Category: Family

So … one of these two guys ended up as the eventual champion this year. Here’s how things unfolded in our two round final. To recap: Going into the final day the 2 round score stood at Chad 7, Shay 6, Tucker 5, Scott 2.

Our first round today was played at the Cornwallis course. Things got very interesting as that round came to an end. It was won by Tucker with -2, Shay finished 2nd at -1, Scott 3rd at even and Chad 4th at +2. So total scoring after 3 rounds then put things like this: Tucker and Shay tied with 9 points, Chad with 8, and Scott with 4. We took a quick break at Bojangles and then headed out to Valley Springs for the final.

The round stayed pretty even through the first 9 holes and then things began to separate.  At the end of 18 Chad had won the round, Tucker 2nd, Shay 3rd, and Scott 4th. So total points after our four rounds ended with Chad and Tucker tied at 12 points. They then went to a 4 hole playoff. Still tied after 1 hole. Chad up one after 2. Tied again after 3. Both guys had good tee shots with a chance at birdie on #4. Tucker missed his putt. Chad made his putt and we crowned a new champion.

It was great fun to hang together and play together and all the snow made for some memorable golf. Already looking forward to next year when I will have a chance to claim the crown.

Such great fun!! Round 2 was played after church today at Valley Springs in the snow. The round took 2 hours – whereas it would usually take a bit more that an hour. We spent a good amount of time looking for discs and amazingly only lost one out of the 4 of us. Here’s how we finished: Shay 1st, Chad 2nd, Tucker 3rd, Scott 4th. So after 2 rounds the total score is as follows: Chad – 7 points, Shay – 6 points, Tucker – 5 points, Scott  – 2 points. Anybody’s game at this point. Tomorrow we play two rounds – one at Cornwallis and then finish at Valley Springs.

For the third Christmas in row my sons and I are competing in the Reyner Disc Golf Invitational Tournament. Scott is the two time defending champion. In past years we have played one round – winner take all. This year we are changing up the format. It is a four round competition. We are playing one round at Leigh Farm, one at Cornwallis, and two at our home course Valley Springs. Scoring goes like this: For each round  the 1st place finisher gets 4 points, 2nd place – 3 points, 3rd place  – 2 points, and 4th place – 1 point. Total points after all rounds is the winner. After our first round this is how we stand. Chad 4, Tucker 3, Shay 2, Scott 1. Our next match will be Sunday – weather permitting.

You may or not be aware of it but I have a wonderful wife. I want to brag on her just a bit. Yesterday she got some news that she had been waiting for (and hoping for) since May. She found out that she had passed the National Boards for Teacher/Counselor Certification. The process began over a year ago. It involved lots of studying, lots of paper writing, some intense exam taking, and a lot of waiting. Probably less than 50% of those who try to get certified pass on the first try. This was her first try. She called me yesterday from school when she found out and was ecstatically happy. Probably as much ecstatically relieved as anything. She was not looking forward to the work it would take had she not passed.

For those of you know her well you are not surprised that she passed. She tends to attack everything she does with a determination to do it well. While I’m bragging, here are a few things that you may not know about her: 1) She graduated #1 from her high school class and 2) She was selected to Phi Beta Kappa upon graduating from UNC-G. And I might add 3) She is a LOT smarter than I am.

I am very proud of her and count it a privilege that I get to be married to her. Well done Darling!

So here are a few pics from the birthday get together last night. We met at Chili’s at Triangle Town Center in Raleigh. (By the way, in case you are not aware of what the birthday boy’s plans are – he is in the 2+2 MDiv program at Southeastern Seminary and hopes to be overseas in a few years.) We had a great time. Linda and I are still getting used to relating to our kids as adults and not as children. But we are enjoying the learning process.

It is appropriate that the first post on this blog falls on my son’s birthday.  Scott is 23 years old today. Tonight our family will celebrate with him at Chili’s in Raleigh. Always fun to get together with the 6 of us. It seems that it happens less and less now that everybody is pursuing their own lives. I am very blessed to have a wife, 3 kids, and a son-in-law who all love God and are following after Him and seeking to live God honoring, gospel centered lives.

Scott, on your birthday I just want to let you know again how glad I am to be your dad. You are a wonderful son and I am proud of the way that you are pursuing God and seeking to have His purposes fulfilled in your life. If things go as you hope they will go then I know we only have a few short years before you are living a long long way from here. I’m already praying that God will give clear direction as to where you will be – and I’m already excited about coming to visit you. Here are a few observations that I have about you:

• You have always made choices based on what you want to do and what you believe God wants you to do. You have never tried to be a people pleaser.
• I am amazed at your discipline. When you decide to do something you give it your all.
• I am also amazed at your hunger to know God and His Word. Your thirst for knowledge puts me to shame.
• You have a great sense of humor – I especially notice it in your tweeting.

I love hanging out with you. I wish we got to do it more it often. I am hoping that your beloved Thunder have an awesome year and that KD wins MVP and that Carolina gets back on track in b’ball and mostly that “the joy of the Lord is your strength!”

I can’t pray for you any better than Paul prayed for his Ephesian friends when he said:

^“14For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

I love you!!