DREAMS AND VISIONS: The Journey

Hello fellow visionaries and dreamers...had any fulfillment's lately? Sometimes our dreams and visions tend to dissipate into the daylight when we wake up and we rub them out of our eyes like the crust in the corner of our optical orifices.

"For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day (9:00 in the morning)..but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: And it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth MY SPIRIT upon ALL MANKIND (not just "Christians or Jews"....and your young men shall see VISIONS...and your old men shall dream dreams....even upon My bond slaves...BOTH MEN AND WOMEN...I will in those days pour forth of my Spirit...." (Acts 2:15-18)

VISION: The act of gazing, an inspired appearance, sight

DREAM: Seen in sleep, vision in a dream

Of course the above passage is Peter's explanation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on a room full of men and women (around 120) in the Upper Room. He is quoting from the Old Testament Passage found in Joel 2:28-32. Today the great debate is...does God still speak and move in visions and dreams or have these thing passed away along with the last apostle or the official canonization of the Bible. Well...I am not going to be speaking about that during this Rambling...but am going to be talking about our everyday...human...visions and dreams. I feel the same principles that applies to the spiritual aspects of our lives (and yes...I believe those things are still active today including, miracles, healing, spiritual gifts, etc).

In a world of CAN'T DO...I believe that we CAN DO...especially when your CAN'T DO's are filtered through the yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the ANOINTED ONE and His Holy Spirit ANOINTING...CHRIST.

"I have strength for ALL THINGS in Christ Who empowers me--I am ready for ANYTHING and EQUAL TO ANYTHING...THROUGH HIM who INFUSES INNER STRENGTH into me, [that is...I am self-sufficient IN CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY]. (Philippians 4:13


Back in the mid-60's I had the seed of a dream planted in me...by watching a movie starring Peter Lorre. The movie was part of series from the 40's called MR. MOTO. He was an unassuming character who solved mysteries and used ju jitsu...to fight his opponents. That sparked something in me that was fanned over the years...and burst into flames in 1973. I to was unassuming...a skinny kid who was a little...well...a lot geeky...may I dare say...strange. I can remember on day at Mitchell Neilson school when I was in the 6th grade...as we were standing in a hall way waiting to go to gym...that a friend was clowning around and picking on me. He was tall...hovering over me...and before I knew it...I had grabbed his arm...and did a hip throw that I had seen in a Mr. Moto movie. The people around me were shocked...my friend was shocked...and most of all I was shocked. Remember...I had no martial arts training...just a skinny kid with a dream. I would watch those movies...see Elvis karate chopping in his movies...and reading various books...all the while never having an outlet or a place to go to practice these things...except in the backyard.

Fast forward to 1972. I got saved, been away to a Bible School, dropped out of that Bible School, came home to Murfreesboro, got married, got a job in a factory, fell away from the Lord...and ended up in front of the factory I worked at getting attacked by a tall, redneck (the bad kind) because of my stupidity. I got out of the car and tried to reason with him...but he could not be reasoned with...go figure. I was block punches...the best I could...and got my little finger dislocated (oh if I had only kept my fist closed)...and countered with a punch that knocked him down. His friend who was standing behind me backed up and through up his hands and said, "I'm not going to fool with you." Little did he know...it was a lucky punch. There were cheers from my co-workers as my Goliath went down. SHOCK!!! He got up...went to his car...and his girlfriend yelled, "Get out of here...he's coming for a gun." I hopped in my little green Vega...stalled it out a couple of times (like Marty McFly in Back To The Future)...and then it started. Looking in the rear view mirror I saw this guy chasing my car with a tire iron in his hand.

Fast forward to 1973...I saw an advertisement for a karate class held at Crichlow school basement...for $15.00 a month...no contract. What caught my eyes was a familiar name...NEWTON HARRIS. I knew him through some older childhood acquaintances. I joined up with a couple of friends...and began to fulfill me dreams from childhood. Over a period of time...married life, school, finances...took over and I ended up dropping out. NOTE: It was during this time that I met a kid in class by the name of BILL TAYLOR. I remember sparring with Him...and blocking one of his kicks...and an electrical shot of pain went up my arm. Little did I know that our paths would intersect later in life....MUCH LATER.

Fast forward to when I turned 48 years old. Periodically I would tell my wife...that one day I would start back again in karate...and specifically Wado Ryu Karate. I would run my First Basic Kata sporadically over the years...just to make sure I remembered it...and I did.
I had a DREAM...a VISION of a DESIRE planted in childhood, watered in adulthood...BUT seemed to have stalled and died...EXCEPT...I kept the dream alive by watching karate movies, thinking about it...and SPEAKING IT. One day...I took my young son Phillip to a Wado Ryu tournament in Columbia. It was intoxicating watching up from the bleachers....seeing the uniforms, the katas, the sparring, etc. I remember vividly turning to my son...and telling him..."One day I will be down there son." He agreed with me (where two are agreed).
I went home and told my wife that when I TURNED 50 YEARS OLD I WAS GOING TO START BACK TAKING KARATE. She smiled and agreed...did not through water on my dream.

