AMBITION AND ATTITUDE

Howdy do all of you ambitious people. How's your dream and vision factor going for ya? Are you reaching your goals? Are your plans coming to pass? Is your life turning out like ya dreamed it would be? Did you think that you would be where you are at now...back when you envisioned your life?

Most likely...things have shifted and changed as you walk out your life in this crazy, ever-shifting thing that we call life. Oh...there are AMBITIOUS people who may have come out of the womb with a DayTimer in their hands...and knew exactly what they wanted out of life...and their entire life was on course (by their making...or their parents shaping exactly who they wanted them to be)...but that was not me.

When I was in Guatemala a while back...Bruce Coble and I were teaching at the Open Doors Ministry International (O.D.M.I.) School for pastors/missionaries. We tag team taught during our stay. I taught on the Holy Spirit and Bruce taught on the character of God. NOTE: It is dangerous to be moving in the gifts of the Spirit without the fruit of the Spirit in your lives (See I Corinthians). The first picture you see is the board when Bruce was teaching...with the bottom line of what we must have when we are "walking by faith" and "being led by the Spirit"...is found in the THEREFORE...at the bottom of the board..."OUR AMBITION IS TO PLEASE HIM." (II Corinthians 5:9)

This thing called ambition can be a good, driving force as you try to accomplish your visions, dreams, plans, and goals...OR...it can be a detriment...as you strive and strive trying to bring to pass things out of your control...or try to push your way to the top as you win the rat race. Of course when you win the RAT RACE...that makes you the #1 Rat.

Rick Nelson (formerly know as Ricky Nelson) at the hit Garden Party when he came to the conclusion that, "ya can't please everyone...so ya got to please yourself." This thing called ambition goes hand in hand with attitude and the combination is usually wrapped up in pleasure. What and who you chose to please will be motivation for what you accomplish.

Check out my doggie Sweetie. She is a Shih Tzu. The Shih Tzu were breed to sit at the feet of emperors/kings...to bring pleasure. Well, she sure has brought pleasure to me, Brenda, and Phillip over the years. It seems as if...her ambition was to bring pleasure to us...but I have a sneaking suspicion that her ambition was to get a dog biscuit. In actuality she has trained me to give her a biscuit as she performs her little dance...or tricks. I do know this...she sure brings me pleasure as she settles down...and either is in my arms or at my feet. Whether she knows it or not...she has it made. We will PROVIDE her everything she needs for shelter, comfort, food, play, etc.

As I am writing this Rambling...I am listening to Phil Keaggy's album THE SONG WITHIN. From talking to Phil...listening to him in interviews...reading articles about him...and listening to his music....the driving force in his music is not JUST the expression of the sounds in his head...but the impression of God on his heart. He has AMBITION... not to become a famous guitarist...but he has the ATTITUDE to please His God. That's why at the peak of success with the group Glass Harp... Phil chose to leave the group and pursue God's desires for him. I like this photo of Phil that I took of him playing with a group called the Faux Brummels. It shows a man enjoying the music...in the groove...but transcending the music into pleasing God. This should be the ATTITUDE of everything we do and say.

"And WHATEVER you do in word or deed, DO ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
(Colossians 3:17)

"WHATEVER you do, do your work heartily/from the soul, AS FOR THE LORD, rather than for men." (Colossians 3:23) Why? "...knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. IT IS THE LORD CHRIST WHOM YOU SERVE." (Colossians 3:24)

When whom you serve...is not yourself...or your boss...or your commander-in chief...or anyone else other than the Lord...your ATTITUDE will change...and your AMBITION will turn into pleasing Him verses pleasing yourself. When your plans blow up in your face...or your visions and dreams fall short of what you expected...your attitude...will be YES LORD. You will be able to GIVE THANKS in everything (the good, the bad, the ugly)...knowing that God is working out ALL THINGS for your good...because you
(1) you love Him (2) you are called (3) your calling is according to HIS PURPOSE...not yours.
(Romans 8:28)

This last picture is a picture of me, Bruce Coble, and Don Richards in Kenya, Africa. Don and His wife Nancy...have followed the Lord...seeking to please Him for many years. Their ambition has led them on an adventure...where many lives have been changed because of that desire to please Him. They have not become rich and famous...but they have pleased God...and He has met their needs over the years. Bruce and I have been able to encourage many over the globe as we desire to please God and go to places such as Peru where Ron and Annette Theisen have laid down their lives to go down the Amazon to share Christ...and Kirk and Diana DeVenny have lived in Guatemala for the past 20 years to go into darkened corners to share His light.

