Pride comes before destruction.......

Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.....1

My family, our friend Carl, and his wife all went to sign up for the up coming tournament. My father, Carl, and I would all be competing.  We had gone early because it was sparing night at the school who would be holding the tournament. We gave our sign-up sheets and registration fee's. My mother and Carl's wife, Mrs. Sherill, had been watching the school's class.2

"Well," said Mrs. Sherill as we left the school, "I'll say one thing: grace is not there specialty."3

"Still, there were red and brown belts," replied my mother.4

"Yeah, but I think we can take them," my father said excitedly,"They don't seem that tough, and compared to Mr. Ron's work out, theirs was like nothing!!"5

"Dad, you shouldn't say that! Just because you don't see them spare, and their forms alittle sloppy, doesn't mean their not good!" I cried.6

But all the time we talked, all the ride home, and all the next morning my father was bragging on how we were going to give them "a can of whoop-a$$".(excuse my french)7

"I'm waring you Dad," I had said the night before, "Proverbs 16:18 says pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall."8

"Yeah, I know. But I'm so excited!! And I really think that we're gonna kick their butts!!"9

The next day we had karate, as usual. It was my school's sparing day (as we all liked to call it). But as expected by my sisters and me, my father kept talking about how we were gonna kick their butts, all the way up to the karate school.10

We had warmed up, kicked, and worked on kicking bags, when it was finally time to spar. I was huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf in between sparing sessions. Man, had Mr. Ron (my karate instructor) worked us hard today!! As the class began to come to a close, I noticed  my dad holding one side of his rib cadge.11

"Dad, what happened?!?!"12

"Well, I was sparing Young Ray (this is a nick name we gave to him) and I put my guard down. All of a sudden, he kicked me and hit me in the ribs."13

"OMG!!! Will you be alright??"14

"Yeah, but I don't know if I'll be able to go to the tournament."15

As we bowed out, and class finished up, I pondered what my dad had said.16

Finally, we reached home. My father was moaning and groaning all the way home while he drove, saying that his rib cadge hurt. He ran for the fridge, and piled on the ice on that one spot.17

"Well Dad," I finally got the courage to say, "Pride goes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall!"18