​
Cartoonist/Illustrator - Jeff Larson
Minnesota
SUPPORT
BP
  • HOME
  • BIBLE
    • OLD TESTAMENT >
      • LAW >
        • Genesis >
          • Genesis - Garden of Eden
          • Genesis after the Garden
          • Noah
          • Abraham
          • Isaac, Jacob, and Esau
          • Joseph
        • Exodus >
          • Exodus - text & toon
        • Leviticus
        • Numbers
        • Deuteronomy
      • HISTORY >
        • Joshua and Judges
        • 1 Samuel
        • 1 Samuel - David and Goliath
        • I & II Kings
        • Nehemiah
      • POETRY >
        • Job
        • Psalms
        • Proverbs
        • Ecclesiastes
        • Song of Solomon
      • PROPHETS >
        • MAJOR PROPHETS >
          • ISAIAH
          • Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Lamentations
        • MINOR PROPHETS (ie Jonah)
    • NEW TESTAMENT >
      • GOSPELS
      • Acts
      • EPISTLES OF PAUL >
        • Romans
        • 1st Corinthians
        • 2nd Corinthians
        • Galatians
        • Ephesians
        • Philippians
        • Colossians, Thessalonias, Timothy, Titus, Philemon
      • GENERAL LETTERS >
        • Hebrews
        • James
        • 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
      • Revelations
  • CHURCH & FAMILY
    • CHURCH >
      • Preachers & Pastors
      • Worship
      • Church People
      • Baptism
      • Communion
      • Offerings, Giving & Tithing
      • Church Potluck
      • Coffee
      • The Church Body
      • Theology & Church History
      • Sunday School & Kids Ministry
    • FAMILY >
      • Dating & Marriage
      • Parents - Moms & Dads
      • Senior Citizens
  • FAITH WALK
    • PERSONAL >
      • BIBLE Reading
      • PRAYER
      • PRAISE
      • PURSUIT of God
      • Diet & Exercise
      • MONEY & Budget
    • SERVING - God & Others
    • SHARING - the gospel
    • The Christian Battle
    • ANGER v PEACE
    • Worry - stress, anxiety, etc
    • Faith
    • Forgiveness
    • Honesty
    • Temptation
    • The Holy Spirit - Gifts & Fruit
  • MISC.
    • ANIMALS >
      • HOUSE PETS >
        • Dogs
        • Cat
      • FARM ANIMALS >
        • Cows
        • Horse & Donkey & Camels?
        • Pigs & Hogs
        • POULTRY - Turkeys & Chickens
        • Sheep
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • WILDLIFE - deer, moose, bears, etc
      • Mosquito
      • Reptile - snakes, turtles, etc
    • TECHNOLOGY >
      • Computer
      • Smartphones & telephony
      • SCIENCE - math, cosmology, etc
      • TV - audio & video
    • Minnesota >
      • Snowman
    • Canada
    • Cars & Driving
    • Dear Crabby
    • Fashion
    • Politics and Elections
    • Redneck
    • Schools & Teachers cartoons
    • SICKNESS >
      • COVID-19 cartoons aka Coronavirus cartoons
  • HOLIDAYS
    • New Years Day
    • Valentines Day
    • St Patrick's Day
    • April Fools Day
    • Tax Day
    • Earth Day
    • Holy Week >
      • Palm Sunday
      • Last Supper & Gethsemane
      • Good Friday
      • EASTER
    • Mothers Day
    • Fathers Day
    • Memorial Day
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Veterens Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • CHRISTMAS - JESUS
    • CHRISTMAS - Santa >
      • Stocking Stuffers
  • SPORTS
    • OUTDOOR Sports >
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hunting
    • TEAM Sports >
      • Baseball & Softball
      • Basketball
      • Football
      • ( FOOTBALL ) Packers & Vikings
      • Soccer
    • Running
    • Fighting
    • OTHER sports
  • ETERNITY
    • Heaven is home
    • Hell
  • More
    • USING CARTOONS
    • SUPPORT
    • Comments Welcome
  • BLOG
  • HOME
  • BIBLE
    • OLD TESTAMENT >
      • LAW >
        • Genesis >
          • Genesis - Garden of Eden
          • Genesis after the Garden
          • Noah
          • Abraham
          • Isaac, Jacob, and Esau
          • Joseph
        • Exodus >
          • Exodus - text & toon
        • Leviticus
        • Numbers
        • Deuteronomy
      • HISTORY >
        • Joshua and Judges
        • 1 Samuel
        • 1 Samuel - David and Goliath
        • I & II Kings
        • Nehemiah
      • POETRY >
        • Job
        • Psalms
        • Proverbs
        • Ecclesiastes
        • Song of Solomon
      • PROPHETS >
        • MAJOR PROPHETS >
          • ISAIAH
          • Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Lamentations
        • MINOR PROPHETS (ie Jonah)
    • NEW TESTAMENT >
      • GOSPELS
      • Acts
      • EPISTLES OF PAUL >
        • Romans
        • 1st Corinthians
        • 2nd Corinthians
        • Galatians
        • Ephesians
        • Philippians
        • Colossians, Thessalonias, Timothy, Titus, Philemon
      • GENERAL LETTERS >
        • Hebrews
        • James
        • 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
      • Revelations
  • CHURCH & FAMILY
    • CHURCH >
      • Preachers & Pastors
      • Worship
      • Church People
      • Baptism
      • Communion
      • Offerings, Giving & Tithing
      • Church Potluck
      • Coffee
      • The Church Body
      • Theology & Church History
      • Sunday School & Kids Ministry
    • FAMILY >
      • Dating & Marriage
      • Parents - Moms & Dads
      • Senior Citizens
  • FAITH WALK
    • PERSONAL >
      • BIBLE Reading
      • PRAYER
      • PRAISE
      • PURSUIT of God
      • Diet & Exercise
      • MONEY & Budget
    • SERVING - God & Others
    • SHARING - the gospel
    • The Christian Battle
    • ANGER v PEACE
    • Worry - stress, anxiety, etc
    • Faith
    • Forgiveness
    • Honesty
    • Temptation
    • The Holy Spirit - Gifts & Fruit
  • MISC.
    • ANIMALS >
      • HOUSE PETS >
        • Dogs
        • Cat
      • FARM ANIMALS >
        • Cows
        • Horse & Donkey & Camels?
        • Pigs & Hogs
        • POULTRY - Turkeys & Chickens
        • Sheep
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • WILDLIFE - deer, moose, bears, etc
      • Mosquito
      • Reptile - snakes, turtles, etc
    • TECHNOLOGY >
      • Computer
      • Smartphones & telephony
      • SCIENCE - math, cosmology, etc
      • TV - audio & video
    • Minnesota >
      • Snowman
    • Canada
    • Cars & Driving
    • Dear Crabby
    • Fashion
    • Politics and Elections
    • Redneck
    • Schools & Teachers cartoons
    • SICKNESS >
      • COVID-19 cartoons aka Coronavirus cartoons
  • HOLIDAYS
    • New Years Day
    • Valentines Day
    • St Patrick's Day
    • April Fools Day
    • Tax Day
    • Earth Day
    • Holy Week >
      • Palm Sunday
      • Last Supper & Gethsemane
      • Good Friday
      • EASTER
    • Mothers Day
    • Fathers Day
    • Memorial Day
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Veterens Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • CHRISTMAS - JESUS
    • CHRISTMAS - Santa >
      • Stocking Stuffers
  • SPORTS
    • OUTDOOR Sports >
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hunting
    • TEAM Sports >
      • Baseball & Softball
      • Basketball
      • Football
      • ( FOOTBALL ) Packers & Vikings
      • Soccer
    • Running
    • Fighting
    • OTHER sports
  • ETERNITY
    • Heaven is home
    • Hell
  • More
    • USING CARTOONS
    • SUPPORT
    • Comments Welcome
  • BLOG
Picture

