To the best Grandpa ever

Death is an ugly thing, but in also allows for a look back at the past, to times of great fun and joy.

I guess growing up, I never realized the closeness of my relationship with my grandpa was unusual. Every day after school from kindergarten through 5th grade I got to hang out with my grandpa and grandma. Getting babysat by your grandparents is not something all kids get to enjoy, but I was fortunate enough to have it.

My Grandpa was the kindest and most heart-warming individual I knew. He was always there to crack jokes and play games, and even pretended to be impressed with my Lite Brite skills (they weren't very good). But more importantly, you could always just feel the love seeping from his every pore. That deep-seeded love was something I will never forget, whether it was on the way down to Florida in a minivan with him, or eating with him at lunchtime.

I was a picky kid when it came to eating, and my grandpa always accommodated. I wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich "with no cracks" every day. This was pretty tricky - have you have tried to fold over a piece of bread with something inside, and not make a crack? Well my grandpa got pretty good at it, and who knows how much perfectly good sandwiches he had to get rid of to accommodate my weird eating habits.

I've been told that my grandpa had a bit of a mean streak to him in his younger days - yelling at refs in basketball games and such. It's hard for me to believe though, because I never saw that side of him. Perhaps, though, his passion for sports is what is deep inside me.

His battle with Alzheimer's for the past 10 years or so has been a difficult thing for all of my family to handle. But his amazing heart and kindness always shined through, no matter what his cognitive state. You could still feel the love that he had for you, even if he was completely uncomfortable and confused on where he was. His eyes lit up anytime he saw us, or especially a child, and that's why I know he has to be loving heaven right now. Imagine all the corny jokes he can crack again and the kids he can make smile.

I'll miss you grandpa, but I know it was your time to go. Go love on grandma and save a place for me down the road.

Love,

Tyler

Thoughts in the New Year

Ezekiel 36:22 - “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.”

I find the Ezekiel passage interesting, because it strikes me as God being prideful. Perhaps He has a reason to be - I mean He actually did create the world and all. So I started looking at my NIV study Bible notes, and it actually described the the passage much differently. God is not blessing Israel for his own sake, and just bringing along Israel for the ride because he has to. Nope, He wants to bring Glory to his name and blessing Israel is the best way to do that - despite their past behavior which hardly warrants blessing.

This got me thinking about the "Prosperity Gospel" preached by guys like Joel Osteen and Dave Ramsey. Is it, perhaps, that God is blessing you, through money and other things, but is doing so for His own glory? Think about it - does God continually want to make a Christian’s life difficult without any blessings? What kind of God would want that? Blessing us may sometimes be a way for him to reveal his Glory through us. This doesn’t mean that we won’t run into hard times or difficult trials - we grow through those tribulations, just as many great Christians have before us. But when we declare that we are Christians, just as the Israelites claimed they were Yahweh's people - His name is being portrayed in some way - good or bad. Others need to see God’s glory through us, and what better way than through blessing us.

Here is another tidbit (unrelated) from my new “C.S. Lewis Bible,” which puts excerpts from Lewis’s books next to passages that relate.

C.S. Lewis - You must realize from the outset that the goal towards which He is beginning to guide you is absolute perfection; and no power in the whole universe, except you yourself can prevent Him from taking you to that goal. - Mere Christianity

Here goes nothing!

What a blessing living in Grand Rapids has been. I could not have asked for anything more. As I sit in my new family room near Chattanooga, TN, I can recall my memories fondly. But I'm not a memories guy, I'm more of a relationships guy, I've come to find. And there is nothing else I could ask for in that department than what I got.

Coming out of high school, my crew was pretty one-dimensional. I love them to death and still am in contact with them frequently. But we were all sports junkies - high on the sarcasm, low on the tolerance scale. It certainly shaped who I was coming in to college.

College Here I come!

At and around Calvin, I got to appreciate the finer art of having different kinds of friends (even friends that were girls!!). I loved every second of it. Granted, it took me a few months to get comfortable around people that didn't think exactly like I did, but man, what an experience. Everything at Calvin was up for debate. I grew a lot because of it, and I feel I'm more tolerant and open to discussion on my viewpoints now.

Crossroads Bible

As important was being able to grow within an inspiring church in Grand Rapids. I felt like I was on a Bible retreat for that hour and a half every Sunday morning, and it got me fired up every week. There is no doubt that I will miss Crossroads a ton. Look for big things out of them! They are on fire and are doing things right. I have no doubt that God will bless that congregation and all the great things they are doing. I'll keep listening online!

Vocation

All the way through Calvin, I really had no idea what God wanted me to do with my life. The Business degree was an easy choice, because, essentially, it wasn't making a choice at all. But through my experiences in the last year, and some timely encounters with some insightful individuals, I feel like I have the best grasp on what I want to do with my life that I ever have.

Perhaps this is just me being optimistic (a rarity, I know :). But leaving the Midwest for "greener" pastures just seemed right. And I can't thank my supporting cast enough for giving me the go ahead to try to pull it off. Never have I felt so much support from friends and families for making such a risky decision. And that makes me feel great. Thank you all for being a great safety net, and I will continue to look to you for your insights and thoughts.

