A scary week

Following my second half resolution, I have now come again to the end of another week (week 10 - wow!! I cant believe it!). This week was a scary one, not any fault of mine - well let me reconsider that, because it is the sin of the whole human race in what we have done and left undone. So what happened this week? The threat of tornadoes upon tornadoes. All students, faculty and staff who were in the building  when the sirens went off had to assemble in the basement. Mark you, I thought what I was hearing were the sirens of police cars or fire trucks although I could not see why their sirens were on for so long or where they were located. Of course no sooner had learnt that there was a tornado warning and I had to go in the basement. While in the basement I had a pretty stimulating conversation with the president of the college while we watched the weather report on the television. We spoke about many things among which he said that tornadoes are uncommon this time of year. Since I have been here I have been hearing many of that saying: 'this is unusual this time of the year', in relation to the weather. This is something that is happening the world over. It is the same cry in the Caribbean, Asia, Europe ect... Weather systems and patterns are changing. This as I hinted at, is the sin of the whole world. We have polluted, and destroyed the earth over the years both in what we have done and left undone. This is a sin that we don't hear the religious fanatics preaching very much these days, they are rather fixated on what people do in the privacy of their bedrooms while the world in which we live is being destroyed. We need to hear more sermons on taking care of the environment and actions too! In the meantime until all the measures are put in place to start taking better care of the environment, we will continue to face the consequences of our actions, then we'll be calling on God as if it were God who came and made a mess of the place.

I'm baaaaack!!..... dont know how luddy I am though

Well I havnt been blogging for a while....cant explain why, because I dont know what happened, but Im back to it now. Well guess what today I am exactly 2 months away from my departure day and exactly 2 months since I have been here. Hence, I am in the middle of my journey. It is also the mid October! Ohhh and before I forget, guess whats coming up soon? Mid-term elections...do you sense a theme here?? Yes! Middle/Mid/Center/Half(however you chose to put it). What does middle mean? well for me it means another half. So far the first half has been bitter-sweet(more bitter than sweet); a time full of challenges,some fun and fellowship(with myself mostly). Now that I am in the middle its time for some quick reflection, reflection on the past half that will guide how bitter or sweet I spend the other half.  Thank God for middles, times of pauses, evaluation, reflection and regeneration. Continue to keep me in prayerful thoughts one and all!

Enlarge my territory

 Today as I sat on one of the park benches by Butler University I watched two squirrels at war. One was in the acorn tree and the other was in a crab apple tree. The one from the crab able tree went into the acorn tree to collect acorns. The one in the acorn tree was not happy about the intrusion and chased the un-welcomed visitor up and down the tree until he ran out and went back into his(and i KNOW it was a 'him'...there were quite obvious external features.lol) crab apple tree. As I reflected on the action of these two squirrels, I thought of how territorial we can become at time as human beings. When someone else is interfering with our territory we become defensive most times. For a long time Jamaica has been my territory but now that I am here in exile, although my location has changed I have brought with me, my territory. And I dont no one to mess with my territory. What is my territory? my songs, my thoughts, language of Zion. In this sense, the children of Israel also brought their territory with them when they were made captive in Babylon....thats why they found it difficult to say YHWH's song in a strange land. They found it difficult to translate their territory in the context of the Babylonians. Eventually however their territory was enlarged and they learnt to live with the new environs. I pray that as I continue to sojourn in this strange land, the I AM will seek to enlarge my territory beyond the shores, the songs, the language of Zion.

Put on yu clothes! its time for war!

Its that time again when Mr Heat and Mr Cold are at war for the dominant place in the atmospheric ecosystem. Guess what? Mr Cold the merry old soul seems to be winning thus far! Man! the place is getting cooler....too cold for what I am generally use to. I am not in layers yet, but from Saturday night I have had to back out my long sleeve clothing {OJ you knowing what I talking 'bout.lol.}. So its now bye bye to all the short sleeve shirts I enjoyed when I just came here (makes me wonder why I even brought any in the first place). Anyway guess what? Its time to put on mi clothes because its time for war!!! But even during this time of war, I mindful of the fact that whether in cold or in heat, in snow or rain Masa God a God. God will speak through the cold as he does in the heat.

Derailed!!

Today I woke up at 9:00am....this has been the case for a couple of mornings well except on Mondays and Wednesdays when I have an 8:30 class (which most times i'm late for - only by 3mins the most). Maybe I am still jet lagged or Im just not a morning person. I prefer to believe it's the latter. So i got up 9am, completed studying for philosophical theology class for 12noon. When I got there only to hear that the class was cancelled. I immediately headed back to my room and slept. Now that Im awake I feel sooo refreshed. This is the usual routine of my days.....wake up, go class, sleep and of course intersperesed with the regular routine of bathing, eating, cooking ect ect.... Zion is a heck of a place! Its like prison here. Although this sort of thing would be more or less my daily routine back home at least there will be other little activities to do. Dont you get what I am trying to say??? I have been derailed!! My whole system, my whole life. In the meantime what do I do? I just rely on God to continue to 'hold mi right hand'. And as God continues to hold my hand, I know I have nothing to fear...'tingz already beta'..So Im not really worrying. God  'rails' me back every time, and will continue to do so.

Rain Rain! Dont go away! Please come again another day!

Rain Rain on the dry thirsty land! Today I saw rain (real rain - tropical type rain) for the first time in over a month! I was really really appreciative of that. By the way talking about over a month...on Sunday I celebrated my 1 month anniversary in the 'strange land'! I totally forgot and tomorrow I will be counting down exactly three months till my return to the Caribbean Isle. Anyway back to the rain. It was really nice to see the rain falling and to be able to run to my room and straight under the blanket and sleep through the rain! It was awesome , reminded me of my childhood days in Westmoreland whenever the frequent summer thunder storms came. I hope this rain is symbolic of the break of the drought period in my life that I have been for the month I have been here. I have been reaaaal thirsty! Thirsty for hugs and kisses and smiles and warmth. But the rain fell!! Let's see what happens in the days to come.

No Church Sunday

Well...my bicycle has not been returned as yet...I have a good feeling to 'put fiyah a mus mus tail', but ill refrain from doing so. Today is Sunday and I am home. No church for me today. The lady who was to bring me to church fell ill suddenly so I get to stay home. From morning I have just been keeping still and knowing that Masa God a God. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place (my home). God isnt confined to a dwelling made with hands. God is everywhere - "the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof and all that dwells therein". So even on this traditional 'church day' I have stayed home and experienced the presence of Masa God. Well I have some readings to go do now for Miller's Philosophical Theology class tomorrow (thats another headache - just joking)....later.