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Life is Like Golf



During this past year, I decided to tackle all the golf courses in the county I live in. Two weeks ago, I saw so much improvement in my game. My grip was solid, my stroke was flawless, and my short game was by the book. So last weekend, when I walked up to Hole 1, I brought a confidence unlike I had seen. Swing... Hit.. and with my first swing.. by first appearances.. I had failed the game. 12 hits later on a par 5, my confidence had shattered. This was a mirror image of my entire last week.



Rewind to Monday of last week.. I walked into work with great courage and confidence, but by that afternoon.. the world as I knew it had changed quite dramatically. The entire rest of the week was a "catchup" to a normalcy I so desperately tried to achieve, but never quite did. Change, regulation, restriction, and doubt flooded me like a lost ball in the water.



I have been reading the bestselling book "Unglued" by Lysa Terkeurst about "imperfect progress". It is a book about making wise choices in the midst of raw emotions. As much as I wanted to emulate its contents to improve my spiritual walk with the Lord, I would swing.. and miss.



My head was not in the game. My concentration was on the change, the mistakes, the pressures. I had lost my focus. All of the compliments, the praise, the celebrations, the small things were lost as I stood at Hole 2, Par 4. Swing.. Miss...



Such is life.. I wish I could say the next 16 holes I nailed it. You know, I didn't. I let the past announce my future. I got caught up in the missed shots, that I lost sight of.. my "imperfect progress". Instead of seeing a beautiful sunset, I saw a woman fail at golf. A woman failing at work. A woman failing inside. Golf has so much to do with the heart.. because out of it.. the mouth speaks.. Spewed and detestable words.. Words of self-loathing, and negative chatter.. That leads to more missed shots..



At one point in my game, I left the ball.. laying in the grass and drove away. More words, more anger, more frustration. All I could think of was this ball, alone in the grass, left behind.. A shot intentionally missed.. How many shots have I missed intentionally in life? Afraid of failure, afraid of messing up, afraid of heartache. I turned my golf cart around and went back to this ball. It would not defeat me. Hit... and on the green...



How good is our God.. who gives us grace.. who loves us when we miss and when we shine.. Who lets us drive away.. and come back.. drive away.. and come back.. throw our club, spew out words, throw the ball, hit, miss, and birdie... What a spectacle... witnessed by a Father, a Caddy like none other, who provides the next club.. even when we fall apart...
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