Erica bloopers :)

Our photo shoot was seriously fun.

We were dying laughing the whole time.

Definitely makes work more fun.

2 wheeled journey

Finally got my freaking motorcycle license!!!

One step closer!

 . 

 

... gotta get my scooter fixed though.....

womp wommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmp.....

ここにある - HERE IT IS!!

I've never been so excited about something I know will help me in my destiny... yet not knowing for what purpose....

 What is it you ask?

MY BILINGUAL BIBLE!!!!!!

English and Japanese

I can read a chapter of the Bible in English in about 5 minutes..

Japanese.... probably 2 to 3... sometimes even 4 times longer.

baby steps....

HUNGER GAMES review

Reggie Taylor

HUNGER GAMES movie review

Having never read any of the books, I went into watching this movie with ZERO expectations.

Knowing that the movie is one of 3 (maybe more)... I knew that it was going to be a tease. I guess that's where reading the books would have been beneficial.

However, for what it's worth the movie was really entertaining.

Entertainment weekly had a good cover story about the movie that kept me abreast with the phenomenon.

This futuristic world of Panem definitely had its fine lines as far as the class system goes.

The poor were POOR and the rich were eccentrically LAVISH.

If Superman is from the planet Krypton, then Lady Gaga is from Panem.

Panem was once a glorious nation that went to crap and built itself back up again (sound familiar?).

To commemorate their 'new world order', Panem holds an annual national event called Hunger Games.

In these games, "children and teens" (let's just pretend the actors are teens - a la Dawson's Creek) from every district of Panem are "offered" as tributes - or sacrifices - in which they FIGHT TO THE DEATH in a lottery style drawing.

Totally reminds me of Battle Royale.
What's Battle Royale you ask?

Remember the Asian girl in Kill Bill that fought Uma Thurman?


Chiaki Kuriyama



Well.. she was in a movie that came out a year prior to Kill Bill called BATTLE ROYALE

Totally the same.. minus the love stor--

Meet Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a young teen girl who is skilled in archery and is one of the best from her 'district' (1 of 12 in Panem).

She and all the other children from the districts go to this remodeled-Auschwitz type facility where names are drawn for the tributes-to-be.

Katniss' younger sister is called from their district and like any good older sibling, Katniss volunteers to go into the Hunger Games in her sister's stead.

 If I could design a movie theater, I would have seat belt light that would flash at that moment because that's where the movie takes off.

I'll exclude the love story(s?) and just say that Katniss could represent someone who has a lot of pressure on the line for his/her actions and she can't let love get in the way.... but it does.

The other characters are great as well.

Effie (Elizabeth Banks), a spinster escort of the tributes provided great comic relief.

Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) is an alcoholic mentor that leads the kids in the right direction.

Cinna (Lenny Kravitz) is a stylist that makes the kids look FABULOUS! *snaps*

If you like action then watch the news.

Hunger Games keeps it as clean as possible when you're dealing with adolescents killing each other.

You'll laugh... you'll cry...

You'll want to see the sequel!

I'll give this movie 3.5 stars for excitability and capability of capturing a wide demographic. Something hard to do this day and (A.D.D.) age.
 

PLEASE READ....

From the Footsteps Homeless Ministry blog - http://footstepshm.blogspot.com/2012/03/staff-sgt-jeffrey-t.html

INDOCHINE restaurant review

Reggie Taylor

INDOCHINE

In my insatiable quest for the best plate in town, my wanderings led me to INDOCHINE. Located in the heart of downtown Jacksonville on Adams street, this cozy 2nd floor restaurant boasts traditional and modern Thai artwork with a HEAVY emphasis on wood throughout the restaurant. There's a real feeling that you're in a tropical bungalow elsewhere in the world.

The menu ranges from pad Thai to fried rice with your choice of meat (or veggies) and desired heat. Indochine definitely keeps an oriental theme through and through. The only thing Americanized or Westernized are the choice of beverages.

 Even water was served in a canteen-like bottle with a skinny and stout glass.

The kitchen was rocking out dishes left and right.

Needless to say, the senses are stimulated sitting in such proximity to all this delicious looking Thai food.

My dinner for the night was the Tofu Pad Thai with medium heat. The dish definitely brings along with it umami, sweet, salty, and sour tastes - thankfully no bitterness.

Overall, my experience at Indochine was a good one.

I would have liked to see more Thai servers instead of all-American, but that's just me.

