patience of Job

My friend has the patience of Job. Though we joke he was born a curmudgeon he really is a person of incredible patience and compassion. He does have opinions!

I grew up on in a subdivision built around a golf course. I've always loved everything about golf.....the club house, the courses, the golf carts, the idea.

When I was a young boy my parents enrolled me in golf lessons. I was a total failure. The golf pro cringed each time I showed up. One morning I was a bit late and he looked me in the eye and said, "Oh you. You showed up." So if I was to learn it was up to someone in my family to teach me.

My dad is not like my friend. He has little patience though he is compassionate. However, he was not too compassionate when I failed to become a golfer at his teaching.

The bitter sweet thing is I know all the golf lessons in my head by heart. I was able to teach my son how to hold a club, how to stand, watch the ball, bend legs, follow through.

My body is another story. My arms, feet and eyes would not cooperate. I rarely hit the ball and when I did it went some wacky, stupid direction causing my father to yell a profane string of words for the world to hear. That's when I stuck to driving the golf cart and not trying to play the game.

My friend invited me to go golfing while on vacation. I explained my past experiences. He knows me well enough to know the dynamics of my family and my history. He promised to help me. He did.

I know my form is still a bit deformed at times but with a few friendly, patient reminders and some fantastic golf clubs on an incredible course I actually not only hit the ball I made a par....one time on one hole. And yes it was a 540 foot hole!

I love the sound the ball makes when the club and my eyes work together. I concluded that if I can just produce that sound I don't care how many times it takes to get the ball in the hole.

So here's to my former golf pro and to all the others who had little patience to teach me the game of golf. Despite your impatience, God gave me a friend who brought golf alive in my life. Even if I never play again I know I have the grace of this one experience....and that will do me well for quite some time.