PLAYING FROM THE TIPS
OK, so if you're a golfer, that means something to you. If you're not, it probably means nothing. Recently, I've made the attempt, taken the time, made the effort...not sure which one of those fits...to "pick up" the game again. CONCLUSION: You don't just "pick golf back up". It's a frustrating game. But, an enticing game, all at the same time. But, again, I digress.
Back to "playing from the tips". That's just a term that refers to hitting from the longest (hardest) tee boxes. Why would you want to do that, you ask? Because these are golfers, and in most cases, these are men. Testosterone. Nuff said. It's basically for those who want the ultimate challenge the golf course can provide them. It's "extreme" golf, so to speak. It's taking it to its greatest limits.
Yesterday, I played from the tips. No, I didn't go anywhere near a golf course. I just experienced the extremes of life. I made two stops, back to back. STOP ONE: Funeral home. Picking up an obituary for a funeral I will perform today. STOP TWO: Hospital....Labor & Delivery. Having the joy of seeing a beaming mom and dad and holding a newborn baby in my arms. That's about as extreme as it gets. I was definitely playing from the tips.
Heres how we see these two events: One is the ultimate joy, the celebration of life and new birth. The other is the ultimate sadness, the termination of life, the pain and finality of letting go and saying goodbye forever.
However, from God's point of view, two things that seems so diametrically opposed to one another are more alike than any of us realize from our very finite and limited vantage point. As much as birth is the beginning of life, so death, for the believer, is equally a new birth...a beginning of a new life, a new existence, the perfection of the eternity God has been planning for us ever since Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you". That was quite a while back. Must be a nice place!
Back to "playing from the tips". That's just a term that refers to hitting from the longest (hardest) tee boxes. Why would you want to do that, you ask? Because these are golfers, and in most cases, these are men. Testosterone. Nuff said. It's basically for those who want the ultimate challenge the golf course can provide them. It's "extreme" golf, so to speak. It's taking it to its greatest limits.
Yesterday, I played from the tips. No, I didn't go anywhere near a golf course. I just experienced the extremes of life. I made two stops, back to back. STOP ONE: Funeral home. Picking up an obituary for a funeral I will perform today. STOP TWO: Hospital....Labor & Delivery. Having the joy of seeing a beaming mom and dad and holding a newborn baby in my arms. That's about as extreme as it gets. I was definitely playing from the tips.
Heres how we see these two events: One is the ultimate joy, the celebration of life and new birth. The other is the ultimate sadness, the termination of life, the pain and finality of letting go and saying goodbye forever.
However, from God's point of view, two things that seems so diametrically opposed to one another are more alike than any of us realize from our very finite and limited vantage point. As much as birth is the beginning of life, so death, for the believer, is equally a new birth...a beginning of a new life, a new existence, the perfection of the eternity God has been planning for us ever since Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you". That was quite a while back. Must be a nice place!
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