Taboo

A couple of things on my mind:

Drum prices
Men (in reference to participation in Christianity)
Nail polish
Japan
Solidifying faith (books etc..)
Men (in reference to being testosterone-driven human beings)

Drum Prices
It's ridiculous when the cost of a small accessory costs more than one can afford with a single paycheck. Not that there aren't some random good deals available, but the majority (or MSRP) of instruments cost way more than I understand. I need to get a grant to add to my set, sheesh. I would like to add a few pieces, including a double bass, second hi-hat (compliments the double bass), some small splash cymbals, crash/ride cymbal that sounds [better] than my current, and a sound wall (probably will build that myself soon) so I can play louder at church and not 'disturb' people.

Men pt. 1
Had a bit of discussion and prayer, etc.. tonight about men not being as involved in churches as women are (the ratio stands around 60/40 with men being the 40) and there is some research that shows how when men are actively involved with a church, the church is many times more likely to have a flourishing existence, while the absence of men promotes church death. Well, we have a large amount of women at our church. Most men see churches as the place where old women go. I even see the clash between my grandmother and I when it comes to music (I'm obviously more boisterous-minded being on the drums, but I like the action of faster songs or at least more intensity, where as she prefers the lighter stuff ***NOT THAT WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE OTHER, WE JUST HAVE PREFERENCES***) So men are more... physical; energetic; extreme; flamboyant; etc.. It's part of us. It's how we are made. Men are made to be strong and hefty, not dainty pew sitters.

Nail Polish
Officially a taboo thing for me. I wore black nail polish on one finger for one day and was asked more than 20 times what I had on my finger and why I would choose to do such a thing (even one was [jokingly] asking if I was gay now. No, I am not) Part of the interview with Mike Toupin had him explaining the cultural differences between America and most 3rd world Indian or African nations. He also covered some different peoples we have in America: Goth, prep, and all in between. The idea with the other countries is to not invade with the idea that 'my way [or our American way] is the right way'. Same goes with the sects in America. Upon encountering a Gothic teen, it would be of extensible rudeness to affront him/her with a demeaning statement like, "Why do you have to wear those things?" Truth be told, if I in fact decided to become of Gothic persuasion, I would highly disrespect anyone's comments of how strange it is. The matter is, again, not to judge. Work with people where they are. LEARN what they do and like, and respect them for their personal convictions. Love them. Encourage them to love others and serve others.

Japan
Sarah prayed for me tonight. I can't remember the whole thing, but it covered my intended trip to Japan. To be honest, I am very excited about going, yet also very nervous. Lately I have been very interested in doing new things and learning as much as I can on just about everything I can. I am taking the advice of Mike and attempting to learn Japanese. I am studying the culture, the history, the government, the geographics, the demographics, and the religions. I am absolutely fascinated with learning at this point (especially if it is exceptional insight from someone very wise on the topic). It makes me wonder about my purpose for these desires: to travel to the other side of the world, completely opposite of my whole life thus far; to learn EVERYTHING; to want to interact with people I don't know; to experience a change in life; to experience something other than what I've known since birth. Why would I have these desires, this drive, if I wasn't in some way destined to be apart of it?

Solidifying Faith
I've been reading Angels & Demons (bought it yesterday, almost done with it now..) The thing with most of what Dan Brown writes is its racy religious statements. I actually highly anticipate to hear his view and see his reasons. I look forward to hearing another side of the story. I like having my faith challenged. I like that there is a real opposition, not just an infinitesimal challenger we create to keep people in the church. He brings out some taboo ideas [taboo to the Christian church] and I greatly respect that. And not only that, but he writes with such amazing brilliance and talent, injecting history and fiction all in one, creating a wonderful world and intriguing story.

Men pt. 2
I really enjoy being physical. I love being rough with the guys, wrestling in the water, sports, racing, loud music, food, etc.. [I wanted to add women to that list, but I think it would have come misunderstood.. with more chivalry than the average male, I like women too ;D] Anything to show the strength of being manly (and impress the ladies) is an awesome time. Now that Joel is on a boat (motha f*****) it seems there might be slightly less of that... though I have succeeded in being a small addition to the Bacon's Castle society. We might be having a sport day after church this coming Sunday (which btw I get to lead *smack* - doing the interviews of all the local peoples)

I'm hungry now. Taco Salad??

My last cigarette...

I think I like when Christians are Christian instead of church-people. "Church is for people who like church, just like a moose or elk lodge is for people who like lodges"
I also like when people aren't extreme with their use of profanity, but don't talk in the completely sheltered vocabulary range of goody-Christians.

