Cartoonist/Illustrator - Jeff Larson
Minnesota
 If MILK does a BODY good, then.. PRAYER does a CHURCH BODY good. President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952. Each year since that date, Americans have observed the day in their own way. The observance moved to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan and has been proclaimed each year since, and so this year, May 7th 2020 was the National Day of Prayer. OK, (IF) we believe prayer is powerful and (IF) we prayed for our nation.. why is our nation is such a mess.  A few weeks ago as our Country and this world continued to implode over all things Corona-19 and Race related and where any resemblance of truth was blinded by a cocktail of panic & blind rage I received a social media request to pray for our nation every night at 8PM. My wife and I have been mostly faithful to praying for our nation since then, but to be honest I have missed a few times. With this request in mind.. What if each of us prayed for our nation and the world everyday. Many of you I am sure do, but I am sure many others of us do not. What if we asked God to show America mercy as we are in many ways so far from His will., What if we prayed for those we do not honestly like nor their politics, hidden agendas, and religious beliefs that conflict with our 'Christian' sensibilities. What if we prayed for (not at) those caught up lifestyles contrary to God's will. What if we prayed for all these things rather than just complain to God about those less 'enlightened' than ourselves. What if? and if not What if?.. then Why not? As I continue this blog I find the prefect reminder of who am I when I pray and who I pray to in the lyrics from the song Who Am I by the group Casting Crowns. click here to listen to song-> WHO AM I Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt? Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star Would choose to light the way For my ever wandering heart? Not because of who I am But because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done But because of who You are. CHORUS: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I’m calling. Lord, You catch me when I’m falling. And You’ve told me who I am. I am Yours, I am Yours. Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin Would look on me with love and watch me rise again? Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea Would call out through the rain And calm the storm in me? Not because of who I am But because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done But because of who You are. CHORUS: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I’m calling. Lord, You catch me when I’m falling. And You’ve told me who I am. I am Yours, I am Yours. Not because of who I am But because of what You’ve done. Not because of what I’ve done But because of who You are. CHORUS: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind. Still You hear me when I’m calling. Lord, You catch me when I’m falling. And You’ve told me who I am. I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours. Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear? ‘Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.  Think about it, Prayer is access to God. If you believe this, then this is the time we collectively say.. "WO!" So please let's not reduce prayer into a hocus-pocus moment, making wishes to a Genie in a Lamp, or reduce it to casual words spoken quickly before an evening meal or in moments of desperation. Instead follow the instructions of Jesus 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) Pray knowing who God is, and who we are to Him. Pray humbly for mercy for the people in this nation and world and for revival. Too busy to pray?.. I sometimes think this as my busy mind in this busy society overwhelms my thoughts, BUT how long does it take to just say the Lord' Prayer which outlines perfectly all things we daily need to pray for. 1. Honoring God 2. God's Will 3. Sharing our needs 4. Forgiveness 5. Deliverance from Temptation and Evil Then after I say amen I can feel peace. PEACE BE STILL.. are the words Jesus used to calm the sea, and PEACE BE STILL is the challenge for all of us when life is raging like a stormy sea.  What if.. we prayed the Lord's Prayer Daily and not as a rote process but instead meaning each part? I believe it would CHANGE THE WORLD. I have featured a cartoon of a business meeting in Hell where there is great concern regarding Hell's lack of influence when faced with Christians praying. This is a ScrewTape letters sorta image that I believe captures the true (too often untapped) power of prayer. Everyone of us have challenges, stress, loneliness, sadness, tragedy, debt, sickness, and/or death that greet us daily. This is a fallen world and I know for myself I make this worse as like Peter I take my eyes off Jesus and focus on the problems (the raging sea) of my day.  But no matter your circumstance, know that our prayers are heard by a God who loves us, and wants what is best for us like the PERFECT father that He is.
