Have you ever tried to quit doing something that you thought was a bad habit or maybe bad manners? Have you ever tried to change these things yourself without any help? If you have an issue with anger, you may have at some point just said, ‘I will stop getting mad all the time and stop yelling.’ How is that working out for you?

You may have that special gift that you think was straight from heaven, and you can find the fault in any situation or circumstance. You know who you are because you can look at any situation and see only what needs to be fixed or what can be better. Maybe at some point you say, ‘Well I just won’t say anything anymore and I will just mind my own business and keep my mouth shut.’ How is that working out for you?

In order for most to really change, they need help and assistance. We want to change and we need to change, but we do not have the ability to change on our own and we need help. Because God is great, He can help us change. Because of the greatness of His love, He will defend us and also help us to change.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.

—NKJV

God uses love as an action word. When God uses love, it is a verb. They say that love is not love until you give it away. The Bible says that God loved us while we were sinners. There are no conditions on God’s love for us; he chose to love us at our worst. Not only did God love us when we were a total mess, but God will never quit loving you because He is very patient with us. When I was much younger, I remember looking in the paper and asking for something for Christmas over and over. When I would open that present on Christmas day, I remember being so excited about getting that toy. Then, six weeks later, I would forget I even had that toy.

God will never quit loving you no matter what you did or what you do. God’s love even includes acceptance. God says, ‘I love you, come as you are;’ but we say, ‘I love you if you do this for me.’ Our love has conditions on it, but God’s love is unconditional. Not only will God accept you just the way you are, but He will give you room to grow.

We always seem to accuse others of not being able to change and staying the same way, but God loves us so much He not only helps us to change, but He gives us room to grow and change at our own pace. We should never compare our lives to anyone or anything but God’s Holy Word. God loves us so much it makes us want to change and not only can we change, but God will help us to change. Just be yourself with God and let Him change you into the person that He wants.

Tony Guadagnino is a pastor at Christian Love Fellowship of Deerfield Beach.

Chelsea Hall (Sarasota), left, and her partner Michelle Guidicessi (Tampa), reached the final of the Women’s A Division in the tournament where they lost to Miramar residents Sofia Ponce and Marisela Sardinas. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Adrienne Cerra knows what it is like to put on a successful beach tennis event and she also found her way onto the winner’s podium at the September Beach Tennis G-4 Tournament on Pompano Beach Sept. 21.

Cerra, the International Federation of Beach Tennis- USA president, teamed with Miramar’s Christy Garzon to win the Women’s Pro Division of the tournament with a win over teenagers Megan Horwitz (Pembroke Pines) and Erika Ponce (Miramar).

The tournament featured 84 players who competed in Men’s and Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Juniors Doubles (12 and under) in both pro and amateur divisions.

The IFBT-USA held a World Cup Triple Crown tournament during the summer that featured top players from all over the U.S.A., as well as Brazil, Italy, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Aruba, Peru, Columbia and Germany, who represented their countries.

They will hold a tournament nearly every month all along Florida, in addition to tournaments throughout the United States in California, St. Louis, New York and internationally in Barcelona, Cancun

and Puerto Rico. Cerra said the sport is continuing to grow and that more and more children are starting to play. This event served as a warm-up for a G-1 tournament in Cancun, Mexico. It was more of a local one so there were medals and ranking points.

“We try and do one every month, so it is a monthly event,” Cerra said. “It is called a Grade 4, which is pretty much a local tournament. A G-3 tournament gets more people from out of the town. A G-2 is more of a national and a G-1 is an international tournament. These local tournaments are a way for us to introduce the sport. Some people come by out of curiosity, or they heard of it and they come out to play.”

Cerra said they also have free weekly practices at the beach to help introduce the sport to players.

“There are beginners and we also leave a court for people to try and come out and play with us,” Cerra said. “We give people paddles and balls and we will demo the sport. They can try it and, if they like it, they are welcome to play. They can play right away. The learning curve is pretty small. We are always there every weekend, and then, once a month, we try and have a local tournament.”

