On Wednesday evening June 29, 2016 on my way that night to Wednesday night bible study as I walked up Hillsboro Street and walked across Kress Street to the left side of Kress Street on the sidewalk and grassy space area... I encountered what I perceived to be three young troubled adolescent juvenile delinquents I'd call "wannabe-gangbangers"... A real life "Ed, Edd 'N Eddy" experience.
It caught me by surprise as I was simply on my way walking to bible study.
The young "ringleader" of the group had curly dark brown or black hair, wore a white short-sleeved shirt; had on brown khaki shorts and the other two young Hispanic guys (who were quite taller than the short Hispanic teen) wore black clothing of both black shirts and black pants.
He and his two taller homies just waltz up and were engaging me as though they "wanted trouble".
Smh... it was VERY rebellious. I didn't even say a word to them and then the short young "ringleader" of the trio started all cursing calling me a "b*tcha** p*ssy and n*gga" and all that typical street cursing and foul language trash talking...
He's like "You from Fifth Ward?" I said "I'm from Seattle, Washington" and my response kind of "threw him off guard" when I said that since I'm not a "real local" 'round these parts.
Anyways it's like that wasn't the "response he wanted to hear from me; rather he wanted me to say "Yes. I'm from (i.e. "with") Fifth Ward" and he's like "Oh okay, good you better be or I'm gonna beat you down "p*ssy a** b*tch" and cursing all long. The other two dudes in black were on his right and left sides in the back behind him standing a space apart. Co-signing, throwing up their "gang hand signs" and co-signing with their little short ringleader.
I'm like "Jesus LOVES you! Why you calling me all this? I don't even know you. I'm not from here." and he's like "F- the government, F- President Obama" and everything like that as though he assumed ME as a black person supports U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama just because he's... black. No I do NOT. I love and care for our U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Melia; I just do NOT support the wicked, evil agendas President Barack Obama is pushing; he's on the Devil, SATAN'S side. I'm on GOD'S SIDE. Amen.
Anyways, the hothead young Hispanic man was too busy hurling out insults in angry ranting trying to get me "worked up" so he thought I would engage and fight him and his two other homeboys. He was just being a blowhard and I know this set up. He was "looking for trouble" to act like some "tough guy" like a "real man" lol.
Throughout this whole ordeal that felt quite long though it was brief I only engaged by verbally speaking positive wordings to the group and didn't add "fuel to the fire" by letting my pride get the best of me and responding back like "Hey, don't you talk to me like that you *beep*, *beep*" or getting all mad and wanting to fight because he called me outside my name. No, it would have been an unwise decision if I had reacted to them in anger and wanted to fight with them.
Thing is, these lost, wayward teens (looked too young to be grown "adults") acting all "disrespectful and tough" like they're legit "gangbangers" was a joke in itself. They were nothing more than "young punks"; ignorant fools and mockeries of themselves (acting like they are tough "real men". lol),unfortunately. I couldn't take them serious at face-value. Smh... wannabes.
The young "shorty" who happened to be the "leader" I perceived was trying to make a dominance display of authority to his other two young "minions" (seems to me that the other two taller guys in black had sense to know that deep down they knew I was telling the truth to them that "gangs is not the right y'all. Just to jail, prison, death and destruction" and I'm sure that "deep down" they even know themselves that "gangbanging" is a dead end of NOTHING.) and young "Shorty" as I'll call him; walks up to my space for a distance throwing his hands up in fists in a boxing stance as he says "Wha- b*tch you think I'm playin'? I'm thrown down bigger fools than you p*ssy" and he goes on saying stuff like that in cursing as I stand still and tall in a semi-detached, calm gaze into his eyes; being weary of his actions. I'm like when he said he "beat down bigger guys than me" I said... "Well, it's believable..." and left it there.
