pastorrudytlc

Last week my dear wife Theresa celebrated her Birthday. Whenever I asked Terri what she might like as a gift, she said, “Nothing! I have everything I need.” I truly wouldn’t expect my wife to say anything different. As a Preacher, I knew that we weren’t going to make millions doing what we do for a living; at least not in any significant monetary gain. Over the years, Terri has settled for a house that has been nicely furnished but with Thrift Store Specials and Bargains shared from Family and Friends getting rid of their old stuff to upgrade. We have been married for 37 years and we still use the bedroom furniture given to us by a Teen from Mendham, NJ who was in our very first Youth Group that we worked with.  I know other women might just complain, but not Terri. She has never whined about not having the latest gadget or the newest fashion. I did buy her a Salad Shooter for Christmas years ago, but that appliance was more hype than action.

I am beyond blessed because Terri always makes everything beautiful and turns the ordinary into wonderful as she mixes it with her devotion and love. Terri is an expert at multiplying much from a very little. This doesn’t mean that I wish I could shower her with something very special. She is not a big Traveler, so a Trip wouldn’t do the trick. I gave up buying my Wife and Daughters’ any kind of clothes years ago. I bought Terri a dress when we were back in College and she informed me that she would wear it the next time she visited Laura Ingalls on the Prairie. I am not very gifted with my hands. If you need something torn down, I’m your Man. If you need something built up, you would be much better off calling anybody else. I retired from cooking after giving almost 500 people salmonella poisoning when I served the Turkey Special in the Philadelphia College of Bible Cafeteria one Thursday in late April of 1982. I had no idea that the Bird was bad and so it wasn’t until after the fact that I discovered what I had done. I didn’t get sick. I never used to eat what I cooked. Now, I just never cook. On a positive note, Terri didn’t eat the turkey either. She got smart early in the game and so while the rest of our College Friends were battling the remnants of their stomach bugs, we got engaged! Now try to top the romance in that move!  

God did give me a talent with words and so that’s what I humbly offer today to pay tribute to one of the most giving women that I have ever met. Terri and I are opposites in just about every way. On paper, we don’t make a very good match. I am loud, she is quiet. I am aggressive, she is cautious. I love my music on always and am passionate about the artists and stories behind the songs, she likes tunes but picks her spots. I am a dreamer, she is a realist. I am people oriented, she is task driven. I lead others via vision and motivation, she serves behind the scenes. I may look successful but Terri makes the engine run. I couldn’t do squat without her. I am her biggest cheerleader and her biggest admirer. I know that when it all comes down; the Lighthouse Church is much better off because of all that Terri has done through the years. I might be able to see it happening, but Theresa makes it happen and for that I am forever grateful.

What would have done in so many other marriages have only made us dig in to our commitment to one another deeper. Terri has been through 9 pregnancies. I was by her side through the joyous birth of four of our Children, the birth and sudden death of two of our Children, the pre-mature birth and death of the last of our Children and the two miscarriages that occurred before Rudy, our oldest Child, was ever born. Terri is the Mom every child wishes they could have had. She is fiercely loyal to Rudy, Leah, Abbie and Joel and has always been there to support them in every endeavor. The Kids knew who to go to for help with their homework. I might have taught them the joys of Motown and Rock and Roll but Terri taught them the lessons they would hold on to for a lifetime. Together, we now have 4 Grandchildren and Terri is Nana to Jude, Gideon, Eden and Lucia. Let’s just say Pop-Pop may be the noisemaker but Nana keeps the pieces in place. She is tender yet firm. She is sacrificial with her time and her heart. I marvel at how much this Woman gets done in any given day.

Terri gets up about 5 AM every morning. She hopes and prays that I sleep in so she can have her quiet time with the Lord before I come bellowing along. She lovingly prepares the nuts and bolts necessary to make the Sheptock Family run. Terri also prepares the meals at home because mine would taste like nuts and bolts! Whether Terri is leading a Bible Study for Women, attending one of Joel’s Games at Tech, helping Leah with Lucia, sending Care Packages to Johnstown, Pennsylvania to Rudy, administrating the duties at TLC, she does it all with everything she has and more. If you have Terri Sheptock on your Team, you know her area of supervision is in good hands and will be done.

Terri is my Best Friend. I not only love her, I like having her around. As a Couple, we have been married 37 years, and we actually also work together daily in the same place. I always feel complete with Terri by my side. Not because she patronizes me because Terri doesn’t laugh at all of my jokes, if any of them, and she will always tell me what I need to hear and not just what I might like. I preach and teach better when she is out there in the Congregation. She is my sounding board and safety zone. She is the One that I would want in that Fox Hole with me! First because I know she would have my back and second because we might be able to sneak a kiss or two while we’re there!

One of our first dates ever was to Veterans Stadium when I took her to see a Mets vs Phillies Game. It was that night I learned that Terri grew up a Phillies Fan and also that she was deathly afraid of heights. Our seats were up in nose bleed land and the only way I could get her up there was by carrying her. Normally, I wouldn’t be that forward but when I put my arms around her, I knew I was never going to let this Girl go! I bought her a Mets Batting Helmet and the rest is history. She looks much better in blue and orange than she ever looked in Phillies red anyway.

Dear Terri, Thank You for being the best wife a man could have. You are way too good for me and to me. I don’t deserve your unfailing love, constant sacrifice and appreciated companionship. We may not have a barrel of money, maybe we’re ragged and funny, but we’ll travel along, singing our song, side by side! Thank You Jesus! Please continue to bless this Woman and hold her near and dear to Your side as You graciously share her with me. I know a Good Thing when I see One and I’ve got the Best! Happy Birthday Terri!

All of us who have experienced the life of faith know that Christianity isn’t just a list of dos and dont’s. Unfortunately, too many Believers are known to their Family and Friends for all the things they don’t do and not enough for their many positive accomplishments. Following Jesus is so much more than just doing the dos and avoiding the don’ts. That’s much too shallow an approach for the genuine, deep, virtuous, free, Spirit-empowered living that we are called to live in Scripture.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit produces so much more than just staying away from what we shouldn’t be doing. God wants to ignite within us a whole new way living. He empowers us to conduct ourselves in such the manner that never would happen without Him calling the shots within our soul. Holy Spirit-filled living that is defined for us in Galatians 5:22-23 should make us stand out in the midst of a world that likes to fit in. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. God will never tell you to cut out the loving kindness. There is no stopping the flow of gentleness and self-control. We need to be constantly urged on to faithfulness and fruitfulness and warned against settling into the trap of faithlessness and fleshliness.

