THE JOURNEY

Hello friends and neighbors...how is your JOURNEY going?
Have you felt like giving up along the way? How bad do you want to reach your destination?

Way back in 1973...I started out on a journey of studying karate. Really the journey began back in the 6th grade as I watched Mr. Moto movies on T.V. Mr. Moto was like a Charlie Chan character...except he added judo to fight the bad guys. That was fascinating to me. Once at school... there was a kid who was taller than me...and was clowning around by picking on me...and I emulated what I saw Mr. Moto do...I threw him over my shoulder with a hip twist. So begins the journey. Over the next few years...I would read books...watch movies. In 1972-1973 the latest craze in movies and T.V. was the martial arts. Everyone was KUNG FU FIGHTING...watching Billy Jack takes his foot and placing it on Mr. Posner's face.. Bruce Lee was all the rage...and David Carradine was kung fu kicking his way through the ratings on T.V.


NOTE: Confucius say..Man with 357 Magnum...still have advantage over Black Belt.

My pastor/mentor/friend Bruce Coble...came to watch my examination. He stated that his form of self defense is running away...that's why he calls himself...Bruce FLEE...ah so.

In February of 1973...I saw an ad in the Daily News Journal for a karate class taught by someone I knew...Mr. Newton Harris. The class was $15.00 and was meeting in the basement of a school in Murfreesboro. I signed up...along with some friends...and we began to have a kickin' good time. After a couple of years...time and money ran out and I dropped out...BUT...the desire never left me.

Fast forward to when I turned 48 years old...from when I was 23....I kept telling Brenda that one day I will get my Black Belt. I set a goal to start taking Karate again at 50 years old. I even took Phillip to a tournament and told him that one day I would be fighting in this tournament. When I turned 50... I met with Mr. Bill Taylor...7th Degree Black Belt in the Wado Ryu System...and owner of the school that I had gone to in 1973...Bushido School of Karate. I told him my story of my journey...and that I was thinking about starting karate again...but I was thinking that I might be too old. He shot back that there was a lady in the school who was 75 years old who had her black belt...what was my excuse? I had none... so I signed up.

I received my first belt (White Belt) on 11/15/01. I kept a record of my journey...when I received my various belts. On October 27th and 28th... I took my Black Belt endurance examination and Federation examination. Tonight...I will receive my Black Belt on 10/29/07.

This journey was NOT an easy journey. It was filled with doubt at times... pulled muscles...frustrations...fear. Yes...fear of failure...fear of what people would think if I quit...fear of dying on the dojo floor. I was surrounded by kids, young adults, people who were in physical shape.. and oh yes...the 75 year old lady...who I have had the honor of fighting. I am proud to say that I have been punched and kicked by 12 year old girls and a 75 going on 80 year old granny.

Each belt was a milestone. I could look back...and see where I thought I would never make it...but did make it...and then look ahead to the prize waiting for me.

Now..you did not think that I was really writing a Rambling about me taking Karate...now did ya? My experience of this journey...is about my Journey with the Lord. I started my journey with the Lord in 1970. 37 years...I am still standing and still travelling towards the prize. PERSEVERANCE is the word for the day. I wanted a Black Belt...and I wanted it bad. I had every opportunity to give up. I was faced with my own frailties...my weaknesses...my fears...but NEVER GAVE UP. I had a hunger...a desire. As a result...I stand in this last picture...still standing...and ready to receive the prize that I persevered for all these years.

The question is...do you have that same hunger and desire for the things of God. Do you "hunger and thirst" after righteousness....so you will be SATISFIED (Matthew 5:6) "As the pants/longs for the water brooks...so my soul pants/longs for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1) Think about how you feel when your throat is parched and you need water to quench your thirst. Is that how you long for a long drink of the Lord.

Are you in PURSUIT of the things of God like...righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness? (I Timothy 6:11). Are the things of God worth fighting for as you "Fight the good fight of faith...TAKING HOLD of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:12)

Is this journey with God worth DISCIPLINING YOURSELF FOR THE PURPOSE OF GODLINESS?
(I Timothy 4:7) Do you realize that bodily discipline (karate) is only of little profit...but godliness is profitable for ALL THINGS since it holds PROMISE for the PRESENT LIFE...and also for the LIFE TO COME. (I Timothy 4:8)

As you read I Timothy 4:7-16...there appears to be a tenacity as you discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness in the areas of speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity as you show yourself and example of those who believe. Notice the tenacity words that appears...labor, strive, fix our hope, give attention to public reading of Scripture, exhortation, and teaching...do not neglect the spiritual gift within you...take pains with these things...BE ABSORBED in them so that your PROGRESS may be evident to all...PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to yourself and to your teaching...PERSEVERE in these things...for as you do this... you will insure salvation for yourself...and for those who hear you.

On our journey...like my karate journey...there will be many obstacles set along the way to discourage you from finishing the journey and winning the prize.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside EVERY ENCUMBRANCE...and THE SIN...which so easily besets/entangles us...and let us run with ENDURANCE...the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

Jesus is our example...on how to fix our eyes beyond the suffering...on on the goal.

"Fixing our eyes on JESUS...the author and perfecter/finisher of our FAITH...who for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM...ENDURED THE CROSS...despising the shame...and has sat down at the right hand of the THRONE OF GOD. For consider HIM...who has ENDURED such HOSTILITY by sinners against Himself...SO that you MAY NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART." (Hebrews 12:2-3)

I encourage you to press in like Paul encouraged us to do..."But whatever things were gain to me (Black Belt, degrees, jobs, prosperity etc.) those things I have COUNTED AS LOSS for the sake of Christ. More than that...I count all things (Black Belt, degrees, jobs, prosperity, etc) to be loss in view of the surpassing value of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD...for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish/dung in order that I may GAIN CHRIST...and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law...but that which is THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, the righteousness which COMES FROM GOD...on the BASIS OF FAITH...that I may KNOW HIM and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I might attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have ALREADY OBTAINED IT...or have ALREADY BECOME PERFECT...but I PRESS ON in order that I may LAY HOLD OF THAT for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren...I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet...but one thing I do...FORGETTING what lies BEHIND nd REACHING FOREWARD TO WHAT LIES AHEAD
I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL FOR THE PRIZE OF THE UPWARD CALL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS." (Philippians 3:7-14)

Love and Kicking Good Kisses
Rodney "Ninjarodo" Boyd