I Look Like My Mom But...

I have been told my whole life that I look just like my mom: Kelly. There was more than once that people were stunned at how similar we looked. Admittedly, as a young man, that didn’t sit well with me. What 11-year-old wants to look like a girl?!

For years I lived in denial, but eventually, three facts helped me accept this reality. First, I became more secure in my masculinity. Then science confirmed what everyone already knew. I had a little more of my mom's DNA than my dad's. Finally, my daughter very much looks like me looking like my mom.

While I look like my mom, I’ve been told just as often that I act like my dad: Trey. My mom is as cool as a cucumber, but my dad, on the other hand, is very passionate about almost everything, and I'm way closer to him in that way. And it only gets worse as I get older. Allie has never said, “Ok, Kelly Rhodes,” but on more than one occasion (...last week) she said, “Ok, Trey Rhodes." What can I say, I look like my mom and act like my dad. Somehow both seem to be indelibly etched into who I am.
To greater and lesser degrees, we look and act like our parents. We don't mean to. It happens against our will. You’ll say something & think, “Oh my word, I sound like my mom.” It's ok, it's in your DNA. Literally.

Similarly, Peter tells us that as we resemble our earthly parents, when we have been reborn, we should begin to resemble our Heavenly Father. In a sense, we should look and act like him, sharing his spiritual DNA. It's a fascinating passage that explains why being a Christian means you are an exile.

Then, at the end of the worship service, we will have a baptism! Baptism is one of my favorite activities we do. I love celebrating a person's journey from death to life. Baptism is awesome! If you would like to know more about baptism, please let me know.