My Brother, The Golfer

My brother, Cory, is currently attending school at the Professional Golfers Career College near Orlando, Florida. In the near future, he will be a professional golfer!

Must be nice huh?

Anyways, Cory was recently invited to one of the most highly regarded amateur events in the country. The Monroe Invitational Championship is played at the Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, New York. Some of the top amateur golfers in the world play at this event. The event is by invitation only. Here is some background on the Championship:

Monroe Golf Club is a Donald Ross designed course in Pittsford, New York, near Rochester. It is home to the annual Monroe Invitational Tournament, a highly regarded amateur event.

MGC is very nearby the well known Oak Hill Country Club, also a Donald Ross design in Pittsford.

In the semi-finals of the 1993 Monroe Invitational Championship, 17 year old Tiger Woods hit a miraculous low, rising cut four iron that sliced some 70 yards under, around and over the maples left of the fairway. The ball traveled 210 yards to just 8 feet from the hole. Tom Creavy made 3, Tiger a 4, and Tom went on to win the match and the 1993 MIC Championship that year.

Tiger's match play loss at Monroe was his only match play loss over a five year period beginning with his three consecutive USGA Junior Championships and ending with his three consecutive United States Amateur Championships.

Monroe Golf Club is a beautiful, venerable golf course that has proven to be a formidable challenge to some of the best players in the country for over 60 years of amateur golf.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Golf_Club"

Congratulations Cory! Can I have your autograph?

Music?

Just a quick blog update to fill you in on. I recently added a new feature that allows me to play a list of some of my favorite songs here on the blog.

Just a little personal touch!

The music automatically starts once the web page is loaded and the audio player shuffles the playlist randomly as you refresh the page. If you are trying to listen to a video that I have posted or just do not want to listen to the music; simply scroll down to the bottom of the blog page and click PAUSE to stop the music.

Thanks for checking in!

<><

Kayley Update...5 Months +

Sacrifices

This is a piece from NBC Nightly News regarding a marine unit in Afghanistan that really hits home on a personal level. Megan's cousin, RJ, is currently embedded in Afghanistan fighting the good fight and trying to bring a peaceful stability to that region of the world.

Because of the nature of his mission, we really haven't heard much information about his activity. Watching this video really puts things into perspective. The same guy that I played church league basketball with a few years ago is now, literally, being shot at. It is hard to comprehend that the Taliban in this video are trying to kill that same guy we know. And here we sit, as a nation in disarray, arguing about our role in the War on Terror. And there they are, thousands of miles away...being shot at...so people like us have the freedom and security to argue? I'm reminded of an Andrew Jackson quote, "Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms." This country is flipped upside down and our own entitlements have hindered our progress.

Summer Plans

So, with five more "teaching" days left, I thought I would share my summer plans with my readers here at INCHRISTwithchrist (For those of you that do not know, I will be off for 76 consecutive days).

For the first time in two summers, I will not be working summer school! Now that I have made the jump (Thank God) to public school, I am literally burned out! The work load differences between a public school and private school are, unfortunately, VERY different. I'm pooped.

Anyways, this summer will be filled with a little work, a little school, a little rest, and good times spent with family and friends! I have a few days scheduled for school related meetings. I'll be taking a five-week grad class. Like usual, I'll be mowing for my grandparents. Softball league on Wednesday nights. Small group on Thursday nights. A trip to Florida in August. And of course...I'll be filling in the HUGE spaces with family and friends time!

I'm looking forward to a fun filled and relaxing summer vacation!

What are your plans?

Foreign Policy. Who Has The Answers?

When it comes to America's foreign policy, who really has the right answers? The conservative (mostly neoconservative) base strongly supports a Bush Administration that has made obvious blunders throughout the past 8 years. The moderates have begun to distance themselves from anything tied to the Bush name stamp. The liberals are trying to convince the American public that they have all the answers and if your not on board with their agenda, well, you're just intellectually dishonest.

So, who do we believe when the firestorm of American politics slowly starts to turn up the heat?

Obviously, I have my position and you, hopefully, have your own position regarding the many issues that are slapped in our face by the media on a daily basis. With that in mind, I have two links that share my thoughts on an issue regarding our foreign policy abroad. Both make very articulated points and have well thought out stances.

