Power Fade Two (PF2)

Cuarenta y tres

2012-02-14T21:43:00.001-08:00

So I read about the eternal sin in Mark 3 tonight and found a helpful Piper article on it. I'm glad many resources are easily available due to technology.

I went to watch a HS baseball gm tonight. The scoreboard was out, i talked a lot with his fam, and also didn't get there til the 2nd or 3rd inning. End result when they were saying score is 4-2. I thought it was the good kind of 4-2...turned out it wasn't. Seriously you would have thought I knew nothing about baseball! How embarassing.

cuarenta y dos

2012-01-27T04:53:00.000-08:00

cuarenta y uno

2012-01-27T04:49:00.000-08:00

Hello wooden stick. I think we were meant to be...

cuarenta

2012-01-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

For anyone who knows me well, it's not a shock - but I have/will/am continue(d) to wrestle with and marvel at the ways these two words do/should/could work together: Christian and Finance. Why?'tis epic and unexplainable altogether. The default internet encyclopedia says...Finance is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management. [1] Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created for transacting and trading assets, liabilities, and risks.A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. "Christian" derives from the Koine Greek word Christ, a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term Messiah.[1]I'm thankful lately I've had others willing to join in wrestling through the text(s) and principles we think matter most and what they say about such things.

treinta y nueve

2011-12-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

A favorite of ours in classroom training at work. I't's like the masters...

treinta y ocho

2011-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

Goodbye Movember.
Thin to win.

treinta y seite

2011-11-13T18:13:00.000-08:00

This weekend I was challenged by the speaker on a men's retreat I attended. Camping, yeah not my favorite thing ever - especially without the ability to have fires (drought). Today I played 9 with one of my HS group youngsters. Unfortunately I got beaten, in fact he has made a habit of beating me. But I like to give myself as consolation that it was a good time, and chance to enjoy what we have left of 80 degree days and limited daylight hours this year. Speaking of bro time a little video in the true spirit of Movember.

treinta y seis

2011-10-13T19:41:00.001-07:00

This is from a series PGA Tour is doing called "The Future is Now." Since not a lot of people know much about NW, I post it. I followed him this year all day on sunday at the Byron.

treinta y cinco

2011-10-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Lecrae on BET awards.

treinta y cuatro

2011-09-08T10:16:00.001-07:00

You are good you are good

When there's nothing good in me

You are love you are love

On display for all to see

You are light you are light

When the darkness closes in

You are hope you are hope

You have covered all my sin

You are peace you are peace

Whom my fear in crippling

You are true you are true

Ever in my wandering

You are joy you are joy

You're the reason that i sing

You are life you are life

In you death has lost its sting

Oh i'm running to your arms

I'm running to your arms

The riches of your love will always be enough

Nothing compares to your embrace

Light of the world forever reign

You are more you are more

Than my words will ever say

You are lord you are lord

All creation will proclaim

You are here you are here

In your presence i'm made whole

You are god you are god

Of all else i'm letting go

Hallelujah forever

All the glory forever

All the praise to you

My heart will sing

No other name

Jesus jesus

treinta y tres

2011-09-02T04:55:00.001-07:00

Watched the movie soul surfer last night. I'd definitely say it was worth the 1.08 cost from the movie store in a box.

treinta y dos

2011-08-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

First...Big ups to DJ - nice win. I've also been watching the U.S. Amateur and those guys are scary good. I'm quite impressed with the golf playoffs they are working well in keeping my interest. So the handicap is still hovering around 1.7 so decent I guess - but the prognosis is not good. Although I've tried to avoid it, I may have to shut it down for a while and rest. No more vball and no more golf either. All signs seem to be pointing to a possibly torn rotator cuff. Ouch for now, more to follow.

treinta y uno

2011-08-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Tiger and Stevie, so passive aggressive. I think they should just set up a fight night, and believe me I'd take the 'ol caddie in that match. Also A-Scott, getting it done. So impressive to watch superior ball-striking. I mean that 6 iron on 18...c'mon now.

treinta

2011-07-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Time for a major update...so we had Rory down at Augusta, and then up -up - and away at US Open. I just watched his episode of Feherty this week and he seems to be quite different than the last early twenties major winner I recall. Across the pond - it was just DC's week. Well deserved and thanks to Phil, DJ and others for keeping it interesting for those who got up at the crack o' dawn to watch on Sunday. Stepping down to the stage of the mere mortals, I've been seeing a lot of good improvement in my own game. A few highlights of greatness 16/18 GIR a few weeks back, and have got the handicap real close to scratch. The key for me folks is have fun, and practicing is overrated. Bubba I owe you for that tip. And if you need more than that all I can suggest is "seriously, what would Rickie Fowler do?" Did you see him drain with the flat stick on sat of the British.

cuarenta y nueve

2011-07-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

Pictures from trip to New Orleans (best wedding I've attended), the same weekend as the Mavs victory parade in Dallas. Oh yeah, the DALLAS MAVERICKS are the NBA champs. Such a long time coming, so much support both here in DFW and outside as well. How sweet it was, and honestly it still is. (please don't miss the O'brien trophy pin I was rockin on my hat)

Bourbon St.

