Wednesday, December 28, 2005
There was once a great and noble King whose land was terrorized by a crafty dragon. Like a massive bird of prey, the scaly beast delighted in ravaging villages with his fiery breath. Hapless victims ran from their burning homes, only to be snatched into the dragon's jaws or talons. Those devoured instantly were deemed more fortunate than those carried back to the dragon's lair to be devoured at his leisure. The King led his sons and knights in many valiant battles against the dragon.
Riding alone in the forest, one of the King's sons heard his name purred low and soft. In the shadows of the ferns and trees, curled among the boulders, lay the dragon. The creature's heavy-lidded eyes fastened on the prince, and the reptilian mouth stretched into a friendly smile.
"Don't be alarmed," said the dragon, as gray wisps of smoke rose lazily from his nostrils.
"I am not what your father thinks."
"What are you, then?" asked the prince, warily drawing his sword as he pulled in the reins to keep his fearful horse from bolting.
"I am pleasure," said the dragon. "Ride on my back and you will experience more than you ever imagined. Come now. I have no harmful intentions. I seek a friend, someone to share flights with me. Have you never dreamed of flying? Never longed to soar in the clouds?"
Visions of soaring high above the forested hills drew the prince hesitantly from his horse. The dragon unfurled one great webbed wing to serve as a ramp to his ridged back. Between the spiny projections, the prince found a secure seat. Then the creature snapped his powerful wings twice and launched them into the sky. The prince's apprehension melted into awe and exhilaration.
From then on, he met the dragon often, but secretly, for how could he tell his father, brothers or the knights that he had befriended the enemy? The prince felt separate from them all. Their concerns were no longer his concerns. Even when he wasn't with the dragon, he spent less time with those he loved and more time alone.
The skin on the prince's legs became calloused from gripping the ridged back of the dragon, and his hands grew rough and hardened. He began wearing gloves to hide the malady. After many nights of riding, he discovered scales growing on the backs of his hands as well. With dread he realized his fate were he to continue, and so he resolved to return no more to the dragon.
But, after a fortnight, he again sought out the dragon, having been tormented with desire. And so it transpired many times over. No matter what his determination, the prince eventually found himself pulled back, as if by the cords of an invisible web. Silently, patiently, the dragon always waited.
One cold, moonless night their excursion became a foray against a sleeping village. Torching the thatched roofs with fiery blasts from his nostrils, the dragon roared with delight when the terrified victims fled from their burning homes. Swooping in, the serpent belched again and flames engulfed a cluster of screaming villages. The prince closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to shut out the carnage.
In the pre dawn hours, when the prince crept back from his dragon trysts, the road outside his father's castle usually remained empty. But not tonight. Terrified refugees streamed into the protective walls of the castle. The prince attempted to slip through the crowd to close himself in his chambers, but some of the survivors stared and pointed toward him.
"He was there," one woman cried out, "I saw him on the back of the dragon." Others nodded their heads in angry agreement. Horrified, the prince saw that his father, the King, was in the courtyard holding a bleeding child in his arms. The King's face mirrored the agony of his people as his eyes found the prince's. The son fled, hoping to escape into the night, but the guards apprehended him as if he were a common thief. They brought him to the great hall where his father sat solemnly on the throne. The people on every side railed against the prince.
"Banish him!" he heard one of his own brothers angrily cry out.
"Burn him alive!" other voices shouted.
As the king rose from his throne, bloodstains from the wounded shone darkly on his royal robes. The crowd fell silent in expectation of his decree. The prince, who could not bear to look into his father's face, stared at the flagstones of the floor.
"Take off your gloves and your tunic," the King commanded. The prince obeyed slowly, dreading to have his metamorphosis uncovered before the kingdom. Was his shame not already enough? He had hoped for a quick death without further humiliation. Sounds of revulsion rippled through the crowd at the sight of the prince's thick, scaled skin and the ridge growing along his spine.