Chatting Up The Enemy
The Problem With Talking To Iran

Happy (belated) Memorial Day

I won't add anything to the discussion (because this piece does an amazing job of expressing my thoughts and opinions), but I do want to say how important it is for us all to remember what a privilege it is to be an American. With this Memorial Day, we, as citizens of this great country, must truly face what is at stake for future implications. God Bless.

Check out this link:

What's Truly At Stake

Weekend Inspiration Vol. 11

From No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado:

If you ever wonder how in the world God could use you to change the world, look at the people God used to change history. A ragbag of ne’er-do-wells and has-beens who found hope, not in their performance, but in God’s proverbially open arms.

Abraham- God took what was good and forgave what was bad and used “old forked tongue” to start a nation. Moses- would you call upon a fugitive to carry the Ten Commandments? God did. David- his track record left little to be desired, but his repentant spirit was unquestionable. Jonah- God put him in a whale’s belly to bring him back to his senses. But even the whale couldn’t stomach this missionary for too long.

On and on the stories go: Elijah, the prophet who pouted; Solomon, the king who knew too much; Jacob, the wheeler-dealer; Gomer, the prostitute; Sarah, the woman who giggled at God. One story after another of God using man’s best and overcoming man’s worst.

The reassuring lesson is clear. God used (and uses!) people to change the world. People! Not saints or superhumans or geniuses, but people. Crooks, creeps, lovers, and liars—he uses them all. And what they may lack in perfection, God makes up for in love.

Jesus later summarized God’s stubborn love with a parable. He told about a teenager who decided that life at the farm was too slow for his tastes. So with pockets full of inheritance money, he set out to find the big time. What he found instead were hangovers, fair-weather friends, and long unemployment lines. When he had had just about as much of the pig’s life as he could take, he swallowed his pride, dug his hands deep into his empty pockets, and began the long walk home; all the while rehearsing a speech that he planned to give to his father.

He never used it. Just when he got to the top of the hill, his father, who’d been waiting at the gate, saw him. The boy’s words of apology were quickly muffled by the father’s words of forgiveness. And the boy’s weary body fell into his father’s opened arms.

The same open arms welcomed him that had welcomed Abraham, Moses, David, and Jonah. No wagging fingers. No clenched fists. No “I told you so!” slaps or “Where have you been?” interrogations. No crossed arms. No black eyes or fat lips. No. Only sweet, open arms. If you ever wonder how God can use you to make a difference in your world, just look at those he has already used and take heart. Look at the forgiveness found in those open arms and take courage.

And, by the way, never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come. A hen gathering her chicks. A father receiving his own. A redeemer redeeming the world.

No wonder they call him the Savior.

I'm a Big Girl Now!

Well, the Bumbo lasted for about a month and a half. Kayley has now graduated to the high chair at 5 1/2 months old. She is a big'n!

Say what?


OK, Dad. Seriously, put down the camera and get the food.

The Best Part Of My Day

After a long day, this is the only thing that matters.


On a side note:

Could she be anymore like me?


Yep, need I say more?

Is the Bible Literal? Part 2 of 2

Greg Koukl is a Christian apologist, radio talk show host, author and blogger in Los Angeles, California. He is the founder of Stand To Reason, a Christian evangelical organization dedicated to the articulation and defense of the Christian worldview.

Is the Bible Literal? Part 2 of 2

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Weaver

Yesterday, two of my best friends got married. The wedding ceremony was beautiful, the reception was a blast, and it reminded me of what friendship and love are all about. Here are some pictures from the evening:








Andrew and Kristen came back into my life about a year ago (I say back because I went to high school with the both of them, but never really knew them), and it has been the start of a really cool friendship ever since that time. For one reason or another, I have had bad luck with friendships. Friends moved away, fair-weather friends, friends that had a negative influence on my life, and friendships that just didn't work out. For the first time, I honestly feel like I have true friends. Friends that will be there for us. Friends that have our back. Two of their friends, Dustin and Steph, have also become good friends of ours. It has just been a really cool experience over the past year.

Megan and I are stoked to have these guys as friends and we are both extremely excited at the thought of the good times to come!

Saving Lives...One Story at a Time

Recently, God has been reaching deep into my soul on an issue indirectly facing our society today. An issue that, for many people, is an afterthought that routinely gets swept under the rug. For many people, choosing a side to this issue is not based on facts or morals, but rather a choice of emotion and freewill.

