Friday, December 30, 2011

What if all that we want isn't all that we want?

So I'm reading this book called the Divine Commodity by Skye Jethani and in one of his chapters he tells a story that really...struck me. I'm basically typing this out word for word here:

The Divine Commodity - Chapter 6: The Land of Desire (pg 113-114)
   On a previous visit I had been walking in New Delhi with my father. We were hoping to catch a break in the traffic when a boy approached us. He was probably six or seven years old, skinny as a rail, and naked but for tattered blue shorts. His legs were stiff and contorted, like a wire hanger twisted upon itself. He waddled on his hands and kneecaps, which were covered with huge calluses from the broken pavement. Like many other times in India, I wanted to close my eyes and pretend people in such misery didn't exist. But this persistent boy wouldn't let me.
   We kept walking down the street looking for a gap in the traffic, ignoring the bow and his shouts. "One rupee, please! One rupee!" The little guy was amazingly fast on his kneecaps, managing to stay ahead of us and i our field of vision. Finally, realizing he wasn't going to give up, my father stopped and gave the boy the satisfaction of looking him in the eye.
   "What do you want?" he asked.
   "One rupee, sir," the boy said while motioning his hand to his mouth and bowing his head in deference. My father laughed.
   "How about I give you five rupees?" he said. The boy's submissive countenance suddenly became defiant. He retraced his hand and sneered at us. He thought my father was joking, having a laugh at his expense. After all, no one would willingly give five rupees. The boy started shuffling away, mumbling curses under his breath.
   My father reached into his pocket. Hearing the coins jingle, the boys stopped and looked back over his shoulder. My father was holding out a five-rupee coin. He approached the stunned boy and placed the coin into his hand. The boy didn't move or say a word. He just stared at the coin in his hand. We passed him and proceeded to cross the street.
   A moment later the shouting resumed, except this time the boy was yelling, "Thank you! Thank you, sir! Bless you!" He raced after us once again - not for more money but to touch my father's feet. He blocked our way and alternated raising his hands with shouts of acclamation and bowing at my father's shoes. He was litereally worshiping us and attracting the attention of everyone on the street.
   This, I imagine, is how our God sees us - as miserable creatures in desperate need of his help. But rather than asking for what we truly need, rather than desiring what he is able and willing to give, we settle for the lesser things. And when God graciously says "no" to our misled desires and instead offers us more, we reject him. We turn away, cursing him under our breath. We simply cannot imagine a God who would give five rupees when all we desire is one.

...and I'm still thinking about this.

Do I hear God grabbing that five-rupee coin for me or am I too busy getting mad that He didn't give me the one-rupee that I asked for?  Probably somewhere in between...probably more towards the getting mad about not getting the one-rupee...

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Holoholo D.T.S.

In January 2001, I was a part of the very first one of these. It was hard, but it was good. During this time God started to become really...real to me. Not only that but He began to challenge me to see life with eyes of faith...to see things that 'were not' as if they 'were'...and to trust Him more.

Today, it would be fair to say that I am still learning about faith, trust, & God...but it would also be fair to say that in doing a DTS I'm further along than I would have been without it.

Here's their latest and greatest promo video.

"We Go" YWAM Holoholo DTS in Kona, Hawaii from YWAM - crown media on Vimeo.

Personal note: DTS is not a program that will change you forever. Instead, by doing a DTS you give yourself time to be changed forever. You remove yourself from the distractions of day to day living (work, school, bills, etc.) and give yourself time to strengthen your relationship with the Lover of our soul.

For more information, check out their website here:
http://www.holoholo.info/

Holoholo DTS is a ministry of YWAM (Youth With A Mission)

Friday, December 9, 2011

This Christmas get a Ben Rector...

...album.

Get a Ben Rector album!!!

Or give a Ben Rector album!

Or if you get a iTunes gift card or Amazon MP3 gift card, consider getting a Ben Rector album.

I can't tell you how much I love his music.  Here's some of his songs.  Hope you love it...and then buy it.

The Kill


You & Me


I hear he's better live...so either one day I'll make it to one of his shows OR maybe one day he'll make it to Hawaii!

Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Christmas Gifts? how 'bout a HASHI

Well, as you know...if you live in Hawaii or have lived here, the plate lunch is one of the main types of staples here in the islands. It comes in a Styrofoam container with plastic utensils or wooden chopsticks. In the container we have a variety of meat/chicken/battered fish/fried shrimp, rice and mac salad. After we eat the local goodness, we just trash the whole thing...styrofoam and plastic.

Well, recently I've been becoming more aware how bad all that stuff is for the environment (I know, I'm really late to this party)...and not only that, but we are running out of places to put it (our trash). I know that second one is kinda scary. I never thought about running out of a place to put trash. I just thought it went to the dump and then the dump ate it or something like that...I dunno. Like I said, just never thought of that.

So one small thing we can do...or we can get this Christmas for each other is...

These 9 3/4" Black Wood Japanese Chopsticks (51314CS) have a beautiful black finish and a red lacquer tip that gives them a special Japanese accent with ties to the Japanese flag. Unlike Chinese chopsticks, which typically are made of unfinished wood, these lacquered chopsticks taper to a sharper, pointier end. The black and red design can match a variety of decors, atmospheres and tabletop settings, but are particularly suited to a modern restaurant with a contemporary design.

...a HASHI

...or chopstick

...actually A PAIR OF CHOPSTICKS!!!

Now I know that this might not seem like a lot and maybe it isn't. But it's a start. It's a step in the right direction. Plus you never know how great the trickle down effect might be! You know, like if we all get our own hashi, then all the L&L's won't have to keep purchasing disposable ones...THEN maybe plate lunches would get cheaper?!?!?!  I know it's farfetched, but still...you never know.

Anyway, the beautiful hashi that you see pictured above, I found on amazon...but said you can only get it from an external site. Can you guess how much it is? Find out here.

Did you check?!? I know...they are THAT EXPENSIVE. Plus did you see they were on sale? Wow.

Thanks to Kanu Hawaii for doing such great work in creating awareness and getting the word out.

Okay, that's all for now.

Oh and if you can buy local, buy local and support local people.  If cannot, then cannot.

Okay, now I'm done.

See ya.

Poems & Dust (PND) - Dirty Words

Does anyone know where I can get this album? or if it's still available?

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Looking for gift ideas? HELLO SOMEBODY

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be blogging a few gift ideas. 
Just some things that have caught my attention.

First up...HELLO SOMEBODY

Thinking about buying shirts, jackets, or a tank top for gifts?  HELLO SOMEBODY has that...here.
How 'bout a watch? Or watches?  HELLO SOMEBODY...right here & here.
HELLO SOMEBODY, music?  here
Beanie, scarf, combo packs (pink, black)? <---there, there, & there (& there).

HELLO SOMEBODY has a lot of great products.

BUT the best part of this company is that when we make a purchase...we are taking part in things like this:


Hello Somebody and Light The Streets from Hello Somebody on Vimeo.

Earlier in November, I ordered a jacket/tank top/watch combo pack and it came pretty quickly...and I live in Hawaii!  I feel like it came within a week.  Another thing that I think was cool...my address was handwritten on the box my stuff was shipped in.  I just like that small business-personal touch-feel that it conveyed.

Anyway, that's that. If you have any questions...umm check out the website at:

hello-somebody.com

There's a lot more stories, pictures, videos, and information there.

Any Christmas gift suggestions for me?

Alrighty...until next time!