Hood Soldiers!
O.2008.5.25.s.11-12phj.L4.kc.during the service, but I was at the rock.
L.2008.5.28.w.11phj.L4.office

Three new Soldiers!
We have three new soldiers!
Three new soldiers in the hood!

There are three new Junior Soldiers, from Mayor Wrights (that hood)!

Last Sunday!
They were crowned!
I mean, they were recognised!

If you do not know, The Salvation Army (we) is also a church. I mean, we are doing the most good, but we need all the help we can get to save the world (so to speak). Now, since we are a church, we have this membership program (or a recognition of the followers of Jesus, because who does not want to follow that Man?). To be a soldier is not directly connected to the idea of fighting in Iraq, in fighting in a war, or even in fighting in the mere physical sense. Excuse me for mentioning the country of Iraq, the rise of gas prices, or anything political. Please forgive me. All I am trying to say is that a soldier, in The Salvation Army, is a commited individual: devoted to loving Jesus by loving others. That is simply what is it. Being a soldier is not exactly the same kind of thing as it would be to join a Baptist church. Normally, when you join a denominational church, there can often be no commitment, no goals, no accountability, no discipleship, or love. Or something may be missing. But, joining a church can be good. Being a missionary is excellent. True that. No doubt. And being a soldier, with The Salvation Army, is also a worthy endeavor.

Three new Junior Soldiers!

Three kids from Mayor Wrights (Benny, Jesse, and Soucy) have became Junior Soldier with The Salvation Army, at the Kauluwella Corps (the Honolulu, HI area). But this is not bad. They did not sign their soul, their lives, their blood, their freewill, or their sense of reality, and give it up to the Devil. I mean, they did not sell themselves to a gimick. They did not even sell themself to church.

Following Jesus!

Being a soldier (or a junior soldier), with The Salvation Army, is not fundamentally political, religious (or judgemental to the outsiders), or even internally bias! Being a soldier, does not mean being a slave to The Salvation Army. Instead, it means becoming all that you can become. It means dreaming the dreams of Jesus. I mean, Jesus does dream for the end of social injustice. I mean, Jesus dreams for world peace, for social reformation (in a morally good way). Following Jesus does include the fighting for what is right, even for all night (but stand your ground). Following Jesus means being a soldier with integrity, character, commitment, and pose!

If you are not a soldier then remember that I am not officially one (yet)! In other words, I understand that those who read this may not be completely familar with The Salvation Army. Remember that I was raised in a Baptist church. In other words, I never knew that The Salvation Army was even a church (or can I say, 'denomination' in some aspects?). And the "The" in The Salvation Army is capitalized (becaused I asked already). I am saying all this because I do not want you to think that I am bias, that I am just all for The Salvation Army. I knew that The Salvation Army does the most good. I would see their advertisement during Thanksgiving football games (right next to Budweiser comercials). I would even see the bell ringers during Christmas. Our family has recieved food and presents, from them, during Christmas. I started coming to their Thursday club, in Oregon, as a teen. I came to their camps, and ended up working as a counselor at their camp in Oregon. Now, I am in one of their mission-year programs (Revolution Hawaii).
But to make a long story short, I love The Salvation Army for so many reasons. You do not have to believe me. We can talk about theology. Or we can talk about history. You can tell me about Theology, Christology, Angelogy, Apologetics (with no apologies), Hermeneutics, and who knows what else (these are a few of the things that I studied in my three years of Bible college). We can talk about theology and about how The Salvation Army is wrong with this or with that. I am very aware of all those details. I am. You may think that I write like a third-grader. I know that I can write simple. Can I? Yes I can. The dog sat on a hat. And the cat in the hat was born. Just kidding. But we can talk about Soteriology! That is like my favorite study because it is the study of salvation. I mean, it is The Salvation Army for a reason. We are saved to serve. Yeah? And we can talk about all this. I would love to. But let me give you a secret. I mean, let me tell you a secret. Beyond all these details. Beyond who is right and who is wrong with the details of theology or anything. And not that all this is not important. And we all must be open-minded. And pray that The Salvation Army can stay sounded in the Word of God. If they need to alter things then so be it. Pray for that. But do not yell and scream at them if they have something wrong with their theology. Remember, beyond all this. There is this field of history, a host of witnesses (like seen in Hebrews 11). I have seen so many witnesses in The Salvation Army. No offense for the ministries of Word Of Life. No offense to any other organization. But I have never seen a better organization. Can I post this on the front page of every newspaper, magazines, and books of this world? I am not trying to be bias. However, of course, I am very bias. But bias for Jesus. Beyond theology, is the element of simple closing the mouth and going out and living it. I have never seen more soldier, anywhere else.

