Post-Holiday Update

On January 12, 2026January 12, 2026 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

My apologies for such a long hiatus. Life has been full and meaningful since posting three weeks ago. I just needed that “long winter’s nap” to recover from everything. 🙂 But I’ve missed you! Anyway, our Christmas Eve candlelight service was rich and wonderful, not to mention well attended. Samuel and Levi practiced their parts (singing “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World” while standing next to me with lit candles), and they nailed it.

After worship, we watched—at Drew’s request—the first part of Jesus of Nazareth, focusing on the Gospel Infancy Narratives. Peter Ustinov hits it out of the park as Herod the Great. Olivia Hussey (what a name for someone playing the blessed virgin Mary!) is likewise stellar in her role as the mother of Christ. In fact, except for a few duds along the way, this epic film from the mid-80s is very well cast and perfectly set. I have the script almost memorized.

Our Christmas Day celebration was magical, too, especially with the boys growing in their awareness of what the fuss is really all about. After verifying that Jesus was in the manger, and singing “Happy Birthday” to him, we read together from Matthew 2 and then opened our gifts. Christmas dinner followed, and then the kids were off to their next stop.

The next day we traveled to Delaware and spent half a week with Sonya’s siblings and their families. The food and desserts we enjoyed were amazing, but my stomach (thankfully) can’t hold what it used to, and it (unthankfully) lets me know that in various ways! It’s great to be down 65 lbs., but I’d still like to go 15 more. That might require getting back in the pool. We’ll see.

On Sunday, January 4, we hosted an Epiphany party at our house for neighbors, friends, and church members. That, too, was well attended, and it was fun to connect with all who came. I get a little sad when all the festivities are over, but there’s much to look forward to in the coming year. Leading the list is Andrew’s wedding in May. In addition to planning on all the arrangements, he and An are looking for a house close to where they work.

Right now, Sight & Sound is in their “changeover” period, which means long and strange hours as they get ready for their new show (Joshua). It’s a massive effort to coordinate all aspects of a major theater production. The new cast rehearses during the day, which pushes the tech team to have to work second- and third-shift hours. But I’m already getting hints that it’s going to be amazing.

Additionally, their film, A Great Awakening, is set to release in theaters on Easter weekend. Andrew has a small role in it, and Sonya is an extra—a townsperson attending Whitefield’s revival service. With multiple takes for that scene, she says she got saved seven times during the filming. 🙂

Yesterday we celebrated Micah’s birthday here at our house, complete with a big dinner from Tosco’s. His boys love him to pieces, as do we. He’s such a good husband and father, and he just got elected (unanimously) to be a deacon at his church. He’s also a big cheese where he works, and they love the value he brings to the practice.

My own research and writing efforts have included a massive study on the Trinity, along with my doctoral dissertation on the torn veil in the temple. Both are going well, albeit slower than I would like. The outside teaching and speaking calendar is also coming into view, and it looks like the year ahead will be full and inspirational. I suppose my main prayer request would be for good health, energy, and focus to accomplish it all. There’s a lot of noise in the world right now, and it’s all too easy to be sucked into the vortex of its never-ending brokenness.

Until the warm weather returns, I’ll be inside the house building forts with Samuel and Levi. They recently discovered the magic of creating their little man caves, and I’m here for it.

Be well.

Less on the face means more in the belly!

I wonder where Andrew gets his silliness from.

Every year Micah defiles our Nativity scene. This year it was a Crystal Cave sign.

Getting ready for the kids to stop by on Christmas morning.

Lyrics we were singing to my mom when she went to be with Jesus.

Speaking of mid-80s, here’s a schmaltzy one from that period. Anyway, it’s nice to be back.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7:00 p.m.

On December 23, 2025December 23, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

Local friends, the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Christ Community Church (Myerstown, PA) is one of the highlights of our church calendar. Our theme this year is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” from Luke 15:11-24. The service will be held at 7:00 p.m. and will feature traditional Christmas carols, a brass ensemble, a holiday message, and the lighting of candles during “Silent Night.”

A nursery will be provided. Plates for a benevolence offering will be available at the back of the sanctuary to help needy families in our community. Invite a friend to come find hope and encouragement in the good news of Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church.

