Author RSSThank You Greg, I Think I'll go Hit Some Balls!
It is hard to ignore what Greg Norman did this week in the British Open. Has he quieted any of the naysayers? Absolutely not! He still succumbed to the demons but at 53 I think we can forgive him for that. Yes, it would have been nice to see him shoo...
Talking to an Iraqi
Last night I met a young lady from Iraq that arrived in the United States not too long ago. I was amazed listening to her story of leaving Iraq a few years ago and moving to another country because of threats that were on her life. I don't think that mo...
Just Like Cream They are Rising to the Top
My goodness, if you can't get inspired about golf after the past couple of months you must be dead. Tiger plays in one tournament since the Masters (the U.S Open) and wins it with a fractured knee. And then, who is it that played him for 90 holes and to...
Peel Off the Layers to Get to the Real Man
I remember the first time I met Dean; he had just given a powerful sermon that had hit me between the eyes as if he was talking directly to me. I had just returned to church after a period of indecision having gone through an unfortunate divorce 12 years...
Is life over when you turn 60
Is life over when you turn 60? I don't think so. There might have been a time in history when that seemed the case but in today's world with things like the Internet opening up the world to new opportunities, it is just a matter of "getting with it" and...
An Elephant Sat On the Hood of My Car (Part 2)
It was close to 4 PM in the afternoon and typical of the Los Angeles basin, traffic was already getting quite heavy and so things were quite slow as we tried to make our way up to Costa Mesa. We proceeded for about 5 miles before I saw flashing red light...
An Elephant Sat On the Hood of My Car (Part 1)
It was 1981 or 82 and we had decided to visit some friends in Southern California. We weren't much for traveling in those days. Not that we didn't enjoy it; we just didn't really have the money and living in Phoenix during the summer, driving 500-600 mi...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 7)
Upon arriving in Wakayama, Eke made a bee-line to her bedroom and set her luggage in the corner and without even turning on a light, landed face down on the mattress and was immediately fast asleep. She didn't wake up till well past noon the next day, wh...
Crossing Bridges
The sound of the river was soothing after the rush to help pack gear and get 12 teenagers and 4 adults set up at our campsite. For the past few months, our group had trained for a 10-day trip to Guatemala with a series of lessons on teamwork, cross-cultur...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 6)
Although arranged marriages (miai-gekkon) are declining in Japan, in the early 70's and especially among families, at that time, of the older generation it was very common. Eke had been told from a very early age that her husband would be chosen for here...
Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Green Peas
Mom and dad had just returned from a short honeymoon after being married in Tacoma in early September. They arrived home at nearly midnight before dad had to head out to his brother's butcher shop where he had worked the past two years. The day was busy...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 5)
It was in 1962 that mom and dad started welcoming exchange students into their home. The first was from Indonesia, followed by Argentina, Brazil and then several short stays from Japan and China. They even had a young man stay for two years from Canada...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 4)
Mom and dad prayed every night for Carlo wishing him a safe trip. They too had not heard from Eke since she left that early day in May. Uncle "Joe" had visited some time the middle of June and spent the night as they talked till all hours as mom and dad...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 3)
Anyone who has driven on highway 99 from Delano to Bakersfield once, let alone every day of your life, knows that landing in a place like Tokyo was going to be quite a shock. Between Delano and Bakersfield, even the rattle snakes and prairie dogs don't w...
Tears on Both Sides of the Ocean (part 2)
In spite of working 2 jobs, studying at every break, attending class and getting in as much language lab as possible, Carlo felt like the summer continued forever. He had not heard the sweet voice of Eke since the first week of May and it was driving him...
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