More Golf

 

Today was Caitlin Clark’s golfing debut. Saw one of her shots. She looks taller on the golf course.

Up early to golf this morning. Was able to hit several balls on each shot. It was one of those days when I hit more bad shots than good, but it was good to be out there. I had finished three holes before the professor arrived. Chilly and windy, so I threw on my quarter zip, cap, and gloves.

1. Good tee shot. Okay 6 iron approach to just short of the green. Several chips, none good. Okay lag. “Bogey”.

2. Lots of flubs off the tee. More bad chips.

3. Hit a cruddy tee shot that rolled most of the way down the hill. I played it. More bad chips.

4. Decent 7 iron off the tee that didn’t go quite as far as I would’ve liked, but I was close enough to putt. None of the lags were great. “Bogey”.

5. Several bad 6 irons off the tee. Several chips landed short of the green. This is a par three, mind you. Finally three decent chips. Sank one of three putts. “Bogey”.

6. Hit two great hybrids off the tee. Shots of the day. Then a good 6 iron to the left fringe. One of my 3 chips was decent. Two putt for “bogey”.

7. Hit two more good hybrids off the tee. Then two decent 5 irons. One of my two 9 irons was good, to the fringe. Lag putts weren’t super great. “Double”.

8. Okay drive. Hit a good 9 iron onto the green. Long lag putts weren’t great. “Bogey”.

9. Pulled my tee shot left, a hybrid. Poked three wedge shots from under a tree…one was decent. Three putted from the fringe on the tough, sloped green. “Double”.

Finished just after 8 am. Traffic on the way to work. Boss on vacation, another team member working from home, and the third had car trouble. At least there were fancy donuts brought in. Dennis brought me an apple fritter. he knows me well. I bored him with how me and Yearwood and Brett used to make late Saturday night runs to the Krispy Kreme mother ship on Ponce to get the doughnuts for the BSU.

Tuesday: stayed at the office until 6 pm trying to catch up on things. Ceil warmed up the baked chicken and mashed potatoes that went uneaten on Monday night, and added slaw. Tasty but not too colorful.

I am kind of blue. Figured out how to get bills paid quicker, but it will mean even more work for both me and a coworker. One of our vendors lost almost a week’s worth of production because they were out of material. The steel mill was a month late, but the real problem is how long it takes our bureaucracy to approve and order material. Plus I am so busy that I can't just sit around triple checking to make sure orders are placed.

Small group tonight via zoom, since our leader is sick and flying home from India.

Study suggests air pollution is linked to a greater risk of children developing autism.

Cycles that included a Grand Slam:

Batter    Team    GS/Cy Date  WAR

Buhner...SEA....23-Jun-1993....23.0

Foley......BUF....25-May-1882.... 1.5

Foxx.......PHA....14-Aug-1933...93.0

Kubel......MIN....17-Apr-2009..... 4.1

Lajoie......PHA...30-Jul-1901...106.9

Lazzeri....NYY...03-Jun-1932... 47.6

Molina.....TEX...16-Jul-2010.....10.7

Tejada.....OAK...29-Sep-2001...47.1

Terry.......NYG...29-May-1928...56.6

Tim Keller encapsulated the message of Jesus: “the gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus than we ever dared hope”.

Denison: If I truly believe that I am “loved and accepted in Jesus Christ,” then I am free to love and accept you. But if I do not embrace this fact, I am just as susceptible to the divisiveness of our day as anyone. Candidates try to convince voters they are facing an enemy they cannot defeat. In the past this “enemy” has been Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union, or a domestic challenge such as economic downturns. Today, the “enemy” is the other party…This is a different form of prejudice than I have seen in my lifetime…to disparage and despise another American because of their political affiliation and the assumption that they are therefore hazardous to our nation—that is an ominous threat to the future of our democracy…the more polarized we become, the less functional our society becomes. FEMA official told workers to skip houses with Trump signs 

Saw a cool van at RaceTrac this morning. So much going on that I didn't have time to edit the post I had wanted to share today, so tomorrow's post will be out of order chronologically. Hope Don doesn't get confused. 

Foggy Bottom

Cloudy and foggy on Saturday morning at Candler Park. The vet played with me. Mostly played one ball, sometimes two. Just wish I could better follow the flight of my shots. Would make golf a lot more enjoyable. I think.

1. Hit two good hybrids off the tee. Decent distance for me. Approach landed in the front bunker. Decent chip across the green. Good chip back onto the green. Good lag. Double.

2. Tee shot felt good, but didn’t travel as far as I’d hoped. Must’ve popped it up. Chip went right. Chip went past the green. Better chip back. Two putt. Triple.

3. Hit a good 8 iron off the tee, but pulled it left. Chip didn’t make it up the hill to the green. Better chip. Sank the putt for a bogey.

4. Tee shot faded left into the greenside rough. Mulligan didn’t go as far, but I played it from the fairway. Bad chip followed by a better chip. These recaps are painful, aren’t they? It’s just nice to be outside playing golf.