Take care and God Bless! From backwoods Tennessee :)

Tyler

Fall in Michigan

It has been a relaxing and fun fall for me. Some fall colors, as well as a beautiful sunset over Lake Michigan in mid-October. God is good!

What does a life of Following God's lead look like?

Salvation - Spiritual Resume vs. Just Jesus

I'll admit, I'm a bit of a list maker. Although my apartment isn't spick and span, I do things in a very unflowing manner. I have a rotation of tshirts that I go through. That's right, I don't pick my next shirt, the shirt I wear is whatever is next in the rotation. I don't clean the dishes or the kitchen until it is done; I clean the kitchen for 10 minutes and stop, regardless of where I am at. So for me, having a checklist of things to do is comfortable, and just feels right.

So how does this seep into my faith? Easy - every part of me just wants to put down a checklist of things that I should or shouldn't do, and just follow it. Yep, got in my 2 chapters of reading the Bible in. Read a little John Ortberg. Good, I even prayed for awhile. Looks like I was a good Christian today.

That's why the sermon today hit me so hard - My salvation is not based on "Jesus + a "spiritual resume," it's just based on Jesus. There is nothing - literally NOTHING - that I can do that is righteous enough to deserve anything in the kingdom of heaven. It's all just rubbish. I know it, but I don't live it. I still go to bed thinking, "Did I do enough today to justify a life worthy of Christ?" and go down my checklist.

So where do I go from here? What does a life of just following after God look like? I know devotionals are still a good thing, but being so structured? Maybe not. I know I'm not pushing myself enough - I want to do continue to do things that are comfortable. That's why I am still in Grand Rapids. That's part of the reason I am helping out the golf team this year. These are things I enjoy, and they are comfortable.

So on days like this, where I literally have nothing to do from 2 to 6, I am not sure what I should do. I think I should be helping somebody. I KNOW I should be job hunting. But I'd rather mess around on facebook, or look at various sports sites.

Feel free to comment. Because I'm not sure how to go from here. I just know it's not the same way I've been doing things.

Times are a changing

It's been a busy few weeks...To say the least. And decisions which I felt were made were reversed, but I'm happy to say that I am confident that the right decisions have been made. This blog may be a little me-centered, but that's what blogs are all about right? :) I feel a little narcissistic.

(I wrote the beginning of this blog before the sermon I heard today about humility. Lovely.)

JOB vs. VOCATION?

For quite a while now, it has been a dream of mine (and a buddy of mine) to just move south towards North Carolina and set up shop there after we graduated from Calvin. The idea never really had real support - we just kept plowing along sending out resumes and hoping for the best. And as we both plugged along (in different states over the summer), something interesting things began to happen. I received a job offer to stay in Grand Rapids, and I was excited. However, the more I thought about the offer, the more I felt like it was settling. Settling for something not in an area of passion. Settling for something different than what God has called me to do. So I took a bold step, that I'm not sure I would have taken even a few years ago. I turned it down. And I will continue to look.

In the meantime, I will be working at a local private country club in Grand Rapids. Nothing glamorous, that's for sure, but it's in an area of passion. I figure at the least I'll learn something, and figure out if that's an area I could see myself being in for a career. That gives me a little time to work things out.

My friend, however, did land a job...down in Tennessee. So as I continue to look for a job (likely outside of Michigan), a new focus in the Chattanooga area will begin. I don't know if I'll end up there, but it sure would be nice to see our dream fulfilled (albeit on the wrong side of the Appalachians:).

Housing

As soon as I got comfortable with my decision, I found out I would need to find a place for the next few months. Could be an interesting time in my life, but I'm excited for the possibilities.

Humility

Hard to talk about, right? Crossroads has just been hammering this point home, and I believe it needs to start sticking in me. Something to consider, that my Pastor Rod said today.

"Humility isn't thinking more of yourself, or less of yourself. It's just thinking about yourself a whole lot less."

He continued by pointing out that our gaze should be fixed on Christ, rather than on ourselves in the mirror. This is tough stuff for me. After all, I am a blogger, right? I want people to read what I have to say, or care about the opinions I have on issues. But is it really edifying in some way? Is anyone really benefiting from what I'm doing? Granted, I could be doing something less productive (like watching Mad Men like crazy - oh wait - I'm already doing that). Is this -along with facebook, or twitter, or anything else - just a colossal "LOOK AT ME, I'M IMPORTANT!" I'm afraid I know the answer, and I don't like it.

(but I'll probably still check out the analytics on this post to see if anyone read my important stuff - ugh)

Up in the Air

As day after day passes, my future becomes more and more at the forefront of my mind. So on this gloomy Michigan day, I come to you somehow content and at peace with where I am at, and wherever I may end up.

Needed and Glorious Distractions

You may know me well, or not so well at all. What is clear everyday is that God knows me SO well.

I'm a person who always loves to be in control. The people close to me know this about me, and either live with it or appreciate it (probably more the former than the latter). So when I come up against a time of uncertainty, I get REALLY flustered. My heart beats a little faster, and I'm uncomfortable.

Come August 20, I have no idea where I will be. Will I stay in Grand Rapids for a little bit? Will I stay here for a long time? Will I fulfill my 2-year pursuit of moving to the Carolinas? I honestly have no idea. But this I know - if I was allowed to think about this nonstop, I WOULD. So I thank God for needed and glorious distractions.