Love!
Soldiers of Love!
Because Love is not going anywhere!
Why are we?

We are always in a hurry to leave, to exit the commitment of love!

Imagine with me, being a friend for others. Play basketball with them. You do not always have to tell everybody about Jesus, right away. Always be open to speaking about Jesus. Be that soldier with a mouth. But never be a blabber-mouth. Be slow to speak. beyond all that, visualize calmness in the mist of horror. That is the aspect of having joy (which is fundamentally deeper than mere happyness that is grounded on happening) over all else: over everything and nothing (Monster, Kaitlin Monster).

Joy Over Circumstances!

We will always make mistakes (my friend, Jeff Walters, agrees)! We will always fall down! We cannot get back up without Dr. Love. Imagine praying for help, for renewal, for revolution, for recognition, for rejuvenation, for resurrection! We are not spectators. We can get back in the game. Even during the fourth quarter. We are not the Cleveland Caveliers, for us NBA basketball playoffs 2008 fans out there. We are still in the game. And we have seen the back of the book. And we win. No matter the deficit. We can have that joy over the circumstances, as soldiers!

Soldiers!
Soldiers of resurrection!

We are soldiers of resurrection (Romans 5:8)! I know nothing better than that. Aint nothing better. It noes not even matter if you are black or white (Michael Jackson). If you are female, then you may be no longer a girl, but not yet a woman (Brittany Spears). Never mind all that. We are soldiers of the resurrection. We know that Jesus resurrected, first, so that we can resurrect, daily (Romans 12:1-2). I mean, we are called to dying to ourselves, so that Jesus can live in us (Lincoln Hawk). We can start that revolution (Rob Noland). Tomorrow is a new day, a clean slate, let's try this again: it is ok but you can do better (Fulton Hawk). Calm down and give it time (Kyle Smith)!I see so much hope and potential in this world (that is my idea, yes, me)! I mean, sometimes I get discouraged, especially when I forget how to cook correctly, or when I eat too much Dryer's chocolate icecream. Never mind that, we are all soldiers!

Back to the hood!
The new soldiers were hanging!

When you become a Junior Soldier, you recite this creed, this motto, which mentions that you will not take drugs, drink alcohol, etc. Last Sunday, they (those three, plus a few older teens from elsewhere) became soldiers. However, during that Sunday, I was at the Rock (The Salvation Army Corps. in Waianae, HI), for my last visit there (because I'm going to Oregon to be a camp counselor). So, I missed that special Sunday at our Corps. (church). Today (Wednesday), I was asking them about it, in the hood, and they were telling me about it. I even started telling others about it. Earlier today, a kid was like, "I don't know how to get there," but I was like, "If you want to come to The Salvation Army, go tell Benny. Don't tell me. I can't help you. Go ask him. And he will tell you all about it." That is the art of delegating, of management, of reproducing reproducers. I mean, not to boast about my wise words. And not to say that those words even worked. I mean, if it did then it is because of God, ok! If it is not, then it is as foolishness from my mouth (Michael Collins, Vancouver, Canada). Earlier today, also, another kid was like, "Isn't Salvation Army a church," and I was, "They are everything!" Sometimes even in a bad way. Sorry. But, really, we are doing the most good. And I am not a soldier, yet!


But!
There is Joy!
There is joy, joy, joy, joy in The Salvation Army!
I mean, there is a revolution, a resurrection, a world-wide social movement!



And!
It starts with us soldiers!


But!
Go get some sleep, soldier!
Until farhter instructions!
And please, relax and smile a little!