Monday, April 30, 2012

Crucial Words that Begin Crucial Questions.

What. Where. How. When. Who. Why.

If you've never asked yourself a question beginning with these words then you're either Super human or not human at all. These words constantly bombard us from the moment we wake up. It's quite the norm to the say the least. We wonder "what will we have for breakfast?", "where are my keys?", "how am I always running out of sugar?", "when should I get groceries?", "who keeps parking in my spot?" or "why did it have to rain today?". The usual everyday questions that wrap our lives into a bearable chaos.

But, what about the specific, deep rooted versions of these questions that we fear to say out loud or even admit that we think them? "What's going to happen if I leave or if I stay?", "Where am I truly meant to be?", "How am I going to get through this heartbreak?", "When will I meet my Husband/Wife?", "Why did you take him/her away?".

There are a million specific and crucial questions we dare ask God. Let me challenge you, If God never told you the answer to some of your most painstaking questions, would you still trust Him?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Sonny on a cold night.

It's not everyday that God brings people who have a relentless fire and passion for Him across the seas and right to your doorstep. The day after the P.O.D concert, my brother and I had the wonderful opportunity to hear and meet these extraordinary human beings, who essentially were just like us, a bunch of nobodys who only by God's grace and perfect love know of a better way, a way to experience and know a merciful and loving God.


On April 12th 2012, I met Sonny Sondoval of P.O.D and co-founder of the Whosoevers. One of the greatest and life-changing moments of my life. I want to be clear here, it was not because I got to meet the singer of my all time favourite band. Far from it, it was life-changing because he expressed and put into words a heart that God had been creating in me for the past 3 months. And I was reminded of what God told me years ago, to serve Him fearlessly no matter the cost.



Praise God for allowing me to share with Sonny things that have been on my heart, things that have changed in me because of how God has used this movement in my own life. Sonny is such a chill, sweet and humble person. My heart burned with fire as he spoke to me about his own heart for this generation and young people. 



He's also the easiest person to talk to, straight off the bat we joking about the concert last night and how I had so many chances to take his hat but I didn't want to be rude haha! Really tash...rude? You know what was crazy though? As soon as he saw me he goes "oh you were in the pitt right?" I'm standing there like a deer caught in headlights like "What! You remember me!?". He then said "Yeah of course! You were right there going crazy and I saw your T-shirt." I was both embarassed and honored haha. We spoke about his family, the upcoming conference, P.O.D, prayer and a whole bunch of other things. My brother and I walked away feeling so refreshed and ready to take on the world. It was surreal and I still can't believe I had those conversations. Wherever you are now with God, don't be afraid to do more and be more. If you've walked away or never even known Him, let me tell you...He is waiting for you and ready to make you new. All you need to do is come exactly as you are. 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

P.O.D Concert, how I survived.

Let me start off the story with this picture of the aftermath. This is my brother and I... a complete mess, drenched in sweat and water with our brother Ryan from the Whosoevers.


Sonny the Lead singer


Its a cold and raining Wednesday afternoon. We have 3hrs till the concert and I'm contemplating whether to go for a run or not. This is how my mind processes situations like this: "it's only rain, it's not like it's acid, plus I had pizza...though I should save some energy for tonight, but this could be like warm-up, I don't wanna be stretching anything in the middle of a mosh." Conclusion? I ran, not too far, but enough to get absolutely drenched.

Now, I'm staring into my wardrobe thinking, "what does one wear to a rock concert?...black tee, black pants...ALL BLACK EVERYTHING?" And indeed this was my attire of choice, wore my Whosoevers tee, which got me looking like I knew what I was doing.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I entered the floor. There were a surprisingly large assortment of individuals among the crowd - parents, grandparents, little kids, young adults, adults, teens, tweens. Anyone who was there to supervise were congregated towards the back safe from flying sweat, loud speakers and spontaneous limb explosions. My brother and I crucially strategized before we entered the building, this strategy was altered as we got closer and closer to the stage.

Phase 1: Find a clear and safe spot to scope out the crowd and find a possible path to the front.
Phase 2: Take that path to the outskirts of the mosh pit.
Phase 3: Cross through the mosh while in full motion, this avoids having to push through people who are just standing.
Phase 4: By this point, we would've been in the very front center of the stage. Mission complete. Or so I thought, ahhh I'm such an amateur.