I couldn't really engage and talk some sense into these guys as I would have really liked because like the lil' Shorty said "It goes in one ear and goes out the other". The other two guys in black clothing didn't really seem like they wanted to "go through with it" by "playing along" with the peer pressure of their Shorty leader. They like they "had more sense" and were kinda "backing out" of the situation but ol' Shorty's like trying oto "eg them on"... Smh at the sheer FOLLY of these kids... Amen.
These guys weren't about nothing but TROUBLE and they wanted to get into a fight or something to prove how "bad", "tough" and "manly" they are. And yeah, shoot, if a real fight was to go down it was going to be a "three-on-one" situation. Me against three punks.
Thing is, I wasn't at all concerned about being outnumbered in a fight. I already knew these jokers in a group were gonna fight me all at once trying to jump me. I won't go all into the details, but I've fought more than one person before and "won". Did this stuff since elementary school since "pretend-fighting" and life growing up but this was REAL.
Anyways, what's sad is I thought about the whole set up of the situation and the various outcomes that could have happened like this:
A) I speak back to pacify the situation in conflict de-escalation and resolution. Eventually figure out the young punks don't want to listen to reason and I peacefully leave from the scene. (Note: I chose and by His Grace fulfilled this outcome. Amen!)
B) Got angry back at these youngsters calling me a grown man a "p*ssy" and wanted to "assert myself" as a MAN! Either they feel the urge and momentum to "push back" and start the fight by rushing at me or me going at them. If I chose this option, I would hope they were the instigators and I could have picked them off one-by-one with a good sock to the head; I wouldn't have let these punks beat me up so they could earn themselves "street cred" like they're all "big 'n tough" with "big balls" and b.s. I don't know karate (though as a child growing up I was always interested in martial arts from watching shows like Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, YuYuHakashu and others; but that's a story for another time, God-willing...) but like Chris Tucker once said "I know "KUH-RAZY"! It would be ugly but I know I would have won; fighting dirty if need be. I would really HATE an loathe myself losing to such small-minded buffoons, more than me DYING lol...
As a Christian I would have it on my heart how I "hurt" them physically and wouldn't feel right about it; but when push comes to shove I have an internal survival drive instinct that RUSHES adrenaline when I'm feeling like I'm gonna die; I have that DRIVE and I'm VERY PRIDEFUL and RUTHLESS. Would have been VERY UGLY (can promise you) cuz I might have killed one, two or all three of them... I don't want that on my conscience, even though I'm perfectly capable of killing people. That's not the kind life I've chosen or the kind of life I want. I want a GOOD LIFE... as Pastor Robert Morris calls it, "The BLESSED Life"...
I've chosen LIGHT and not "darkness".
If I was to be the criminal mastermind of my imagination of the Devil "courting" me in my mid-to-late teens I would have chosen and went all into the DARKNESS; but I chose LIGHT. I'm not able to make a "diminished" stained" legacy of "Gray". I chose WHITE for PURITY NOT the DARKNESS OF BLACK of EVIL or a mix 'n matched" destiny of "never being fully good or never being fully evil.
Just like how Anakin Skywalker of the fictional Sci-Fi Star Wars series was never a "true Jedi" of the "Light Side" or "true Sith" of the "Dark Side" as Darth Vader; Anakin just became a simple pawn used by the Emperor Palpatine to kill the Jedi and make him ruler. Anakin didn't really "fit in" as "true hero" or "true villain"; not even an "antihero" or a "tragic hero" just a "tragedy", really...
Anakin could have BEEN SOMEBODY, the GREATEST JEDI but he let his ANGER, his WRATH, his PRIDE; his SIN get the best of him and it utterly destroyed his life and countless other souls.
Yeah, even though the story of Anakin was just fiction the THEME of the story is what resonated with me.
I'm A LOT like Anakin. Hard past, great potential, same kind of anger, wrath, pride and "arrogance" issues; but I've recognized it in foresight by the Wisdom and Grace He bestowed upon me. Seeing the tragic FAILURE of Anakin REMINDED ME how I can be of a similar fate if I don't make wise decisions my own self and be amongst people of "good heart". A lot of users, manipulaters, schemers and deceivers out their trying to take advantage of young, inexperienced but promising, great potential youth... Even from old folks (i.e. "Palpatine"... oh yeah...)