The king strode toward his son, and the prince steeled himself, fully expecting a back handed blow even though he had never been struck so by his father.
Instead, his father embraced him and wept as he held him tightly. In shocked disbelief, the prince buried his face against his father's shoulder.
"Do you wish to be freed from the dragon, my son?"
The prince answered in despair, "I wished it many times, but there is no hope for me."
"Not alone," said the King. "You cannot win against the dragon alone."
"Father, I am no longer your son. I am half beast," sobbed the prince.
But his father replied, "My blood runs in your veins. My nobility has always been stamped deep within your soul."
With his face still hidden tearfully in his father's embrace, the prince heard the King instruct the crowd, "The dragon is crafty. Some fall victim to his wiles and some to his violence. There will be mercy for all who wish to be freed. Who else among you has ridden the dragon?"
The prince lifted his head to see someone emerge from the crowd. To his amazement, he recognized an older brother, one who had been lauded throughout the kingdom for his onslaughts against the dragon in battle and for his many good deeds. Others came, some weeping, others hanging their heads in shame.
The King embraced them all.
"This is our most powerful weapon against the dragon," he announced. "Truth. No more hidden flights. Alone we cannot resist him."
*******
Ordinary Life
Starfield
Take me and invade me
Make me someone new
Wake me from the dead
And break me with the truth
Move me and disturb me
Interrupt my peace
Tear open my heart
And pull me to my knees
There's a world outside
That is burning
While I'm turning blinded eyes
While I stand by
I won't survive
To live this ordinary life
I'm not alive
To live this ordinary life
And I will try
To see this world I live in
With Your eyes
To love this world You've given
With my life
To see this world I live in
With Your eyes
To love this world You've given
With my life
******
"A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." [John 10:10]
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
fellow friendly friends, anyone gonna be free from January 27 - February 9, 2006?
cause...it's....WINTERLICIOUS!!!
oh babee
i'm thinkin' of going on the 27th-29th and the 3rd-5th.
Auberge du Pommier
Azure
Canoe (i really wanna try this one)
and possibly Oliver & Bonacini
so if anyone's...interested...we should go and book early...or else i'll be eating at a lot of tables for one.
********
"When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God. Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don't even notice. But all of them have eternal implications." [RW]
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Ages come and ages pass
For four months long the term has last
Friendships made now friendships gone
Farewell Campbell's, my soups, so long
"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." [Colossians 1:16-17]
One week to pack, one week to chill
One week to eat, to my stomach's fill
man alive i'm really diggin' the new Love and Marriage series on 722
gaaaah, it's like...you want it, but you don't know where to get it. but then you know Where you should get It from. Tangibility is needed but not necessary.
I wanna pursue to become a man...worthy of a wife.
"More today than yesterday...more tomorrow than today."
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
So today Campbell's took the co-op students out for lunch at RED LOBSTER.
My friendly friends, lemme tell you...it was a beauty of a meal. At first, I was hesistant as to what to get, if i should be conservative and order water with stale bread or go all out and get the Ultimate Feast. After conferring with a fellow co-worker, we decided to get the Ultimate Feast.
it came with a succulent broiled Maine Lobster Tail, tender Snow Crab Legs, scallops & lightly breaded Fried Shrimp. My goodness, best lunch this term. it also came with a salad and fries. i drank four ice teas. afterwards i had to pee like a banchee.
