Week 278

Positive post Sunday, June 19, 2022- Week 278.

Posting a few hours early from Idaho.

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers in my like, Especially my own father Ken Rendler. You have been an amazing role model in my life. Your love and support, and the sacrifices you have made for my development have been the foundation on which I built the Triangle of Life; Faith, Family and Fitness. Speaking of Faith, I’d like to thank another Father who has deepened my faith over the past 3 years.

This past Saturday, we celebrated the 3 years we were blessed to have Fr. Gino Galley as one of our pastors at Holy Name of Jesus parish. We enjoyed food, music and games with fellow parishioners, while recognizing Fr. Gino, a true man of God, for the amazing service he has provided to us and our community. His positive impact on our faith community was very evident by how many families attended the event, the largest turn out for a parish event I have seen in many years. He has clearly touched the lives of countless faithful servants of the Lord, especially the youth in our community.

Fr. Gino is a man of many talents, including rapping, dancing, juggling and magic, but what I appreciate most about Fr. Gino is his natural God given ability to deliver spiritual, uplifting, high energy, thought provoking, timely, relevant and educational homilies. I have learned so much from Fr. Gino and I always leave church energized and reflective on my life and how I can be more Christ-like.

I remember a number of Fr. Gino’s homilies and I could write a PPS on many of them. One that stands out is the homily he delivered in November of last year, when he asked what appeared to be a simple question, “Have you ever wondered what the difference is between Joy and Happiness?”. On the surface, many thought they were interchangeable words, but Fr. Gino enlightened us and shared the subtle yet profound difference between happiness and joy. He noted that happiness is more of a state of mind, while joy is emotionally rooted in our faith in Christ. Here is a link to an article by Meg Bucher titled “The Beauty of Seeking Both Joy and Happiness in Christ” that I found insightful and that expands on Fr. Gino’s homily: .

Thank you for deepening my faith Fr. Gino. You have brought both happiness and joy into my life! I wish you the very best in your new assignment at UCR in Riverside (not too far to visit). May the good Lord continue to be with you and guide you as you spread the good word and energize the students at UCR.

Who is a Fr. Gino in your life? Have you let them know the positive impact they have had in your life and thanked them?

Who are you a Fr. Gino for others, sharing not only happiness but also joy in their lives?