3/13/2023

3 Comments

Faithful in the Details

 
Picture
I was 'praying anxiously' the other day. Of course, praying anxiously is an oxymoron bigger than a skinny Baptist preacher... But God reminded me I am called to be FAITHFUL IN the moments that make up my day not FAITHFUL FOR a moment in my day.  

I guess this is obvious to everyone else, BUT for me, it was an epiphany.. and my new calling.  

I should not longer worry about being recognized as the 'FarSide' of Christian cartoonists (lol, in my dreams).. but instead, focus on being Faithful in Word and Deed in what every day presents to me.  


Picture
Faithful when...
  • driving my car (even in rush hour),
  • buying groceries (even in a long line),
  • watching my Packers (even IF they lose),
  • eating dinner out (even when the service is bad and my hot meal is less than hot),
  • paying my bills (even when my budget appears to be on a diet).
  • having an emotionally escalated discussion with my wife (aka fight?). 
  • it is time for me to vote and I am not happy when my guy or gal lost.

Picture
Faithful is not just when everyone is watching. We are called to be faithful to God in words, emotions, deeds, thoughts, and in our prayer life. 

Prayer is how we fight our battles.


May the Lord find us all faithful in big and small ways including every nook and cranny that makes up our days.     ​

​Jeff (work in progress) Larson

3 Comments

9/18/2022

1 Comment

A Change in SPIRIT

 
Picture
This Christian Journey is not for cowards.  I have found myself often on that roller coaster of highs and lows, good times and bad with the constant being our God who exists from everlasting to everlasting Ps 90:2.

This Christian Journey is hard work and should be a constant cycle of PRAYER (James 5:16), OBEDIENCE (Deuteronomy 13:4), LOVE (1 Corinthians 13:4-7), and then REPEAT ... until that day our journey ends in Heaven. 

Note: My theology above is gleaned from a favorite T-Shirt of mine.

Picture
I continue to make mistakes on this journey and am a good old-fashioned sinner. I don't do it right but by His Grace, I am forgiven and led further down this beautiful Christian Journey.

