My Incredible Life in the Stagghouse...sureee...

Beauty is rarely in the eye of the beholder

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:08:00 +0000

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

This adage, always a sneeze on the shivery day of my mind, has never been as perceptible to me as it is now, "as a (wo)man thinks (s)he is, so is (s)he"... the power of faith, in anything really; belief in something, positive or negative, is profound. Personally I believe in God and appropriately, my faith is in Jesus.
But really the truth is what I do not have faith for, I cannot believe and what I cannot believe will not come alive; it will fester like the corpses of men who were ordained kings but died as slaves.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; funny thing is that it rarely is.

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:19:00 +0000

Why is it so easy to forget, to forget stuff? Why is it so easy to hide our tears behind our eyes and just laugh the day away?
What is it about music? Oh God, what is it about music that drives the soul crazy? What is it about music that brings down Your presence? Do You love music more than you do us? Why do I keep asking these stupid questions Father?
You know what, most people will diagnose Christians with schizophrenia if they really listened to our Christian stories; please don't listen to mine. What will you think of me after I tell you about my stories? What if I tell you I have talked with God! Talked with God, and not just talked to Him!
Is music a drug? Do we even know what we sing; did the Beatles REALLY understand what they sang about? Does George Micheal know what he's saying when he sings "Praying for Time"? Do I know what I'm saying right now? Am I just some weirdo who keeps writing trash? Do I ever know what I'm talking about?
Really I have not said anything yet, and I do not want to take you on a suspenseful ride. I don't just writing for the fun of it; I hardly do that, I just do it most of the time. Right now, I can only get a glimpse of something, I don't know what it is. Is it something God wants me to say?
Kind of random question: Who are you? Who are you? Do you know?

NASTY!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:48:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 13 May 2008 21:29:00 +0000

How the heck am I supposed to know whether to play mellow music while writing poetry, or go workout, or stay in and read my Bible when I feel like doing all of them at the same time? Lord help me. Haha. I'm crazy, do You know that? Of course You do, but You get the point. Of course You do. Oh I'm rambling ain't I? Or should I have said, "am I not?" Lord thank You for making me laugh; You are a serendipitous God aren't You? Is that what You wanted me to find out? That everything works together for the good of those who love You; that my pain and weaknesses are made whole in Your love and strength? Ah, eternity has never smelled better; a keyboard has never felt sweeter. My backside hurts; I've been sitting down too long, haven't I? Does that mean I should go work out? I don't want to work out anymore; I just want to stay here and write something, maybe a poem, maybe continue my book, maybe...

I can't believe I haven't taken a shower; oh yes I can. Haha. I need to get stronger...for You...through You.

Diablo Rojo

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:19:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:16:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:23:00 +0000

I am sitting in a lab at school; I'm sitting on one of those spinning office chairs, and I just realized how comfortable they are. I'm reading Material Science, listening to Beethoven, nothing special. I just returned from a bathroom break (I love how awkward it is that people wonder what someone emerging from a toilet actually went in to do, you know, which one of the possible two...well, there are so many other options: pick your nose, check to make sure a friend is doing okay in there, burst a pimple, dance in front of the mirror; but that is besides the point. I find it funny that people find themselves involuntarily thinking which of the two someone did; or maybe I'm wrong, and the person who told me that he/she (for the sake of confidentiality) thinks that is a weirdo).
Anyways, have you ever thought about shaking hands with someone without knowledge of what the hand has been used for? In a way, the archaic elitist tradition of not shaking hands with "a commoner" is smart because I just saw a kid walk into one of the toilet stalls, do whatever he did (I don't really care which in this case), and walk right out without washing his hands.
Thank God I never shake hands with him.

Speaking of thanking God, Mat. Sci study seems to be going well considering that I have skipped two weeks of class, and so, something came over me and I started thanking God. Then, a small voice at the back of my mind asked,

Do you only thank God because you see what He is doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:29:00 +0000

If there's so much I must be, can I still be me, the way I am?

God's goodness

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:38:00 +0000

I can't understand why God is so good to me; sometimes, I feel like I'm the luckiest person in the world. I don't care that it is cliche; that's the way I feel. Some days, I'm just so perfect in my gifts and there isn't even a tint of insecurity with the things that I am not good at. I don't think I give God enough credit for all He has done for me; I don't care that it is cliche, that's the way I feel.
No matter how much we thank God, it cannot be enough...I don't think that's true because when we realize how much God is doing in our lives and we praise Him for it, we are constantly sitting by His throne. And even when we think we don't thank Him enough, God quiets our troubled hearts and says, "This is My son with whom I'm well pleased."