But the neat thing is...that WHEREVER you are...and WHOEVER you work for...or WHATEVER you do...you can be a God Pleaser by having as your AMBITION...to please Him. (II Corinthians 5:9)

"Therefore, whether we are AT HOME [on earth away from Him], or AWAY FROM HOME (and with Him], we are constantly AMBITIOUS and STRIVE EARNESTLY...to be WELL-PLEASING TO HIM."
(II Corinthians 5:9 The Amplified Bible)

And that brings us back to picture #1...to (1) walk by faith (2) led by the Spirit...our AMBITION must be to please Him.

"But without faith it is impossible to PLEASE and BE SATISFACTORY to Him. For whoever would come near to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He is the Rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him (out)...[not just passively inquire]" Hebrews 11:6 The Amplified Bible (I commented on the passively inquiring part).

FINAL THOUGHTS FINALLY...NO REALLY...FINAL

The only way that you can shift your ambition to Him...is determined by the controlling factor. What drives you...what motivates you...will determine what your ambition will be...which is hinged on your attitude.

"For the LOVE OF CHRIST controls us...having concluded this...that one died for all (Jesus)...therefore, all died (you, me, the world)...and He died (Jesus) for all (us)...that they who live...SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES (ambition), BUT (in contrast to living for yourself)...for HIM WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN ON THEIR BEHALF (aka D.B.R...Death, Burial, Resurrection...nothing more, nothing less)." (II Corinthians 5:14-15 New American Standard Bible...Ruminator Style)

Love and Ambitious Kisses
Rodney "Yes, Lord" Boyd

HOW TO DEEP FRY A TURKEY AND IMPROVE MY WIFE'S PRAYER LIFE

Greetings and Gobble Gobble. It is the week before Thanksgiving... that time of giving thanks...and the time of repenting and asking for forgiveness for willingly indulging in the sin of gluttony.

Over the past few years...I have been practicing the ART OF DEEP FRYING TURKEY. Many people wonder...how can I deep fry a turkey? Well here is a little primer on how to deep fry a turkey...and how to improve your wife's prayer life.

I have learned from my mistake (singular)...when I had a minor grass fire under the pot...that...as most legends...turned into a roaring inferno that engulfed the community of Rockvale Tennesse.

Many moons ago...I filled my pot with fresh peanut oil...and I deemed it necessary that I needed a little more oil to cover the bird. Brenda...my lovely wife of 37 year (not counting the four years that we dated)...came out side and said..."Rodney...don't add any more oil...that is plenty." She then went outside. In the meanwhile my testosterone kicked in and I said to myself..."Self...what does a woman know about deep frying turkey's...so I added more oil (without telling Brenda). I heated up the oil to around 375 degrees (knowing that the bird will drop the temperature to a desired 325 degrees). As I dropped the bird (injected with Cajun seasonings and rubbed down with a dry rub) into the boiling cauldron...and all was well...until...the oil began to overflow (because there was to much oil in the pot). As the oil overflowed...it touched the flame....with the cause and effect of a small grass fire ensuing. Also, the hose to the propane tank caught on fire...which I easily put out. NOTE: It did not burn all the way through but did melt...resulting in having to get another cooker from my friend Doug Steckbeck).

As I was turned off the gas...and took the pan that I was going to put the turkey in...and beat out the small...minuscule grass fire...I heard a voice from behind me, saying, "Rodney,
whatcha doin'?" It was the head of security at Southern Hills...my friend Chris Cotton...with his daughter who had just arrived.

NOTE: Before I got back to Southern Hills the following Monday...word had spread like WILDFIRE...that I burned down Rockvale...with full fire engine coming out. True...a fire engine did come by my house...but it was on the way to another fire down the road. There were pictures of me standing in front of a raging forest fire posted around the hospital...a CD was waiting for me with songs that mentioned the word fire...and someone rewrote Johnny Cash's RING OF FIRE...to tell the story of the Fried Turkey Fire of Rockvale.

As you can tell from the picture of Brenda...Alison Payne and Garratt Payne...Brenda's prayer life had greatly improved as she watched the next year's dipping of the bird...was taking place. Apparently her prayers were answered...since there have been no more fires since that one, small, minute incident. NOTE: Not picture is my turkey frying buddy...Chip "El Presidente" Payne.

Now...we make and take all precautions to insure now flaming grass. As you can see...we wear the proper fireman's gear (provided by Derek Rhodes...aka...The British Bulldog). I also wrapped the propane hose with foil...to retard potential overflow...and of course...a fire extinguisher is handy.

I also have trained my son in the Art of SAFE Deep Frying Turkey. As the Scriptures tell us...Train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it...especially in the ways of the turkey fryer.