Join us online or in person.

CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
121 S. College Street (Route 501)
Myerstown, PA 17067
(717) 866-5353

Located 1 mile south of Route 422

A Place to Hope. A Place to Heal.

From Granny Flat to Primary Bedroom

On December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

O.k., here it is—a video walk-through of our new primary bedroom. Sorry my voice is so scratchy. I must have uncorked the sermon pretty good yesterday. LOL. Anyway, this was the major home improvement project in 2025, converting my mother-in-law’s little apartment (a.k.a. the granny flat) to our primary bedroom. I especially like the batten board accent wall. And I had to show you the “round-and-round tree,” as the boys call it. They think it’s magical, just like I did when I was a little boy. Enjoy!

Never without Hope

On December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

It was a sad weekend in our neck of the woods. First, we got news that one of our parishioners, who was recently diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, will need a second (and more aggressive) round of chemotherapy to reach remission before her care team will do any bone marrow treatments. We feel horrible on her behalf, but we are not without hope.

Second, a parishioner from a previous church had her ashes spread on Saturday. Her husband and sons are in deep grief for this wife and mother who died all too young. “For dust you are, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). She knew Christ as her Lord and Savior, so here again, we are not without hope.

Finally, we got news yesterday that my sister-in-law had to put her dog Buddy down. We would dog sit him whenever she and her husband went on vacation. Rescued out of a horrible situation nine years ago, Buddy was the kindest, most chill creature we’ve ever known. Yet even here we are not without hope. Apparently, all dogs go to heaven. (Except for Puffy, the demon-possessed Pomeranian.)

All this came on the heels of a hellish news week, one featuring terrorism and death around the world and here at home. Again. (And some of it was done in the name of the twisting of one of the world’s major religions.) Who cannot sympathize with the ancient lament, “How long, O Lord?”

But through all the hard times of life, God cares for his people. That’s why he came to us on that first Christmas. God in Christ didn’t avoid the miseries of this world. Rather, he entered into those miseries, experienced them firsthand, and then swallowed them up. He’s coming again someday to make all things new. In the meantime, we can count on his lavishing love to carry us through the hard times.

Bethany told me a while back that she won’t be able to attend a Christmas Eve service when I’m gone. I said to my precious little girl, “You need to be brave and go light those candles like you always do. The light they hold represents all that gives us hope beyond the grave.”

Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Christmas Eve—and all that it represents—is everything. Everything.

Have a good cry if you need to when life is hard. “Blessed are those who mourn,” said Jesus. He should know. Christ had tears streaming down his own cheeks on more than one occasion, too. He was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” So you’re in good company if you “lose it” once in a while. It’s o.k. to not be o.k. for a season. After all, it’s only a season. “Joy comes in the morning.”

So, dare to cling to hope. And let Hope himself cling to you. The Christmas manger leads to an empty tomb. It’s still a Christ-kissed earth that we live on, so we are never without hope.

Neither Ginger Nor Bread in These Houses

On December 10, 2025December 10, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

Wednesdays are the best. And today was the best of the best, as we made our annual gingerbread houses with the boys. I say “gingerbread,” but there’s neither ginger nor bread in these constructions. I say “house,” too, but Samuel made a police station, and Levi made the garage for the police station. We also added some snowmen made from marshmallows.

Our kitchen is trashed right now. And it’s the loveliest room in the house. I’ll let the “houses” harden and then take some pics later. But below are a couple snaps of the artists at work. And some old guy I don’t recognize anymore.

Serenity

On December 7, 2025December 10, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

There’s a holy peace and tranquility on Sunday mornings at 4:30 a.m. before the flurry of activity needed to pull off Sunday school and corporate worship. I enjoy it immensely. Above is the classic tree in our family room. We have another one in the living room, covered in random ornaments that were made and collected over the years. They tell more of the family story.

Then there’s the aluminum tree made in the 1960s that I inherited from my parents. That one is located in our primary bedroom. It could survive a nuclear blast. Samuel and Levi call it “the round-and-round tree” because it has a gold base that rotates it clockwise, along with a color wheel that throws light on it. Gaudy though it is, they love it, as do I. That tree is the family story, at least on my side. I grew up with it, so it has a kind of magic to me.

