| February, 2016

CLERGY CORNER: Dear God of the Universe

Posted on 11 February 2016 by LeslieM

Before rising to fame on NBC’s hit show The Voice, or opening for country super-star Toby Keith, or even headlining the Folds of Honor concert series, Corey Kent White, 21, sought a reasonable plan B.

I met Corey in 2011, following a presentation I made to his school about leadership and career exploration. After my talk, Corey found his way back to tap me on my shoulder. He had enjoyed my aviator stories and was eager to ask aviation-related questions. The airline pilot in me was happy to oblige.

That evening we connected via Facebook, where he shared his concern as a 16-year-old searching for direction:

Pretty much, I am all over the place. I have a few connections in the music biz (and that’s my first love), but I also realize that it’s very difficult to make a living through music and a lot of it has to do with luck. So I am searching for a reasonable plan B.”

Instantly, I knew there was something special about this young man; while most teens are pushing the boundaries of adolescence, Corey was searching for a reasonable plan B.

I invited Corey to meet. We talked about God and what it would look like to scratch plan B and wholeheartedly seek God’s call. He was on board. Still hanging on my refrigerator is the list he wrote of his priorities, with God in the No. 1 spot.

Flash forward: Today, Corey has more than just a “few” connections in the “music biz.” He is making a living pursuing his love of music. He didn’t need luck, and attributes all his success to God. The millions who have bought his music are surely glad he didn’t pursue a “reasonable” plan B.

While it would be easy for him to drop God from the No. 1 spot, as he rides the momentum of his success, it’s Romans 12:1-21 that encapsulates his heart. He understands and applies what it means to give of his body to “be a living and holy sacrifice,” which Romans asserts is the true “way to worship [God].” Corey seeks accountability to keep himself from “[copying] the behavior and customs of this world,” by allowing “God [to] transform [him] into a new person by changing the way [he thinks].” It is this that allows him to confidently know God’s will for him, “which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Corey is humble, honest in his evaluation of self so as to give credit to God over taking it for himself, recognizing that “we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other” for the glory of God. He knows he’s been given a “special function” (as we all have), and by God’s grace “[He] has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.”

With this understanding, Corey uses his gifts to share the Gospel. He uses his platform to boldly profess the love of Christ to millions. His fruits reveal the passionate pursuit (ironically) not of music, but his call.

How does one with such a fandom and seemingly crowded schedule enthusiastically serve the Lord? Corey begins each day growing closer to God by trading in plan B for a reading plan—Scripture reading. This has allowed his prayer life to evolve from a formal “Dear God of the universe” prayer intro to “Good morning, Father.” Intimately knowing His Father allows him to pray without ceasing during the day, keeping him on track in pursuit of holiness as he seeks to align his life with the Truth found in the Word of God.

In the business of music, much is at stake; but, for Corey, and for each of us in our own right, growing closer to God and knowing who He has called us to become will ensure that we don’t need a reasonable plan B. We can rest in the assurance that the God of the universe is not some far off cosmic ruler, and, as Chris Tomlin sings, “God is a good, good father” and you can trust Him with your future. Just ask Corey Kent White.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

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Everything’s Coming Up Rosen: LOVE Again — 2016

Posted on 11 February 2016 by LeslieM

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

It’s “Love-Time” again, so get your pen and paper and prepare to take a short, simple quiz.

Here it goes: Finish the following sentence: “Love is ….”

Expand on your answer as you see fit and e-mail your response to me (See email address above). With your permission, I will include it in my next column, or in next year’s LOVE column, depending on how many responses I get.

And, yes, there are all kinds of love, and infinite degrees of intensity that the feeling engenders, and that’s what makes the subject an intriguing study, as well as a great dinner-party go-around at the table.

The big secret is that “real love” needs to begin with self – non narcissistic, “whole- self” – love. If that does not exist, I know some “shrinks” I could recommend. You cannot love someone else if you don’t truly love yourself.

