Do you remember where you were? Do you remember what you were doing? Well, I sure do remember exactly where and when! I was driving to work on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I remember because I was a little late to work that day and I was still in the car when the reports starting coming over the radio. I remember because at first I thought it was one of those radio pranks that the radio announcers play from time to time, although I thought this one was a little wild and cruel. I remember thinking it had to be a joke because there is no way this could actually be happening … no way could it be happening to the good old United States of America on our own soil. We need to make sure that we never ever forget what happened that day.

The word “remember” is in the King James version of the Bible 148 times. There are things in the Bible that God wanted us to always remember and never forget. There are things that God thought were important for us to store in our memory banks and never let them leave. God wants us to remember His teachings from the Holy Bible.

2 Peter 3:2

2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

NLT

2 Kings 17:38-39

38 Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods.

39 You must worship only the Lord your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies.”

NLT

It has been 12 years now and we need to make sure we remember that we as a united country turned to God in our time of need and He brought us comfort. I remember all the members of Congress standing on the capitol steps and praying to God for help. I remember seeing men and women risk their own lives to try and save those who were in the middle of those disasters with no fear. I remember our enemy trying to scare us and intimidate us on our own soil, in our very own country. I remember a great country and a great people rising up together and turning to God for help. With God’s help (because we asked for it), we rose above what our enemy tried to do to us. I even remember feeling anger when we went to New York City the following year to visit family and being able to see the two holes in the ground that were left.

Please do not ever forget the tragedy that happened that day. Do not forget the lives that were taken in those horrible events. Do not forget the lives that were given by our civil servants. Do not forget that God helped us through that horrible time and allowed us to begin to heal. Remember and pray for those that who lost lives and also for those who gave their lives to help others.

Tony Guadagnino is a pastor at Christian Love Fellowship church.

Just before The Jewish New Year began, one of the battery run candles that I bring to health centers would barely light up. Many immediately assumed that the candle was broken. Of course, I wasn’t so quick to toss the candle out. I tried some new batteries and, not only did the candles start glowing again, they were brighter than they had been in a very long time. The new batteries recharged the candles and gave them new life.

The period in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is about recharging our batteries. It is about getting re-energized. I was at a Zumba class recently. I was excited to be there as my favorite teacher was away at the Zumba Convention in Orlando the week before.

Well, she just about killed everyone in the class. No, she wasn’t angry with us. It’s just that she was so full of energy that we were all sweating like crazy. The class was great and, as it ended, I joked with the instructor that, next year, we are not going to let her go to the convention. She knew why I said that ,and she gave a big smile and a hearty laugh. Then she told me that she hoped she didn’t work us too hard, but that her time at the convention with all the other Zumba teachers had renewed her energy; it had recharged her battery, and, while she always loves teaching the classes, having just come back from the convention everything seemed fresh and new again.

So, since so many people have lost contact with the Temple, lost their enthusiasm for their faith, and since so many people who come regularly to worship have simply made it into a blah routine, perhaps we should look at the Holy Days as a Judaic Super Convention. This is a convention in which Jews of all denominations, those who are members and those who have no affiliation, have a decision to make.

What is the decision? Am I going to attend the convention? Am I going to pay the price of a ticket? Am I going to come together with all the others who have lost, or perhaps never had a passion for their faith, the faith of their Fathers — Abraham, Isaac,and Jacob, the faith of theirmothers — Sarah, Rebecca, Am Igoing to commit myself to learn the steps of Judaism?

Rosh Hashana is over [ends tomorrow at sundown], but you still have time to attend the convention. You might not be all that familiar with the prayers. Well, when people first start Zumba, it takes them time to learn the steps and some are harder than others.

Some may know the prayers with a certain melody and might hear the Cantor use some newer melodies. In Zumba, part of the excitement is learning new steps. It keeps you on your toes.

I have been doing Zumba for a long time now. I am decent at it, and I love going to class. I love the steps that are familiar to me, but I also love when the instructor adds something new, something different; and, I know I still have much to learn.

Judaism is similar in that respect; those who think they cannot take part give up without taking the time to learn the steps; and those who think they know it all, well, they close their hearts to learning anything new; and in our faith, there is always something new, there is always room for improvement.