This brings me to today where I have great angst over the state of this world and the church of which I am a part. The moral compass of America today is far from God, and the church as a whole in my opinion is much more concerned about offending our secular/pagan society than they are about offending God. So without going into details this week has brought me to the point of screaming. Well screaming inside my head.  God, please save us!

Picture
Then just this last Thursday after praying and reading my Bible I was back to reading (audiobooks) a novel by Ted Dekker called the Rise of the Mystics. In this book, the main character Rochelle learns to see the world not through our physical eyes, but through spiritual or spirit-led eyes. Doing this allowed Rochelle to see everything differently and through eyes of love instead of her physical eyes seeing how bad everything and everyone was. The fear she had was now replaced with a new perspective that her life or death was not the end. Rochelle was led to listen to the promptings of her spiritual eyes, and trust in God for the answers.

Like the movie the Matrix times a billion.


Picture
It is like the story in Daniel where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were to be thrown into the fiery furnace Daniel 3:16-18
​

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[c] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” 

spoiler alert: God did deliver them.

THIS is God's Spirit working mightily in man. God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego BUT even if He did not they would obey God and not compromise with Godless Laws even if it cost them their lives in a FIERY FURNACE.

Picture
So this finally runs full circle to me. I choose today in this world where wrong is the new right to obey God not man no matter the consequences. I pray for the church to open its spiritual eyes and be obedient, unapologetic, and strong when the world persecutes us.

​Remember 
John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
​

Ok, that's it. I pray for all of us to 1. daily seek the Lord in prayer, 2. be in His word, and 3. ask for His Holy Spirit to fill each of us so that we see this world through His Eyes, not our physical ones. Let's change our perspective from lost hope to total HOPE IN HIM.

May God bless each of you and lead you with His Spirit, AMEN!
1 Comment

6/10/2022

1 Comment

The Resounding Silence of God

 
Picture
Max Lucado wrote a book in 1994 titled ''When God whispers your name'.  It is a great read with his usual humor and spiritual insights, but my question is..

What happens when God whispers my name but .. I am hard of hearing, or maybe God simply remains silent?  Truth is I do wear hearing aides.

Not so many years ago I weathered personal hurricane force storms in back to back years.  My finances, health, and spirit were challenged and I didn't know if I would survive the first year's storm only to be windblown and tattered the next year too.  I have never despaired more in my life.
​

Picture
Let me tell you I literally sobbed, and cried out to God for HELP. I wanted God to calm these storms, but my prayers were met with His resounding SILENCE. 

Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? Ps 10:1
​

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. Ps 22:1-2


Picture
​I admit my cries to God were not as eloquent as when David penned the above Psalms, but I shed enough literal tears to warrant flood insurance.
  
Side note on Crying: 
When a woman cries we feel empathy as her deep emotions touch our hearts.  
When a man cries it sounds like a wounded Badger caught in a trap trying to gnaw off his leg in a short sighted attempt to escape his pain.  Those in ear shot want to put that badger out of his misery, and the crying men.. STOP IT! 


​but I digress..


Picture
Now back to my storms..
During these stormy days I discovered God's providence/answers were found in His silence. During my storms I needed to experience the full impact of my situation including my mistakes and their circumstances.

note: There is an infinite difference between God not ignoring my prayers and God being silent as an answer. 

God was with me the whole time, but pain and reflection was important for me to grow on a true path of restoration.  A genie in a lamp with three hot wishes available was NOT what I needed.


Life rains on the just and the unjust Mt. 5:45, the Jeffs and the unJeffs!


Picture

​We all know the story of Peter walking on water until he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on those very real waves.. and began to sink. 

​Just like Peter those the very real waves in my life overwhelmed me because I did not put my trust in the man who walks on water and calms the seas.


The good news is I endured those stormy years and learned over time how faithful and loving God was and is.  

The details of my storm(s) are not important except to share a lesson learned when God seems silent.  “Be still, and know that He is God." Ps 46:10


Picture

​This is my prayer for you too. Be still, be faithful, be listening, be prayerfully try to remain peaceful even when you experience God's Resounding Silence.

Blessings

​Jeff (wearing my Hearing Aids) Larson

1 Comment

5/10/2022

3 Comments

Persecution Rising

 
Picture
Persecution for my faith? I think the closest thing to persecution I encounter for my faith is attending church on a miserable cold MinneFROZEta Sunday morning while 'Old Man Winter' mocks me for leaving my warm home to worship with the frozen faithful. 

​Or maybe the fact that I am a Green Bay Packer fan living in the state of Minnesota Viking fans. Besides that.. persecution is a little on the light side in my life.


No Christians being fed to literal lions these days.


