Stephen De La Vega

  What would happen if the pilots of the United States Navy  Blue Angels  fail to follow the command of their Flight Leader? I will not venture a guess, but the gaze from onlookers would shift form admiration to disillusionment. Falling short of the teamwork and professionalism we expect of each pilot, the United States  Navy  and  MarineCorps  could lose credibility. Their reputation of excellence could be replaced by irreverence. Accidents do happen, but we don’t expect them from these ranking officers of the US Navy and Marine Corps who each tallied at least 1250 hours of flight experience. People across the globe have witnessed their competency as they blaze at speeds up to 700 mph during an air show and buzz as close as 18” between wings. The role of the Flight Leader is critical and it demands precision from each team member. The slightest error can be devastating. Following the direction of God as our Flight Leader should also demand excelle...

When we contemplate the canvas of life, I hope we recognize that God is the Master Painter. He determines the colors, the background, the foreground, the objects, and the goings on in His big picture. We see in limited frames, but God combines them onto a single, grand canvas, with the richness of differing perspectives, multiple art forms and mediums, and expertly woven nuances of light and dark space across and beyond varied genres and time periods. God is the artful Master, and He profoundly captures the details of our interests, talents, and emotions within a single image. And then another that expresses a new adventure or a different struggle, and ever-maturing qualities as time elapses. All that is within our hearts, that which was before and that which is to come, are deeply impressed in our eyes as He unveils His treasure: each one of us – each individual, eternal person. The Master Painter never overlooks the value of texture and depth. Each portrait within ea...