Cartoonist/Illustrator - Jeff Larson
Minnesota
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It's the summer of 2024, and it is... The Return of the Me-Monster! Like a B-movie horror flick sequel, he (Me) is back and bigger than ever!  I explore this topic almost yearly, as the ME-centric topic fits nicely with today's culture. Me, myself, and I. Me.. me.. me. What about me? What's in it for ME? The Me-Monster cartoon to the left is inspired by a sermon I heard a few years back. It Is about when our self-focus becomes excessive. Mr. Me-Monster is an ugly fella; his open mouth resembles an M, and the back of his throat an E. And when our motives and focus demonstrate a ME-FIRST attitude, our misfocused thoughts and actions can be just as ugly. Just turn on the TV, and we see ME-Folk flaunting success, possessions, and attitudes of self-importance everywhere. You don't have to look far to see celebrities, athletes, and politicians out there in front of the camera sharing their pious golden nuggets of 'truth' to the masses, fawning for adoration... all while you can hear the wind whistling through their ears past their empty thoughts. And this was all before Tik-Tok Today's measures of success are the car you drive, your home, your career, a trophy wife or hubby with good-looking kids on the honor roll, and the captain of their sports teams. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with any of these things unless it is the product of a me-monster mentality.  Even in the Church!
 Personally, I have more of an 'econo-sized' Me-Monster. My monster does not get identity from a high-profile existence, nor does my life check all the boxes regarding how society measures success. Still, my me-monster is alive, even if he operates on a budget. You see, I care plenty what others think about me and want me to be viewed as successful. I seek the love of my wife, children, and grandchildren, appreciate my friends, and do not want to be known for my past failings. I may set a low me-monster bar when I don't need much to be happy, but hiding my letting failures is still selfish. Avert your eyes; nothing to see here as we drive past several of Jeff's life train derailments. Oh, look, Jeff sure liked to drink... Oh my, how can he use that type of language and never been a sailor?... and... Wow, look at all that depression & anxiety. These are just a few of my budget me-monster moments. I claim to be humble and not known for outstanding accomplishments, possessions, or status, but I think that may be a cover, as my fears and worries are also all about ME. But we have the promises of God found in His Word that cover all topics, including Me-Monsters. Here are a few scripture helps
 My prayer is that you find this annual Me-Monster reminder helpful to realize a life filled with God and others.
May God bless and use each of us in ways beyond our dreams for His glory, not our own. May our lives build God's Kingdom and not our own. And may your day be Me-Monster free. Jeff The Apostle Paul lived free of the Me-Monster. -> 6/16/2024 Father's Day 2024 Happy Fathers Day to all you dads! It is a fine day, and I look forward to it each year to remember my very good dad who passed away 20+ years ago... and hopefully to be remembered by my 3 kids for being an at least OK dad. I miss my dad for many good reasons. He was a great dad, fun grandpa, provider, and devoted to my mom. But I also appreciate a less appreciated 'quality'—his dry sense of humor. My dad was funny and even played a drawing game when I was a preschooler, which got me hooked on cartooning. I like to call his sense of humor the art of being 'an introvert trapped in a world full of people.'  I remember an example of this a few years back when I was joking around with my then-15-year-old daughter Erin, trying to get a rise out of her. She laughed and said, “Dad, you are so weird.” I replied, “Weird, like my daughter.” Of course, she nodded in agreement, recognizing me as the source of her quirky sense of humor since her mom’s sense of humor travels a more traditional road. To console Erin, I said… “You know this strange sense of humor actually comes from her Grandpa Larson.” Then, after a short pause as she let that sink in. I spoke again like my dad. “Oh sure, blame the dead guy.” Erin and I then chuckled over this cringeworthy comment, which only served to reinforce the truth our so-called humor was in the blood.  