2 more days. for some reason, i don't feel sappy anymore. that wintery romantic feeling has escaped. i hope it'll last a while.
do you guys ever struggle with having the right motives when you serve others? sometimes i serve trying/hoping to impress that "person" so that the "person" will take note of me and regard me highly and we'll live happily ever after on lobster bisques.
i digress...and digest at the same time.
this post really has no purpose.
why am i even typing it.
i think i've probably burned 0.1 calories doing this.
suhweet.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Wow, this song really brings back memories...gr. 8 grad. i remember during the "dance" after the grad ceremony my buddies 'n i stood around the punch table...drinking punch and joking about how funny it would be if we spiked the punch...with urine. Then we'd "follow" the girls we had crushes on, lookin' cool drinkin' our punch and flexin' our pipes (well...sorta). i think we probably forgot to put on b.o. protection cause the ladies kept moving away from us everytime we got close with our flexin' pipes. then my dad came and picked me up. the end.
so what was the purpose/moral of the story? there is none. but i sure could go for some punch right about now.
suhweet mutha' of pearls. 4 more days.
i think i'll miss the campbell guys, sorta. but yeah, it'll be good to do nth but chillin' and sleepin' in for a week before school starts.
dang, i really wish softball season was back again.
i think i've finally perfected the art of bench warmin'.
"Can I have a picture of you? I wanna show Santa Claus exactly what I want for Christmas."
Sunday, December 18, 2005
"Love is an act of the will accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of its object."
I really like this quote.
5 more days of wakin' up at 5 am!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
will i ever get to see her?
will our eyes ever meet?
will my lips quiver and tremble
whenever she speaks?
will she ever like me?
does she know who i am?
with the weight of a Polar Bear
she'll know i am sam
it does not matter
the way that she looks
inner beauty is important
who cares if she can't cook
God's way is much higher
than the ways of my own
wherever He leads me
the path need not be shown
so whether this Christmas
or many Christmas' to come
single or paired up
let His will be done
Sunday, December 04, 2005
If a picture is a thousand words...seven words is this:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." [Galatians 2:20]
Friday, December 02, 2005
hAlo14
it really made my week when william sent me this photo of us serving at Redeemer's College. memories rushed back, my mind flooded with the fellowship and fun we had. with brothers like these guys, it actually feels kosher to be single.
when i'm with these warriors...i feel both invincible yet weak at the same time. invincible cause i know God's on our side and that we're doing His will...but weak because on our own strengths nothing can be accomplished, it was all by His grace and all for His glory.
howard - always the servant, sacrificing his personal time and energy to transport us and our equipments to gigs and not once complaining.
steve - blunt, honest and genuine guy. always the one to light up the room with his smile and out-going charisma.
will - there's a sense of intensity around him when he serves. his quiet servitude speaks volumes. always there to crack wise (and Godly) comments
eric - our one-man AV crew. i'm not sure what type of extortion method we used to make him stay, but he did. always the one to give constructive criticism. thanks for not wearing earplugs when we sounded like...poo poo.
caleb - full of energy and creativity. the man knows how to live life to its fullest. always the guy to spice things up and to make fun of me.
mike - the fearless leader. he has passion, commitment and a vision. never relenting even in the darkest hours. inspiration to us all. always starts practice with the word, "Question..."
Practice saturday afternoon at 2pm. remember to eat lunch before you come.
***************
You know it's time for us to step it up
Another level now 'cause we finished warming up
So we rise up elevate to maintain fill up with octane
And fan the flame we regain all the names
The enemy took away
And like a green beret we will lead the way
Into battle so have no fear we will draw near
So that we can persevere like a gondolier
We headed straight to the top nonstop
Set shop at the top of the Rock
You'll feel the aftershock after we rock the spot
Cause you forgot these soldiers won't turn and walk
We take hard knocks come back for more
Cause we're hardcore we fight for the One who died for (you)
And like Saigon we're on the frontlines
And we carry on to the end times
Now that it's on, we're out in the front of this marathon
With our armor on, stay strong we drive on
Our echelon pressin' on 'til we reach the top
And you know we don't stop (our echelon)
Now that it's on
We're on the enemy's hit list
I'm hopin' you get this
You're takin' a risk when you resist the One who made you exist
Evolutionists we got love for you too but we're breakin' down
Walls seeking out the truth
I'm a soldier in this army of One
Like I told ya the battle's already won
So about face move outta the way I gotta pray for you
And this is how we do