Persecution 2000 years ago looked much different. After the first Christian movement begins at Pentecost in Acts 2 the church grows. In response the religious establishment of the day is outraged and fights them for the next 26 chapters of Acts.
This first century church perseveres through REAL PERSECUTIONS that make my 'Minnesota Winter Windchill' feel like a warm summer breeze.
  • Peter and John are imprisoned for what I like to call 'inciting a revival',
  • Stephen is stoned to death as the first Martyr for the Christian Faith.
  •  Then Paul enters the scene and is blinded, beaten, stoned, snake bit, shipwrecked, and logged more jail-time than Otis from the old Andy Griffith show.​
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Now fast forward to today .. I am sitting in my warm home in a country that has allowed me freedom to worship. While the outside temperature may go below zero in the Minnesota winter months I have my gas fireplace warming me as I type. 

​But.. is Persecution on the rise? I do see a disturbing trend in the news that alarms me where traditional Christian values are under attack.
Picture

  • Jo Behar from the TV show 'The View' called Vice President Mike Pence mentally ill because he prays to Jesus  for direction for our country. 
  • ​Pro-life, traditional marriage stances are attacked as political hate speech by the ever RAGING 'progressive' profane, and vulgar.
  • Businesses with traditional Christian values like Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby are demonized as hate groups by our loud and proud society.  A hate group that sells chicken sandwiches?  Oh the horror. 

Picture
As Christians we should be unwavering and unapologetic of the gospel message.  If we really believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except by Jesus. Jo 14:6, then shame on us as believers when we are fearfully silent as to not draw attention to God's Truth.

We are so careful to not call wrong.. wrong (in love) as we fear that society will label us the religious alt-right hate group of the month.  

Our words and actions should be the evidence we are living out God's two greatest commandments. Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and care for others in need and love them as ourselves.. even when persecuted for our faith.

May God find us faithful and full of His Love, and in all things we do. I pray God's people do not live to please man but instead to honor God.

​To God be the Glory!


Blessings,

Jeff  (Chick-fil-A eating) Larson
3 Comments

10/9/2021

1 Comment

Rich Man, Poor Me

 
"He who dies with the most toys wins." This quote was attributed to flamboyant millionaire Malcom Forbes in the 1980s.
Picture
You can't take it with you." In stark contrast Jesus taught in the story of the Rich Young Ruler in ​​ Mt 19:16-26.
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

While it was clear no big ol' hairy humped desert beast could pass through an eye of any needle, the 'eye of the needle' Jesus refered to was a small gate in Jerusalem where a camel could only pass through if it stooped and had its baggage removed.  Not impossible but difficult, and the camel could take it (anything) with him.

Now I should be safe from being convicted by the teaching of the rich young ruler as I grew up in a lower middle class home and my 'wealth' since then is barely a blip on any money radar.
​  BUT.. Wealth is a relative commodity, and I believe there is a lesson here for all of us. ​
Picture
ME ME ME ME FIRST!
​I may not have wealth, but.. I am convicted there are things that keeps me from really following Jesus? How about you?

Maybe our toys, hobbies, sports, friends, family (yes family), or simply maintaining my comfort  keeps me from being ALL IN FOR JESUS?


I desire to put God first.. but there is a lot of ME in me. I like, I want, I slip up, and am afraid of messing, and/or give up my time to serve Him..

SO I KNOW.. whether a 'Rich Man' or a 'Poor Man' it is clear to me we daily need to say to God I am yours.  This pursuit of Him is through prayer, Bible (God's word), fellowship, and an intentional effort to serve Him in big or small, whether rich or poor, in sickness and in health (like a marriage vow).. all to the Glory of God.

My prayer is all of the RICH and POOR folk of God be faithful in the lives we live and the resources we are blessed with.  May we all be about the business of sharing Jesus to a world that is lost as 'One body, many parts'.. God bless y'all!

​Jeff (relatively poor and content) Larson

1 Comment

4/6/2021

2 Comments

Mr. B.A.

 
Life is good, and I am blessed. I serve a great God, my wife loves me, and I am content.. most of the time.

But then.. like that (loved but not liked) relative showing up unannounced with his unruly kids to visit for the evening OR LONGER.. arrives Mr. B.A. (Bad Attitude). Recently it appear Mr. B.A. stops over with his buddy Mr. B.B. (bad back) when I prefer to be left alone.

An everyday example of a visit from Mr. B.A. is arriving at home at the end of  the day greeted by our dog Cooper (a rescue dog with issues) barking at me. While Mr. B.A. has not entered my house at this point I cringe to my barking dog and see Mr. B.A. easily as I look out my front window. He is  sitting in his car on the curb, he notices me, and smiles giving me a thumbs up.  Arghh.

Picture
I am tired after a long day and all I want to do is relax for a few moments, so I turn on the TV and flip it to the evening news.

Top stories are the border crisis, race riots, LGBTQ is adding another letter, and in North Korea that rogue 'nut job' hopped up on Red Bull is testing Nukes again.

Meanwhile Congress is playing partisan politics russian roulette with the American public, and.. there is a 'weather' alert of a pending 'snowflake' blizzard/protest in Berkeley where frightened college students burn flags, tipping monuments, and blocking streets as part of a SJW class project?