Anyways, whether the trio of dudes beat me or I beat them, the result would be the same: NOBODY REALLY "WINS" A FIGHT. Lives are damaged or destroyed and then the police are called, ambulances rush, arrests are made, sent to jail, then after hanging there for a while, an eventual court date ... and sentencing...
I know how that system works... It only makes life HARDER than it has to be and I don't want to be the "sucker" for it. 'F' that!" as it's said!
Even if I "physically won" the fight God forbid I actually killed those kids and had to carry that on my heart... I know I could have gone all the way but I would have been the FOOLISH, STUPID FOOL on MY PART killing some ignorant kids that don't know better; don't want to know better but I would be the ONE in the WRONG since I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT but I CHOSE EVIL. I HATE THAT.
And I would have ended up in prison; stained reputation as a supposed "Christian" and having to explain to their parents I took their sons lives... Smh... I chose the right choice by HIS GRACE.
Wow... It's SO EASY to get into TROUBLE and RUIN YOUR WHOLE LIFE if you're not careful about what you say and do to people in your life...
Sometimes you're NOT even "looking for trouble" but TROUBLE FINDS YOU!
In fact, I don't even know if those young punks parents know of the kids' wandering the streets looking for trouble or if they're aware their kids are wanting to be little "gangbangers"; if their own parents aren't criminals themselves or even in their lives? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Either way, looking beyond the natural plane of the situation I realized that GOD wants these young Hispanic men to be SAVED and grow up in HIS STATURE.
That angry, rebellious, lawless cursing and trash talking of the young Shorty could be transmuted as a red-hot fired up preaching preacher in CHRIST!
God could use their natural inclinations for HIS GLORY and for HIS GOOD if they were of the SPIRIT OF CHRIST...
Even after I walked away and Shorty's like "Yeah, walk away p*ssy!" as I threw my hands up with my Bible in a "What does it matter?" expression. I didn't look back or nothing but went on my way to bible study after that "temptation of the Devil".
When I got in Calvary Christian Center church, elder brother Pastor T.J. was teaching us the brethren about people in the church who "cause division contrary to the doctrine of Christ" and negative spirits and vibes people give off to distract and harm believers from seeking after and working for the Lord. Amen.
Now I'm minded of those young meddlesome punks from that study...
Even though this happened yesterday it's still in my mind to be CAUTIOUS. The young Shorty said to me "I'll be around and I'll get you sometime" so as self-aware as I usually am about my surroundings I'm mindful of cars driving by in case this punk may try to cause a stunk of a "drive-by shooting"...
I'm not at all "scared to lose my life" but I'm mindful of STAYING ALIVE for the RESPONSIBILITY I have towards GOD and the future of my FAMILY'S WELFARE...
GOD knows this and He knows I'm not about to get myself into a situation that is not of His Own Merit that could unwisely endanger my life doing something "stupid" and ending up dead.
I been to jail a couple (two [2]) times. I've done some things I should not have done... That I'm not proud of. Though, through it all, I learned my life lessons and I thank GOD I didn't do nothing too "drastically-serious" that could have forever altered my life... Also, got to meet many different people in jail and even was MINDFUL to be a "witness of Christ" to the people I met in jail (but that's a story for another time, God-willing...)
Smh... Houston is not place to "play around". People are lying, cheating, stealing and killing like there's NO TOMORROW! It's SIN CITY here!
Even like the case the made national headlines with the white woman killing her two daughters in front of their father, her husband; was something else WICKED and EVIL; a WHOLE LOT of stuff is also going on unreported... (*Prayers go out to the father and family...*)
Can't even finish...
Anyways, well, when I got home I had to get somewhere and PRAY thanking the Lord nothing bad happened and that the Lord would work in the hearts of those troubled, misguided and WAYWARD, AIMLESS young Hispanic men... No direction...