Jay/Chad

Beignets

BBQ Shrimp

The whole point of the trip

cuarenta y ocho

2011-07-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

We got an excellent deal at a local course by us, so my wife & I have taken to the links this summer. These videos are a couple months old and she is a much more accomplished duffer at this point. This footage should be entertaining especially the one of me at the end laying the sod over a 50 yd wedge shot!

cuarenta y seite

2011-05-06T15:40:00.001-07:00

Congrats to Bubba - 2 wins in 2011 - really interesting excerpt on him on golf channel a few nights back. Also to the Mavs up 2-0 on the Lakeshow. I'm going to take the approach of the teams' owner and say let's just watch the rest play out. Golf wise for me - I'm gonna try and get back to scratch (legitimately with the USGA) so that means I will need to play more rounds. So far best of year in the 5 or 6 rounds I played is 76, so plenty of work left to do.

cuarenta y cinco

2011-03-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Vball footage. By no means impressive, but we have fun.

cincuenta y cuatro

2011-03-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

It has been a while, a lot to cover. So for those who have or have not been tuned in to the PGA tour this year - it has been a nice start. Wins by Bubba Watson and Nick Watney have stirred up the chatter about who is the best American golfer right now. Of course this topic of discussion has not even been a legitimate question for many many years. But '10-'11 have made it just that with Westwood and Kaymer putting the stranglehold on the worlds number one and the kitten showing us that week after week he seems to be unable to bring it. So what is the point of all this you ask? I'll tell you. See about this team each year people (myself certainly included) start to think about the season's first major. Ah yes think Nantz, magnolias, perfection in the form of turf etc. etc. Golf's greatest event is soon approaching. So let's certainly not forget to enjoy the madness, but it's time to review who I like for 2011. And by the way, just to warm everyone back up: Lefty won it last year. For 2011, names I'll throw out Watney, DJ, Kuchar, Rosie, and Laird. We shall see. Can't wait.

cincuenta y tres

2011-03-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

Video clips from vball league coming soon - they did not load for some reason.

For now:

Hmmm notes for me:
- Correct footwork
- wait on the set and take quick steps
- perfect wrist snap
- ridiculous hops are always a plus

cincuenta y dos

2011-01-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Pretty interesting, found this in a book I'm reading. http://www.globalrichlist.com/

cincuenta y uno

2011-01-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

[Cause] The other day my sister was in town. So we agreed to meet up sometime I left work at the very unreasonable hour of 10:00pm and she had just gotten done with a full day's worth of presentations for a new job opportunity. Since she commands a skill set in the arena of web design and so forth she was showing me her designs (included in the presentation). While I was admiring her work (which was quite good), perhaps to divert the attention - she decided to mention my blogging endeavors to the growing audience around us. [Effect] This meant that I was put on the spot to explain myself in the face of the question "You have a blog?" Perhaps I should share that I'm not well connected (not on that social network that is so big they make movies about it, and my cell phone is so old that the logo on it is from a company that no longer exists). I was stuck trying to explain, almost even defend PF2. I hope basically it is a reflection of the stuff that is on my mind, and worthy of note. It never was planned to carry a following - so you can bet it will probably feature the things I dig: golf, sand vball, hoops, bible, and funny stuff. No more or less can I promise.

cincuenta

2011-01-11T20:54:00.000-08:00

Excellent news http://www.ea.com/tiger-woods/videos/augusta-announcement

cuarenta y nueve

2010-12-04T09:03:00.001-08:00

Wow.

cuarenta y ocho

2010-11-30T16:36:00.000-08:00

Sure there has been a lot of TCU talk lately, BCS rankings, Rose Bowl, could they go to the National Championship?, Big East, etc. etc. But I stumbled upon this little known fact from the LA Times. USC basketball: Trojans' woes continue as they fall to TCU, 81-69. (full article link below)
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/29/sports/la-sp-usc-basketball-20101130

cuarenta y seite

2010-11-26T16:58:00.001-08:00

cuarenta y seis

2010-11-25T09:46:00.001-08:00

I have been reading Matthew and had a hard time with this parable in Chapter 25. Thankful for the web and smart people - found this helpful.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

by Jack Crabtree

One of Jesus' parables that has given me fits for years is the "Parable of the Ten Virgins" in Matthew 25. For more than two decades now, I have knocked my head against that parable to no avail. But finally, I think I am beginning to get a handle on what Jesus was trying to say. If I am right, then the message is really quite simple. My problem over the years resulted, in part, from my trying to make it more complicated than it really is.

