Dustin Ahkuoi

I don’t usually blog on Saturdays and I usually don’t blog out of anger …but today I am breaking all of the rules. I want to share a magical tale with you today…please read it with an English accent…

There once was a fair maiden and a young lad who decided to venture forth into an unknown land. It was a magical land of sugary happiness that many a soul had told them about. A land where Swedish meatballs and throw pillows danced in the sky beckoning to every wandering chap that would enter the gates of this kingdom. One day they jumped on their stallion and galloped gracefully to see this spectacle that was known as…IKEA.

Upon arriving they were filled with great anticipation and wonderment. The crisp yellow letters and the rich blue tones of the city walls immersed their hearts in a state of euphoric bliss. As they entered in the gates they looked up like a child at his fathers feet to find a palace of cooking pots and wall sconces that they thought existed only in the mythical days of yore. They were guided along by a muse that took them to cathedrals of warmth and chambers of sweet ecstasy. They felt as if they had plunged themselves into an ocean of mystery as they found themselves swimming in treasures that formerly were only available to those who were of noble, royal stature. 

They gathered up curtain rods and bedroom dressers by the bushel full and laughed together while singing songs of joy and victory. Every soul around them was frolicking wild in free in this flowery field of music and dance. They left forever changed as they took their prized possessions back to their castle.

Upon arriving back at their abode they found themselves anxious to recreate the serendipitous atmosphere that was still dripping of them like a child coming out of spring pool. They placed their indulgences in every room of the house and spun around together while observing their felicitous surroundings.

Several fortnights later they noticed something that troubled them. The fanciful pieces they had collected from the aforementioned land were beginning to wither and collapse. They begin to shed tears of despair as they watched the relics of IKEA fall to the ground like a great oak in the forest of Arden. Their once delightful home was turned into a wasteland of imitation woods and Allen wrenches. They never returned to that deceivingly magical land ever again.

The End

The morale of the story is…DONT BUY CHEAP CRAP FROM IKEA : )

When you take the chains an throw them to the ground

When you realize that you were never bound

When you breath in deep and stand in open space

Then taste the kiss and drink in the embrace

Oh there’s nothing like freedom

When you love out of the person who’s inside

When you sing out loud without the need to hide

When you taste the tears of all your fellow men

And hold them near remembering where you’ve been

Oh there’s nothing like freedom

Colors blend together

Doors are opened wide

Bonds are made that none can sever 

As you jump into the tide

When an dollar bill is just a means to give

When a house is where you share the life you live

When the toys you own can never hold you down

And the bills you pay can’t keep you on the ground

Oh there’s nothing like freedom

When the room is filled with all the souls you’ve loved

When your body’s failed but now you rise above

When the things you’ve left behind are more than things

And the song you’ve sung continues still to ring

Oh there’s nothing like freedom

I typed the title of this blog post before I realized what it might sound like…and then I kept it cause I thought…wow what an edgy super cool name of a blog : )

Over the span of my Christian life I have had the privilege of being involved in a variety of different sized churches. I was raised in a church of 100 or so people…worked full time at a church of 200 plus people and now I am heavily involved at a church of 5000 plus folks.

When I was in the smaller churches i used to wonder what it would be like to have awesome facilities and the ability to worship God and use creativity in a big way. Now that I am in what is considered at “mega church” I often miss the personal connection that came so easy at the smaller churches.

Something I am learning through my experiences is that despite the size of a church there are two things that never change. The incomprehensible bigness of God and the undeniable needs of just one soul. Both of these truths can coexist no matter what the size of the church is.

Am I simplifying this too much? 

Check out this video we (Catalyst) sent via email for the upcoming 2008 Catalyst conference. It is a push for folks to register before the early bird deadline…

That was fun to make…hopefully you got a laugh out of it!

What keeps you from going after your dreams?

Fear? Inadequacy? Laziness? Doubt? This is not a loaded question…I am just curious for your thoughts

I was unable to make the trip up to North Carolina to see my dad for fathers day. So I thought I would post a thank you to my dad…

Thank you for your love and support over all the years. You have always been to every game, every concert and countless major events in my life. You always encourage me and let me know how much you believe in me.

Thank you for all your years of hard work and sacrifice so that I could go on missions trips, youth conferences, college etc…all of these things that have had a great impact on who I am today.

Thank you for the gift of music. I basically grew up by your side listening to you play your guitar and sing songs you wrote or old songs from growing up. You introduced me to this beautiful art form and I am so grateful. I still love listening to the recordings of you and I singing “Blue Suede Shoes – “Last Train to Clarksville” and “Moonshadow.” 