Since the boys love trains, I added an N-gauge train around the base this year. I may have to do a brief video of the aluminum tree, as I never shared pictures of our renovated “granny flat” from after my mother-in-law passed away almost two years ago. But duty calls, so, more later.

Four Already

On December 2, 2025December 2, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

Samuel turned four on Monday, and we had a wonderful celebration with him Sunday after church. First, his family and closest friends gathered at Ballocity at the Works entertainment complex in Wyomissing, where the kids exhausted themselves playing in the indoor jungle gym. There were lots of rosy cheeks and tousled hair by the end of our time there. We then drove to his house in Womelsdorf where we enjoyed cake and ice cream, and Samuel got to open his presents. It was heartwarming to watch him share his new toys with his brother and friends.

It was a police officer-themed event, as Samuel is enjoying lights, sirens, and catching bad guys these days. On Monday, his actual birthday, we joined him for lunch at the restaurant of his choosing—Chik-fil-A. They had an indoor playground there, too, which may have been a bigger draw for him than the waffle fries.

I love this little guy so much. In fact, one of the biggest joys in my life these days is to hear him (and his brother) call me “Papa.” He is light years beyond “precious” to my heart. Below are some shots from the day, along with a few other miscellaneous pics from last week.

“I get the first piece of cake, but who’s going to cut it?”

Making Thanksgiving cookies–turkeys with orange sprinkles.

After 27 years, we had to get a new tractor. Levi already had his John Deere and wanted to compare.

I Would Love to Try This

On November 27, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn On the Lighter Side1 Comment

But I’m pretty sure I know how it would end.

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‘Torn Veil in the Temple’: My Dissertation Title, Thesis, and Outline

On November 26, 2025December 11, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

The title of my second doctoral dissertation is “Torn Veil in the Temple: God’s Commentary on the Death of His Son and Epicenter of His New Creation in Christ.” My thesis is as follows:

“The torn veil in the temple is God’s commentary on the death of his Son and the epicenter of his new creation in Christ. It is visual theology from heaven signaling the start of the promised new covenant era through a dramatic display of divine vandalism. The paradoxical result of this token judgment on the temple is universal access to God’s relational presence and the restoration of Edenic shalom for those who embrace the Son, as the cherubim guarding the tree of life have been dismissed from their post. Humanity can walk with God again freely, undefiled by the ravages of guilt, shame, and despair. Because the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom at the precise moment of Jesus’s death on the cross—the world’s final purification offering—one may be confident that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.”

Though I’ve never met him, I’d like to offer a word of thanks to Dr. Daniel M. Gurtner, whose work on this subject has inspired my own. In his dissertation, Gurtner suggests no less than ten areas of additional research for helping the church better understand what the torn veil signifies. He wants to “prompt scholars to rearrange the pieces of this puzzle in a different yet coherent manner.”

My dissertation seeks to build on his estimable work and rearrange some of the pieces. In short, it seeks to create a biblical theology of the veil using a historical-contextual approach. It’s truly a labor of love on a topic that has tantalized me more than any other since I first met Jesus Christ by faith back when I was a freshman swimmer at West Virginia University.

More to come later. (At this rate, much later, though I’m working on it!) Anyway, here is the outline:

Dissertation Table of Contents (Unnumbered)Download

Artistic conception of the original tabernacle veil according to Exodus 26:31–33 (Courtesy of Andrew Valentino)

Next Up: Thanksgiving and Christmess

On November 20, 2025November 21, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

You may have heard of that tea called “Sleepytime,” the caffeine-free herbal blend by Celestial Seasonings designed to help folks relax and unwind before bedtime. Well, I must have been drinking a new flavor this week called “Weepytime,” as the tears have begun to flow a little more freely these days. How come?

The temperatures outside are plunging, and the turkey inside awaits a good smoking. The leaves on the ground are rustling around and painting the landscape with perfection. Tthe holly berries out back have erupted, stippling their way across the massive green backdrop that pricks all who come near. That can only mean Thanksgiving is close at hand—the wonderful American holiday in November where we push the pause button on life and celebrate the goodness of God to us. “Count your many blessings, name them ton by ton.”