Here, then, is the parable in Matthew 25:1-13. (I have slightly modified the translation from that of the New American Standard Version.)

Now the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, "Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him." Then all these virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. Now the foolish said to the prudent, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." But the prudent answered saying, "No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves." Now while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, "Lord, Lord, open up for us." But he answered them and said, "Truly I say to you, I do not know you." Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Although many things need to be said about how best to understand the meaning of this parable, four brief observations adequately suggest to us what Jesus was trying to say:

(1) The delay of the bridegroom plays a critical role in the story. Had the bridegroom not delayed, all of the virgins would have been ready and waiting when the marriage procession arrived, and they all would have accompanied the bridegroom to the feast. Only because the bridegroom was delayed were half of the virgins caught unprepared and not able to accompany him to the feast.

(2) The wisdom of the wise virgins consisted in their understanding that the bridegroom might be delayed. Why did the wise virgins take the flask of extra oil with them? Was it not because they had the foresight to anticipate that they might have to wait? Had they thought there would be no delay, it would have been completely unnecessary for them to carry extra oil.

(3) In the end, the only crime of the foolish virgins was not being ready to follow the bridegroom to the feast when finally he came.

(4) The bridegroom's response to the crime of these foolish virgins is severe: he bars them from entering the marriage feast altogether; and, more severely, he makes the astounding claim that he does not know them.

At this point I must speculate. Although my knowledge of first-century Palestinian culture is not adequate for certainty, my common sense tells me that this last feature of Jesus' story would have seemed startling and outlandish to his listeners. Is it likely in the everyday Palestinian life of those days that a bridegroom would say to such foolish virgins, "I do not know you"? Would he not rather have opened the door and said, "Oh, Martha, it's you! You finally made it. I wondered what happened to you." Conceivably, their marriage customs would have barred these late-comers' entrance to the feast, but the bridegroom saying "I do not know you" seems highly unlikely.

Here, I think, is the real "point" of this parable. Jesus makes this point by contrast, not by comparison; by disanalogy, not by analogy: In the world of everyday wedding feasts, not being ready when the bridegroom comes, though socially awkward, does not ultimately exclude you from the joy of the celebration. But not so if we are talking about the eternal wedding feast to come. When that bridegroom finally comes to take you to that ultimate wedding feast, which will be the occasion of all true joy and celebration for all eternity, if you are not ready to follow him, then you will never be allowed into that feast at all. That's how it is in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus is saying. So you have got to be ready. You dare not risk not being ready; the stakes are too high. You could lose out completely.

Why is Jesus issuing such a warning? Because he knows that his coming will be delayed. It is easy to be ready if the bridegroom comes quickly. It is so much harder to be ready if he is delayed. And he will be delayed.

If we are wise, we will know and understand the nature of God's promise. God will inevitably keep His promise, but He will not keep it quickly. The Kingdom of God will come in all of its glory, but it probably will not be soon. Knowing that, we who are wise will do what we must do to be and to remain ready to follow the bridegroom to the feast when finally he does come.

Notice that both the wise and the foolish virgins fell asleep as they waited for the long overdue bridegroom, but there is a critical difference between the two. While the foolish virgins slept, their readiness to follow the bridegroom was depleted, consumed by time and the flame. The wise virgins' lamps burned, too, but their readiness to follow was not depleted, for they had a whole other flask of oil that had not yet been consumed by their vigilant flame.

What is the analogy in our lives today? What does it mean for us to have oil in reserve, for us to be ready to follow the bridegroom? God requires one and only one thing of us: He wants us to want the coming of His Kingdom more than we want anything else in this life. It's little to ask, and it's a lot to ask. But it's the only thing He asks. At the end of this age, when nothing of this world remains, if He finds that we want--from the core of our being--the Kingdom He intends to establish, then citizenship in that Kingdom is ours. But if He finds our eyes, our desires, and our affections fixed on the stuff that is passing away, then we are unworthy of His Kingdom, and His words to us will be, "I do not know you."

The oil that the foolish virgins found depleted when the bridegroom came is analogous to our desire for, belief in, and commitment to the eternal Life which God has promised. Many people will desire it; many will believe God's promise; many will commit themselves to wait for its realization. But only a few will find their desire, their belief, and their commitment in ample supply. Time and the flame of the weary, mundane ordinariness of life will try to lick dry our desire for the Kingdom and our belief in God's promise. For those of us who are foolish--in whom the desire does not run deep, the belief is not profound, and the commitment is only superficial and very fragile--our supply will soon run out. When the bridegroom comes, no longer do we really believe, no longer do we really want his Kingdom; long before, we had shifted our commitment to something else this world had to offer. But for those of us who are wise, our desire runs deep, our belief is profound and unshakable, and our commitment is more than superficial. So, our supply outlasts the bridegroom's delay. Though he does not come, his delay does not consume our readiness. We remain ever ready to follow him; for still we desire, still we believe, and still we remain committed to that which He has promised.