After the opening acts had finished and the stage was finally set up for P.O.D. It was game time, literally. There was only one girl between me and the railing, I was comfortable and there was a decent amount of arm room. As soon as lead guitarist Marcus walks out, it was like ripples of waves slowly crashing toward me. By the time the entire band was on stage my face was flat on the back of this girl. My brother and I got separated by his intent to remain close to the mosh and mine to get the best view of the band. As soon as those sticks hit the drums, the crowd turned into an orchestrated pool of caged animals, it was insane and I became one of them. The crowd was so uncontrollably heavy and compact that lifting your arm turned into a 10kg bicep curl. I was squared by two skinny 6'3 guys on my right, a huge 6'0 guy on my left and hundreds of screaming, jumping, pushing people behind me. In that moment I could only pray that God keep me from being accidently elbowed in the face or that one of my shoes don't go missing. I quickly got use to the non-violent passionate violence, the harmonious screams, the prompt water sprays by security and the inescapable thumping, grabbing and jumping that every beat exerted out of every person. Once lead singer Sonny belted out that first note I remembered exactly why I love this band and that tonight was all about release.

I screamed every word I knew like a mad woman. I jumped and pushed as much as I could signifying my love for the song, for the band. But it was rough, the crazier the song, the crazier the crowd, the crazier the mosh. On the very first song Sonny jumped onto the crowd, right on top of the two guys on my right. We all pushed him up and around, I was soo ecstatic, I couldn't believe I was helping Sonny crowd surf haha! The crowd pushed him back on stage and he stood on a platform right next to the railing overlooking the crowd screaming and singing directly into our eyes and hearts. I couldn't believe how close he was. Waves of people pushed toward the front even more, as they tried to get a hand on Sonny. Hands reaching out towards him for a touch. One of the greatest moments in my life happened as I stared him square in the face screaming back to him the same words he screamed to me and seeing all that passion explode like a furnace in his eyes and on his face. He pointed directly at me as I furiously mouthed his song as if saying, "yeah you got it". Life was almost complete. UNTIL he passes me the mic, this happened 3 times, this is why being in front is amazing! Myself and whoever was next to me start screaming the chorus into it. Out of the corner of my eye I catch my brother. I pass it back to him avoiding the snatching hands. Him and whoever was next to him start going nuts, screaming the chorus into the mic. I turn to the stage and see Sonny jiving, smiling and laughing. After the mic makes it's way back to Sonny, I turn back to my brother and we exchange agreeing looks as if we were rock stars. Absolutely epic.


Sonny


Because I was so pressed to the front where the crowd resembled swirling, crashing waves it was important to stand my ground. If I didn't I would've easily have lost this amazing spot. So the best thing to do especially if you're not as physcially apt as the bigger, taller guys around you is to find a couple of anchors. These are guys preferably in front of you who are strong and have sturdy position despite how crazy the crowd gets. Thank you Lord for giving me the best anchors a girl could ask for haha. These two guys had moved in front of me to protect the girls getting squashed at the railings, it was perfect. There was never enough space to turn around to see how the mosh was getting on in the middle, but THE ONE TIME I do turn around, who's facilitating the mosh!!?? - clearing the area, forming the circle and getting everyone hyped...MY BROTHER. Hahahha I was cracking up thinking, "thiiiiiss guy".

Their set list was too good. Of course they dished out "ALIVE" ,but my favourites was when they ripped "Southtown" out of nowhere, Oh man I swear I turned into a crazy, territz pokemon hahha. "Satellite" was their encore, to which everyone went 5 times harder to. Another big favourite was "Boom", this was one of the song where he passed me the mic, I'm still trippin. Sonny got the meenest swag on stage, he goes N.U.T.S and then off stage he's sweet and gentle. I loved that he shared about God and that he was all about everyone having fun and just letting go for the one night. When it was all over, my brother and I were so drenched, deaf and voiceless. As if the night couldn't get any better, my bro spotted Ryan the co-founder of the Whosoevers and we went over and had an amazing conversation about the movement, God, Fiji, who we were. He was so stoked to see I was reppin The Whosoevers with my tee, he was so keen to introduce us to Sonny who is the other co-founder of The Whosoevers. I swear I was going to cry, but lame event staff was kicking us out. So, we told Ryan we'd meet him tomorrow and he could introduce us to Sonny then. I need to make sure I don't start balling in Sonny's face hahha. ANYWAY...that easily makes top 4 amazing moments of my life, up there with giving my life to Jesus. And yes...my entire body is a little sore.

Forgive me for my lack of high quality and quantity pictures. It was actually impossible to take any kind of photos in the position I was in. The photos I did take I risked the safety of my arms for lol.


Sonny... again
Pictures: My own

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Treasures of the Week: 2nd Edition

If you don't know what this Treasures thing is learn here .