So come to Temple, learn the steps to Judaism. Come dance with us, and, together, we will dance with G-d.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains, He works professionally in this capacity with a number of healthcare facilities in the area, and with hospice. Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. High Holy Days tickets are now on sale in the Temple office off of Hillsboro and Military. Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

The start of the school year always brings with it a sense of new beginnings. There’s new work to be done, new friends to make and new experiences to enjoy.

You don’t have to be a current student, or the parent of a student, to appreciate the renewed energy that comes with this time of year. No matter your age or stage in life, the late-summer fresh start is yours to enjoy.

But even with all the excitement that another academic season brings, one thing is for sure: there will also be major doses of difficulty as the year progresses.

Hardships are inevitable. That’s why every new beginning also signals a fresh opportunity to face life’s unavoidable problems with revitalized strength. When the storms of life whip up around you over the next year, here are 3 steps you can take to stand unshakable in their midst:

1) Sidestep Surprise – The situations that have the most power to shake you are the ones that seem to come out of nowhere. When you’re sideswiped by a problem you didn’t anticipate, it’s easy to become vulnerable. So choosing to not be surprised when the going gets tough is key to standing strong.

God never promised that life would be easy, but he did promise to be with you every step of the way. You will encounter trouble in this world, but take comfort in Jesus’ assertion that He has already overcome every trial and tribulation you face (John 16:33). No matter what is going on around you, you have the assurance of his peace.

2) Ask the Right Question of the Right Person, Right Away – When life goes wrong, your first instinct should be to turn to God. Too often, you and I are quick to ask our friends for advice, buy self-help books, or turn inward and start mining our own resources, rather than looking to Him.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these things, they shouldn’t be our first stop for support. When trouble is brewing, our reflex should be to look to God – and to ask Him the right question.

I’m sure you’ve known people in difficult situations who spend their energy questioning God, rather than trusting him. Asking why doesn’t accomplish anything. Try asking what instead. Rather than giving into the common temptation to demand, “Why did you let this happen to me, God?” ask “What do you want to teach me through this?”

3) Embrace Emotions – Once you have given God top priority in the difficulty you’re facing, embrace the emotions you are feeling. Tune in to what’s going on in your heart. God gave you your emotions; he doesn’t expect you to ignore them. You don’t have to plaster on a smile and muscle through. As you lean into God first, and then embrace the emotions that your situation is stirring, he will use what you are feeling to draw you closer to himself.

Staying steady when things get hard has nothing to do with how strong you are and everything to do with how strong God is.

No matter how smart, rich, connected or resourceful you consider yourself to be, you can’t make it through life’s toughest storms unscathed on your own. But as you build your life on the foundation of God’s strength and take these practical steps in every difficult situation you face, you will be able withstand whatever comes your way during this new year of fresh possibilities.

Nelson Searcy is the lead pastor of The Journey Church in Boca Raton. The 2.5 yearold church meets at Boca Raton Community High School (I-95 and Glades Rd) each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. For more, visit www.boca journey.com. He is the author of 11 books and served for 10 years as a pastor in New York City before moving to South Florida. Each person who visits The Journey Church in September will receive a FREE copy of his latest book “Unshakable: Standing Strong When Things Go Wrong” — on which this article is based.

Our busiest days were when our three children were young and in school. I remember thinking, “Do they have to play so many sports, be on so many traveling teams, play musical instruments and join six clubs? Good grief!”

Looking back, I know I took a lot for granted.

We were a two parent family living in our hometown. We had good jobs. That meant we could afford one of those minivans with the sticky seats. The family nest, like the family school, was nice enough and safe enough. Siblings and grandparents were nearby. Church was a blend of family and friends. The weekly Bible study was at a neighbor’s house.

I miss those days!

My wife has been a public elementary school principal for several years now. Elementary schools tend to be happy places. The little people are usually excited to be there, which is great to see, and the big people are usually happy to be there too.

Almost everybody looks forward to the end of a school year, but you can still feel the excitement, some call it anxiety, when time rolls around for school to start again.

A new school year means new classmates, new teachers, new classrooms, new books, new technology, maybe even some new clothes.

