![]() There is the saying going around, 'God is not a Republican or a Democrat.' I look at the major candidates for the upcoming presidential election, Donald Trump or Joe Biden, and I go, YUP, you nailed that one on the head. Trump, while I do believe he did a good job when in office I don't really like him, but Joe? He is a hot mess. He is in decline cognitively, and appears to be a puppet manipulated by others. No offense intended for those of you who like either of these frontrunners, but just 'blurting' my opinion. ![]() The real issue of the day is there are too many issues. There are so many ISSUES with more opinions regarding these ISSUES. Then, the politicians weigh in, and since an election is coming up, their politicized views are loud, bold and more often than not, completely partisan. AND... In my opinion, politicians are like taxes. There are too many, they are unfair, lack reason, they never go away. ie Mitch McConnel and Nancy Pelosi are on my non-partisan short list of politicians overstaying their welcome. ![]() So I watch the 24/7 regurgitated news to catch up on current events. BAD IDEA! This is not reporting news, they are News SHOWS all for ratings, while delivering politicized narratives highlighting hate, rage, protests, division, and wars mostly promoting some sort of pagan ideal. Truly void of any Godly message of hope. And have you noticed the absence of GOOD NEWS? These stories are as rare as Big Foot sightings. So what's a sincere believer to do? Turn to this 66-year-old Christian cartoonist for advice? I would be flattered, but it is probably not a great idea. But if you want snarky answers to complex problems, I am available. Someone recently posed on X (formerly Twitter) the question... What are the most important issues to you in the coming election? This got me to respond the following in no particular order and I could not pick just one. THE BORDER - our open border put us all at risk NATIONAL DEBT - spending, and waste at all levels of government is out of control HEALTH CARE - It appears to be about greed first, then maybe actual health care. AND today 'health care' includes abortion, and gender affirming 'mutilation'. CRIME - is out of control with no real consequences JUDICAL SYSTEM - coddles the criminals, and at times persecutes the victim. MSM - Is a Godless entity that spews hate and lies. It is a DARK FORCE. GENDER ASSAULT - men are men, women are women. Anything else is perverse and empty. LGBTQ+ - Is out of control, and a perversion of natural God designed sexuality. ABORTION - it is NOT Healthcare (mentioned above) VOTER FRAUD - we need same day voting with voter id ONLY CIA & FBI - are on a rogue power trip answering to no one. FEMINISM - It does not empower woman while distorting the true complementarian roles of men and women. REVIVAL - Christian values, a return to being a Christian Nation. Our nation is in decline, but... if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.2 Chronicles 7:14 note: This verse is not just for Israel! The good news is that the answers we are looking for are found in our Bibles. Even simplify it more, Love God and care for others... the rest is details. (my paraphrase of Matthew 22:36-40). I know I know, these details are so essential, but not so important that we lose sight of these two greatest commandments.
