Thursday, December 13, 2007

More Comikz

I love snowmen. And I love Calvin & Hobbes. Put them together...?

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

For the Winter Season



Concert tonight. YAYS! Playing in a quintet. Clarinet, alto and tenor sax, bass and keys. As well as the concert band. It should be... interesting to say the least. And hopefully playing-in-the-snow-full... :o) I heart snow.

Friday, December 07, 2007

A Christmas Tale

All is quiet on a hill
The wind whispers, blowing where it will
Long sighs fill the night
Sleeping herds make quite a sight
 
Suddenly, they're bathed in light
Sheep and shephers stand in fright
Swirling stars descend from high
Fiery angels fill the sky
 
singing a chorus of "Gloria!"
The shepherds fill with euphoria
Then with sudden vigour they run
to Bethlehem, to meet the Son
 
Running through the pre-dawn street
Yelling to everyone they meet
Coming to the stable-cave
And Jesus Christ who's come to save

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17
 

Sunday, December 02, 2007

White

White blanketing the ground
blanketing trees, roofs
as smoke curls
from the gaping mouths of chimneys.

Dark clouds part
like curtains after the night,
after a deluge of chips
of heav'nly frost.

I wake in the morning -
As the sun begins its lazy ascent –
to light glancing off the white;
a kaleidoscope of colour.

Beauty everywhere.

Out my window lies a tree,
dwarfed by the powder encircling.
It's green a promise of life

vibrant and full in spite of chill.
A survivor in the winter kill.
A time of joy and not of sad,
there is much in white to be had.

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Star-lit

Cloudless. Perfect.
The moon reborn
Perfet darkness
Pierced by a milky band

Biting cold
The crunch of snow
A well trod path
Marking where to go

Stars in their flight
Twinkling. Dancing.
Look up in the sky!
They're filling the black
with heavenly light

Stand on a hill
Watching heroes of old
A testament to their Creator
In each ancient form

Andromeda, Hercules
Orion the great
Cassiopeia, the Bears
And Boötes to shepherd them all

Under a canopy of lights
Shooting stars as they fall
Standing there in awe
In wonder of it all

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Lights and Sounds

Colours play against a blank face
Red and blue and green and white
Chain him where he sits

Captured by lights and sounds

Drama's twists and soap opera sleaze
Captivate a dead imagination
As she rests, a slave to fantasy

Captured by lights and sounds

Tin-canned laughter,
Moans, jeers and groans
Bend a will to emotions not felt

Captured by lights and sounds

An Orwellian reality defined by whims
Of moguls who laugh as the world
Pays homage to a glowing oracle

Captured by lights and sounds


Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Monday, August 06, 2007

Sunshower

The storm breaks
Rain pours down, drenching to the bone
Lightning flash and thunder roar
Darkness rolls in
Piercing the sky like the keenest knife
This is the darkest moment of my life

But then the sun breaks through
Scattering light through the dark
Then sun brakes through
And the sky blooms to life

This life breaks
Pain pours down, drenching the soul
Mocking jeers and laughter roar
Darkness rolls in
Piercing my heart like the keenest knife
This is the darkest moment of my life

But then the Son breaks through
Scattering light through the dark
The Son breaks through
And my soul blooms to life



Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Friday, June 29, 2007

An Update

I'm not actually supposed to be posting this.
 
Really I should be on a train (or at least, getting off the train by now...) to Montreal. I am supposed to be spending the next six weeks in Quebec working at a camp (I'm still not sure what I'm going to be doing...) and learning french. FON. I am actually excited for it, however it has been delayed by the Aboriginal Day of Protest and the fun time of having the railways blockaded. Sweet, eh? So, I'm leaving sometime tomorrow, but I don't know when.
 