One last reminder.. let’s be as the Bible teaches in an attitude of prayer. Pray without ceasing.. meaning we communicate with God throughout our day. This type of prayer should be the natural communication of thanksgiving & praise, repentance, for protection & guidance, and the desires of my heart. Flowery lofty language is not needed, but instead honest ongoing communication about our worries, doubts, and dreams with our loving God. Blessings (PRAYING in the Back Pew) Larson 6/25/2020 An Amazing Grace Realized I am such a work in progress as my daily emails make clear. Today as I THINK OUT LOUD typing my thoughts, reflections, fears, anxieties let me share MY GRACE REALIZED. A while ago I saw the movie Amazing Grace detailing the passionate enduring battle of William Wilberforce against a society and commerce built around slavery. Blacks were treated as cargo stored on ship like lumber, and the depth of this cruel time in history was the inspiration of a slave ship captain's repentance and writing the great hymn Amazing Grace. This movie was an eye opener for someone like me who's relative discomfort in life is misplacing the TV remote. I can never truly grasp the unspeakable ABUSIVE history of slavery, and while if there was a movie about my spiritual journey it may not be called Amazing Grace, BUT it could be called ‘A GRACE REALIZED’.  My GRACE REALIZED are those moments of peace.. where no matter my sins (aka mistakes in judgment, choice, vices), no matter my short comings I realize I AM A CHILD OF GOD. God’s Grace is not limited by a 30 return policy or 'pre-existing conditions'. LIMITS ON GRACE are from man (and woman), misguided churches, and the evening news.. BUT never from God. Like many of you I am the product.. or byproduct of a world cluttered with rush hour traffic, bumper to bumper, a dog eat dog work world where GRACE IS RARELY REALIZED or shared. For having 60+ years of life experience I feel like such a slow learner… BUT this brings me back to the reality of a GRACE TO BE REALIZED. It is always there.. but without a paradigm shift of an oppressed mind towards God.. I will remain an underachiever.  So today I encourage each of you to accept God’s love, believe His words (our Bibles), and smile mon’ because you can and I can be refreshed and energized by A GRACE REALIZED. May God bless each of you in this journey where you love God with all you have, and love and care for others! May a ‘Grace realized’ for each of us be more than the name of the organist at our church, or.. the name of your church.
A Grace UN-realized is a life sold short of what God intends and what we desire! Thus saith.. JEFF 3/22/2020 Sick Days v Pandemic Days SICK DAYS: Back in my working days.. I would sometimes say with a smile.. "I never met a sick day I didn't like." And let's be real, no one wants to waste a sick day with strep throat, or a 102 fever. It makes more sense to be 'a little under the weather' and call in sick when the sun is shining. Looking back I realize so many followed MY LEAD that Human Resources departments across the country coined a more user friendly term.. PTO (personal time off) days. So I personally believe I was the catalyst in the creation of PTO. No more calling in and fake coughing.. no more intentional weak voices. Now with PTO you can simply call in to work with a strong voice and say .. "I'm not gonna come in to work, there is Netflix binge watching that needs my attention. So for all of you that have benefited from PTO .. YOU ARE ALL WELCOME.  Don't look at me that way.. Are you saying you never feigned a sick day? Hmm.. how about did you ever take such a day off and called it a 'mental health day'? Ok then, at least I was not claiming to be 'sick in the head' .. LIKE YOU! PANDEMIC DAYS: But more far reaching than any random sick or PTO days you may have there is a much more concerning is the today's headline where Coronavirus (aka COVID-19) has been declared a global pandemic by the Center of Disease Control, and the World Health Organization. This sobering bit of news has put our lives on hold until further notice. In response to COVID-19 were are closing of schools, stores, restaurants, sporting events, churches, and about everything else you can think of. The practical affects of this troubling news are the shortages of canned goods, cereal, and.. toilet paper. TOILET PAPER? side note: I heard someone say if you are hoarding TP you most likely have a greater 'problem' (rogue IBS?) than catching COVID-19.  But very seriously.. the real health risks of Coronavirus are not to be ignored. My understanding is those especially at risk are over 65 years old, or with compromised immune systems. BUT.. honestly I am even more concerned with the over-zealous domino overreach of governments, schools, churches, etc etc. This will fuel far reaching economic and societal problems that may be more serious than the very real health risks. The longer this continues the greater damage is done. So I pray.. for God's protection, and His wisdom to be displayed in ALL our leaders at all levels, and that it is not reduced to a partisan issue instead of it being an American issue.  So I pray ALSO.. for a return to God as this is a time where we can be quiet (we are like on a government timeout). This is a time to pray, read God's word, and then.. pray some more. A time to un-clutter our lives, our minds, and unplug from many of the subtle entrapments of our modern life. Maybe.. LESS is MORE. Share and talk with friends about important issues, and about life. Pray for God to speak to you and to others without the 24/7 din of life. Spend more intentional time with family regaining perspective on what is important. Let go of things.. minimize the madness, rethink your financial priorities, and just say no to the evening news SHOWS/PROPOGANDA. AND of course be careful to stay safe and healthy without letting Corona run your lives.  ETERNITY: Also, I have heard it said more than a few times..