How can you evaluate whether someone has good character, possesses an active faith, is virtuous, and has a servant’s heart? When God evaluates a person’s soul, He looks for evidence that we have been with Jesus. Human Beings are susceptible to becoming like the company they keep. If we hang out more with the world than we do with the Word, then we shouldn’t be surprised when we come up short in walking tall. Compromise clouds our ability to see straight! Avoiding what is wrong doesn’t go far enough. Pursuing after Jesus keeps us in step with the Coach. I want to be known more for being like Jesus.    

Our English word for “character” comes from the Greek word “cherax” or “cherasso,” each of which refers to the chiseling that is done by a metal engraving tool. Character refers to things that have been etched so deeply into our soul that they become lasting marks, not easily changed or removed. Character is manifested in our holiness, honesty, morality, temperance, and commitment to the Lord. When we look into the mirror of our faith, do we see the masterpiece that He is making? When we are around others who don’t know our Jesus, are they intrigued by what they see or just plain turned off? Like all humanity is drawn towards a Museum of Art to observe the portraits of the Masters, I wish crowds would be drawn to church to see the miraculous work of our Christ.

People go to the local Gyms because they are impressed by what they see in others who are in much better shape after they have been there for a while. Others go to see Movies because of the glowing reviews they receive from those who have seen the show. We need to make it worth others while to worship God because of how they have seen it making us better. More often than not, religious experts come off as nothing more than individuals who are always bitter about something. There is not a person reading this who has reached perfection. None of us are sinless and everyone needs the marvelous grace of our loving Lord. If somebody were to observe you for a week, would it make them hungry to know more about what makes you tick or would they be hurrying for the door? 

And they will know we are Christians by our love. It’s Valentines Day week. Krispy Kreme is celebrating the day by making special donuts with words of romance sprinkled all over them. Sounds delicious to me! Lovers will spoil each other with candy and flowers. God will unleash wave upon wave of unconditional attention that none of us deserve but all of us should cherish. What are the specific ways you will say, “I love you” this week? Words are nice but instead of just practicing what we preach, maybe it is time we be more intentional about preaching what we practice. When I want to communicate my love for my wife Terri, I am not emphasizing the negative, I am accentuating the positive. I want her to see, hear, taste, touch and even smell evidence of my affections. I want God to experience the same senses from me. Whatever fills me, spills from me. If it isn’t love, then what will it be?

Church for too long has kept much too much to itself. What happens within the walls of worship should not stay there. We are walking billboards of what we believe. A while I ago I went up on the roof of the Lighthouse Church to make a point. I took a bullhorn with me and began to yell at the cars driving by on Route 9 to come on in and hear about Jesus. I literally cried out, “Hey You in the Ford Focus, we’ve got a chair with your name on it right through those doors!” I looked kind of ridiculous because that is no way to get the word out. The better method is to just show people Jesus! And when I flop and fail–to admit that I am still under construction.

God so loved the world that He came! He didn’t send us a Hallmark Card. He showed up. He brought us exactly what we needed. He told us the truth to set us free. He showed us the way to stop us from living lost. He made it real and we should do the same. Are you ready to love? Be creative in the ways you express your devotion. Do something beyond the norm? Make even yourself surprised. Let’s not just go to church. Let’s be the church! Let’s start now!    

Jesus asked a startling question, “When I come back, will I find faith on the earth?” Will Jesus find His bride waiting for Him or will He discover that His church stood Him up because she was too busy looking and longing for other lovers that would never provide what He has already faithfully promised. Why is it that we never realize what we have until we don’t have it anymore? Why is it that we are apathetic towards what should matter most and much too enthusiastic about what is passing away? Could it be that we are in danger of losing that loving feeling?

God loves His people with a honeymoon love that never cools down or runs out of steam. The only reason He expects us to love Him back with all of our soul, heart, mind and strength is because that’s the intensity with which He loved us first. When Believers start moaning, it is caused by the fact that they have misplaced what should be meaning most to them. God is always passionately pursuing us. Unfortunately, human beings are notorious for getting their priorities mixed up. Jesus longs to be our first love and not just another kiss on our list. The Lord longs to keep us on our toes so that our relationship with Him constantly grows. We all need to be aware that it’s impossible to be a Disciple and not really care.

We are living in a day when political correctness is attempting to lull our hearts and souls to sleep. Today’s tolerant movement has proved itself quite intolerant to anyone and anything that disagrees. God would rather have us fiery disagree with Him than just plain not care. To do or feel nothing is the proverbial way out. Life needs to feel like more than just a never-ending nap when the biggest move of the day is to keep hitting the snooze button! God is calling His Church to be made with more substance than a “Jell-O mold.” It wasn’t an accident that Jesus once said that if the human beings did not cry out in surrendering praise, the very rocks would have stepped in and done the job. It is quite embarrassing when the stones cry out while the people do nothing more than politely roll their eyes. We who should be the most animated become stale and stagnant. Scripture points out that the heavens declare the glory of God and the trees of the field clap their hands while the men and women who have benefited most from the goodness of the Lord need to be convinced to come out of hiding.

Could it be that we have been softened by a spirit of entitlement? American families have more Bibles than they know what to do with but are pretty good about ignoring them all. Yet, in the persecuted part of the world, our brothers and sisters gather all around just a tiny portion of the Word of God that they smuggled in because just having it in their possession has made them guilty of a death sentence. When will we too treasure the wonderful words of life like it was the purest of gold? When are we going to wake up and strengthen the aspects of life that remain the most important even when we treat it as cheap trinkets?

Last week I saw something in the Bible that I had never seen before. It is from the passage that defines the Transfiguration of Jesus. In the Gospel of Luke, we read, “About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.  They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.” You would assume that with all of this happening right in front of their eyes, Peter, James and John were having the time of their lives. They were probably so engaged that they were hanging on every moment of this miraculous experience. That is not what the Bible says. As a matter of fact, it is quite enlightening and almost alarming to read what Luke describes next.  Luke goes on to say, “Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.” Did you catch that? “When they became fully awake . . .” They were oblivious to what was going on until they woke up! Could we be missing what God is doing in our day and age because we are sleepwalking our way through what we should be wide awake to?