5. Six iron faded left again, but got knocked down by a branch before going into the woods. Bad chip but mulligan was better. Two putt for a “bogey”, if memory serves.

6. Great drive with my hybrid, past the 150 yard marker. Great 6 iron to the front left fringe. Hit an okay chip, then the mulligan was great. Two putted my first ball for a good bogey, and tapped in the second for a “par”.

7. Another good tee shot with my hybrid, a decent ways up the hill. Okay 6 iron stopped under the tree branches. I wasn’t that far from the green, but I poked a 5 iron to the fringe. Good lag putt, and sank the putt for a good bogey.

8. Okay drive, that got a good roll. Decent 9 iron. Decent chip. Sank the putt for a par. There's a dude living in a tent between the 8th green and 9th tee box, under the ivy.

9. Pulled my hybrid left off the tee. Pretty good chip up to the back of the green. Great lag putt. Sank the short putt for a closing bogey.

Sunday sermon was directed at the youth, who were finishing up what used to be called Walking Wisely Weekend. But applicable for everyone. Standing room only in the JFBC gym. We were lucky to find a spot in the back of the walking track, which was also packed. Might’ve been violating some building codes. Only 16 in Sunday School to hear a young lady on furlough from her mission work.

After church I drove over to Truist Park for the A List Play Day. Lunch wasn’t the greatest: bugers, dogs, chicken tenders, curly fries, and salad. Saw Tim Hudson and Paul Byrd. Team store was 50% off but I didn’t get anything. Saw coworker Ginger and her husband Scott. Scott is a big bobblehead collector and dealer. First time parking was open next door at the brand new Truist building, and there was a line of cars to get in there. I parked at the Delta deck, and got a close up spot. Also dipped my arm in an ice bath, in an effort to win an annual pass.

DENISON: 96% of Jews from 13 European countries said they had encountered antisemitism even before the war in Gaza. They worry for their own (53%) and their family’s (60%) safety and security. Europe’s Jewish population has dropped 60% in the last 50 years. This is happening in America as well. According to a new report antisemitic incidents in the US reached a record high since last year’s Hamas attack in Israel. More than 10,000 incidents were reported in the last 12 months, a more than 200% increase compared to the same period a year earlier. This is the highest level of antisemitism since the ADL began tracking incidents in 1979. Calls for “Jew Hunt” preceded attacks in Amsterdam last week

TONY LAZZERI [SABR Bio] was the first player to appear with teams in different leagues in consecutive World Series. Lazzeri played for NYY in 1937 and against them in 1938, playing for CHC. Lazzeri was released by the Yankees on 15-Oct-1927 then signed by the Cubs on 28-Oct-1927. Lazzeri’ hit for the cycle on 03-Jun-1932 with a grand slam home run, but teammate Lou Gehrig hit four (4!) home runs in that same game. Playing for the Bees in the Pacific Coast League in 1925, Lazzeri needed all 197 games to hit 60 home runs. Babe Ruth hit his 60 HR in 1927. Lazzeri’s 60 marked the first time that total had been reached in organized baseball. Salt Lake City’s altitude of 4,200+ feet likely contributed at least some. Lazzeri was plagued by epileptic seizures. Coaches and management knew, but it was hidden from the fans and it never affected Lazzeri’s play on the field. In 1946, after he retired, Lazzeri tragically passed away due to a seizure-related fall.

Fruits of the Spirit vs Works of the Flesh

Clay Smith JFBC

Freedom

Galatians 5:16-18

Sunday Nov 10th 11:30 am

Quote: "With great power comes great responsibility", said Peter Parker's uncle in Spiderman. We don't have superhero power, but we do have the power of the Holy Spirit. There's a movement in American Christianity emphasizes God's grace but downplays that we need to be holy, grieving our sin. Not good.

Now that we are believers need to rely on the Holy Spirit. It teaches guides us helps us understand scripture, prays for us, sanctifies us, gives us our spiritual gift, sets us apart to be holy, etc.

Three central truths in Galatians 5

1. The Requirement: to walk by the spirit of God v 16. To hike we look 6 feet ahead of us nothing but roots and rocks, similar to our daily life. Our pet sins are fun, but will grow and destroy our lives.

2. The Reason v 17 - our culture tells us to do whatever we want…the desires of our flesh. There is a spiritual war going on for our hearts and our souls. Why we need to walk by the Spirit.

v 19-21: The works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

3. The Result v 18 if you are led by the Spirit then you are not under the Law. If under the law, your decisions are because of the Law.

Galatians 5:22-23: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness self-control: against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

A daily prayer: God: show me, fill me, use me.

Daniel 9:21 spiritual warfare going on during prayer. Some of our missionaries are seeing this among newly converted Christians from the Muslim religion, pulling them back into darkness.

