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07 - 05 - 01
Yo Yo,
Kickin it wit my peeps. Wassup wassup? It is thursday, July the 5th. One
day after da 4th. So how was it? da f4th that is? Anybody have excitin'
stories to tell? The fireworks down here were tight both at the Celebrate
Freedom Concert this past saturday and in Addison on Tuesday. Tight tight
Tight. I'll be heading up to Minneapolis tonight and will be there through
Sunday. Attending a wedding (me first). Gonna be awesome. And for those of you
who don't know, I'm also turning 20 this Friday (same day Kiss of the Dragon
comes out at the theatres, gonna burn some muscle). So I will officially be out
of the teens, heh heh. It's all good. Oh yeah, almost forgot, we also saw AI
last night. Man, i think the best character in that movie was.... Teddy. Yo
that bear was tight. I wish I had one. Homeboy was bad (as in kool). Ya gotta
see it to know what I mean. Aight yo, on to Scripture.
Kyoo (today) I read Acts 15. There is a part in Peter's speech here that was
rang some bells. Verses 10 and 11... checkit:
10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of
the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been
able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our
Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.
The Jews were meeting to talk about recent events (the mass of Gentile
believing kats growing each day, etc). Now a Pharisee said that these gentiles
must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses. They debated this
for a lil' bit. But then my dawg Peter said a lil sumtim sumtim ending with
what you see a b o v e. I thought it interesting how Paul described the law of
Moses (law handed down to him by Pops). He described it as "a yoke that neither
we nor our fathers have been able to bear." daunting huh? So why in da world
would ya want to force that on somebody? Exactly, and that is what Peter is
getting at. Homeboy done been with brutha man (Jesus) for about 3 years, he
knows some stuff. Not to mention the Holy Spirit is alive and kickin within
this kat. And so he shares with them an awesome awesome truth..... ebonics
style..."Heeeeeeeck naw! You must be trippin'. As for me and my dawgs, it is
through da grace of brutha man, THE brutha man, the Lord Jesus that we are
saved.... just as them kats are. Buhlee dat." Man that is awesome. There it
is, right there, in plane language. They themselves were saved by grace. And
when homeboy spoke to the Gentiles, they too were also saved by Grace. It
wasn't the law of Moses that justified them, no, it was by grace. And Pete
makes that quite clear. "How you gonna try and test Pops by making heavy what
he has made light? That's ludricrous." I think Jesus said at one time, "My yoke
is easy and my burden is light." In other words, homeboy pulled up a trade. He
took the hard yoke and heavy burden, and supplied us with a easy and light one.
Don't put he hard and heavy one back on. Chill wit Pops, he got yo back. Pete
had some tight words man. By Grace. That is also by faith, not by works alone.
Aight aight aight. You know what time it is. Peace out, and I'll hit you
guys up a lil latah. Chill wit Pops and I'll cya when i cya. Mo' word.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 11 - 01
Yo yO,
What Up what up? Chillin over here. It is wednesday da 11th, FINAL FANTASY
comes out today. How many of yall gonna see it? Man you should go, its going
to be the next level in graphics and visual effects to date (my $.02). Not to
mention it's from Square, so the story has got to be tight too. mmhmmmm. I was
at a wedding this past weekend. That was awesome. I went on sumtim called "The
Rip Cord." Basically it is a huuuuuge swing, except it's like 150 meters high,
and you are strapped with this chest suit thing so that you are horizontal to
the ground, and a cable attaches to your back (the vest of course). they pull
you back and wwaaaaaaaaay high (the ground and the peeps on it keep gettin
smaller and smaller and smaller and.....) And at the top, you pull your rip
cord and let fly... IT WAS AWESOME! The wedding itself was tight (it was the
highlite). And the reception and dancing afterwards was mad tight. I finally
got ot practice them salsa skills i'd been learning. Got to breakdance too.
Aight, on to Scripture.
Actually, today is gonna be a lil different. I'm doing a lil' sumtim sumtim
called Experiencing God. And last night I got to this:
"God's revelation is your invitation."