When we sleep, we are dead to the Word and hence blind to the scenery of the Savior that we should be savoring all around us. The very first time I went skiing in Colorado, I couldn’t wait to ride the lift because for the first time, this wasn’t the Poconos. This was the majestic Rocky Mountains. This was the inspiration behind so many of John Denver’s songs. I anticipated the moment for a long time. When I finally got there, it was after driving all night from Omaha, Nebraska. I wasn’t on that ski lift a minute before I was out like candlelight in a windstorm. I was so zonked that they had to shout at me when I never got off when I was supposed to. I didn’t even realize who or where I was until I woke up, but when I did, it was apparent I wasn’t at Camel Back anymore.  

 God is still very much at work all around us, but we are not aware of it and cannot engage with it when we are snoring rather than soaring. When we awaken, what we finally see is God’s glory all around us. This is no time to be looking for a pillow when the Lord wants us to be pillars of what He is about to do at such a time as this! Today I have the honor to wake you up in the Name of Jesus!

Call me whatever you’d like but I ache for a people that celebrate the decision to now make it legal to steal the lives of even full-term pregnancies as long as they have not left the womb! Back in the 1950’s, New York City would actually light up the Empire State Building with the sign of the Cross to celebrate new life and Easter. Now in 2019, we light up the Freedom Tower and call it a major victory for Women that now they can dispose of their unwanted children literally moments before entry into this world. Who sticks up for their right to choose lives they don’t want to lose?

I read a courageous Blog from one of our Lighthouse Members named Michele. Michele and her Husband Joshua serve with the United States Coast Guard based here in Cape May. Like my wife and I, Michele shares the amazing story about her Daughter Juli, who nobody gave much hope to and yet today she is a living and walking miracle. I thought it would be good to hear from a Mom bold enough to speak out against this absurdity we call, “freedom.” Thanks Michele, for giving me permission to share your heart. My prayer is that somebody who feels bullied into making a decision that will only lead to a forever of regrets, will receive inspiration from this article that there is another way! All we are saying is: “Give Life A Chance!”

MICHELE’S BLOG:

My heart has been heavy over the recent events in our country, especially as our family and so many others are about to miss another paycheck. However, even that could not top the sadness from seeing the Freedom Tower in New York City lit up pink to celebrate death. Take note of the wording used in the bill, “Life and Health” because they know that in late pregnancy abortion is never medically needed to save the life of the mother. Doctors do everything they can to save both and killing the baby beforehand is typically not needed. We have things in our country called Neo Natal Intensive Care Units where micro-premature babies are treated and survive! They needed to add the word “Health” which could mean anything, to eliminate any restrictions on when a mother can abort her child, which now in New York means even up to birth!

Every January 31st, I post my Omphalocele awareness pictures to honor my Juli girl, the other O-Warriors and the precious O-Angels. I am one of those women, who found out at my 20-week ultrasound, that something was very wrong with my baby. I was given all of the worst-case scenarios including “incompatible with life,” “still born,” “preterm labor” and “low quality of life.” Minutes after receiving the devastating news from a cold and calculated female specialist, who watched me cry without displaying an ounce of compassion, she told me “It’s too bad you weren’t here last week or you could have just had an abortion.” According to her, getting rid of the life growing inside of me would have made everything better, right?

I put aside my own fears and emotions to give my daughter the best chance possible. I was going to cherish every second I had with her, whether she passed in my womb or outside of it. There are those in similar situations who say they could not emotionally handle delivering a still born or find it cruel to bring a “damaged” child into the world and I sincerely ask you this, “Do you find it compassionate to lethally inject your baby with poison or to literally have them removed from your body with forceps, sometimes limb by limb? Do you find it humane the way they would handle botched abortions if that baby survives?” If someone can’t emotionally handle carrying a baby who may or may not live or decides ahead of time that they won’t be able to take care of a medically fragile child, I question whether you should consider even having children in the future. You will be faced with so many emotionally hard challenges as a Parent. Kids get cancer, they get seriously hurt, or have severe disabilities that push you to your absolute breaking point. And guess what? As a Parent, you deal with it! Somehow, you get through it. All of this responsibility comes with being a Parent! You are the reason that little one is here to begin with. Whether he or she is still growing in your belly or has just turned 2 years old doesn’t change the relationship. Even through the hardships, children bring love, joy and together you experience compassion, empathy and sacrifice!

I do not know everyone’s circumstances or the reasons for why anyone would choose an abortion. I don’t think women jump up and down at the chance to get one and many facing it end up doing so because they feel that they have no other option. There are options! There are organizations that will help women through the pregnancy and adoption process if they aren’t ready to parent a child! They will come along side of them and help however needed. Women don’t have to be alone!

I have been blessed by listening to the countless number of women who chose life even in the midst of poverty, rape and whatever other challenge they were facing. I have heard the testimonies of adopted children who were so thankful their birth mom sacrificed 9 months so they could have the gift of a life to live! I have witnessed the heartache of observing Moms who lovingly held their baby as they passed in their very arms. As confidently as they sometimes speak, Doctors aren’t always right, and while many of their diagnoses are right, some are very wrong. It is sobering to think how many women were encouraged to abort a completely healthy baby.

I understand that many will disagree with me and even call me intolerant and judgmental, but that is not my heart. It’s about right and wrong. It is about basic human decency. It is about giving a voice to the most vulnerable. I don’t point my finger at anyone who has gone through this and wish upon you to live a life of guilt and shame. I know that because of Jesus, forgiveness and grace are available for all of us! However, I will never tell you that what is happening in our culture today is empowering me as a woman! I will never go along with the lie that society has deemed ending the life of the unborn a woman’s “choice.” It’s not and it’s tragic that so many have bought into this myth and worse yet that many now celebrate it! If New York State Government can value the lives of criminals who have committed the most egregious crimes against another human being and find it immoral to institute the death penalty, then isn’t it logical for them to hold the same standard for a full-term baby?  As a Society, we have reached a new low in the name of Women’s Rights. And to light up the Freedom Tower while they take away the freedom for an unborn baby to fight for his or her chance to live can only be defined as evil.