I am always fascinated by the variety of ideas people express on the subject, all of them, no doubt, reflections of their personal experiences. Those of us who are engaged in pursuing self-awareness (or mindfulness, or a high level of consciousness) agree that the experience of “love” – all kinds – is the ultimate goal of human achievement, a concept which is the root thesis of most religions.

Love: Follow it and see the patterns change. It is like a piece of dough that begins with one ingredient and gets added to, reduced, blended, rolled, flattened and shaped. It is wiggling, bouncy, euphoric and constrained. It reaches out and pulls back. It is gentle and it is violent, giving and demanding. It is lustful and phlegmatic. It is the sustenance of the world and yet its chemistry can be venomous. It is a spot of mercury, darting, volatile, fusing and breaking into bits and pieces. It is open and closed, a release and a prison. It is agony and glory, darkness and sunlight, distance and touch … and, mostly, joyous.

As one who has experienced the entire range of love-feelings – and as one who has advanced in chronological years – it is pure happiness to report on “love” in the senior years. Some people call it “cute,” condescending to the belief of youth that those feelings experienced during the teenaged and early 20s and 30s cannot be duplicated many decades hence. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! (I joyously report.) And thus – another celebration of Happy Valentine’s Day.

Here are two of several legends about Valentine’s Day: Valentine, a Roman priest, was killed because he attempted to help Christians escape from a Roman prison as they were being tortured and beaten there. Yet another popular version of the legend states that while in prison Valentine, or Valentinius, fell in love with the jailer’s daughter who visited him during confinement. Before his death, Valentine wrote a farewell letter to his sweetheart from the jail and signed “From your Valentine.” The expression became quite popular amongst the love struck and is still very much in vogue.

So here’s to the good St. Valentine, may his love-aura be spread – and may you live in lovingness all the days up to and beyond the 14th.

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JAWorld Uncorked

Posted on 05 February 2016 by LeslieM

collage1By Rachel Galvin

Lines of food options and a bevy of spirit selections awaited those who attended JA World Uncorked! Jan. 23. The event takes over the JA World Huizenga Center on the Broward College campus yearly to benefit Junior Achievement of South Florida, which teaches students of all levels about business, economics and about issues they will face in the workforce in an interactive way. This year’s event featured models , live entertainment by the EDGE band, raffles and prizes. People could even commemorate the occasion at Stache’s photo booth.

The event was chaired by Circle of Wise Women members Lynne McGrath and Taylor McGrath with honorary chairs Bob & Susan Drinon and Renée Korbel Quinn. Breakthru Beverage Florida returned as presenting sponsor.c2

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Altieri finishes 4th in the country

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

sports020416By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach’s Lucas Altieri had hoped for a top-5 finish at the recent U.S. Figure Skating National Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.

Mission accomplished. The 14-year-old Altieri, who skates for the Florida Panthers Figure Skating Club, won a pewter medal (fourth place) in the Intermediate Mens Division. It was quite a rise for the North Broward eighth-grader who failed to get past the sectional competition when he placed fifth, one spot out of qualifying.

Last year, I wanted to make it to sectionals, but I messed up something easy (a spin) and I didn’t make it,” Altieri said. “This year, I was hoping to make it to nationals and just do well.”

Other locals from the Panthers Figure Skating Club who competed at nationals included Coral Springs’ Sophia Chouinard, who captured the silver medal in the Intermediate Ladies Division, Weston’s Alexa Binder (9th in the Juvenile Girls Division), Bonita Springs’ Paxton James (11th in the Intermediate Ladies Division) and the Intermediate Pairs duo of Zoe Larson and Jim Garbutt, both of Coral Springs, who narrowly missed a medal by placing 5th in the Intermediate Pair Division.

Competing in the highest division in the country (Senior Ladies), Coral Springs’ Franchesca Chiera finished 12th in the country. She finished 17th and 16th the previous two years at nationals.

Highlands to host hoops class

Highlands Christian Academy will host the South Florida Basketball Coaches Social on Saturday, March 5.

The speakers include the following:

Reg Cook — (’74 Bryan University) the former Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Highlands Christian for 28 years (Overall Record: 518-265) will have a session topic on Relationships.