I am concerned that our society and even the church is more focused on a possible pandemic than a pending panDAMNit. (Maybe a poor choice of puns, but you get my point.) May God bless and protect all of you during this time. May the peace of God be realized in your lives through this pandemic and anything that comes our way. Blessings Jeff (not even a sniffle.. yet) Larson With this all being said I would not be a true Christian cartoonist if I did not also share what I will call... ' All Things ILL in The Back Pew'
1/2/2020 The Beginagains A while back our pastor gave a sermon on getting to know God by reading our Bibles regularly and systematically. During this very good sermon our pastor joked that the most read books of the Bible are Genesis and Matthew, because our inspired intentions in January to read through our Bibles fades once we are through Genesis, and Matthew. (Leviticus has killed many a Bible study ).. then the next year we are back in Genesis and Matthew. I call this bible study plan.. The BEGINAGAINS. I must be honest and say I have followed the BEGINAGAIN plan many times and not until 2003 did I completely read my Bible from cover to cover AND I CARTOONED THRU IT TOO! Note: Neither Billy Graham or the Pope could say they cartooned through the Bible. Then in 2018 lightning struck again as I read through my Bible from Genesis through Revelations. YEAH ME!  Now here I am starting out 2020 in the BEGINAGAINS using a chronological Bible with the intentions of getting past those tedious Dos and Don'ts highlighted in Leviticus. Now for many reading through the Bible from beginning to end is not appealing and I understand that. My wife is one of those good folks. In fact I was told in a men's group about studying it is wrong to simply read the Bible through in a year. I DISAGREE.. for me reading through my Bible in order gives me a context and flow of stories and cultures that I may otherwise miss. This is NOT the only right way to read my Bible but it is a way that works for me. No matter if you use tried and true(?) BEGINAGAINS Bible study, or topical study, or other method the important message is to be in God's word. DAILY! For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12  Oh we will have questions, and we will not understand it at times. Creation, Noah and his Ark floating on a universal flood, parting of the Red Sea, Elijah riding a chariot of Fire, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, the feeding of 5,000 on fish and chips leftovers, the raising of the dead, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the end time prophecies. All these subjects and many more challenge our reasoning while we scratch our collective heads, and even question what we believe. BUT I have found honest questions are different than doubts, and reading my Bible gives me answers to where I build my faith and love in God. WHERE SHOULD I PLACE MY FAITH?