Exams are over (obviously) and therefore the school year is finished for yet another year. While that is exciting, there is a bit of a bitter pill that goes along with it. My music tearcher, who is also my absolute favourite teacher, has taken a job at another school in Bowmanville. The band didn't find out 'till yesterday at our band breakfast. There were lots of tears on her part and on the part of others in the band. The school isn't going to be the same without her. However, we are getting a new teacher/conductor and that will be an adventure.
 
Its long weekend time. I'm going to be in Quebec for Canada Day, which the sepratists will surely make interesting...

I'm out,
Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17
 

Thursday, June 21, 2007

flOw

So, after writing my french exam (which took all of a half an hour to do...) I had nothing to do and found this on the computer. FON! And mildly addictive...

Play flOw

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Psalm 23

A little different from the version you're probably used to...

Psalm 23 in Jamaican

The Lord ah mi one boss, an mi nuh fi want nutt'n.
Ah Him ah prevent mi from tell off people everyday.
Ah Him ah gimme peace, when so-so madness a gwan roun' mi.
Ah Him ah remine mi fi pray an fi do everyting widout complain, murmur nor kiss mi teet.
Ah Him ah remine mi dat ah Him, noh mi job, ah mi source, aldough lickle more pay woulda nice.
Ah Him ah stap mi from mad a daytime, an' ah guide mi decision dem, so mi can honor Him inna hev'ryting.
Him ah prevent mi from shoot up di whole place, an' tun' all mi supervisor dem inna some duppy, so mi no haffi go ah prison, an' live mongst ah bag ah battyman nor get heng.
Even dough mi get one hole heap a e-mail, fool fool deadline fi work wid, have some co-worker dem whey a chat mi behine mi back!, some big heediat fi supervisor, an' ah ol' body dat kyaan' mek it a morning time, mi nah give up because Him deh wid mi!
Him presence, Him peace, an' Him power ah go si mi throu.
Ah Him ah raise mi up, even when di heediat dem nah promote mi hard working self, dough mi ave tree set a degree an' diploma.
Ah Him claim mi as fi Him own, even when di company ah threaten fi fiah mi, an' me ah threaten fi light wan fiah an' bun di hole place ah grung.
Fi Him faitfulness an' love betta dan any bonus check (but yu si mi, a check woulda elp out some time).
Fi Him retirement plan betta dan every pension plan outta road, but mek anybady try rob dis place yah an yuh see wha 'appen out yah tiday.
When unnu done talk; Ah Him mi ah go wuk fah fi wan long time
So Tank Yuh Lord

-Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

STAY OFF THE SIDEWALKS!!!!

So, exciting news in the land of Mike... I went to take my test for my G2 yesterday (after only, what... 17 months??) and passed!! w00t!!! So I can now drive on my own... look out pedestrians, here I come! jk...

In other news, there is only 9 (or is it 8...) more school days remaining before exam-scariness and then... SUMMER!!! As to what I am doing this summer, well that is still up in the air. The Summer Work Exchange people have yet to get to me, and thus all my summer plans or any summer plans I might make are on hold. Blah. I'm thinking I will give up on them soon and just do my own thing, get a summer job or what-not. I could go back to HV (4 Life!!!) but the parentals are not so hot on that as I am now driving and there are all sorts of nice expences which go with that. FON.

Anyway, today is the Junior High pool party for the grade fives, which should be fun, except for the slight wind-chill which is not so much. But it will all be good.

Waiting for summer,
Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Soooo...

So, I've decided that I can at least post *once* this month... lol, I have been both too busy and lazy to post for over a month, but FUN! I'm doing it now.

What have I been so busy with you ask? Band mostly. From going around doing fundraisers to delivering the goods to going to New York, yes ladies and gentlemen band has been crazy. Not anymore as it is now over (*tear*) but it was crazy...