It's simply the flavor of the moment.

A trivial pursuit of choice.

The issue: Abortion

First, let me say that I am not against abortion because I am a Christian (although that strongly influences my thinking), but I am against abortion because I am FOR life. That simple. I value the unborn. I value the potential. I value God.

Over the past months, I have grown to have a great appreciation for a blogging buddy over at InProgress (http://kassota.wordpress.com/). Tam has shown a candid spirit in sharing her story of abortion and how it has played a continual role in her life. I am humbled to share her story with you. As she has mentioned before, maybe one story can save one more life. God Bless and thank you Tam.

I remember the 11th and 13th week of pregnancy. I can recall it very well. A flood of emotions took over. Sadness, guilt, regret, shame, disgust, anger, depression. Those two weeks each represented abortions I had as a teenager. A time when I used that service as birth control. There I stood, six years later, with another life inside of me. I was a brand new person. Changed from the inside out. I was married, loved the Lord, and excited to be a mommy.

Until that 11th week hit. The memories came crashing in. What if God takes the baby as a punishment? Would He do that? I was constantly guarded and nervous. I was frightened. But I hid it well. I had to. No one else knew about the abortions. Not even my husband. It was my little secret. The tormenting memory I kept replaying over and over in my mind. I didn’t need God to punish me. I was doing a fine job of that on my own.

I never considered, as a 16 year old while waking in the recovering room after letting them kill my first baby, that I would one day be a mommy. But there I was, in the delivery room with my husband gazing at my little girl.

There was no connection for me. None whatsoever. I guarded myself. Leaving the option open that God may still snatch her away from me.

I had allowed the abortions to leave such a terrible mark on my life. I let it stand in between me and my God for years. I invited the memories to take permanent resident in my mind and heart and prevent me from receiving Gods acceptance and mercy.

Fast-forward several years and two children later I am now faced with another dilemma. Having gone through a long journey of learning of and accepting Gods forgiveness, while also grappling self-forgiveness, I managed to heal from the scars the abortions had left on my heart and mind. I embraced being a mother. Bathing in His healing and redemptive power I celebrated every moment of motherhood. But one thing still remained undone. Something I knew I had to do.

There I sat, across from the most beautiful 13-year-old girl in the world. My first-born. I was a nervous wreck. I was sweating. She had no idea what was coming. I told her about my abortions. She listened intently. She’s such a mature young one. So secure and wise. She’s known for years that I’ve been writing a book. She’s been asking all that time what the title was. I could finally tell her in that moment. It’s titled “The Day I Told My Daughter”.

I never thought back then in the abortion clinic I would be telling my daughter now. I didn’t consider that possibility at all. Not that I would have cared. That’s the thing. Sixteen-year-old girls aren’t thinking about the repercussions. They just want it fixed.

Everything we do in life has an effect on someone else. Good or bad. It will affect another person/s. It broke my heart to have to tell my daughter this. You may be wondering why I told her at all. You may even disagree. But I believe I would have done a disservice by not telling her. I have information, from experience, that could very well save a life. God forbid she be in the same situation. But maybe me telling her will prevent that ever happening. Now she, armed with my story, can minister to someone else down the road considering an abortion, possibly saving a life.

Isn’t this like God? Making beauty from ashes. Taking something meant for evil and using it for His good. I am honored and humbled each time I look at my children and see the gift of life. My 1st and 2nd child – my 3rd and 4th chance to get it right. I don’t want to waste this opportunity.

One More Way To God Than I Deserve

LoveCanton

Serving people in Canton with Jesus' love by joining people and organizations who are already doing it.

Reinventing the wheel wastes a lot of time, money, and effort. Instead of creating new environments to serve, we want to hook up people that want to serve with great people and organizations who are already doing it.

Love Canton is led by people who believe that Jesus has a love for all people that surpasses knowledge and transforms lives. We understand that many people are unsure about God, unfamiliar with the church in action, and uncomfortable talking about Jesus. We respect that and at the same time we hope that our serving will spark relationships that help us all experience in a very tangible way Jesus Christ who "is Love".

