The Church of Tiger Woods

The Church of Tiger WoodsI take each of my boys on a senior trip. Dan likes golf so we went to The Players Championship just outside of Jacksonville Florida. This is a big tournament known as the 5th Major, in other words a big deal. We got cheap flights and a free room thanks to my First Data travels so the trip was affordable. We had a blast.

On the flight to Jacksonville Dan and I shared a good laugh because whenever he opened his shade, the sun reflected so brightly off the billowy clouds he had to shut it again. Then he would crack the shade again and again and in would flood the crazy bright light. So bright it made us laugh. Even now I find it hard to explain just how blazingly bright white these clouds were. It was just the slightest glimpse of God's glory on a short plane ride.

I had hesitated to buy tournament tickets ($75 apiece) on-line in advance in hopes I could find a better deal when we got there. We did. Our hotel check-in guy told us he knew someone who was staying there who could help us. One phone call later to someone I didn't know and we had FREE tickets to see the practice rounds and former President George Bush (daddy Bush) plus $45 tickets to Thursday's opening round of golf.

As we strolled the holy land of golf on Wednesday evening, we saw some of the top pros practicing their putting. Padraig Harrington (winner of two majors last year) came over and signed a pin flag for Dan. We looked over the most famous hole in golf, the 17th, an island green with only a small path connecting it to the shore. The next morning we got to the course early to watch the pros on the driving range. Charley Wii's caddy walked over and gave Dan a golf glove. John Merrick's caddy who is from Omaha gave him a glove as well and added a golf ball to boot. We were having fun!

We walked over to the 10th tee to watch Tiger Woods start his day and follow his every shot. I couldn't help but think of our gallery as the Church of Tiger Woods. We were here to praise Tiger and we did just that! We all clapped when he walked out onto the course to start his round. We clapped for every drive and chip, we clapped for every made putt. We did a lot of praising of Tiger Woods. Dan and I were standing on a small footbridge over a pond on the first hole when Tiger crossed the bridge right next to us. Dan turned to me and said, 'I told you he didn't walk on water!'

For the most part Tiger took the narrow road golfers call the fairway. He played ok, missing putts that he normally makes and finished the day at even par- not a good day for a golf god. We tired of the Church of Tiger Woods and left before he finished to see others like Sergio, Phil and Zach just to name a few. We also got to see a number of balls go into the water on 17. One golfer hit two in and walked off with an 8, a snowman, a score usually reserved for golfers like me. We watched golf from 7 in the morning till 6 in the evening in 90 degree heat and were happy to sit down in the shuttle bus back to our car.

I can't help but wish everyone was as excited about their faith as they seem to be about golf. I mean the praise service at the Church of Tiger Woods took about 4 hours and no one complained. Lines formed for $7 fellowship hamburgers. Shirts with logos to proclaim our support of Tiger to others started at $85. For many here, Sunday School meant watching and learning how to hit straight drives and fancy flop shots. Golf's popularity continues to grow, God's popularity seems to be waning.

Dan and I spent Saturday in God's water hole- the Atlantic Ocean. Oceans never cease to amaze me with their vastness and beauty. I don't think you can look at an ocean, or stand in the small waves that come on shore without seeing it as God's handiwork. Small shells and grains of sand as numerous as Abraham's descendants lined the shore to put the finishing touches on God's masterpiece beach at St. Augustine. Taking it all in as I stood in the water reminded me of the lyrics Andrew Peterson wrote recalling how he was awestruck into silence at the beauty of creation as he drove through the Grand Canyon. In 'Nothing to Say' he sings:

'And I don't believe that I believedIn You as deeply as today
I reckon what I'm saying isThere's nothing more Nothing more to say
And the mountains sing Your glory hallelujah
The canyons echo sweet amazing grace
My spirit sails The mighty gales are bellowing Your name
And I've got nothing to say
No, I've got nothing to say'

Watching Tiger Woods golf was fun but seeing bright white lights, colorful golf courses and ocean blue oceans sing their 'glory hallelujahs' on our trip was even better. Awesome really. And now I've got nothing more to say. No, I've got nothing to say.
Blest Regards,
Keith