Greetings! I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. I wanted to share a couple of things with you before Monday’s class.
I’m concerned about the future of our children. Knowledge is increasing at an amazing speed and, unfortunately, the wisdom to use that knowledge is decreasing almost as fast. The culture we have known for generations is in deep, deep trouble. I’m writing an expanded series about the subject in our GraceLife Blog. You can read part 1 at http://gracelifethoughts.com/2013/10/04/teaching-wisdom-to-our-children-part-1/ . Think about your children and friends of your children as you read the series each week. I pray that together we will make a real difference for them.
Someone who knows a LOT about teaching wisdom to children is Grand Master David Sgro. He and his wife have 13 children and they are all great kids. GM Sgro teaches the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do. I am also a Tang Soo Do instructor and have taught the art for the past 20 years. Many of the techniques and forms in our Grace Martial Arts classes come from Tang Soo Do. GM Sgro is a friend and mentor and I always look forward to his visits with us. He is also a Christian missionary to the extreme poor in Guatemala and each year we have the privilege of helping him bring Christmas to the poor children in the village of Xenacoj. You can see how our gifts have been used in past years here – http://www.goministries.info/christmas-for-thousands.html .
GM Sgro will be with us on Monday, October 14th, to lead us in a special self-defense clinic. He does not have a vehicle this visit, so instead of bringing toys and other gifts he can drive back to Guatemala, we will raise funds to help the Sgro family purchase 5,000 plastic balls, 2,500 dolls, 2,500 plastic cars, candy and other special Christmas gifts in Guatemala. GO! Ministries, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) Public Charity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, so our gifts are tax deductible.
One other note of interest concerns one of our own Grace Martial Arts families. Geoff and Kerri Rogers and their sons are dear friends and have a deep concern about children. They’ve already produced a wonderful reality television series titled “Surrendering The Secret” and are in pre-production of a new TV documentary series, “Blind Eyes Opened.” It’s about the sex trafficking of children and youth in the United States, and the first part of the 10-part series will be about sex trafficking in the Tampa Bay Area. That’s because we are one of the top areas for sex trafficking in the country. We had the privilege of attending a wonderful fund-raising event at the Straz Center in Tampa last night and it was truly powerful and moving. I’m excited that Grace Martial Arts will be able to support this much-needed documentary series. Geoff and Kerri, we love you and pray for you as God leads you into this important service to our community and the nation.
Thank you all for being part of Grace Martial Arts! See you Monday.
Mark McGee
Grace Martial Arts
Grace Martial Arts 