New York you say??? Yes, New York. The Big Apple. Metropolis. Gotham City. The hometown of many a superhero and many a villan's evil plots. No worries, nothing went down while I was there. From 6:30 wake up calls to 11:30 nights, it was an amazing 5 day whirlwind adventure in the big city. And so much to do! The Empire State building is pretty sweet and gives you a nice view of the entire Manhattan area (on a good, non-smog-y day of course...). Time's Square with the hustle and bustle of THOUSANDS of people. The fact that the number of people in the city at almost any given time is higher than the population of our fair country (mind boggling that...). The Statue of Liberty, the Time Warner building, Radio City Music Hall, Juliard, Carnegie Hall, the Met Opera House in the Lincoln Center, The Met Museum of Art, BB King's Blues Club, STOMP!!!!, Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo... so much to see and do in so little time. We of course went to Ground Zero and my personal favourite place, Central Park. AHHH!!! It was amazing!

What else... oh yes, coming back to school and being unloaded upon in terms of homework (which I really should be doing now...lol), that was fun too. Trig Identities... w00t... ;D

So much, so much... and summer just around the corner.

I was thinking about making some changes here, and probably will be doing so as soon as I figure out the code for them, lol.

Anywho, I'm off to do homework...
Toodlez!
Mike

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Awakening

Check out the newest vid. from Switchfoot... sweet...


Wednesday, April 04, 2007

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Sometimes life is tough. Everything can be going well and then suddenly... BAM!... a family member is really sick, a friend had been in an accident, you're struggling with something huge, or some other major tragedy has happened. And you're sitting there thinking, where's God??

Why is it that we always jump to blame God for everything bad that happens in life? I guess it seems so easy... we can't see Him, and therefore we believe that there will be no retaliation for using Him as a scapegoat.

It is a really strange phenomenon. The Bible is full of examples of how much God loves us, how he knows how when a sparrow falls and that we are far more precious than any sparrow. He knows what is in our future and has a plan for us, no matter how dark things seem right now. I love the hymn

Friday, March 30, 2007

YAY!

I don't know how many of you have taken Drivers Ed. but I can tell you this... the in class is so BORING it is hardly to be imagined. I mean, it is seriously time consuming and, depending on who you get in your class, a loud and waste of said time.

But it is over!!! YAY!!!!

Only thing is... I now have to wait about two weeks to start the in car.... yech

Anyways, that has pretty much been my whole life for the last while... not a whole lot interesting...

Blah.

Mike

Monday, March 12, 2007

Designs

So yeah, I was basically bored at home all week due to a loss of wisdom (teeth, lol) and so I made this. Enjoy. Oh, and I am feeling quite rosey with their removal and am once again chewing, though not chomping yet... alas for my apples! Or at least my stomach...



Mike

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

PS

Sorry, a thought ocurred to me... if you want to check out the first seven songs which Switchfoot played at that concert (the ones on the LEGAL bootleg CD they were selling) or at any of the concerts they have played/ will play (as soon as the tracks become available) check out http://switchfootbootlegs.com. They are all there.

Cheers!

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Some Switch and Wisdom

Long time, no post...

But I have been busy.

For those of you who live on another planet, Switchfoot played in Toronto last Wednesday at the Koolhaus. And I was one of the privileged who got to go see them. OH YEAH! Switchfoot is pretty much my fav band, and really the first band I listened to (I don't count solo artists as bands...). They are great on CD. They are ama-za-zing live! The warm up band being really terrible made them seem even better than they would have been anyway (Copeland is terrible live... very boring, very stiff) I really can't describe how great it was. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll put up some pics instead.


Jon Forman pointing out at the swirling, screaming masses...



Various shots of the band, the last of which was taken as they finished performing Only Hope and launched into Dare You to Move, pretty much my two fav songs by them...

In other news, I'm pretty much in a bit of pain right now... y'know having my wisdom teeth removed and all... I've heard stories about how bad it could be, but I wasn't quite ready for this... in a word OWWWWWWWWWWW!!! So I have been refraining from opening my mouth and stuff like that. But I will survive... what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger and all that jazz... :D

All for now

Mike

Sunday, February 25, 2007

...Lightning!