Now...here is the proper way to deep fry a turkey. (1) Inject the bird with desired seasonings (2) Pour fresh peanut oil into the pot (3) LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE (4) Heat the oil to 375 degrees (5) Put on all protective clothing...or at least...fire resistant gloves (6) Have all equipment ready for any emergency (7) slowly baptizo...dip the bird SLOWLY into the boiling cauldron. (8) unhook gently and place lid on pot.(9) Cook the bird for 3 minutes per pound (10) Do not leave the pot unattended (11) Monitor heat control and adjust accordingly (11) When time is up...look in pot...if the bird with legs sticking up is floating...it is time to pull the bird out (12) take the Golden Bird into the kitchen...let people ooh and aah...and begin to pick and eat before it is cut. (13) Serve your guest and let them ooh and aah about how delicious, moist, and favorable is the turkey tastes.

Well...there you have it. You have deep fried the turkey... you have bonded with your son...your wife's prayer life has improved...the house has not burned down...the grass is not singed...your friends have been satisfied...and no wild, malicious stories have been spread about you burning down the world.

THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT HOW TO DEEP FRY A TURKEY AND IMPROVE YOUR WIFE'S PRAYER LIFE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

THE DEEP FRIED TURKEY ASSOCIATION (Rockvale Chapter)...and THE RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS...MEETING EVERY SUNDAY AT SMYRNA ASSEMBLY (S.A.) at 9:00 A.M. Sunday Mornings in RUMINATOR CENTRAL (aka The Fellowship Hall).

Final thoughts...finally...no really...finally.

The only thing that would be better than deep fried turkey would be deep fried SPAM...a delightful blend of spices and ham. (No flavor injection necessary)

Love and Deep Fried Kisses
Rodney "Burning Lips" Boyd

PRAY FOR MY FRIEND

This is a prayer request to pray for my friend Parke Parham. He was recently in a traffic accident where his van smashed into a trailer. He had multiple injuries...and recently came off of the ventilator and now is in rehab for his hand/hip/legs etc. At one point there was no hope...but now... he is making a remarkable recovery.

He is currently at Vanderbilt Hosptial and continues to need prayers for recovery. Thank you very much.

Rodney

THE ART OF REI-SPECT

Greetings O Ye Fans of Soul Music. Here's a question for ya. What does Otis Redding...Aretha Franklin...Ray Charles and Grand Master Hironori Otsuka have in common? That's right...three African American singers of soul and a skinny Oriental man. Well...the answer is RESPECT.

1. Otis Redding: In 1965 he wrote and recorded the song Respect.

2. Aretha Franklin: In 1967 she recorded Otis Redding's song Respect...and made it her own signature song.

3. Ray Charles: I don't know if he ever recorded the song Respect...but he should have if he didn't. Actually I just needed someone with the name Ray...to fit in with what I wanted to write.

4. Grand Master Hironori Ostsuka: Developed a style of karate in 1934 called Wado Ryu. Wado Ryu means the study of the Way of Peace and Harmony. This style is a mixture of karate and ju-jitsu. While peace and harmony may seem contrary to karate...they have more in common than you would think.

Way back in 1972...when I was 21 years old...I was attacked on the side of the road... by an angry man. As he was swinging away with his clenched fists...and I was blocking away as best as I could...I got in a lucky punch and he fell like Goliath did when David slung his stone. I turned around...and his friend threw up his hands and said that he was not going to bother me. There was NO peace and harmony in my life on that day. Later on in that year...I ran across a small ad in the Daily News Journal announcing a karate class starting and the cost was $15.00 a month. It was taught by someone I knew named Newton Harris...the school was Bushido School of Karate. The style of karate was Wado Ryu. We met in Cricholow School basement...and later on Vine Street in Murfreesboro. I took for a couple of years and then because of various reasons...dropped out. Later on...many years later...in 2001....when I turned 50 years old...I started karate again (see previous Ramblings for full details of this event).

I told my son (Phillip)...and my wife (Brenda)...that when I turned 50 I would start taking karate again. This was when I was in my 40's. Brenda and I stopped at Quizno's for lunch...and ran into Mr. Bill Taylor...who now owned Bushido School of Karate. I met Mr. Taylor back in 1973 at the Vine Street School...and sparred with him...back in the day of NO sparring equipment. I still have vivid memories of blocking one of Mr. Taylor's kicks...and the pain shooting up my arm. I told Mr. Taylor that I was thinking of returning to the school...but I thought I was a little old to start up again. He told me of a 76 year old woman who had her black belt...and then asked me..."What's your excuse?" I had none. Oh...by the way...that lady...Mrs. Coleman...is still kicking...and every once in a while...she is kicking at me....what an honor.