My sister has been safely resting in Jesus for a year now, and that touches the heart. So does the thought of receiving a new daughter-in-law next year. Samuel and Levi, of course, continue to delight my soul, as do the growth and expanded ministries of our church, which is motivated to follow hard after Jesus. (God gave us a Christian preschool out of the blue this year after a time of fasting and prayer.) There’s been good progress on a massive dissertation, which is turning out to be my life’s work and the best of all I know about God and his ways from Scripture. Food, clothing, shelter, family—the list of things for which I can be thankful is long and lovely.

But the floodgates opened in earnest a few days ago when I unpacked our new Nativity scene. I’ve been wanting to get a replacement for several years now because the one we’ve been using is a bit too antiseptic for my taste. The new one is much more rustic and realistic. It’s earthy and crude, which I like because the first Christmas was really a Christmess.

God came down. All the way down. And landed in a manger—right on top of cow spit and barnyard bacteria. Right on top of King Herod’s royal bombast and bluster, thus inflaming his rage and insecurities. Yes, Jesus came a long way to save us. Two thousand years ago, the eternal Son of God stepped across the stars of the universe to become a zygote in the womb of Mary, a teenage girl from a tiny town no one esteemed. And then he was born like one of us. Did he suck his thumb that first night in the feeding trough?

The Prince of Peace came in peace. Nothing is more disarming and unthreatening than a baby. But how is this possible? This is Almighty God we’re talking about here. The one who fills the universe is now filling his diaper? I still can’t fully get my mind around the incarnation. No worries, though; it has captured my heart and unleashed my imagination, and that’s good enough for me. It reduces me to a puddle every single year, whether I want it to or not. I suspect that’s because I believe it with the totality of my being.

We won’t display the new Nativity scene until the last dish is dried from the Thanksgiving feast. After all, we’re not decoration heretics. But even then, it won’t contain the newborn Christ until Christmas morning. Advent comes first, and we’re taking Samuel and Levi on an Advent-ure of anticipation, helping them learn to wait for the good things God has for them. (That’s a good lesson for big kids, too.) So, every time we walk past the crèche, we look for baby Jesus and say, “He’s not here yet, but he’s coming.”

Yes, he’s coming again, friends. Jesus is coming back to the planet he made and the people he loves. That, too, is a good lesson for big kids. Are you ready?

The local Home Depot has a series of workshops for the little ones.

Brothers at the Pretzel Hut on Papa-Gaga Day.

Levi loves going down the slide backwards.

The boys love the indoor playground at Ephrata Community Church.

“And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall” (Malachi 4:2b).

Levi going all the way to the top for the big slide.

The trees at our church have been stunning this fall.

Not one but two “burning bushes” off the church parking lot.

The tree-lined walkway out the front of the church.

The shifting sounds of fall to winter.

Brothers!

On November 11, 2025November 11, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

They get along so well. Most of the time.

A recent snap.

Noticeable changes even from May.

Levi thinks this hat is hilarious.

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

It’s too early to know for sure, but my guess is that Samuel is going to be the scholar/musician, and Levi is going to be the class clown/linebacker. Time will tell.

💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

And, just because it’s so soothing…

Time Keeps on Slippin’…

On November 9, 2025November 9, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn GeneralLeave a comment

Samuel is turning four in three weeks, and oh what a blessing he’s been to my heart. The joy has been non-stop since his birth. And yet, there’s been a slight pinch in my soul recently that I’m trying to process. “Samuel Sandwiches” are no longer a thing, and after a recent tickle fight and attempted game of “This little piggy went to market,” Samuel informed me that he doesn’t want to do “baby things” anymore.

All righty, then, Mr. Samuel. Message received. You’re growing up, and I need to let that happen. Thankfully, he still lets me cuddle with him as he’s falling asleep during pizza-movie night, but I’m sure the days of that great delight are numbered, too. Still, I will love him without measure every stage of his journey while I’m on this planet—just the way he needs to be loved. That, too, is part of the joy. And it makes me have to grow up, too.

