Orbits: For That Nice Clean Feeling

Fiction or non-fiction? You may never know.

Several years ago my youth director looked me square in the eye and asked, "What are you chewing on?"

Intimidated by the tone of the question, my first thought was to truthfully shout, "Orbits bubblegum!"

Darn it. I've always been taught that it is rude to chomp my gum. And there I was, completely caught.

But before I answered I paused a moment longer, sensing that he was not calling me out about my gum chewing technique or wanting a literal answer. I suspect that my confused expression made me closely resemble the ditzy blonde girl who influenced me to purchase the Orbits chewing gum in the first place. Got a dirty mouth? Clean it with Orbits!

By this time MM knew it was time to rephrase his question. He asked, "What are you reading and studying right now?" Feeling the blood rush to by cheeks, I sheepishly confessed that I wasn't "chewing" on anything. 

A couple of weeks later we began a class study on the book of Romans. Sunday morning, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday nights were devoted to learning and going a little bit deeper into scripture. This was the first time that I had been fully submerged and challenged to research more than the words on the surface. I always arrived to school well before class began. Not by choice, simply because I didn't have my drivers license yet. Nonetheless, I decided to spend those extra minutes reading Romans and dissecting a few verses. I began reading where I had previously stopped. 

Romans 4:9

As I began reading in the library that morning, I struggled to understand the meaning of the very first verse. "Hmmm", I murmured to myself while thinking that my vocabulary was extremely weak. 

The glossary. Yes, the glossary. This seemed like a logical place to search for a definition. I quickly flipped the page to the back of my Bible. By habit I repeated the first three letters of the alphabet in my mind.  "A...B...C...okay, C. Now where is that word?"

My eyes scanned down the thin piece of paper but in the group of "C" words, the one I was searching for was not on the list. 

In an effort to speed up the process and crack the mystery, I decided to text MM and ask. So on that early Thursday morning I sent my youth director a text that went something like this, "Good morning! What does circumcision mean?" 

I've never denied having the personality type that is direct and to the point. This situation was no different. 

I sat in silence for a moment before hearing my ringtone whistle "The Great Escape" by Boys like Girls. 

Reflecting back, the title of that song was very appropriate. It would have been great if I could have escaped the entire situation.

Calmly I opened my candy apple red flip phone and viewed MM's response. 

"I'll explain it in person."

At 7:40 something AM, that answer was acceptable. I closed my journal and stowed my Bible away in my backpack. Days passed but my curiosity stirred.

SUNDAY 5:01 PM

When I was younger (and more naive) our youth group gathered in the fellowship hall for dinner at promptly 5:00 each Sunday before dividing into smaller groups for discussion and study. Before preparing my plate I approached MM in a very professional and matter of fact manner and loudly blurted, 

"So tell me what circumcision means! I just cannot figure it out."

And. At. That. Moment. He. Explained. It. All. 

He explained much more than I wanted to know actually and again I felt my face turn as red as the spaghetti sauce that was supposed to accompany our dinner. 

The truth was out. I knew the facts. And I've never questioned the meaning of Romans 4:9 again. 

That Sunday I decided to skip dinner and I opted for Orbits chewing gum instead in hopes of cleaning my dirty, dirty mouth. 

jpr

A Gentle(wo)man's Game

Golf. Most would refer to it as a gentleman's game. However, I don't consider myself to be like most people. During my years of competitive golf I have witnessed so many petite, bubbly, kindhearted women who have a passion for the game. Don't let their exterior be misleading. These women, my friends, would rob the average male golfer of their money and their pride. Gently, of course. As I've eased out of playing competitively over the past three years, I've found that my game has worsened while my collegiate bound teammates and friends continue to break their own personal records. Despite my lack of practice lately, the passion for the game remains.

But you see the reason I love the sport is deeper than the obvious objective of smacking a tiny white ball into a round hole. By nature and intent, golf teaches elements of character. Honesty, integrity, perseverance, self-discipline, humility, respect, and courtesy. Golf, known as being a mental game, has taught me perspective above all. The way I play golf is very similar to the way I play the game of life. Some days I feel like a professional and other days I'm back to learning the fundamentals.

Weather Conditions

In East Tennessee the weather is known for being unpredictable. Just when I think I'm prepared and dressed appropriately for a round of golf, the once fluffy marshmallow cloud suddenly appears grey and sprinkles of water begin to drop. As a result I've learned that you have to persevere, be flexible, willing to adjust your game plan based on the condition of the course. Life shares this same unpredictability. I like to think that stormy seasons are placed in our life to subtly lead us to discover God's game plan. As a player of the game, we must be willing to trust and be redirected.

Whiffing

This word is often used to describe a player who swings and misses by a considerably large margin. In a golfers dictionary, whiffing would be defined as swinging the golf club without making contact with the ball. As a result you've wasted a stroke and have not advanced the ball any closer to the hole. Luckily it has been many years since I've embarrassingly whiffed while playing golf however, in life there are several moments where I miss the target. The intentions of my heart mean well, but many times I find myself focused on the wrong goal. As a result I am weary and stationary. I misuse my efforts by taking a swing at events and agendas that don't offer any advancement for His Kingdom. Swing and a miss. Sound familiar? This leads me to the next topic.

Forgiving Yourself

Golf is weird compared to other sports. Bear with me as I explain a few concepts for those who aren't very familiar. The objective is to play a round of golf and finish with the lowest score. A "round of golf" consists of playing 18 consecutive holes and the number of strokes he or she must take to make the little white ball roll into the hole determines a player’s score. Boring, right??? 

My point is this. During the round, mistakes are going to happen. You may hit the ball into the sand trap, out of bounds, into a hazard, or lose sight of the ball all together. When this happens a feeling of frustration, regret, and disappointment swell within. However, in the midst of these emotions we must remind ourselves that there is still more golf to be played and opportunities to do well in the future. A terrible hole doesn't immediately result in a terrible round. Life is no different. We all make mistakes, but the way we react to our mistakes will impact our future. In order to succeed in golf and in life, I believe it's required that we have a positive attitude and optimistic outlook. Forgive yourself and move on to the next hole.

The First Tee Junior Golf Program

Perhaps you don't dedicate your time golfing, but whenever people are passionate about something one becomes full of joy and inspired when they are able to participate, contribute, and be involved with an activity that they love. I believe our personal interests aren't given to us by chance. They are sweetly given as gifts...so go play! 

jpr