God, the Devil, and Surfing
Posted: Sunday, November 23, 2008
by David Schlesinger
http://www.bigisland-bigisland.com/index.html
Hawaii is Beautiful, it is powerful, it is the only place I think that I would fit in at this point. I have been here since I was 13, and it is extremely different from my birthplace Chicago.
Hawaii is also sad. Everyday it seems like more of the beautiful aina(land) gets eaten up by strip malls and golf courses. I believe that I can feel the aina's anguish. Call me insane, but that is what I believe. I get wrapped up in it sometimes, as I watch my home change.
When I was 16 my view changed. I was surfing, in waves bigger then I had ever dared to go out in before. Probably 25 feet tall.
I was definitely out of my league.
It was a struggle just to make it out.
When I did, I wasn't out there for five minutes when I saw a big wave on the horizon. I tried with all my might to make it out past the incoming wave, but I didn't know that on a wave that big you don't go over it, you go through the middle of it.
Right when I got to the top, the thing waterfalled, and took me over with it. I went down deep with less then a full breath.
When I came up, I didn't have time to catch a full breath, before the next one drove me back down.
This happened five or six times.
Finally I found myself underwater, and out of breath. I gave up. I reached my limit. I was ready to suck water.
Then I said to myself in my head, " God if your'e out there, I give up, help me if you can"
Bam, the next instant, I'm not talking second, but that instant, I hit the shore with my back, and I stood up in waist high water.
My best friend found me about ten minutes later sitting on the shore holding my head.
He thought that I had died.
I probably should have.
It was proof enough for me.
Definitely made me appreciate my breath
I have seen more proof, but those are other stories.
One of the easiest way to define and possibly find belief in a higher power, or god, is to talk of the opposite, a so called Devil.
To me, the Devil is not some red horned monster with a tail, but simply the negative energy department.
When talking with people about this, and I have talked about this with quite a few, that is how I refer to it.
That little voice inside that loves to see you suffer.
The voices that bring uneasiness, fear, anger, and all those other negative feelings.
The opposite of the calm steady voice that brings peace.
I have been through a lot in my 33 years.
Ups, and very low downs.
I just gave thanks that I have had the chance to experience life, and do my best appreciate the moment, because that is all there really is.
2 Scoops Aloha David
Aloha= Love and the breath of life. Gifts that god gave us.
Dedicated to Bruddah Tex
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)David,I appreciate you sharing this story. And I cannot help but totally agree with this: "the Devil is not some red horned monster with a tail, but simply the negative energy department..."Aloha Ronyae,
Thanks for reading my article. Realizing the true form of that negative enrgy helps us overcome it.
Blessings.
All you ever neeeded was to acknowledge Him and call. Great story. Now it gets even deeper, you called in need how many call but don't get an answer right then and there? Only God knows why.Thanks for the comment, you are right, all i needed to do was acknowledge him and call. I actually wrote this in response to Tex's article on depression, and left it in the comments column, but I thought that I should make a article out of it.
I just read your article on God's word in our day.
Being raised with my father as agnostic, and my mother jewish, I have had limited teachings from the new testament.
I have had the feeling for a long time that things are stirring, and like I told my wife when we got together, the day martial law comes down, then we see the true face of the players that are manipulating humanity. I don't think this will happen for a few more years though.
3.5 maybe?
I don't know, but I do my best to just appreciate the now, and be ready for a rocky future.
Aloha David
P.S I will try to keep up with teaching in your articles in hopes of learning more of the New Testament. I believe that Jesus was the Messiah, sent here to set the bar on what a human could live like.
I also believe that the second coming, is us. All the believers. The children of God.
Christian Jews and Muslims.
After all, we all have the same father.David, the bible is hard for those who don't know where to look. Yet the messages are right before us if we look with simpley at the message and know the formation of it. The media supplies the direction. For years the passages I write to sat but because of what is happening today they are coming alive, literally jumping off the pages. Yes even scoffers a fulfillment. I saw a show last evening about how the return of the messiah that is tied to the Jewish wedding celebration and the rapture. There are 14 steps in the ceremony. Yes lifting and taking away the bride to the new husband. How does this relate, think of Jesus and Paulk as Jews and all will be clearer. You many want to start there because Jesus as a Jew will fulfill that ceremony, "the wedding feast of the Lamb'. Yes Jews are no more then our brethren who rejected Jesus but when they see Him they will see He whom was pierced. Yes I hope to be writing more the next few months. God bless.
Thanks for sharing this simple story of faith. Being a surfer I too have experienced that moment of surrender that brings you back to life. It's a blessing to experience it and a wisdom to acknowledge it for what it is.
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