Of course in the end we are each challenged regarding where we will place our faith. Will it be science alone, a progressive secular world view, Christianity, or another of the worlds religions. I choose to place my faith in the God of my Bible and this is where I place my hope. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 May God bless each of you in your spiritual journey, and I pray that we all make a priority of reading God's word and be wise in where we place our faith and our hope. New Year's Blessings Jeff (BEGINAGAIN) Larson note: Please understand I respect those who disagree with me (even on the existence of God). My intentions are simply sharing where I place my faith. 8/6/2019 Messy Grace My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” James 2:2-3 <-- James 2:2-3 This is how it looks for me in Minnesota  Let me start by sharing I attend a good church that I really like. It is a mix of all ages, from college students through senior citizens. The preaching is straight from God's word in a manner that is both challenging and at times entertaining. The worship is performed by talented musicians and the words and atmosphere are both.. worshipful. There are 3 big screens up front to assist in this modern presentation of church. Our motto is no perfect people allowed. It is a welcoming church where you are greeted at the door, there is care for the little ones, and classes for all the kids through teens. Ways to connect and become involved and a place to ask for prayer are presented each week. My church is attractive, welcoming, and like I said, I really like my church.  Then on Monday's recently I started attending a Celebrate Recovery program at a different local church (my church does not offer one). I am over 4 years sober now after it became apparent I was an alcoholic where drink had compromised my life for about the previous 15 years. It did not ruin it, but I was headed on the wrong road, and my addiction to a buzz was growing and dangerous. I thank God for his healing in this area and for the love and grace of my family.. especially my wife. So anyways, I never really attended treatment when I quit, but now 4 years later found myself in a Celebrate Recovery program which my wife attends with me. She does not have a problem with alcohol but supports me and encouraged me to attend for my own well being and to give back and support others in this struggle.  Well, in contrast to my good church where the worship, preaching, and presentation on Sunday's is clean and sharp.. this Celebrate Recovery program is messy. These are people who are struggling. Some have been sober for 15+ years, others are celebrating not have a drink for 30 days, or less. Some are people who have been in and out of treatment, and/or suffering the consequences of their addictions by losing their drivers license, jobs, or family. Stories of jail-time, and restraining orders were common. Many were in the place where they were not drinking but now dealing with the void in their lives where once was a buzz. This group is a mess.. such a beautiful mess. What makes this group such a beautiful mess is their journey starts and ends with a return to God. Not just a higher power but the only true God of our Bibles. This is our only hope for the alcoholic and ALL of the rest of humanity (aka sinners).  Now after 4+ years of being sober, I look back on my journey to where I am now. I did not realize what a fragile mess I was and am still recovering from. I went bankrupt, had to sell my home and my business and start over. I was wounded deeply and felt a void of what do I replace the buzz of alcohol with. I was a Christian through all this, I prayed & read my Bible, but was still a mess. Maybe God saw me as a beautiful mess.. I think my wife saw me that way. I was a mess but oh how important I was to her and how much she believed in me and loved me. So this all makes me reflect on James 2:1-2. I am ashamed to say I honestly don't like the mess or messy people. I like happy Christians with no deep dark secrets and/or sins. I like the well orchestrated church service and an attractive congregation that looks like .. church people should look? I don't know if I want my church look like any mess, even a beautiful mess.  So here I am convicted today.. and I thank God for this conviction. I now desire to be in the mess, and I will fit in as I am a mess.. together we are a beautiful mess that God is in the process of restoring. After church I don't want to be the guy looking past the guy or gal out of place to find my usual friends where I am comfortable, and I don't want to be the guy who stays home on Monday nights instead of attending Celebrate Recovery group with my beautiful mess.