The experts said that my Juli was “incompatible with life.” The medical professionals counselled me to abort her. Today, Juli is our pride and joy and I am grateful that the greatest gift my husband and I gave her was the chance to fight and live! Oh, that every child had that choice!

Too many times, people try to limit a God who is absolutely limitless. They attempt to build a wall around a love that abounds beyond any man-made boundaries. When what we feel weighs more than what God said, we present a watered-down faith to a watching world. True Christian love is shown not only to believers, but toward all human beings regardless of their color, creed, crowd or credibility. It’s easy to love those you already like, but it’s extending that courtesy to those who don’t believe as we do or they that we might even consider our enemies. I can only imagine what would happen in our crazy culture today if the love of God was truly unleased to go where Heaven directs rather than only those places that earth determines.

If you read the New Testament carefully, you will learn that the early church actually believed that Jesus was going to return during their lifetimes. 2000 years ago, the Apostles Paul and John and Peter taught that they were living in the “last days.” If they thought that the second coming of Christ was imminent, how much more should we be acknowledging that today could be the day that the trumpet sounds. How might we live differently if we looked up rather than get weighed down? Our Lord’s return should be keeping us on our toes in the Christian life. Our proper posture should have us living on the edge of our seats! We need to be ready to rock and roll when the role is called up yonder.

Posture matters! Have you seen the commercial on television where the guy who is out on his first date with a well-dressed gal comes up small because he is adorned in a stretched-out t-shirt? When a young man meets a young woman that he wants to impress, he needs to stand up straight, get his shoulders back, tuck his gut in, make sure his clothes are washed and ironed, maintain eye contact and flash a sincere and genuine smile. The posture of proposal is for the man to get down on one knee. When he has messed up royally and needs to apologize, it’s show-up on two knees. I want to shout to today’s Believers, “Assume the Posture…” “Strike a Pose…” “Get in Ready Position!”

When I Coached Baseball, before every play, I would remind our defense to make sure that they got in the “Ready Position.” That meant the players would get that glove on the ground, and be on their toes ready and even hoping the Batter would hit the ball to them. Too often, I see Christians come to worship with almost the same fervor that they show when they want to take a nap. When you decide to engage your heart and it gets caught up in the experience of the moment, your body responds outwardly. When Christians decide to engage their hearts and they get caught up in experiencing the God of every moment, the Body of Christ responds outwardly in a manner that nobody can ignore.

If the Lord isn’t getting inward then you can bet that the Lord’s not flowing outward! Could that be why we aren’t making the impact that we should be having? Our Government right now is in a state of chaos. Both Republicans and Democrats are too busy playing egomaniac charades of “King of the Mountain.” Their stubborn pride has caused them to exhibit an amnesia that causes them to forget that they took an oath to serve the people and not their own selfish interests. Maybe you might expect the world to behave badly, but those who claim to have the Spirit of God alive within them should not be following suit!  Outward expression defines the inward reality. Don’t claim to be followers of Jesus if His footsteps go one way and ours go another! Your present posture in this place points to your personal priority in whether you are properly participating fully with the power being presented to you.

God wants all of us! We should plead with Jesus daily to captivate our hearts and reveal any sin that might be keeping us from seeing and savoring him with all we are. God wants our hearts, not just our fake smiles, arms raised or our knees bent. He wants more than just our shouts or our songs. He wants more than just our theological intellects. The enemy wants us paralyzed and compromised by what-ifs, opinions, accusations, and misunderstandings. Even Jesus prayed practically and yet powerfully that the definitive mark of those who say they know Him would be their unconditional love. A love that goes everywhere and grows with every step it takes.

In the New Testament, success of a church is gauged by how much people learn to love each other, forgive one another, listen to one another, support and pray for one another, and reach out to those in need around them. And that style of immense and intense concern wouldn’t be limited only to those in the clubhouse. I don’t care what you say, you cannot separate conduct from character and that’s why real Christianity needs to be all about consistency! Everyone needs to open up their hearts to allow Jesus to rescue them. Everyone needs to know that real faith grows up to maturity. If it isn’t going forwards, it goes backwards! Everyone needs to know that as part of the Family of God they have a divinely assigned position in God’s program. Is your character and conduct holy and blameless before God? If not, why not? We must Lead to and Lead on so that everyone Lights up this world! What shall we do? We need to be an encouragement and stand guard to guide all to make a stand!

God’s Word gives us an inside-out look at who and what we really are. But that only happens as we look at it intently, meditate or think regularly on it. We must interact with the Word on every aspect of our life. Read it every day. Read it chapter by chapter and topic by topic. Study God’s viewpoint regarding issues you are facing in your life. Read it with the attitude that says, “Lord, I give You permission to use what I read in Your Word to transform me into the image of Your Son. Reveal Yourself to me, and reveal myself as You see me.” Read the Word but also Live the Word you Read!

Forsake and resist the world’s overwhelming message that seeks to warp your mind. Don’t allow yourself to be squeezed into a conformity that robs you from real community with the Lord! Retrain your brain! Commit to believe and obey what it says, regardless of how you feel about it. Only then can you grow stronger in faith, love, and holiness. “Only then” needs to be right now! Believers need to lead the way out of the mess that we are in; but we do so not to draw attention to ourselves but to Jesus! Jesus, only Jesus!

The last several years, I have been encouraging our Church to pick a word that describes their hopes and dreams and what they long for God to do in the coming 365 days. Last year, we actually creatively wrote our words quite artistically upon Rocks and Stones that we laid outside under the Giant Cross on the front of our Lighthouse Building. It was an act of faith to dedicate our desires before the Lord and to be reminded to look up every time we looked down and saw our humble altar of Prayer Pebbles!

My word for 2018 was “Restore!” My expectation was for God to bring me back to the days when I was able to run hard and live free from so many physical and emotional obstacles standing in the way. Since Christmas 2006, I’ve battled anxiety, depression and some severe OCD issues because of the uncertainty of the happenings in my physical body. I have experienced a heart attack, a mini-stroke and constant paralyzing viral issues that have definitely taken its toll on my psyche! My faith is still intact; but its been shaken, rattled and rolled way more than I would have liked to seen. It has caused me to question God’s love and whether He has decided to hang me out to dry while the storms have had their way with me. It’s been a Boat in the middle of a Hurricane scenario. Here come the winds and the rain and there goes Rudy bopping and bouncing every which way but where Rudy wants to go! I believe that deep down, this is where my deepest issues lie.