![]() These scriptures are not broad-brush answers for our hurting world. What chance does our nation have if we do not obey God's two greatest commandments? What real chance does the world have in addressing the border, terrorism, racism, hunger, sickness, and war if you don't truly love God and care for others in the moments of our days, and maybe next year with our vote. I pray these words encourage you to love God and others like never before. Be true to God and His word in all that you do. Jeff (politicizing in the Back Pew) Larson 6/19/2024 The Return of the ME-MonsterIt'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 2/12/2024 Dream BIG, or go home!![]() The other day, I had a dream. It was not on the level of Martin Luther King Jr. 's 'I Had a Dream' dream, but it was significant in Jeff's world. Pharoah once had a Dream, too --> My dream began with me living in this world with total angst. My fears and the unresolved questions troubled my mind, and I was in despair. My family, finances, and another partisan political election year in these 'Divided' States of America also weighed on me. This world is at war in Ukraine & Gaza, our country is without borders, and we live in a land where traditional Christian Values are considered 'hate speech.' At one point in this dream, I hollered out loud enough for my wife to help calm me... but not loud enough for her to smother me with a pillow and end up on Dateline. ![]() But next, my dream shifted from angst to a place where I had new eyes and understanding with a Heavenly perspective. Though I could see the above-noted problems, I had peace as I understood God was in control. I could sense His wisdom, presence, & power, cradling every circumstance, whether good or bad. No moment of despair, border crisis, war, pandemic, injustice, or the rejection of God with words, emotions, profanity, hatred, or consequence was outside of His touch. Even in this world celebrating DOWN as the new UP, WRONG as the new RIGHT, and where you can choose your own gender like it was on the McDonald's drive-thru menu. God is the great creator and architect of all things, from beginning to end. His ways and plans alone are the true light in this dark world, and no wild-haired, rebellious, free-will scheme of man will alter God's plan. ![]() In this dream, I could see this world still raging but with a glimpse of peace as God's Spirit was woven through each issue to where I could feel His presence and control. The darkness found in panic dissipates in God's light. Though men still do horrible things to each other and bad 'stuff' will continue to happen to good people on this Earth, there is a perspective outside of man's that is God's alone. God's Eye sees the whole story of this life and also with eternity in mind. ![]() Then, this Heavenly dream state was ending, and I felt sad, wondering if I would have the choice to stay. But the morning comes. I get up and begin a new day while this dream plays in my mind. While I cannot recapture that Heavenly perspective, I am impressed that GOD IS IN CONTROL even in this 'enlightened' 'broken' world. His attentive love is woven into the very fabric of this life. So onward and forward I intend to go. Seeking God through His Word, in my prayers, and maybe... even my dreams... (in that order of course) ![]() Note: This was my dream, not a revelation, but I still believe there was a message of truth from God for me and maybe for you. May God bless each of you as you seek and serve Him. Jeff (dreaming BIG) Larson ![]() Like an ugly ornament I cannot bear to throw away, so is my retelling of a Christmas Concert from a few years back. (It's kind of like the year 2020, UGLY and never forgotten) In December of 2007, my wife and I went on a Christmas date to get the season started, but it did not end up like anything 'dreamed of' by Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. We started the evening with a nice dinner at a local steak house in front of a roaring (gas/fake) fireplace as the weather outside was as the Christmas classic described accurately as frightful. More specifically, it was very COLD. After dinner, we were off to downtown Minneapolis to the Pantages Theatre to listen to an A Cappella group called the Blenders for their Christmas concert. Note: I am not usually an A Capella kinda guy, but I got the tickets for free from my cousin.. and I am a free ticket kinda guy, so I thought I would go where the cool kids go... or something like that. ![]() Gentlemen... start your engines! As we approached downtown, we soon learned parking on a Friday night during the holiday season would not be a picnic. There was a Christmas parade in progress near the theater, so we began driving in a slow-moving car conga line consisting of a series of one-way right-hand turns for about 30 minutes, resulting in us parking about 5 city blocks from the theater, like a slower, colder version of NASCAR without a winner. Once parked, we began our Frozen Mecca to the Pantages Theater, where the air temperature was about 2 below zero and the wind chill was 14 below. ![]() It was Minnesota Fresh! Oh, by the way, we were walking into this wind, not with it. To complicate things for poor little old me, I was not wearing a hat, and my coat was not excellent for MinneFROZEta. Along our walk, we passed by several downtown