Would I dine there again? Quite possibly

As they say in Thai "กินเกลี้ยง"

or

"EAT UP!"



HAIR DID

Last May, I lost my job at Bank of America.

That's when life got a 'little crazy'.

I've been growing my hair out ever since then.

Here I am 10 months later and needless to say... my hair is longer than it's ever been in my adult life.

The process of growing DREADLOCKS has definitely allowed me to exercise patience.

Since I have a finer texture to my hair than most African-Americans it will take my hair longer time to actually LOCK/tangle.

Asians, latinos, or caucasians (not of African descent) can get their hair locked quicker with a palm roll technique.

The hair will actually become tangled and lock instantly.

Whereas African hair takes a longer process.

I don't have the luxury of washing my hair everyday or even jumping into a pool like I used to because it will ruin the locking process.

I do, however, go to a stylist to get my hair washed and retwisted about every 3 weeks.

The kicker for me is that my hair and nails grow EXTREMELY FAST!

My brother is a barber, so I would see him QUITE often when I was not growing my hair.

However now, I haven't received a haircut from my brother in nearly a year.

The only area of my hair that I cut is my facial hair and sideburns.

Everything else just grows freely.

_______________________

Recently, I went to go see my stylist.

She's a lady from the Bardados named Thea.

She's super legit!

Here's some pictures from my last appointment.

BEFORE

 AFTER THE WASH & RETWIST

 BRAIN DRAIN

good ol' science

 THAT'S MS. THEA.

SHE'S AWESOME.... AND LOVES RIHANNA.

 VOILA!



Our (Japanese) Father

Recently, I've felt this tug in my spirit towards Japan.
Having lived in Misawa, Japan as a child, I've always wanted to go back as an adult.

Since my relationship with God is growing stronger and stronger.... the 'tug' I've felt towards Japan may have undoubtedly come from God.

According to the 'ever-reliable' Wikipedia, Japanese Christians represent < 1% of the population.

You really don't have to be a mathematician to see where that can take this conversation....

tangent: my new job is awesome. what makes it awesome is that I have a lot of downtime in between actually working.

In that time, I study the bible (Greek/Latin/Hebrew roots of words - BLUE LETTER BIBLE is the bomb!), browse eBay, and...... Angry Birds....

Recently, I came across something interesting.

Any anonymous alcoholic knows the Lord's prayer (since it's said at the end of most AA meetings)

However, if you have no clue what I'm talking/typing about.....

Matthew 6:9-13

New King James Version (NKJV)
9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

What's cool is that I found the Japanese translation.
Wanna read it? Cool...

4 different versions:

1.  Kono yue ni nanjira wa kaku inore:

Ten ni imasu warera no Chichi yo,
Negawaku wa mi na no agameraren koto wo;
Mi kuni no kitaran koto wo;
Mi kokoro no, ten no gotoku chi ni mo okonawaren koto wo.
Warera no nichiyO no kate wo kyO mo atae tamae.
Warera ni oime aru mono wo warera no yurushitaru gotoku,
Warera no oime wo mo yurushi tamae.
Warera wo kokoromi ni awasezu, aku yori sukui idashi tamae.

2. Sareba nanjira kaku inorubeshi;

Ten ni mashimasu warera no Chichi yo,
Negawaku wa, mi na wo agamesase tamae.
Mi kuni wo kitarase tamae.
Mi kokoro no ten ni naru gotoku, chi ni mo nasase tamae.
Warera no nichiyO no kate wo kyO mo atae tamae.
Warera wo kokoromi ni awasezu, aku yori sukui idashi tamae.
Kuni to, chikara to, sakae wa kagiri naku nanji no mono nareba nari.
Amen.

3. Ten ni imasu watashitachi no chichi yo

O-na ga agameraremasu yoo ni
O-kuni ga kimasu yoo ni
Mikokoro ga ten de okonawareru yoo ni
Chi de mo okonawaremasu yoo ni
Watashitachi no higoto no kate o
kyoo mo o-atae kudasai
Watashitachi no oime o o-yurushi kudasai
Watashitachi mo watashitachi ni
oime no aru hitotachi o yurushimashita
Watashitachi o kokoromi ni awasenaide,
aku kara o-sukui kudasai
Kuni to chikara to sakae wa tokoshie ni
anata no mono da kara desu
Aamen.