So if you aren't going to be at New Harvest (or weren't at New Harvest) on Sunday June 7th, then I'll just tell you that the guy who we videoed is cool because he says cuss words. Not that he was any good at it, but it was way funny and very down-to-earth. He told a story about this man (if you know the name of the man, please remind me: we stopped recording when this story was told) who went to a foreign country and was approached by two very young (12-13 years old) girls who offered to do anything he wanted all night long for $10. He almost walked away, but instead clarified, "Anything?" to which they affirmed. He invited them to his room, and gave them $10, and sat them down on the sofa to watch Disney movies all night. The man (while personally telling the story) said something like, "What the fuck am I doing?" and then stopped, having made this exclamation in a crowd of.. ahem.. 'holy people'.. and made this second statement, "You are more concerned with the fact that I used profanity in my story telling than you are for the two girls who will, for many years if not the rest of their lives, live on money received from prostitution."

Another instance where that kind of point was made was at a youth conference (probably Acquire the Fire) in which a very fun black lady told us all about different sexual things. When she inevitably told a statistic about how many men get and STD on their penis, she stopped and made the same statement about how we care more about what word she used than the outrageous amount of STD trafficking.

There are some things that are more important in the world than being a perfect saint. Its one thing to abstain from immoral actions, but when it makes relating to people who don't share the same qualities an awkward thing, it's time to adapt. I may not cuss, drink, smoke, dope up, sleep around, etc.. but I won't make my interactions with those who DO be negative. It's just not worth a bad example of Jesus to obnoxiously follow rules.
What I'm saying is this: Don't wince when someone blasts vulgarity; Don't scowl when people confess to 'naughty' things; Don't judge others. It's not your place

OMGWTFBBQZ

I was looking at the books on the shelf at the Center the other day and spied one titled "The Revolution | A Field Manual for Changing Your World". Curious, I opened to see what it was about, synchronously asking Jason what it was about. He had never read it, and I proceeded to discover that it is a collection of several essay-like stories and articles about controversial issues the world over. By controversial, I mean that the chapters are titled,
"1) Clean Water
2) Gang Violence
3) Women's Rights
4) Fair Trade
5) Hunger
6) HIV/AIDS
7) Capital Punishment
8) War and Peace
9) Torture
10) The Environment
11) Human Trafficking and
12) Poverty".
So, as I was flipping through this book, I saw a quote placed at the beginning of the first chapter.

A pessimist, they say, sees a glass of water as being half empty; An optimist sees the same glass as half full. But a giving person sees a glass of water and starts looking for someone who might be thirsty" - G. Donald Gale

I would like to add that a giving person has already found a thirsty person before happening upon said glass.

Something from this morning at the Center:
"As I write, I see Bruce walking away from the Center, with his own special beat that drives his steps and posture. He is going to take care of some business and will be back soon. I love him. He entered this morning in a very subtle voice and pose, exclaiming a 'good morning' as he took a seat on the couch opposite me. An up-beat song serenaded the room, adding to his pep. He asked about my book, and listened intently as I described it. From that point until his harbinger of leave, he sat in content and joy, smiling and bouncing in time to the music. A quick look in the mirror, as is custom for him, showed his hat, a new white brim, correctly centered on his head. His upper raiment, a royal blue T-shirt, read 'COLLEGE' in box-like text. Enigma consumes the need and desire to be with and encourage Bruce. 'Love. For that is the greatest'"

The Tide Began to Rise

I learned a few things today. I also was greatly inspired. We met with Mike Toupin (he works with all these different companies to translate the text in the Bible into an understandable written language in places where there is either A) no written language B) has no copy of a Bible, period) I think some of the things that have happened to him and around him are absolutely amazing. He told a story about being adopted into the family of the oldest man in the village. He was literally the oldest man in the whole ethnic group. Something like 30,000 people. He had 6 wives (polygamists, there) and 25 children, over 100 grand children. He was too old to have any more kids, and so he named Mike "God loves me" (in his native language) and therefore adopted Mike and his wife and three kids to be his own. They all received special names, which he was able to use (the names) to explain the concept of Christ and God [the gospel of Christ] to many many people there. See, the interesting thing is that in most ethnic (or diverse language sects) groups, they have no actual concept of some things we validate easily (such as 'faith' or 'priest' - they had to create whole new ideas for them) However, most of these peoples have slight adaptations of Christ-like attributes in their histories and cultures. So in a way, one can relate Christ to a concept that they already understand, but he also warned against blindly teaching things (in one place, the closest word for 'priest' was the word that Islamic people use, and therefore would have caused a misunderstanding if used to describe Christ, or another of Christianity's priests - so they used what they knew from their version of priests [who intercede and sacrifice to ancestors] by saying that a 'priest' sacrifices to God himself on our behalf)

This talk made it easier to relate my desire to go to Japan, etc.. and how there are many more obstacles than I perceived; none of which are impossible to overcome. He mentioned that it take about 3 years to completely learn a language and culture (by 'completely' I mean 'speak it well enough that they don't smile and think "He's trying..."') I find it really hard to express the excitement I have when thinking about being involved with other cultures. The unity is off the charts, and the experiences are immeasurable.

