A couple of weeks ago I referenced my “Golfer’s Bible”. I think I’m going to stay with this theme and share something I read in this bible today. It was an insert titled “Living with a Purpose”.Let’s dream for a few minutes. Imagine you are getting ready to play a beautiful golf course. The tee boxes are perfectly manicured, the fairways green and lush, the bunkers full of pristine white sand neatly raked, the greens hard and fast and each hole has a spectacular view. You know from the drive up to the course that today’s round is going to be challenging, but fair.You have completed your warm up and now ready for the 1st tee. You tee up the ball, make a couple of practices swings and now you are focused on nothing but putting the ball in the fairway. Knees bent, head down, nice turn, smooth tempo and “YES” you are off the tee and the ball is rising in the air with great force and it rest in the middle of the fairway. After your second shot you approach the green and notice there is no flag. Upon further analysis you find the green does not even have a hole. The same thing happens on the 2nd and 3rd holes. You realize now you are on one of the most beautiful pieces of land on earth, a perfect golf course, yet there are no targets. Despite its beauty, this course is devoid of purpose and meaning; it leaves you with an empty feeling. Nobody can win, there is no way to keep score. Now wake up. Playing a golf course without holes is like living life without a purpose. Life without a purpose would be chaos. Millions of people live like this today. For me to think about this, living life without a purpose is not worth living. If you have nothing to look forward to beyond the “here and now” then I would chose to just throw in the towel. But, the good news is we all have a purpose for living and that purpose is to know God and to make him the target in our life. Every, who has a personal relationship with God, is a winner!!
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
"The Master's Grip"
Candice and Keeley gave me "The Golfer's Bible" for my 40th birthday on November 30, 2008. I happen to keep this bible at my office and refer to it often. This bible was part of my inspiration for "tee2greenthoughts". I knew sharing my experiences and this new found personal relationship with God, in a public forum, would quickly lose the readers attention. But, I decided if I integrated a little golf talk then maybe I could hold the reader's attention a few minutes longer.
So this blog today is not original. The source of this material comes from The Golfer's Bible. "Anyone who has ever picked up a club knows that gripping the club properly is the key to playing golf effectively. Gripping God's word fully is the key to living life effectively". I wish I had learned how to Grip God's word fully before I learned how to grip a golf club properly.
The Golfer's Bible suggests there are 4 commitments for living in the "Master's" grip:
G - God loves you. "He gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life". John 3:16
R - Receive his forgiveness. "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and the one who knocks, the door will be opened". Matthew 7:8
I - Invite others. "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf". 2 Corinthians 5:20
P - Pray to God. "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will bedone for you". John 15:7
As the Masters golf tournament has come and gone and one of my favorites won this year ("Lefty") and we now enter into a new golf season in Kentucky, it is my sincere desire to remain in the Master's GRIP daily.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
So this blog today is not original. The source of this material comes from The Golfer's Bible. "Anyone who has ever picked up a club knows that gripping the club properly is the key to playing golf effectively. Gripping God's word fully is the key to living life effectively". I wish I had learned how to Grip God's word fully before I learned how to grip a golf club properly.
The Golfer's Bible suggests there are 4 commitments for living in the "Master's" grip:
G - God loves you. "He gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but will have eternal life". John 3:16
R - Receive his forgiveness. "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and the one who knocks, the door will be opened". Matthew 7:8
I - Invite others. "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf". 2 Corinthians 5:20
P - Pray to God. "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will bedone for you". John 15:7
As the Masters golf tournament has come and gone and one of my favorites won this year ("Lefty") and we now enter into a new golf season in Kentucky, it is my sincere desire to remain in the Master's GRIP daily.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
Saturday, April 10, 2010
"The Major" of the Year
When it comes to professional golf majors, in my mind, none come close to the joy I receive watching The Masters. For me it is the coming of spring and the official beginning of the golf season. My first vivid memory of watching the final round on a Sunday afternoon came in 1986 when Jack Nicklaus stormed from (correct me if I'm wrong) 7 strokes behind on Sunday to win his 5th green jacket. Twenty-four years later, I still have this vivid memory of the home where I watched this event and remember the two brothers and their father who I watched with.
It amazes me how much of an impact sports has in our lives and how much time we devote to it. For example, just today, here are some examples of opportunities that I can think of for my family to be around today and we will be participating in at least 3 of these events.
Keeneland morning workouts
Soccer at 10:00 am
UK football scrimmage at 1:00 pm
3rd Rd. of the Masters at 3:30 pm
NCAA gymnastics regional at 6:00 pm
UK vs. Alabama in baseball at 6:30 pm
I'm not bashing sports. Sports is a huge part of our culture. But, with all of these events going on who has time for God? When we die and stand before God is he going to say "Good job - you did not miss a UK home football or basketball game in 25 years. Come into my house."