From the parking lot to the front office, from building maintenance to food service, from transportation to recreation, from the new counselor to the new coach, from the new teacher who prepares her first classroom to the teacher about to retire who prepares her last, schools need rules to function well and the most important is golden.

Jesus says, “In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you.” (Matthew 7, NET)

How can anything that sounds so simple be so hard? Good grief!

It doesn’t matter if it’s an elementary school, a middle school or a high school. If it’s a public school, especially in South Florida, then you can bet it is a diverse place and we all know students bring a lot more with them from home than a backpack.

Long before the youngest student arrives at school a unique personality is being formed. God-given seeds of talent are either being left dormant, nurtured or trampled. Young life experiences, mostly accumulated outside the school, are shaping every child’s expectations and dreams.

The highest ideal for school is that it be a safe place to lift expectations, to encourage learning, to inspire dreams.

But the pressures of school are not to be denied. Kids want to fit in, but not too much. They want to blend in, but, hopefully, only in a positive way; and how troubles loom large for the ones who don’t find a niche, a sport or a club; for the students who are different, too quiet and alone; for the ones who have troubles at home?

The truth is public schools need help in a lot of different ways these days. I write to encourage that we take the golden rule to school, that we volunteer to help a public school this year.

Google your public school corporation website today. Take a few moments to fill out the on-line Volunteer and Mentor Application or call a public school near you. I filled out the form online myself for Deerfield Beach Elementary and it only takes a few minutes. www.getinvolvedin education.com/volunteers/ application.htm

And just so you know, I realize you do not have to follow Jesus to practice the Golden Rule but it will not surprise you to know I believe Jesus is the only “everlasting way” to live by it. And if this causes you grief, then rest assured it is Good Grief! See ya in school!

You are also invited to join us Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. for the message “The Golden Rule” based on the 7th Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

Reverend Andrews is Minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA. See more at www.comm unitych.org or on Facebook.

In case you haven’t noticed it lately, Miami (and South Florida in general) is not what it once was to “our people.” There was a time that when a Jew from Brooklyn or “De Bronx” dreamed of retirement, that dream included moving to Sunny South Florida to live out the goldenah yoren, the golden years. And, with so many retired down here, it became the norm for many of their children to move down here to be near them. It became the hot spot for those who had gone through divorce as they, too, came, (albeit for other reasons) to be near their parents. This all gave the bubbes (grandmothers) and zeydes (grandfathers) of South Florida the joy of having their grandchildren nearby.

Sadly, that is no longer the norm. South Florida is no longer the dream retirement spot for our people and we now have many bubbes and zeydes who seldom get to see their grandchildren. And for many of those Grandparents, it is no longer possible for them to travel up North to visit their precious little angels.

Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach has 100 of the sweetest bubbes and zeydes you could ever hope to meet. Few, if any, actually have grandchildren who live down here in Florida.

The High Holy Days are coming up and the bubbes and zeydes of Temple Beth Israel (and those of other Congregations as well) would love to have little ones sitting next to them in the Shul.

Being able to “adopt” a precious little angel as a grandchild and having that adoptee and their parents adopt a grandparent. Well, that could just make the greatest of New Years for everyone involved. And, at the same time, selfishly, yes, it would bring more members into the congregation … young members, vibrant members … and this would insure a minimum of two more generations for the Temple. It is a win/win situation all the way around as it has the potential to increase the joy and well-being of so many in our midst.

While you’re thinking about it, let me share a story that was e-mailed to me about just how loving and patient a zeyde can be. A woman is in a supermarket behind a zeyde and his badly behaved 3- or 4-year-old grandson. It is obvious to her that the zeyde has his hands full with this little one screaming for candy and cookies. Meanwhile, zeyde is doing his shopping and saying in a soft voice, “Easy, Moshele, we won’t be long…”

The little one has another outburst and the woman hears the zeyde calmly say, “It’s okay, Moishele, just a couple more minutes and we’ll be out of here.” At the checkout counter, the little imp starts throwing items out of the shopping cart and zeyde calmly says, “Moishele, relax, don’t get upset. Stay cool.”

The woman who had been following him is quite impressed with the zeyde’s patience and says, “You are amazing! I don’t know how you did it. That whole time you kept your calm and kept saying things would be okay. Moishele is very lucky to have you as his zeyde.”

