Well everyone is just going to have to forgive me for being so proud on this one.  My karate kid girl is, at 4 1/2, now a brown belt and she broke her first board on her first try!  I AM SO PROUD OF HER!  And I know my father would be as well.  I confess I have always had an interest in the martial arts and, as noted in a past post, I have at least earned my yellow belt thus far in my journey.  When I wandered into that studio a year and a half ago I had no idea about the different types of martial arts and assumed it was Japanese (karate).  To my complete surprise and utter shock I discovered it was South Korean.  My father served eight years in Korea and was awarded the Greek Medal of Honor for his efforts.  Being half Choctaw, he had superlative tracking skills and never lost a man on night patrol.  But I believe his acquired knowledge of South Korean martial arts served him just as well.  He had a wicked bayonet scar down his left leg (which means he saw very close hand to hand combat) as well as having his feet frozen during a particularly harsh snow storm.  He was lucky a Norwegian hospital let him keep his feet but they would always turn blue in the winter.  Mark Ringler never bragged about anything he did, but men came from all over to attend his funeral with tears in their eyes telling me of my father’s bravery and how they owed their life to him.  Mama and I had no idea.  My Daddy died when I was just 28 years old.  He never lived to meet my husband and of course did not get to see our little girl.  But God was gracious in that my child shares his birthday.  I knew in that moment when I discovered what their program was my father would have approved.  I knew he would be so proud, as he reared me no differently than a boy, and I am much better because of it.  So I don’t consider her achievements or mine “cool” or cute; I consider them an honor to my father — following in his footsteps just like his men did on night patrol all those years ago.  English poet and hymnodist William Cowper wrote:

“God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.  He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.”

My father followed in our heavenly Father’s footsteps; I intend to do the same and I wish that path for my family as well.  Achukma hoke.