Double Rainbows and Purple Carrots

It's been a while since I've written and after glancing at the last few posts - I felt like writing something a bit deeper tonight.  The amount of variety in my life has tripled, similar to my discovery of the existance of purple, yellow and white-ish carrots.

If you are new to my blog, this is how I do it. 

Sometimes I have a lot to say, and other times I haiku.  

Either way, I only write when I am inspired,

so if you are looking for a daily read, I may not be able to deliver. 

However, if inspiration and stimulation is what you seek,

look no further and subscribe right now. ;)

Life is fantastic. 

I look back one year and smile thinking of how grateful I am for the place I am in right now - mentally, physically, spiritually.  Last year was bumpy.  Change was not easy.  Choices were tough and tests were being dealt out like pop quizzes daily.  But I survived.  I may not have aced it all, but I am happy to report that today was a good day.

 

In fact, the last three weeks have been nothing short of incredible. 

Since I found my home at the Rock Church six months ago, my life has taken a turn for the better and I can not be thankful enough.  I say it everyday in my mind and under my breath, while covering my heart with my hand and breathing in slow, deep breaths.  I thank Him for being with me. 

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 

I've been reading the Bible, start to finish, and in the very first book - Genesis - I read about the meaning of a rainbow.

Seeing this picture, taken in downtown San Francisco today, I couldn't help but think of this: 

"When the (rain)bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

Genesis 9:16

He's got our backs. Whether you believe in Him as a man in the clouds, the divine trinity, maybe a breeze blowing by, or a song that plays on repeat in your head, He is with us.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:7

I pray daily for my DJ ministry, and He continues to provide for me, kicking it off with a set of turntables, followed by a club quality mixer, a shnazzy program called Serato, which will surely work a little magic in my learning process BUT most of all - I have been blessed with a teacher who is His most faithful servant and continually leads me to be a better Christian by always accrediting everything to God's glory. 

I am so moved by the intensity of the progress happening in my life, that I can only offer myself to Him and give back everything equally to Him.  He is my rock.  Yet He is also my flower.  I must keep my flesh out of the way and let His spirit continue to lead me.  I am very passionate about what's happening in my life, but I am also keen on the pauses. 

He will lead me there - never early, never late - only right on time.

Just like the music of Miles Davis, pauses are just as important to the completeness of the song as are the individual notes.

Thank God for being within us, for always loving us by grace, and for giving us the language of music to communicate our gratefulness with Him.

Amen.

This is the Stuff I Live for...

Last Thursday, I attended my fourth DJ class as provided by the Rock Church's Cross Fader Ministry. Every since I joined the Rock Church in San Diego, I have been wanting to learn how to DJ so that I could produce electronic Christian music.  I like dancy-type club music and have felt a calling to mix up the two genres - I even blogged about it back in May.

So for Thursday's class, we were challenged to bring as many guests as we could and the person with the most people would win a prize.  I woke up dreaming about my teacher asking me to name five guys and five girls that I could text to come to our class.  I started rattling off names, but then I got stumped.  In my dream, he began to hand out prizes to others in the group.  I woke up certain that I would not be the winner, but started texting friends to come with me anyway.  Out of 25 or more texts sent out, I had a few "maybes" but only one person followed through.  I told my teacher about my dream and we laughed about it together.

Class was awesome!  It was a smaller group than normal, so I got a 20 minute personal lesson on a set up I had not learned yet.  I learned scratching techniques, like the "stab" and the "orbit."  I talked to the DJ I was learning from about my dream of mashing up secular music with Christian music - especially since the club music seems to ask all of the questions that Christian music answers.  It's like the two genres are screaming to be mixed up together!  Plus, no one is really doing it - so the DJ pulled up a song called, "Sandstorm" which has a popular club beat, and once it reached it's peak moment, he set up the Christian song, "He Reigns" to play its chorus Acappella.  It was EXACTLY what I was talking about and we were all dancing around like maniacs bouncing and smiling!  It really fired me up!

Just then, my other teacher stopped the group and announced that he wanted to change the rules for the contest that night.  He mentioned that there were two students who had made it to every class and wanted to suggest a DJ "Battle" between them.  MY heart immediately began to race.  He chose this one other student first and then walked over to me and called me out!  I was scared to death, but also excited and honored all at the same time!

The other student and I "Rock Paper Scissor"-ed to see who would go first and I won, so I gave him the honor.  I stood behind as he demonstrated the skills he had learned in class for one minute straight and then it was my turn!

During my one minute showcase, I danced and wiggled that record back and forth to "Scratch" and smiled so much!  It was such a great time!  The class cheered for me and through audience applaud I took the title of the first  "DJ Battle Champ" of my class!