Miramar residents Sofia Ponce and Marisela Sardinas captured the Women’s A Division with a win over Chelsea Hall (Sarasota) and her partner Michelle Guidicessi (Tampa). Ponce, who picked up her first ever win on the beach, said she likes the competitive attitude and camaraderie among the players.

“It is nice because you can still be friends with someone knowing that they have given you their A game,” Ponce said. “I know my friends would not like it if I didn’t give them my all in my game. It is a sign of respect. If they beat me, they beat me fair and square. It is more passion and competitiveness and always trying to improve and get better.”

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

The Liberator opens this weekend, smack dab in the middle of Hispanic Heritage month. It is the story of Simon Bolivar (Edgar Ramirez), who planted the seed for the growth of Bolivia. Bolivar fought over 100 battles and traveled more distanced to expel the Spanish Empire from South America. Instead of conquest, Bolivar sought to return the land to the people and liberate them.

In two weeks, The Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery IMAX Theater (MODS) opens its doors after a summer of refurbishment, remodeling and redecorating. The improvements include a new 60’ x 80’ giant screen, new luxury seats, new sound system and the addition of a digital projector to complement the giant 15/70 film projector.

While the plan is to show more mainstream Hollywood Blockbusters on the big screen, MODS will continue their tradition of scientific documentaries. To open the new theater, the 3D film Bugs! A Rainforest Adventure will be shown. The movie was filmed with microscopic technology to reveal the hidden world beneath flora and the trees.

Island of Lemurs: Madagascar 3 D is about an endangered species of creatures who have shown a propensity for survival. Lemurs were castaway creatures who settled upon the island of Madagascar. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this documentary was playing at MODS even before the refurbishment.

MODS will also feature its first deliberate monster movie with the screening of Dracula Untold, which weaves fantasy and reality. Prince Vlad the Impaler (Luke Evans) is a historical figure who defended Romania from the Turkish Invasion. Much like my novella Davy Jones & the Heart of Darkness, this film reveals the tragic circumstances that turn a heroic man into a monster, creating a myth that spans generations.

Now that he has completed his Dark Knight-Batman trilogy, perhaps writer/director Christopher Nolan will complete his trilogy of movie titles that begin with the letter “I” – that began with Insomnia and Inception, both thought provoking movies with fantastic ensemble cast. Interstellar continues Nolan’s tradition of strong narrative structure that features Oscarwinning actors Matthew Mc- Conaughey, Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine.

MODS closes out the season with Peter Jackson’s last Hobbit movie, The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies. Based on J.R.R. Tolkein’s children’s book, this film promises to be the epic conclusion of The Hobbit trilogy, which lays the groundwork to Peter Jackson’s Award-winning The Lords of the Rings trilogy.

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

Fifty-Seven year old Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel is an oncologist, a bioethicist, a vice-provost of the University of Pennsylvania, an author, one of the architects of Obamacare and the brother of Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel. In the current issue of The Atlantic, he tries to make the case for “Why I Hope To Die at 75” — only 18 years hence.

Some young whippersnappers cannot conceive of how fast 18 years can fly by.

He makes the usual pitch regarding the burdensome cost to society of the care and treatment of the elderly, and then cites the lack of quality of life suffered by so many in their later years.

And so, in what seems to me to be thoroughly unconnected logic, he alighted on the random age of 75, after which he practically pinky-swears that he will not allow any kind of treatment or known cure to be administered upon his body.

HORSEWHISKERS, Zeke, I hope you got paid enough for that article to overcome the ingenuousness of your premise.

Yes, late-life lingering in conjunction with soaring costs for care, as well as the emotional toll it takes on family, is a very serious social and ethical problem, and needs to be aired openly as solutions are sought. And such a probe would have been well worth the space.

But citing a target age that suggests “you’ve had enough of life” almost sounds like it comes from the mind of a child to whom 25 seems ancient.

Oh, just wait, Zeke Emanuel, you just wait! And when you’re 75 – and perhaps diagnosed with some disease that has a high quality of life expectancy – we’ll see if you refuse treatment on the mere grounds of just being “75.”

