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This past Friday, it was Golf day. I say this like it is a great time of fun and relaxation, but the truth could not be farther from the truth. I have not played a round of golf since Sarah and I have been dating. SO...that means 7 years married plus 2 years dating, that makes 9 years. Oh, I did not play in seminary either, and there was one year of seminary that I did not know Sarah...so that makes at least 10 years since I have played a round of golf. Thursday evening, I had to get ready. We hopped in the convertible and zoomed to Dick's Sporting Goods. I had to pick up balls. Looking through the brand names...I was impressed with the story that they spoke of...Titleist...Top Flite...and the one that I could not pass up...Pinnacle. While I was there I grabbed a beautiful Clemson hat that fit me just perfect.

The alarm buzzed at 5:30 am for our 7:30 Tee time. I was dressed for the part of recreational golfer: Nice colorful Madras Shirt, loose fitting shorts, and my spiffy new hat. I addressed the ball on the first tee, with my eye firmly staring at the pinnacle logo, I rared back and swung with all my might, straining to see the ball bounding hop after hop down the middle of the well manicured fairway. My vision is impeccable but I struggled to see exactly where the ball ended up. My worst fear was realized....I had missed the darn thing. Hmmm...if this was the PINNACLE, I was in big trouble. A tough pill to swallow for one as competitive as me. I prayed for rain....and God left me out there to take a beating! Dressing the part was not enough, I was a fraud, not a golfer.

This past week I spent time substituting in a classroom and noticed the shirts of the first graders. Three jumped out at me...as if God was yelling, "LOOK HERE IT IS!" There was a little girl (who I had noticed the other 2 times that I had been in the class) who was the outcast. She was rarely spoken too, and always was timid. She wore a shirt that said, "I am having a bad day" and the back said, "I need a Hug." The class trouble maker was wearing a shirt that said, "If you mess with me, I'll get even." Another kid was wearing a shirt that said, "99% Perfect."

My prayer is that I wish that we all were honest enough to wear our feelings on a t-shirt for each other to see. Walking into the worship service this morning...what would your shirt say? Perhaps..."My marriage is in the toilet." Maybe..."I have a drinking problem, or I am addicted to porn." Some would say, "I am a failure as a parent, or sometime I do not believe in God." Oh, but we sure do a great job of turning our shirts inside out so that people cannot see who we really are.

But what a shame that is,because if you and I were wearing the same shirt....then we could help each other. Instead we play the game of...Everything is just fine. Then nothing is ever improved upon and bettered.

James 5:16 says to us, "Confess your sins one to another, and pray for one another. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person availeth much."

To negate the scripture we realize that it does not say...Keep your sins away from other people and forget about the needs of others. Prayer does no good anyway.

Trust is hard, but we are commanded to do it. It is for our own good. Will you try it? Will I try it? Do we dare?