What a Journey!

What a journey! It is said, by those in the know, that a person will change careers eight time in a lifetime in the world of work. Let's see how I have done. I began as a barber in Swift Current, SK; then I followed my father into the airforce where I was a military policeman. Upon escaping the service I returned to barbering for a time; and when that didn't work out, I tried life as a drug pusher. This ended up in prison, and I tried my hand at mechanics. Then for a couple of years, school became my obsession, but when I got a job as a truck driver paying 22.00 an hour, education became the last thing on my mind. A motor vehicle accident on the Second Narrows Bridge ended my driving career for a year, then I got a job doing pickup and delivery. A major life change resulted in my first attempt at church work. I was a janitor in the Salvation Army. This was quickly followed by a couple of years at bible school where I began to believe that I was destined to be a pastor. I turned to Christian mission work. For the next ten years I spent my nights and days as a childcare worker in a small Christian mission in the Okanagan. I advanced through the ranks at the One Way Adventure Foundation and found myself directing three distinct programs, which in turn lead to an administrator's position in charge of social services. During my time at the foundation I often found myself teaching rock climbing and leading wilderness expeditions during the spring, summer, and fall of each year; and after ten years of intensive child care work I took a break and went to seminary-the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary to be exact. I returned to the Foundation for a couple of years as an administrator. of the Side Street Program in Penticton. After a couple of more years of this I turned again to education, and graduated from Regent College in Vancouver with a Masters Degree in Christian Studies. I began then to work with street kids as a detached street worker and followed many of them to the federal prison system (as a service provider not a prisoner) with M2W2. I tried my hand at educating, and returned to the One Way Adventure foundation as Administrator of the Applied Christian Training School (ACTS). When the Foundation closed its doors for the final time I turned once again to studied and earned a Masters Degree in Adlerian Counseling, that lead me to the North Island and the Crisis and Counseling Centre where I served as a family counsellor. Back once again to education and I worked at North Island College as a Return to Work/Welfare to Work specialist. When the college downsized I found myself directing and developing wilderness camps for Rediscovery International. I am getting close to the end! After five years of volunteer work I turned to a 30 year dream, I pastored an Aboriginal Church in Alert Bay. Another failure, jumping the gun on God left me once again without meaningful employment. After a further two years I fell into a dramatic career change. This time another dream held since childhood. I became a cook in a local restaurant. Today, I am the AM line cook at the same restaurant, I have co-founded, with my wife and a federal prisoner, Hope Builders-Christian Restorative Ministries; and finally I am pastor at the Living Room Church. It has been a real interesting journey, and sometimes the journey is the destination.

Life Experiences

Reading Seasons of Resurrection in the April issue of the Testimony has prompted me to write my own. This is my story of finding purpose in the weave of God's grace.

My story begins in an ill conceived marriage and a poorly planned pregnancy designed to save an already failing relationship. Three months after my birth, my father was imprisoned and my mother, snatching her two young children ran to seek peace in the farmlands of the prairies. Out of this grew her desires to, at all costs, protect her daughter and her son. It was in 1954 that we moved into the derelict hotel where mother kept house to provide for her little family. The hotel was frequented by men who found themselves unable to travel to their own homes after a night of drinking. Nightly visits by the local police were standard fare for my early years. Two years after our arrival in the hotel one of those who frequented the dark hallways and dingy rooms lured me from my mother's watchful eye; and in the darkness I was sexually assaulted. Now some would see this as a travesty of the dark lord, but it is the place where my story really begins.

You see, mother, unable to escape her own life situation, fearing that the abuse would continue, knowing that she could no longer protect me, sent me to live with her youngest sister and her family. It so happens that Aunt Tillie and Uncle Earl had recently come to Jesus. Mother could have no idea of what was to lie ahead. She only knew that in this home I would be safe.

I spent many summers, and in 1961, a whole year in that wonderful home. It was there that I first heard of Jesus, and during my second summer it was there that I committed my life to him. . And it was there, in the summer of 1961 that at a bible camp where I spent each summer, I would experience an out pouring of the Holy Spirit that would seal my relationship with the Saviour for the years that followed. Conversion and a radical baptism in the Spirit of God was not followed by a wonderful life. At Christmas of 1961 I returned to live in my mother's home; and we traveled to the west coast to live with her dying father. Without the support of a Christian family I soon found my own way, and found myself lost.

At 17 I ran away from home and found myself living on the street. Drugs followed, and soon I found myself arrested and in jail. , But, the story is not over. 15 years after my wanderings began I found myself, at the invitation of a friend, in a Salvation Army Church in Vancouver. It was here that I would once again find my way back to the Father, and find him not only waiting but actively seeking me out. I once again experienced the mercy and grace of God.

In the wonder of another undeniable experience, I remembered the stories of Jesus, learned in the home of Aunt Tillie and Uncle Earl. I came home to Jesus. As I sit in my own home 32 years later, I find myself marveling at the grace of of God. Grace always triumphs shame. Today I hold a Master's Degree in Christian Studies from Regent College, a most prestigious Christian graduate school, and just this past week heard a First Nation's woman whom I honour and respect, refer to me, in public, as "pastor;" and I think of the story of Joseph.