I've been so blessed this summer to live with one of my best friends. Together we always find something to do. I've yet to feel this comfortable living away from home. And for that, I thank you Paul. Your presence has given me a steady and needed influence this summer.

To friends and friends of friends - Thank you for continuing to be a part of my life! Last weekend, I was 'distracted' by a friend coming up from Indiana. Next week, Luke comes back to Grand Rapids for close to a week! Can't wait for it.

And through it all, I can sense that God is just keeping me sane. He knows me better than anyone, and He has given me the distractions I've needed to enjoy the summer in all of its glory. And for that, I thank Him.

Blessings - Friends

I know these kind of posts are repetitive and boring; everyone is saying how blessed they are with their friends and all, but I guess I feel the need to pile on.

After what I felt was a relatively stagnant year Junior year, I was a little worried about a boring senior year with little to no differences in my relationships. But God just blew me away. I felt so blessed, because not only did my faithful friends stick around through my senior year, but I met as many people as I did freshman year. So thanks to all of you friends, whether I've known you since freshman year, or for a couple months. And Glory to God most of all, because just when I started to feel like my life was beginning to get stale, He gave me more blessings in friends than I ever could have imagined.

I'll be truthful, I'm leaving Calvin with less than a great handle on business (my major). While I've learned quite a bit at Calvin, I can almost guarantee the friends and connections that I have made at Calvin will be so much more impactful on my life than anything i read in a textbook or heard in a lecture. That liberal arts education is good and all, but the quality people you meet in droves at Calvin is really the difference maker in my opinion.

I'm not one to be all reflective, but at my very last Loft this evening I was completely struck by the friends God has placed in my life. I honestly about broke down an cried (not much for that either) What more could I ask for? I have such a great group of reliable, close friends that I lean on for advice on projects, girls, jobs. I can tell half the time they'd rather have me just shut up, but they always listen all the way through, and give me their two-cents worth. These kind of relationships are few and far between, especially with people as opinionated as me. But my friends aren't afraid to speak their mind to me, and for that I'm grateful.

To those people I have met this semester, I am so blessed to have you spice up my life. You don't know how many times I said junior year that I wanted to hang out with new people, and there you were. Most of these stemmed from my trip to the Galapagos, where God showed me his creation in a way I never thought possible. For most of you, I hope we can get to know each other even more over the summer. It's been a blast.

As I wind up my collegiate career, I just praise God for the BEST FRIENDS ANYONE COULD ASK FOR!

Jeremiah 1:7 – “Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.”

I have always felt a little bad for Jeremiah. Why does he get stuck with being the bearer of bad news constantly for God? Everybody from his generation hates him. What is amazing to me is that Jeremiah never falters (at least that’s what I recall). He “approval” rating is probably 5% in Israel at the time. But he doesn’t care. He just keeps on doing what God has told him to do.

That kind of direction and purpose had a to be a somewhat invigorating feeling for Jeremiah. I hope that feeling comes to me, and soon. Here I am, with a month to go before graduating from college, and I still don’t’ feel like I have that direction in life. Where is God leading me? What people is he leading me to be with? Will he provide the funds necessary to make due if I go it alone out there? Big questions that I frankly don’t have an answer for.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am blessed beyond belief. I have no student loans, I’ve got a job for the summer that is going to be a growing and awesome experience. I’ve got some of the most solid friends I could ask for. But that close-knit relationship with God? It just seems sort of unattainable now.

On my spring break, we talked about Mother Theresa. In her journals, she consistently lamented the fact that God was so far away from her; she never really felt his presence in her life. She felt marooned and isolated.

Talk about depressing. How can someone that is going after God that hard not feel His presence? But at the same time, that gives me a kind of strength. If Mother Theresa was never feeling God’s presence and was able to accomplish all that she did, I certainly can’t complain with all the blessings he’s bestowed on me.

SPORTS! - In honor of Jess Hendriksma

God has even granted me some simple joys in life, including new friendships and success for my favorite sports team. I think God enjoys making us happy in little things like that. The pleasure we get out of things like sports are just a tiny taste of what we will get later. But I’ll break down my team, the Bucks, a little more in depth.

The Bucks - same shit, different year.

Pardon my french, but this was disappointing for me. The Bucks had been playing so well that they were actually giving me some hope about a possible first round victory against the likes of the Celtics or Hawks. I got to watch their game against the Suns when I was home - and witnessed live the horrifying demise of Andrew's right arm. It was hideous; and it's just one more reason I don't like Amare.

What's left now? I'll break down what needs to happen for the Bucks to have a chance against the Hawks, who appear to be their first round matchup.

Steady Salmons - Contrary to popular belief, John Salmons has to continue his consistent production. I can't really ask much more from him than about 22 ppg. I don't want him to score anymore than that, because it will kill the ball movement that has made the Bucks such a big success.

Juggernaut Jennings - Brandon, on the other hand, needs to return to early season form. I don't see the Bucks pulling off a victory unless Jennings shoots 45% for the series, and averages at least 18 ppg. His assist numbers are important too, but Jennings' has to have the swagger to knock down shots off the pick and roll, because if he's shooting his typical 37%, the Bucks have no shot.