​And OBTW.. everything bad listed above I have learned is still the fault of .. DONALD TRUMP. I thought he was no longer president.  GO FIGURE!

Picture
So I turn off the news and notice Mr. Bad Attitude is now out of his car walking towards my house grinning big, and pointing to my door to let him in. I cringe but for the moment I look away.

Next is dinner, And dinner is always good as my wife Mary takes good care of me. Following dinner we most always watch Wheel of Fortune. 
Dinner and now Wheel watching is our 1 hour reprieve from this big ol' B.A. world.

For a brief moment I pretend Mr. B.A. is gone. I imagine he is not just outside my house.

but he is.

Picture

THEN.. 'Wheel' is over and so from 7pm CST to bedtime there is rarely anything good to watch on TV but I want  to be sure so I waste the next 30 minutes channel surfing and coming up  with zip!

AFTER.. the channel surfing I browse the web, or then on to Social Media for the whole 'poke the bear' experience. 


Social Media is a digital glut of cat videos, political judgments, and 'Christian' cries of heresy among the bretheren.  This angst found in the world via Social Media is sensed by  Mr. B.A. ​and so he makes his move.

Picture
Now it is 7:45pm, and Mr. B.A. responding to the vibe of pointless channel surfing, and web browsing let's himself in and sits in MY chair. From his newly claimed throne he is munching Flaming Hot Cheetos leaving cheeto-orange greasy finger marks on my chair, TV remote, and my computer laptop. B.A. does acknowledges me with a glance and  a nod before taking control of the TV remote with his left hand a computer mouse with his right. It is Clickity, clickity, click as Cheeto dust fills the air.

I am tired, irritated, my dog growls at me because I spoke to my wife without asking his permission and Mr. B.A. is now in full control of all things electronic for the evening, and in his glory!


So I mumble/moan about another evening lost with Mr. B.A., while I sulk (loudly).  Yes I sulk 'loudly'.

It is not a pretty sight... Sulking loudly is much like when men cry.  It is an ugly display of emotions and not an endearing as observed by my wife Mary.
​

​Then, there is a LIGHT BULB MOMENT..  Ya know, it does not have to be this way. There could be more to my life than you-tube videos, and Twitter suspensions. Imagine a life bigger than Big-Bang reruns or a Hollywood blockbuster/flopbuster. 

Even as I type these words a Spirit inside me speaks in a still small voice.. "Well, duh." note: I am not saying this voice was the Holy Spirit as I pretty sure He does not say "Well, duh" unless  these are His words after passing through my Jeff filter.

So maybe I quiet myself.  Yes, I remember being quiet for an evening back in 2017.. and I liked it.

Well about 'doing quiet' again tonight?  I could turn off the TV, read a book, or listen to good music.. maybe even Worship Music.  Yes, I do remember I liked that.  This could work!

And maybe I calm myself to PRAY.. not asking God for stuff like a child at Christmas, or to help me not be bored, but pray to know God better, to thank Him, and to pray for others.

So while I ponder being quiet I notice Mr. B.A. seems distracted,  and looking uneasy.  He looks at me as if to say,  "hey you need to focus, the night is young, let's binge Netflix!"

Picture
But I continue to ignore B.A. and quiet myself, I pray and let my mind be amazed by our God  the Creator of all things and our perfect Heavenly Father.

At this point Mr. B.A. gets up.  The TV is off, the computer is in sleep mode and he is feeling ignored. His  Flaming Hot Cheetos are gone except for the crumbs his beard and speckled down his Back in Black AC-DC t-shirt.

Mr. B.A. looking dejected leaves my home while muttering maybe I will see you tomorrow.  I smile, but honestly I am not sure tomorrow is going to work for me.  I remember that time in 2017 when I was quiet just like today and I liked it. 


AND.. my wife likes me better this way as my loud sulking is not one of my endearing qualities. So it's a win win situation.

Picture
​I would like to say Mr. Bad Attitude will not come to visit again, but I know better.  Also my TV and computer are not bad they just symbolize the distractions and wasted times that keep me from God's peace.

May God bless those moments of quiet and purpose found in His word, prayer that are rarely found in front of a HD big screen TV.

May He bless each of you with joy and purpose found in a life long pursuit of Him in the quiet.


​May your attitudes be good, your hearts always thankful, and no loud-sulking please.
​

Jeff ( attitude adjusted ) Larson

2 Comments

3/2/2021

0 Comments

Faithful in Life's Moments

 
Picture
I was 'praying anxiously' the other day. Of course praying anxiously is an oxymoron bigger than a skinny baptist preacher.. BUT God reminded me I am called to be FAITHFUL IN the moments that make up my day not FAITHFUL FOR a moment in my day.  

I guess this is obvious to everyone else, BUT for me it was an epiphany.. and my calling.  
I should not longer worry about being recognized as the  Farside of Christian cartoonists (lol, in my dreams).. but instead focus on being Faithful in Word and Deed in what every day presents to me.  

