Can golf and ministry be for real?

Can one's life be orchestrated from within their mother's womb?  By God?

One of the benefits and curses of a career Army officer is the constant movement throughout the world.  One can end up in a crappy assignment, like Eschborn, Germany in 1975 where the mud was deeper than some of the estuaries into the compound.  One can even end up in Glyfada, Greece just outside of Athens and just short of Sounion where Hemingway penned one of his books, I believe.

As I said it can be a mixed blessing.  The first thoughts when snagging an assignment like Athens, Greece looks like a birthday present from the Almighty, yet, when you have to fly from New York to Frankfurt, Germany in a completely packed military leased jetliner for 8 hours, get bussed over to the military side of the Frankfurt Flughafen, board a C141 with netting for chairs for your entire family, yup, all four of 'em and me, fly for another four hours in this incredibly uncomfortable, noisy and smelly Air Force cargo plane.  Then, land in Athens Greece at Hellenikon Airbase under armed guard and have to walk across the tarmac in the scorching heat with babies crying and wife grumbling and trying to keep a military comportment.  It just doesn't resemble the original picture of Retzina, Greek tavernas and island hopping on Greek ferries in a bathing suit.....

I was hooked!!!  One golf lesson from the Pro at Belmont Country Club and something inside of me was filled up.

I am continuing with the proposition that God places passions/desires in us while we are in our Mother's wombs and the basis for this is my own experience over the past 34 years growing up as a 'new' man in Christ and from Psalm 139:12-14 "created my inmost being; you (He) knit me together in my mother's womb and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.."  as well as Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  The question being answered is; "Why do I have such a passion for golf and everything golf?"  I believe the Lord meant it to be so.

I had been introduced to the game in 1960 when I happened (?) upon a golf club near my home.  The Pro had me shagging on the range and shortly after engaging in that activity, he gave me a lesson.  As I said, I was hooked.

It wasn't very clear at the time, but, shagging at the Belmont CC became a job and a fulfillment for me, even at 8 years old.  I was consumed with it during the Summer of 1960.  Sure it was hot most days, but, the sun, the grass, the image of those golf balls flying off of the clubhead bouncing and, by the end of week two, I was catching them on the first or second bounce (or so I remember, lol).  I vaguely recall the positive comments from the Pro and his encouragement each and every day.

"Dad, I have been going to the golf club most days and I really love this golf stuff."

"Ah, that golf nonsense is not for you, Bill.  It's a rich man's game."

Total deflation!!!

"But, Dad, the Pro gave me a lesson and he thinks I might be good at it."

"Bill, I said it was not for you.  Just work at the club and forget about playing the game."

I couldn't.  I, just, couldn't.

Honestly, the rest of the details are quite foggy, but, I know I kept going to the club and shagging.  I, even, remember a few "loops" or caddying that I did at Belmont.  It was pretty arduous work for an 8 year old, carrying that bag that seemed overly large and heavy for just a dozen or so clubs, balls, and lots of other paraphernalia.  And, the harassment from my caddie brothers was merciless!!  But, I kept at it that summer.

The day of all days during that time came when I got home from the course and my Dad was standing in the living room with his hands on his hips with a huge grin on his face, just waiting for me to come in.

"Well, I went by the dump today and look what I found."

I have an alarm on my Google Calendar that chimes each morning @ 6:50 AM. It's titled, "Be Desperate for God's Leading in Golf".  Why?

Because, I discovered a few months ago, that the Lord "created my inmost being; you (He) knit me together in my mother's womb and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.." I've interpreted that to mean that when, from the moments where I was growing in my Mom's womb, God placed in me all that He wanted and meant for me to be, according to His will, His purposes, Him.  This includes, in my innermost being, my passions and desires, ie, what I was meant to be.  I have or you have or anyone has a passion for something, like, a profession, an avocation, and, as long as that passion/desire  is not immoral, that the Lord has placed that passion/desire in my very being.

Can golf be that passion/desire?  Ask Tom Lehman, ask Keegan Bradley or Ben Crane and, by the way look at these very funny video's and you might see a bit of passion.

So, I believe the Lord placed a passion/desire for the game of golf in my innermost being.  When I was just 8 years old I was riding my bike past a beautiful looking "park" or "field" wasn't quite sure what it was at the time, but, I saw a bunch of older kids sitting around the front of the big "house" that was at the center of the "park" and I rode by and asked them what they were doing.

"Caddying" was the answer.

"What's that?" was my question.

"Just shut up and sit down if you wanna caddie."  So, I sat down.