Draino Delfino - Delfino needs to come in with an average of 3 three's a night for the Bucks to be successful, as well as crash the boards in the absence of Bogut. If he averages 14 and 7 a game, I'd be real happy.

Krafty Kurt - Kurt Thomas needs to bust some skulls and average 10 boards a game. If he can get in Horford's head and limit him, it would be a huge help.

The Ersanator combined with Turk Nowitzki - This is the biggest leap. Ersan Ilyasova needs to play unbelievable well for the bucks to have a chance. He needs to be the energy guy that will grab four offensive boards a game, and also nail 2 daggers from deep a game. If Ersan doesn't average 14 and 8 for the series, they have no chance. He needs to match Josh Smith's production.

Persistent Prince - I don't need big numbers from you, but you need to keep Joe Johnson from ever scoring more than 25 a game. He's good and he's gonna get his, but making him take a lot of shots to get there is important.

My prediction? Hawks 4, Bucks 1. Bucks have to steal one game for the home crowd.

All you wanted to know about the Bucks and my life issues. Until next time....

After perhaps the best month in my life, where I journaled consistently, I feel compelled to write on a daily basis about life and what God has done for me. Perhaps not everything will get published in a blog, because some things are better said between you and God, and some things need to be hashed out with friends, but Regardless, I feel great about doing this, and setting a new tone for this year, growing off the experience I have had in the Galapagos and Ecuador for the past month.

· February 3, 2010 – Isaiah 45:2 – “I will go out before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.”

• I like me some basketball analogies, and after reading Bill Simmons gushing over Moses Malone and how he went after rebounds with reckless abandon, this is how I am picturing God at the moment. I am at the top of the so-called spiritual mountain, I have seen some spectacular things. God has come through for me in so many ways in the past month it is unfathomable. And to me, this verse just personifies (which doesn’t work when describing God, but you get it) what is going on in my life. He’s just blazing a trail for me in life, and it feels great. I know I will come down off this mountain at some point, probably even soon, but right now I’m just trying to soak it in and appreciate it.

· February 4, 2010 – Oswald Chambers – Nov 30 – “There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord.”

• It is tough to look at this verse, because there is part of me that is always looking into what my actions look like from other’s perspective. Maybe God wants me to let that go a little, so I can go hard after Him instead.
• I’m beginning to come off the mountain a little bit. My car won’t start, and I got to find a mechanic now to fix the issue. I’m beginning to tell the same story too many times. I just have to keep looking through the pictures to remind myself how blessed I was, and use it in my semester as fuel.

· February 5, 2010 – Proverbs 24:26 – “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.”

• Maybe this verse stuck out to me because it is an easy one for me to follow. I think God still wants me to use tact in my conversations, but not necessarily always hold my tongue.

On to more secular things.

At some point, when I figure out how, I will try to post some pictures on here from my trip to the Galapagos and Ecuador. But since most of you that follow me know about my trip already, I'll go to all the things you don't want to know but I want to tell you about.

Books over the last 2 months

• The Alchemist - A good book, short, but interesting. A little different feel than I am used to, but it was a good change of pace from the usual.
• Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis) - I read this book when I was 17, and most of the stuff just went straight over my head, as much as I don't like to admit it. I was in a different place, and had little patience for C.S. Lewis' philosophical words and writing. I never even finished it the first time and what a shame, because the second half of the book is the best. I am continually amazed at how humbled you can be by C.S. Lewis' writings. Probably one of the main points I took away from the book is how silly comparing yourself to others is. God has given us each different temperaments and abilities. Just because you are a 'nicer' person than some crab down the street, doesn't mean that God looks at you with any more favor. If God has given you an even temperament and optimistic outlook, don't pat yourself on the back and take credit for what God has given you. Go out and do something with it. For whom much is given, much is expected I believe the bible says somewhere.
• The Appeal (John Grisham) - This was my first John Grisham book, and I would have to say, I wasn't overly impressed. It's easy reading, don't get me wrong. But there weren't many twists. I'll give him another shot, but I am underwhelmed thus far by his writing.
• Black Angel (John Connelly) - In process - I'm about half way through this book now, and I got to find another copy. Really interesting thriller book. I would recommend it thus far.
• The Book of Basketball (Bill Simmons) - In process - This book has been everything I was hoping for. I feel like I have a great background for the game that I love now, and have a better understanding of the pros that made the game the way it is today, and the teams that were the best of the best. I even have learned a little about my '71 Bucks. You'll like this book if you really, really love the NBA. If not, you'll probably find it all a bit boring.

More to come on my sports teams and such later on. It's too late now to keep on keeping on. Sorry for the delay for any of those who still look to read this thing.

Back from a hiatus

Sup small group of followers. I appreciate your loyal support considering the infrequent use of this blog. I was planning on doing this every Sunday night, but plans have changed over the last few weeks due to some very good distractions. I hope you enjoy my tidbits for the week.

Nothing's Better than friends you can count on.

