My Latest Watercolor

Lilikoi 16" x 20" $1,200. 

A YWAM Encounter

Waikiki Beach

Whilst doing laundry this morning in the closest laundromat to YWAM Honolulu I saw a group of about 6 young people I was sure were from YWAM. It did not take long to hear one of them telling a woman they were indeed from YWAM and leaving in a day or two for outreach to India & Nepal.

After the woman walked away, I told her I overheard she was with YWAM. Her face beamed when she answered me in the positive. There was also a young man near her folding clothes. I asked if she had ever googled, "YWAM cult" or "YWAM abuse". Her perky smile quickly faded as she told me she had, but her experience has not been like that. I told her that I had been with YWAM Honolulu 12 years, but "by the time I left, I was spiritually & emotionally dead!" I also told her about starting this group & how there were members who'd experienced similar abuses from bases around the world and that a common theme seemed to be control by base leaders.

I told her & her friend (who turned out to be her new husband she had married just 3 weeks prior to their DTS) to realize that those in leadership positions on base or in the schools are no closer to God than they are and that they have a direct line to him. I also shared how I & others had several times heard leaders say, "God told me to tell you" and, "God told me". Again, I reminded them that they have a direct line to God & how leadership often says things like that as a form of manipulation to get them do as they want.

I said that I it had been several years since I was involved there so it may be better now, as I do not know of anyone at the Honolulu base that is still there when I was & I hoped that it was a healthy environment now. Of course, she assured me that it was a good environment where there was an attitude of servanthood now.

I asked if they still used Joy Dawson's principles to intercession, which they affirmed they did. I said that though the steps are not bad in themselves, but that we do not need to go through a formula or incantation to come to the throne of grace. I gave them examples of the ridiculousness of some of the things people would say they heard from the Lord when going around the prayer group. I also shared about the time I wanted to pray for Russia but was told I couldn't because we were to pray for the pacific & Asia which was the focus of the base. She told me that we should never be prevented from praying what we felt God had placed on our hearts & I agreed.

I told her that when they get back from DTS, not to let the leadership manipulate them to stay on base or school staff unless they felt it was from God & how in the past they have often tried to talk people out of getting a formal education because that was not needed in missions. I also reminded them that the University of the Nations is not accredited & it would do them no good to have a degree from there as most of the "professors" do not have more than a high school education. She seemed to know they are not accredited.

As I was about to leave she told me that God had already spoken to them to stay on after their DTS on base staff. She wants to work in hospitality & her husband in maintenance. They already have the money & were going to buy a home but decided to go into YWAM instead..... I told them that a lot of people who are in YWAM for years do not put anything into savings for when they get older & have nothing when they leave & that even though God calls us to depend on him, we are to be wise when it comes to finances. I told them that they do not realize now, how fast the decades will fly by (They looked no more than 20).

I asked if they had been to Chinatown in Honolulu (as it is an interesting place to go with good, cheap food). She told me, "Oh no, we haven't done any outreaches there & were told it was dangerous!"

I told them that they had it much better being married than having to share a room with 6 or 8 other people. I told them stories of the rat infested house I lived in on base & how we'd sweep the dirt & dust between the cracks in the floor to fall to the ground below.

I wished them well, that hoped that they would have a good outreach to India & Nepal & that they would remain healthy & to remember only to drink bottled water & not to eat anything from street venders unless they saw them cooking it fresh.

Our talk lasted at least 30 minutes & though we were all pleasant enough, I felt emotionally drained by the time I left. Hopefully, if they experience some of the things I brought up, they will remember my words of caution at that time. I hope our talk does not lead to a YWAM nightmare tonight! That was enough "ministry" for me today.

New Year's Eve in Palolo Valley

A HUGE string of firecrackers ready to be set off

I had a really fun New Year's Eve with the family of the Hawaiian bus driver I met while going to radiation every day. They spent hundreds of dollars on fireworks and we had ono local grinds. It was a good way to start the New Year. A reminder that in the midst of a difficult trial, God can bring something good out of it.