It was some FERVENT PRAYER last night unto the Lord.
Nothing more to say than I hope they can turn to the LORD and not be a tool of the Devil, Satan. Amen.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
It caught me by surprise as I was simply on my way walking to bible study.
The young "ringleader" of the group had curly dark brown or black hair, wore a white short-sleeved shirt; had on brown khaki shorts and the other two young Hispanic guys (who were quite taller than the short Hispanic teen) wore black clothing of both black shirts and black pants.
He and his two taller homies just waltz up and were engaging me as though they "wanted trouble".
Smh... it was VERY rebellious. I didn't even say a word to them and then the short young "ringleader" of the trio started all cursing calling me a "b*tcha** p*ssy and n*gga" and all that typical street cursing and foul language trash talking...
He's like "You from Fifth Ward?" I said "I'm from Seattle, Washington" and my response kind of "threw him off guard" when I said that since I'm not a "real local" 'round these parts.
Anyways it's like that wasn't the "response he wanted to hear from me; rather he wanted me to say "Yes. I'm from (i.e. "with") Fifth Ward" and he's like "Oh okay, good you better be or I'm gonna beat you down "p*ssy a** b*tch" and cursing all long. The other two dudes in black were on his right and left sides in the back behind him standing a space apart. Co-signing, throwing up their "gang hand signs" and co-signing with their little short ringleader.
I'm like "Jesus LOVES you! Why you calling me all this? I don't even know you. I'm not from here." and he's like "F- the government, F- President Obama" and everything like that as though he assumed ME as a black person supports U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama just because he's... black. No I do NOT. I love and care for our U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha and Melia; I just do NOT support the wicked, evil agendas President Barack Obama is pushing; he's on the Devil, SATAN'S side. I'm on GOD'S SIDE. Amen.
Anyways, the hothead young Hispanic man was too busy hurling out insults in angry ranting trying to get me "worked up" so he thought I would engage and fight him and his two other homeboys. He was just being a blowhard and I know this set up. He was "looking for trouble" to act like some "tough guy" like a "real man" lol.
Throughout this whole ordeal that felt quite long though it was brief I only engaged by verbally speaking positive wordings to the group and didn't add "fuel to the fire" by letting my pride get the best of me and responding back like "Hey, don't you talk to me like that you *beep*, *beep*" or getting all mad and wanting to fight because he called me outside my name. No, it would have been an unwise decision if I had reacted to them in anger and wanted to fight with them.
Thing is, these lost, wayward teens (looked too young to be grown "adults") acting all "disrespectful and tough" like they're legit "gangbangers" was a joke in itself. They were nothing more than "young punks"; ignorant fools and mockeries of themselves (acting like they are tough "real men". lol),unfortunately. I couldn't take them serious at face-value. Smh... wannabes.
The young "shorty" who happened to be the "leader" I perceived was trying to make a dominance display of authority to his other two young "minions" (seems to me that the other two taller guys in black had sense to know that deep down they knew I was telling the truth to them that "gangs is not the right y'all. Just to jail, prison, death and destruction" and I'm sure that "deep down" they even know themselves that "gangbanging" is a dead end of NOTHING.) and young "Shorty" as I'll call him; walks up to my space for a distance throwing his hands up in fists in a boxing stance as he says "Wha- b*tch you think I'm playin'? I'm thrown down bigger fools than you p*ssy" and he goes on saying stuff like that in cursing as I stand still and tall in a semi-detached, calm gaze into his eyes; being weary of his actions. I'm like when he said he "beat down bigger guys than me" I said... "Well, it's believable..." and left it there.
I couldn't really engage and talk some sense into these guys as I would have really liked because like the lil' Shorty said "It goes in one ear and goes out the other". The other two guys in black clothing didn't really seem like they wanted to "go through with it" by "playing along" with the peer pressure of their Shorty leader. They like they "had more sense" and were kinda "backing out" of the situation but ol' Shorty's like trying oto "eg them on"... Smh at the sheer FOLLY of these kids... Amen.