I wish I could've lived in the days of the prophet Elijah, dined with King David, talked with the apostles John and Paul, and walked with Jesus...What glorious thought. Bless the day the thought was birthed. How glorious it would be if we spent all of our days thinking about Jesus; what secrets He would reveal to us.

We are the world, we are the children

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:42:00 +0000

It's confusing sometimes; life's confusing. I see autistic kids (that almost sounds cool doesn't it?), and kids with Downs syndrome, and I'm confused. It's sad because I can only do so much; and that kills me because I know I can do more. Maybe if I stopped buying clothes and geared all my money towards foundations for disabled kids. You know, when I sponsored the Louis Abayo from Rwanda, most of the pain and emptiness that I felt whenever I watched clips of "World Vision" started fading; and I thought, maybe, I've done what I am supposed to.
But, it's back again. We live in a very foggy world; we don't see beyond our stupid rooms. And I feel so stupid sometimes when I lose consciousness of the things happening in the world around me.
Do something about the situation of children in the world; make a change! No matter how little, take that first step. Children are the light of the world, and they do not need to suffer, if we can do something about it! DO something!

World Domination

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:54:00 +0000

1 Corinthians relates to us God's love, in that He cannot allow us to be tempted above that we are able to bear. This revelation should impress in us, not a frivolousness in our mannerism in the world, but an acute sense of victory. Usually, we are plagued by constant reminders that we are flesh and blood, and not the spirit that Paul so readily refers to us as. These temptations cut deep into us, more than we usually consider; and increases our frustration with God and thus weakens our faith in God. We begin to think things like:

God, why did You give us eyes to see then? Why didn't You save me from this knowledge till I am married?
Why would you put me in this a position where I have to lie to keep my friendship? I don't want to lose this friend!

In this first case, lust eats into our soul and makes every little joke we hear appear risque; there is no innocence in our hearts anymore. In the latter case, we are often very willing to lose God instead of our "friends", even if just for an evening.

But, we forget the words of 1 Corin. 10 which instill the fear of God back into us: we remember that 23 000 people were killed for fornication; we remember the number that did not make it out of the desert as a result of their idolatory, and we shiver (and rightly so; for God is a God of judgment).

In my preceding post, I touched on our race; I emphasize the importance of running that race knowing we run for a prize. Many Christians believe that we all have equivalent rewards in heaven, and I do not necessarily oppose that; but if one does not run the race (with fear and trembling), as though for a prize, how can God take it? For we run in faith that our prize is everlasting life in God; can't you see the glory that awaits us?

Hearken to this analogy: the world is like the Microsoft Word application; if you are Nigerian, or British, you always think you have terrible spelling because Word always underlines your words in red! But, once you realize that Word is erroneous by highlighting your words as wrong, you can continue to type on in faith, only glancing from time to time at your spelling.
Do not "live" in this world, but renew your mind with the Word of God; conquer your mind every morning, and its urgings will turn more and more into static, as you radio in on God's station.

Strive not to fall

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 13:02:00 +0000

"I therefore so run, not as uncertainly..."

Oh, don't worry; it happens all the time. You'll pick yourself back up.

So many times, we have received such encouraging words from our pastors, and friends. With certainty, if you pick yourself back up, you'll be fine; thing is you're all dusty and scarred. You honestly can't be thinking about running this holy race with grimy clothes! What will others say? Trust me, they'll say a lot.

"My grace is sufficient for you; my strength is made manifest in your weaknesses..."

Why do we have to worry about cleaning ourselves up when we have the grace of God through the blood of Jesus? Who cares what the world throws at us; at the filth that litter the path to our salvation? Jesus cleanses it all; when we pick ourselves up!

It's not all good though, because in a race, if you stumble and fall, you have to pick yourself up and try to catch up with the persons ahead of you. That's where the danger lies: when we fall, we lose our momentum and have to start building it up again; and this is not an encouraging period. Many Christians have fallen away because they became fed up with this regrowth season.

Strive not to fall, but when you do,

"...run the race that you may obtain the prize..."

that is our command in Christ.

Friendship

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 03:43:00 +0000

Friends...who can live without friends? It's a huge shock to come into the midst of friends after a period of solitude; it's like coming back to 20 degrees of Potsdam from 87 degrees Florida, except warmer, a lot warmer. I wonder what makes me believe that I can survive without friends? Maybe it is a result of being told in my younger years that I had too many friends; maybe it is a selfish pride that does not want to give because it cares for itself or receive because I think I can do it on my own. Whatever it is, it is a wonderful place to draw strength from; it's just like a man who sees his house, which he worked all his life for, going down in flames and runs into the acridity and darkness to save his cats. When he emerges on the other side, cats bundled up in terror against him, he understands that the important things in his life; he realizes that the loss of his house was not that bad after all: he appreciates the feline creatures completely at that moment. I've seen my house go up in flames, and I have gone in and saved my cats, and even though I will mourn my house, I experience not only solace, but true joy from the mewing cats in my arms.

