The Wow Factor,  I would paraphrase as an experience and/or observation that grabs  your attention and  holds it.. big time.

When I was young I was a decent athlete, and fell in love with 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  catch phrase for the old Wild World of Sports show, and this all makes me  go.. WOW!

It also goes  without saying (though I  am saying it) I love Art.  Ok, not true art.. I love cartoons, and have doodled cartoons ever since age five.

​You will never catch me wandering into  an art gallery pondering the works of Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, or Leonardo de Vinci, BUT.. I save  my WOWs for Gary Larson - The FarSide, Berke Breathed - Bloom County, Bill Watterson - Calvin & Hobbes, and Jim Unger - Herman. 

​In fact  one of my favorite Christmas  presents  of  all time my wife bought me The Complete Farside collection (3 volumes) in hardcover.  For most folks this is a waste of time and $$, but  for  me.. WOW!

Others are enthralled by the world of beautiful music.  Personally I enjoy listening to music ranging from Jazz to Rock & Roll, Hymns to modern Worship.

But.. I don't sing so good,  can't clap my hands to a beat, or even play a Kazoo.  Music is that Wow for many.. but for me I am  sorry but I am checking my TV for a game while drawing Back Pew cartoons.

Now as  we travel further from the  center of my universe we find many looking up at the night sky mesmerized by the stars while our planet orbits around a blazing ball of  burning gas and  realizing we are only one planet in one galaxy in an ever expanding universe all with order and functioning with more science and math that you could  shake a stick at (real old  saying that means ALOT) .. and  the  collective scientific community responds in one voice..  WOW!  <-- note this was an 83 word runon sentence.

Did I choose your WOW tirgger? Well no matter if it is  science, music,  art, sports, or watching the Wheel of Fortune ( big fan of the wheel)  realize all WOWs come from  our creator.  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, life is  not about my passions  and hobbies.. LIFE IS ABOUT OUR 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

What does it look like to desire the Lord that way? How do I become a Godly man desiring the Lord when I am so tired from my work, responsibilities, and this or that crisis and/or percieved crisis? I could lie, but.. while I pant  for water I find myself often pounding down a Mega-Monster energy drink.
​
​It takes a conserted effort to focus in the clutter of this rush hour distracted world.

Truth and  reality is blurred while we binge watch our favorite TV shows, consume 24/7 news propaganda, browse the web and monitor our twitter feeds and fantasy football teams only 'armed' with our two thumbs and our smartphones. 

So I must slow  down and  reflect and appreciate our creator.  I mean C'MON.. Why is the world fascinated by the Cosmos, but not the creator of  the Cosmos?  What  is  wrong  with this  picture?

So I pray my life would seek out Lord as poetically described in Psalms 42:1.  As a deer pants for water so my soul pants for you my God.

There is  a popular Christian song  now 'Reckless Love'.  Please take a moment to reflect on their lyrics below.. Better yet listen to it > HERE
Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me
And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

If  that does not make us all Psalms 42:1 Thirsty I do not know what  will.

May God bless each of you in your pursuit of Him. There is no greater lifelong pursuit than our  creator. Come thirsty,  and stay.. satisfied.

Jeff (panting not hunting) Larson

​The 'evolution' of EVOLUTION?

While I do not believe in the monkey ancestor kind of evolution I do believe life certainly evolves.  

Let me share 'my' scientific findings from my exhaustive study here at  the Back Pew Institute for Common Sense.

A ‘Glimpse of God’ is like the sun peeking thru the clouds on an overcast day. For a moment I see the sun and feel it’s warmth, but then the clouds return. Lord I pray for more glimpses of you.

• For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Cor 13:12
• For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Is 55:8-9

I am one of those strange people who likes a cool rainy day.  There is a certain quiet and peacefulness to grey clouds and when the rain falls.  But today is not one of those days. Today I  want to see the sun, even a glimpse where the clouds part for a moment is a welcome. ​

This glimpse of the sun is my analogy regarding my pursuit of God, and Is 55:9, and 1 Cor 13:12 speak to this truth.