And just like that another week's whipped past and I've once again accumulated quite a varied and large amount of assorted treasures. I am quite pleased with what my browsing has both forced and laid before me. I really love coming across unexpected videos that normally the mere thought of would make me cringe and thus proceed to the beginning stages of an impressive vomit, but then I click the play button and I'm genuinely bewildered at both my resistance to closing the browser and the AWESOMENESS that this video in no way entailed from its title. YouTube has taught us never to let a title or tag dictate our actions, unless that title says "My wedding with Justin Beiber" or "Avatar 2" because you will be rick rolled and you will feel stupid. Here is the 2nd edition to 5 prettaayy interesting treasures of the week.


(1) Drew Ryniewicz - First Audition on X-factor 2011
Okay first of all shes 14. Second of all, I'm not a "belieber" (blasphemy!), but I do respect the kid, real talk he seems like a real chill/nice person. BUT YO, after this I think I actually like a J.Beiber song. If you want to skip to the singing it's at 2:33. I was pretty blown away from watching her, because I did not at all expect anything like this in the most remote way possible. I agree with Nicole and I also agree with L.A Reid's finger action sing-a-long. Can't beat the mum tripping out backstage and her son on the side trying to low key grab her arm like "mum calm down your excited arm swinging will actually knock out the guy in purple." Her mum reminds me way too much of my own, and I think she kind of encompasses what most mothers would do in that situation....an uncoordinated Krump. Good job Drew.



2) Interview with Pro-Skater Lance Mountain by Crail Couch
Its only 2mins watch this, remember what YouTube taught us, no judgy by title! Lance Mountain was a hugely popular skater in the 80s, and immensely contributed to the development of the skateboarding world alongside other big names like Tony Hawk, Mike McGill and Steve Caballero . He was also 1/5 of the legendary Bones Brigade, if you didn't know, now you know. AND he also helped invent those finger boards that kids use to do little tricks with everywhere. I would also like to mention he was sponsored by Stussy. In other words, hes an O.G. AND he is a brother down for Christ, servant to the living King. COOL. So as random as I am, of course I would come across something like this. This interview is so fresh man, it's so funny and how about that smile, he's just such a classic guy. The questions are just what you'd ask naturally in a conversation and Mountain seems to respond like he would if that guy was a friend, a cousin or a neighbor across the street. It was just one of those few interviews where I felt like I could join in, like when he makes that Laker reference, Lebron doesn't even play in the West coast, ohh Lance, you so silly. Crack up though when he's talking about that "slam-mam" kid, then the next question goes "What was his real name" hahaha ohh you skaters are too much.



3) Gwyneth Paltrow covers Haper's Bazaar March 2012 Issue
Absolutely some of the best editorial photos I have ever seen of a celebrity. She's 39, not an inch to pinch on that body, phenomenal. All credit to photographer Terry Richardson for these super slick, playfully firm and captivating images of the mother of 2. She wears a Anthony Vaccarello dress and Givenchy sandals...as you would right?





4) When we think we're smarter than God
We've all been on this train, and taken it all the way to Heartbreak Lake, Fail land, Guilt forest or Emptiness Beach. Hilarious Jesus lover Justin Cox tweeted this picture and at first glance I was like "wait what does that small print say?". I wasn't humored in the least as I kept looking at the picture. I felt a mix of relief, contentment and conviction that I wasn't in that position that boy is in anymore. THEN I laughed because Jesus' face is like "BOY YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN, I GOT YOU, JUST NOT THIS ONE!!" Way too many of us don't want to understand the plan or we do but for some reason we think we have a better one and if that's how you think then YOU OBVIOUSLY don't really understand the plan. Single-hood is an important and perfect place to be because it is here that you lay your foundations and develop spiritual, personal and financial maturity. It's also a place where God will use you in ways that would not be possible if you were in a relationship (I Corinthians 7:32-35), so let's all just calm down cos' pretty sure He knows what He's doing.



5) Rapper Propaganda on challenges and sacrifices that describe him
Speaking as a Pacific Islander, our youth is widely Americanized in what we eat, what we listen to, watch, wear etc. We have reappropriated and taken on American culture fusing it with our own creating a hybrid that many of us have grown to hate and love, it's ironic. What's even more ironic is the fact that Americans have no idea the extent to which their culture is affecting remote parts of the world in aspects of thought, speech and social interaction. And yet when they come across it, they're surprised? When I first saw this video, I'll be honest a trickle of anger fell on me when he described how "shook" he was that this man all the way in Cameroon would know a term like "nigga". Wake up America you are on a peda stool, you are swaying the habits of this world whether you like it or not, this has been a reality for hundreds of years. But when Propaganda started sharing about this whole new perspective and responsibility of correcting these misconceptions of the American experience, I just thought "wow I'm glad there are God fearing people out there who are socially, culturally and globally aware of the Americanized epidemic". Yes, there is a loss of the emphasis on conserving our Pacific heritage among our youth because of misconceptions of the American experience, but the blame cannot be laid upon that alone, like Propaganda we too have the obligation to correct our own perceptions of identity.