Friendships are very easily made and very easily broken. In their early stages, they are like shooting stars, shining brightly for a period, and then they disappear. After this, someone has to go in search of the dust the stars leave behind, and often, an incredible surprise awaits: love. Isn't that incredible? Isn't that what we all want? Love? Ah God how can we not hear Your voice at times? After all you've done for us; after all the pieces of stardust you've blown onto our paths; how can we forget. How can't we forget? The world weighs us down; it makes its demands on us. Delusion is compulsive. We are deluded into thinking the world is real (now I sound like John Nash, no insult intended to his personage), which it is in a certain manner of thinking. But really, this world is just a thin veil in front of a very real spiritual world where God reigns over everything. The only reason we don't see His kingdom is because we are on the Island of the Lotus eaters and with every bite of the lotus we share with the natives causes our minds to circumvent the otherwise obvious world that God has laid out.

Where is the man that will look eye to eye with God?
I'll do it and die, if He suffers me. Why do I want to continue living in this schizophrenic state? Hmm....because I have a destiny, we all have our individual destinies: God has a perfect plan for our lives and it will cause Him pain if we don't live it out. Go out there peoples, the world, our world, desires to be reigned over.

I love Labib.

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:07:00 +0000

God does not live here anymore. Why do you seek for Him here? You have driven Him away with the words of your mouth and with the pride of your heart. Your eyes can only see as far as you are able to. Your wisdom clouds your justice, and your justice takes away your vulnerability. You cannot feel and so you cannot love; you cannot love and so, you cannot be of God. Despair and bury yourself beneath the earth, and so let her spit you out.

But listen to the voice of My heart and I will save You, says the Lord.

Poetic Genius

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:29:00 +0000

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 04:55:00 +0000

"And unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall rest upon His shoulders..."

With certainty, I proclaim Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of the world. He came to this world as a man and died on the cross, on the third day, for our sins.
Some of us have fallen away; return home, for you never really fell away. It is so easy to "break habit" and forsake the grace of God and live for yourself and the world. The world is not for you. What is it? What entices us? Sex? Pretty girls? Fame? Fortune? Pride? Be careful what you choose because you are going to live with it and die for it. No matter what situation you are in, you have a choice; never forget that.

Never take that for granted. Christ is revealed through His works. His revelation awaits manifestation in the hearts of man.

Wow! It's been a week since I last posted a note. Wow. How easily we fall away. Unfettered habits die young.

Hell's Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:29:00 +0000

There's no one like You
There's no one like You
There's no one like You Jesus

Are we waiting for Jesus to come? How are we waiting for Him? Are we looking over our shoulders every time a whisper about the end of days comes our way? We are all ready to be taken out of this sinful world, away from these sinful people. Really how are we waiting for Jesus? Are we trying to live out religion by doing everything "right"? Are we staying away from the danger zones for the sake of our purity. God calls us to protect ourselves from the fire of the world, but there is a place for adventure. Maybe we do not all have the same personalities and destinies, but we all have one calling: to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. I think we can love Him with more but we do not even know it there is any more.
Recently I went into a danger zone and I got burned, bad, at least by "my" standards (I mean God's standards). I could not look myself in the face, I just couldn't. But out of that place, I have come to recognize even the scent of sin, and Christ's place as the One who died on the cross. How can we expect to live out perfect lives? Maybe it's possible to live perfect lives if we live by our standards, if all we do is read our Bibles and stay among our "good" Christian friends. I'm not calling anyone out; stay in your comfort zone until you are ready. I can tell you from experience that it does not feel good to fail. If you fear failure, stay in your rooms. But if you know you serve a Living God, ask Him to prepare You. Maybe you will go in too soon or ill prepared like I did, but at least you would have taken that step in faith.
Once again, I am not calling any one out. Only the Spirit of God can do that. If I'm wrong, you'll feel nothing when you read this, but if I'm right, you'll know.

What came first the Word or the beginning?

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:46:00 +0000

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

This statement seems contradictory: how can the Word be with God, and also be God? I sit on a green plastic chair and ponder this mystery. What can it mean? I know the Bible is not false, and so, it is only wisdom that I lack.

"The same was in the beginning with God."

"God is greater than Jesus..."
This is another oxymoron isn't it? Isn't Jesus God? Isn't the Word of God a part of God? Reread this last statement. Do you see it? No, reread John 1:1. Ah. The Word of God is a part of God, but it isn't the only part. There is so much depth to God. Our wisdom barely scratches the surface, and saying this is pushing the limit.