After the death of his father, Jacob; his brothers who had mistreated him as a child, and sold him into slavery, feared reprisal. So they came up with a story in which Joseph was called to forgive. "And Joseph said to them, fear not; for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save a people alive" (Gen. 50:19-20). God comes into view, as pastor Q, Cara, myself, and many others who question God are faced with sovereignty, mercy, and grace.

One of the blessings that God has given me through Regent College is an ability to work in the original languages. The truth is found only in the Hebrew where the same word "chashab" is used both for the evil intentions of Joseph's brothers and the Good intentions, plans, and purpose of God. "I know what I am planning for you, says the Lord. I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future" (Jer. 29:11-NCV).

How, you may ask, has the intention, plan, and purpose of God played itself out in the evil intentions against me? It is grace in the weaving of the tapestry of life. If I had not been sexually assaulted, mother would have never sent me away to live with Aunt Tillie. I would not have heard the gospel and witnessed it in the lives of mother's youngest sister. I would not have had the undeniable experience with God that is transcribed in the hand of a twelve year old child, "baptised in the Holy Spirit-August 25, 1961." O, to be sure, God could have chosen another way, but he didn't. Nothing happens by accident. God is sovereign and in control of all that happens, the good and the bad..

"This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour, all the day long."

The Martial Arts

I found myself, one morning, wandering on the aikido networks with a longing to once again practice. I am surprised that this has happened! The journey has caused me to pause and think about my journey in the martial arts. I had my beginnings, in 1972, with Tashu Karate Dojo under the instruction of Jim MacArthur sensei of the Chito ryu. After attaining a green belt I was feeling pretty unfullfilled, and transfered my skills to Hung Gar Kune, where I studied under Stephen Chang sifu. Once again feeling unsatisfied I returned to karate under the instruction of Isao Yabinaka of the Goju Ryu, and later to Shito Ryu under the direction of Harry Crawshaw sensei. Here I obtained my shodan ranking.

A move to Hedley, British Columbia, where I worked for several years at the One Way Adventure Foundation, I trained under Gordon Reynaud, who remains today a trusted friend and mentor. I was certified by the Christian Black Belt Association and graded nidan in the Shiho Karano Ryu. During my time with the Foundation I began to train with Robert Powers, under the direction of T. Oshima shihan, with whom I trained in Shotokan Karate. Upon my moving to the Vancouver area I continued to study Shotokan with Norman Welsh, Bernie Doyle, and John McKay.

It was during these years that I met Bernie Lau sensei and was introduced to aikido and Itten ryu Ju Jutsu. Aikido become my new love, and while I lived in the Vancouver area I began to train under the instruction of Chuck Aarons sensei, following the direction of Y. Kawahara shihan of the Vancouver Aikikai. As the years would pass, and once again I would move a couple of times, I founded the Similkameen Valley Aikikai in Hedley, B.C., and the North Island Aikikai in Port Hardy, B.C., respectively. While leading practice at the Similkameen Valley Aikikai, I was introduced to G. Del Cueto sensei of the Rengokai Daito Ryu Aiki Ju Jutsu. Through his guidance I was graded to the first level of Daito ryu and licenced to teach the shoden mokoroku of Daito Ryu techniques.

The North Island Aikikai closed its doors in 1996, and re-opened as the Renshinkan Dojo, under the direction of Y. Toyoda of the Ki Society, with whom I taught classical Aikido to the children of the Gwa'sala-'Nakwakda'xw Elementary School. Once again I closed the doors of Renshinkan Dojo after I realized that I had a conflict beetween my faith and aikido. This is an old conflict which has surfaced time and time again over the years of my practice. This time it seems that it was final. I have not practiced now for five plus years, but the temptation is still there. Through the guidance of Stephan Toyoda, the son of Fumio Toyoda shihan I returned to the aikido fold, and Renshinkan Dojo once again opened its doors to a select group of students in the Port Hardy area. Today I hold nidan rank in the Shiho Karano Ryu, Ikkyu with the Aikido Association International, and under the direction of Guillermo Murphy del Cueto teach the curriculum found in the shoden mokoroku of the Dai Nippon Daito Ryu Aiki Ju Jutsu Rengokai. Sometimes the Journey is the Destination.

A Turn In The Road

Well, it has been some time since my last entry, almost a whole year has gone by since my last blog. Some of you may be wondering what I am up to, or how the journey has transpired during the past twelve months. So, here goes.

As some of you will know 2 and a half years ago I took on a late in life career change, moving from the pastoral field into the culinary field. the journey has been most interesting, and need I say that Gordon Ramsay has nothing on Mark Roberts when it come to culinary expectations. Still, I came, as the writer says, to a fork in the road, and taking the road less traveled has proved to be sensational. I began simply washing dishes, from there I moved to the prep table, and today I am the breakfst cook and the sous chef, in charge when Mark is out of the kitchen. It has been a life long dream, to fill the shoes of a professional cook, and today the Harbourview Resturant has a breakfast line cook that has survived twenty-three others, far more qualified and experience than me. Mark say, "You can teach a person to cook an egg, but you cannot teach him a work ethic." I take this as a compliment.

And you know what, If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you will know that my other dream was to pastor, a dream that ended with my failure in a church in Alert Bay. But God has a way about him, and if you check out the other blog that I am keeping, http://www.livingtogetherinaworld fallingapart.blogspot.com you will find that I am pastoring a cyber church-The Living Room Church, a church meant for those who want to know more about God, more about themselves, and more about each other. Sometimes the Journey is the destination.