The zeyde responds, “Thanks, but I’m Moishele. The little shmegegee’s name is Jacob.”

This year, bring your little ones with you to our Shul. Become a part of our family. There might just be a new bubbe or zeyde in it for you or your child. Looking forward to seeing you there on the Holy Days and all year round.

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains, He works professionally in this capacity with a number of healthcare facilities in the area, and with hospice. He is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach.

If you are tired, can’t deal with the pressure any longer, are sick of the direction your life has taken, then God is speaking to you today.

Just picture the prodigal son who was at the very lowest depths of despair, yet somehow heard the voice that told him “Go home.” When the son arrived, he found a father not ready to punish him, but to love him. He found a father not ready to reprimand him, but to reinstate him. God is waiting for you today with outstretched arms of love, simply saying to you this day… “Come home.”

2 Thessalonians 3:13

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. NIV

Don’t grow weary doing what is right. Do what God tells you to do. Do not waste time worrying about what someone else thinks because, if you do, eventually, they will wear you down. When you are tired and worn out, you are more likely to slip and stumble, give in to temptation and make mistakes. Do not grow weary or lose heart.

Galatians 6:9

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. NLT

Are you tired of running, tired of hurting and just plain tired of being tired? There is an answer! There is a way! God is calling you right now to simply “Come home to Him.” The problems don’t go away, and the consequences of your actions don’t magically disappear. But by coming home, you start to deal with the issues, put them behind you, and become restored into fellowship with your God who loves you. Then, slowly, you will see the joy, the peace and the happiness return to your life. Do not ever quit, do not ever give up, and do not ever give in.

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. NIV

Sometimes we do not even realize how much rest we need until we actually take some time to rest and reenergize our bodies and minds. Vacation sure does the body good, but don’t forget the one who wants to give us rest. God can charge you up no matter what has drained you – and he is the only one who can do that. Be sure to spend time with God. We can do that by going to church, praying (just talking to God), reading the Bible, and by singing worship songs and hymns. We can talk to God, read the Bible, or sing anytime and anywhere we want.

There is also one other thing that I have found that helps me to recharge. That one thing is to help other people in a time of need. It not only brings great joy to your life, but it also brings you a new energy that you did not have before. We can create an environment for ourselves to recharge anywhere and time we need. So remember to keep your batteries charged so you can keep going.

Tony Guadagnino is a pastor at Christian Love Fellowship Church.

Back to Shul … I mean, back to school … The new school year is about to begin and teachers, those amazing souls who spend the day tending to a whole classroom full of precious students, will once again ask that most famous of questions, “How did you spend your summer vacation?”

Many little ones spent the summer at sleep-away camp, and I was pleased to read that there were a few camps this year that actually forbid the campers from having cell phones and other technological devices. (Wow, what I wouldn’t give to have a month without being so connected.)

Now, you might be wondering to yourselves, “But, if they didn’t have cell phones or computers, how did they keep in touch with their parents?” Well, with school starting again, let me be the first to remind you of a dying art. You may have heard of it before. It’s called “WRITING!” That’s right; they kept in touch by writing letters. You remember the letters of the alphabet, don’t you? Well, thank a teacher if you can put them together into a coherent sentence and take a pen and write a letter to someone you care about.

There was a little one away at camp this summer who had probably never written a letter before although he was incredibly fluent in texting with every abbreviation you can imagine. But away at one of those camps without cell phones, he had to learn the art of letter writing.

He did pretty well at it, too; but, when he got a letter from his mother that ended with, “P.S. I love you,” he had to write back to find out what P.S. meant. And so it was that he began to finish all his letters to his parents with just that, “P.S., I love you.”

There was a beautiful, heart-warming movie out a few years back starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler called, “P.S. I Love You.” It told the story of a husband who, knowing he was dying, wrote a series of letters to his wife. Each of those letters was actually an assignment. Like a teacher, he was telling her to do something.

The truth is that, while she was doing each of these assignments, she wasn’t really sure what the purpose was. Her best friend in the movie (and her mother as well) were afraid that those assignments were keeping her tied to the past. But, as the movie goes on, we learn that each bit of homework was actually moving her into a bright new future.

