I was watching golf on t v and heard one of the announcers say "notice where he made contact with the ball, with his driver, that my friends is on the sweet spot". Golf clubs have sweet spots, baseball bats have sweet spots and I know I have a sweet tooth that works over time.
But, do we have a spiritual sweet spot? Is there a place where we can always go and feel like we are more spiritual or closer to God? Some of the most common answers might be when we are outdoors enjoying nature, on a jog or a walk, or when we are in church.
For me when I think about my spiritual sweet spot, several places come to mind. The first place that comes to mind is my back porch, early in the morning, after a jog when I have my quiet time. I also experience moments of peace and serenity when on a golf course. I rarely get upset with my golf game and take it one shot at a time and try to always remember that if I'm on a golf course life is not so bad. And then there are those random, everyday moments when I sometimes find myself overwhelmed with emotions and have to take a few seconds to thank God, for being God. I did this once this summer, we were at a little league championship game and I got all caught up in the moment and my heart just became overwhelmed with gratefulness. I had to fight off tears of joy just watching all the coaches, players, parents, friends and family getting into the game. Don't know where that came from but I really enjoyed that moment.
I guess what I'm trying to share is that any place, any where, any time we can turn any moment into a moment of spiritual gratitude. We do not have to say anything out loud. We can just, in our silence, thank God for being God and giving us the opportunity to enjoy that moment.
I'd like to wrap this up by challenging us all to find that one "a ha" moment every day for the next 30 days and keep a log of what your "a ha" moment was that day. Who knows you may find your spiritual "sweet spot" will grow bigger.
Keep it in the fairway,
Chris
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Launch Angles
I was sitting at one of my daughter 's volleyball matches this week and two fathers were talking about their golf games and "launch angles". Both were thinking they might need to change their shafts in their clubs in order to improve their launch angles. The big buzz word today by pro golfers, and anyone that desires to hit 300 yard drives, is launch angles. "Well Peter my launch angle with the driver was off today and therefore I had a little difficulty finding the fairway". I did not hear him say this but sounds a lot like something Phil Mickelson would have said after the PGA Championship in 2009.
I wander if either one of these father's have given much thought to their faith launch angle lately? What is our individual faith launch angles? Are we vertically challengng ourselves daily? Are we taking a low launch angle view on life and just trying to roll down the fairway instead of soaring high above?
I read this morning that "It is only the earth-bound spirit that cannot soar. Loosen the strands that ties you to the earth and rise above earthly things. Clipped wings can grow again".
This encourages me today to be reminded that we all have our short comings and have fallen short of God's expectations at different times in our life, but clipped wings will grow back and rather than dwell on our mistakes in the past - focus on today and thank God we have a compassionate God full of grace and forgiveness.
Begin today the contruction of a new found self-repsect for yourself and keep in mind we ran a race, we stumbled and fell and scratched our knees, but beginning today we can now press on toward the goal of a better life. A life with a new launch angle - soaring high above where we used to live.
Keep it in the fairway,
Chris
I wander if either one of these father's have given much thought to their faith launch angle lately? What is our individual faith launch angles? Are we vertically challengng ourselves daily? Are we taking a low launch angle view on life and just trying to roll down the fairway instead of soaring high above?
I read this morning that "It is only the earth-bound spirit that cannot soar. Loosen the strands that ties you to the earth and rise above earthly things. Clipped wings can grow again".
This encourages me today to be reminded that we all have our short comings and have fallen short of God's expectations at different times in our life, but clipped wings will grow back and rather than dwell on our mistakes in the past - focus on today and thank God we have a compassionate God full of grace and forgiveness.
Begin today the contruction of a new found self-repsect for yourself and keep in mind we ran a race, we stumbled and fell and scratched our knees, but beginning today we can now press on toward the goal of a better life. A life with a new launch angle - soaring high above where we used to live.
Keep it in the fairway,
Chris
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Private Chaos
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 7:15 AM
It was this morning, when, while sitting on the back porch of our home getting ready to do some reading, that I again began stressing over how busy life has become. I never really imagined life would be this busy. I was sort of experiencing a small panic attack.
Do you ever feel like the walls are closing in on your own little private chaos? Candice and I were reviewing our schedules for the next 2 1/2 months a couple of days ago. We had the cell phones out and began going over everyone's schedules. All I can say is between work, school, soccer, volleyball, UK football and church activites I really do not see the Chaffin's having any down time in the 10 weeks. This morning I was writing down how this made me feel? and What is it I'm really afraid of? and all I could come up with is my biggest fear is the stress of being busy has on my personal relationships. I want everyone to be happy, but when LIFE gets out of control sometimes fuses get short.
After having just written about this in my journal, this morning, I picked up some literature and read "He (God) can bring peace and order out of your private chaos if you will let Him. God is watching over you, too, to bless you and care for you".
Are you kidding me? That gave me the biggest goose bumps. Here I'am complaining about my life being so busy and in the very next moment I'm being reminded that maybe all of this is just God testing my faith. I have been taught that if I trust God and place all things in his care then I will receive serenity, peace and love. How awesome is that? This God that created the Universe - loves and cares about me.
"Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me". (Psalm 23:4)
Hopefully my faith will hold up the next 10 weeks, during this private chaos, and I will focus on my "fuse" by practicing lots of patience, tolerance and love. Thank you God for talking to me this morning at a time when I really needed you.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
It was this morning, when, while sitting on the back porch of our home getting ready to do some reading, that I again began stressing over how busy life has become. I never really imagined life would be this busy. I was sort of experiencing a small panic attack.