• I continue to be grateful for the friends I have gained at school as well as the high school buddies that I still hang out with. Every once and a while I step back and thank God that I am so lucky. Going up to Grand Rapids really showed me friends that were true companions...staying up until 2:30 AM to see me when I got in, taking days off to go seadooing, and playing golf with me despite it not being their favorite sport. 
• At the same time, I have a core group of friends at home that I continue to hang out with, albeit on a calmer and routine basis. Thursday night basketball continues to be one of the highlights of the week for me, and just seeing those guys and laughing with them makes me feel good. 
• Despite all these quality realtionships, I'm still looking for that one special relationship (you know what I mean.) I don't plan to go all senior scramble or any of that jazz, but I understand how that one relationship really makes everything feel right in the world. I continue to desire for that relationship to be with God now and when I find that someone. I shouldn't need a mortal replacement because of my relationship with God, but it's tough. 

Family is good Too

• Hanging out with my sisters and my brother in law over the fourth was a great time for me again, where I got to be the little brother again, and not all the questions came my way at the dinner table. Watching them gives me hope that everything will be alright when school gets out for good and I go into the great beyond. 

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. - Job 1:21

• I'll be honest; Up until Wednesday I had been extremely fed up with caddying. I had gotten on the wrong side of a few decisions made and had continued to get the short end of the straw. Wednesday may have been the angriest I have been in the past year. But low and behold, God grabs my attention with the verse above. My problems were small, and I went into work the next day with a fresh attitude (where I'll be ready and accepting of whatever happens). And Thursday I got a great break, and made some fantastic money with some great guys caddying for them Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Also, I caddy for a friend of mine tomorrow. Just when I was at that point, God provided for me. Oh, and that 3 day outing may end up turning into a job opportunity on top of all that. God is good.

Book of the week - The Shack

I thought it was a fitting title to a book considering I would be reading it in the caddy"shack". Very interesting read. I would recommend it, but for some reason I thought I would be more gripped by it. I figured with over 4 million copies sold that it had to be a page turner, and I never felt like that was the case. Regardless, it was a powerful story that was very well written, and considering I have had...let me check...39 views on my blog, I shouldn't probably be critiquing the writing of a NY Times best seller.

Until next time...

Another Week, Another Blog

As the weather finally warms here in Sheboygan, I come to my readers (however small in number they may be) with my tasty snippets for the week.

Hole In One

Yep, I got one. And I can't say finally, because I know tons of golfers who much more deserving than me and are much better players. But it was a fantastic experience, and I get to say it happened on one of the most difficult courses in the nation. I even got to see the ball go in. 

My joy lasted for about 3 minutes until I started to realize that my playing partners (who all happened to be caddies that drink a significant amount of alcohol) would soon be expecting me to pay for their night of drinks. And sure enough, just as the thought entered my mind, they began to say, "I can't wait to celebrate at the bar tonight!" I've never been so glad not to be of age. Thank goodness it happened when I was 20 years and 11 months and 3 weeks old. I would have been significantly lighter in the pocketbook otherwise.

Congrats to the Lakers

I would like to point out that the series ended 4-1, just as I predicted in last weeks blog. I am rarely right about sports predictions, despite watching copious amounts of it. So I will take this moment to gloat. mmmm...

I can't say I watched much of this game. When the magic were down 10 at half it already felt over. Kobe played well (although I still think his team play is substandard) and his supporting cast showed up in a big way the past few nights. Give them credit. They were clearly the superior team in this series.

U.S. Open

Amazing test of golf. I have no idea who will win. I've got a feeling it is going to be a blast from the past. I'm gonna pick Jimmy Furyk, even though I dislike him. My favorite Johnny Miller quote was about Furyk's game face on Sunday at Augusta. The camera pans to him and Miller says, "boy...That's a face only a mother could love." Let's see if my predictions can go 2 for 2.

On to the next book

As I finished 2 billion cars, a book written by Donald Sterling on sustainability (finally), I began to read arguably my favorite writer, C.S. Lewis. There are so many qualities about his writing that I enjoy. First, I love how it makes me feel about myself. C.S. Lewis has a reputation for heavy and deep reading, and sticking my nose in his book makes me feel smarter. I know that sounds rediculous, and I've never admitted that, but it's true. I do get some snippets out of him that I find remarkably insightful, and make it worth the hours of grind it out, tough reading. In this case, The Problem of Pain is the read. Written about how to deal with loss as a Christian, it has been interesting so far. One of the main premises I have gotten out of it so far is that the reason we struggle with God allowing things to happen is because we think are generally good people. When Jesus spoke to the Jews at the time, the general rule was people knew that they were bad, and corrupt at heart. In this day of age of self-affirmation and political correctness, we have lost that sense of 'badness' and instead look at God's plan with skepticism and rule it unfair. Until we get back to that sense of shame, it will be impossible for us to really understand the world in which we live.

That's my segway to my favorite passage of the week of reading; 1 Corinthians 9. I don't think this chapter gets enough publicity. Everyone knows the 13th chapter about love, but I really thoroughly enjoyed the 9th chapter. Paul comes across as an everyday guy, with passions and things that get under his skin and problems just like everybody else. Despite all the examples of the 'humanness' of Paul, he shows how remarkably devoted he is to the only true cause he lives for. The height of the chapter where he proves this is verse 19. "Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." God calls us to make these sacrifices. 

I tend to put Paul on a pedestal because his preaching and dedication to Christ is so amazingly high. I can't really put his actions into a current context in the world of 2009. This chapter is as close as I have found to showing the weakness of Paul as well as the absolute power and strength he had through Christ.

That is all for now. Feel free to comment or critique. I look forward to writing again next week. 