That’s what teachers do; they try to steer our children toward a bright new future.

The Beatles had a song that said: “As I write this letter, send my love to you, remember that I’ll always be in love with you. Treasure these few words, ‘till we’re together, keep all my love forever, P.S., I love you.” I know you think you know what P.S. stands for, but that’s not what it meant to my mother of blessed memory. To her, P.S. stood for Public School. I was able to write this letter today because of Public School and because of the many teachers I was blessed with and, as to Lincoln Elementary School back in Rock Island, IL, all I can say is “P.S. I Love You!” And to the teachers I am still blessed to know, “P.S., I Love You Too!” To the parents and to the students reading this today, I hope you write to your teacher often and that you close each letter with that most meaningful of post scripts “P.S. I Love You!”

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Professional Chaplains, He works professionally in this capacity with a number of healthcare facilities in the area, and with hospice. He is the Spiritual Leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach

Do you remember the 2003 award-winning movie Anger Management, directed by Peter Segal, starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler? Adam Sandler plays a businessman mistakenly sentenced to an anger management program. Jack Nicholson plays an aggressive anger management instructor.

It probably is not a good sign that anger is so common that millions of people will go see a movie just to laugh about it. It is also telling that the instructor in the movie had more difficulty controlling his anger than did his students. This is equivalent to a driver’s education instructor who cannot drive a car.

In the movie, this makes for comic relief. In the world, this makes for hypocrisy. Few people think anger is a good thing. It can make the blood boil and keep us awake at night. There is no way to be angry and have the peace of Christ. There is no way to be angry and share the peace of Christ.

Jesus teaches, “Let go. Get over the rage. Turn the page. Make peace even with your adversaries.” Letting go, not being mad, and making peace is hard.

I remember watching an interview of former Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight, who once got so mad during a televised basketball game with Purdue University that he famously picked up the chair he was sitting on and threw it completely across the floor.

During the interview, Coach admitted he really did have a hard time controlling his temper. You may have heard the saying, “Don’t beat a dead horse.” Coach Knight’s wife told him once, “You can get off now, Bob. The horse is dead.”

Some things that make us mad are minor. We usually get over them quickly and move on. But some things that happen are life-altering and moving on is next to impossible. When we, or someone we deeply care about, is wronged in a serious way, it is not comparable to a bad call by a referee in a basketball game. Holding a grudge can be a natural reaction to a serious grievance.

It is important to point out Jesus does not say, “You do not have a reason to be angry.” He does not say, “You are not justified in being angry when you or someone you love suffers harm.” What Jesus teaches is “If you want to be forgiven, then you have to forgive too.”

Jesus arguably makes the “Don’t Stay Mad” doctrine even harder for us when he sets aside what is a popular notion — “Don’t get mad. Get even.” Unfortunately, Jesus rules out revenge too! Can you feel the disciple’s hill getting steeper to climb all the time? I can…

Christ’s teachings about forgiveness are drawn from the Personal Holiness Code in Leviticus, which reads “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.”

More often quoted today, however, and also found in Leviticus, is the standard “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” This principle is commonly misused as an excuse for retaliation when what it really calls for is that the scales of justice be in balance.

In other words, we don’t amputate the hand that shoplifts or stone adulterers to death, but we do want the punishment to fit the crime.

If you have a grievance, and you want to know how to turn the page and get over the rage or if you are fighting the instinct to get even, I encourage you to read Christ’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7).

You can also join us Saturdays @ Six or Sunday morning at 8:30 or 11 a.m. Our series on Christ’s Sermon on the Mount continues with the message “Privacy Please” based on Matthew 6.

Reverend Andrews is Minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA. See more @ www.communitych.org or on Facebook.

Wow, is it really momma’s yahrzeit again? Has she really been gone for so long? Wow.

You know what WOW stands for don’t you? WOW stands for Women of the Wall. WOW stands for women who are standing up for their rights as human beings and as Jews. This is a group of women who once a month head over to the Kotel, the Wailing Wall, to pray … and they do something that my mother never did (at least, not that I know of), but my wife did right here at our Temple, wear a tallit, a prayer shawl.