"It is the glory of God to hide a matter and the honor of kings to search it out."

What glory! What honor! What a stupendous privilege! Glory and honor and majesty be to our God! Is it the journey that makes us kings, or does actually finding out the matter give us this honor? My answer to that is: Isn't it God who allows us to find out spiritual things?

"For if any draw close to Me, I will draw close to them..."

In that case, if any draw close to God, they shall drink of His glory and receive a crown of life. What is the way to God? Only through the Word can we draw closer to God.

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one may come to the Father but through the Son."

Glory

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 19:16:00 +0000

What glory! What glory to give up something of yours so someone else can become better through it. What absolute glory!

A murderous home breeds murderers. And few escape its grip.

When I pick paper and pen, it is an honor, glory untold. An honor I do not deserve.

Fight Your Battles

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Isn't it hard to be yourself sometimes? To just be goofy when you need to? To remember that you cannot really know what other people are thinking about you? Isn't it hard to be real when the world expects you to be a certain way?

Irrespective of how difficult it may be, it is something we are called to. Be yourself! Express yourself! Pick a favorite color, one that describes who you are, and guard it jealously lest it fade away. We can't all be red; there is nothing wrong with wanting to be the life of a party, absolutely nothing. But if it is not who you are, all your attempts will fail.

Be yourself baby! We must all fight our own battles!

I Feel Different in Your Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:16:00 +0000

Walking in -9 degrees weather is not that much fun. I don't mind it too much because I had no choice: it was my only way to get home. Yesterday i.e. the day that ended about an hour and 18 mins ago was a very busy day for me! Yikes! I don't have a lot of time this semester. Apart ftom missing cell groups, and having STAN time, I don't mind it at all.
God You are the missing piece. You do things in incredible ways. "God, there is something in the way You look at me, You make me believe there is nothing in this world that I cannot be." (Chistian Bautista)

...

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:56:00 +0000

The Lord is Lord of all. I will praise Him with my morning breath. I will bring gifts of glory and praise to Him. I will thank Him for sight; and for healing my body while I slept in the stillness of the night. I will thank Him for giving me comfort out of my comfort zone. I will praise You loudly: we have come a long way, You and I. You have weathered my storms and given me peace. You have made my ways perfect before the eyes of men and I am called a good man. When I fall, you pick me back up and clean the dust off me. You come down from Your throne and chide me when I do wrong. You purify my body with Your Spirit when I desecrate Your Holy temple. You answer the words of my prayer with joy. You do not tire of doing good. How can I praise You for all You are? Who am I that You have prepared my way before me? My spirit will teach my soul a new song.

God is King

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 05:13:00 +0000

God is perfect in all His ways, and it is the honor of kings to find His wisdom out. None of our desires can surpass our spirit's yearning for the word of God. Still your spirit's complaints and teach it servitude. Follow after the ways of God that your ways may be made perfect.

In all, God is King.

The "P" word

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:15:00 +0000

Prayer works, what can I say? Ever go through a dry period when nothing seems to be going right? Have you ever renegaded against God's authority? Have you ever lost control of your body and it seems like you are the slave and your flesh is the captor? Have you ever lost track of time and thus your vision? Yes, your vision: see the music industry give glory to God, end poverty, graduate college...If your answer to any of these is yes, read on; if it isn't, good for you dearly beloved of God, good for you.

Have you tried prayer? Have you cried out to God with the words, "Father, I do not know what I am doing anymore. I am hopeless and helpless. I don't even know if I can trust you anymore. But Lord I want to trust you; I want to give You everything that I am. I want to wake everyday with a new song in my heart. I want to know you more."

Aaah, that prayer: after that prayer, you wonder if you'll start at the same level, or if you will have to convince God to take YOU back into His trust. It's human to think that way. Does God think that way?

Well, I prayed that prayer and I am convinced that I came out of it at the same level, if not stronger. (I'm not improving my pushups though!) I know God loves me the same, if not more because I depended on Him until my cup was empty; and He refilled it with His Spirit.

Aaah, that prayer, my prayer, your prayer, our prayer

The Lord's Prayer

How Can I Say

noreply@blogger.com (Stanley) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:47:00 +0000

How do I say hello?
I just wanna talk to you
How do I say you're beautiful
When I can't take my eyes off you
I don't wanna say the wrong thing
I want just the right words to impress you
Mujer bonita, how do I say, how do I say?

Is God real? Is the Bible true? What is the difference between a miracle and coincidence? Is that God's voice or is it my mind? Is this God's will for my life?
Stop asking, take 8:49 minutes and listen to this:

"Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to WAR, and my fingers to fight...
Happy is that people, that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

Oh My people perish for lack of knowledge...If only they knew how much I loved them..."