Do you ever feel like the walls are closing in on your own little private chaos? Candice and I were reviewing our schedules for the next 2 1/2 months a couple of days ago. We had the cell phones out and began going over everyone's schedules. All I can say is between work, school, soccer, volleyball, UK football and church activites I really do not see the Chaffin's having any down time in the 10 weeks. This morning I was writing down how this made me feel? and What is it I'm really afraid of? and all I could come up with is my biggest fear is the stress of being busy has on my personal relationships. I want everyone to be happy, but when LIFE gets out of control sometimes fuses get short.
After having just written about this in my journal, this morning, I picked up some literature and read "He (God) can bring peace and order out of your private chaos if you will let Him. God is watching over you, too, to bless you and care for you".
Are you kidding me? That gave me the biggest goose bumps. Here I'am complaining about my life being so busy and in the very next moment I'm being reminded that maybe all of this is just God testing my faith. I have been taught that if I trust God and place all things in his care then I will receive serenity, peace and love. How awesome is that? This God that created the Universe - loves and cares about me.
"Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me". (Psalm 23:4)
Hopefully my faith will hold up the next 10 weeks, during this private chaos, and I will focus on my "fuse" by practicing lots of patience, tolerance and love. Thank you God for talking to me this morning at a time when I really needed you.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Daily Living Amends
There are thousands of self help books, philosophies, guides and ways to living well. Some may call this a wholesome abundant life. What has worked most effective for me over, the last 3 years, is a 12-step program. I have not been an A+ student, but they say "It's progress, not perfection". Today is August 1st, the 8th month, and I like to use the calendar as a way to sort of focus on each step throughout the year.
Step 8 - Made a list of all the persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Easy enough right? Just go back over your entire life, pick out those you have harmed and become "willing" to make amends. There is no action here. The action comes in Step 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
I snuck ahead to step 9 because this "amends" thing was on my heart this morning. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude today and I know this is because I have done the work to get to this point in my life. Today, I try to immediately recognize when I have harmed others, been out of line or maybe reacted to a situation inappropriately. In my previous life I was so self-centered I actually never realize when I was hurting others because I could not get passed thinking about myself.
I'm learning - slowly, that saying I'm sorry (and meaning it) is not that difficult to do. Call up the person you have harmed, invite them to coffee, lunch, golf, etc. and get one on one with them and clean your side of the street. Sometimes, if the person is far away write them a letter and say I'm sorry.
In all cases, whether face to face, in a letter, or just performing a daily living amends, what we are doing is publicly apologizing, asking for forgiveness, promising to do better, today and going forward, and most importantly we are putting another human beings feelings ahead of our own. We are saying to them I'm willing to go to any lengths to repair the damage I have caused.
For a self-centered guy like me that is a psychological change.
BIG QUESTION! Have we also done this in our relationship with Christ? I know the first time I ever did this God was #1 on my list. I had completely turned my life against God and decided he had dealt me a back deck of cards and so rather that trade in a few cards and make them better, I just ran on self-will and turned my back on him. I was a big hypocrite for too many years.
Today, I feel I have repaired the damage I caused in my relationship with God and he has forgiven me. I have also repaired many relationships I had to here on earth. I continue to make living amends, daily. This is not a process that occurs over night. For many of us it is a process that we must continue to concentrate on every day. That is really the rest of our lives, but as I have come to learn today is a gift, tomorrow is a dream, and yesterday is gone forever so all I can really do is focus on living well today.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
Step 8 - Made a list of all the persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
Easy enough right? Just go back over your entire life, pick out those you have harmed and become "willing" to make amends. There is no action here. The action comes in Step 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
I snuck ahead to step 9 because this "amends" thing was on my heart this morning. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude today and I know this is because I have done the work to get to this point in my life. Today, I try to immediately recognize when I have harmed others, been out of line or maybe reacted to a situation inappropriately. In my previous life I was so self-centered I actually never realize when I was hurting others because I could not get passed thinking about myself.
I'm learning - slowly, that saying I'm sorry (and meaning it) is not that difficult to do. Call up the person you have harmed, invite them to coffee, lunch, golf, etc. and get one on one with them and clean your side of the street. Sometimes, if the person is far away write them a letter and say I'm sorry.
In all cases, whether face to face, in a letter, or just performing a daily living amends, what we are doing is publicly apologizing, asking for forgiveness, promising to do better, today and going forward, and most importantly we are putting another human beings feelings ahead of our own. We are saying to them I'm willing to go to any lengths to repair the damage I have caused.
For a self-centered guy like me that is a psychological change.
BIG QUESTION! Have we also done this in our relationship with Christ? I know the first time I ever did this God was #1 on my list. I had completely turned my life against God and decided he had dealt me a back deck of cards and so rather that trade in a few cards and make them better, I just ran on self-will and turned my back on him. I was a big hypocrite for too many years.
Today, I feel I have repaired the damage I caused in my relationship with God and he has forgiven me. I have also repaired many relationships I had to here on earth. I continue to make living amends, daily. This is not a process that occurs over night. For many of us it is a process that we must continue to concentrate on every day. That is really the rest of our lives, but as I have come to learn today is a gift, tomorrow is a dream, and yesterday is gone forever so all I can really do is focus on living well today.
Keep it in the fairway.
Chris
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