..and i thought, "Man, that is tiiiiiight." I mean, fareal yo! Checkit,
imagine Pops is over here doing his thang. He brings you a revelation of what
he is doing. In essence, he done dropped you and invitation. Question is, what
do you do? JOIN HIM YO! heeeeeck yeah. You'll be on a ride you won't forget,
actively involved in what Pops is tryin ta do. BAsically the message here is to
look and see what the Father is doing. And in so doing, join him. Pops works
through us kats nawmean? When G wanted to get his message to the gents
(gentiles), he did it through Paul (a man who once persecuted and killed many
Christians), when G wanted to free Israel from da Pharoah, homeboy sent Moses.
He gave them a revelation of what he was about to do. And these kats joined in.
And BAAAAAM! Mad things happened, mad peeps were set free, awesome miracles
took place, and they and Pops grew closer together in Love. That's mad tight
cuz you and Pops grow tighter and tighter. mmhmmm. Aight potna's, short and
sweet. G's rev is yo invitation. Take that bad boy and allow Pops to work
through you.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 12 - 01
Morning potnas!
It is July da 12th. It is somebody's B-day today, but I can't remember
whose. Hmmm... ah well. You know, I need a lil help. Can yall pray that I
regain my energy to wake up in the mornings to hit da gym? I've missed it
everyday this week and so have missed doing Cardio as well as Jiu Jitsu, etc.
The afternoons are fine (i still go to lift then). But i need me morning fix
too. So, if you could do that fo' a brutha, that would be nice. Well, today is
da day we go to see FINAL FANTASY. It should be maaaad tight. Can't wait can't
wait..... but i will chill till da time. Aight potnas, on to Scripture.
Kyoo, we look into Isaiah 46:11
From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a
man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I
bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.
Yo, that's HOT. That is hot. First, Pops says he will accomplish his purpose
through us. Maybe you are not undastandin... The very will and purpose of GOD,
the creator of the seemingly neverending expanse called the Universe, the
creator of things great and small, of the stars, the planets, even the stars who
shoot bands of energy bigger than our very own milky way galaxy (that is FREAKIN
HUGE). Yeah, that guy. His purpose will be accomplished through you, and me.
How PHAT of an honor is that yo! That is mad tight. Remember that stuff about
watchin what Pops is about to do, and then join him? Mmmhmmm, that is
accomplishing his purpose through us. I mean... WOW. Just think about that for
a second. In His word, he says that we are the ones through whom he will
accomplish his purpose. daaaaaaag yo. That's deep. Next, he basically says,
"Rest assured potna, what I jive, I will surely bring about; what I been
plottin, I will do, most def." Do you know what that means for us? maaan> It means just this: If Pops gives you a word, or a mission, or a lil
sumtim sumtim, it will happen. So you ain't even got to worry about whether or
not you will succeed or fail cuz Pops said what he says and plans, that will he
bring about and do. BAAAM! That's gold. It's like funky stuff, ya just can't
get enough. (if you didn't get that one.... you need help, heh heh, its one of
them old songs they always play on some infomercial to buy old music, "Ya just
can't get enough... of that funky stuff"). So, the instant Pops says it,
consider it done. Just go out and drop da knowledge Pops wants you too. After
it all, Pops will enable you, he will bring whatever it is to come to pass. Mad
tight. No worries my friends, just rest assured.
Aight, I gots ta bizounce. Chickitycheck yall latah. PEACE.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 17 - 01
Hey hey,
Whut up wat up? How you been? Chillin? I hear from some of you that you
are having fun, going places, etc. Mad tight. This past weekend was pretty
kool here in Dallas. Thursday we saw Final Fantasy. Friday was packed. After
the good ol' workout, my potnas and I high tailed it to mesquite. TI sponsored
all the co-ops to go to a rodeo. We got there pretty early so we ate at this
Texas Steak place. MAN, it was AWESOME!!! Talk about authentic texas style
stuff. Waiters and waitresses were dressed as cowboys and cowgirls, everything
was huge, there was a live country band and dance floor, the steak was AWESOME,
the "western fries" were actually huge potato wedges, and the cups.... freakin
HUGE. Anyways, i was in heaven. heh heh. Then we went to the rodeo. That was
kinda tight. Then my potnas and I visited deep ellum and gotta look see at all
the clubs and cafes and island music and island cafe's. It was pretty kool.
Anythin interesting happen with you? Hit a brutha up with the 411. Aight, on
to Scripture.