4. Ten ni orareru Watashitachi no chichi yo,

mina ga agameraremasu youni.
Mikuni ga kimasu youni.
Mikokoro ga okonawaremasu youni,
Ten ni okeru youni chi no uenimo.
Watashitachi ni hitsuyou na kate wo kyou ataete kudasai.
Watashitachi no oime wo yurushite kudasai.
Watashitachi mo jibun ni oime no aru hito wo
Yurushimashita youni.
Watashitachi wo yuuwaku ni awasezu,
Warui monokara sukutte kudasai.

SUBARASHII NE!
(cool huh?)

GENESIS

There's some messages that you hear from people

that don't really 'CLICK' in your life

until you're in the situation they're referring to.

Bible verses for example DEFINITELY reign true if you're IN the situation that the word references.

I used to always hear from pastors, "You can't have an encounter with God and still be the same".

I would then proceed to still living in sin....

However, the VOICE OF REASONING, seemed to be that much stronger in my life.

I'm at a time now where it's like the pinnacle of "you'll never be the same".

I believe that I have LITERALLY gone down every wrong path that you can go in life.

And those harbingers were right.

As much as I've fallen,

I've seemed to have fallen upwards.

my saving grace definitely has to be my connectivity with my church family.

there's nothing better than encouragement from a friend

or to hear from someone who's going through or has been through

the same ordeal(s) you're experiencing.

the Holy Spirit himself has pretty much "dragged me through the valley" as pastor Josh Turner would say.

recently, CELEBRATION CHURCH had 21 days of prayer and fasting called AWAKENING!

During the last 4 days, there was a revival that was simply amazing.

I deactivated my Facebook account to 'unplug' from the world and haven't gotten back on since.

This time "off the grid" has definitely helped me to see things as Jesus would see things...

not 100% but a greater percentage than before when I was captivated by things of the world.

It was an intensely amazing period of time in my life.

  

I'm seriously a crybaby during worship.

keeping it real...

The pictures in this blog post were taken by a truly Amazing photographer that's definitely an inspiration to me - http://stephowens.com/blog/

Praise God!

Actions Speak...

I'm pretty much in a season of my life where

WALKING THE WALK gives permission to talking the talk.

If you don't mean what you say, then get out of my face...

In the words of my father, "that's how I feel about that"

I guess this opinion/mantra/mindset started within.

After failing miserably at just about everything in the past,

it became clear to me that I want to do better in my life.

I can't give advice to people and not practice what I teach.

With this new 'mantra of integrity' it's caused me to see life differently.

sucks when you notice friends and family who practice

"Do as I say, not as I do".

I just want to be surrounded by positive energy.

That includes the people in my life and what they stand for.

I'm definitely not on a 'holier-than-thou' trip.

Last I checked, I'm still a sinner.

This way of life is so important to me now.

So much so, that I decided to get it permanently marked on my body in this fashion:

Because your actions speak...

Here's how it looked the next day...



I have to go back to get the black touched up.

If you do too much ink in one area, it causes the skin to scar, then raise.

The ink bonds with the scar

causing a tattoo to look more like a colored branding

verses a well done tattoo.

Painful?

Yes.

Time?

Couple of hours.

...to be continued...

Pre-Genesis

Man oh man..... how do I even sum up my life around this time....

A whole lotta 'leaning on the Lord'

A fruit of the spirit that I'm WELL familiar with is LONGSUFFERING.

The kitchen sink is being thrown at me, yet I'm rather confident that I will have an EXPECTED END

From a recent conversation with a friend, I told him that I'm kind of a 'learn-from-mistakes believer.

On one hand, I'm a raw uncut personality type that doesn't take no for an answer and always questions (the motives of) authority.

On the other... my inquisitiveness has gotten me in near-death situations in the past giving me hindsight, allowing me to have greater sense of - what my dad would bark as - accountability and responsibility. That's where all the fruits of the spirit have entered my life when I realized that my way wasn't really cutting it.

I've said all that to say,

"I've grown wiser about life through my mistakes while always thinking outside the box."

__________________________

Recently my life has led me to take pictures at the new site of CELEBRATION CHURCH.

It was a surreal experience that I'll expound upon soon.

I'll expound with pictures from my good camera soon. 

Until then, here are some pictures that I took on my camera phone: 

Pretty cool right?

