Thursday, December 3, 2009

About Daryl

Introduction. We often wonder what gives a man his worth and how his difficulties define him. How is it some men are able to thrive in the harshest of environments and the most unreasonable circumstances? Is he priced by his possessions? His relationships? Perhaps his purpose and convictions? Or maybe we are molded and formed by failure. I have learnt that I am not supposed to spend life just searching for answers and for what is better. I have discovered that when I take inventory of what I have, I find out how blessed I am. But I have also found out that we are all saboteurs. We are all naturally selfish. We become the proverbial leech, always taking from every relationship and draining people, constantly wanting more. Is it a surprise that we have become so dissatisfied?

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Twenty-seven. Almost. It seems too soon. I feel that my true age is lagging about 6-7 years behind. It seems like I only just discovered life. I've only just discovered that all the answers I have been searching for lie in the questions of others.

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Beloved. I am Daryl. A little wooden keychain, sold in christian bookshops, says that my name means beloved. It was only when I reached adulthood that I realise it to be truth. My identity is found when I know that I am loved. You can imagine how cheesy the scenario was when I chanced upon that keychain. I was rummaging through my desk drawers when I found that silly wooden sales gimmick. It is so strange to have the realisation come from such an uninspiring product. But it is what it is and I am what I am.

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Believer. The word Christian was first used in the early church. It was used to describe the followers of the radical teachings of Jesus. I would call myself a Christian if it wasn't for the negative connotations that came with Christianity as the world would know it. Ultimately, I am a follower of Jesus and a believer of the Word. I attend and serve in my local Church.

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Worshipper. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
| John 4:23-24 |

I've heard this verse quoted so often and so pointlessly that it seems that we've lost the impact of it. The Greek word translated as 'worship' in this verse is 'proskuneo'. And it means to prostrate, or to revere, or to adore. This brings to mind the scene of Mary at the feet of Jesus, anointing them with perfume. This is adoration, this is worship.

Who are those who worship him? I am.
God is. And I must worship

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Musician. I have been involved with music from a very young age. I took up piano in primary school and went for vocal lessons. I stopped music lessons when I was in secondary school but continued learning by listening to alternative rock instead of radio hits. I would listen carefully to the lyrics of the songs I loved and write them down in my notebook. It didn't matter what genre the song was from, rock, indie, hip-hop, or nu-metal. I would study them all like poetry.

I picked up drums just after primary school but insecurity prevented me from really pursuing it. Back in church, I was fourth choice drummer in a worship band called Dunamis. The band had 4 drummers. It wasn't till 4 years later during a Teachers' Day concert in school that I hooked up with my first band and played 'motorcycle drive-by' by Third Eye Blind. I remember my geography teacher coming up to me and gushing like a groupie about how well I played. All I could do was blush and mutter something about the amount of time we spent practicing.

I picked up the guitar sometime after my O' Levels. It started off as my secondary instrument but all that has changed. Maybe because now, I have a song. And when you have a song, it helps to have an instrument that can sing with you. I lead worship and play primarily in my church worship band.

And there is a gift and anointing on your life relative to music. Not just drums. But when you play, the Glory of the Lord can come... ...Go with your musical anointing. There is a strong anointing upon you in this regard. And as you begin to play upon the instruments, the influence of the Holy Spirit now comes and the Glory of God can come.
| Nathaniel Wolfe - Spoken during a prophesy |

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Writer. I started writing poetry early in secondary school. I believe it was my cousin Keith who got me interested in poetry. He stayed in our house for a couple of years during his national service. He would constantly have books of poetry by W.B. Yeats or Edgar Allen Poe lying around in his room. Although I understood very little of what was in those books, I loved the effect it had on me. The gentle calm as I whispered those words to myself. I wanted my writing to cause others to feel the same.

I started blogging in January 2003 with the purpose of getting over a bad breakup. But as I continued to write, I found myself learning more about myself. Even today, as I read some of my earlier posts, I am baffled by the changes in writing style over the years. People tell me it is linked to developments in my character. Others say its the books I read. I think Grace just needed a case study.

Jamie Tworkowski caught my attention with words that gave hope to youth with depression and suicidal tendancies. He focused me to re-read Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. Don changed my perspective on life and made me think that there might be a purpose for 7 years worth of words after all. He taught me about the power of conversations and the healing of honesty. I was introduced to Anne Lamott who is basically a mother with a filthy mouth and insights that reveal her teachable spirit. Anne Rice, my favourite vampire author, encountered God and became a believer. She blew me away with her revelations on Jesus and her understanding of Jewish culture. Rob Bell, pastor of honesty and scything questions, gave me the impression that he knew almost everything about everything. All brutally honest communicators. All passionate authors. Just like Jesus.

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Travel. I want to travel. Not just to holiday or to see the world, but to give something of myself to people. To leave an imprint of Christ with the people I meet. I've visited a few countries in the first quarter century of my life, but being young and ignorant, there were so many things that I did not take note of. I saw but I did not feel.

I've been to Israel when I was in primary school, but at that age, I was more interested in practicing my football techniques with pebbles along the roads than learning about the rich history and culture of God's chosen people. I've been to New York but being there with my parents visiting relatives seemed a little boring to me. I was too preoccupied with disguising my inferiority complex with vices. I've been to the United Kingdom, to Finland and Sweden, to France, and to Australia. To Myanmar, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and China.

How can you even attempt to change the world when you know so little about it? I think Mother Teresa best describes it when she reminded us that "Jesus said love one another. He didn't say love the whole world."

I pray for opportunities.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."
| Mark Twain |

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Love. This is the essence of all that I will attempt to write about. Because where Love is, God is. As you encounter these words, it is my sincere hope that you encounter God and find that He is not stuffy or boring like you believed. I pray that these words will awaken and inspire you to see the good in the Life that we have. I pray that you will experience the Love that is God.

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