Jesus said once, "Many are called, but few are chosen." He is saying something very similar to that in this parable: "Many are invited and will join in wait for the bridegroom, but few will actually remain to follow him to the feast when he comes."

I would suggest that this parable sheds some light on what we at McKenzie Study Center understand ourselves to be about. I sincerely hope that we are like the oil dealers mentioned in Jesus' parable: the ones that the foolish virgins went looking for (although it was too late for them). Our desire is to persuade anyone and everyone who will listen of the surpassing value of God's coming Kingdom in order that we might fill the flask of their desire with a hunger and thirst for that Kingdom. We study a lot of different things; we talk about a lot of different things; our interests are wide and varied; but one thing--I hope--underlies everything that we do: we want to persuade those who have been foolish to get a little oil for their flask. In other words, we want to persuade them to trade in a faith that is fragile and tentative for a faith that can endure anything; to trade in a weak and fading love for God's kingdom for a love that runs deep and strong; to trade in a casual interest in the eternal Life which God has promised for a raging hunger; and to trade in a commitment that is divided and distracted for one that is single-minded and focused. By God's grace, that is what McKenzie Study Center is and will continue to be about.

Copyright January 1995 by McKenzie Study Center.

cuarenta y cinco

2010-11-21T16:11:00.000-08:00

cuarenta y cuatro

2010-11-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

John Wesley's wisdom for hard economic times: "earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." A Sermon on Luke 16.

"'The love of money,' we know, 'is the root of all evil;' but not the thing itself. The fault does not lie in the money, but in them that use it. It may be used ill: and what may not? But it may likewise be used well: It is full as applicable to the best, as to the worst uses. It is of unspeakable service to all civilized nations, in all the common affairs of life: It is a most compendious instrument of transacting all manner of business, and (if we use it according to Christian wisdom) of doing all manner of good."

"It is true, were man in a state of innocence, or were all men 'filled with the Holy Ghost,' so that, like the infant Church at Jerusalem, 'no man counted anything he had his own,' but 'distribution was made to everyone as he had need,' the use of it would be superseded; as we cannot conceive there is anything of the kind among the inhabitants of heaven. But, in the present state of mankind, it is an excellent gift of God, answering the noblest ends. In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked: It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We maybe a defence for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death!"

"It is therefore of the highest concern that all who fear God know how to employ this valuable talent; that they be instructed how it may answer these glorious ends, and in the highest degree. And, perhaps, all the instructions which are necessary for this may be reduced to three plain rules, by the exact observance whereof we may approve ourselves faithful stewards of 'the mammon of unrighteousness.'"

"The first of these is (he that heareth, let him understand!) 'Gain all you can.' Here we may speak like the children of the world: We meet them on their own ground. And it is our bounden duty to do this: We ought to gain all we can gain, without buying gold too dear, without paying more for it than it is worth. But this it is certain we ought not to do; we ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health." …

"Having gained all you can, by honest wisdom and unwearied diligence, the second rule of Christian prudence is, 'Save all you can.' Do not throw the precious talent into the sea: Leave that folly to heathen philosophers. Do not throw it away in idle expenses, which is just the same as throwing it into the sea. Expend no part of it merely to gratify the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, or the pride of life." …

"But let not any man imagine that he has done anything, barely by going thus far, by 'gaining and saving all he can,' if he were to stop here. All this is nothing, if a man go not forward, if he does not point all this at a farther end. Nor, indeed, can a man properly be said to save anything, if he only lays it up. You may as well throw your money into the sea, as bury it in the earth. And you may as well bury it in the earth, as in your chest, or in the Bank of England. Not to use, is effectually to throw it away. If, therefore, you would indeed 'make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness,' add the Third rule to the two preceding. Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then 'give all you can.'" …

"I entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, act up to the dignity of your calling! No more sloth! Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might! No more waste! Cut off every expense which fashion, caprice, or flesh and blood demand! No more covetousness! But employ whatever God has entrusted you with, in doing good, all possible good, in every possible kind and degree to the household of faith, to all men! This is no small part of 'the wisdom of the just.' Give all ye have, as well as all ye are, a spiritual sacrifice to Him who withheld not from you his Son, his only Son: So 'laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may attain eternal life!'"