As 2018 came to an end, I caught yet another viral infection in December and it made my favorite time of the year, Christmas, an uphill battle. I did all the Services I was supposed to do, but once again the rebellion of my immune system caused the anxiety and frustration to hit the heights at the Holiday. I finally went to Urgent Care the day after Christmas where I got the medical care that I should have received three weeks earlier. There is only one specific antibiotic that heals my issues and I received a major dose of it but just a little too late to salvage the Season. I felt robbed (my words) from the experiences and adventures that I longed to be a part of in December.

The disappointments of the Yuletide, caused me to look up to Heaven quite sarcastically and smirk, “Lord, maybe my word should have been “Rerun” and not “Restore” because I feel like I’m stuck in a déjà vu of disaster.” Last year was chock full of “Here We Go Again” moments. After a victorious Mission Trip to Quito, Ecuador in January, it went downhill fast. I didn’t make it to Hollywood when I was invited by Hallmark to be a part of the “Home and Family Show” promoting the “Signed Sealed Delivered” Movies. I also missed the Hallmark Channel’s “When Calls The Heart” Reunion Event in October, even though I got to Vancouver, British Colombia only to turn around and venture back home after running smack dab into a non-stop series of disastrous circumstances. How can this be “Restoration,” when all I sense is “Desperation” deep down in my soul.

But in the last 12 days, God has spoken rather loudly to me about the last 12 hard years. “Restore” might have been the right word but I was interpreting it my wrong way! Expectations on my part have dictated how I thought my prayers should be answered and when God didn’t do it according to the Plans of Rudy, I left myself wide open to the anxiety and discouragement that came rushing right in. The OCD issues are my futile attempt to pretend that I have control where I have not a clue of why things happen as they do. Because I’m still stuck in the pit, I assumed God let me down. My lack of progress resulted me to accuse God of being absent in the process and caused me to abandon my leaning totally upon His promise. God has already given us His word that He makes all things new. I just have to stop begging for Him to do it my way which does nothing more than get in the way of His will being done in Rudy as it is done in Heaven.

What if God can use my pain to sanctify my place in this world? If I can trust Him enough to just simply follow Him rather than make my feeble attempts to fix my brokenness, maybe I’d have a change of attitude in spite of being discovered in the same old latitude and longitude this side of Heaven. Everyday is my chance to dedicate my destiny to Him. There has to be less of me and more of Him if there is going to be any shot of me seeing the Son shine brightly in my world again.

My word this year takes the focus off of me and puts the emphasis on God. I need to magnify the Lord with every breath I take. Magnify doesn’t mean God gets bigger but that I see Him better! Rather than demanding that Jesus fix my location, I decide to just follow the Lord. In the Bible, the theological word for Lord is Adonai. My word is the Word of God Himself: “Adonai!” To address God as “Adonai” means I offer Him my absolute obedience. What He says, I do. Where He sends, I go. When He shares, I receive. Jesus never took the Name “Adonai” loosely. That is why He challenged His Followers by rebuking, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and not do what I say.” Following God is not a democracy, it’s a Monarchy. There is only one King and it’s not me!

But with the Name Adonai comes a few beautiful benefits that God bestows upon the surrendered Believers. First, Adonai will always provide everything we need to accomplish everything that He calls us to do. If we don’t have it then we don’t need it. Because Adonai is my Shepherd, I may not get all the things I want but I will be delivered all the essential equipment necessary. Second, Adonai assures us that His Presence will always accompany us with every step we take and make in His direction. I’ve been chasing an improvement in my surroundings when I should have been content to just stick with the Savior.

The Walmart tissue box contained my first confirmation that “Adonai” is the right Word for 2019. As I opened a new box of kleenex, I saw the word “Everyday” loud and clear. I must let go the past and not be preoccupied with the future. Today is the day to come alive. I want to give my life away, but to even have a shot at this I must pursue my Lord, my Adonai, every single day until I finally see Him in person when I graduate to Glory.

So in 2019, I am not going to write any other goal for this year than to look for Jesus to be my daily vision statement. In fact, its not lowering my expectations but obliterating them altogether. I simply want to live.  Where the Lord is there is life everlasting. I plan to begin each day of 2019 adoring Adonai. I plan to pay all of my attention to Him rather than stressing about my measly details. My disappointments have been mostly self-inflicted. This side of Heaven, I will always be restless for perfection, but I can’t complete what only God can accomplish. No more reruns. Its time for real restoration and that is getting back to Jesus not only providing a word for my rock but being my Rock every day I’m still here. Happy New Year! What’s your word? Make sure you find it in His Word! That’s the only sure word!

Incarnation is a big theological word, and sadly, not a lot of Christians either use it, or know what it means. It does not refer to the same thing as the virgin birth, although Jesus entered this world by means of Mary giving birth to Him. Incarnation actually refers to the choices and the specific acts of a Pre-existent Divine Being, namely the Son of God, that the Son took and willingly made in order to become a human being. God literally locked himself inside the room of a limited human body. Miraculously, in a moment, Jesus became fully, truly human without ceasing at the same time to be fully, truly divine.

Divinity is not something Jesus acquired later in life, or even after his death and resurrection. According to the theology of Incarnation, Jesus had always been the Divine Son of God, and the Second Person of the Trinity. This was so, in eternity past, long before He became a human being. Strictly speaking, the name Jesus only applies to a human being. It is the name the Son of God acquired once he was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary. Jesus is the Name above all names and He maintains it even to this day as he continues to be the God/Man.

We could continue to go down this track, but do so at your risk of getting a major headache. The finite can only go so far in attempting to comprehend the infinite. Without faith, it is impossible to please God because everyone who comes to the Lord must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We can actively look for the Lord without ever totally comprehending Him. Incarnation is not something that human beings can fully get their finite mental capacities wrapped around. Childlike faith involves processing the wonder of both miracle and mystery, and is frankly above our mental pay grade, even for the brightest amongst us.

That doesn’t mean however that we cannot at least for a moment stand in awe of the immensity of it all. God was so determined to save us from ourselves, He became the only One who wouldn’t mess it up by becoming one of us! Christmas tries to tell mankind that in the Presence of Jesus, we can discover the super power we lack. Forget the many faceted myriad of Marvel Comic Heroes; but when all is said and done, Jesus is the only true Super God left standing.