That night I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and I thanked God over and over for the opportunity.  It reinforced my path and recharged my spirit!  I am already trying to get into private lessons with a couple of my teachers, as I hear that in the next few months, the class may offer a set of tables to the most promising student. 

Life is a journey and you must take steps to fully utilize the spiritual gifts that God gives you.  As I overheard in church on Sunday, every single person on this planet is part of a body.  While you may be the mouth, she may be the heart, he may be hands, and I may be the voice - we must all perform individually to make up that smiling, loving, singing wholeness that is what God intended when He made us. 

What are you waiting for?  Find out your part here.!!!!

Til next time...

xOx,
Ms. Panda

Hello DJ Ms. Panda!

After joining the Rock Church and getting "right" with God, the music that I had been listening to on the radio didn't have the same effect on me.  The beats and the tempos were still great, but the lyrics felt "empty."

I tried to get into Christian music and some songs got me pumped, because they were the same ones that we were singing in worship on Sunday mornings, and the same ones that could bring me to tears.

However, I started to feel a calling bubbling up inside of me - one to start making electronic Christian music.  I envisioned myself with two turntables and a microphone - beat matching and scratching downtown at 2am when all the clubs let out on a Friday night - inviting all the party people to come chill in my music space and come back down to earth, allowing me to minister to them with musical prayer.

I just needed one thing - to learn how to DJ and match up all those beats, create those mixes and write the meaningful prayers aka lyrics.

So I began seeking - and we all know what happens when we seek - we find.

It just so happened that my church, The Rock, offers a  DJ Ministry and I hopped on board just in time for the first class.  I recruited a couple of girlfriends and carpooled down to the awesome event space called the 1825 Ministry located at 705 16th St, San Diego, CA.  

Look at all the beautiful people who showed up that night!

Here I am learning to scratch and play with the cross fader...

That's DJ Ketchup next to me! He is pretty awesome for offering up his DJ equipment to amateurs like myself to come and stumble all over.  However, he said it best that first night,

"Once I turned my equipment over to God,
I received more blessings than I ever did when I was hoarding it all to myself."

Amen DJ Ketchup!  Thank you for feeding that calling :)  Now, it's feeding mine!  AWESOME!

Here is a video of me scratching on that first night. 

I had so much fun!  It's hard not to smile when you are learning how to do something fun!

***

Tonight was the second session and we worked more on timing. Here I am scratching on REAL records.  

SO FUN!!!!

 I just wish I had a set of turntables at home so I could just spend hours on end perfecting my craft.  For now, I will just have to stalk Guitar Centers and go to these types of workshops, but once it gets to the point where I can start making my own mixes - watch out Christian music - you are about to be changed forever :)

DJ MS. PANDA is set free!

xOx,
Ms. Panda

Heaven on Earth Event

When I lived in Kansas City, I worked with a man who managed all of the happenings at the KC Masonic Temple.  He offered me much advice back then, like an angel to me, and when one of his suggestions to me was to plan an event for his extremely ornate space, I immediately began planning a, "Heaven on Earth" event.

The following notes are a rough sketch of what I envision.  These are simply my notes.  An event has yet to occur, so feel free to take my ideas, add to them, offer your suggestions, plan your own event, etc.  The greatest compliment to me would be to gain wind of the fact that you hosted your own "Heaven on Earth" event, inspired by my notes and vision!  I am available and at your service!

HEAVEN ON EARTH EVENT

Created to cater to all of the senses simultaneously.

SIGHT:

*Guests are to wear all white, encouraged to wear wings to add to the appearance of heaven on earth.

*A huge replica of God's hands -either made from light or from real, tangible materials, placed near the entryway and designed to greet/hug you when you enter.

*Pearly gates to Heaven.

*Installation of light, to appear like heaven.

  

*White furnishings all around.

*Fog machines/dry ice mindfully placed to create the appearance of a place in the clouds.

*Cross centerpiece in room. 

*Altar made of gold with burning incense.

*White doves, Angels, suspended above.

SOUND:

*DJ plays continuous ambient sounds.

*Live performances by harpists, vocalists, flutists, etc who interpret God's love through their instrument.

*Reading of Psalms.

Prayer. 

SMELL:

*Incense: Creates the ambiance of Heaven - Sandal wood, Frankincense possibly.

From Revelations, "Another angel came in holding a censer of gold.  He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God's holy ones.  From the angel's hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with the prayers of God's people.

Psalm 141: Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

TASTE:

Wine - for the Blood

Bread - for the Body

Tea by Tea Drops - Heavenly tea

TOUCH:

Fuzzy blankets/pillows draped on the furnishings

Hanging silk curtains 

Cotton "clouds" everywhere