This is the mission statement for LoveCanton, a new movement that Megan and I are looking forward to being involved in this summer and beyond. Canton is in a bad spot right now and really needs to see and hear the love of God. When it comes to Christianity and its message, it really comes down to one thing; live and love like Jesus. What are you doing to expand the Kingdom? Please click on the post title to be redirected to the LoveCanton website.

This is our pastor and friend, Jason, describing and praying for this new opportunity.

Is the Bible Literal? Part 1 of 2

Greg Koukl is a Christian apologist, radio talk show host, author and blogger in Los Angeles, California. He is the founder of Stand To Reason, a Christian evangelical organization dedicated to the articulation and defense of the Christian worldview.

Is the Bible Literal? Part 1 of 2

Free Rice

Answer some questions, feed the hungry. That easy.

www.freerice.com

Happy Mother's Day

Megan: Thank you for being such an awesome mother. I will never fully understand how you do what you do. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and will continue to make. You are appreciated more than words can say. Most of all, thank you for this beautiful daughter. You both mean the world to me. I love you.

Mom: Thank you for loving me and making me into the man I am today. I only wish that I could be half the parent you were for Cory and I to Kayley. It has been a joy to see you take in Megan as a daughter. Thanks for everything you've done and everything you are. I love you.

Nancy: Thank you for raising my beautiful wife and for making me feel as your own son. Thank you for bringing me closer to Christ and for always being there to help Megan and I. I love you.

Happy Mother's Day

Two Cousins, Ten Questions

I would like to draw your attention to the following blog (click the post title to be redirected). Please read the following description and hopefully you'll check us out.

About the Project
Two Cousins, Ten Questions is a summer debate project started by two cousins from Canton, Ohio. The discussion will be based on the Chicago Tribune's tongue-in-cheek, ten question foreign policy test for any prospective presidential candidate. The questions can be found in the original article here. We intend to devote one week to a careful discussion of each question.

This project started as an effort between two cousins (us) with very different political views to engage in a civilized, reasoned debate on issues that we care passionately about - and that are crucial topics in the 2008 presidential election. In case you're unfamiliar with us, Ryan intends to vote for John McCain while Josh is currently supporting Barack Obama. After vigorous discussions (via Facebook, e-mails, and our personal blogs) concerning hot-button issues such as abortion, the Iraq war, religion, and politics, we decided to start the blog to facilitate a more open discourse on American foreign policy.

Here's how we hope everything will play out: At the start of each week we'll each post our individual response (approximately 1000 words) to the week's question. After both answers are posted, we'll begin a debate between the two of us, and open a thread for our visitors to post their answer to the question, respond to our answers, and debate with other visitors and ourselves.

At the end of the week, we'll each finish everything up by posting a short (no more than 300 words) closing argument. When Sunday rolls around, we'll start over again and head onto the next question.

One final note - we've deemed a couple of the questions (#4 and #7) inappropriate for our purposes and are looking to replace these with better debate questions. Please send us your suggestions and we'll read through them and choose a few replacements. Please help make this blog a success by contributing to the discussions, responses, and analysis. We both hope to provide a forum for discussion over one of the most important issues (foreign policy) in the upcoming November presidential elections and would greatly appreciate your help!

http://twocousinstenquestions.blogspot.com/

Future Classified Ad

For Sale: 2002 Mitsubishi Galant, silver, 83k, runs great, reliable car with no major mechanical work, body in excellent shape. Must sell car to pay for gas. Call for price.

Gasoline: Keeping us off the road since 2008

Something To Laugh About

Here is a clip from one of my all-time FAVORITE shows Scrubs. The acting/directing for this show is brilliant! This clip can always put a smile on my face. Enjoy ...and laugh!

Can God's Existence Be Proved? - Part 2 of 2

Greg Koukl is a Christian apologist, radio talk show host, author and blogger in Los Angeles, California. He is the founder of Stand To Reason, a Christian evangelical organization dedicated to the articulation and defense of the Christian worldview.

Can God's Existence Be Proved? - Part 2 of 2

A View From the Sixth Grade

Wouldn't it be nice to live like a kid again?

Every Friday, if the kiddos have been good for the week, the teachers take the 6th grade students to the park across the street. As I was watching/observing them, I began thinking about how carefree these kids must be. Hardly a care in the world. For most of the students, picking out their outfit might just be the hardest part of the day. Must be nice.