Rain patters on the rooftop
Hypnotic in rhythm
Like a corps of drummers
Softly tapping out their beats

The soil churns
Lightning's heavenly light show
Seared into the retinas
Of awed spectators

The drums resound,
Angels rolling out thunder
The earth trembles
As the sound waves across the plains

And in an instant, all is still
Light and sound as mere memory
Stillness reigns in the quiet place
Except for the pitter patter of rain

Michael
________________________________

Brother in ArmsProverbs.17.17

Friday, February 23, 2007

Snowflakes

Walking through the powder snow
Its falling everywhere I go
Snowflakes coming from the sky
On to the mitts of passers-by

This gift from heaven falling thro the week
The beautiful patterns, each one unique
Catching on lashes like little hooks
Beauty everywhere one looks


Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

SIC

Soo, I just found this like 3 minutes ago... ergo I want to post it.
Flute playing to the extreme... this guy is cutting edge stuff...




m!ke

ps. I actually posted a poem like and hour ago and it was lost in e-mail cyberspace. NOT COOL

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Solitude

There is a quiet place I know
Where naught but a silent wind blows
Betwixt the trees and blades of grass
And over playful structures pass

In that place no distractions come
Not cars, not birds, or bees that hum
But only gentle whisps of cloud
Which wrap the sun as in a shroud

In solitude comes many thoughts
Which grow like plants from earthen pots
And pray'rs which stretch out to the sky
And to the heart where I'll ne'er die

In that space comes reality,
Like a fierce whirlwind none can see
Which buffet fact and fiction 'round
And make the knees to hit the ground

Yet in that place comes also peace
That in this life there is release
The greater one is yet to come
The joy of which will strike you dumb

Solitude's such a lovely place
To sit and think upon God's grace
And lift His praises up on high,
To whisper prayers to him by

which to let Him know of your cares
That deep down in His heart HE shares
Pray'rs of sorrow and pray'rs of love
Find their way up to God above

In the stillness He'll answer back
And touch the heart that has a lack
And in that weakness shall I boast
In solitude which I love most

Michael

________________________________

Brother in Arms Proverbs.17.17

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Welcome to My Life

So, I thougt about it and then I realized, for all the talking I do about faith-like stuff (and that it is sooo ensconced in my poetry...), I have never actually talked about my faith before. My "testimony" as it is called in Christian-ese.

Christian-ese: What is almost a seperate language spoken by many old or long-time Christians which often confuse non-Christians or just plain-old everyone. (Or nobody, depending on the company/word...)

Mine is pretty much like most other people who grew up in a Christian home. Family who goes to church every sunday, family and friends of family who are involved in ministry, et al. A kind of ghetto some may say.

(Ghetto: While the word has many different implications for different people, the word is generally used to describe a segregated place)

Anyway, I became a Christian at the ripe-old age of four (...or mebbe it was five?) and that was it. In hindsight I realize that at that age I really didn't understand all that made up being a Christian. More than that, I also think that at the time my motivation for taking that step was more to please my parents than any real belief. In any case, my spiritual life remained more or less stagnent for a long time. Sure, I went to sunday school and all the mid-week classes and stuff, and I could talk the talk just as well as anyone else, but in my heart nothing really changed. I didn't get it, and I wouldn't get it until I hit the ground hard.

Ahh, yes. The Dark Ages (not the medieval ones, I just like the play on words). The dark years of my life. The years where I learned to wear masks and hats. Following the usual path for someone like me, I pretty much crashed and burned coming into adolesence. Grade six to grade eight, I was one messed up kid. But as bad as it was, it wasn't as bad as it could have been and it was definetly a place for God to start working in my life. In hindsight, it really is only by His grace that I am who and where I am today. If I had tried to do things on my own, who knows where I woud be? It is not as if I just decided that God suddenly wasn't there, just that I really didn't want to do things His way at the time.