SUMMER - In freezing Sheboygan

It is literally 49 degrees here right now. 

I know it’s been a lifetime since I last touched this blog, so I apologize to my 2 followers who actually read this crap. School’s out for the summer, and I think I’ll have more time on my hands this summer than I will for any other part of my life until I am retired. I don’t know if that is sad or exciting, but it is what it is.

 

My insights into weird Christian norms

I always find it strange how quickly Christians can change from a worshipful attitude to a casual shoot-the-breeze conversation and act like it is not strange. When those two worlds collide, I find it very interesting. I have always been someone who keeps my faith mostly to myself; rarely do I post a Bible verse as my status on facebook or public spaces. That is partly because I was raised in a traditionally conservative family.

 

What has always intrigued me about the combination of the secular and ‘religious’ world (I use the word begrudgingly) is how they are separated for me. I talk about God and do my devotions (usually) and I pray, but it is in small designated times throughout the day. They are extremely structured. There are good reasons behind this structure, the main one being that routines allow me to be much more consistent in my prayer life and reading the Bible. However, when it comes to bringing it up in day to day conversation with other interesting topics (likes sports and girls and yada yada) I struggle. So in this blog I am going to make a concerted effort to combine both insights that I have found on my spiritual walk with the secular walk that you and I both partake in every day. At first there is no doubt that my transitions between the two will be spotty and patchy at best, but I think the exercise will allow me to see God in places that I never really looked for him in the past.

 

Sunday night Blogging

 

Hopefully this will be a weekly “routine” for me now; the sermon(s) for the day are fresh in my head, and I have to only be at work by 11 AM on Monday.

 

I miss my church back in Grand Rapids immensely; the worship cannot be beaten, and the hymns at my church just don’t strike me the way that the newer songs at Crossroads did. But that’s OK. I’m still learning, in a more cognitive rather than emotional way back at my church.

 

We had a guest pastor tonight at our church, some old guy named Zoshky (that’s how it sounds, that’s not how it’s spelled). This guy’s style is slow and methodical, but he had a great point than I could certainly relate to. Overall, I took away 3 telltale signs of your life being taken over by this world rather than focused on “your first true love.”

 

PASSAGE – Revelation 2: 1-5

 

The Church of Ephesus became more and more secular over time and Paul begs them to get back to the basics. Zoshky had 3 signs for the congregation that our life is being filled with the secular sawdust. I certainly could relate to all 3

 

1) I’ve lost the joy – You are bored; you feel empty, and God does not provide the joy that He should. Don’t blame this one on Him; it’s only because you’ve put Him on the backburner and haven’t Him to work.

 

2) I no longer want to pray or read the Word – This one really struck a chord with me. No matter how many days a week I work or how much time I blow on the internet, I somehow justify to myself that I don’t have the time for a chapter of the Bible a night and 10 or 15 minutes of prayer. It’s pathetic. This is something that I am going to try desperately to change. I know if I don’t find the time in a time of life like this (slow), I have no chance of setting aside time later on when things really get hectic. Pray for me and others who struggle with committing time every day to God and God alone.

 

3) My time goes to other things (Like entertainment). You got the idea on number two. If I can get on facebook 2 or 3 times a day, as well as failblog, espn, and a brewers blog page, I most certainly can spend a half hour delving into my relationship with the creator of the universe.

 

Focus for this week – Really dedicate some time to God.  I know I have it to give to Him, now let’s do it.

 

TO THE SECULAR WORLD

 

Work is slow; to the point of frustration. It’s only been two weeks, and I’ve already been sent home 3 times. That’s three more times that the past two summers combined. The good news is I get to play more golf. I’ll give you a little insight every week into one thing on the job that makes things interesting. This week is the new bunker on hole #6 on the Straits.

 

#6 is a short par 4 – from the blues it’s only 355 yards, and driveable for the pros with the right wind. However, the average player out there is now faced with a daunting challenge – a ten foot deep pot bunker right in the center of the green. The green is connected by a slim 10 foot area, but otherwise is the equivalent of two greens. If anyone other than a pro ends up in this bunker, they have absolutely no chance of getting out. It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen on a course that has an average guest who can’t sniff 90 strokes. Kohler wants caddies to tell their players they can’t chip their ball from one side of the green to the other. Good luck. If I paid 400 dollars to play a golf course, I think I’ll do whatever I like to the greens, thank-you very much.

 

OTHER TIDBITS

 

I love Bill Simmons’ columns. They are fantastic, and I haven’t found any other writer that keeps my interest for such long articles.

 

I miss my friends and my life in Grand Rapids like crazy. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it all summer here. I have great friends here that I truly enjoy hanging out with, but they are twenty minutes away anytime I want to do anything, and often are too tired to hang out.

The Magic are going to win 1 game in the finals. That's it.  The matchups they had against Cleveland were fantastic. The matchups they have against the Lakers are not. I'm rooting hard for you Dwight, but maybe your reason for beating the Lakers was a little questionable.  http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=macgregor/090601&sportCat=nba 

 

I’m halfway through my 3^rd book this summer already.  They are:

 

·      This Side of Paradise – F. Scott Fitzgerald

   This book was strange. Sort of interesting, but old school (I think it was written in the 20s). All about someone my age and their struggles in choosing what to do.