Did you know that Comic Book Icon, Superman was patterned after Jesus? Throughout the decades of Superman’s career, creators have drawn upon the Biblical narratives of Jesus and enveloped them into the mythology of Superman. Sometimes it happened intentionally and sometimes, perhaps, providentially. Either way, Superman has become a cultural road sign that can point people toward Jesus, like it or not.

Now, the number of parallels between Superman and Jesus are far too numerous to cover in one article; but I would like for you to consider the following pieces of evidence. Most of you know the story. Once, long ago, a rocket ship launched from the doomed planet Krypton and dove out of the sky landing on the humble property of Jonathan and Martha Kent. With mingled fascination and fear, they climb out of their Ford pickup truck to discover the ship’s tiny infant occupant.

Superman’s Kryptonian father’s name was Jor-El. El from the Hebrew from whence we get the title Elohim which is one of the Hebrew Names for God. This is not a coincidence since Superman was created by two young Jewish boys from Ohio. It was from Superman’s Kryptonian father that he would receive “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.” Yet he was raised as a step-son by Jonathan and Martha Kent who would adopt him and instill in him the ways of humanity. Scooping him up in her arms, Martha (who was originally named Mary in the comics) and Jonathan (whose middle name is Joseph) named their adopted son Clark Kent and raised him in a small town in the middle of nowhere where he would learn to work with his hands on his father’s farm. His father, Jonathan, would die while Clark was a teenager and it wouldn’t be until he was around thirty years old that Clark would make his first public appearance as Superman. This dual-identity (Clark Kent/Superman) has become an essential element in Superman mythology. I mean, who can forget the famous line from the George Reeves’ television series, right? “Superman…disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.”

No matter what role he might be in at any given time, this much is true. Clark Kent is Superman as much as Superman is Clark Kent. The two are really inseparable. He is fully Superman and fully Clark Kent. Does all that sound familiar? It should. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is just as human as he is Divine, and just as Divine as he is human. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Even though the Son of God was sent from Heaven above, He was still raised here on earth in a small town in the middle of nowhere where he would learn to work with his hands in his father’s workshop. And just as with Superman, both sides of Jesus’ dual-identify are essential to his nature.

Jesus’ humanity is important, because it sets him apart from the ancient gods of Greek and Roman mythology who sat up on Mount Olympus playing dirty tricks on the ignorant humans down below. Jesus isn’t like the gods of Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism who have never experienced humanity. Jesus’ dual nature reveals one inconceivable reality and that is God loved us enough to become one of us.

Yet in becoming one of us, He displayed for us what an act of love it really ultimately was. And while I could list the innumerable amount of works that Jesus did do, I also believe that Jesus displayed an incredible amount of force shown by what He didn’t do! One of God’s attributes is Omniscience which means that God is all Knowing. Another is Omnipotence revealing that God is all Powerful. Finally, the big three is rounded out with Omnipresence which defines God as being Present Everywhere at the Same Time. Humans have none of these powers, though I have known a few egomaniacs who thought they knew it all or had it all!

What does it mean though for the Son to put all of that on hold, so to speak, to not draw on His omni-competencies? It means that while Jesus had a God button, and He could have pushed it when he got in a difficult situation, He refused to do so because it would have meant the end of his living a truly human life with all its inherent limitations. Jesus could have called 10,000 Angels. Jesus could have wiped out the bad guys with a single Word! Jesus could have disintegrated the devil with just one look. But He didn’t! Jesus willingly submitted Himself to obey His Father’s plan! In that one act of surrender; Jesus modeled for us all that real power is strength under control! Jesus sacrificed jumping over tall buildings in a single leap and running faster than a speeding bullet so that He could undertake His most courageous and loving act. God so loved the world that Jesus laid down His life so that we by believing in Him could be rescued from our own stubbornness.

God could have the power to change your circumstances in a moment, but that is not the way we grow up. We don’t learn by getting automatic A’s. We don’t gain endurance by sleeping in. We actually become more powerful by surrendering our will to God’s leadership If you want the power of God in your New Year, then you must allow the Presence of Jesus to be your definitive Guiding Light.

Things are not always what they seem. Have you ever stopped to think about what Jesus would look like if He were to walk into this room? I don’t think God left us enough clues to know what Jesus looked like physically, because that wasn’t the important thing. But Heaven did reveal to us exactly the right amount of information about His character, and His values, and His virtues, and His attitudes. These are the things He wanted us to inherit, to imitate, and to develop. Jesus’ character was one of power and strength. Yet our Lord took on the role of a Servant.

As Believers, we share in His power. He has placed that power, His authority, in you. On our own, we degenerate into wavering, unsure, unstable, fickle and indecisive people. Or worse yet, we think our glory is in our own shame. Far too many people misplace their source of identity in possessions, charm, skill, intellect or another passing fancy. Our legacy won’t be what we write or what we own or what we leave to our kids or what we say with our tongues. Our legacy will be determined by what we choose to do with the power of God which is available to work in us and through us. There is a huge need for Men and Women to step up their game in the days to come. I think the secret weapon is that we must decrease so the Lord can increase and, in the end, God can accomplish what would never occur without Him. Is it time to answer the call? 

Peace. It is a word often associated with Christmas. The message of the Angel to the Shepherds on that first Christmas Eve was, “Peace on Earth and Good News for All Mankind.” For years, we have been waiting for that promise to be fulfilled. If our search includes finding a time when people are not in conflict with other human beings, we will come up empty. Has there ever even been a few minutes on this Planet where there has been no hint of an argument between brothers and sisters?

Our Country is in the midst of severe division. Partisanship has become downright ugly. There is constant name calling and hateful accusations flowing non-stop in the good old USA today. Who is wrong and who is right? Who is tolerant and who is prejudiced to a fault? Being politically correct has reduced good men and women to doing ridiculous things in their attempts to provide that “peace on earth” we are all still looking for. In my humble opinion, when a nation loses its faith, it also begins to lose its mind. Without Heavenly guidance, we have the tendency to get lost here on Earth. We even begin to pick and choose who gets to experience the “Peace” and which “Groups” get to be in on the “Good News.”  If you go back to the original message, it said quite clearly that the ‘Peace” and the “Good News” was for everyone.

