Confessions Of A Golf Addict

I have a confession to make. In an earlier post, I said that this summer I was getting back into cycling. The ugly truth is, I haven't been riding in about six weeks. Why? I definitely still need the exercise. The reason is that I just don't have time.

Here's another confession: I love golf. No, seriously, I really love golf. I watch it on television, I look up stats on the internet, I read player profiles... I LOVE golf. But more than golf, I love hanging out with my family and God has blessed me that they like golf, too.

Last summer we started playing together (you can see a video from last year at www.facebook.com/donboyles, go to my videos) and we're playing again this year. We go out to Pine Ridge Golf Course and walk the course three or four times each week. That doesn't leave much time for cycling, but it's worth it.

My prayer is that Bryanna and Michael remember these times forever. The times they've made a great shot and we all did the "golf clap". The times they asked to go play and we went even though the yard needed mowing. The times we've stopped in the middle of a round and sat under a tree and just talked. The times they played really good and beat Dad.

I can't say that I'm making a huge sacrifice for my kids, but I'm trying to be intentional about spending time with them and golf is a great medium for doing that. While playing there's plenty of time to talk, there are life lessons to be learned about patience, competition, integrity, and politeness. And there are limitless opportunities to celebrate God's creation.

Sure, I'm not getting as much exercise as I would cycling, but I think I'm getting a whole lot more... even when I get beat.

Square Pegs

Who says the Bible is boring?  There is a story in Judges 4, where this chick drives a tent peg through a guy's head.  This could be a scene in a Quentin Tarantino movie.  Boring?  I think not.

But, then something interesting happened... they wrote a song about it.  I'm sure it was rock and roll, because I can't imagine a song about a guy with a tent peg in his head set to easy listening music... or adult contemporary for that matter.  Why did they write it?  So that people would remember what the Lord had done and it could be celebrated.  They knew that their stories in song would help the faith of others.

The same is true for you.  Has the Lord done something cool in your life?  If he has, and I'm sure he has, you have to tell someone.  In fact, you should tell as many people as you can.  You owe it to them, because it will strengthen their faith.  There might be someone in your life that needs a booster shot, or that is not quite a believer yet.  A great story might help them inch closer to the one that can change their life.

You don't have to write a song about it.  Most of us don't have that talent.  And there's a lot of us that don't have any business singing either.  But, you can put them in stories and pray for opportunities to share them.

Where There's Smoke...

One of my greatest friend's is a guy named Rick Powers.  He has been a mentor to me and over the years has really challenged me in my faith.  He called me the other week while we were camping, but I haven't called him back yet.  

The last couple of days I've been thinking a lot about him.  I would like to see Rick, but seeing him always makes me uncomfortable because he always challenges me.  He always makes me realize how far I have to go... how little I know... how little I try... how I need to be more disciplined.  He doesn't accomplish this by judging me or condemning me, but just by the way he lives out his faith.  He probably doesn't even know the impact he has on me.

Rick makes me feel uncomfortable, but Perry Noble says discomfort is good.  In fact, he says that being comfortable is bad.  Being uncomfortable brings about growth and refinement.

One of Rick's favorite verses is "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17(NIV).  In the literal sense, when sharpening takes place, the result is friction and heat.  That's not comfortable.

I sharpened my lawnmower blades last week and sure enough there was smoke, sparks and dust.  It was a messy process, but in the end the blades were in a better condition to fulfill their purpose.

I called Rick this morning and left him a voicemail.  It's time to get uncomfortable.  Is there someone in your life that makes you better?  I'd love to hear about them.