But in watching this free-for-all, I thought to myself..."wouldn't it be cool if adults still acted like these kids?" I have seen many business employees taking a "break" by sitting in their cars, reading a magazine, smoking a cigarette on a bench, talking on a cell phone, or just sitting there and doing absolutely nothing.

Play along for a second.

Imagine it's break time at your place of employment. Your walking with your co-workers towards the door for a break. You open the door and BAM!...you take off in a dead sprint. You are chasing your co-workers around the grassy field. Doing circles around the tree. Picking up sticks and sword fighting. The men are trying to tackle each other. The women are having screaming contests. Someone is trying to take Ralph's hat. Sally is jumping over shrubs because she can. There is Running. Chasing. More running. More Chasing. People fall down and get dirty. Who cares! More running. More chasing. Bob is doing 360's off the picnic table. Barb is crossing the monkey bars. Mark is hanging upside down from the swing. Then, just like that, break is over. You walk casually back into the building. Back into the real world.

Ah, to be a 6th grader again...

You Might Be An Educator If...

Jeff Foxworthy on Educators:

YOU might be a school employee if you believe the playground should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick.

YOU might be a school employee if you want to slap the next person who says, 'Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off.

YOU might be a school employee if it is difficult to name your own child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bring high blood pressure as it is uttered.

YOU might be a school employee if you can tell it's a full moon or if it going to rain, snow, hail....anything!!! Without ever looking outside.

YOU might be a school employee if you believe, 'shallow gene pool' should have its own box on a report card.

YOU might be a school employee if you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, 'Boy, the kids sure are mellow today.'

YOU might be a school employee if when out in public, you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior.

YOU might be a school employee if you have no social life between August and June.

YOU might be a school employee if you think people should have a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.

YOU might be a school employee if you wonder how some parents MANAGED to reproduce.

YOU might be a school employee if you laugh uncontrollably when people refer to the staff room as the 'lounge.'

YOU might be a school employee if you encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter schools or home schooling and are willing to donate the UHAUL boxes should they decided to move out of district.

YOU might be a school employee if you think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

YOU might be a school employee if you can't imagine how the ACLU could think that covering your students chair with Velcro and then requiring uniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever be misunderstood by the public.

YOU might be a school employee if meeting a child's parent instantly answers this question, 'Why is this kid like this?'

YOU might be a school employee if you would choose a mammogram over a parent conference.

YOU might be a school employee if you think someone should invent antibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for that matter!

YOU might be a school employee if the words 'I have college debt for this?' has ever come out of your mouth.

YOU might be a school employee if you know how many days, minutes, and seconds are left in the school year!

Weekend Inspiration Vol. 10

Kayley Update...Almost 5 Months!

Next week, Kayley will be 5 months old. I know, hard to believe right? Kayley has shown a lot of growing over the past month (to say the least). Our little girl that was so tiny at birth is now in the 95th percentile in weight and 75th percentile in height. Here are a few of the highlights we have seen:

She seems to understand her name; she recognizes her toys, bottle, pacifier, surroundings and family a lot better; she is very curious and aware of what is going on around her; she loves being outside for anything; her hand-eye coordination improves by the day; she rolls over (often); she absolutely LOVES to stand on your lap; she loves music and dancing; she is eating rice cereal, bananas, applesauce, and avocados; she loves her Baby Einstein videos; she no longer just looks at our faces, but she grabs noses, lips, and hair; she laughs when we smile and play with her; she wants to grab the pages when we read her a story; she wants what we have; she likes to "pet" Lincoln (Lincoln isn't to fond of this advancement); she loves to snuggle with us in our bed in the mornings; she plays in her exersaucer and sits in her Bumbo for feedings; she is bashful and shows excitement.

Here she is after learning her new trick. She has been rolling over since right around the 4 month mark. Both of her parents started walking around 9 months, so hopefully it's in her genes!


Here she is after showing those bananas who's boss.

What's On Your Mind?

It's Friday. It's almost summer. What could be better (besides it actually being summer)?

I wanted to know what was on your mind? Do you have a topic to discuss? Do you want to leave a random comment? Do you have a question? Do you want to get something off your chest? Do you want to click the "X" and exit my blog?

Please use the comment as a dialogue area for this post.

Happy weekend!