Kyoo, I read many things. But this passage in Isaiah took the cake.
checkit Isaiah 44:22,23
22 `I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the
morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.' 23 Sing for
joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, O earth
beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your
trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in
Israel.
I read this and I was like... tight. This message was for Jacob. But if you
think about it, Pops did the same thing for us. Like a cloud, he has swept away
our offenses. You know what a cloud is. They come and go, they form and
dissipate. And they are brushed by the wind as effortlessly as any. Pops
describes our offenses as such... a cloud. See, to him, it is nothing for him
to sweep away for the sake of you and him coming closer together, the maker and
the creation. And like the morning mist, he swept away our sins. What is mist?
It is even less tangible than a cloud. It is a mist. You can blow on it, and
it moves. You can give you hand a slight wave, and the mist begins to
dissipate. Again, it is like nothing. And Pops describes our sins as such, a
morning mist which he can sweep away only to reveal the beauty beneath. Man,
that is AWESOME. And he does this out of his unfailing love for us. Out of
Grace. And he still gives us the choice. He says, "return to me, for I have
redeemed you." He wants us to return, but he will not force us to. Nonetheless,
he has given us redemption, whether we choose to accept it or not is up to us.
But the invitation is there. So how has he doe such a thing for us? You know
him, the one they call the Christ. Pops so loved us, that he gave his one and
only son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish... Brutha man
Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price, when he gave his life, he took on the sins
of the world. Our offenses and sins were swept away, and through homeboy, we
received redemption. So SING for JOY, O heavens. Cuz Pops, man he has done
this. Matter o' fact, SHOUT aloud, O earth. Cuz there was more for us. BURST
into song, all of creation, for Pops... man, he has redeemed you and me. So
what is left, shall we return to him? He has made the pathway clear and offers
us an invitation to join him. Not cuz we deserve it, but because of his Love
for us.
Swept away,
our offenses they be,
Like clouds and mist,
for you and for me.
And that invitiation is right there, as a gift. Man, Pops is awesome, great,
and true.
Aight peeps. Time for me ta let ya go. This has been a production of mo'
word fo' yo' bird. heh heh. Peace out, hit me back wit a 411 if ya gots a
chance.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 19 - 01
Mornin' peeps,
Thursday... pay day...heh heh. Found out a lil sumtim about pay day though
that dissapoints me and needs to be fixed. Currently the situation is being
attended to... So, what's new? Nothin much here, same ol' same ol'. Workin,
chillin, liftin. heh heh. aight, on to scripture.
Kyoo, I read Mark 7:6-8
6 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you
hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their
lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.' 8 You have let go of
the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
As you may have guessed, homeboy Jesus was spittin this rhymes (that's just an
expression for "saying this words"). He was talking to the Pharisees I believe.
These words hold much truth. There are mad peeps out there who are playin' but
not feelin'. With lips, they say most def honor Pops. But their heart is a
whole other story. So, their worship is in vain. It's like tellin someone your
sorry... only to get them off your back. There is no depth in that, no truth,
just a facade. And so homeboy explains where some of this grows from --> when
teachings become rules taught by men (actually that's what was prophesied
through old testament badmamajamma Isaiah, Jesus is just making it clear). In
other words --> traditions take precedence over the words of God. That's wrong
yo. I mean, fa real, how we gonna place tradition over the very words of God
Almighty? man, that's just ludicrous. Yet we do it anyway and get stuck in a
rut. We let go of the Commands of Pops and hold onto traditions handed down by
men. And what do we gain by doing that? Did i say gain? heh, naw, we lose
something that was meant to be deep, profound, and true. Instead of feelin it,
we start playin it. There's a big difference when ya feelin the music and ya
don't. If you don't feel it, you're just playin, it's not in you, and it does
not move you or lift you up. It's the same here. Tradition merely breeds
repetition which breeds monotany. God is an awesome God and far greater than
traditions. Which would you rather adhere to: customs, or the personal and
tight revelations Pops has for you? The latter sounds a lil more excitin too
me. It shows that God will be doin some awesome things, maybe some things you
ain't never seen. But if we are stuck in tradition and place it above Pops, we
may not see what God has in store for us.
