God is here.

on march 29th of 2009, Overflow guest performed for the New Spirit of Penn(NSP), at the Rodin rooftop lounge. the rooftop lounge has glass from floor to ceiling to really let sunlight pour in, as well as give you a spectacular view of the city, being that it is up on the 25(?) floor.

there was an introduction, and another guest performer that went before we did. we were the third act to go. i was feeling pretty tired right before it all began, but when NSP opened up, and the beat got going, i started to regain my spirit. i love being at NSP's "Total Praise Cafe." they're a really amazing group, and worshipping with them is such a blessing. people actually dancing and just getting all into the praise, its amazing. as i was clapping my hands, moving my feet, and just thinkign about how sick NSP is, i began to notice the clouds.

it was a pretty dreary day to being with, but after we came out from sunday service, the sun was out and shining. the gig started at 6, so it was till day outside, and the sun was still out. but clouds started rolling in, and it looked like a storm was coming. it's amazing how it looked from up there...

so it was Overflow's turn. Chrissy Kim goes up and grabs the microphone. immediately following her first few words, there was a sudden pounding noise. we looked to see where the sound was coming from, we face the west window. a flash storm of mass hail had begun. it wasn't a gradual plip, plop, that built up, but all at once the hail came down. the wind blew so hard that the hail was falling at an angle, directly hitting the windows. it was amazing. it was so loud, and came at such a shock, that people didn't know what to do. there was a pause and we all just looked around. it was truly something to be admired. we couldn't even hear Chrissy on the microphone. people began to clap and cheer. God was here.

i was looking for an old post from my xanga that i had written. it was about thunder and lightning. but i couldn't find it so im just going to have to rewrite it.

growing up, i used to be so afraid of lightning. i remember that especially on Good Friday there was a huge storm, and my mom said that it always stormed on Good Friday. i would like to think so. but this one time, it was a Good Friday, and i still lived on the first floor of my house. the thunder was so loud and i was so scared that i hid under a blanket.

over time i began to miss that thunder. i don't know if its just me, but it hasn't been storming as much lately. when was the last time it was super stormy, and it was thundering and lightning...ing...? it just doesn't happen as much.

i can't remember if it was from a sermon, but i saw Cain from the Bible in a different light. i think it was a sermon. i doubt i would be able to come up with something like this one my own. the pastor read through Cain's repsonse when God has approached him about killing his brother. Cain responds by saying the following:

Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! You have banished me from the land and from your presence

he may have been a murderer, but he did get one thing right. being banished from God's presence was too much to bear. ultimately, Hell is more than brimstones and a man with a pitchfork. it's the absence of God's presence.

people have different little things that they like to say what thunder is. they say that God is bowling. lightning is God taking a picture of us. to me, thunder and lightning are God's presence. and as i think about how much less often i hear the thunder, i wonder if it means that God isn't with us as much anymore... are we becoming a peoples that God no longer favors?

but this sunday, march 29th, i experienced God's presence in glory and splendor. the hail started right when Chrissy began to introduce us. due to our height in the highrises, we were right in the clouds.

it's like this picture, but we were the ones covered. i remember as i was on the stage to dance, the sun shone as well. it was hail/raining and the sun shone directly in on us. and i'm pretty sure that the hail was done when we were done with our piece. on top of all that, for one scene i added the sound effects for rain and thunder. at one point when the thunder sfx played, lightning flashed outside. it couldn't have been timed any better. truly God was blessing overflow.

this is one the greatest natural phenomenons i have ever witnessed. another one is being at the beach during a lightning storm to see the lightning touch the ocean. amazing.