Mike Blanc — (’10 Auburn University), who played on Auburn’s National Championship Team; played in NFL (Chargers & Steelers) and is the Broward Director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, will cover Personal Testimony/Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

John Zeller — (’75 Tennessee Temple University; ’95 United States Sports Academy, M.A.) the Executive Director of Score International will cover Score International.

Chad Keller — (’97 Flagler College; ’06 United States Sports Academy, M.A.), the former Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at Leesburg High School for 7 years (Overall Record: 155-47) and in his 12th season as Assistant Coach at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, will cover ERAU Philosophy/Team Camp.

Mike Jarvis — (‘68 Northeastern University) compiled a career record of 364-201 as a Men’s Basketball Coach at Boston University (‘85-’90), George Washington (’90-’98), St. John’s (’98-’03) and FAU (’08-’14). He will discuss Everyone Needs a Head Coach.

The cost is $35 for each coach prior to March 1, $45 after. Coaches can register early and receive a discount and, if three coaches from a school register, the fourth coach is free. To register, visit www.highlandsknights.org. For more information, call Jim Good at 954-421-1747, ext. 1301 or e-mail jim.good@highlandschristian.org.

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FLICKS: Revenant

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Revenant: “one that returns after death or a long absence.” – Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

With a title like The Revenant, one would expect a ghost story along the lines of Oscar-nominated films like The Sixth Sense and The Exorcist. There are definitely scenes in The Revenant that rival horror movies, but this film is an epic equally filled with scenic beauty.

In the American Frontier during 1823, fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) has joined Captain Andrew Henry’s (Domhnall Gleeson) party. Glass mentors his son, a Native American named Hawk (Forrest Goodluck), much to the dismay of John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), a trapper who was scalped by an Indian tribe some years before.

After some quick character introductions, the party is attacked by an Indian tribe. When retreating by boat down the river, Glass and Captain Henry rationalize that the boat is more of a target than an escape. The party set off walking to find a safe haven in Fort Kiowa.

While on foot, Glass is viciously attacked by a bear. In an immobile state, Glass witnesses Fitzgerald’s cruelty and cowardice as he is left for dead. Glass, however, rises from his wounds to seek revenge upon his enemy.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) won the Best Picture Oscar and was directed by The Revenant’s director, Alejandro González Iñárritu. Both films are a study between contrasts – Birdman features urban self absorption, while The Revenant features rugged individualism in wide open spaces. Both stories are strongly told and Iñárritu deserves his accolades this awards season.

If the previous award presentations are any indicator, DiCaprio is due to receive his Best Actor Oscar. In all of his previous Oscar nominations, there was something “Movie Star” about his performances, like a manufactured Oscar nominee. In spite of grisly scenes of violence, DiCaprio gives an understated performance that is character appropriate. A bug-eyed brute with the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old, Tom Hardy steals the movie with a complete performance.

With 12 Oscar nominations, The Revenant is worth seeing on the big screen. Clocking in over two-and-a-half hours, the film feels longer in a good way. With natural lighting and minimal production techniques, this film is good storytelling based on snippets of history. When the film concludes, it is breathtakingly exhausting, which was the filmmaker’s intention, for the first line of dialogue is “If you can grab breath, you can keep fighting.”

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CRIME WATCH

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

Deerfield Beach

Jan. 18: A man was observed on video surveillance stealing an auto diagnostic scanner from a business at 4870 N. Powerline Rd. The scanner was valued at $3,000.

Jan. 18: A woman was arrested and charged with stealing a television and other electronic equipment from Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Jan. 18: Two women were observed putting items into a basket and walking out without paying at Dollar General, 1377 Dixie Hwy.

Jan. 18: A man reported that another man pointed a gun at him while he was at an ATM machine at 1000 S. Federal Hwy. The victim drove away and the man with the gun was observed leaving the area.

Jan. 24: The victim advised BSO that her storage closet at 641 N Powerline Rd., which is located on the exterior of the residence, was ransacked but nothing was missing.