The full text of this sermon appears in the United Methodist archives.

cuarenta y tres

2010-10-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Got to go to an event tonight called Fields of Faith, put on by FCA. Very cool deal, I got to have a legit conversation with some guys that wanted to either pray for salvation or pray for re-commitment. May the LORD do great things in and through them.

cuarenta y dos

2010-09-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Do I really think anybody care that much about my swing...NO. But this is helpful to me and a great place to store this footage.

cuarenta y uno

2010-09-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Been working on some things lately - taking the club more out going back and getting it more around at the top and behind me coming through. Trying to shape it more right to left which keeps me on a better plane. Thanks to my buddy Tree for the footage.
Compare to DL3 swing sequence at:
http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1879225-2,00.html

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8
alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518267871742407026" />

cuarenta

2010-08-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago - my first time.
Lake Grapevine is actually really nice in places.

treinta y nueve

2010-08-24T16:20:00.000-07:00

Okay so I've put this off long enough I know I'm in denial. Pray for the AVP (avp.com)

treinta y ocho

2010-08-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

Thought this was cool one of my favorites to consider from time to time.

treinta y seite

2010-08-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ok so back to golf talk. I realize that some live in a cave, but for those who do not - you might have caught the end of the season's final major. To set the stage you had a Tigerless ending (except for the TV networks' instance on still showing many of his shots when he is completely irrelevant to the the leaderboard). You also had an influx of young talented players ready to break through. Among this group were Rory, D.J., Bubba (check out his you tube for some greatness), Martin Kaymer. It was a question of who could hang on golf his ball and close the deal out. Well as many came to realize - the game of golf carries with it a very intricate set of rules at both a macro and micro level. So what we saw was Bubba Watson get it in the clubhouse first at -11 after a rock solid finish on a very tough day. Martin Kaymer also in at -11 after an impressive put holed on 18. Then along came the last groups - among which the 47 yr old Elkington could not last, Nick Watney had a miserable day, and speaking of Day, Jason also could not get to the magic number. So that left one man - my man Dustin Johnson. Ok I'll admit I followed him the whole day when he came to the Byron this summer. We all had to watch him lose the lead at the U.S. Open and now he was at it again. So after playing well all day, he finally sunk a legit birdie putt on 17 to take the lead at -12. On 18 his tee shot was wide right and once the fans were cleared away it sat on a sandy patch of rough well outside of the ropes. Most of us know the rest - my first thought watching it live was that he had unfortunately found a random sand patch in the middle of the gallery. Seriously as in, maybe somebodies 4 year old daughter had filled her pockets at the nearby park sandbox then jumped in the minivan to head to the PGA with mom and dad, then after a long day of sand filled pockets decided to empty them while in the gallery right of the 18th fairway. So then arrives DJ, finds the ball surveys his 200+ yd approach that is all carry and had yielded more bogeys or worse than pars needing par to win (and shut everyone up about June at Pebble). So from there he grounds his club, hits it wayward left, incredible pitch and narrowly misses the put for par. Playoff we think. Ah, but immediately following the conclusion over marched the rules official. The sandy sandbox lie was ruled a bunker in the local rules. Yes the ones he and his caddy should have known. Well everyone that has ever played competitively knows you cannot ground the club (let it come to rest on the surface of) a hazard. The result - 2 stroke penalty, double bogey, no playoff, no PGA.

treinta y seis

2010-08-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

Now let's look at how it should be done:

Obviously I need to work on eveything. Especially the second picture getting elbow bent and hand reaching back.

treinta y cinco

2010-08-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

So let's analyze some of this action (these are still images from the first swing on the video below):

treinta y cuatro

2010-08-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

What does an exceptionally big dork do on a Friday evening...

even when his normal vball crew backs out, he gets to the courts early and works on his swing.

treinta y tres

2010-08-05T06:11:00.001-07:00

This is from a few weeks, back...ah yes indeed.

treinta y dos

2010-08-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Good tip.

treinta y uno

2010-08-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

2010 - The year to go low. If you don't closely follow golf, you may have missed the theme the past few weeks of taking it deep. Goydos 59, Stricker 60 a couple weeks back, Holmes 60 Appleby 59 this past weekend. So obviously the new grooves are making a huge difference. Last week Stuart Appleby fired a closing round 59 - becoming the 5th player in tour history to do so and also to come from behind to win. Congrats to Appleby and for those who don't know he definitely deserves it. In 1998 the tight world of professional golf was devastated with the news of Renay Appleby, Stuart's first wife as she was killed while unloading a bag from their London taxi. Stuart was paying for the cab and they were en route to Paris for a second honeymoon. The golf world faced further tragedy in 1999 with the loss of the great Payne Stewart who was the next door neighbor to Appleby in Florida and a close friend. Since his passing Appleby spearheaded Payne's amazing memorial service back in '99 and has been a father figure for Payne's children since. Greatness.

treinta

2010-04-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Good news - the weather has been consistently warm here, which has allowed us to begin sand v-ball finally. This weekend is Easter weekend. Tuesday night one of my buddies (we have been studying the Old Testament for over a year) asked about the timing and importance of Passover. So we discussed... Just twenty-four hours later I thought it was funny that one of the guys in my youth bible study group asked an equally interesting question: Hey where did Easter eggs, bunnies and all that stuff come from?