·      Blink – Ted Dekker

  I found a new equivalent to the left behind series. A great page-turner, extremely fiction, but with a Christian message. These books I like because if someone asks about them at work, I can get them to read something that isn’t overtly religious but makes you think about God and your faith (or lackthereof)

·      2 Billion Cars – Tough read, educational, but slow. Read it if you are into what the options for our fuel and auto dependency are in the future.

 

Thanks for sticking with me. I’ve written this in about a half an hour. Hopefully it’s readable for the 1 or 2 that actually read it. Thanks for listening through my rambling and feel free to send me some feedback if you want. This blog has more to do with me getting out what I’m thinking and doing than attracting readers, so sorry if it isn’t more interesting. I TRIED!

 

 

Off to see the world on SB 09

It has been an interesting week for me. There have been some ups and downs but knowing what lay ahead (spring break) made the week much more bearable. I'll give you a breakdown of the occurrences since my last post, in my life, and the sports world, as well as some insights.

The BAD

I Got beat BAD by a girl in tennis

So I've played my fair share of girls on high school tennis teams, and have always come away victorious, so going into this one, my confidence may have been a little bloated. I've never had a backhand, but it really hasn't hurt me when I play yet, until Monday.

0-6, 2-6. Does that say enough? Becca was painting corners, and I was hoping my shots were gonna land in the court. It was a dismantling, and I give her the credit. She's frickin good! But now I know I can play someone who will make me better, and I look forward to the possibility of beating her in the future. Maybe she'll help me with my backhand.

No PGA Internship

Turns out they didn't have any openings to begin with for summer interns. I still have an in with the marketing guy at Kohler Hospitality, so maybe something will turn up.

Railside Internship

I hope things fall into place soon for this gig, because it is starting to get frustrating. Ask me about it if you'd like to know more. 

2 Midterms the same day

I had to memorize over 100 buildings, their name, architect, and time period. This exam sucked. I put in as much time as I ever have studying for a midterm for this one, and I still didn't feel great leaving it. 

8:00 AM wake-ups on spring break

So the golf team is gonna kinda be like boot camp this year on spring break. A workout every morning at 8 before our rounds should be interesting, and I can't say I'm looking forward to it. 

The GOOD

Spring Break 09!

6 rounds of golf, a beautiful house right on a resort, and all paid for by the mighty Calvin dollar. Not to mention having the AD of the school, Jim Timmer, along for the ride. Oh, and our coaches wives are coming along, so good meals too!

Tennis and Trains

I have a good time hanging out with people and making things competitive. Ticket to Ride has been our game of choice lately, and it's pretty good. Not quite as good as Settlers of Catan, but it will do. 

March Madness

After the first day, I've gotten 14 out of the 16 matchups correct, so I am feeling pretty good. I started off 12 for 12. Go Marquette and Wisconsin tomorrow. Look further down the blog for more on this. 

The World of Sports for Tyler Smies

The Bucks - Twittering

The bucks got a huge win over the celtics, something that I certainly didn't think was possible considering the shell of a team that we have left. Somehow this got overshadowed by Charlie Villanueva twittering during halftime of the game, saying that he needed to bring it for the second half. And bring it he did.

With 15 points in the second half and a win over the world champion celtics, I was amazed that this move by Villanueva got so much press. This is one of those "duh, you are a professional athlete, act like one" moments by the hairless wonder, but hardly seemed egregious. At least he was into the game, and he's not getting drunk and doing stupid stuff. I am fine with the way Skiles handled it (a formal reprimand, but no actual penalty) and I think CV will know better from now on. Thanks for the win, though, big man.

The Brewers

With Yovanni Gallardo throwing a 5 inning no hitter in spring training yesterday, I like my all-star selection more and more. I guess multiple websites that do statistical analysis say the brewers will win 85 games, which is my prediction from last week. 

Word is that Macha is considering catcher Jason Kendall at leadoff. While I'm not in love with Weeks in the leadoff spot, it certainly beats a 35-year old catcher with no speed or pop and a low batting average starting off a game. At least Rickie can hit one over the fence or take a walk. Please Macha, don't be stupid. I've seen enough bonehead moves from Yost over the past 4 years. 

Marquette

Fearless prediction: despite their woes since James has been out, I believe that Marquette will take care of business in what is essentially a road game against Utah St. This team is too Senior laden and has more pride than any other marquette team that I remember watching (including Wade's team, who was obviously more gifted). McNeal and Matthews make sure this game goes to the Golden Eagles. I have them losing in the second round though to a tough Mizzou squad. It is too bad the season had to end like this, because this was a more watchable Marquette team than I can remember, because of their hard nosed defense and fearless penetration on offense.

UW

The Florida St. matchup will be a tough one, but I really think Wisconsin will grind it out. They are more disciplined and play a brand of basketball that Florida St. is not used to. And believe me, Wisconsin will force Florida St. to play at their pace. I hope I am right, and all the naysayers who believed that Wisconsin didn't deserve a bid can shut up and sit down. Since Bo Ryan has been coach, I don't remember them losing a first round matchup. Perhaps I am mistaken, but a team with that kind of proven track record deserves to be in over a school like St. Mary's. 

I'll try to put up some pics of me on the links so some of you can see them. Thanks for reading!