Similarly, my dad taught me the important and underappreciated art of good-natured teasing. Please don’t confuse this with mean-spirited, cruel teasing; our teasing is more like pestering to get a rise out of someone. You see, no harm, no foul. It is the type of good-natured needling that friends and family do to show they like each other. Well, at least my family does this. Of course the one caveat to this teasing. When one teases another to the point of aggravation, the teaser must continue to tease just a little longer. This is a delicate part of the process. The whole process could be ruined if the teasing goes too long or not long enough. Like baking a cake... maybe. My dad was particularly good at teasing my wife to that point. Or maybe he was bad at it depending on if you asked my wife or me in private. He could really bug her, but somehow she loved him too. ?? I think so anyways. Of course, the above is shared with a smile or smirk... with just the right amount of embellishment. My dad was defined by much more than a quirky sense of humor. My dad, Walter Larson, was a kind man with a big heart and an appreciation for the simple pleasures in life, like strong coffee. No one ever confused him with being a theologian , philosopher , or a CEO of any corporation except Walter Larson Logging. But everyone knew my dad as a good man, and I knew my dad was proud of me and believed in me even in my less-than-bright and shining moments. So, what greater reward can I have on Father's Day than to know I was blessed with a good father who taught me important lessons about family, friends, and seeing the best in others? If this would be my legacy for my kids and nothing else, this would make me smile.  My dad never left me a fortune to inherit unless he put it in a lunch box and buried it in the woods (and never told me where!), and at my present rate, my kids are not inheriting much except a hard drive full of cartoons , and my kneaded eraser. BUT.. I desire to give them what my dad gave me. A home with love, laughter, good coffee, good food, and most importantly, a personal faith in the God of our Bibles’. May your Heavenly Father bless you on this Father's Day. May God provide healing, peace in hurting relationships, love, and humble appreciation for those who have been so good like me. Jeff (Father & Grandfather) Larson  And finally let me leave you with...
Satan remembered on Father's Day -> 6/10/2024 PRAYING for our COW? No, you have not mistakenly opened a random Wisconsin Dairyland post or The Hindu Daily blog; you have opened yet another insightful Christian post in The Back Pew. Let me start by clearly stating conflicts and misunderstandings of ideas and purpose between the Christian faith and this secular world are as old as Genesis and continue today. <-- random Genesis COW cartoon  You don't need to be an Atheist, Muslim, Jihadist, or New Ager to pick a fight. It's as easy as creating your own pronouns or becoming an activist on any college campus. All you have to do is disagree with Biblical Christianity. You know, things like denying the resurrection of Jesus or His claim to be the only way to the Father. Stuff like that. And so more is true of the harsh words, indignant anger, and pious pouting, both sincere and 'intentional' misunderstandings between the 'brethren.' We Christians sure know how to NOT get along. Like I said, sometimes sincere disagreements, and other times, we just make stuff up.  For example, there was... The Great Real Estate Scandal of Ananias and Sapphira is recorded in Acts 5:1-11. In Acts 15:36-41 Paul and Barnabas parted ways over a ministry staffing issue regarding John Mark. Then, outside of our Bibles, we find the history of the Christian Church (the good, the bad, and the ugly) from Constantine to the birth of Catholicism, that little reformation issue raised by Martin Luther in 1517, Calvinism was predestined to show up in the 16th Century.  Everyone was 'up in arms' over the Charismatic movement in the 1960s. Topics like indulgences, the prosperity gospel, and those get-rich-quick faith 'healers' all have earned well-deserved bullseyes as we war with each other on social media with the brethren. Some are amusing, and many are unnecessary, while others clearly relish declaring heresy as quickly as ordering from Amazon Prime. Okay, the above misunderstandings can get heavy. Many are painful to talk about and painful to the TRUE MESSAGE of the Gospel, which declares Jesus Christ is the one way to Heaven. We are commanded to Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and then to love others as ourselves. The rest is trivia by comparison. There, the last paragraph is this post's one serious summary message, but now... let me clarify the 'PRAYER for cows?' title.  As I have shared many times, I was blessed with Christian parents and attended a gospel-preaching church in my hometown of Cable, Wisconsin. The congregation of this church included people of all ages, including my Grandpa Ross. I remember the years after I graduated from high school when I still lived in the area. I would attend church on a Sunday morning sitting in the appropriate Back Pew while my Grandpa Ross, now in his early 80s, would sit next to the patriarch of Cable Church, Clarence Karow, up towards the front left of the center aisle.  