We
were invited to an unusual event yesterday.
The invitation actually came from Josiah several months ago. He and Micah and Noa were graduating to their
next level belt in their karate class.
That generally means a big deal performance by a special group trained
for just that, followed by each student showing his skills and being checked
off by an instructor. Kind of like a
final exam. And for the final, final
test they have to break a board. Then
their belt of a new color is tied around their waist by someone close to them
like an instructor or a parent.
Because
of the Corona mess this particular graduation was to be done as much of this
year’s classes have been accomplished – by Zoom. So we gathered in their living room,
clustered around the TV, and waited for the instructors to come on the
screen. The kids were all decked out in
karate garb. We were asked to sign the
boards they each would be breaking in their final rite of passage. Three-year-old Ezra was crawling and jumping
and weaving in and out between his older siblings, intent on showing me his
newest books on fire fighters, his latest passion.
The
program began with a welcome and prayer from the instructors. One of them even noticed the grandparents in the
room and welcomed us as well. Then two
youngsters at the studio did a routine as sort of an interpretive dance while
the Star Spangled Banner played. We all
rose and stood at attention. And then
the kids began doing their own personal routines as instructed by the teachers
on the screen. Apparently those teachers
were all watching different students on the zoom screen. We heard comments occasionally as they called
out, “Way to go, Micah,” or “Good job, Josiah,” or “You can do it, Noa.” At one point they were supposed to get a
partner from those around them and do a drill where they tried to touch each
other’s shoulders. Micah couldn’t get
Josiah to partner up, so I jumped up and did a little sparring with him. I have no idea if I was doing the right
thing, but it was kind of fun. At least
up until the guy said, “One more minute.”
I was already tired. But I lasted
out the minute before crashing in my seat.
About
that time Jachin had to be taken to work.
Trials of a large family. I
volunteered for that task. Otherwise I
would have had to figure out how to tie one of those belts, and it has to be
done a very specific way. Jachin just
got his very first job. Fry cook at
Chic-Fil-A. He had been to orientation
and one shift, so it was all still very new to him. He talked the whole way to work, telling me
all about it. It was very different
hearing him excited about something other than baseball.
The
graduation was over by the time I got back to the house. I guess the fact that I stopped and picked up
some pizzas had a little to do with that.
But Chris told me they finished the final presentations with ease. Each managed to do the ceremonial board
breaking. Well, Micah apparently had a
little help with his. He was going to
let Ezra have a punch at the board before he broke it. And guess what happened? Yep.
Ezra broke the board. So I guess
we’ll have to get him a colored belt of some kind.
Josiah
and Micah have brown belts now. Noa’s
is orange.
She is a few classes behind her big brothers, but she can “hee-yah” with
the best of them. Nana and DadDad are
proud of our three young karate masters (and their first job big brother).
1
Corinthians 4:2 says, “Now it is required
that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
Father,
thank you for the work those youngsters have put in to learn all those karate
moves. And please be with Jachin as he
enters the world of work. Amen.
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