establishments. One was a gay bar, and then we passed a club advertising topless girls, with the words.. hot, hot, hot over the topless ad. Now, this is where I was tempted.. not to see topless girls.. but I asked my wife since they were hot, maybe we could go in for a moment and warm ourselves with their heat. Honestly, there was no temptation here for me, just an excuse to share another bad pun with my wife so she could roll her frozen eyes at me. Pantages at last! We finally arrived about 15 minutes before the concert began. Shivering and frozen, we bought a $3 cup of coffee from the cash bar in the lobby, which my wife and I took turns holding to keep warm. When another couple entered the theater and sat next to us, they were visibly cold. I offered to let them hold my coffee for $1 apiece. They both laughed, but I did not see what was so funny. ![]() It's SHOWTIME. So inside we go, and the concert begins. The Blenders are very good, but for me, one evening with an A Cappella group will be enough... for my lifetime. The Blenders are 4 guys, I would guess, in their mid to late 30s in suits with choreographed movements like four Caucasian Temptations crooning Christmas songs minus Jesus. To add to the atmosphere, a group of well-dressed professionals filled a large block of seats just before us. I am guessing they were part of a company holiday party dressed in suits and dresses. They were loud, 'notice me types,' which is not my type. Then, during intermission, they all stood in front of my wife, making FULL use of the cash bar in the lobby, and there was also one young, good-looking guy passing a flask with something that I am pretty sure was stronger than 7-Up. After two hours of listening to an A Capella Christmas, we retraced our frozen steps to our car and then headed back to our warm home, free of anyone in my living room passing a flask and standing in front of my TV. So, to sum it all up. We had dinner in front of a fake fire, participated in downtown traffic jams, crowded parking ramps, snow, and ice, and passed by topless & gay bars, all to sit behind loud-drinking young professionals while being entertained by Minnesota Night and the Pips? ![]() The next night... was a more low-key Larson type of Christmas, which we spent with our son Nate, his then-girlfriend Kendra, and our daughter Erin. We listened to Christmas music, made gingerbread cookies, and played the Protestant-approved card game. Rook. It was a great evening, including a mini-fight with flour while making cookies. And... for anyone by chance from that corporate America party who 'LOUDLY' sat in front of me at the Pantages Theater in 2007, I am sorry you missed out on my great Saturday night making cookies with my family. Then again, the risk of flour fingerprints on your $500 suits and the probability of gingerbread crumbs falling into the cleavage (front or back) of your black, backless & low-cut dresses without a flask in sight would not be what all would call fun. Merry Christmas Blessings. May your family times be warm and... A Capella free! Jeff 12/11/2023 My Dog almost ate Baby Jesus!![]() Note: I have a Christmas tradition to retell when my dog almost ate Baby Jesus. It is like watching a Charlie Brown Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life.. for DOGS. Dateline December 2004: My wife Mary and I display several nativity sets each Christmas season. The year 2004 was a Christmas season like most all the others, EXCEPT our year-and-a-half-old dog Baylie (Husky Springer Spaniel mix) still liked to chew on things that were not her designated chew toys. One of those items is my kneaded eraser, which I use when drawing my cartoons, which looks like a lump of clay. Baylie would sneak it off my desk and chew it up but never swallow it. Leaving a mangled pile of eraser fragments on the family room floor. I push the crumbs back together and continue to use them. I know, I know... Ewwwww!! But she cleans the pencil lead out of it, and dog drool is an active agent in making the eraser. Now, in the year 2022, my dog, Cooper, does the same thing! BUT I DIGRESS. ![]() Back to the Larson Nativity sets. One afternoon in December 2004, my wife and I came home to what looked like a Nativity Mob Kill scene. The wooden cart from the stable was in pieces, a shepherd was lying face down on the coffee table, and a baby sheep fell off the table and onto the living room carpet. I can’t imagine the horror in the eyes of the 3 wise men who traveled so far only to see Baylie walk off with Baby Jesus in the clutches of her jaw. The question remained: why?
![]() Good News: A short time later, the 'baby Jesus' hostage crisis ended. The son of God in ceramic form was returned to his ceramic parents, Mary & Joseph, who were beside themselves with worry. Baylie was thankful God did not strike her with lightning, which was within His right. I mean... He is God. But.. just a couple weeks later, Baylie was shocked (literally) when she chewed the lights on our Christmas tree. Coincidence? I think not. Moral of the story. If you really love Jesus, don’t risk God revoking your ticket to Heaven just because your nativity sets are low enough for Baby Jesus to be mauled by the family dog. AND.. just like Baylie could not get Jesus in her heart by eating a figurine, neither can any of us have Jesus in our hearts just by going to church.