Pictures: Gwyneth Paltrow - http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/cover/gwyneth-paltrow-interview-0312#slide-4

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Today I...

Headed to uni to check out Student Life's "egg a Christian" event. Student Life is a Christian, university based student group. The whole idea was to get word out on the real meaning of Easter, so they have a couple Jesus lovers lined up and a couple volunteers about 7m away and they egg them. Afterwards, the egg throwers get a little lowdown on what actually happened on Easter and the importance of it. Genius stuff.



There were 2 reasons I was there, (1) I wanted to see a Christian get smashed in the face with an egg (2) I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get my own evangelizing on. So a few posts ago I had a heart attack because The Whosoevers are coming to speak in Auckland. This is a global movement that I believe in and am passionate about with all my heart. More than anything I want word out about what they do, who they are and what they stand for because I truly believe people especially youth will be able to connect with them on a level they never thought they could connect with anyone on.One of the co-founders Sonny Sandoval tweeted a couple weeks back to "spread the word fam" on their coming. Yesterday, those words were just ringing and ringing through my ears and getting lodged deep into my heart. So out of nowhere I just decided to make quick little flyers on Word with details of the event and try and give them out at uni with the intention of sharing about the movement and hopefully about my own faith. NO JOKES, I have never done this before on my own. I've done the tiniest bit of street evangelism, but I don't really think standing around in an empty alley way with traits counts, I mean it does, but that's the extent to which I've done outreach and that was with my youth group in Fiji. THIS TIME, it was just me, these flyers and the Holy Spirit. You know what though, I wasn't nervous at all, I was more excited than anything until...I got to uni. That's when ish got REAL haha. I watched a couple Christians get egged, then the Holy Spirit turned my attention to these boys sitting down, I scoped them out and stared at them for a good 10mins, nervously waiting for a good time to go over. All I said to myself was "In Jesus Name, confidence of the Lord, who cares" ....walked over GOT BOUNCED. HAHA, No it wasn't that bad, they just said "oh no thanks". It killed my excitement, I'll tell you that. But in that moment God reminded me of how people turned their faces and backs and refused Him when He approached them or the thousands of missionaries out there who get beat and sworn at for even mentioning His Name. In that moment God reminded me that the first step is always the hardest because it is the most real. So with His courage because HEAPS I had, I just carried on and starting scoping the spot like a NBA scout lol. Since there were Christians in the crowd I decided, "yes they should be cool", and ICE COLD they were. I asked these 2 girls if they were part of Student Life, they said "yeah", to which I responded, "Oh then you guys will be down for this" acting like I just saw them, BUT REALLY been stalking them for 15mins haha. It was perfect, I shared a little bit about what it was about & who was going to be there. One of them got excited because she loved Rapture Ruckus. We exchanged cards, a.k.a they gave me some student life traits and I gave them some leaflets to give to their friends and we went on our merry way.


As I walked away I felt tears swell up and my heart fill heavily with gratefulness. I realized how faithful God is in the smallest moments, how He was with me in every step I took toward someone. I felt something I had not felt in a long time, that burning desire to tell the world and not care if I'm deemed insane, boring or stupid. And only God knew today would be that day I step out of my comfort zone and confront a hurting world head on. Praise be to a God that changes lives no matter how deep the sin and uses them for beautiful beginnings. Now thinking back to everything that happened today, I know every detail was part of a perfect plan. I'm going to go again tomorrow, this time with my brother and I'm going to meet Jesus wherever He calls.


Picture: My own

Monday, April 2, 2012

Eat the Rainbow


If you look to your right ------------------->
you'll see that on my Bucket List is to make a Rainbow Cake. I'm still unsure if I want to do a color mash-up like Jay did with Linkin Park or if I want to do an epic 5 layer rainbow. I feel like doing 5 layers is an easy 6hrs of labor. However, these pictures do serve as very convincing motivation. *drool*. Its more the colors I want to eat then the cake itself. I have a secret dream to make a Laker colored cake, don't judge me. This will happen.