The first time I did the High Holy Days here, I don’t think that any woman had worn one during the services and, if they did, I think maybe they would have been shot … or spit on, or yelled at.

The truth is that as soon as Carol put on her tallit, she was immediately reprimanded in harsh tones and harsh glares. But, it was not one of the men in the Congregation who did so. No, it was one of the women.

My wife was a Brooklyn girl and, as such, she knew how to open up her mouth. I don’t know what Carol told her, I do know that by the end of the service the woman was quite taken by her.

The founding documents of this great country, that we are blessed to live in, states, “We hold these truths to be selfevident: that all men are created equal.” Notice it doesn’t say anything about women, nor does it say anything about slaves. Slaves have been looking for freedom throughout all time … and women, too, have been looking for the same freedom as men have had…

Fortunately, there have been many changes in the world and many changes in our faith since my mother and my wife passed away.

It is no longer an uncommon sight to see women in a Conservative Shul wearing a tallit. It is no longer unusual for a member of a Reform Synagogue to wear a Yarmulke. It is not unusual for a Conservative Shul to be egalitarian and count women toward the minyan and call them up for any and all honors. And even the World of Modern Orthodoxy is moving in directions that many never believed would come as Rabbi Avi Weiss just ordained a group of women.

Yet, in Israel, there is a politically powerful “Ultra Religious Minority” who would still keep women in the back of the bus, who would still keep a woman from wearing anything that shows a little arm or a little leg … and, who would still try to keep women from praying at the Wall, especially if they happen to be wearing a Prayer Shawl. WOW!

How would my wife and my mother respond to the Women of the Wall? My wife would probably have flown to Israel to be with them. My mother might never have chosen to wear a tallit. She might not have chosen to be called up for an Aliya. But, I will tell you what I think she would have done. I think she would have rooted them on … and, if anyone tried to stop them … well, I think she would have been one of the first to raise her voice and, if necessary, her fists.

Come to think of it, I think my mother of blessed memory just might have wound up getting herself locked in jail defending the rights of the Women of the Wall. So, if you ask me what kind of woman my momma was, I can answer that in one word … WOW!

Shalom my friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel of Deerfield Beach. High Holy Days tickets are now on sale in the Temple office off of Hillsboro and Military. Regular Shabbat services are open to everyone on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

I had the privilege of being able to go and see the fireworks at Deerfield Beach on the Fourth of July.

What a great time of year as we celebrate the independence of our country! I could not believe the number of people there at the beach to watch a fireworks show. I was really surprised because I thought it turned out to be one of the best fireworks shows in a very long time.

As we were walking back to our car, I began to calculate all the time and energy we had invested, along with thousands of others for some entertainment. We spent 15 minutes driving each way, 30 minutes walking each way, and 25 minutes being entertained.

I am not trying to say that there is anything wrong with being entertained because I absolutely loved the fireworks show and I was definitely entertained.

I guess it made me a little sad because we have an Easter sunrise service every year and we are always trying to find ways to get people to attend this wonderful celebration. I believe that it comes down to having a relationship with God and getting to know Him on a more personal level. Moses wanted to see God and have an encounter with Him, and, when Moses did this, he left God’s presence changed. When I am in church and spending time with God, I always leave changed and closer to God. What good does it do if we say we are friends with God and then not spend any time with Him? When people leave the sunrise service on Easter morning, they leave changed because they have had an encounter with God.

When I left the fireworks display on the 4th of July, I felt entertained. I felt good because it made me happy and kept my attention, but that was it.

When we left the fireworks show, it was over until next year.

When we have an encounter with God, we will leave His presence changed for good if we choose. Jacob had an encounter with God and he had a limp for the rest of his life as a reminder that he would be forever changed. It is nice to be entertained and have a good time, but it is even better to spend time with God and leave with something that you will never forget.

Sometimes, God will encourage us when we are down, love us when we are sad, hold us when we are hurting or even correct us when we make mistakes. No matter what the encounter, I always leave God’s presence with something I need.

The fireworks were great, but they did not help me with anything going on in my life. God wants to help you and encourage you, but you have to look for Him.

Tony Guadagnino is the pastor of Christian Love Fellowship Church