They were both widowers now, and both had their hearing aids turned up high enough to make the neighboring dogs bark from their squeals. And, after years of running a chainsaw as a logger, my grandpa was especially hard of hearing. Anyways, when they spoke, it was never a whisper, so each service would end; my grandpa would say to Clarence ... "Well, I guess we made it through another one." Okay, it may not be as funny to you as it is to me, but it is a sweet memory of that old man, my grandpa Ross. Now, fast forward a lot of life between this story of my Grandpa Ross and a couple of Sundays ago and a story about my wife and I, who now hold the titles of Grandma and Grandpa Larson. About 45 years after the Grandpa Ross story, my wife and I are the grandparents with, at times, hearing issues. Anyway, we now attend a Gospel-preaching church in Ramsey, Minnesota. Like my home church in Cable, Wisconsin, it is well attended by people of all ages. So, the other week, we were sitting with another couple that sat between us. The stage is set for our church to PRAY for our COWS.  During the service, there was a time when people could share praise or prayer requests. A woman sitting with her family stood up and asked for a prayer for her cow. I was unsure I was hearing her right, so I continued listening. I learned that she has asked for prayer before as her COW as there is an infection that is not easily treated. It may take even years of specialized antibiotics to get this infection under control. So I am thinking, ok, so she must live on a small farm, and the well-being of her COW has some significance that I don't understand since I only have a dog. Meanwhile, my wife, sitting three chairs away, has the same understanding as me and is equally puzzled ( I learned this later in the car on the drive home). Well, I figured out as she touched her son, and people gathered that they would pray for her son... CAL? Around the same time, my wife Mary whispers to her friend, sitting beside her, "Are we praying for her COW? Her friend told her no, her son CAL. So, while I loved to tell the story about my Grandpa Ross, I think someday in Heaven, he will greet me with a high-five and say, " He has never laughed so hard as when I prayed for a COW."
There, I am done. May your day be free of misunderstandings or meaningless conflicts. I pray we tolerate those we disagree with while always standing strong for God's Loving Truths in His Word. May we all find humor in our days and be blessed with the ability to laugh at ourselves and with others. Jeff (hearing aides loaded) Larson 6/8/2024 PRAYER... what if? If MILK does a BODY good, then. PRAYER does a BODY & SOUL good. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952. Since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way. President Ronald Reagan moved the observance to the first Thursday in May and has proclaimed it each year since.  But, IF we believe prayer is powerful, and IF we prayed for our nation.. then why is our nation such a mess? Today, where there are wars, rumors of wars, race conflicts, gender confusion, abortion, a border crisis, and a rising cost of living, all while partisan politics are all the rage (literally). But... What if... we prayed for our nation? 2 Chronicles 7:14 What if... we prayed boldly Joshua 1:9 What if... we prayed expectantly? Psalms 4:1 What if... we prayed specifically James 5:16 What if... Prayed without ceasing? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Think about it, Prayer is access to God. If you believe this, then this is the time we should pray with humility and HOPE. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 We should not reduce prayer to a hocus-pocus moment, or making wishes to a Genie in a Lamp, or rote words spoken quickly before an evening meal or only spoken when the roof caves in on our lives.  Are you too busy to pray? I sometimes think I am, as my busy mind in this 24/7 stimulating society overwhelms my thoughts. But how long does it take to say the Lord's Prayer, which perfectly outlines everything we need to pray for daily? Let's follow Jesus' instructions on how to pray. “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (GREAT IS OUR GOD) your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (YOUR WILL NOT MINE) Give us today our daily bread. (PLEASE MEET OUR NEEDS) And forgive us our debts, (FORGIVE ME) as we also have forgiven our debtors. (FORGIVE OTHERS) And lead us not into temptation (STAY FROM TEMPTATION) but deliver us from the evil one.’ (PROTECTION) Matthew 6:5-15 Then, I can close my prayer with AMEN. Peace be still.. Mark 4:39 are the words Jesus used to calm the sea, and PEACE BE STILL is the promise for all of us in this life that at times rages like a stormy sea.  What if we prayed the Lord's Prayer Daily (not as a rote process) and dwelled on each part? I believe it would CHANGE THE WORLD. I have featured a cartoon of your typical business meeting in Hell, where there is great concern regarding Hell's lack of influence when Christians pray. This is a 'ScrewTape letters' sort of moment capturing prayer's true (too often untapped) power.  Every one of us has personal challenges of stress, loneliness, depression, tragedy, debt, sickness, and/or death greeting us daily. Psalms 23 comes to mind as we walk through the valley of the shadow of Death. This is a fallen world, and I make this worse when like Peter, I take my eyes off Jesus and become tossed and turned by a me-centric raging sea of my own making.  One last reminder.. let’s be as the Bible teaches in an attitude of prayer. Pray without ceasing, which means we communicate with God throughout our day.
