Havenwood Baptist Church

One of the longest running and popular TV shows in Japan is Sasuke, or as it is known in the United States, Ninja Warrior. This competition has also become a staple on the G4 television channel in America, and has spawned an American spin-off called American Ninja Warrior. The basic premise of the competition is to endure 4 progressively more grueling obstacle courses to reach what is known as "total victory". Applicants are interviewed or auditioned and trial rounds are held to test their physical ability until the field is narrowed to 100 competitors.

In a military conflict today, the soldiers of the United States are the gold standard in a battle. Why is this? Because the U.S. has a commitment to thorough preparation. As a result, our soldiers are among the most adaptable, the most disciplined, and most skilled military leaders of our time. The same soldiers can carry out a conventional attack, then be able to take action as a military policeman, then act as a guard, and do all of them well. Because there is a commitment to preparation, the soldier can thrive given most any mission.

When someone passes from this world, it is a time to remember. Many of us have experienced just such a time of memorial after having lost a loved one. For me, it was very significant to have lost my dad just a couple of weeks ago. When that happens, you want to remember them in the best way possible. I thought a lot about how to remember Dad. There weren’t great individual moments of achievement that I could point to in order to memorialize him. However, he did have qualities that I hope to pass on to generations to come.