Picture
​Faithful when...
  • driving my car (even in rush hour),
  • buying groceries (even in a long line),
  • watching my Packers (even IF they lose),
  • eating dinner out (even when the service is bad and my hot meal is less than hot),
  • paying my bills (even when my budget appears to be on a diet).
  • having a emotionally escalated discussion with my wife (aka fight?). 
  • it is time for me to vote and I am not happy when my guy or gal lost.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Faithful is not just when everyone is watching. We are called to be faithful to God in words, emotions, deeds, and our thoughts.  

May the Lord find us all faithful in big and small ways including every nook and cranny of that makes up our days.     ​

​Jeff (work in progress) Larson

0 Comments

1/29/2021

1 Comment

Abraham, home of the WHOPPER

 
I shared recently the Bible story where a mysterious voice saying "If you build it, they will come." happened way before the movie 'Field of Dreams'. This was when God spoke to Noah instructing him to build it (an Ark) and they (the Animals) will come two by two.

Next big event IMO in the book of Genesis paralleling pop culture was when the phrase 'Home of the Whopper'.  Let me share how this pop culture phrase was coined way before a single Burger King fast food joint existed, and certainly before America's presidential election process.  Let me explain.. but first..
Picture

​
ON THE ROAD AGAIN!
In Genesis 12 Abram enters the Old  Testament story.  Abram is maybe a spry 85 years young, his bride Sarai is maybe 70.  The Lord tells Abram .. “Road Trip.!!.. pack up the Winnebago”. 

So Abraham loads a destination of Canaan into his GPS and says goodbye to Sweet Home Haran with Lynard Skynard playing in the background.

Picture
HOME OF THE WHOPPER!
The next thing you know Abram was in Egypt with his wife Sarai while there was a famine in the land.  While in Egypt, Pharaoh spies Abram's wife Sarai who rumor has it was a 'fetching' 70 year old hottie. So Abe tells a little fib that Sarai is his sister as he is afraid they will kill him to take Sarai as their wife.  Ok, that is not a white lie this is a WHOPPER of a lie.

So Pharaoh takes Sarai into his palace, and treats Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels out of the exchange.

side note: I am not sure my wife in Sarai's place would have been such a good sport.

Picture
But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

side note 2: While Abraham would become known as a great man of faith, Honest Abe was our 16th president and never confused with this Abram guy pawning his wife off in Egypt.  

Picture

After Egypt
, Abe travels to southern Canaan as a very wealthy man with cattle, silver, and gold. But tension arose between Abram and his nephew Lot because there were simply too many animals for the land to support. So Abe says to Lot, “Let’s not bicker over land.  If you choose the land to the left, I will go to the right, and if you choose the land to the right, I will go to the left.”  And Lot chooses the land in the direction of Sodom which could have been named LOT VEGAS! 



Picture
In chapter 14, there were battles, but I gather that military tactics were a bit primitive. One particular lesson learned is still taught in the Soldier’s Field Manual at WestPoint stating a soldier should always avoid the short cut across the TARPITS.

During all this time, the Lord often reminds Abraham that he will be blessed by God so that to try to number his descendants will like trying to count the grains of sand on the shore, or the stars in the skies. There was of course the minor problem that AARP collectors Abram and Sarai had no kids.

So now the plot thickens as Sarai (the good wife) says to Abram, “Why don’t you sleep with my slave girl Hagar?”  I have a couple of Back Pew comments with this part of the story. 
1.  When I think of Hagar, I think of that Viking cartoon character Hagar the Horrible.
2. My wife has never offered me a slave girl to sleep with! Of course if she did I would say very politely, “Why Mary, thank you very much for this most generous offer, BUT (with the vision of Hagar the Horrible in my head) I’m good.”  I may not be a great man of faith like Abram, but my momma didn’t raise NO DUMMY!!
Picture
But Abram ignores the tell tale warning signs that this idea is DUMBER-ER than a bag of hammers, and wanders out onto THIN ICE IN THE HOT DESERT and says more than howdy-do to the lovely miss Hagar. 

Hagar now becomes pregnant by Abram and Sarai lets Abram have it by probably saying something like, “I told you to sleep with her, but not SLEEP with her!”  To which Abram so eloquently in his defense says, “Huh?  What? But you said!!!  I thought I could.... Huh?”


Picture
As you can read in chapter 16, this arrangement is nothing you ever see discussed on Focus on the Family, Oprah, or even The Jerry Springer show.  These chapters are NOT in the Bible as an example how to model the perfect marriage, but to instead show us God is faithful and caring for Abram and Sarai even when they do really dumb things.  Fortunately for all of us, our foolish choices are covered by God’s grace and goodness.
​
In chapter 17, God says to Abram to change his name from Abram, to Abraham.  I wonder if this was so that he could start fresh and people would not know he was the guy who lied that Sarai was his sister, and slept with his wife’s slave girl.  Sarai also has her named changed to Sarah. Then near the end of the chapter 99 year old Abraham is circumcised.  This profound scripture emphatically reminds me not to complain about my own aches and pains. And all men collectively shout AMEN!!.. and .. YOWTCHEE!!  