Fast forward two years later...we stopped at Quizno's on Broad Street to get some lunch...and ran into Mr. Bill Taylor...now the owner of Bushido School of Karate. I talked to him about my visions and dreams...and then I said...."I feel that I am to old to start taking karate again...I am now 50 years old." Maybe I thought he would agree with me and give me an excuse for not fulfilling my dream...BUT...he did not. He said that there was a woman at the school who was..I believe he said 75...who just got her Black Belt. Then he laid the ball in my court..."What's your excuse?" I went down to the school and signed up...an older, overweight, out of shape, karate wannabe.

I started in 2001...and you would think the rest is history. No...the journey just began. For the next 6 years...I experienced the joy of dreams and visions revitalized...and the pain of the process. Over those years...I watched younger students...more flexible...faster...kicking higher....etc...start the same time as me and bypass me. But with the help of my instructors...a grit and determination... lots of prayer...I moved forward one belt at a time. The goal never was the yellow, orange, blue, purple, green, brown belts...it was always...the Black Belt.
Over and over again I was told that the only way that I would not get a Black Belt was IF I DID NOT COME TO CLASS.

Through out the journey...many times...I wanted to quit. I would come to class sometimes...just going through the motions. One hallmark day was when I was called into the office...and received a classic Mr. Bill Taylor "butt chewing". He did not mince words about my commitment to the goal. It was at that point that I took it up notch...started attending even more classes...and pushed through. The results were...I took the endurance exam...came out the other side worn out...but survived...and then took the Federation exam.

Even at this point there were obstacles. NOTE: In our spiritual journey...the same things happen to us...to keep us from our destiny..but we must PERSEVERE WITH THE CAN DO ATTITUDE. A couple of weeks before the exam...I was kicked in my knee in class (It was already hurting)...and during a kata (Pinan NiDan)...I ripped my right rotator cuff to where I could not lift up my right arm past belt level). Lots of i anti-inflammatory drugs, heat and ice....and rest were the order.

Prior to the exam...I was limping around...and I told Mr. Taylor. His words of advice..."Don't let them see you limp in there." Also prior to the exam...I saw a familiar face...Mr. Newton Harris...my original instructor...who heard I was testing and wanted to be there. I was coming full circle with my vision and dream.

Well...I gave it all...passed the exam...received the belt...and NOW was ready to BEGIN TO LEARN. My only problem...I had a torn ACL, torn meniscus...crud in the knee...and arthritis in the knee. That put a crimp in my continuation. Compound that by a fall down some stairs at one of my patent's house with damage to both of the rotator cuffs...and another roadblock. WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Perseverance...I will not give up. I still have a dream...and I HAVE STRENGTH FOR ALL THINGS IN CHRIST WHO EMPOWERS ME-- I AM READY FOR ANYTHING AND EQUAL TO ANYTHING THROUGH HIM WHO INFUSES INNER STRENGTH INTO ME...[THAT IS I AM SUFFICIENT IN CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY]. (Philippians 4:13)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

During the journey...I have had many people as sources of encouragement. The same is true for my spiritual journey. You got to have others on this journey with you.

Number one encourager is Brenda...my wife...and then my son Phillip. I draw on them constantly. At the school...Mr. Bill Taylor who gave me no room for excuses to fail...only reasons for success. Mr. Mike Wilson...who is responsible for drawing me back from the edge of quitting and convinced me many times that I can do it. Mr. Lane Womack...who pushed me to my known limits and help me to go beyond them. Mrs. Betty Coleman...the lady who age has no hold on her. Mr. Ned Coleman...who infused in me the spirit of Wado...and constantly went over and over and over a Black Belt exam. By the time I got to the exam...I had been through it so many times there were no surprises. Ms Karen Wilson...a lady of perseverance and passion who always had a kind word. To Joe Maxwell who took me through those early belts and gave me a great foundation. To Steve Holt who gave me a passion for kata. Mr. Bill Herzer who bought the school from Newton Harris...and always, always encourages me to RELAX. To Newton Harris...who was at the beginning of the journey...thanks for being there. To all of my fellow karatekas....who were and still are on the journey...and last but not least...my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ...who allowed me to fulfill dreams and vision...and learn lessons in karate that apply to my spiritual walk.

Love and Mr. Moto Kisses
Rodney "Now I'm Ready To Learn" Boyd