Tuesday, January 31, 2006

My Blessing


My six-year-old daughter and I have been playing golf on weekends at a nine hole executive course in Long Beach for several months, but we still go to the driving range on an 18 hole course that has a waterfall on the first hole. She has been begging me to play the course with the waterfall, but I haven't thought she was anywhere near ready, so I told her that once she pars one of the holes on the executive course, I would take her to the waterfall course to play. Her best score ever on a single hole at the executive course was a five, so I didn't expect her to make a three for quite some time.

Last Sunday we were playing a round at the executive course. I had to fuss at her a few times on a couple of the beginning holes because she wasn't focusing on her shots enough. My fussing made her mad and she started crying which made me wonder if we should be playing together on a course at all.

When we arrived at the sixth tee, she looked at me and reminded me that I had to take her to the waterfall course if she made a three. I acknowledged to her I would, so she turned around and stuck her tee in the ground and hit one of the most beautiful shots I have ever seen. The flag was about 80 yards from the tee. Her shot was slightly down hill and down wind. I knew from the moment she struck the ball and I heard a distinctive ding that it was a great shot and would probably be on the green.

Her ball hit right in front of the green, bounced up, and then started rolling right toward the hole. It looked like her ball actually had a chance to go in the hole and it would have if my yelling could have influenced the roll at all, but in the end it trickled inches by the hole and came to rest about four feet from the flag. She proceeded to miss her birdie by another few inches and then tapped in for a par.

There are moments in life that defy logic. I don’t know how my daughter managed to hit the best shot of her life at exactly the right moment when she knew she had the best opportunity to get what she wanted. Coincidence? Perhaps! I wouldn’t believe it happened if I didn’t see it myself.

Last night she turned into a Gremlin before bedtime as she sometimes does and we both returned to earth. Today, I made a tee time for the course with the waterfall. I still wish the moment could have lasted forever.

Update: The round at SkyLinks (Waterfall Course) was fun. We managed to play 16 holes before dark. There wasn’t very many golfers on the course after the Super Bowl started. The little one had a 5, 7, 7, and 18 on the par threes. Her other holes ranged from 9 to 17 with a 13 on a tough par five. I think I’ll keep her.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Revolution?

Tod Bolsinger has been commenting at his blog about the book Revolution by George Barna. Revolution describes the large number of Christians who don’t consider the local Church essential to Christianity. Like Tod, I consider this a very bad trend in Christianity. Unlike Tod, I am one of the Christians who have been dropping out of the local Church. I hate not being a member of a local Church almost as much as I hate being a member of a Local Church.

I think Biblical Christianity consists of “fitting in” and “standing out”. The two go together and are inseparable. When either the “fitting in” or the “standing out” are overemphasized at the expense of the other, the body of Christ is weakened. However, I can completely understand why strong Christians are leaving the local Church and going it alone out of discouragement and frustration.

From my perspective, part of the problem is the over controlling nature and the under performing example of many Pastors. Tod seems to be the exception, not the rule. He has the mentality and spirit of a true shepherd. When Pastors don’t have what it takes to lead by example, the local Church becomes just another social organization. Most of us have unlimited resources for proper exegesis. We can’t benefit as much from a Pastor who can explain a passage as we can benefit from a Pastor who lives a passage. Most Churches choose a Pastor based on the former and not the latter.

Update: Steve also makes some excellent points regarding this trend. He is right; other believers and I do need to be members of a local Church.

Monday, January 23, 2006

Cowards

As I browse through various news pieces recently, I keep reading this exact phrase:

“… official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official is not authorized to speak publicly."

Apparently the Associated Press has developed a “cut and paste” way of telling a story that may or may not have legitimate sources or our government officials want to disseminate information without having to take responsibility for the poor information that is disseminated.

I suspect the Associated Press is using this same verbiage to describe both scenarios. This type of reporting is not acceptable to me. It is no different than spreading rumors. News consumers need to know the names of sources and government officials need to take responsibility for their comments.

It is no wonder our government is mostly inept. Our press and our public officials are complete cowards.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Good Looks and the Right Message

It sure is encouraging to know that good looks can overcome wrong politics/religion when it comes to getting face time on TV.

Don't believe me; how else did this guy make it?

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

TDACSATASWI

Team Donars and Corporate Sponsors Against Talking About Skiing While Intoxicated

Either Americans are suffering from way too much prosperity or the evil spirit busy-body has gained control.

Memo


Date: 1/10/2006

To: GodBloggers

From: Contrarian Views

RE: Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, et al.

There is no need to disassociate yourself from comments made by televangelists, church leaders, and Para-church ministry leaders every time their comments are reported in the Mainstream Media. Everyone knows these folks don’t speak for you anymore than Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, or Jimmy Carter speaks for you. You are giving the Mainstream Media, the comments, and the reports of the comments, much more attention than they deserve.

Monday, January 09, 2006

Is American Girl a pro-abortion company?

My daughters love the American Girl dolls and the American Girl website. Our purchases have been limited, but by buying American Girl dolls, we have inadvertently supported abortion rights.

John J. Miller on National Review Online has the story.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Raw Deal

There was a time when I thought Pete Wilson and Bill Clinton were the poster boys for stick-a-wet-finger-in-the-air politician.

Arnold almost makes those two look like Alan Keyes.

Artist In Residence

Warrant Officer Mike Fay at Fire and Ice is the Artist in Residence for the United States Marine Corp. Unlike me, and most other soldiers, he has a brain where both sides fire on all cylinders.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Free to Drink and Drive

Every time I listened to the radio for the last two weeks I heard at least one warning about the danger and associated punishment for drinking and driving. The message I heard over and over again was that if a person chooses to drink and drive, the full coercive power of government will be used to punish the offender in ways that will make the offenders’ life miserable for many years. One News story even mentioned a new law in Tennessee that requires first time offenders’ convicted of drunk driving to do 24 hours of roadside cleanup wearing an orange vest emblazoned with the phrase, “I am a Drunk Driver”.

I can think of many crimes where reasonable people can disagree over the social harm of an offense or the appropriate punishment for a person convicted of a particular crime, but I can’t think of any other civil offense other than DUI where someone can be severely punished for a crime that hasn’t harmed anyone. Even hate crimes based on political correctness have offenders and victims. I may be in a very small minority this time, but DUI laws don’t seem appropriate in a country founded on freedom.