Black Friday Pentecost!

It's "black friday," do you know where your kids are?

Sorry, my mom told me this morning that some lady broke her wrist and some kid got hurt last night/this morning at the local Wal-Mart. Good thing I was sleep by the time the second round of sales initiated--it's crazy to think that the day after thanksgiving (sometimes the same day), people go bat shit crazy over sale items. I know everybody has their reasons, and sometimes they're good ones. However, I recall last year I went with my mom so we could get a Wii for their house--because who doesn't want a Wii.

Nonetheless, we were standing in the line with our little ticket, which was the only thing allowing us to actually get a Wii that night. Then, as the top of the hour approached, when the sales were about to begin, it was quiet. You could hear people talking and whatnot, but no major commotion. Then, as soon as the bell struck the top of the hour there was this great crash! Plastic was being tore off, boxes were hitting carts, and people were exuberant about the sales that they were needlessly being a part of during the holiday season.

However, this year there wasn't really anything that I really wanted. My mom and I were at Wal-Mart earlier today and I snagged some $5 DVDs and a new pan, but other than that my Christmas list doesn't have anything on it. However, the question becomes, where is this going?

I will tell you where this is going...

I often wonder what it was like during the time of the Pentecost celebration, found in Acts chapter 2. They were chilling in the upper room, when there was a great wind, tongues of flame hanging out, and people were speaking in native languages from other regions. It must have been a crazy show to say the least. I liken this to my experience at last year's Black Friday. Where, people are hanging out, praying if you will to their God's of consumerism, when all of a sudden there is a great crash and the metaphorical shit hits the metaphysical fan. People start acting crazy, doing weird things, saying even weirder things... and yet "these men are not as drunk as you think they are, for it's only 3 in the afternoon!"

I mean, what is it like to hear things coming from the mouth of another person, who doesn't regularly speak your language? It must be crazy! However miraculous this moment must have been, I often wonder why Smith Wigglesworth, and others, would use this celebration as the name for an entire movement in the church. The pentecostal movement, I'm guessing is based on this particular event in the history of the church. However powerful this moment was, I don't think it's that great to name a movement after.

Needless to say, I was a part of this movement for a little while, I got my start in a Pentecostal church: "saved," baptized, questioned, and left (twice) the same church. Long story, which may be told another day.... Oh well, so this really didn't go anywhere, much like last week, but I'm need to keep writing so that I don't lose my focus on other things.

Speaking of movements, I have began thinking about writing/performing poetry more often (at least once a month, maybe more). So, be on the look out for some of that stuff to be floating about.

Until something more fruitful comes, just know that you are supposed to be loved by your neighbor and your God!

-Andy J. Graves