I love you and I never take for granted all the blood sweat and tears that you have shed trying to give me a good life. I am thankful for you…not only today but always.

If you could hang out for a day with 1 celebrity, 1 long lost friend, and 1 random person that you don’t know personally…who would you choose?

Here is my list at the present time…

1) Celebrity: Denzel Washington

I am a huge fan of his movies. I love his conviction and presence on screen. I am also a fan of his dedication to the Boys and Girls Club and I also love his book “A Hand to Guide Me” - plus…I would love for him to yell “KING KONG AINT GOT NOTHIN’ ON ME!” as loud as he could in my face : )

2) Long lost friend: Lateef Brittian

Lateef was my good friend from middle school. We used to go play basketball almost EVERY day together at either Woolen Gym or the Community Center. He could make me laugh like no ones business…in class, on the b-ball court or where ever. We e-mailed back and forth a few years ago and I found out that he is in Atlanta! Lateef…if you read this give me a shout…we need to ball it up for old times sake!

3) Random person that I don’t know personally: Kevin Carroll

If you have read any of my previous blogs…you know that this guy has really impacted my life. His approach to life is inspiring and it has changed the way I do things. I would love to sit down and ask some questions…and just listen. His life goal is to help people find their “red rubber ball“

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.” – Psalm 18:19

Every time I sit in front of the ocean…or just stroll along the waters edge I feel something come alive in me. I think it is a mixture of how small I feel in comparison to the vast expanse of water as well as the freedom I feel in open spaces. For me…ocean shores have always been a physical parallel of a desired inward condition. I have lived out many days in a constant state of inward clutter and confusion. There have been times when my heart and mind felt less like an open field and more like one of those narrow dark hallways that are in so many haunted houses. I spent many years hiding behind lies and fear only to find the things I was hanging onto for comfort were the very things that were suffocating me.

Then one day I decided to bring these hidden things out into the light of Christ…and they were exposed for what they were. The past few years have been a beautiful journey of clearing out the clutter and finding things that I thought were lost…but come to find out they were only hidden underneath all the piles of junk.

This journey has not been easy…but I am finding that as I make headway…I keep discovering more and more space to roam around and play in.

If you are over 30 like me than I hope you are loving the resurgence of the 80’s this year! Last night I watched Game one of the NBA finals…and I even watched the pregame stuff as well with Magic Johnson…and then they showed this commercial last night and I am not going to lie…I almost cried like a pastor at a going away party watching a slide show set to Thank You by Ray Boltz!!!!! Oh Yeah…and the game itself was pretty good too : )

Also…the other night Miriam and I decided to go to the movies and I let her pick. I asked her if she wanted to see “Maid of Honor” which is a happy ending date film…or if she wanted to see “Iron Man” which is a ROCK YOUR FACE OFF guy movie…and she responded…”Rock your face off guy movie” – my wife is the coolest! So that gets me back to the 80’s – after seeing this movie I was like “Welcome back Robert Downey Jr!” – He was an 80’s movie icon in such films as “Weird Science” - “Back to School” – “Less Than Zero” and last but not least “The Pick Up Artist“

Even if your not in my age bracket…you gotta love this decade! What else would you like to see back from the 80’s? Any suggestions?

I have found that there is something mysterious and magical that happens when I choose to love another person just the way that they are. When I let go of all terms and conditions…all expectations and entitlements. When I do the hard work of looking inwardly at my own self instead of focusing outwardly on the actions of others. When I drop the walls, let go of the scorecards and rid myself of deceit. When I bring my anger, fear and judgement to the cross and make the choice to believe in its power over death…the resurrecting power that is within me.

This is no easy process. I think my Pastor Kevin Meyers said it well when he said much of the work of God is not so much “poof” as it is “plow” – It is not always instantaneous but it is often reaped out of hard work and patience. True love can climb mountains, break through barriers and bring a peace within that surpasses anything that i could ever dream up or book a flight for.

Whether it be love for my spouse or for another child of God – Love is healing and restorative.

I know this may sound very broad and generic…but I believe that the holy spirit reveals the specifics of your own journey of love. It may be discipline of a child…it may be kindness and blessing with no expectation of return…it may be affection, laughs and affirmation…it may be restitution for damage done with no expectations of response from the victim…it might be compassion in the tangible form of money and resources.

Whatever it is…it’s worth the risk. It helps me sleep better at night…It keeps me in the light and out of hiding…It has changed my world.