Picture
So there you have another story of a very flawed man used by God in great ways.  I thank God for His love and grace not dependent on my perfection.

​I pray God finds us all faithful in words and deeds and willing to hear God's voice when He calls us.


Jeff (my wife is not my sister) Larson

1 Comment

1/3/2021

0 Comments

10 Things I Ponder

 
As another year in the life of Jeff approaches, I thought I would share my list of what I will call.. 

The Back Pew Pondering a better world. ​

This better world involves ONE PART your garden variety New Year Resolutions, and ONE PART reading Scriptures while drinking Red Bull.  -kidding about the Red Bull, I think-

  1. Diet - Yes, I closed out 2020 by 'binge-snacking', and so I know I need to lose a few (if 20 is a few) pounds or more.  I would feel better, and my jeans no longer attempt to choke me out just below my belly button. -nuff-said- 1 Timothy 6:11
  2. Exercise - I no longer aspire to be an athlete, but there is a land of activity somewhere between a world cup soccer player and a.. 'house plant' that I do aspire to.  John 3:30
  3. TV Watching - If books can expand your mind, I am confident by contrast TV watching may implode them. Matthew 5:29
  4. Budget - A land of dollars and cents where Dave Ramsey and Donald Trump create the perfect budget. Matthew 6:19-20
  5. Bible Reading - I am reading through my Bible again this year and sincerely I have learned to appreciate Leviticus.  No joke, I really have.
  6. Social Media - Twitter, Facebook, TicTok, Instagram,  and all other forms of social media once seem like innocent fun until .. you find yourself in the Social Media equivalent of stomping out a flaming bag of dog poop.  No one ends up happy, and everyone stinks. James 1:5-10
  7. Thinking out loud - After 36 years of marriage you would think I have this one down. Speak softly, choose my words carefully, and when in doubt .. JUST BE QUIET. James 1:19
  8. Division in the Church - Way back in the book of 1st Century Church when Paul discovered math problems scribbled on the church bulletins he knew DIVISION in the church was no good. Now 2000 years later our disagreements in the church escalate to the willy-nilly declaring of others HERETICS.  1 Corinthians 1:1-17
  9. Frog in a Boiling Pot - This describes the American Church perfectly and sadly.  Until we decide collectively to be more concerned with offending God than offending society.. WE WILL DECLINE. Romans 12:1-2
  10. Wasted Talents - This parable of Jesus is convicting as it reminds me of my sometimes less than stellar efforts in serving God.  To stall out with good intentions whether in words or deeds is to in effect bury my talents.  Note: Read this parable, wasting our talents is a BIG DEAL to God. Matthew 25:14-30
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Picture
There you have it.. My Back Pew list of Ponderings.  One part resolutions, one part repentance, and all parts pondering this world, the church, and each one of us.

I pray sincerely we are not conformed to this world as prayerful, obedient children of God FIRST and foremost. Let's be known for being kind and understanding of others in and outside the church and not for snarky Facebook posts (guilty). I pray we are unwavering from His Truth (our Bibles), and obedient to share God's Truth in a world that will call us judgmental hypocrites.  Never apologize for sharing God's Truth because these words (even when hated) are real love.

Blessings as you ponder

Jeff (the wandering ponderer) Larson


0 Comments

12/3/2020

3 Comments

The WOW Factor

 
Picture
The Wow Factor paraphrased -  is an experience and/or observation that grabs  your attention and  holds it.. as you exclaim "WOW".

For me, I love sports. The speed, power, finesse, strategy, and teamwork of great athletes and teams playing to win the game. The thrill of victory and  agony of defeat was  the  tag line for the old 'Wide World of Sports' show, and this all makes me  go.. WOW!

Picture
It also love Art.  Ok, not true art.. but cartoons. ​You may never catch me in an art gallery perusing the works of Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, or Leonardo de Vinci, because I save my WOWs for Gary Larson - The FarSide, Berke Breathed - Bloom County, Bill Watterson - Calvin & Hobbes, and Jim Unger - Herman. WOW!

​side note:  one of my favorite Christmas  presents  of  all time my wife bought me The Complete Farside collection (3 volumes) in hardcover.  While many may think, "WOW, what a wasted of time and $$, but  for  me it was simply.. WOW!

Picture

​Others love beautiful music.  Music is that Wow their lives while I am busy checking my TV for a game while drawing Back Pew cartoons. It may be a symphony, jazz quartet, rock & roll, hymnfest, or a modern worship service there is for most of music that makes us go Wow.  Of course I am old enough now that hip-hop, pop, and rap leave me shaking my head, cringe, and mutter "people like this stuff?.. wow."

Of course Disco, and Polka music I will just say.. no comment.