Every tongue, every tribe, every color and every background will be represented in Glory. We will not be divided in the Kingdom of God by Denominations. Once we cross over from death to life, we will no longer wear the labels of Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, American, Black, White, Red or Yellow and so on! There will be no political parties in the place where Jesus reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords! The Scripture tells us that one day, every knee will bow and every mouth will confess that only Jesus deserves to be the Master of the castle! If it is going to happen then; why should we wait now? Is there an advantage in having God’s will be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven? Yes!

Peace on Earth and Good News for all! Maybe we have confused our definition of what kind of “peace” was promised to the Shepherds on behalf of all of us. Peace is not the absence of war. Peace is not a place where everyone is all getting along around the campfire singing Kumbaya and snacking on smores! Ever since Adam and Eve chose poorly to eat from the “Tree of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil,” there has been enmity between God and man and male and female. Even when we are being more nice than naughty, there is still the sense of selfishness waiting in the wings. Peace is never going to be an outside/in effort. If we are waiting for that moment when everything is sunshine, lollipops and roses all around us to have peace; we are going to be left in want. Maybe the promise made by the Herald Angel can be followed through upon if we make a paradigm shift in our brain and heart!

Jesus was God’s gift to mankind for our salvation. Jesus is still for all people. Jesus is the only option. Not just locally, but for all of us. Believing in Jesus will be massively controversial. Nobody wants to be told that there is only one way. Yet if the building you are standing in is on fire and there is only one exit to safety, do you stand and argue about there not being more options. I’ll be out on the street thanking God that He even provided one escape hatch in the first place.

Christmas Peace is the same Peace we can have today because Peace is not tasted personally when there are no more wars to soldier in, but Peace is celebrated internally when any one of us accepts the fact that we make lousy Rulers and the only One worthy to run this show is a Person named Jesus! Because of Jesus on the inside in my heart, I can have true joy and hope and certainty no matter what is happening on the outside. All Hell can break lose circumstantially but Heaven is protecting me in spite of where I am planted; no matter what times and days that I may be living in. Because I have Jesus, I have Peace with God which gives me the Peace of God no matter what occurs in the faces and places around me. And because I have Jesus in my heart, I can be free to love others no matter what their backgrounds, labels, flavors or behavior. God didn’t come because of our behavior. He came because He knew we would always have chaos without Him.

In Luke 2:14, we read “Peace on Earth…” That night in Bethlehem, for the very first time since the Garden of Eden, there was true Peace on Earth. His Name was Jesus! The moment Jesus came down the birth canal, the moment Mary laid Him in a manger, there was Peace on Earth. Jesus is Peace. Peace is not the absence of war; Peace is the Presence of the One we choose to worship. Don’t expect the presents under the tree to do the job. Many of you will exchange those before they even hardly get unwrapped! Peace is knowing personally the Birthday Boy. True Peace is having a real relationship with Jesus. And unlike the first Christmas where many only held Jesus in their arms; we hold Jesus in our hearts and that is something to shout about! Wherever Jesus is, there is Peace on Earth for all men and women! Merry Christmas!!!

There is no place like home and this is the time of the year that we romanticize that thought to almost unhealthy proportions. We set up expectations of what the perfect Christmas should look like to such the extent that the only way to pull it off is to make it a Hallmark Movie. Real life doesn’t allow for such luxuries. There are too many real people who can’t help but do too many selfish things in spite of how much they want to have themselves a Merry Little Christmas! This side of Heaven is no place to do anything more than dream of that prolific home where all goes right.

 Still, in spite of all the disappointments, we are all longing for home. God actually created us with a yearning for eternity, built right into our DNA. This is why we are restless for something more than what we see. Our problem is that we try to fill the hole in our soul with presents when what will really do the trick is opening your spirit wide to God’s Presence. Ever since Adam and Eve blundered in the Garden of Eden, we have been attempting to navigate our way back there. Mankind must understand that human maps don’t lead to the Lord’s treasure. People have got to look up before they have any shot of populating Paradise. Earth can’t supply what it doesn’t have to give.

 If Home is not safe, then the shape you’ll be in is not the shape God meant for you to be in! God designed home to be a safe place. Home should not include abuse, rejection, dysfunction and despair. Home should be a place where you belong. A place where you can take your shoes off and not worry about the reaction. Home is what you don’t have to earn by your good works and endless efforts. In the story of the Prodigal Son, the Father waited nightly hoping to see his wayward Child making his way back up the driveway. When it actually happened, the Father ran to his Son, took him in his arms and celebrated him even though he hadn’t yet done anything right. Home is not belonging out of obligation, because it’s a place of grace. There was no way any of us could buy our way in. This is why Jesus paid the price that He did so that God’s backyard wouldn’t be eternally empty and quiet. The Father didn’t make us to live so far from Him. This World may not be the best place to hang our hat, but it is a tailor made to discover the God we all need.

Do you ever notice that on our calendar, Christmas follows the Fall? Eden wasn’t an optical illusion. The Garden wasn’t a mirage. We all long to return to Paradise and a perfect Heaven does exist. It just can’t be reached with even the most technologically advanced GPS! This Christmas, the Lord longs for the hearts of Parents to be turned towards their Children and the hearts of Children to become warmed towards their Mothers and Fathers. This Christmas, Jesus wants us to discover the gifts that we already possess in our connection with one another. Husbands to court their wives all over again. Grandparents who invest their stories into their grandchildren. Humanity receiving what they need vertically so that they actually have something of real value to offer horizontally. Home is where God is and if God is in you, then you carry that safe and secure place around inside of you even if you have no geographical place on earth to lay your head.

Isn’t it ironic that God didn’t make it that easy for Joseph and Mary to give birth to Baby Jesus? Joseph and Mary actually would have had more support in Nazareth than in Bethlehem and yet He still sent them on that wild ride. Jesus was born in a pile of manure! Do you think God was trying to make a point by modeling for us that Home isn’t a street address as much as it is having your name known in Heaven? Jesus didn’t even own a P.O. Box and yet He never was lost. Jesus showed us that the only way to truly be homeless was to be estranged from the Father you were meant to be with.