GOD did it.

slackin on my blogs lately...

kinda been a whirlwind [kamikaze] since my last blog post.

currently, i'm at work.... in training.... friday..... super bored because we're pretty much done with our training sitting around looking at each other.

what's funny is that on monday [day 1] I jokingly said to my co-workers, "when's our potluck?"

it became a running joke throughout the week... and BAM.... today.... we had an awesome potluck!!! ::)

life and death is in the tongue right?

OMGGGGGGGGGG... have you been going to the AWAKENING REVIVALS???

my face has been melting over the past couple days....
such extraordinary words from Men of GOD.

Sergio de la Mora telling us to take up His Mantle for the oil (of blessing) in our lives...

and JOHN GRAY pretty much had me laughing and shouting all night.
my abs were BURNING from laughing and my voice was nearly GONE from shouting.
["you my ribs Jesus!!! His T.D. Jakes impression had me rolling..........]

I saw so many people that I haven't seen in FOREVER.... two people... ironically... it was their second time ever at CELEBRATION CHURCH !!!

what an AWESOME second time ever right??

I shared my GOD DID IT story at church on how... during the first week of the fast, my temporary assignment ended on a Wednesday.
Thursday, I had a job interview (when I got all that wood for the bonfire(s)).
Friday, I got notice that I got the job.

It pays $4 more than the last... and i'm over the moon. .......

nothing surprises me anymore... seriously. .... i'm just trusting God hardcore (shield of Faith)
and that's really helping me move forward in the things of God and he can operate fluidly through me and on my behalf.

I know i'm not perfect... but I have an awesome relationship that I share with my King and I just feel like the "Teflon Don"... or "Comeback Kid" Philippians 4:11-13

..... enough about me..... from now on.... all blog posts about the footsteps homeless ministry will be found on theNEW FOOTSTEPS HOMELESS MINISTRY BLOG PAGE !!!

be blessed yall.....

let go and let God.

-Reg-

FOOTSTEPS: taking the homeless home.

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Tuesday the 29th of November

could easily have been ..

one of the best days of my life.

for starters...

a co-worker left a bag of butterflake rolls,

chocolate chip cookies,

dinner rolls

and a giant loaf of italian bread.

pretty nice of her right?

the night began. 

and i say night because after daylight savings,

the sun goes down at 5pm.

the air was COLD!

Not PLAY IT OFF LIKE IT AINT COLD cold...

There's an #OCCUPY movement going on in downtown Jacksonville.

Very nominal.

With a big loaf of bread in my hand looking out for any needy.

I approached their area 

a table had bread and one guy was making a peanut butter sandwich.

they had tents, umbrellas,

laptops,

wifi

it was kind of disturbing.

to make sense as to why I approached them,

I asked if they'd like a loaf of bread.

(maximum 15-20 people)

I was out as quick as I was in.

I then met

Jared Gibson, a co-leader of Footsteps Homeless Ministry,

and I met up at Hemming Plaza

we then rode to

the Sulzbacher Center

where dinner line is nearly a block long.

Jared prayed before we began.

one of this week's donations for the night

 was a BIG THICK WINTER COAT!

(thanks Jonathan Zack for the donation)

meet "Cowboy" a man I met on the streets a week ago.

he actually had a nice black jacket on.

It was comparable to a North Face.

We traded.

we gave his black jacket to a guy who was just wearing a t-shirt

it had to have been 60 degrees out

not cold if you're from up north

..that's a bit nip to Floridians.

IT WAS CRAZY HOW MANY DIFFERENT ITEMS WE HAD

the first three people that approached us got beanies.

one got wrap around ear muffs

shirts

khakis

pants

they searched

and looked

the bag of food?

GONE!!!

we solicit prayer requests from people. 

50/50

50% of those who accept have a respond with a specific request

25% oblige, take their hats off (if wearing one),

close their eyes and bow their heads letting you freestyle.

the other 25% blurt out a generality - HEALTH! SHELTER!

... part of Jared's prayer before was

that if we could minister to at least one person let it be

Meet Robert, a Vietnam vet. He's in a wheelchair.

we met him in the vicinity of the Sulzbacher center.

we offered him bread

but I don't think his body could handle

the sweetness of the roll. (?)

he asked for prayer..

to wake up and see another day.

Jared prayed then he spoke to us more.

we sat by his side.

he's in his mid-50s

Vietnam vet

has a problem with alcohol

in a wheelchair due to accidents shattering both hips.

and replacements that are misaligned.

he can't walk normal again.

he "lives" in a government supplemented

program giving him housing.

the residents are mentally ill.