Jan. 25: A Florida license plate and sticker were stolen from a car at 3248 W. Hillsboro Blvd.

Jan 25: An iPad was lost at a campsite in Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd.

Jan. 27: Sports Authority Loss Prevention staff reported the theft of two golf clubs valued at $499.99 each from the store at 3810 W. Hillsboro Blvd. Suspect caught on video surveillance.

Jan. 28: Victim left apartment at 440 Deer Creek Jefferson Dr. with front door, patio door, and all windows closed and locked. When he returned he noticed several items missing from the living room. All doors and windows were still locked and there were no signs of forced entry.

Lighthouse Point

Jan. 7: A subject asked for a $2,000 cash advance on a MasterCard at a business at 3800 N. Federal Hwy. The employee deemed it was a fraudulent card and the subject fled before police arrived.

Jan. 14: While talking to an employee at 3700 N. Federal Hwy., someone stole a wallet that the victim had laid down on the counter. It contained a driver’s license, gift cards and $20 in cash. The loss was $130.

Jan. 18: Police were called to a bank at 2850 N. Federal Hwy. where the subject was attempting to cash a check for $1,400. The subject was detained until police arrived.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

RE: Knights of Columbus

Dear Editor:

When I joined the Knights of Columbus 40 years ago, my first assignment was to solicit donations for the handicapped. At that time, I thought it was degrading to “beg”, but I told myself, “Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll give it a shot.” I felt uneasy when I arrived for my first posting in front of the Grand Union grocery store on Sample Road. I got there early to relieve a fellow Knight and get the hang of things, which turned out not to be complicated.

An hour or so into my shift, a group of four 12-year-olds arrived in their “Saturday work clothes”, free from the pressures of the school day and heading towards the stores hooting and howling to give the shopkeepers a hard time. I thought briefly of going inside the Grand Union to let these young “problems” pass, but I thought, “No, I’m a Knights of Columbus member and should act like a Knight.” Armed with a handful of Tootsie Rolls as my lance, I charged! I thrust the Tootsie Rolls into the youngsters’ hands saying, “Here, have a Tootsie Roll, boys!” They stopped in their tracks!

The leader of the gang demanded to know, “What’s this for?” I explained that people who donated money to help local children with disabilities were rewarded with a Tootsie Roll. The leader thought for a moment, then said “I got some money.” He rummaged in his pockets and came up with eight cents – it was all they had between them. Off they went, and I knew, because of their energy and charity, they had a bright future ahead of them. This encounter made my day.

Over the years, I’ve seen young parents tell their children to deposit some coins, and other handicapped people add their dollar or two to help their own cause. Sometimes, a person gives $10 or $20, or a generous soul may donate $50. Wow! All these donations are appreciated, but none of them has given me as much encouragement as that first gang of boys with their eight cents.

I have been collecting at the Venetian Isles Publix for many years, attend all the Sunday masses at St. Ambrose and hope to see all you good neighborly people again this March [March 5-16 when the Knights of Columbus will be collecting again].

Last year, the Knights of Columbus raised over $9,000 locally for those in need. It is our hope that we can meet or exceed this record, as it is always for the good of others that we persist.

The Knights donate to such charities as Special Olympics, Equine Assisted Therapies, the Dynamos of Pompano and more.

Volunteers are needed and contributions are greatly appreciated. Call 954-303-9736.

Joe Cauley

Deerfield Beach

RE: Open Carry letter (Jan. 28)

Dear Editor:

With all due respect to the Senator [Maria Sachs] from Delray, I strongly disagree with her comments [that we should not allow open carry for guns]. Florida does not have a gun problem, it has a people problem. No one, that I am aware of, has ever suggested that a mentally unstable person should own a gun. If we apply her logic to the automobile, then we would ban cars. What some lawmakers want to do is pass laws that only affect law abiding, sane people.