You may be asking your self..."Self...what does this have to do with Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Hironori Otsuka?" I'm glad you asked. REI-SPECT. Rei is pronounced RAY (thus the inclusion of Ray Charles).

When I started back...I received my Student Guide for Bill Taylor's Bushido School of Karate. It outlines the program...gives the rules of the school, policies and procedures...and various bits of information about how to attain your black belt. Part of the book was BELT CURRICULUM. It outlined the various techniques that you would learn on your journey from White Belt to Black Belt.

The WHITE BELT CURRICULUM had five things that we would learn including how to do a front punch from a horse stance, how to do a front kick, and how to do a high block...BUT...the very first two things we learned were...(1) How to BOW (rei) (2) Why do we BOW (rei).

In the second collage you will see a pyramid shape with three words...that outlines...the proper way to approach what we learn...with the bottom being the foundation...before you get to the top. They are:
(1) Stances (2) Posture (3) Technique. Before you get to the fancy kicks...ya gotta get the basic stances... and in between that...ya gotta know how to hold your body upright, head up, eyes on the target, etc. There is one move...that needs to be the CORNERSTONE of the karate experience...and dare I say... our LIFE experience. That would be REI-SPECT.

We were taught the MECHANICS of the bow which included: (1) feet together at the heels with toes pointing to right and left at 45 degree angle (2) Arms/hands relaxed pointing down with hands open... not in fist (3) looking forward (4) At the command...REI...we bow (5) Slight bow at the waist (6) head and eyes up focusing on what's ahead. (7) return back to the upright, attention stance.

It does not take long to master the mechanics of the bow. The next step in the White Belt Curriculum is WHY do we BOW? In an age where RESPECT is a lost art...it is sometimes a process for us to truly understand why we bow/rei. I coined the term REI-SPECT because it speaks to me of the WHY we rei.

At our school..."karate begins and ends with respect." This is especially good for the young ones who are developing their life...and for us older ones...who may have become jaded and hardened by life.

We learn to respect from the moment we enter the dojo (karate building)...in the dojo dressing rooms... on the dojo floor. We bow when we enter the dojo floor...we bow to start out class with a series of three bows....to the front (Shomeni Rei) to respect our country, the country our style originated from, and the originator of our style of karate. We then bow to our instructor in gratitude for teaching us (Sensi/Senpai Rei) and then we bow to each other (Otagani Rei) as we begin to work with each other to learn...not defeat each other. We then bow prior to starting techniques...bow when we end techniques...and bow when we spar/fight (kumite') as we practice the techniques that we have learned. We then end class by repeating the three bows we did at the first of class....and then bow in succession to the ranks of belts as they leave the floor...turning and bowing again as we leave the dojo floor...and it is all about REI-SPECT.

To me...the REI...having REI-SPECT...is the most important karate move that I have ever learned... and am still learning everyday...on and off of the dojo floor.

NOTE: This is not some religious ritual...but basic life skills.

In my Christian walk...I relate the REI-SPECT...to GRACE. The word grace is from the Greek word Charis (Ca-reece)...which means favor, gift, free gift, unmerited favor. The best definition is found in Strong's Concordance...meaning...the divine influence in the heart...manifested in the life of the believer.

It is an inside out job...and not something that we can get our little hands on to manipulate. It is a God thang...that starts on the inside as I yield my life to Him...and what He does to me on the inside...will be manifested on the outside. With bowing/rei...we can learn all of the mechanics of rei....but that will not change what is on the inside. Over the years at karate...I am learning more and more what it means to RESPECT those that I come into contact with...by practice and repetition. Jesus said, "You shall LOVE the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength...and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Before you manifest His love with your strength...it is an inside out job in your heart, soul, and mind... and then it will be effective to your neighbor...but it starts with you...loving Him so you can love yourself. Then you can effectively love your neighbor.

Final thoughts...finally.

I love Wado Ryu...the way of harmony and peace...but the only way to true harmony with my God...and true peace (rest, wholeness) is through the cross of Jesus. Because of His Death (in my place as a substitution and propititation [satisfaction)for my sins), His Burial (representing the finality the work), and His Resurrection (raised from the dead)...D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS. "He saved us...not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness...but according to His mercy...by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5)

"Therefore (since Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on the cross) also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name (Jesus) that at the name of Jesus every kneee should REI, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth and that every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:8-10)

Love and Very Rei-spectful Kisses
Rodney "Peace and Harmony" Boyd