So He decided to give me a smack upside the head. I don't know when it happened, but I just know that somehow I was turned in my path and started heading the other way, towards God. I was still pretty weak, but God knew how to help me get back to health. Somehow I managed to get on staff at Hope Valley, and God used that tremendously. He gave me a great trainer and great senior staff to work with. He also gave me most of the people I count as my best friends, people who are just so amazing. I'm not going to embarass anyone with names, but y'all know who you are. Thanx.

It was at camp that God showed me so much of where I was going wrong. During one of the devos., the guy who was speaking said something to the effect of "Sometimes people who were 'saved' at a really young age really aren't. They may not really understand what it is all about, what the cross is all about, and so are missing what being a Christian is all about." While I'm not sure I agree with all of that, it had a huge impact on how I thought and where I was. At that point I think something that was missing finally clicked. I don't know if that means that at that point I was actually saved or whatever, but I do know that at that point I really started to get it.

So where does that leave me now? At this blog, or at least the idea behind it. Philippians 3:14, from which comes the name of this blog etc, says, "I press onward towards to goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (NIV). I'm pressing forward, never being satisfied with where I am, and taking you along for the ride.

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

As Long As There Are Exams...

...there will be prayer in school. At least, that is what several posters and bumper stickers I have seen claim.

I for one believe it.

With exams two days away (unless you are doing what I am supposed to be doing now and have to do in-class exams... o_0") prayer is definetly on the minds of many of the students at my school. Praying that they will get good grades on their exam, culmiating tasks, etc. Getting their priests to pray for their exams. Their is so much prayer in the air that we could be in Vatican City for all I know.

But in some ways it makes me sad.

Sad to think that we only reach out to God when we want something. When it serves our interests to reach out to Him. When we just want that little extra to supplement the studying we (*didn't as is often the case) do. How much more self serving can we get?
But at the same time, I can't be too condemning of that. That would be hypocritical. I know that I do the same some times, that I let my own selfishness come before God, and that it is something I will always struggle with. It is just a part of being human. But that doesn't give me excuse to do it knowingly.

So, where am I going with this? I have no clue, I really just rambled on.
Good luck with exams. I'll be praying for you, \o/.

Michael
________________________________

Brother in Arms
Proverbs.17.17

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Tools pt.1

So, I have The Rebeultion as one of my quick links in the side bar there, but I don't think I have actually ever mentioned it. Oversight on my part.

I found The Rebelution recently while surfing then net, checked it out, delved deeper, do my usual checking for credibility thing. And since then it has become (or at least the forum has become) a primo spiritual resource for me.

Alex and Brett, 18, define a "rebelution" as being a "teen rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly world" (paraphrase, I think...). One of the best articles I have read recently is titled My First Shower Nearly Killed Me and it outlines the idea much better than I possibly could. They area also currently doing a "Modesty Survey," which I have a nice picture for, where girls ask questions about modesty and guys answer. The asking part is over, but if any guys still want to participate the option is still open.

If it seems that I am pushing this site, it is because I am. It is just a really great resource that I think everybody should check out at least once. So, go ahead and give it a shot ;)

Cheers!
Michael
________________________________
By the grace of GodJob.33.23-28

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Interesting

Not life.

(╥_─)
School is really annoying right now... exams and stuff. Culminating tasks. Blah. English.
Blahx2.

However, as this is my first post of the new year, I shall look to the positive. As in, I had an awesome-possum holiday, full of friends, food, fun, food, friends, fire, friends, strangers, et al..
:D

EMOTICONS.


So, during my meanderings on the internet I came across a rather impressive article on emoticons and a rather impressive list OF emoticons. Including an emo EMOticon. I was happy. XD.

(///_V)

Anywho, I'm bored and procrastinating (which, concequently, is also a good song by Stellar Kart) so I had better actually get to work. Or listen to my mp3 player. Whichever comes first.

Cheers!

Michael

By the Grace of God
JOB.33.23-28