“By the time I reach 75,” he says, “I will have lived a complete life. …I will have loved and been loved … I will have seen my grandchildren born and beginning their lives, … I will have made whatever contributions, important or not, (that) I am going to make …” and more. The man thinks he is Nostradamus.

So here it is from this lucky “horse’s mouth,” Doc. You have NO IDEA what the next 18 years hold for you. And if you are lucky enough to be relatively healthy at 75, you are darn well going to welcome your 76th birthday – and beyond, even if you have some survivable ailments that slow you down. And unless you become totally dependent on others for your care, you are very likely to endure the natural aches and pains that come with aging, the changing pace of your life and the exciting challenges of making lemonade from lemons. You will still continue to “make contributions,” and to savor the “loving and the being loved,” and if you have to take a test or two , or be subjected to some kind of magic treatment that will restore some quality of life, you will likely sign the document.

No one wants to live in a state of dependency. But to curtail what can be the best years of life after 75, in order to prevent what might not happen, comes from the corners of naivety, despite even, the medical background and experience.

Problems of aging, late stage illnesses, and the whole process of death and dying need to be addressed. But deliberately looking to curtail life at 75 “because I will have lived a complete life” is just plain foolish.

I know whereof I speak!

Just as we were approaching the Jewish New Year, a report came out that showed the two biggest reasons that those looking for employment have their resumes thrown out. One of the reasons had to do with grammatical mistakes. And the other had to do with typos.

Now, if I were the head of human resources, I could make a good argument for immediately throwing out such things. I could say to myself, this person doesn’t even take the time nor have the education to get their grammar “down to a T.” And I could think to myself, hey, if they won’t even take the time to proof their own resume and to correct any spelling errors, typos or grammatical errors, I sure don’t want them working for this company.

But, as I thought about this, I looked back on some of my own writing and I have to tell you something, I don’t think there is anything I have ever written, anything I have ever sent in for publication, that I wouldn’t tweak, that I wouldn’t change at least a little bit, if only I had a second chance.

Even when my articles and sermons get to the publishers, the editors, those whose job it is to make sure that the spelling, the grammar and the content are without blemish, well, they miss things too. They are human. And I have to tell you, using the voice dictation on my computer, maybe my computer is human too (LOL) because some of the mistakes it makes our hysterical. (And for those of you who are paying attention, yes, the computer just goofed again, as, instead of typing “are” before hysterical, it typed “our”.) Then again, maybe my computer needs to have its hearing tested. Does anyone out there have a practice that prescribes hearing aids for Apples?

Over the years, I have met many human resource directors, wonderful people who have the privilege and responsibility of choosing employees for their company. While many are often frightened to meet them, I have found the vast majority of them to be sweet as a button.

Then again, I’m not sure I would feel the same way if I had to sit across the desk from them, hoping and praying that I would get the job I seek.

I applaud those seeking a great resume, but a perfect resume … if there really is such a thing … it just might have been put together, not by a job seeker, but by a resume professional, who is paid to make a person look great on paper.

As we are in the midst of the Days of Awe, let me share a little secret with you, I am not perfect, and neither are you. I’m not even the best I can be yet, I’m still working on it, and I hope you are too.

Too many of us spend far too many hours looking for perfection in others. And so often the first thing we notice is a typo, a small error, a little something that immediately causes us to just throw that person’s paper away, or worse, to throw the person away, to not give them a chance at all.

During this season of repentance, as we pray to G-d to give us another chance, let us do the same for others that we ask of G-d. If you meet someone and the first impression is not a good one, don’t rush to toss them aside, rather do what you want G-d to do for you and what you would want others to do for you … Let’s give each other a second chance!

Shalom, my friend

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach, which is inviting community leaders and residents to join us on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. to help us “Think Out of The Box,” as we plan for the next 5 years of programs and projects that will enable us to continue to be part of the very heart and soul of our beloved Deerfield Beach. All are welcome! We need your creativity, your wisdom and your originality. We need the gift of your presence.

