Thursday, November 13, 2003

this is the final in the origenal series pak series i will have to write some more in the weeks to come

B.Y.O.B.
(Bring Your Own Bible)

Pak looked at his old wornout Bible. It was given to him by his youth minister when he entered highschool. It wasn't really old it just had a lot of millage. It had survived 4 years of highschool. The back was taped on because of a skateboarding accident. The edges were dirty from regular (or not so regular) Bible reading. Paper and old bulletins stuck out. The "gold" letter was worn off.
He opened it up and a flood of memories returned as he read the notes on paper and in the margins. He found a note from a girl asking where he wanted to go to eat after church. There was a book mark the mother of a friend had given him. It simply said Matthew 5:14 - 16 but reminded him to be "the salt of the earth" and a "light to the world." He read a whole lesson on Acts 2 that he had written in the margin of his Bible. He was amazed at how much information he had crammed in a space smaller than 1/4 of an inch. He also thumbed through the old bullitens which had accumulated in between the last page and taped on back cover.
"This old Bible is like an old friend. I am glad we have all these memories together. I am glad we journeyed together." He thought to himself as he placed his old highscholl bible on the shelf of his new college dorm room.


Tuesday, November 11, 2003

another glimpse into the life of Pak and his friends this is a story based on a skit that i have performed in the past but i don't know who the author is.

A LITTLE DIRT

Pak was excited about seeing his best friend, James, who had just bought a car. They had grown up in school and church together. When James pulled up in his "new" used car Pak ran out to meet him. "Wow, man, this is a cool car," said Pak as he walked around James's mid-80's green Honda.
"Thanks. Want to take it for a ride?" asked James.
Pak hopped in the car and James backed out of the driveway. They cruised down the road with the stereo blaring and the windows down. Pak was looking around in the car thinking James was so lucky. In the glove box Pak found a pack of cigarettes. "Hey James you don't smoke. What's up with these?"
"Oh, those are nothing. Me and some new friends of mine cut class for some smokes down by the river that's all." James answered.
"Who are these new friends?" Pak said suspiciously.
"Jimmy, Todd and those guys."
"Wow, man, they have a bad reputation! You know Todd has been to juvenile hall for theft."
"I know that but they are great guys and a lot of fun."
As Pak listened to his friend he still searched the car and found a six pack of beer in the back seat. "O.K." Pak declared, "This has gone too far. Take me home! I am not riding with you. Not if you are going to hangout with Jimmy, Todd and 'those guys'. Not if you are going to start smoking and especially not if you are going to start drinking!"
"Don't get uptight Pak. I'm not a bad person, I just want to sow some wild oats. I'm tired of being a 'goody﷓goody'. I want a new image, a new 'James'. Anyway, a little dirt never hurt anybody."
"Fine just take me home."
They rode home in silence. James knew he had upset Pak. He knew that Pak did not approve of his new lifestyle. He also knew that he valued Pak's friendship more than his new friends. As they pulled into Pak's driveway John said, "Hey, Pak, why don't we go in and get a coke and talk. O.K.?" They walked into the kitchen. James sat at the table while Pak grabbed a 2-liter out of the fridge. He poured two glasses of Coke and walked toward James. He put his glass down and then carried James' glass over to a house plant and put a handful of dirt into his glass.
"What on earth are you doing Pak?" exclaimed James in surprise.
Pak answered James with a smile on his face. "Well you said a little dirt never hurt. So enjoy your dirt!"

Thursday, November 06, 2003

in my effort to reprint some of my old bulletin articles and youth zones i have stumbled across some old friends i want to share with you. over the next few weeks we will see some stories about them. you will meet pak, zoon, james and the others i will also give some info about their origen as well.

This morning I am beginning a series of articles that will center around a young man named Pak. We will get to ride "shot﷓gun" with Pak as he experiences life. We will share in his ups and downs and meet his friends along the way.

REVELATIONS

Pak had been roller blading with his buddies all morning and stopped for lunch. So he skated up to a hamburger stand for a burger and a sports drink. He sat down at a small cafe style table to eat. He watched his fellow roller bladers as they jumped over park benches, chairs and an old homeless man.
Pak did a double take and stared at the old man for a while. His feelings toward the man were a little scared and a little disgusted combined. Scared because he had been warned to stay away from street people. He had always thought of them as crazy drug addicts who wanted to bully money out of people. Disgusted because not only did this homeless guy look and probably smell bad but he was also in his friends way. "I am glad to be young," he thought to himself. "I am also glad I am not some homeless guy who doesn't have the drive to get a job. I am glad I don't mooch off of society."
"In fact I have a job at a pizza place and I contribute to society through some volunteer work. I wish more people were like me!" Pak was feeling very proud of himself. So proud of being better than any homeless person. Especially the one over there. Then he noticed that the homeless man was looking right at him. At that moment the blue lonely eyes of the old man met Pak's energetic brown eyes. In that moment Pak saw the man for what he truly was. He was not a scary street person, he was not a jobless bum, he was not a crazy drug addict and he was not an obstacle. No, the old homeless man was a person just like Pak.