A Moment to Remember

On November 4, 2025November 4, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

As promised, here are some pictures from Andrew and An’s special day at Longwood Gardens last week. The custom ring is finally here, too. Since An is a Lord of the Rings aficionado, Drew put an Elvish twist on the presentation. She loved it, as well as the ring itself, which features her favorite gem stones and interlocking A’s from their first names. She also has Drew’s grandmother’s ring to wear. Wedding planning has begun, and we couldn’t be happier for the happy couple.

Arrested!

On October 31, 2025November 1, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General1 Comment

I love it when Halloween falls on Pizza-Movie night. On the other hand, I did get arrested earlier for robbing a bank and making off with the loot. Samuel was a police officer this year, and I was a bad guy. I was actually dressed as a Philadelphia Phillie when he arrived, but he insisted I dress like a criminal. I think he enjoyed cuffing me a little too much.

Levi was a John Deere tractor this time around. He picked up farmer girl Sonya and gave her a ride around the neighborhood, where we collected lots of fun-size candy bars and other treats. The folks on our block were all charmed. We’re waiting now for the inevitable sugar crash, followed by lots of snuggling. What a blast we’re having already this weekend.

Every child does this with Bugle snacks.

She Said, ‘Yes!’

On October 30, 2025 By Tim ValentinoIn General3 Comments

We are thrilled to announce that our son Andrew is engaged to be married! At around 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 27, he asked the love of his life, An Le, to be his wife. He proposed to her at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, using his grandmother’s wedding ring, which is loaded with meaning and sentimentality.

Drew actually designed and commissioned a uniquely tailored ring with An’s favorite gemstones in it, along with an interlocking configuration of A’s from their first names. Alas, that ring won’t be ready for another few days. While the delay was initially disappointing, the heirloom ring brought a sense of family history into this precious moment.

Drew’s Grandpa Keith worked for an entire summer painting army barracks at Fort Hood, Texas, so he could buy that diamond for his fiancé, the one who would eventually become my mother-in-law. Without him and Grandma Lorena, Sonya would not be here, and neither would Andrew. He was their first grandchild, and the newest joy of their lives—a thrill I understand a whole lot better these days. On bended knee in a beautiful garden, he brought his grandparents’ love and legacy into a sacred event the happy couple will never forget.

An wearing Grandma Lorena’s wedding ring.

More important than any ring, however, is the one wearing it. An is a lovely Christian woman with a deep personal faith and commitment to Jesus. She is gracious, kind, warm, and engaging. She’s also an exceptional piano player, and we love to hear her “go to town” on the ivories. She is able, even from memory, to play classical music as well as hymns and worship songs. She has a captivating smile, and she adores children, including Samuel and Levi, which means she has good taste. (And also because she’s crazy about Andrew!) We love her to pieces!

Drew and An met at Sight & Sound Theatre, near Lancaster, where they both work. Their encounter was made possible when Drew decided to leave the photojournalism business several years ago and reboot his life. It was an act of faith and courage on his part, and I’m exceedingly proud of him for taking such a bold step. The station where he worked would not give him Sunday mornings off to attend church, and they constantly asked him to signal-boost—not just report—events that were contrary to his Christian faith. Not only that, he had seen enough violence, crime, and human devastation covering the news to last a lifetime.

So, providentially, he made his way to Sight & Sound, where he could put his Film & Media Arts degree from Temple University to good use for the kingdom of Christ. Little did we realize at the time that God had a divine encounter awaiting him in the person of An (pronounced “Ahn”) Le (pronounced “Lay”), who works in the theatre’s Hospitality Department.

Her father Phil is a medical doctor who, at the age of 11, was rushed onto a plane during the fall of Saigon, Vietnam. The Communists were rounding up and killing Christians, and Phil’s neighborhood was scheduled for execution the next day. Blessedly, that emergency flight out of the country saved his life. More divine providence.

Knowing the proposal would be made Monday—and anticipating An’s joyful acceptance of it—Andrew, Sonya, and I gathered Sunday night for a time of prayer to thank God for his goodness to us. There were, of course, tears of delight as we remembered praying—even while standing by Drew’s crib when that first contraction hit and we knew it was time to go to the hospital—for our firstborn’s future spouse.

An, you are an answer to many prayers that go way back in time. Welcome to the family, dear one. We love you, and we pledge to pray for you into the future as well.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Engagement pictures (and snaps of the custom ring) forthcoming.