Picture

Next, let's travel further from the center of my universe as we look up at the night sky mesmerized by the stars while our planet Earth orbits around a blazing ball of  burning gas (not Washington DC,.. it's the sun) realizing we are only one planet of 8 or 9 planets orbiting this sun and all this is part of The Milky Way Galaxy in an ever expanding universe all with order all functioning with precise science and math..  which  the  collective scientific community responds in one voice..  WOW!  

- note the above is an 89 word runon sentence... WOW.

Picture
Did I choose your WOW tirgger? Well no matter if it is  science, music,  art, sports, or watching the Wheel of Fortune ( I like the wheel) realize all WOWs come from  our creator. 

​Don't get me wrong, our Wow moments are real and there  is  no need to  apologize for  shouting wow (unless you  are in church, or during a funeral).. BUT step out further to realize our God is the source of all things  WOW. 


​If we don't we miss the point of this  big ol' Beautiful world. Life is  not  about me, my passions  or hobbies.. LIFE IS FOREMOST ABOUT GOD, and the worship and adoration he deserves.

How great is  our God! WOW!
  • For as the Heavens  are Higher than the Earth so are my ways  than your ways,  and my thoughts yours. Is 55:8-9
  • He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Ps 147:4
  • Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? Ps 77:3
    and last but not least
  • For  God so loved the world that he gave his  only son, that whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life. Jo 3:16  Wow,  and WOW!

Thank you  God for your  amazing creation that is your handiwork, and thank you for your love and  grace in this  life, and the promise of  eternity with you our wonderful creator.
​
Blessings

Jeff

3 Comments
Previous

    Author

    The mutterings on life and faith by cartoonist Jeff Larson

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    4th Of July
    Abraham
    Addiction
    Adoption
    Alcohol
    Angels
    Anger
    Animals
    Anniversary
    Anxiety
    Apostle Paul
    Armor Of God
    Assurance
    Attitude
    Awkward
    Baby
    Bible
    Bible Reading
    Big Bang
    Birth
    Blessings
    Boredom
    Cell Phones
    Christians
    Christmas
    Church
    Coffee
    Cold
    Computers
    Creation
    Creed
    Darkness
    Dating
    Death
    Despair
    Devil
    Diet
    Dogs
    Donkey
    Drinking
    Driving
    Easter
    Education
    Ego
    Elections
    Entertainment
    Eternity
    Evil
    Evolution
    Excuses
    Faith
    Faithful
    Family
    Fathers
    Fear
    Fight
    Fishing
    Follow
    Food And Coffee
    Free Will
    Friends
    Full Armor Of God
    Gender
    Genesis
    Gifts
    God
    God's Love
    God's Word
    Good Friday
    Gospel
    Grace And Forgiveness
    Happiness
    Health
    Heaven
    Heaven And Hell
    Heritage
    Holidays
    Holiness
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Week
    Honesty
    Hope
    Humlity
    Hunting
    Insurance
    Intolerance
    Jesus
    Jesus Loves Me
    Joy
    Judas
    Judgement
    Justice
    Kindness
    Life
    Light
    Love
    Loving God
    Marriage
    Meditation
    Microagression
    Miracles
    Misc
    Missions
    Moderation
    Money
    Mother
    Music
    NARCISSISM
    New-year
    New Year Resolutions
    Noah
    Obedience
    Obedient
    Old Testament
    Opinions
    Other
    Pain
    Palm Sunday
    Patriotism
    Peace
    Pets
    Politics
    Poor
    Pouting
    Power
    Prayer
    Preachers
    Pregnancy
    Presents
    Prodigal
    Profanity
    Psalms
    Purpose
    Pursuit Of God
    Quiet
    Redeemed
    Redneck
    Repentance
    Rescue
    Resolutions
    Respect
    Ressurection
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Rich
    Right And Wrong
    Running
    Rush Hour
    Safety
    Salvation
    Santa Claus
    School
    Science
    Seat Belts
    Secular
    Seeking God
    Selfish
    Senior Citizens
    Serving
    Serving God
    Sin
    Small Town
    Society
    Spirit Of God
    Sports
    St Patricks Day
    Suffering
    Tax Day
    Technology
    Temple
    Thanksgiving
    Tradition
    Trust
    Trusting God
    Truth
    TV
    Victory
    Video Games
    Voting
    Walk The Talk
    Wealth
    Weary
    Weather
    Winter
    Witness
    Women
    Work
    Worry
    Worship
    Worship God
    Wrong

    RSS Feed

Back Pew - Draw Close to God
116 pages of cartoons of 'Clean Humor & God's Truth'

CRITICS ARE SAYING..
  • The Back Pew (vol 1) offers spiritual insights rarely found in 'most' coloring books.
  • On a good day The Back Pew is.. Gary Larson's The Farside goes to church!
  • On a bad day The Back Pew (vol 1) is still useful under the leg of an uneven coffee table.
Laughter is just a CLICK away
-click- HAHAHAHA! 

$9.99
christian cartoons, the back pew
PERMISSIONS
COMMENTS
DONATE
©2019 Jeff Larson - All Rights Reserved