These guys weren't about nothing but TROUBLE and they wanted to get into a fight or something to prove how "bad", "tough" and "manly" they are. And yeah, shoot, if a real fight was to go down it was going to be a "three-on-one" situation. Me against three punks.
Thing is, I wasn't at all concerned about being outnumbered in a fight. I already knew these jokers in a group were gonna fight me all at once trying to jump me. I won't go all into the details, but I've fought more than one person before and "won". Did this stuff since elementary school since "pretend-fighting" and life growing up but this was REAL.
Anyways, what's sad is I thought about the whole set up of the situation and the various outcomes that could have happened like this:
A) I speak back to pacify the situation in conflict de-escalation and resolution. Eventually figure out the young punks don't want to listen to reason and I peacefully leave from the scene. (Note: I chose and by His Grace fulfilled this outcome. Amen!)
B) Got angry back at these youngsters calling me a grown man a "p*ssy" and wanted to "assert myself" as a MAN! Either they feel the urge and momentum to "push back" and start the fight by rushing at me or me going at them. If I chose this option, I would hope they were the instigators and I could have picked them off one-by-one with a good sock to the head; I wouldn't have let these punks beat me up so they could earn themselves "street cred" like they're all "big 'n tough" with "big balls" and b.s. I don't know karate (though as a child growing up I was always interested in martial arts from watching shows like Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, YuYuHakashu and others; but that's a story for another time, God-willing...) but like Chris Tucker once said "I know "KUH-RAZY"! It would be ugly but I know I would have won; fighting dirty if need be. I would really HATE an loathe myself losing to such small-minded buffoons, more than me DYING lol...
As a Christian I would have it on my heart how I "hurt" them physically and wouldn't feel right about it; but when push comes to shove I have an internal survival drive instinct that RUSHES adrenaline when I'm feeling like I'm gonna die; I have that DRIVE and I'm VERY PRIDEFUL and RUTHLESS. Would have been VERY UGLY (can promise you) cuz I might have killed one, two or all three of them... I don't want that on my conscience, even though I'm perfectly capable of killing people. That's not the kind life I've chosen or the kind of life I want. I want a GOOD LIFE... as Pastor Robert Morris calls it, "The BLESSED Life"...
I've chosen LIGHT and not "darkness".
If I was to be the criminal mastermind of my imagination of the Devil "courting" me in my mid-to-late teens I would have chosen and went all into the DARKNESS; but I chose LIGHT. I'm not able to make a "diminished" stained" legacy of "Gray". I chose WHITE for PURITY NOT the DARKNESS OF BLACK of EVIL or a mix 'n matched" destiny of "never being fully good or never being fully evil.
Just like how Anakin Skywalker of the fictional Sci-Fi Star Wars series was never a "true Jedi" of the "Light Side" or "true Sith" of the "Dark Side" as Darth Vader; Anakin just became a simple pawn used by the Emperor Palpatine to kill the Jedi and make him ruler. Anakin didn't really "fit in" as "true hero" or "true villain"; not even an "antihero" or a "tragic hero" just a "tragedy", really...
Anakin could have BEEN SOMEBODY, the GREATEST JEDI but he let his ANGER, his WRATH, his PRIDE; his SIN get the best of him and it utterly destroyed his life and countless other souls.
Yeah, even though the story of Anakin was just fiction the THEME of the story is what resonated with me.
I'm A LOT like Anakin. Hard past, great potential, same kind of anger, wrath, pride and "arrogance" issues; but I've recognized it in foresight by the Wisdom and Grace He bestowed upon me. Seeing the tragic FAILURE of Anakin REMINDED ME how I can be of a similar fate if I don't make wise decisions my own self and be amongst people of "good heart". A lot of users, manipulaters, schemers and deceivers out their trying to take advantage of young, inexperienced but promising, great potential youth... Even from old folks (i.e. "Palpatine"... oh yeah...)