Friday night Nov 8th I wrote the following, during a Sunday School prayer meeting. Dovetails nicely with Clay's message on Sunday.

ME: I won't judge and call someone a false Christian. A Christian's relationship with God is evident by their speech, their actions, and their fruit. This certainly humbles and challenges me personally, to walk all the more closely with Jesus every day. I pray this for all of us, that we wouldn't be blinded by sin and Satan, that we wouldn't be fooled. There's so much confusion and division in the world today. I pray that God would continuously reveal His truth and His will for our lives, as God has already done through His Word.

Lord, help me to run and not grow weary. Help me to give over my thoughts to You, O Lord, for you to hold captive. What I share and think and say might not always be holy and Godly. It's my struggle to seek and find and follow God, all the days of my life.

Small group passage Luke 7:36-50

DENISON: On this Veterans' Day, we give thanks for the men and women who served our nation and defended our freedoms. But the cause for which they served and many died is a cause that must be served by every generation. As Ronald Reagan warned in his 1967 Inaugural Address as governor of California, "Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is inconceivable to me that anyone could accept this authority without asking God's help. I pray that we of the legislature and the administration can be granted the wisdom and the strength beyond our own limited powers. That with divine guidance we can avoid easy expedience." More than 90% of US counties shifted in favor of Trump

Jackets Upset Hurricanes

Great win for the Jackets. Great game plan, especially with Haynes King limited in what he could do. Great game for true freshman Philo, a future star. Great game by the Tech defense. Great win for GT head coach Brent Key.

Ugly uniforms. A new low for Tech. So many fashion plate sports fans will thing anything their team puts on is the greatest thing ever. What do they know? I do like the stripes on the navy pants, but navy pants with white jerseys are what most of the high schools in the country are wearing. But the white face masks on the gold helmets are even worse. More high school crap. And the white outline GT logo simply does not stand out. Can't see the GT from the stands, or on TV. Overall grade = F. But if Tech wins, they can wear whatever lame-o uniform they want. 

Sure Miami was undefeated, thanks to at least three horrific calls by officials. The Canes hadn't impressed me. I was expecting them to lose somewhere along the way. Did not surprise me at all that Tech beat them. I was not impressed with the Miami QB, a supposed Heisman candidate. Looked like an overweight Vince Young playing in the NFL.

Above photo reminded me of several old timey photos from back in the glory days of both Tech and UGA.

Not sure the win warranted tearing down the goalposts. Students saw Vandy do it, and wanted to be like them. I did love the video of the poor Tech coed who got knocked to the ground trying to help carry the post.

Dawgs couldn't get it going offensively, against a tough Rebel defense. Georgia had at least 5 dropped passes. Only interception came on a tipped pass. As I often say, the Dawgs should've run the ball more.

Tough loss for UGA. Next week the schedule doesn't get any easier, with Tennessee coming to town. ESPN College GameDay will be on the quad in Athens.

After a slow start, Clemson came back to beat the Hokies in Blacksburg. Clemson in white jerseys pants cocks shoes (their regular road uni) against Virginia Tech in head to toe burgundy.

Colorado won again. Some say they are contending for a spot in the playoff. What's their strength of schedule? Buffalos won't get in ahead of UGA who has played the hardest schedule in the country.

SC beats Vandy in Nashville. Commodore QB got hurt.

Mercer rocking some decent uniforms.

The Falcons laid an egg in New Orleans, losing to the 3-6 Saints, The defense played well, with 6 of 7 Saints second half possessions going 3 & out. Bijan Robinson went for over 100 yards rushing, with 2 TDs. Another game with one team wearing white jerseys pants socks shoes playing an opponent wearing black jerseys pants socks shoes. You see it so often these days.

Since Maury Wills more than 60 years ago, RONALD ACUNA [B-R Bio] is the only MVP to steal more than 70 bases in his season. Acuna had 73 SB in 2023 & was NL MVP. Maury Wills stole 104 bases in 1962 & was voted NL MVP. Acuna had joined the Braves in 2018. In 2021, Ronald Acuna tore his ACL and missed the second half of the season, including the playoffs.

Rookie of the Year winners who also won a league MVP and never played for another team in the majors

Player                 Team     ROY   MVP MLB Years WAR

Ronald Acuna.......ATL.....2018...2023..............7....79.9

Jeff Bagwell......... HOU...1991...1994.............15....79.9

Johnny Bench.......CIN.....1968...1970, 1972...17...75.1

Ryan Braun.......... MIL.....2007...2011.............14...47.1

Aaron Judge......... NYY...2017...2022, 2024.....9...52.2

Thurman Munson..NYY...1970...1976.............11...46.1

Buster Posey.........SFO...2010...2012.............12...44.8

Cal Ripken............BAL....1982...1983, 1991...21...95.9

Jackie Robinson...BRO...1947...1949.............11...63.9

Mike Trout.....LAA....2012...2014 2016 2019...14...86.2