By Gary Curreri

Noah Flegel’s goal for next year on the pro wakeboard circuit is a Top-10 finish.

“My goal for next year is to break into the Top 5,” said Flegel, of Lighthouse Point, who recently turned 17.

“Right now, I am No. 11. Next year, I am hoping to get in the Top 5. The top guys make around $500,000 a year.”

The North Broward Prep School junior fell twice during his semifinal run of the Pro Men’s Division to finish second in his heat with a score of 75.67. Only the winners of each heat advanced to the finals of the recent Rockstar WWA Wakeboard World Championships, presented by Supra Boats, at Mills Pond Park in Ft. Lauderdale.

The invitation-only event attracted 200 competitors from 15 countries during a four-day span. An estimated 4,100 spectators turned out for the event.

It was a good season for Flegel, who made two finals and got fourth place in two Nautique events – Nationals in Waco, Texas and the Wake Open – during the year. He entered the Pro Men’s ranks just a few months ago.

“I think it is great to be able to do what I do and make a living at it,” Flegel said. “I would also like to start my own company, something within the sport. I have some invention ideas I am trying to pursue so we’ll see.”

Flegel has also won two consecutive National and World Titles in the Junior Pro ranks, as well as winning the overall Junior Pro Series in 2013. He’s also won a World WakeSurf championship.

Flegel said he didn’t really think about a future in the sport when he first started.

“When I was young, I didn’t think of the future that much,” Flegel said. “I was just thinking of having fun and going with the fl ow. Not much has changed. I just turned pro. I still live a pretty normal life.”

His brother Keenan recently moved up to Orlando and is a student at UCF. He is on the WakeSurf team. His older brother has won every Wake Surf and Skim Style competition he has entered.

Competing in the Worlds was a huge accomplishment for Flegel, including the fact that he was competing in his hometown.

“It is really putting all of your best tricks together, ” Flegel said. “If you miss one trick you won’t be at the podium. You get two tries and eight tricks — all the toughest tricks. It is insane to watch because everybody is throwing their top tricks.”

Flegel is happy to be where he is at right now.

“It’s awesome to see what I have been doing,” Flegel said. “To see how it has built up to me being a professional athlete. Now I am in the very beginning stages of being a pro and I am trying to work my way up.”

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.Com

For over 30 years, Liam Neeson has been a consistent character actor in support of actors like Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, and the Batman.

In his recent film releases, such as Taken, The Grey and Non Stop, Neeson has taken on the role as the iconic leading man in American movies. With A Walk Among the Tombstones, Neeson gives a simple performance, but with nuanced moments of vulnerability and nobility.

Former New York cop turned private investigator Matthew Scudder (Neeson) is hired by a shabby character that he meets at an AA meeting.

The shabby character reveals that his brother is a drug kingpin who needs a private investigator. It turns out that the wife of the drug kingpin has been murdered and the crime lord wants revenge.

However, revenge is not easy because the motives seem convoluted. Could the killers be from a rival gang? Could this be a conspiracy grown from the incompetency of the DEA?

Scudder unravels this mystery while confronting a personal demon of his own, alcoholism.

The best part about this film is the relationship between Scudder and TJ (Brian “Astro” Bradley), a homeless boy with sickle cell anemia. The relationship grows out of respect for great detective literature from Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, with life lessons about the importance of maintaining good pistol maintenance.

The biggest flaw in this film is the climatic ending. As Scudder takes matters into his own hands, we heard a narration expressing the 12 Steps of alcohol recovery. While the intention may have been noble, the juxtaposition between audio and the visual is jarring.

On a lighter note, The Skeleton Twins starring Saturday Night Live alumnus Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig opens this weekend. It is a story about estranged twins who decide to come to grips with maturity.

The 2014 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival has announced their celebrity line-up for the season, featuring veterans Jason Alexander and George Hamilton. The daughters of David Mamet and Robert Carradine, Clara Mamet and Ever Carradine, respectively, will be in attendance to promote their independent projects.

For more information about dates, times and ticket sales, call 954-252- FILM (3456) or visit www.fliff.com.

