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.

Sticks And Stones

Almost twenty years ago I was hiking alone through Doughton Park when I realized that I needed a hiking stick.  I had been on several hikes before when one would have come in handy and on this particular hike I had already crossed a couple of creeks with near damp results.  As I was walking, I happened to look over into a laurel thicket and saw what appeared to be a good candidate.  As soon as I picked it up, I knew I had found my stick.  Sure, it was a little rough around the edges, was too long, and still had the bark on it, but it felt right in my hand.  I took it home, sawed it to the right length, stripped off the bark and added a wrist strap.  Since then that hiking stick has been a faithful companion.  Together we have weathered sleet and freezing rain on Grandfather Mountain and snow in Linville Gorge.  We have crossed creeks and narrow, rocky outcroppings on the sides of mountains.  I really love that hiking stick, but today I gave it away.

Today, my son, Michael, made his first trip to the top of Raven Knob.  He had been eyeing my stick all week so we set a goal to make the climb.  I told him if he made it, the stick was his.  I was glad to give it to him, because in that moment standing on the rock over looking Lake Sabata, I was as proud as a dad could be.  He is growing up.

Last night we prayed together before bed and I asked God to help me raise him to be a good man.  To be a man of integrity, character, moral fiber and, most of all, to be a God-honoring man.  I want him to be known for his honesty and fairness.  I want him to cherish relationships, especially those of his wife and kids.  And, I want him to know Jesus.

After the hike as we were walking back to camp, I noticed him doing something I used to do when I was his age.  He was trying to match my stride.  His little legs stretching out to take the same length steps that I was taking, the same way I used to do with my dad.  It was then that I realized the only way these lessons could be taught was for me to give him a model.  I can't tell him the qualities of a good man without showing him those qualities in my own life, again much the way my dad did for me.  I will never be perfect but I want him to see that I will never give up on getting better. 

Although I loved that stick, I was glad to give it away.  It's now a reminder of the work I have in front of me, not just for Michael but Bryanna as well.  I guess this year that's my Father's Day gift to them.   

You Look Mahvelous!

"As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.  And he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."  And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him and everyone marveled."   Mark 3:18-20(ESV)

Saturday night, we baptized a guy at our church.  Pastor Scott asked him what the Lord has done for him and he said, "He's changed my life and is helping me get off booze.  I've been sober for three months."  He told how much the Lord had done for him and everyone marveled.

Does evangelism freak you out a little bit?  If you're like me, you want to tell your friends about Jesus, but you don't want to come across like one of those guys on the street corner screaming at people.  Or maybe you're afraid that you don't understand all the theology wrapped up in salvation well enough to explain it to someone.  Well, you don't have to.  All you have to say is what the Lord has done for you, "This is who I was.  This is who I am now."  People will marvel.

It's Just Like Riding A Bike

It's been a while since I've written a blog, but it's been a very busy spring so far.  There have been cookouts to go to and yard work to be done.  I've also decided this spring that I'm going to get back into cycling.  I used to ride several years back and when I was riding, I felt good.  First of all, I felt healthier and that by itself is enough to continue, but I also felt a sense of accomplishment.  Anytime I would complete a distance longer than any I had done before or climb a mountain a little bit faster than I did previously, I felt like I had really done something.

To get back to riding, I first had to make time, so I decided which days and times I would ride.  Nothing gets accomplished without a plan.  Then I stopped by the bike shop one day just to see what was going on in the biking world since I had been gone.  I talked to the owner, Richard, and told him I was thinking of getting back into riding.  The first thing he told me about was the group rides that take place every week.  With all the advances in equipment, with lighter bikes and more comfortable clothing, why would he tell me about the group rides?  Because he's smart.  From a business stand point, Richard knows that if I get connected with people, that I am more likely to stay in cycling and not drift back to the couch.  If I stay in cycling, I am more likely to come back in to his shop and make purchases.  But from a personal stand point, I believe that he really wants me to enjoy cycling the way he enjoys it.  I believe he knows that the best way for me to learn and advance as a cyclist is to be around other cyclist who are better and faster than I am.  He knows I'll learn techniques to help me improve and my involvement in cycling will be more fulfilling.

Immediately I began to see the parallels as they relate to church.  I know that if people get connected through volunteering or small groups in our church, they are more likely to stay.  But deep down, I want them to experience the same joy of being a believer that I do.  I know that the best way for people to grow spiritually is to be in community with other people who are perhaps a little farther along in their faith than they are or have different life experiences than they do.  I know they'll learn principles that will make their life more fulfilling.

People tell me all the time that they want to go deeper in their faith.  Maybe, that's what you're thinking.  Are you involved in a small group with other people or are you serving together with a group?  You should try it.  It's just like riding a bike.  There will be some hills to climb, but there's nothing like the thrill of coming down the other side.  And you'll be stronger for it.

Back To The Future

I've heard the question asked many times, "Would you like to go back to high school and do it all over again?"  For some people the question brings back the feelings of not fitting in, the pressures of the social structure and they immediately respond, "No!"  Most people, however, say they would go back if they could know what they know now.

Over the last several months, I have been reconnecting with classmates from high school via Facebook.  The other night we got together for dinner at a local restaurant.  Many of them I really didn't know that well in high school.  I've even had to go back and look in the yearbook to see who a few of them were.

Something interesting is happening, though.  Through their status updates, the pictures they post, and in some cases direct messages, I feel I know most of them better than I did in high school. I know where they like to eat, what they like to do for fun, and how much their kids look like them.  I feel there are some real friendships forming.  In high school, we were all trying to figure out who we were and who we were going to be.  We wanted to be a part of the crowd and at the same time be unique individuals.  Now, most of that is settled.  We are comfortable in our own skins; we are confident in who we turned out to be.  And, maybe now we understand how valuable genuine relationships are.

Would I go back and do it all again knowing what I know now?  Maybe I already am.

What would you do different?