…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you… (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)
Giving thanks sometimes is easy. Like after playing in two Mulligan Open golf events in a span of five days with my buddy, Wally Armstrong.
Giving thanks does not stem from just playing some great venues.
First, because of friends like Wally, my pal I’ve walked with for more than 40 years.
And Steve Pimpo, an executive from Annapolis, Maryland, who hosted the Mulligan Open at the Army-Navy Country Club near the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Not only hosted us but served us with enthusiasm, joy and class.
And others like Dereck Wong and Jim Johnson. Jim hosted 144 of us in another Mulligan tournament at the Santa Ana Country Club in Southern California. He and Dereck, the Links Players region director, treated us and our guests—my brother Babe, nephew Jonathan Carlson, and his friend, Tim Bogue—like kings.
And other friends, too, we invited: Tim Sommerville, who runs the Professional Golfers Career College near San Diego and two of his students, young Argentine golf pros Diego and Juan, Darren Moorman a young film maker, Tom Lott and Brett Grant from Las Vegas and Charles Balch and his son-in-law Thomas from Texas.
A second reason for giving thanks happened when Babe and I traveled to Northern California. Babe, Jonathan, Tim Bogue and I trekked around the Hidden Valley Lakes Golf Course near the place where Tim and Jonathan live.
Six of us were to play that day. But a cracked rib kept Babe from playing. I decided to sit out the round too, so that former Ryder Cup Player Johnny Pott and Jimmy Stewart, another good friend, could make up a foursome.
On the tee box of the tenth hole, Tim and Jonathan’s cart was parked directly behind Babe’s and mine. Tim was asking Babe questions about our concept of a “mulligan in life.”
In a matter-of-fact fashion Babe said, “You have to believe in Jesus Christ.”
“I believe,” Tim said leaning forward in his cart.
“That’s good,” Babe said.
“I’m on the Way,” Tim said firmly.
Some of us have been on the Way for decades. Tim is just starting.
Want a good reason to “give thanks in all things”?
Think of a friend.
Think of the privilege to be on the Way.
—
Jim Hiskey
July 8, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.