When I told my husband that's what I learned yesterday, he wryly responded, "You've lived over 50 years, and you've just learned that?!"
"Some of us are slow learners," was my curt answer.
And some lessons in life we need to learn and relearn and relearn and relearn...
But here's where I grasped this lesson yet again: at our son's college golf tournament.
The picture above is from the beautiful golf course at Mimosa Hills in Morganton, located in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains. Davidson College played in a tournament there, and my husband and I were both able to come (thanks to my wonderful sister, Mary Norris, who manned the fort back at home!! My boys were in paradise!)
Let me briefly explain how college golf tournaments go down. They typically last two days. The second day competitors play a mere 18 holes. But the first day, O my, the first loooooooong day, consists of the guys playing 2 rounds of 18 holes.
Now that might not sound like a big deal to you, but we're talking 36 straight holes of golf. No breaks in-between rounds. No breaks for lunch or snacks. No breaks for the restroom. No breaks to gather your wits about you or check your text messages. No breaks for squat.
Nope, like the energizer bunny, these college kids just keep playing and playing and playing. They start at 8:30 in the morning and play straight through till about 6:30 in the evening. In case you're mathematically challenged (or your last name is Fountain) that's 10 straight, stinking hours of golf.
And they carry their own bags...which weight approximately 350 pounds. I can't even lift one.
And they walk the whole way--no riding in carts like us wimpy country club types.
And they bear the stress and strain of one of the world's most nerve-wracking sports that's scientifically designed to break you down. One minute you're riding high and playing great, and the next you hit one bad shot or suffer from one terribly unfair bounce, and the wheels can fall off the bus.
Yep, this game requires herculean backs, great hand-eye coordination, enormous patience, and nerves of steel.
But that's nothing compared to what we parents have to endure.
We get to walk those same 36 holes...okay, albeit without the 350 pound bag or the inability to take a break of any kind or the stress of playing this sometimes insane game. But still, come one, we parents must bear the weight of the world as we watch, stewing in our own war of worry and attrition and alternate moments of elation and despair.
But here's the thing--it's a marathon, especially that first day. And yours truly tends to forget that.
At one point our son was struggling a bit in the first round. Some bad breaks, a missed put here and there, an approach shot or two gone awry....which meant his mama was feeling that life as we know it on this planet was about to end. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But I did think I would drop dead right there on the course due to a self-induced heart attack.
Of course, I continued to try to smile sweetly and act as if life was lovely and wasn't this so much fun and so relaxing to watch this frustrating game. But instead of acting concerned in the least, my son said to us in passing something to the effect of, "Oh, I'm fine. We still have 25 holes to play today, [O mercy, I thought, I'll be long dead before then], and I can get it back." He was calm and composed and even a bit upbeat. What?! (My son looking, incredibly, relaxed before a putt--)
My husband, inexplicably, had the same semi-relaxed attitude...presumably because unlike his slow-learning wife, he has completely mastered the truth that life--and college golf--is a marathon and sometimes we just need to keep our eyes on the prize and keep on plugging and trying our best and entrusting the results up to the Lord.
Truth like "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Rom.12:12) Or "May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in life." (Col.1:11-12) Or "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4) O gee, I get it--maybe the Lord wants us to actually apply and live out the Truth of His Word!
And guess what? Much as I hate to admit it, my husband was right. (Hear that honey? You might want to take note as those words can sometimes be challenging to wring from the lips of us wives--"My husband is right.") Our son kept walking and playing and trying and trusting and refusing to give in to doubt or discouragement for that long, long marathon day of golf. And wouldn't you know it, by the end of the day, he had recovered, finishing under par and having a great finish.
Mama was still alive (though just barely) having learned, once again, that life is a marathon...but that our God is forever faithful and walks beside us. And that some days we just need to keep our gaze on God while our feet keep walking and our hearts keep trusting that the Lord will somehow, someway pull us through if we refuse to give in or give up.
(And along the way, don't forget to notice the glory of God on display all around you--life may be a marathon, but it's oftentimes a beautiful one. The view from one hole when I ceased striving and stressing for long enough to gasp at God's foothills scattered about us--)
And one day all that marathoning will be so worth it as you experience His infinite goodness and amazing grace and give Him glory throughout eternity....and maybe even play a round of two of golf...with joy and laughter. To God be the glory.
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