fruits on the trees bloom with peaches that make the peach from James and the Giant Peach, look like a dried shriveled prune that tastes like black jellybeans. And then imagine him getting really upset...Upset that he put so much work and desired the garden to grow, yet he thought he was seeing nothing by only staring at those two trees. Only when he is almost killed by fruit falling from the sky does he realize what has happened. And then he thanks the true Gardener.

Everything is from grace, and we can't earn anything through what we do; I definitely feel that. But we can definitely ready ourselves,(God willing), so we can handle the blessings that God gives us. And I think that was why I was so upset... I felt like I was readying myself up(not to be entrusted with blessings, but just to be closer to God) to the best of my ability, and I saw nothing. So to be a bit more specific to those that want to punch me for not just saying what's been up, this is what God has been doing.

I rely on God a lot more knowing how much of a bucket of suck I am. Quiet times are overly consistent and bring me joy. Countless victories over all kinds of temptations. Prayers are extremely frequent and numerous.

Lastly. Learning God's faithfulness. Lately he has answered so many prayers for my friends, give worth to any work, that I don't even consider work. I see so much growth in my friends and it warms my heart. Weak or broken relationships are being strengthened/healed between me and family members. And I really don't know how to respond to any of this except running out of the room quickly to cry like it's the last few scenes in Titanic and thanking Him. I'm pretty sure I would cry if you asked me to say all of this in person. And I have, to people that I have already talked to, except I usually stuff it down just so it wouldn't interrupt my speech. This has meant a lot to me, and I know it's just the beginning.

I don't say any of this to want to look spiritual at all but that you may/will be encouraged. I know everyone is different in what it takes to encourage them, but if this helps even one, then glory to Him.

I just realized this is the first post of this 'year'...

My Way of the Ninja

Between the emo metrosexuals and the juiced up guidos I feel like there has been a rather lack of new role models for our/my generation. So for myself I have been keeping a steady eye out towards the world ready to steal any ability that I wanted in myself. The people that would be scrupled under my careful eagle eyes are Clint Eastwood, Great Teacher Onizuka, and Jack Bauer.

Here are some things I want to be a part of me until the day I am laid to rest.

Never admit to physical pain,
in front of females/or family in which there are people older than you present.

This article is exempt when any of these conditions are met:

1. A limb has been severed or destroyed.
2. Your body has been pierced by an object which has left the wound with the size greater than an inch in diameter.
3. You have been burned with metal/steam/water with a resulting surface area greater than eight inches.
4. You have a terminal illness and are in the last stages.
5. Whatever damage that has been done has caused over a pint of blood to be lost.

Never physically hit chicks with my body or with anything held,
so projectiles, and things that launch objects in a non-lethal force are okay.

This article is exempt when any of these conditions are met:

1. A life is in danger.
2. Your future lineage is _imminent_ danger.
   Full force is strongly authorized and highly recommended.
   
3. She's evil. (Evil has no gender)
4. She's transforming into a monster.

I feel that these yield long time rewards when followed to the T.

Fille

Lately I have started to grow out my hair to an unparalleled length, when comparing to myself. And responses have been mostly positive.

Me: Hey, Grandma! Like my hair?!
Grandma: 看起來像一個小姐. (You look like a girl.)

My response. Awesome. I can be a manly man yet with delicate features. The Asian androgyny is only okay if it's pretty clear you're a man/woman.

Me: Hey Mom! Like my hair?!
Mom: I don't like how it covers your face, makes you look dirty.

I think I asked my mom three different times throughout the night. Every time she said something different, that was negative.

Me: Hey man, haven't seen you in a long time.
Random Friend: Yeah, your hair is really long now... Lookin' like Bruce Lee.
Me: Cool, huh?!
Random Friend: Yeah, makes your big fu*boop*ing head look a lot smaller.

Finally someone has seen through my plan.
Maybe in the summer I'll cut it, then let it grow into the winter. A poor man's clothes.

Vieux

Prior to the new Twilight/True Blood extravaganza I used to be quite the vampire genre fan. Mainly Buffy, Angel, Hellsing, Underworld, but what sealed the deal was Interview with the Vampire.

No, I did not read the book, which I found out to be heavily leaned towards some of the homosex and almost completely omitted in the film. Yes, I did see Queen of the Damned with the dear late Aaliyah, and yes, it sucked. Aaliyah was hot though. Anne Rice's vampire universe was similar to the Underworld franchise's universe; older vampires are stronger/quicker. So as you age, the stronger and quicker you are. And as a young lad I ate that stuff up like it was the second Dragon Ball Z. Don't pretend at the end of Underworld 2 that you weren't excited to see them fight the ancient vampire and the ancient werewolf!

I always took that to be similar to be in real life. As you grow older, you should become stronger, smarter, and more mature. I have been trying to keep true to this real hard. And it's really funny when I tell people that I have never been better than I am today. And then I am met with an equally humbling statement of "Dayum. You must've been hella dumb/fat/weak/dirty when you were younger."

I know eventually I'll hit a wall and start going in reverse. This physical limitation that will have me one day segway'ing with a diaper on is however absent in the spiritual world. God willing, we can always continue to develop to become that Brad Pitt that kills ten other vampires by himself after they have taken our 10 year old lover.

Terre

I used to hate recycling. I was quick to believe the discrediting rumors that the sorted materials didn't even get recycled at the trash centers. Often in my childhood I would be conscripted by my mother for volunteer work, callousing my hands and my heart towards any kind of litter pick up walks. Bitterness was sown deep as I hated a nature that was obvious to be condemned to destruction.

But after watching Food Inc. and Earth 2100--Before I continue, I just wanted to say Earth 2100 was probably one of the best direct-to-tv movies since Uprising. And I only liked Uprising because it was about Jews and Nazis, and it had the guy from Friends...and they had cool European accents. Anyways, Earth 2100's documentary + grunge comic style story telling reminded me of the game, Infamous and Animatrix at the same time. It's completely believable and a good story. I feel like I have to be part of the solution. Whatever that may be like, I don't know.

The world is on a path to destruction. An industry of meat doomed to implode, a growing frequency of natural disasters, overpopulation, sources of energy, disease, are all problems without even getting into more expressive problems directly created by man towards man(war, tyranny, shi*boop*y mtv). And as I get older I see why it's more and more important to be a man of God. We are unable to face all of these gigantic problems alone.

Without really having read Revelations I don't really want to link it anymore towards the Bible in fear of getting shi*boop* wrong.