Gary Lawrence

Morganton, GA

RE: Traffic light timing

Dear Editor:

What does a person need to do to get the new traffic light (which is one year old) at NW 2 Avenue, in front of Bazaar Foods, to be coordinated with the other traffic lights on Hillsboro Boulevard? It’s on a tripper and jams up traffic going in both directions. If this light was on the same [timed] pattern as the other lights, people going in and out of the grocery would have no problem and traffic would flow more smoothly. All the other cross streets in Deerfield have to wait three minutes to cross.

J. Huffman

Deerfield Beach

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HAPPENINGS

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

Food Truck Invasion

Thursday, Feb. 4, 5 to 10 p.m.

Quiet Waters Park

401 S. Powerline Rd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Take the entire family out to dinner for everything from gourmet burgers to tacos, ribs to desserts, there’s a special dish for everyone! For information, call 954-357-1007 or visit www.foodtruckinvasion.com.

Movies in the Park: Annie

Friday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m.

Villages of Hillsboro Park

4111 NW 6 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Free. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs, and enjoy a night at the movies. Snacks and glow items available for purchase.

Birdwatching Walk

Saturday, Feb. 6, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Deerfield Island Park

Participants age 8 and up must be at Pioneer Park dock (217 NE 5 Ave, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441) by 8 a.m. to catch the boat shuttle. Tour space is limited and pre-registration is required. Sturdy shoes and binoculars recommended. For more information, call 954-357-5100.

Tour the Butler House

Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 to 2 p.m.

Historic Butler House

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Donations welcome. Learn about the heritage of Deerfield Beach’s farming pioneers, including the Butlers.

Concert: Shawn Martin at the Ali

Saturday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.

Ali Cultural Arts Center

353 Hammondville Rd.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Four-time Grammy winner Shawn Martin will be in concert, featuring his unique brand of Jazz and world fusion music. $10 Pompano residents, $20 non-residents, $40 VIP Meet-n-Greet. Call 954-786-7876.

Hillsboro Lighthouse tour

Saturday Feb 6, hourly 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sands Harbor Dock

125 N. Riverside Dr.

Pompano Beach, FL 33062

$25; free to HLPS members. Transportation is by boat. Must wear flat, closed shoes. Children must be 4 ft. tall to climb the tower. No pets. Visit www.hillsborolighthouse.org/tours.

Orchid Society Meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m.

Woman’s Club Building

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Carlos A. Cahiz, of OFE Orchid Supply in Miami, will provide tips and tactics on orchid culture to help orchids thrive in South Florida. Visit www.deerfieldbeachorchidsociety.org or e-mail deerfieldorchids@gmail.com.

DB Woman’s Club meeting

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1 p.m.

Woman’s Club Building

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Guests welcome. Light refreshments served. Featured speaker, John Dyke, a board member and volunteer guide at the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, will talk about this history of this local landmark. For more information, call 954-421-4700 or visit www.dbwc.org.

Pioneer Days Wine & Cheese Party

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 5 to 8 p.m.

Historic Butler House

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Kick off the Pioneer Days celebrations with the Deerfield Beach Historical Society. Wine, cheese and more. $10 donation. Call 954-429-0378.

Pioneer Days Lasagna Dinner

Thursday, Feb. 11, 6 to 8 p.m.

Deerfield Beach Woman’s Club

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, 33441

Dinner and fun at the Woman’s Club includes meat or veggie lasagna, desserts, music, 50/50, raffles and more. Soft drinks served or BYOB. $25 at the door. Reservations required; call 954-421-4700.

Settlers Soiree Dinner Under the Stars

Friday, Feb. 12, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Main Beach Parking Lot

149 SE 21Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Deerfield Beach Rotary Club hosts this dinner outdoors under the stars. Meal includes four courses and wine. $89 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com.

Valentine’s Day Dinner on the Beach

Saturday, Feb. 13, 5 p.m.

On the beach next to Oceans 234

234 N. Ocean Blvd. (A1A)

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Kiwanis Club of Deerfield Beach is hosting this romantic, outdoor, four-course dinner on the beach. Cash bar. $89 per person. For reservations and information, e-mail ashley@oceans234.com.

Historical Marker Dedication

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.

