HIS Karate-Do

I usually forget to remind everyone that it’s gonna be the first Saturday of the month (this weekend), which means…two hour training available for everyone to train together. So here’s your reminder that this Saturday is double the fun, double the exercise, double the blessing of being able to stretch, strengthen, move and learn something new. Anyways, I was thinking of all the things we should be thankful for when we arrive for training: 1) A great place that’s large enough to accommodate our group…with covering too. 2) The blessing of good health which allows us the freedom to enjoy a great, stress-releasing workout. 3) Having/making the time in our busy day, to be able to come to the ministry once or twice a week. 4) The blessing of fellowship, received from those who are training next to us (obviously, we’d be hard-put to come out and train all by ourselves each week). 5) The sempais in our group who willingly share their knowledge with the kohais, purely out of the desire to help their progress. 6) The kohais in our group, who, during the process of being taught, help teach the sempais too. 7) And most importantly, the Lord, [...]

Over the last three Saturdays, we have enjoyed training with Sensei Ed Fujiwara, and I know everyone (myself included!) has learned so much from these sessions; especially his famous lines, “Easy training today!”, or “More down in your stances!” Sensei always has had an ironic/sardonic sense of humor. Anyways, he finally gets to teach at the NHM karate ministry’s new location at Mililani Ike School, Building E. I understand that similar to Momilani Rec, it’s an outside covered area. We are all invited to bless his new location on Saturday and train with him there for his inaugural session. Sensei and I will share teaching duties like we did today. Training will start at 09:00 am, just like usual. I will be sure to send out a map later this week so no one gets lost. You’ll find that just like training with a different instructor, training at different location is…different! And that, in itself, is a learning experience. I learned an interesting thing from Sensei Ed these last couple of weeks. First, he switched from a different martial art to karate many, many years ago, because of a chance visit to his high school friend’s house. His friend’s older [...]

COMBINED TRAINING WITH SENSEI ED THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 7 Talk about God’s timing. A few days ago, I sent Sensei Ed Fujiwara a note suggesting that his group and us, having a combined karate training together. In case you don’t know, Sensei Ed was my instructor for a period of 7-8 years and I can’t describe how much about Shotokan I learned from him during that time. Today, he’s the ministry leader of the New Hope Mililani Karate Club. Now, here’s where the Lord’s timing comes into play: At the same time that I sent him my note, suggesting joint training, the NHM Karate Club was temporarily without a training location…this past Saturday was the last time they were able to use Mililani Waena. Not to worry, their pastor secured Mililani Iki for their use, but that commences on Saturday, three weeks from now. So, at the exact same time that the NHM group was temporarily without their Saturday training place, NHPC’s offer of combined training at Momilani Rec Center was made. Neat, eh? This Saturday is also the first one of the month, which means everyone is invited for two hours of training. Please try to make it…I’m not [...]