veinte nueve

2010-03-21T11:57:00.001-07:00

The snow yesterday reminded me of a few weeks back when we got a ton of snow here. This is what happened.

veinte ocho

2010-03-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

What does it say about you if for your b-day your wife got you a pair of jeans and a DVD? Hmmmm....

veinte seis

2010-03-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

Well there has been silence for way too long on the PF2. There is matter worth a discussion, as we have all been taken by surprise (at least on some level) by the ongoings of one mighty famous golfer (and athlete overall for that matter). It was announced recently that his return to the game will come at none other than golf's finest venue. In just a few short weeks, the best week in sports will be upon us - it will be April and 2010 can return to normalcy - or can it?

I've definitely heard a bunch of different takes on what the sports world's billion dollar kitten can or will do on the course - as for me I'm satisfied to just wait and see. It is terribly unfortunate that things spiraled out of control for him and the fam the way they did. But sin is sin and I cannot for one second say I count all this a shocker. I remember the guy that won the U.S. junior and U.S. amateur's, he inspired many of us long before we heard "I am" followed by his name. But that's kind of the thing, you see I used to be a fan of all fans, yet there was always something seemingly unreal about it all. As I grew older watching the game, I became a little put off by some of the things I saw and the machine that showed up to desecrate all. Perhaps all this is a healthy reminder of what we truly are - and maybe we should leave the "I am" statements to the true I AM.

veinte siete

2010-01-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

So I went to see a movie last night that was legit. Go see it. Info below.

veinte seis

2010-01-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

So...2010. Just got back this week from my farthest venture NE of my life. Went to Charlottesville VA (home of UVA) for a wedding. Got to ski, and spend a little time in the D.C. area as well. Here are some pics. The only downside was watching our beloved Frogs lose to the Broncos. Still a great season though.

veinte cinco

2009-10-03T10:34:00.001-07:00

Well it has been a while since posting. My b. But I did want to jump on and make sure the PF2 showed some love for the fighting frogs. Yes folks the TCU football program is legit, and this week we match up with the SMU ponies. After wins agains UVA, TX State and Clemson it's the ponies' turn to head over to Ft. Worth for some football. Go Frogs.

veinte cuatro

2009-08-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Getting beat by 10. Hmmm - so last weekend I played golf with some family - including my old man. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed the hot steamy August afternoon. Two drives o.b. leading to a double and triple respectively and a bit of a ride on the bogey train on the back nine for me meanwhile mi papa had 3 birdies and 1 bogey to fire a smooth 69. Way to go Dad.

veinte tres

2009-08-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Tiger has been defeated. Folks if you happened to intentionally or even accidently watch this season's 4th major - you witnessed history. Most notably el tigre has never lost when ahead at 54 holes in majors, what's more that brings his total to 0 (yes count em) majors for the year.

veinte dos

2009-08-13T16:44:00.001-07:00

So I've chronicled some of the very uneventful moments of my volleyball progress on and off. And to be fair I think I'm trying to do so as I've learned quite a bit from watching a dude that video tapes his every game/practice session on youtube. But for anyone that has not tried to pick up the game later on in life - it is hard. I mean really, really hard and technical (which is honestly very annoying to me). So long story short, I've been trying to learn and get better at this stupid game for a while. And by a while I mean several years including one unproductive semester of club vball (indoor) in college, intramural, many late nights on the sand courts honing my improper technique and bad habits, and at my lowest point some indoor practice at a random gymnastics open gym after I graduated college and was applying for jobs (yeah seriously). But that last part was bueno because it led to me meeting some hard core vballers and eventually getting introduced to my wife (but I digress). So to cut to the chase I've been comfortable with the concept of jumping high and reaching to block a shot or shoot a layup, but I have always had a heard time reaching and hitting a volleyball at it's highest point. It requires timing, technique and for me a lot of practice. So you can imagine my delight as I caught this on film. I like to think of it as progress (though still not much to write home about) Yes, I agree that is a nice hat...thanks.

veinte uno

2009-08-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

m wertz song that i dig...that's about it.

veinte

2009-08-03T16:16:00.000-07:00

Respect!

diez y nueve

2009-07-29T20:10:00.000-07:00

pretty much.

diez y ocho

2009-07-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Whew...its been a while. But I'm back at home sweet PFII. So lately I've had a bit of a stretch where I've really struggled with motivation to go the gym. Now were not talking about a complete meltdown, but more of a slow and gradual melt. The kind where I work out 3 or 4 times one week and then zero the next. A couple the next week and then the cycle repeats. In fact it seems at times like I'm intentionally trying to be sporadic. So a couple weekends ago I played in a doubles sand vball tourney with my wife. And it happened again!

