CiliCali West Side

My friend, Jenn, and I went to a Christian rap concert on Friday night and it was awesome, to say the least. Or how would my G's say it? "Off the chain?" The feature of the night was a rapper, named T-Bone, who has won multiple Grammy and Dove awards in the Christian Hip Hop/Rap artist category. The first few hours were local artists including a group called GRITS--I have some of their stuff on my iPod, but T-Bone was who I was there for. But not only is he Christian, he is, in my opinion, the most talented rapper out there right now, on the Christian or secular charts.

When he came out on stage the crowd went crazy. There was this one kid next to me (who was white) who knew all the lyrics and was spittin' em out just as fast. It was quite entertaining. When he performed his song 'Ride Wit Me', in which the phrase, "...come ride wit a playa from the cili-cali west side..." is spat, I must admit that I gave a little "WOOT WOOT!"

The "west side" is where I'll be heading in a week from today. I'm packing up my car in the next few days here coming up and I'll be heading to Jenn's house to spend some time. Then on Sunday, once I pick up my brother from Midway, I'll drive back to California where I know I belong. As it will be hard to leave those whom I've grown close to back here, I look forward to going home with expectations that only time will redeem.

The Plight of the Next Generation Americans

Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers of our nation scrawled out, on parchment, our Constitution, outlining the “God-given” rights that we, as citizens of the United States, would be privileged. This Constitution states that sovereignty (or supreme power) is to be in the hands of the citizens of the United States. That supreme power, however, is put into place only by those Americans that actually practice their right to vote and go to the polls to put into power, persons who will lead this nation towards peace and success.

Our country (more specifically the electoral college) made a wrong decision in 2001 in electing George Bush as 43^rd president of the United States. And whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Independent, you must admit that the Bush Administration has caused the United States damage on both economic and diplomatic levels which will be difficult to set right, come January 2009. This is why the Presidential elections coming up in November is vital not only to our country, but to the world. If you fail to see this negligence of the Administration that has held the political rains of our nation for the past 7 years, you should then take a look at the facts.

Only shortly after being elected into office, George Bush lead us into a pointless war with Iraq (without the support of the United Nations) and in turn, ended up bankrupting the treasury and spending all the surplus we had enjoyed during Clinton’s time in office. Now, after five years of fighting in Iraq (a war that has now lasted longer than World War II), the United States is in $9.2 trillion—that’s right—trillion, in debt to other countries to fund our “efforts” overseas. This, in case you didn’t already assume, is the greatest national deficit in the history of the United States. In addition, during Bush’s first year in office, 2 million Americans lost their jobs, 80,000 alone in the month of March, 2008. He not only presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history, but also over the highest gasoline prices since the advent of automobiles and refused to use national reserves to ease costs at the pump. I don’t know what else can be said to relieve you of doubt besides only some of the facts presented here.

So a definite need for change is here. But there are numerous reasons why Americans in the past, especially young Americans like ourselves, have foolishly not exercised their right to vote. Many refer back to the elections in 2001, in which the Electoral College voted contradictory to what popular vote reflected as support for their argument that going to the polls is pointless. Now I as one would agree with most that the Electoral College should be abolished because of the fact that it takes away the rights that we have, as citizens, to pick our own leader. But until that happens, we can’t just throw our hands up in defeat—the College is going to choose the candidate even if there are 100 votes cast in the popular vote. So for the time being, we need to put our faith in those individuals that represent us in this electoral body.

Others tell me that their vote won’t make that much of a difference overall. If you are one of these, then listen up. If everyone had this mentality, then nothing would get done and our sense of national pride would spoil into a submissive outlook on an absolutist form of leadership. If we all followed the elections and gathered facts about each candidate, then we would be safer from the danger of voting for a candidate based on party affiliation and/or media attention. Better quality decisions would be made and more than likely, more voter turnout would result.

Those who so faithfully lead our country have the power that they do because we, the people, have placed them in power. It is our right to do so and we should use it in the best way we know how. There are three viable candidates in the race for the White House—each with pros and cons that can either help or hinder our current global situation. What’s your job? Study up—take action—see results.

This Is My Commandment

I am reading a book called Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis and so far, it is a great book. It is one of those books that is usually recommended for those who are having doubts about Christianity. C. S. Lewis, who used to be an atheist, presents in this book evidence supporting Christianity and how it must be true.

Just yesterday, I was reading about halfway through the book and he was talking about the commandment given to us by Christ to love one another as ourselves. At first, I brushed it off--because how easy is it to follow this command? How can we possibly love everyone? But then Lewis made a couple of really good points.

First, he compared our love for others to the love that we have for ourselves. Try as you might, you must admit that you love yourself. Now understand, though, that love is different from like. You may not like yourself because of the behavior that you exude, but you feel shame every time that you mess up because you love yourself enough and you know deep down that you can be better.