The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit? Proverbs 18:14

Life’s challenges can be successfully overcome when one’s spirit, inner being, is strong and healthy.

The power of one’s inner drive is undeniable in attempting and accomplishing great feats.

Mental fortitude, control of one’s thoughts, disciplined reactions, and an optimistic outlook are traits of a healthy spirit.

Solomon’s observations about life revealed that even physical sickness cannot break down a person whose spirit is healthy. The will to live and survive often sustains the one facing an infirmity.

The importance of the spirit to our management of life however, is shown in the reality that when it is broken, life is unbearable. If a healthy spirit enables us to face unhealthy situations in life, how are we to go on when our spirit is unhealthy and broken? When the thing that you rely on for support becomes unstable, what do you do?

We live in a world where many things threaten to break our spirits. Stress from work, financial, family and personal issues are taking a toll on far too many. The pressures of life have driven some over the edge and left others teetering close to the brink.

Solomon does not offer a solution so much as make the observation, but perhaps he wanted us to consider the need to maintain a healthy spirit. Our bodies are kept in health by a proper diet and exercise. What are we feeding and ingesting in our inner being? What are we listening to that may be affecting us for good or for bad? What kind of thoughts are constantly streaming through our minds informing our attitude and disposition? What do we possess internally that will help us to address the external issues that we face daily?

It has been discovered that a common trait among successful people is that they meditate at least once a day.

The ability to sit silently, close out the world, and concentrate on one’s inner self has been proven to be therapeutic and advantageous to a person’s wellbeing. Meditating upon God’s mercies, His love, and His plans for us help believers to maintain a healthy spirit.

Solomon’s father, David, remarked in one of his Psalms, “I would have fainted had I not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). Thinking about and anticipating God’s favor upon his life sustained David in some harrowing experiences (facing a lion, a bear, a giant, and a jealous king).

If your spirit is unhealthy or broken, you can regain vitality by feeding it with the instruction and promises of Scripture.

Connect or re-connect with God in a relationship that recognizes His sovereignty and your dependence upon Him. Meditate upon His truth and strengthen your inner man through obedience and faith. Allow your thoughts to be directed by what is good, pure, right, just, honest and lovely. Let your attitude inform you how to respond to adversity, rather than be emotionally driven by the circumstances of your life.

Live selflessly and learn to love your neighbor as yourself.

Be thankful for the good things you have experienced, for lessons learned in adversity, and for the people who bring out the best in you.

Practice kindness and hospitality daily. Laugh often and smile consistently. These are the types of activities that promote a healthy spirit.

Strengthen your spirit and transform your outlook. Transform your outlook and watch how it will affect your life.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the Pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441, 954-427-0302. The Church just celebrated its 90th Anniversary over Labor Day weekend — 1924-2014.

By Gary Curreri

Cortez Grace started the season as a linebacker and third string quarterback for the Deerfield Beach High School football team; however, he finished Friday night’s game as a hero.

As the song title states, Grace was simply “amazing” in the closing minutes as he overcame two earlier interceptions and capped a 90-yard drive in the final three minutes with a 1-yard TD plunge to lift host Deerfield Beach to a 14-12 victory in the inaugural McDougle Bowl at Deerfield Beach High School.

“I just wanted to win the game,” said Grace, who grew up across the street from Blanche Ely High School, and was 5 for 6 on the winning drive for 68 yards on the 13-play, 90-yard drive with 3:01 remaining in the game. “It felt good. I just came through for my team.”

Grace connected on a 30- yard pass to Antonio Cartagena and then hit Simeon Brown for 19 and 11 yards to march the Bucks down the field. With just 24 seconds left, Grace hit Randerick Gervin to the Tigers’ 1 before taking it in himself from a yard out.

“I don’t like to lose,” added Grace, who filled in for starting quarterback Jeff Joseph, who was sidelined with an injury. “I was just ready. I wasn’t thinking about nothing. I just put the (interceptions) in my past. I got my mind right. I played against those kids in youth football. This is big for me. It was special. It tugged at my heart. It was meant to happen.”