What you asked...great question, I'll tell you what. But to set the context, let me fill in a few details. See we have now played in exactly 3 of these co-ed tournaments. 2 last summer and 1 this summer. Last summer we played our first one in the second highest division (which in golf we would call the first flight). Result we won. So the next time we had to play in the top division (vball called AA, golf terminology again: Championship flight). So in the great summer of '08 we started off our AA debut by going 4-0 in pool play and obtaining the number 1 seed for the playoff. Then we proceeded to lose 2 of our next 3 and go home.

This year ('09) we played in the aforementioned tourney which was formatted with 6 teams that each play one time. So again we start off 3-0, people are starting to take notice (Or at least I tell myself they did). Then we proceed to finish 0-3 the remaining portion. So we end up in a play in game for the playoffs (with the team we beat in our first game). And we lost. Ouch.

So whats the point - I'm out of condition. Though it was July in TX and all that. Still I was cramping, I had food and tons of H20 in between each match and I still completely ran out of gas. Sad but true. So that along with my most recent episodes on the basketball court and some inspiring play by my fav's J Gibb and Mr. Sean Rosenthal at the Manhattan Beach Open I just watched on DVR - I've decided (and already had some success this week) to start putting some commitment towards getting back in to physical form.

diez y siete

2009-06-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

So a while ago I agreed to sing a song in a buddies wedding - no problem right. Well maybe so, but to borrow a line from mi compadre 'it's kind of doming me.' I will be straight with you, I'm completely nervous about it, and I've done some singing/strumming in front of others before, but something about a wedding is different. Anyways this is a test run..

diez y seis

2009-05-13T20:54:00.001-07:00

Well the Mavericks are finished for 2009. Great finish to the regular season, great series win vs. the Spurs and they battled hard at times against Denver. Dirk - I don't know what more you could have done.

quince

2009-04-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Mavs win, oh how sweet it is when we beat the Spurs.

catorce

2009-04-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

From week 3
As far as hitting goes, I'm still working on a few things (but I've got a great coach).

trece

2009-04-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Sand v-ball league started a couple weeks ago. The first week it was in the low 30's outside (so no video), so this is from week 2.

doce

2009-04-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight it begins, game one of Mavs vs. Spurs in the first round. I'm so excited, though my fondness for the Spurs is severely lacking - I do respect them. What's more, I think you have to respect their rivalry and history. The Mavericks ended on an upbeat which should be a good sign, but it all starts over now it's playoff time.

once

2009-04-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

Man is it hard sometimes to be a Mavs fan. I just watched them lose to Memphis. They flashed a stat during the fourth quarter that the Mavs have the best NBA record in games decided by 5 points or less - it's just that it seems like I have happened to witness every single on of those games resulting in a loss. On a much more important note, I was asked this week to reflect daily on God. More specifically to try and stop to take the time necessary to think about him and who He is. Its that kind of thing that once I did it I was like whoa...good point.

diez

2009-03-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

So I made a commitment to a buddy that while he is away I'd keep on pace with our workouts. At this exact moment, I'm not exactly looking forward to hitting the gym - but I need to go and make up for a pretty inactive week. On a better note, yesterday I got to enjoy dinner with some friends and they gave me a fresh reminder of the power of generosity (thanks to them for doing so). Afterwards I saw Randy Travis play in Ft. Worth - he did play his classics...and yes it was awesome.

nueve

2009-03-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Today happens to be the day of my birth so I'm having to come to grips with my status as I roll out of the mid twenties and into the category next in line (which I will not state). Also today my wife and I used our forearm muscles to sign the huge stack of papers it takes to move into a house in about a month. Yeah - things be 'a changing I guess. But glory be to Him and I hope to no end that we never regard anything we can touch, see, or do as "ours." Whether the duration is moments or years, it's a simple concept: we are just using these things, or having them labeled with our name for a while. When I think in this way, the serious turns to silly and the basics are all that matter. Gosh there is just something very freeing about simplicity - check this out (yes that's my amazing footage).

ocho

2009-03-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

In a discussion with some friends about some common themes in the news and also admitting to each other some of our own personal fears and concerns - we began to decide that if we listen enough to ourselves or our peers we all start to sound like a bunch of cry babies. Now I'm not much for the whole though process that says that God is punishing us, or our economy etc. - but I do know that if I/we whine when things are good then we will probably whine when things are bad too. Now switching gears entirely, I started a couple of new things this week and last. I began doing a walk through the old testament study book which found me in week 1 trying to recount all 39 books in the O.T. This reminded me of a camper I had while working at camp my first summer in college. Back then - during a bible game, I realized that one of my eight year old campers could recite all 66 books - I at the time could not. Humbled, I did the only logical thing: I made some note cards and in my free time began to memorize the books of the old and new testament. It worked but this week I realized that I could definitely use a good run through. Also, I worked my second week as an ESL volunteer with local folks that are trying to learn English. It has been rewarding, challenging, and has shown me how much we take for granted the parts of our language that make no logical sense (that somehow we know).