Flowery, lofty words are not needed. Instead, honest, ongoing communication about life with our loving Heavenly Father. Today, let PRAYER become a cornerstone part of our lives as we experience a deeper relationship with God. Blessings (PRAYING in the Back Pew), Larson 6/6/2024 I'M BACK... as a woman?I am back, posting a blog for the first time in months. My summer is about to begin, and I plan on returning to posting regularly, LIKE IT OR NOT. But, I'm NOT BACK as a woman. While I may be confused about a number of things (like where my car keys are now), I am a dude. Well before the 2022 'What is a Woman' documentary by Matt Walsh, I knew what a woman was, and I was... NOT. But for today, I am reposting an old blog ironically during PRIDE MONTH, when our society gone AMUCK celebrates all things LGBTQ, and I wondered if... I WAS A WOMAN.  Now travel with me back a few years when I worked from home while my wife rushed off to everyday to her job as a school teacher. For me, there was no punching a clock or fighting rush hour traffic only a time of prolonged coffee drinking and the weighty decision of when/or if I got dressed for the day. Pajama Day was a regular celebration in my at-home workplace environment.  I remember one particular morning when the alarm went off. My wife Mary hopped out of bed, ready to begin another day of molding young minds in her 3rd-grade classroom. Anyway, though I work from home, I pop out of bed to spend time with my bride and maybe make myself useful. So I shuffle downstairs, start the coffee, let the dogs outside, they do their 'bizness', then back in they come to be fed  My wife soon joins me downstairs to drink coffee and eat a slice of toast with honey. We exchange a little small talk about the upcoming day while the fog lifts from our sleepy brains. After a few minutes, my wife starts back upstairs to finish getting ready, but on her way up, she asks with a smile, “Honey, would you fix my lunch?” Fortunately for her, I have grown fond of her over the years and am happy to make myself useful. So, off to the kitchen, I make a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, just like Mary likes. I also pack a small bag of chips and a couple of cookies because she is sweet. Just a few minutes later, Mary rushes downstairs, looking pretty and ready to teach another day. She grabs her keys and lunch (made with love) and quickly kisses me as she heads out the door. This is when I say to her in a very 'needy' tone... “Call me later, I miss you when I don’t hear from you.” <insert dramatic pause here> “Call me later, I miss you when I don’t hear from you.” What kind of REAL man EVER says anything like this? I can still see those words hanging in the air (like a cartoon bubble) when they hit me. I HAVE JUST BECOME A WOMAN! This was concerning. I mean... I do not suffer from the above-mentioned gender dysphoria, watch RuPaul Drag Race, rout for swimmer Lia Thomas, march in any Pride Parades, or follow Bruce/Kaitlyn 'gender-bender 'Jenner. Sooo... let's consider this "Call me later, I miss you..." comment a weak moment with poorly chosen words never to be uttered again  The good news is my wife and I are true partners, and I share this all with a big smirk. Our roles as husband & wife, father & mother, grandpa and grandma are not blurred, and Ephesians 5:21-33 is our model for a happy marriage.
So let me leave this silly post as I pray you all have a very blessed and PRIDE-less month of June without a smidge of gender confusion. Jeff (gender holding steady) Larson |
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Back Pew - Draw Close to God
My Book- 116 pages of cartoons of 'Clean Humor & God's Truth' CRITICS ARE SAYING.
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6/19/2024
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