One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4, ESV)
Located in Southern Indiana are the historic towns of West Baden Springs and French Lick. While the mineral springs enticed the wealthy to visit many decades ago, French Lick is now known as the birthplace of NBA legend Larry Bird and the French Lick Donald Ross and Pete Dye designed courses.
The Pete Dye is built on top of one of the highest bluffs in Indiana. Its beauty stretches across an expanse where the horizon seems endless. The immaculate fairways are flanked by dramatic drop-offs and volcano bunkers; the layout presses the patience of even the most elite professionals in the game. The first time Mr. Dye walked the terrain, he deemed it too rugged and the slopes too severe for a golf course.
This course has hosted the LPGA Senior Championship for many years, four of which I have played. Coming out of retirement has not been easy for me, and to face this course in the process has been excruciatingly hard. My mental state was shaky as I arrived for the 2021 event, but I was determined to stay focused on one day and one swing at a time (always easier said than done).
I tend to be a left-brained over-analyzer and very hard on myself. During the week I had moments when I felt relaxed and walked with confidence. And then there were stretches of holes when I was ready to wave my white flag of surrender. I had to fight to stay focused and positive while the Dye course showed no mercy.
A simple moment of gazing on God’s creative beauty was a tangible exercise that helped my right brain come back online.
As I drove south on my way to the event, I tuned into Dr. Curt Thompson’s Being Known podcast. The discussion centered around the need to pay attention to bringing more balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. What I took away was the idea of exercising our brain balance by doing four things: look for beauty, write poetry, pay attention to our non-verbal communication, and a six-breath breathing habit.
Every day during my round on the sixth hole, my spirit led me to look out beyond the green and notice the beauty of the terrain and wildflowers. This simple moment of gazing on God’s creative beauty was a tangible exercise that helped my right brain come back online.
Since the Lord no longer lives in a temple built by man, to seek after and gaze upon his beauty requires us to be intentional in creating encounters with nature (whether on the course or walking around your neighborhood), celebrating the creative arts of music and literature, and engaging with the stories in the biblical narrative with awe and wonder.
In the good and hard days of life, God created us to look for beauty, to welcome creativity (try some poetry), to pay attention to our non-verbals, and to breathe slower and more deeply.
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Tracy Hanson
September 16, 2021
Copyright 2021 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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