Listen carefully to some of the final words that Jesus shared with His Disciples when He lived here among us. The Lord said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Jesus is actually talking the language of a Groom who is about to be married. In Jesus’ Day, Families lived in a caring community called an “insula.” In an insula, there would be a courtyard which was a large open area where there might be animals and places for a cooking fire and then the dwelling places. These were the very rooms where each individual family would actually live. These rooms were built all around the insula. Home would be the dwelling of multiple generations of people.

Marriages in Jesus’ Day were arranged by the Father of the Family. The Bride was referred to as “She who was bought at a price.” The Church, who is described as the Bride in the New Testament, was also defined as “bought with a price.” The dowry paid was the blood of Jesus shed upon the Cross to purchase our freedom. When the couple got engaged, they would not go “house hunting.” Realtors would go out of business back in Nazareth. The Father of the Family would just go about adding another room to the insula! This meant that Groom and the Bride couldn’t set a Wedding Date. Even though they would be legally betrothed, the consummation couldn’t occur until the room was ready! This put pressure on the Bride to be ready when the Groom was free to come. If she was preoccupied with other lovers; she could miss out on the relationship that she was created for. The Bible tells us that our Rooms are being prepared in Heaven and when they are ready, Jesus will come back to get His Bride. Will we be ready and waiting when Jesus comes back to get us?

I want to share one more nugget before I am done. When the time for the Wedding came, the Father would say to his Son, “Go and get your Bride!” The Groom would immediately assemble the victory parade and the shofar would be blown to alert that the time for the Wedding had come. The trumpet will one day sound when Jesus returns. Will that be a sound of joy or a time of terror? What we do with the Presence of Jesus determines our forever. We were not created to settle for a home in the brokenness! There is no place like Home for the Holidays but there is no Home for the Holidays without the Lord. You can be home for Christmas and it must be much more than only in your dreams. God is inviting you to come home where you belong. Are you so busy trying to find your joy in presents that you will miss the proper Presence of Christmas! Make room in your heart for Him. He has already made room in His Home for you!

What a year this has been. What a crazy adventure life has become. There always seems to be something happening that complicates matters. I never expect anything to be easy. Nothing ever is. Actually, the older I get; the harder the challenges have become. It would be so easy to just wave the white flag of surrender and discover a bunker to hide in until I graduate to Glory. But my faith keeps me fighting. The truth of Scripture trumps the lies that want to pronounce me dead prematurely. Life isn’t fair but God has given me His promise that He will make something miraculous out of the mess. I must look up rather than give up and when my circumstances want to play taps, I must choose to tap dance!

Terri and I celebrated our 36^th Wedding Anniversary last week. It was actually on December 4^th but we hosted a Christmas Dinner for the Lighthouse Leadership knowing we would have our date come the weekend. We were being treated to a dinner at an Italian Restaurant in West Cape May via the kindness of a church member. Reservations were made and off we were to celebrate our wonderful yet never a dull moment union that we have experienced together. Nothing could go spoil this date, could it? Of course, it could!

Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be early. This was one of those instances it might have been better to be late. Because our reservations weren’t until 5:30, we had a little time to kill. We stopped at TJ Maxx along the way and actually bought some more Shiny Brite ornaments for my antique Silver Christmas Tree. We got back in the car and began to drive down Route 9 when a look of horror was seen upon Terri’s face. I asked her immediately, “What’s wrong?” She shared, “I lost the gift certificate. I had put it on my lap but forgot about it when I got out of the car at TJ Maxx. It could be anywhere.”

I turned the car around and we proceeded back to the TJ Maxx parking lot where we began our frantic search. We retraced our steps through the store. There we were out on our hands and knees, looking under cars to see if the gift certificate could be found. In a Hallmark Movie, we would have recouped our loss and went on to the romantic dinner that we had hoped for all week. But in real life, it was nowhere to be found. Not only did we lose the gift certificate, but the $40 that Terri had attached to it to that she was going to give to me later.

A younger me might have gotten upset. A younger me might have even lost my temper. I saw the tears falling down my wife’s face and I knew that there was nothing we could do to change the past. I suggested that we still go out to eat but on a lighter budget, we ended up at the Court House Diner. We were still married 36 years. We were still alive and breathing and together. We were still the parents of four wonderful children and the grandparents of four more. We were still loved by God and still going to Heaven. We just were forced to adjust the load on the road of the wild and crazy ride of life. No, it didn’t go like we planned. I am just grateful that it wasn’t the total loss that it could have easily become.

I don’t know what you are going through these days. I am sure that you have all had your fair share of disappointments. While having expectations are quite normal, we must make sure that when life goes out of our control, we don’t spiral into a chaotic state with it. Let me quickly suggest 3 principles to hold on to when your agenda blows up in your face.

First, we must learn to laugh and keep our sense of humor no matter what cards life deals us. The anniversary twist was our opportunity to shuffle through another fine mess life wanted to throw at us. When you want to cry, try to find a reason to laugh. Terri and I can honestly attest to the fact that our marriage has been far from boring and what could have been a disaster makes another great story.

Second, we must not allow the outside circumstances to alter our inside character. Life must be lived from the inside out and not visa-versa. Who we are and our truest identity shouldn’t be up for grabs because of where we are or what might be taking place all around us. We must be thermostats and set the temperature rather than acting like thermometers that change with the climate of our surrounding environment. Things will go wrong but we can still be right. Love is not determined by the events. Love is what makes any event something positive.

Finally, we must understand that everything this side of heaven is temporary. I have come to learn how to enjoy the magical moments and endure the nightmares. I have understood that no matter what I do, some days will be downers and rather than pretend and fake it, I have learned how to ride that stretch of highway knowing that soon the scenery will change. There are seasons of smiles and times of tears and both are key components of life on earth. This too will pass and when it is all said and done, God has promised us that the best is still yet to come. I don’t get too used to the highs or the lows but have accepted that both are instruments in the hands of God in fashioning us as the masterpieces He has pronounced us to be.

Nope, we never found that gift certificate. I don’t expect us to. But we have found the foundation of love and that is the commitment that we have for one another. God has our backs even when we don’t like or comprehend what is in front of us. I can either opt out and become a wallflower or I can learn to dance the twist. Last week it was the anniversary twist. Who knows what this week will call for. All I do know that when all is said and done, there will be lots more in store! God has given us His word on that and as far as I’m concerned, that is what will define me!