Blanche Ely’s Robert Williams ran for two first half touchdowns as the Tigers (0-2) rallied from an early deficit to take a 12-7 lead on the 40th anniversary of the series between the two schools. Williams finished the game with 10 carries for 89 yards. Deerfield (2-1) had taken a 7-0 lead on a Kobe Farrish 6-yard scoring run early in the contest.

“The kids hung in there,” said Deerfield Beach coach Allen Jackson. “We just had to believe. That’s what the kids did on the sideline. They started believing in themselves and the passes that Cortez threw were huge for us. Oh, my goodness. You couldn’t ask anything more from him. He stepped in and did an awesome job.”

The game was sponsored by brothers Jerome Mc- Dougle (1997 Ely grad) and Stockar McDougle (1996 Deerfield Beach grad), who both went on to play in the NFL.

The brothers, who served as honorary captains for their respective teams, presented the game’s trophy, in addition to awarding scholarships to the game MVPs – Blanche Ely’s Demeterice Bellamy and Deerfield Beach’s Jimmy Harper.

“This is awesome,” said Jerome, who played with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants from 2003-2008. “It is great for me and my brother to come back to one of the greatest rivalries in Broward County and we were a part of it. It is just a great atmosphere for football. Both teams have had players go and play in the National Football League so it is good for us to come back.”

“This is very cool to give me and my brother a chance to come back here to this game that we actually played in when we were in high school, and to tie it around our foundation,” said Stockar, who has also helped purchase equipment for his alma mater.

“The rivalry never dies. Out of the whole household, I am the only one that didn’t go to Blanche Ely. I hear it all the time, no matter how old you get.”

Stockar said the game always represents “bragging rights?”

“Yes, it is winner take all,” Stockar added. “But it is all about pouring more resources into the community and getting the two booster clubs involved. We have a lot of athletes who have come out of these two programs and who have gone on and done great things. It was definitely time.”

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal. Com

It was with a sense of melancholia that I went to go see Dolphin Tale 2. When the box office results were announced, that sense of melancholia returned. In between bouts of melancholia, I kept thinking about what a life-affirming movie Dolphin Tale 2 is. I had to visit the website www.seewinter.com because I wanted to learn more about the main characters.

It is based on a true story set on the Florida West Coast. In terms of story and character development, this film is an improvement over the original Dolphin Tale. It is far less gimmicky. Writer/ Director Charlie Martin Smith has crafted an entertaining story with truthful emotional transitions from grief to personal triumph for dolphin, bird, sea turtle and humans seeking salvation.

It is business as usual at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Boss Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick Jr.) retains the mission statement of “Rescue, Rehab, Release.” With Winter (the amputee dolphin heroine from the first movie) being utilized as a major tourist attraction, Dr. Clay employs his daughter, Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff) and Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) as capable research assistants.

Being a social creature, Winter suffers from grief when her “roommate” dies. Marine Biologists agree that Winter needs the social interaction to survive. When college recruiters witness Sawyer’s attention to Winter’s medical needs, they award the Marine Biologist prodigy a full scholarship. As these two dramas play themselves out, one realizes that Dolphin Tale 2 is a universal drama about an individual’s rite of passage. Parents – this is a GOOD family film. It is better than what current box office totals have revealed.

My Old Lady opens tomorrow. With a title like that, one expects a follow-up joke from the old television sitcom Married with Children. Yet with Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas and Maggie Smith, there is a level of sophistication with nuanced humor.

Mathias Gold (Kline) returns to Paris to settle the estate of his late father. Upon arrival, Mathias learns that Mathilde (Smith) and her daughter Chloe (Thomas Scott) have retained a form of French squatter’s rights on the property. As boundary lines form between the man and the women, Mathias uncovers an inconsistent behavior pattern of his dearly departed Dad.

Based on his play, writer/ director Israel Horovitz does not landlock the camera and keeps the action moving on the big screen. When dramatically appropriate, Horovitz uses static shots to enhance the drama. With pros like Kline, Scott Thomas and Smith, My Old Lady becomes a special motion picture.