The Monday Mix

It's the Eye of the Tiger
I have to start off with mentioning just how incredible Tiger Woods is. Sure, Rocco put up a great fight and definitely impressed a lot of people, but he was defeated by the best golfer this world has ever seen. I mean, did anyone really think Tiger's putt wasn't going in the hole on Sunday to send this thing into a playoff? He handles pressure better than most athletes, and it's come to the point where most people expect him to pull off these amazing feats that keep making him seem inhuman. Props to Rocco for being the everyday guy to face off against the best, and props to the master for soldiering through his knee woes to make the crowds go crazy once again.

I know there are a number of people who would have liked for the underdog to capture the win, but I think an equal or even greater amount of fans were rooting for Tiger at the same time. Even he had to chuckle at some of his outrageous shots (i.e. finding the hole from a sand trap) that were ensuing results of some rather crummy tee-off shots. At least this might make less people claim that golf is nothing but a cause for boredom. I doubt there were many yawns during this tournament that only furthered Tiger's legacy as one of the greatest athletes ever to walk this continent (and the others, for that matter).


A Lovely Weekend
On a completely different note, I had such a fun weekend. Saturday, I spent the majority of my time soaking up the sun by the pool, which felt so amazing after a long week of work! Then, for Father's Day, my parents and I took our kayaks out to the lake and had a blast. My sister is working at a camp this summer, so she couldn't be there, and my brother just didn't make it out our way, but we still had a great time. It was beyond glorious outside, and the amount of wind was just perfect for us. We only have two kayaks, so my dad decided he would rather hike some while my mom and I went out in the water. He walked to some spot in a cove, and my mom knew just where he was going, so we paddled over there to meet him. While we were waiting, my mom and I just floated and basked in the sunshine beating down on us. It felt wonderful! And my dad had fun, which was good, seeing as how it was his day and all.

Compassion
We have been discussing Jonah in my Bible group at church for the past few weeks, and yesterday we really delved in on the topic of God's mercy on those who sin against Him (so, all humans, basically). Then we started talking about how we are called to have that same compassion, and Hitler and Osama Bin Laden were brought into the equation. The question was asked as to whether or not we are to love them, and I say without a doubt that we are. I know they did horrible things, but God's words are not on a conditional basis. The Bible doesn't say: "Love your enemies, except those who are considered notorious terrorists because of their inhumane actions." No, it says: "Love your enemies." No exceptions, no conditions. God first loved us, and we are called to do the same. It can be really, really hard at times, but we aren't the ones who get to decide who gets to receive love and who doesn't. After all, God's love is unconditional. If it weren't, we would be in a bigger mess than we can even imagine. But, thanks to His grace and mercy, we have hope, and we should extend that hope to everyone (including those considered the worst humans imaginable) with as much love and compassion as He showed us.