siete

2009-03-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Crazy economy by day and vball by night. And in between trying hard to foster good communication. No matter the setting this can often become a significant challenge. Why is it that those closest to each other often have the hardest time with basic communication? If a perfect stranger were to ask how I felt about something I would likely answer in a very direct and honest way, so why do I try to be so careful when its people I care about - and why does this end up confusing things so often? Perhaps we shall revisit this concept at a later time, but for now me thinks that's enough chatter for one night.

seis

2009-02-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

In order to come clean - not that anyone even knows about or cares about all these little write ups - I (we) have been looking at and put in an offer for a casa. Definitely to a point you can use the whole "lets not get the cart before the horse" excuse, but at this point that's pretty lame. We have shared this with those closest to us. In a lot of ways it feels like following suit, some it feels like a bold and independent stride. So without analyzing it to death (which I do all to often), I hope that gladness for me is not dependent on circumstances, nor measured by where or how much. Instead I desire that much like the last post the focus is on the truly meaningful thing(s).

cinco

2009-02-23T20:10:00.000-08:00

Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

cuatro

2009-02-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

Well tonight our rec basketball team watched our season come to a close. It was a valiant effort in which we lost by 50 points. This season, I've had a lot of fun, some frustration and even ended up getting my head split open - but all in all I walked away with no foot/ankle injuries which to me is a success. For the record it is a very humbling experience to start the second half with no chance of victory. Thank goodness for the clock that is constantly running until the last two minutes.

tres

2009-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

According to one of my co-workers today is single awareness day - which if nothing else serves as a reminder that things can be looked at from extremely different viewpoints. As I wandered into one, then two, and then three different stores to find the right (but not too typical or flashy) flowers, I believe I observed several outlooks on the matter (Feb 14th). It seems that to some this holiday is more of a nuisance than anything else - while others probably wish like the blazes they could just be a part of the gig. It reminds me in fact of something I saw on the drive to work on Friday. You see, most days recently I have taken the highway to work because it saves me about five minutes in the morning. Friday, I decided to change it up and take the back roads, which I definitely prefer for their scenery and relaxed pace. When I do so, the route passes by three different areas of undeveloped land. Yesterday when I was driving along, I noticed in my view a cow shaking its head and squirming right next to the road I was driving along. At first it didn't occur to me as I drove by - but then I looked back and sure enough the cow had stuck his face outside the perimeter of the field to sample the grass and gotten its head caught in the fence. It made me feel terrible as I watched in my rear view mirror the cow trying to work its way free as two nearby friends of his watched with concern. So perhaps I think: lesson learned. Even though I'm not big on this whole time of year either, upon further review I do know that I find myself right in the middle of a field that is an awfully good place to be, and me thinks I'd do well to tune my attitude to thankfulness and not to forget that.

dos

2009-02-09T20:24:00.001-08:00

This past week I had my first tangible experience with layoffs. To be honest I don't know if I'll ever forget the feeling. Why? I don't exactly know. For the obvious reasons yes. Thinking of the hurt it causes, thinking about how tough it is for everyone on both sides of the equation. I think more than anything this turned my thoughts to the fact that we all dwell in some form of community. And that community feels the impact. At any given time there is hurt, pain, confusion, success, failure and any number of ways the so called scoreboard can read. But whats amazing is that I fail to think of things from much of a community based outlook, and I'm sure I have a very limited knowledge of what the landscape really looks like. I don't often consider the question how is my community doing - but rather how am I doing? Nor do I consider what is worth rejoicing and or crying about outside of my arms length. But for me the kicker is thinking about this: might the sorrow and rejoicing unleash a greater power if its let outside our walls and deadbolts.

uno

2009-02-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

At work we call this time of year tax season - W2's, 1099's and the like. So I was reading this particular passage of this particular book that says, "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves [as in a day of feasting]." That along with a couple of very timely books I've been reading lately have had their way with me. Sure we can chalk it up to the state of the economy, joke about what lies ahead (or doesn't) - but the more I think about stewardship for me, for us, it seems its not applicable only during certain economic cycles. Its not just meant to be relevant when unemployment is at 7.5% and climbing.

introducción

2009-02-02T16:20:00.000-08:00

Its a fair question, why the launch of part 2. (obviously I can use clever words like this, because so many people care). Because as Rafiki once said, "it is time." So as I welcome you and me to pftwo, I must point out a few things: For starters this weblog has no central purpose or agenda in mind. Second, fair warning - this will not archive the daily existence of me or my marriage and I don't have any kids to post dozens of pictures of (though I have seen some great examples that make me smile every time). And finally, I like to write. So even though I'm not particularily good at it or even gramatically on par with a 10th grader - it helps me think.