May this Christmas be a peaceful season of adoration and personal faith where Jesus is in our hearts, not just our nativity sets. Christmas Blessings Jeff 12/5/2023 The Northwoods Angel![]() Aka, The Northwoods Good Samaritan. This story is near and dear to my heart, and I make a point to share it almost every December. THIS WAS NOW 22 YEARS AGO! Back in December of 2001, on the roads of ice and snow near Hayward, Wisconsin, a young mom with her preschool children loaded in the family car was heading home to the nearby town of Drummond when she spotted an older man with the hood up on his car along the side of the road. This was a typical bitter cold December day, but though she had her young children with her, she was impressed enough to stop and see if she could help. As she pulled over, the old man approached her car. She cautiously locks her doors and rolls down her window slightly to ask for help. The old man does not speak, tries to open the door, then reaches inside his coat, making her uneasy. The old man pulls out a small keyboard from his jacket and plays a pre-typed short message explaining that he has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), so he cannot speak. He then types that he needs a ride into town. The young woman opens her car to the old man she does not know and drives him home. This old man was my father, Walter Larson, and the young woman was Jen Herricks, and Jen was the Good Samaritan of Northern Wisconsin 2001. I wonder how many cars drove by before Jen stopped to help. How many macho Northwoods guys in their 4x4 trucks went by too busy to help an old man stranded on a bitterly cold winter day? Maybe none, but perhaps many, but no matter, my dad was cared for by someone with a warm car and a kind heart. ![]() Jen later explained to my mom that she thought my dad was an angel. There are a few explanations, but my dad… an angel. A good guy for sure, but an angel? Maybe an angel was standing alongside my dad that cold December day, or perhaps it was the peace Dad demonstrated just months before passing on to Heaven. Either way, today was a divine appointment with an angel named Jen. I love the gospel passage Mt 25:35-40ish “You fed me when I was hungry, you clothed me when I was naked.” If the gospels were written today, they would also say, “You gave me a ride when I was an old man when my car broke down on a winter road in Wisconsin. When you do these things for the least of my people, you do it for me.” So, Jen gives my dad a ride home. He offers her money, she refuses, and they go their separate ways. Nice Story, BUT... IT'S NOT OVER! A few weeks later, my folks received a Christmas card from Jen, wishing and praying the best for them. This was a nice touch, too, BUT again... THIS STORY IS NOT OVER! Just a couple short months later, my dad passed away from his battle with ALS. The funeral was a celebration of the good man my dad was and his reward in Heaven. 'Irony' or providence has it, Jen and her family began attending my mom and dad's church in Cable, Wisconsin, still not realizing the connection. After a short time, it became clear to Jen that my mom attends this same church, so Jen contacted my mom, and they reunited often as they became friends... great friends. When Jen came to visit Mom, it was with hugs and kisses reserved generally for family, and her kids called her Grandma Nell. This friendship that God provided Jen with my mom as a ‘seasoned’ Christian woman to talk to and my mom's companionship of this young woman with a growing passion for God. ![]() Even after Jen's family moved 70 miles away, their friendship continued. Then, a few years later, my mom moved 150 miles to Minnesota, where my family could better care for her, but their friendship did not miss a best. Jen would plan weekend visits, bringing a number of her kids along to sleepovers, and their visits included board games where everyone was involved. My mom passed away in December 2016, but you cannot take away the blessing of their friendship when my dad's car broke down 15 years earlier ![]() Today, Jen and her husband Todd serve the Lord in Uganda with their ministry. 'Woven2gether'' serves expecting mothers, valuing the born and preborn and growing strong families while sharing the Gospel. In December 2022, Jen and Todd adopted Caleb Kica HERRICKS while serving in Uganda! Thank you, Jen and Todd. May God bless and use you both in ways beyond your dreams. And I am sure as I end this blog... THIS STORY IS NOT OVER Blessings, Jeff |
AuthorThe mutterings on life and faith by cartoonist Jeff Larson Archives
July 2024
Categories
All
|
Back Pew - Draw Close to God
My Book- 116 pages of cartoons of 'Clean Humor & God's Truth' CRITICS ARE SAYING.
|
LAUGHTER is just a click away
|
7/1/2024
3 Comments