First Zion Missionary Baptist Church

125 SW 1st Ct.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Celebrate this momentous occasion. This church was established in 1902. Event includes speakers, songs and presentations. For more information, call 954-428-1550.

6th Annual Two Georges at The Cove Billfish Tournament

Thursday, Feb. 4

6:30 to 7 p.m.: Captain and observer meeting.

7 to 9 p.m.: Welcome Cocktail Party

Saturday, Feb. 6

Tournament Fishing at Boca Inlet and Hillsboro Inlet.

4 to 6 p.m.: Weigh-in at dock

6:30 p.m.: Cocktail Party

7 to 10 p.m.: Awards Banquet at Two Georges at The Cove

All proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club, Jim & Jan Moran Unit. For registration and/or sponsorship, contact Denise Buzzelli at 954-427-0353. Entry Fee: $650 (Boat & Angler); each additional angler $150.

Happy Superbowl watching!

Send your gameday pictures to us at observereditor@comcast.net to be featured in next week’s paper.

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CLERGY CORNER: Is guilt hijacking your life?

Posted on 04 February 2016 by LeslieM

Dear Rabbi, I used to think my entire life was run by my feelings of guilt. Everything I did or thought seemed to be governed by how guilty I felt that day. It also didn’t seem to matter what ‘it’ was. I’d be feeling guilty about everything and anything … either that I hadn’t done enough or that I’d upset people when I hadn’t meant to or even that I ‘should’ have done something differently. I’d feel guilty about so many things and my life really did seem to be just reacting to one feeling of guilt after another”.

Dear friends, we all suffer from guilt, some more than others. The question is what we do with it …

After his wife died, an old religious man received a parrot from his sons to keep him company. After a time, he discovered that the parrot had heard him pray so often that it learned to say the prayers. The old man was so thrilled he decided to take his parrot to the synagogue on the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah.

The rabbi protested when he entered with the bird, but when told the parrot could pray, the rabbi, though still skeptical, showed interest. People started betting on whether the parrot would pray, and the old man happily took bets that eventually totaled $50,000.

The prayers began but the bird was silent. As the prayers continued there was still not a word from the bird.

When the prayers ended, the old man was not only crestfallen, but also $50,000 in debt. On the way home he thundered at his parrot, “Why did you do this to me? I know you can pray, you know you can pray. Why did you keep your mouth shut? Do you know how much money I owe people now?”

To which the parrot replied: “A little business imagination would help you, dear friend. You must look ahead: Can you imagine what the stakes will be like on Yom Kippur?” Double compensation.

Exodus 22:7 “If a man shall give money or vessels to his fellow to safeguard, and it is stolen from the house of the man, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.” Go out, suggests the Torah, and find the thief. Then you will actually receive double of what you possessed originally!

Here we are introduced, in subtle fashion, to the exquisite dynamic known in Judaism as teshuvah – repentance, or psychological and moral recovery. Instead of wallowing in your guilt and despair, and instead of surrendering to apathy and cynicism, you ought to identify and confront your “thief”, those forces within your life that keep derailing you. You need to reclaim ownership over your schedules, behaviors and patterns.

Then, you will receive from the thief double the amount he took in the first place. What this means psychologically is that the experience of falling and rebounding will allow you to deepen your spirituality and dignity in a fashion double of what it might have been without the thievery.

The Talmud puts it thus: “Great is repentance, for as a result of it, willful sins are transformed into virtues.”

When you fail and allow your life to fall into a shambles, but then confront the thief and reclaim your life as your own, those previous failures bestow on you a perspective, an appreciation, a depth and a determination that otherwise would not have been possible. By engaging in the remarkable endeavor of repentance, the sin itself is redefined as a mitzvah – a good deed. Why? Because the very failure and its resulting frustration generate a profound and authentic passion and appreciation for the good and the holy.

The next time your inner thief hijacks your moral life, see it as a reclamation opportunity: Reclaim your life with a double dose of light and purity.

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the Director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches. (Moving to new location… coming soon!) For all upcoming events please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

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