Now, in the same way, we need to love one another. Even if the person we are having a tough time showing love to we don't particularly like, we can still love them for who they are--a child of God. This is where the common phrase, "Hate the sin, but love the sinner" comes into play.

How do we love someone we don't like, you may ask. The answer is this (and this was Lewis's second point): If we act as if we love them by showing them kindness, then eventually, we will learn to love that person. If we showed hatred towards them and were mean to them every chance we got, then the opposite would happen and we would learn to despise that person.

"This is my commandment that you love one another, that you're joy may be in full."

Walk Like Enoch

Has anyone ever gone on a walk just to get their mind straight? Maybe you've been thinking about stuff or you've been stressed and you went for a walk just to think or maybe pray and get things straight in your head. Back in October, I did this one time when I was feeling really alone here at school and now that it's warm out I would like to do it again. Things are stressing me out so bad right now that I just need that quiet time with God and with nature.

Tonight, I got to walk to the library and it was misty and a little chilly out. Unfortunately, I had my iPod blasting in my ears and I wasn't able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the night. If I were to once take off my ear buds and listen to the chirping of the crickets and enjoy the nostalgic smell of the cows down the hill, then I might learn more than I would sitting in class earlier today.

No Running Water

There's something poetic and refreshing about waking up to a freshly watered earth. After endless snow for months, the rain has finally come to take it away for good and to bring up the green in the earth again and it feels good.

Last night, while it was pouring, I wanted to go outside and just soak up the rain perhaps in an attempt to refresh my life. Now, I could just go into the shower and relax in the hot water and come out feeling reguvenated in the same way. But I suppose as a metaphor, I, like the ground outside, wish to grow into something new--to get a fresh start somehow from the entanglement that I've gotten myself into. It feels as though I've been relaxing in the "steam of the hot water" washing myself when all of a sudden the water runs out and I am stuck with the soap stuck to my body and drying fast. I panic and look for a near water source to rinse off but can find none.

In a few weeks, I will be done with my classes for this school year and I will get this chance to start over in a way. But will a new location and new surroundings mean a fresh start for me? Where does this new life begin? Does it come from my own determination? Does it come from divine inspiration?

Andrews University Nursing Program

Who would've thought that by going into the Gazebo to get a burger, that I would come out with my future to think about? My friend, Kendra, who was in my English Composition class last semester, was working the sub-bar on this particular night and we got to talking about our futures (don't ask me how). I knew from talking with her the previous semester that she had gone to La Sierra University in Southern California and that she didn't particularly care for it. She wasn't sure what to do with her life but she knew that she didn't belong where she was. She put the decision in God's hands and asked Him to make it clear without a shadow of a doubt where He wanted her to go.

Low and behold, one day she was cleaning off some clutter on a desk at her job and uncovered a pamphlet with the words, "Andrews University Nursing Program." She didn't conclude her story, but the expression on her face said that God had indeed answered her call and that it was then that she knew where she had to go.

When I heard her testimony, I was envious. I have asked God for such signs many times before and have found that they usually don't return any results and so I have given up the "Gideon approach." It would be so nice if God gave me a pamphlet to tell me where and what I should with my life. I had known at one time, or so I thought. But recently, so many doors have been opened with the decision I've made to part from Architecture. And it is because of this decision that has recently caused so much stress in my life.

God? Life is a Mystery

I'm watching the George Lopez show on t.v. right now. The episode is about his son's dog--the dog gets a tumor in his stomach and the vet tells them that it's going to take a miracle for the dog to live. Both George and his son make promises to God that if the dog is cured of this cancer, they will perform a certain degrading task of some sort. George, who hates the dog, is infuriated when he finds the dog has been miraculously healed from his ailments. He must now fulfill his promise to God. But does he? He does not.

How many times have we made promises to people that we can't keep or don't really want to keep because it'll some how inconvenience us. How often do we as humans promise God that we will "be good" if we receive something in return? The United States isn't the one that is in the most debt right now. The human race owes so much to God because of these unfulfilled promises that we have made Him.

I have recently been debating between two different colleges to attend. They both have their pros and cons, but one stands out more than the other. I've talked with God about it--I have asked Him, "If you want me to go in either direction, you need to make is somehow clear to me--open doors where Your will leads so that my mind can rest." He hasn't revealed anything spectacular as of yet, but I'm still waiting for his guiding hand to show itself.

The question that I have is this: When He does reveal what He would like me to do (and I am confident that He will show His will in due time), how willing will I be to follow? Will I have enough trust in His infinite wisdom to grow into the person He wants me to be? I am afraid that I may let my own reasons and my own aspirations get in the way of of His ultimate authority and will. I pray that I will not.