In this life I can only in part understand the ways of my creator, but.. now and then the clouds part, and I see a glimpse of God like the sun through the clouds on a grey day.  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 .. until the clouds (our modern world) return and this glimpse is gone.  

So I pursue another glimpse.  I quiet myself and focus on God's Truth found in the pages of my Bible, spend time in prayer, listen to worship music, spend time with other believers, and take time to help and serve others.  In these moments this glimpse of God returns. 

Most weeks I find this glimpse of God during Sunday morning worship at church.  The words, the atmosphere, the spirit speaks to me and for this 20-30 minutes each week the world fades away, the worries/clouds of my week, and this broken world part and I experience the peace of God that passes all understanding Phil 4:8

So 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 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. 

​We once took a shortcut across a mountain in Colorado.. This was back before the days of GPS, and while vacationing in Colorado along with my wife and kids. My wife Mary pulled out the good ol' paper (folded 50 times) map and found a 'shortcut' that would cut off miles on our quest to reach the Royal Gorge.  

Well, we ended up Royal Lost driving where a minivan passed Sherpas .. mountain goats..  and the body of George Mallory until we back tracked to civilization. 

In the end our 'shortcut' added an extra 1 1/2 half hours to reach the 'Royal Hole in the Ground'. My lesson learned was beware of shortcuts when driving to the Royal Gorge, and as my mind wanders.. also.. there are no CliffsNotes for Intimacy with God.

I believe God will honor and grow these efforts and make our relationship with the creator of this world more personal and pleasing.
​
Truth be told I continue to be a work in progress regarding this important discipline in my life. BUT.. I KNOW the difference it makes in my day when I take the time to be with God EVEN WHEN life is crazy busy.

Blessings,  

Jeff (Back Pew) Larson
​
note:  Think and Live out the Lord's Prayer Mt 6:9-13 “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

I am attempting AGAIN to read through my Bible this year.  So far, so good as I am on track.  Anyways, one of the stories I read recently was Jacob wrestling with God/ an Angel in the night, and would not let go of God until he would  bless him.  The wrestling match finally ended as God put Jacob's hip out of socket.

This is an interesting story as though Jacob blessed by God even though his life journey I am not sure modeled being close, listening, or obedient to God in the details of his life. 

Exhibit A: Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing of the first born which was due to go to his brother Esau. 
Exhibit B: His unique marriage with sisters Leah and Rachel and their battle to produce more offspring was interesting to say the least. 
Exhibit C: Jacob's relationship with his father in law Laben did not seem to involve alot of prayer as there was little trust between them.

So with this trail of doing things his own way Jacob now fears his brother Esau is about to attack and kill him bringing Jacob to that night of WrestleMania with God.

Seems to me Jacob was not reading his bible, or praying the Lord's prayer daily.  Ok, I do know there was not bible for Jacob to read, or the Lord's prayer to model after but my point is Jacob seemed to plow through life without being as in touch with God as he should be. Then as Esau approaches Jacob determines desperate times require desperate measures and so he grapples with God for a blessing .. and oh by the way God, DON'T LET MY BROTHER KILL ME!

While I have not stole any birth rights, married sisters, or schemed against my father in law I can relate to doing things my way.  And unlike Jacob I do have a bible to read, and the Lord's Prayer as I commune with God., but I sometimes let those intimacy times with God slide This often leads to a mess either big or small leaving me to cry to God "Bless me.. I won't quit bugging you til you bless me.  ..  Did you hear me God?  I'm still waiting."

​No, this email is not about Al Gore, Global Warming, or Big Al’s 2006 Oscar Award Winning Documentary on the subject, or his more recent sequel.

But..  on an ironic side note to this topic.. In 2007 North Pole expedition meant to bring attention to global warming was called off after one of the explorers got frostbite. The explorers, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen called off what was intended to be a 530-mile trek across the Arctic Ocean after Arnesen suffered frostbite in three of her toes, and extreme cold temperatures drained the batteries in some of their electronic equipment.  
- Irony ..  a drink served best.. COLD

On a more personal less scientific note I would like to add.. I live in Minnesota.. and winter is ALWAYS COLD.  do I really need to say more?