New Random Thing to Do?

I've always been a methodical writer. It's been ingrained in me since high school; Intro, 3 paragraph summary, conclusion. And that thesis better be frickin good. So this may be a new thing for me. I'll probably practice it a little bit before I start telling people that I do this. But perhaps this will be the best way for me to get my thoughts out, and feel like it is accomplishing something. I'm a very organized person, so My Blogs will probably get organized into categories, and later my friends and family can just immediately go the part that they actually care about. So I'm beginning to ramble...

Life feels good...for the First time in awhile

Everyone goes through funks in life where things just don't feel right. I'm just waiting for that lucky break. Well, I feel like I've been in that mode since maybe October or so. At that point I found out I didn't make the cut for the interim trip to Europe, and I was bummed. After that, I decided I wanted to get an internship set up for the spring. And thus began a long and arduous search for the mystical internship. 

Things were bleak. I applied to USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council), but didn't get an interview. I applied at Steelcase, and they manager told me my GPA scared him. Baffling. I interviewed with a different branch of Steelcase, and made the cut from 53 applicants down to 7 interviewees, but then got bombarded with questions from 6 people that I didn't handle too well. Needless to say, my confidence wasn't high.

But then I got an email from a local private club that was hoping for some help in marketing. After alot of phone tag with the head pro, I finally talked to him on Wednesday, and I will be starting next week. What a relief.

At the same time, a possible door opened for me for an internship at home this summer. It would be a dream internship, involving Golf, marketing, and my home course, Whistling Straits. We'll see what happens, but things look good. I'll keep everyone posted.

Needless to say, these two internships both landing this week made it a fantastic time to be me. I feel like I'm starting to catch some breaks, and I'm trying to savor every minute of it. God certainly has his own time frame, and usually for stuff I want, it's a whole lot slower than mine.  

Scripture passage of the night - "They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their hearts and souls." - 2 Chronicles 15:12

Sports - Chri-High, Bucks, Brewers, golf, and the NCAA tourney

Chri High - What a fantastic week for the boy's basketball team at Chri-High. Beating Randolph is a feat that I wasn't sure I'd ever see. It couldn't happen to a better group of guys. I've watched them grow up  and go from pipsqueaks on the floor with me and my friends, to competing with us, to quite frankly, putting me and my friends (their brothers) in our place. It's too bad it came to an end tonight against Benton. These guys deserved more, but I'm proud of them, and I have a sense of pride knowing that I beat on them a little bit over the past few years, and maybe that helped them. At least that's what I like to think.

The VerVelde controversy -  I don't really know what happened, but honestly this whole article and the comments posted on sheboyganpress.com makes the school look AWFUL. No matter what side you are on, you can't be pleased on how bad it makes SCCHS look. It is also unfortunate timing that it took a little luster off the guy's run through the tourney.

Bucks

Go ahead and just skip over this part, b/c no one is actually interested. Hey, somehow at 30-38, they are still hanging on for a playoff spot. Losing their two best players for the rest of the season hurts, but this month showed that Charlie V and Ramon Sessions can keep this team competitive. 

This is what really hurts though.... With Charlie V and Sessions both putting up fantastic numbers, their stock has risen dramatically. And of course, they are both restricted free agents (always, always, in a contract year). So the Bucks can essentially sign only one of them this offseason because of cap issues. Suck.

Brewers

Spring training has come. The brewers are essentially the same, minus two all-star starting pitchers. I expect them to compete for the wild card, but fall short. I'm expecting and 85-77 record this year, just close enough to keep everyone interested. All star selections will include Yovanni Gallardo and Ryan Braun. Fielder is looking a whole lot slimmer at spring training, but the competish at first base is rather stiff. Let's hope Trevor Hoffman doesn't pitch like his age suggests he will. 

Golf

Spring break next week! Going down to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. We will be playing the Ocean Course, designed by Mr. Pete Dye, as well as 3 other resort courses while staying in an 8 bedroom mansion. Likely to be my best spring break yet. We've got fantastic guys, all who seem to enjoy each others company. I'm going through a swing change...what's new. We'll see if this one works.

NCAA tourney

Marquette and Wisconsin are both down this year a bit, but both will make the tournament. This Thursday and Friday are honestly probably my two favorite days of the year, save for thanksgiving and Christmas...And they are REALLY REALLY close. 

And here's some food for thought at the end of my blog...

My top 5 most visited websites (save for facebook)

5. www.brewcrewball.com - this guy must not have a job, but this is a fantastic blog about brewers baseball.

4. www.brewhoop.com - great blog about bucks basketball, fills me in every night on what went  down. (since I can't watch it myself)

3. www.sheboyganpress.com - I know this is lame, but reading up on local sports and random stories about the deer in my backyard gets me smiling everytime.

2. craigslist - free section - Best 15 seconds I waste every day. I've already gotten my dresser from this, and I'm hoping to bag a free entertainment center soon. I was five minutes late for a free laptop. Shoot

1. ESPN - Bill Simmons columns and podcasts - This guy is absolutely hilarious. He puts out 3 or 4 podcasts a week, as well as a column a week. His writing makes me cry it's so funny. The podcasts are good, but PLEASE read his articles. His recent one about Mike Dunleavy's ineptitude coaching the Clippers kept me laughing all day.