I don't know exactly how this conviction on my heart will play out, but I pray God would speak to me and change me to serve him among the beautiful mess that are the people Jesus would be spending his time with. May God bless you, care for you, and use you to serve Him in this world that is a mess. I pray for revival and restoration in America. I pray His church is sensitive and caring for the beautiful mess that we are a part of. Jeff (what a mess) Larson note: One person commented last night.. If the church was honest, the seats in Celebrate Recovery would be full. It is not just for the alcoholic, it is for everyone that struggles with the very real issues of life. Depression, co-dependency, anger, sex addiction, anxiety/fear. I pray we allow ourselves to be honest, and allow God to restore the mess in our lives. 7/22/2019 Just a Glimpse (rr) There are those grey overcast days where I think the sun will never shine again. Maybe a little foggy, drizzling still morning but then a spot on the clouds glows and just moments later the sun peeks out. I now see the sun and feel it’s warmth. Amazing how that feels especially on that cool grey day, but sometimes as quick as the sun appeared the clouds return and the sun is gone and so is it's warmth. This glimpse of the sun describes often my pursuit of God. I read, and pray and the story of God and the Gospel message makes sense. This time of clarity is beyond refreshing until.. circumstances and the world distract me, along with my inconsistent pursuit of God until my perspective is clouded and poof my moment of clarity is gone. In my defense I find Isaiah 55:9, and 1 Corinthians 13:12 . I feel like Winnie the Pooh, a Bear of very little brain creator of cartoons attempting to grasp Almighty God creator of the Universe. Advantage God
 I resign myself that in this life I will only in part understand the ways of my creator, but.. still when the clouds part that glimpse of God like the sun through the clouds on a grey day is priceless. This glimpse of God's truth, and love speak to me like the warmth of the sun. My shoulders relax, there is sudden clarity and perspective. Lord send more glimpses, Lord send me sunny days.
So I pursue another glimpse and for clear days of Sun and God's warmth. Why settle for glimpses so I quiet myself, focus on God's Truth in my Bible, pray without ceasing, listen to worship music, spend time with believers, and serve others. No matter how cloudy your day is in this broken world of sickness, conflicts, family issues, greed, racism, and/or POLITICS (please pass the bucket).. pray for Glimpses (and more) of God and His purpose and perspective. Get a glimpse of the Lord as your Shepherd in Psalm 23, and the live out Phil 4:8 dwelling on and pursuing what is good. May God bless each of you this day with more than glimpses of Him that pierce the clouds in your life and rest in the promise of what He will reveal to us fully someday. Jeff Note: The Apostle Paul given a tad more than a glimpse of the sun/Son on that road to Damascus. On your Damascus Road.. wear SUNBLOCK. 5/29/2019 The Larson Lamentations (rr) As a self-described little black rain cloud.. I too often find myself lamenting circumstances, and choices on my life's journey. From this I was 'inspired' to write the 'Larson Lamentations'. The following is an excerpt from chapter 1. The Larson Lamentations 1:1 Everything is stupid, everyone is dumb, please leave me alone, and.. my back hurts. 1:2 I'm bored, there is nothing on TV except that Washington DC reality TV show 'Keeping up with the Partisan Bureaucrats' 1:3 It's 9 a.m. I have been awake for three hours, when can I go back to bed? 1:4 (intentional pause).. yawn, scratch.. 1:5 Did I mention my back hurts? WELL IT DOES.. it hurts a-lot! My LL Motto: Serve no WHINE before it's time. Ok, this is just the first 5 verses, but my 'little black rain cloud' persona is showing. What do you think? Yes far from scriptural but while this is an embellishment of a runaway bad attitude, there are threads of truth in how I often feel. This 'broken' world and my circumstances (deserved and undeserved) can leave me tired, discouraged, depressed, and feeling hopeless.  Then to the rescue this morning my wife and I read 'Jesus Calling' devotional from Susan Young. Here are few excerpts. ... Accept each day exactly as it comes to you. By that I mean not only the circumstances of your day but also the condition of your body. .... Some days the demands on you are greater than your strength. You have two choices on such days.. give up, or rely on Jesus. If you choose to give up.. I will not reject you. You can turn to me at any point and I will help you out of your mire of discouragement. I will infuse My strength into you moment by moment, giving you all that you need for this day. Trust me by relying on My empowering Presence.  Psalms 42:5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
I do struggle with the 'little black rain cloud' persona. I currently have LL pangs, but I choose not to be defeated. I pray for God's strength for all that I need, and to praise Him today for the blessings and pitfalls of this life. In all things.. To God be the glory. May God bless, encourage, and provide for each of you today in a way that is inside and outside of your circumstances and in ways that are BEYOND YOUR DREAMS and your lamentations. Jeff (not currently lamenting) Larson |
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7/1/2020
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