Hawaiian Red Ginger

13 3/4" x 17 3/4" (35 cm x 43 cm)

Watercolour USD $950.
© 2009 J. Carlson

Pink Banana Jungle

Here is my latest painting I finished today which is 20 3/4” x 16.5” or 53 x 43 cm. It is selling for $1,250 and is watercolour. © 2008 J. Carlson

Koko Crater

1,106 steps to the Koko Crater summit! 1,206 foot elevation

Hanauma Bay

Hawai'i Kai

The lip of the crater and the sea beyond

I actually made it to the top!

I got a call the other morning from my friend Marc, who asked me if I wanted to go with him on a hike up Koko Crater in Hawai'i Kai. I love to hike & be outdoors, so was easily persuaded to join him. I did not realize what I was getting myself in for!

I felt exhausted just looking up the 1,106 steps to the top. Marc sounded enthusiastic as he remarked, “It doesn’t look so bad”. And so we began our ascent one step at a time. I often had to stop and rest as we climbed in elevation. Each time I rested, there were fewer steps before the next rest stop. We could hear the cracking of guns going off at the police shooting range in the distance. I got so exhausted that I secretly hoped one of the bullets would find me & put me out of my misery!

By the time I got about 30 paces from the top, I sat down & had never felt so exhausted in my life! I reminded Marc that “I was carrying 100 pounds more than he was with each step I took”. I honestly envisioned their having to use their cell phone to call for a helicopter to rescue me, as I looked down those 1,000 plus steps & felt nauseous at the thought of climbing back down them. After a short rest & drink from the bottled water my strength was renewed and I finished those last few steps upward.

What a gorgeous view. There was a white bird that seemed to enjoy hovering in the updraft. How free that bird looked. The 180 degree view was spectacular. I was reminded of the verse in Psalms 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” It was well worth the exhausting climb. I’d even do it again; I’d just make more rest stops along the way.

Islam

Hawai'i's Governor Linda Lingle

Ghala

Mosque in Rome, Italy from a photo I took & then photoshopped.

Since 9/11 I have done a lot of studying on Islam & what it teaches. I have read several books & visited numerous websites, both pro & anti. I went into some Islam chat rooms on Yahoo & have met & had dialog with several Muslims. I have made friends with several Muslims in the Mideast. One, Ghalib I met from Saudi Arabia. Actually, both he & his parents were born in Saudi, but his grandparents were born in Yemen. Because of this, the Saudi government looks upon the ancestors of those who came from Yemen as Yemeni citizens-even though they have not even been to Yemen in generations.

It is so much more rewarding to learn about the every day life of a Muslim & what they believe by getting to know some rather than just hearing about it in the news.

I have known Ghalib now over 4 years, so feel I know him very well, as well as a Muslim from Kashmir, India and some from Iran. Ghalib was married a little over a year ago in an arranged marriage & recently, his wife gave birth to their daughter Ghala. I sent her a little baby gift & he sent a photo (from his phone) of the baby wearing one of the outfits I sent. She is a third generation Yemeni born in Saudi. Yemeni citizens do not have the "rights" that Saudis enjoy.

Ghalib was surprised to discover that polygamy was not legal in the USA. For a time he was mad & would not talk to me unless I denounced all Jews, as well as Israel. I reminded him that there were good & bad people in all countries & all religions. I made it a point to attend Israel Independence Day in Honolulu last year. I even saw our Jewish Governor there. Over the years, I have learned which topics I must tread lightly upon.

My First Entry

Regent Parrot

Hummingbird

Anthuriums

I have lived in Honolulu now for close to 24 years. During that time, I have painted numerous watercolors that reflect the tropical landscape. I have made a number of trips to Australia during that time, as well as Brazil, which has also influenced my work. I have also grown to love photography, so I will share some of my better photographs as well.

Photography

Bromeliad

Royal Hawaiian

Gold Tree

Manoa Falls

Frangipani Moonrise