Aight peeps, back to work for me. I'll hit yall up latah. Peace out bruthaz
and sistaz. Keep it real.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 25 - 01
GOOOOOOOD .....afternoon!
heh heh. How are you doing? No seriously, how are you doing? I do take
conern in that. Cuz you are my potnas. Me? I'm doing pretty good. I think I
finally kicked that "too tired to wake up in the morning and go workout" habit.
YES! Praise Jah. So yeah, i'm kickin' it again and it feels good. This past
weekend I went to Schlitterbahn, supposed the world's largest water park... It
was aight. Then again, I'm not too much of a water freak soo..... Anywho, THIS
weekend, I am going Skydiving. oooohhhh yeaaaaahh. If you feel compelled to
pray, go ahead. It never hurts to have a lil prayer backin someone up. By the
way, Bucky, I'm praying for dawg. Aight well, on to scripture.
Kyoo, I read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not
love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I
have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but
have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the
poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I
gain nothing.
Man oh man, what is the gist of this? Man that is DEEEEEeeeep. First of all,
imagine speaking in the toungues of men and of angels.... just how many tongues
is that? mucho grande mi amigos y amigas. And, for that matter, that is some
feat. But wait.... if that kat has not love, he/she is only a resounding gong.
Ever here a resounding gong? You know how annoying it is? You know how it
causes some peeps to cover their ears instantaneously? ....yeah. And about
that clanging cymbal, thinkn of a kid about 3 years old with a stick and a shiny
shiny hanging cymbal in his sights... hmmmm ....yeaah. If we have not love, we
merely are such devices: sound without a direction, depth, or real purpose. But
that ain't it. If a brutha or sista had the gift of prophecy (receive a word
from Pops about what is to happen) and could undastand all....ALL.... mysteries
and ALL knowledge..... wow. That would be some kat yo! Can prophecy,
understand mysteries totally indescernible, and have all knowledge (did you know
that we only use about 10% of our brain, or so I've heard. That means there is
stuff that we know we don't know, and then stuff we don't know that we don't
even know....) And this kat knows all this! Wow. but wait, there's more, this
person also has the faith that can move a mountain!! You know, that faith Jesus
was talking about, the faith of a mustard seed, that if we told a mountain to
move it would? This person has THAT kind of faith!! He/she must be maaad
tight. But wait, if he/she has not love, all that great stuff abounds to
nothing for that person is nothing. How can that be? hmmm.... And what of the
extremely generous, they give everything they have and even sacrifice their very
lives? What about them? Well, if they have love, BAAAM its all good. If not,
they gain nothing. In otherwords, their act of "humbleness" was of no
consequence, a waste. So what is important above all things? Love. True,
genuine, earnest love. If you got that... MAN! You've achieved a great thing.
Because once you have that, all the rest are tight accessories. Bruthaz,
sistaz, strive to have love. It's the greatest of all things. And from it
flows many others. Strive to have love, that which is the very essence of Pops.
Aight peeps, time ta bizounce and do some work! Catch yall later. Peace.
OH, and HIT a brutha up wit an EMAIL!!!! heh heh.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 27 - 01
Morning all,
Man, I am mad tired, MAD hungry, and i want to be ravenous. heh heh, but
i gotta chill and wait for one of my potnas to appear. Meanwhile, it's hard to
stay awake up in this piece since i had about 2hr50min sleep. Not too mention i
didn't have dinner yesterday (the extent of my meal was two peanut butter
sandwiches, cookies, juice, water, and an apple at lunctime, and one turky and
cheese sandwich and 7 tiny piece of popcorn chicken at 920pm.) ....yeah.
Anywho, other than that things are dandy. Planet of the Apes comes out today, i
think, might just have to organize a movie going. yup yup. On to Scripture.
Kyoo (today), I read Acts 20:7-12. It's basically about this kat named
Eutychus who fell asleep as Paul was speaking (it was getting pretty late) and
he fell out da window (possibly), dropped 3 stories, and died. but then.....
10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his
arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!"
11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After
talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young
man home alive and were greatly comforted.
Now this is kinda tight. Here is brutha man droppin some tight knowledge. It's
so tight, that mad peeps remain to listen. It gets to a point where this one
kat still wants to stay and listen but is heavy with sleep, drops 3 stories and
dies. Now this is the kool part, Paul aka brutha man, simply goes does down,
throws himself on the fallen brutha and says "Chill," and "He's kickin folks."