To take something from this, he said you must be on two pillars: 1) flexibility and 2) being a learner.
You have to be flexible, bend from your norm (because other cultures are not always similar to yours)
Learn the culture / language: it's the biggest, most effective way to say I LOVE YOU

Music: Makes the people: Come together: Yeah

I've been working on my drum skyls lately. Its funny how much muscle you build from playing drums. We went to the Wiedel's house after the Steam and Gas Engine worship, and ate FOOD and played in the river. I'm finding it to be more and more enjoyable to be with people. While on the beach, someone kicked a soccer ball out in the water, and from then on it was a 'monkey-in-the-middle' style game of running and shoving and grabbing at the ball, while in the water. Then the men had wrestling competitions, which uses way more muscles than you knew existed. Joel took the sailboat out, which was pretty fun (and for the official record, we flipped the boat on purpose). I expect to wake up sore from all these ventures, but I never do. I'm not complaining. However, I do notice the sluggy responses from my arms, and when I try to do fast rolls on the drums it hurts, if not is impossible. So what do we learn from this? Repetition.

Jason and I are going to interview a man from Williamsburg about being a missionary. It has to do with a coming Sunday morning in which we'll be interviewing some local people about Christianity and such. But this guy can't make a live interview on Sunday, so we go to him.

I picked some strawberries at Sarah's house last night. I got 7 of them, and they were all very small, save one that could pass as a decent strawberry. I like walking out there in the open field. It's interesting how much of that property is hidden away and peaceful. I find it to be a blessing to be located in a town that has the option of being peaceful. So if you ever want to go for a walk in the woods, I'm in.

"Oh, voiceless; wasted: You've soaked your heart in gasoline, now light it up and burn"

"The scene is begging for a prayer tonight, it always will"

I've been thinking about 'begging' lately. I'm not sure why. It seems a concept we aren't used to in America. I mean, the idea of being on your knees and asking for something isn't too hard to fathom, but the thought of actually doing it is kinda cheesy. So what exactly would you be willing to get down low and cry, rage over? In places less fortunate, begging for life, mercy, release, justice, etc.. isn't a rare thing: it's a daily thing. So to me, begging reminds of a point of poverty, failure, captivity, slavery, etc.. NOTHING good. I think it would be good to experience a time where begging is necessary.

One other thought lately is about unity, or community. Socialism.
I LOVE (remember about how I only use love when referring to intimacy) getting with other people to eat, play music, play games, talk, socialize. It drives me (similarly to the way music drives me)

One final thought is about suicide. I find it amazing how the rate of suicide went up since the 'stock market doom of 09' - Japan is now at 100 a day. I can't even imagine why one would loathe anything so much as to take the aggression out on himself. I am not (or have not, rather) been immune to the ideas of committing suicide, but never to the point of acting on it (I weigh all options anyway, but rarely act on any of them; I like to know every angle of every thing) So for those of you plotting, please don't, cause it makes me sad.

Something we were talking about a while back was the way we relate to people. One of those ways is through failures. So I encourage you to express said failures, for 2 results are becoming of release: Connectivity and Relaxation.

Refreshing

I had a neat time with my grand mother this morning. We had talked a bit on Sunday night about writing music together, something I have been trying to work out since the end of the semester. We talked a lot about music and differences in generations. And I got to eat lots of Swedish Pancakes.
-I'll make a note now that I anticipated an unspoken understanding, and that was a bad assumption. I want to write music that is NOT worship; NOT for Christian people. I think people take that as "Sam doesn't want to be a safe, good Christian and stick to the safe places" and thats almost it exactly. Art made a comment the other day that almost sounded like an excuse to not be involved with the *sinners* of the world, something to the effect of "if you hang out with bad people, you will turn into a bad person." In a way, he's right. But he is also way wrong. He did redeem himself after that by saying that we have to be anchored to Christ before being involved with others. Meh, I say. I'll also note that I hate "Christian Phrases" and therefore go to great lengths to keep from saying them.
So I don't like getting stuck in the "Christian Book Store" and using the "Christian Dictionary" as a guide for my vocabulary.-

I began reading the book "Wild Goose Chase" by Mark Batterson. I found my purpose in life: Nomad! I don't want to stay in one place too long.

I want to live dangerously. I want to be in the fray. I want to have hard times and work through them. I want to have a purpose beyond being part of a club and getting more people to join said club.

I will make people feel uncomfortable. It's time things were shaken.