Robert feels he's the only one that has his wits about him

while the rest rest are inciteful.

his 18 year old roommate in this house provokes him to anger...

because Robert is on SSI,

the program tells him where he can live.

his young roommate infuriated Robert so much so

he left the facility

and WHEELED his way downtown from lem turner

a 6 hour trek.

we saw him on day 11 of "fleeing" his residence.

after hearing all that I asked if I could pray for him again.

afterwards, he asked me if I could take him back home.

he wheeled towards the back door.

backed up.

opened it.

stood up via the door frame

and got in my car.

with his chair folded in the trunk

his address was put in the gps.

he was AMAZED by the gps.

no lie.

"oh it tells you where you're going"

along the way,

he began to tell us

of going to Vietnam at the age of 17.

2 tours.

bootcamp in my hometown of San Diego.

being stationed in Guam.

being a foster child.

adoption.

respecting elders.

this young generation.

we made it to his house.

we hugged him goodbye.

he wheeled up the ramp towards the door.

that was the first time we took a homeless person home

If I had a dollar...

I'd eventually want another...

If I had nothing... would I want more of nothing?

where's the balance? where's the "happy medium" ?

"too much" happens when you lose track of things.

excessiveness relates to anything.

- For Every Action, There's an Equal and Opposite Reaction -

Newton right?

Does that relate to the spirit as well as in the natural?

More good , less evil right?
________________________________________
________________________________________

tonight was special...
after consulting with my co-leader Jared,
we didn't go out tonight as a team.

this morning, we had a breakfast potluck at my job.
there were a lot of carbs and sausages left.

It rained today.
Hard.
... I thought about them. the homeless.

What they were doing....


After work,
I went under the bridge near the jailhouse downtown.

With a trunk full of food and clothes,
I met about 10 people......... ...

Last week there was a luncheon with pizza.
At the end of that day, I went downtown and fed some of the homeless.

It was in and out.

I cried that night because I didn't ask anybody for prayer.

That morning, at the men's breakfast.
Pastor Chris Brooks spoke about how you can feed the poor
but they could still go to hell.

I cried because the experience was overwhelming, 

the tears intensified because of that memory I had

of truly doing goodwill.

the homeless were waiting in line for dinner

(6:30 at the sulzbacher center)

I pull up with boxes of pizza in my trunk.

they swarmed.

..and then shared.

tonight was awesome!

I pull up at the foot of the bridge

going around the block to find a park.

while driving,

I spotted 4 homeless people sitting in between

some parallel parked cars.

I park and open the trunk to get food.

"Y'all hungry?"

1 lady.. 3 men

(numbers dont lie. men greatly outnumber women on the streets)

I gave the lady the rest of a fruit salad. 

the men grabbed one croissant and 2 sausage links.

If some of the pieces of food were stuck together,

I'd tell to take it and that "it was a sign" :)

(who am I to be the food police y'kno?)

one of the men's name is William Young.

He turned 51 today.

I said "November 22 huh?"

He said,"You know what else happened on 11/22?"

I paused...  "J.F.K got shot?"

He said "Yeah!!!"

I gave him and his friends some clothes

that my buddy Dustin donated.

they loved em.

a beanie.

winter jacket.

rain poncho.

flannel.

i prayed for Mr. William.

he has a feeling something's not right with his mom and just would like to get in touch with her somehow in the near future.

he gave me a hug.

around the corner were 3 other men.

Y'all hungry?

i learned a lot about diabetes from a man named Robert.

he has it.

I gave out rest of the clothes.

gave them croissants and sausages.

Robert took some donuts that I had as well.

he looked like a big kid sitting on the ground

holding 2 donuts in one hand while eating a croissant with the other.

we prayed.

around the corner

going towards the sulzbacher center was a different group of people.

didn't really look homeless,

but with a bag of remaining food in my hand.

I just gave it all away.

In fact, I had some left over....

and left the last bit tucked away in the big brown bag on a picnic table bench.

afterwards I went to chill with my brother for a bit.

he's riding with me to go to Tuscaloosa, Alabama this Thursday.

the night was perfect really.  70 degrees!

very still air. .which has been very rare lately.

NO WINDS! it's crazy!

have a good night you guys.

spread love.