Anyways, whether the trio of dudes beat me or I beat them, the result would be the same: NOBODY REALLY "WINS" A FIGHT. Lives are damaged or destroyed and then the police are called, ambulances rush, arrests are made, sent to jail, then after hanging there for a while, an eventual court date ... and sentencing...
I know how that system works... It only makes life HARDER than it has to be and I don't want to be the "sucker" for it. 'F' that!" as it's said!
Even if I "physically won" the fight God forbid I actually killed those kids and had to carry that on my heart... I know I could have gone all the way but I would have been the FOOLISH, STUPID FOOL on MY PART killing some ignorant kids that don't know better; don't want to know better but I would be the ONE in the WRONG since I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT but I CHOSE EVIL. I HATE THAT.
And I would have ended up in prison; stained reputation as a supposed "Christian" and having to explain to their parents I took their sons lives... Smh... I chose the right choice by HIS GRACE.
Wow... It's SO EASY to get into TROUBLE and RUIN YOUR WHOLE LIFE if you're not careful about what you say and do to people in your life...
Sometimes you're NOT even "looking for trouble" but TROUBLE FINDS YOU!
In fact, I don't even know if those young punks parents know of the kids' wandering the streets looking for trouble or if they're aware their kids are wanting to be little "gangbangers"; if their own parents aren't criminals themselves or even in their lives? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
Either way, looking beyond the natural plane of the situation I realized that GOD wants these young Hispanic men to be SAVED and grow up in HIS STATURE.
That angry, rebellious, lawless cursing and trash talking of the young Shorty could be transmuted as a red-hot fired up preaching preacher in CHRIST!
God could use their natural inclinations for HIS GLORY and for HIS GOOD if they were of the SPIRIT OF CHRIST...
Even after I walked away and Shorty's like "Yeah, walk away p*ssy!" as I threw my hands up with my Bible in a "What does it matter?" expression. I didn't look back or nothing but went on my way to bible study after that "temptation of the Devil".
When I got in Calvary Christian Center church, elder brother Pastor T.J. was teaching us the brethren about people in the church who "cause division contrary to the doctrine of Christ" and negative spirits and vibes people give off to distract and harm believers from seeking after and working for the Lord. Amen.
Now I'm minded of those young meddlesome punks from that study...
Even though this happened yesterday it's still in my mind to be CAUTIOUS. The young Shorty said to me "I'll be around and I'll get you sometime" so as self-aware as I usually am about my surroundings I'm mindful of cars driving by in case this punk may try to cause a stunk of a "drive-by shooting"...
I'm not at all "scared to lose my life" but I'm mindful of STAYING ALIVE for the RESPONSIBILITY I have towards GOD and the future of my FAMILY'S WELFARE...
GOD knows this and He knows I'm not about to get myself into a situation that is not of His Own Merit that could unwisely endanger my life doing something "stupid" and ending up dead.
I been to jail a couple (two [2]) times. I've done some things I should not have done... That I'm not proud of. Though, through it all, I learned my life lessons and I thank GOD I didn't do nothing too "drastically-serious" that could have forever altered my life... Also, got to meet many different people in jail and even was MINDFUL to be a "witness of Christ" to the people I met in jail (but that's a story for another time, God-willing...)
Smh... Houston is not place to "play around". People are lying, cheating, stealing and killing like there's NO TOMORROW! It's SIN CITY here!
Even like the case the made national headlines with the white woman killing her two daughters in front of their father, her husband; was something else WICKED and EVIL; a WHOLE LOT of stuff is also going on unreported... (*Prayers go out to the father and family...*)
Can't even finish...
Anyways, well, when I got home I had to get somewhere and PRAY thanking the Lord nothing bad happened and that the Lord would work in the hearts of those troubled, misguided and WAYWARD, AIMLESS young Hispanic men... No direction...
It was some FERVENT PRAYER last night unto the Lord.
Nothing more to say than I hope they can turn to the LORD and not be a tool of the Devil, Satan. Amen.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
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