After that he just waltz right on back upstairs, breaks some bread, and gets his
grub on.... as if nothing out of the ordinary happened! MAN! that is TIGHT!
Imagine that, for him, such events were common place. And he would allow Pops
to work through him, perform some miracle, and then be like, "yeah yeah yeah, do
about one o' those a week. Let me go take a nap now." What is this passage
trying to say? Basically, Paul and Pops, they were tight. The relationship was
FA REAL. They were so close that amazing things like this seemed commonplace to
brutha man Paul. Wow!! Imagine being in such an awesome relationship with
Pops, that through you He accomplishes amazing things on a regular basis! Yo,
we gots ta get to that level man. I mean, how tight is that? You and Pops,
chillin, and the duo performs many amazing things. There was something that
Paul had that allowed this to take place. He made his relationship with Pops
personal. To Paul, Pops wasn't some surreal, invisible, mistlike thing that
existed somewhere far away, nor was He just some superpowerful mammoth of a
being that just looked down on his creation and messed with it now and then.
Naw lo, and to Paul, Pop's certainly was not just sumtim to "believe" in cuz
everybody else did or to show off an image about himself, etc. nope nope nope.
Pops was a real, powerful, and awesome being that little ol' Paul could chill
with like he could the guy next door. Scratch that, it was more than like the
guy next door, Paul could chill with this awesome being like he was one of his
closest buds. That's where we need to be bruthaz and sistaz, that's how we
gotta make our relationship wit Pops. He and you can be tight, miracles can be
commonplace, we just gotta make it personal.
Aight potnas. Time fo' me to bizounce. Gotta get MY grub on, and then do
some work too. heh heh, peace out.
God bless,
- patrick
07 - 30 - 01
Mornin' Peeps,
Howdy doody? heh heh. So, did YOU do anything fun and exciting this
weekend? hmmm? I went skydiving on saturday. Man, that was TIIIGHT. Talk
about a rush. oh yeah. Checkit, 13,000 feet in the sky, you look out the door,
swing you feet around, no you are partially in and partially out, you look
down.... "What the HECK am I DOING!!?!?", your instructor rocks and says,
"1...2...3...", there is no longer any surface beneath you.... the world goes
quiet and all you hear is the rushing wind going past you ears, faster, and
faster, and faster... you hit 120 miles and hour and are at terminal velocity,
and spread your arms like an eagle. The fall continues.... oh man, it was
awesome, that's all I gotta say. On to Scripture.
Kyoo< I read James 3:9-12
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the
same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should
not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the
same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a
grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh
water.
Yo... that's some knowledge huh? How true is that. Our tongue is like a
double edged sword. With it we can pierce the very hearts of men and women, we
can crush the very confidence of the most controlled person, we can uplift
someone, we can also give confidence, not to mention melt the hearts of men and
women. That thing is mad powerful. It ain't no joke. But checkit, how are we
gonna praise Pops with it, and then turn around and curse those who are made in
his Likeness? How are we gonna spit praise, and then spit the most unwholesome
things? There are other examples, but i wont get into that cuz that's kinda
nasty. But anyway, it makes sense that this should not be. Something that is
giving out good should not also be dishing out evil. How can fresh water and
salt water flwo from the same spring? It can't. It's either fresh, or it is
salty. Now the tongue, man by nature we use that bad boy to raise us up. I
mean, you gonna say what ya gotta to keep you above the rest... maybe. But we
gots ta train that bad boy. Remember the greatest command? Love. Love, potnas,
is the greatest command. And if you have that, then what you'll be spittin will
be surrounded by Love. Hence, that bad boy is tamed. Let us not have a salt
spring for a tongue. A salt spring doesn't encourage life; the salt takes the
water; you can't drink from it and be refreshed, and if it gets too salty, all
it breeds is death (case in point, the Dead Sea). Do you want that to be your
tongue? Naw lo, not me. A salt spring can't produce fresh water. So let us
strive to have a fresh spring. It encourages life; when peeps come to drink,
they are refreshed; life is abundant there.
Aight peeps, I hope this reaches you in good spirits. Chill out, relax,
work and play. No doubt. peace out.
God bless,
- patrick
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