This may seem like a silly message. But, are we placing too strong of an emphasis on sports above the most important personal relationship we have on Earth, God?
Let's all take some time today and do some fearless inventory of ourselves. Are there opportunities where we can integrate God (instead of beer) into some of these events. I know looking back over the last 25 years one of the reasons I became such a huge sports fan was 99% of the time the event included beer. Whether watching a football game or playing golf 'king alcohol" was always near.
Today, I have come to learn that the game will go on with or without me and if folks are partying they really do not care if I'm there or not. When I first got sober I could not imagine attending a sporting event or playing golf sober. Today, because of a spiritual experience and some tools I have learned after the fog has cleared, I can not imagine putting one in me.
So, whether you go to Keenland today, attend a soccer game or watch or play some golf - at some point try and carve out a few minutes for God. I think you will become pleasantly surprised that the events you participate in will become more enjoyable if God is with you.
Keep it in the fairway....Chris
It amazes me how much of an impact sports has in our lives and how much time we devote to it. For example, just today, here are some examples of opportunities that I can think of for my family to be around today and we will be participating in at least 3 of these events.
Keeneland morning workouts
Soccer at 10:00 am
UK football scrimmage at 1:00 pm
3rd Rd. of the Masters at 3:30 pm
NCAA gymnastics regional at 6:00 pm
UK vs. Alabama in baseball at 6:30 pm
I'm not bashing sports. Sports is a huge part of our culture. But, with all of these events going on who has time for God? When we die and stand before God is he going to say "Good job - you did not miss a UK home football or basketball game in 25 years. Come into my house."
This may seem like a silly message. But, are we placing too strong of an emphasis on sports above the most important personal relationship we have on Earth, God?
Let's all take some time today and do some fearless inventory of ourselves. Are there opportunities where we can integrate God (instead of beer) into some of these events. I know looking back over the last 25 years one of the reasons I became such a huge sports fan was 99% of the time the event included beer. Whether watching a football game or playing golf 'king alcohol" was always near.
Today, I have come to learn that the game will go on with or without me and if folks are partying they really do not care if I'm there or not. When I first got sober I could not imagine attending a sporting event or playing golf sober. Today, because of a spiritual experience and some tools I have learned after the fog has cleared, I can not imagine putting one in me.
So, whether you go to Keenland today, attend a soccer game or watch or play some golf - at some point try and carve out a few minutes for God. I think you will become pleasantly surprised that the events you participate in will become more enjoyable if God is with you.
Keep it in the fairway....Chris
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Empty Tomb
I have a difficult time believing everything I read in the Bible and everything I have been told by mentors and ministers and I know "the rest of the story". So, when Thomas says "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) and Jesus replys "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed". (John 20:29) It gives me excitement in my journey to know the tomb is empty. The God I believe in is alive and well and is showing himself to me everyday.
I felt the presense of God was at my office today. There was a client of the bank that stopped by to say hello. This man is around 57 years old and was diagnosed less than 30 days ago with brain cancer. He has completed 15 of his 30 chemo treatments and said he feels like shit. But, he had his usual "big" smile on his face and he shared with me that he is going to fight this to the bitter end, but he is also okay if his last day is today. He said he has enjoyed the journey. He said Chris you know I'm a realist and I know my days are numbered, but he said there are very things I would change. He was almost moved to tears (I was holding them back myself) talking about his faith, family and all the friends that have stepped up to spend time with him over the last 30 days. His positive attitude was infectious. Here is a guy that is walking around 1/2 dead and he still is just happy to be here.
I shared with him that he made my day stopping by and all he could say was how much he appreciated me taking time out of my busy day to talk with him. INCREDIBLE.
There is not much I can say to add to my experience today. There are no such things as consequences. Today was a perfect example of that. Thank God for the empty tomb!!
I felt the presense of God was at my office today. There was a client of the bank that stopped by to say hello. This man is around 57 years old and was diagnosed less than 30 days ago with brain cancer. He has completed 15 of his 30 chemo treatments and said he feels like shit. But, he had his usual "big" smile on his face and he shared with me that he is going to fight this to the bitter end, but he is also okay if his last day is today. He said he has enjoyed the journey. He said Chris you know I'm a realist and I know my days are numbered, but he said there are very things I would change. He was almost moved to tears (I was holding them back myself) talking about his faith, family and all the friends that have stepped up to spend time with him over the last 30 days. His positive attitude was infectious. Here is a guy that is walking around 1/2 dead and he still is just happy to be here.
I shared with him that he made my day stopping by and all he could say was how much he appreciated me taking time out of my busy day to talk with him. INCREDIBLE.
There is not much I can say to add to my experience today. There are no such things as consequences. Today was a perfect example of that. Thank God for the empty tomb!!
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