Limits

It's time
And the time is now

Bright lights
Stage fright
Ready to show the world my first flight

Fall asleep
Sow and reap
Crash and burn into the deep

Deeper still

Deeper 'til

I hit rock bottom and I've lost my will

Introspect

Self-reflect

Look beyond myself to reality check

Readjust the frame

Reclaim the Name

Look up now and I'm unashamed

Get ready

Get steady

Get to my destination already

Climbing higher 

Frequent flier

Breakthrough the limits and catch the fire

Wind breaker
Earth shaker
All the elements say it's now or never

It's time again
And the time is now

Mantle

This morning dad came in the room to print out his sermon notes. I rolled over to my phone alarm and saw that I had 1 more hour in dream land. I pretended to go back to sleep, but then he asked me to print them out for him as he got ready. So now I was on my desk with my sleepy head resting in my arms waiting for the laptop to startup. (I definitely can't handle sleeping past 12 anymore.) I got the notes printed, handed them to dad, and saw him off at the door. "Hwaeeting!" What he didn't know was as soon as he left I quickly ate breakfast, got ready for church, and made my way to Lighthouse Mission Church where he was invited as a guest speaker. I sneaked in and sat near the back. Dad was preaching from Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As he was preaching I was secretly rooting for him and praying for him as if he was playing some sport and I was on the bleachers cheering him on. The congregation was responding passionately to God's Word and I was blessed as well. I even learned something completely new about our family background and how God perfectly provides for us. He saves the good stories for his sermons. No fair. But I must say it makes it that much better. I always knew dad was a fiery evangelist, but today was different. Today, I felt the fire. It was the first time I actually thought of and realized the spiritual lineage and how the gospel has been passed down from generation to generation, and somehow, by God's grace, it has reached someone so undeserving like me. Spiritual heirs. Truly, I am standing in the harvest field of those who sowed with their tears. I am standing on the shoulders of giants, as they say. From the saints of old to the saints who are still bold, we are all connected, simply passing the baton and continuing the preaching of the Gospel to all nations. "one Lord, one faith, one baptism..." It's time to pick up the pace because we never know - we might be on the last lap.

After the sermon, I sneaked out and went to church. I thought I was all types of slick, but when dad came home he said he spotted me in the back. Of course. What was I thinking? I was practically on fire when I assumed my father's mantle.

Luckily I had extra tissues in my car.

Fighting Dreamer

In Field Education, my professor told us to write down our lifelong dreams/goals, then dreams within the next 5 years, and finally our goals if we had just 6 months to live - all these with no regard to practical boundaries.

The class shared together. There were a handful who spoke of marriage and family, some mentioned planting and settling at churches, and still one said he wanted another kid and to eat all he ever desired (surely, he was on the 6 month plan). It was a good exercise for me. What I had written for myself in 5 minutes was eye opening, heart gripping, and mind blowing. Are you serious? Impossible.

The professor asked the class, "If what you want to accomplish in your last 6 months is that important, why aren't you doing it now?"

Ouch.

He mentioned how most of us have an enthusiasm, passion, and initial dream when we start something new. "Then as the program moves along and we get into the motion of things this vision fades, and we easily become lost and discouraged in the journey." And so we rekindle the fire by visiting and revisiting our First Love.

Even so, one with a vision without a mission is just a dreamer. It feels like up until now I've only been filling up the melting pot with knowledge and personal experience. Seeing all the pretty ingredients is pretty exciting, but as they begin to churn and turn, my paradigms are being shattered left and right. Fool's gold melts away as pure gold remains. I awake from my daydream and realize real life is happening. A rekindled passion is one thing, but a passion with no action goes nowhere. I hate to admit it, but I am not liking what I'm seeing as I come to grips with myself. Burning away all that dross and being refined in the fire is... how do I say it... aht ddeuguh! (ow, it's hot!). And yet, His name be praised for He is infinitely more precious than any gold.

In his heart a man plans his course,

but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Dream the unseen.

Do the extreme.

God provides the way

and everything in between.

Superyeoman

I had a dream...

I had superpowers. There was a gigantic piece of rectangular metal, 10 times bigger than a billboard, floating high up in the air right near the enemy's air base headquarters. I was in the heart of the city filled with high rises and packed with people in the streets. They were all staring at the shiny object in the sky, entranced. Then I looked up, gave a cool piercing stare at the billboard, and marched forward as I began to raise my hands up as if to control it. And control it I did. I swiveled my hands like I was molding chakra clay and the huge piece of metal moved accordingly in the air. I was like Yoda, but less eco-friendly. I tried to bring it down slowly, but suddenly I lost control and the billboard thingy was now free-falling straight toward the street. I waved my hands, flexed my fingers, and did whatever I could to keep it in control, but after a few failed attempts I knew it was over.

KAAAABOOOOOOOOM!

The piece of metal fell through one of the tallest buildings, splitting it in half, and exploded in the middle of the street. Car alarms. Screaming. Crying. Sirens. Smoke. Debris. The whole 9.9 yards. The building was catching fire and spreading quickly. I ran towards the building's entrance, breathed in as deep as I could, and then exhaled super cold air through the whole building. wooooosh* The fire was no more. Victory.

Then I went over to a house one block down and listened to someone play Amazing Grace on the piano.

And the rest is mystery.

Are We There Yet?

No.

Boom chika boom boom boom boom.

Follow along.

Boom!

You don't walk in someone else's shoes. You walk in God's presence and anointing. Walk with Jesus.

You can't live off someone else's passion. You live only because of Jesus' passion. Suffer for Jesus.

If you truly realize the Joy that is set before you, all of that won't matter. It will all be worth it because He says, "You are worth it!"

So keep on.

God starts the fire. It's up to you to keep it burning bright.

Hot

On my way to church one Sunday morning

I thought about how good God's been to me

Then I tried to number and count my blessings

They were too numerous you see!

Gospel choir was so fun. Will we be singing like that in heaven?

I am still recovering from food poisoning. You know your stomach is weak when you have two FP stories on one blog page... It's time to train - little by little.

So I'm watching my diet and being cautious of what I eat (i.e. resisting all my cravings) and in comes Danny back from Ralphs with temptation in his hands.... omg. I now present:

BAM!

Cheetos® Giant Puffs Flamin' Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks!

The picture is big for a reason. I only got to try one, but once I finally got one Giant Puff in my mouth I had to wrestle it down to submission. The sensation was something between eating fire and rock, which seems to melt away like ice cream, but treacherously has just enough corn syrup solids to keep its form in tact in an effort to cover up the presence of autolyzed yeast extract and to tease the mouth to bite into the ball of monosodium glutamate. I'm starting to feel battle scars in my mouth, not to mention the actual drooling it causes. This is what Fire Mario's fireballs probably look like.

Eat this!

mmhmm. just as I imagined.

Why. Whydoyoudoit.

I remember growing up I used to be addicted to hot cheetos. So addicted, in fact, that mom had to hide bags (yes plural) from me before dinner. Those were some tough times, but what can you expect from a School of Hard Knock graduate. Now even away from the shadow of mom's wings I realize how precious it is... college you've been good to me.

Less than one more quarter. It's bittersweet. More sweet though because now I'm diving into big waters. I can start saying things like, "This will be the last bag of hot cheetos I eat on the last Thursday of the the last 3rd week of the last quarter of my last year in college."

Catch me world!

Will I splash or will I crash? Okay that was a little cheesy. (been waiting for that all post long).

Regardless, my only aim is to spit hot fire for the

'true One

want to make you new One

the only begotten Son.'

Fire fall down.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24