Category: Culture

The Monday Muse: Useless Inventions

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking about all of the pointless inventions that litter the shelves of stores across the world. Some inventions are so pointless that it is almost frustrating. Some of them actually make life more difficult in one way or another. Most of the time we tolerate and celebrate these inventions because they are the latest trend in fashion and cool or they seemingly make things in life go a little smoother. My question to you is this:

What is the most pointless, useless, or frustrating invention that you use or come into contact with on a regular basis?

My vote…men’s button fly jeans. I’m not going into great detail on this but I will say that men’s button fly jeans are absolutely worthless. Who came up with the bright idea to put buttons on the fly of guy’s jeans? SERIOUSLY! Do they look any cooler with buttons instead of a zipper? No. Are they annoying and functionally frustrating? Yes. Do I have more than one pair of button fly jeans? Yes. So what does that say about me? Hmmm…

So let’s get rid of button fly jeans. They are not cooler. They are not more functional or practical. They are completely pointless in comparison to a zipper.

Ok, your turn.

Church Set to Protest Ledger’s Memorial Service

westboro.jpg

In a stunning display of grace, Westboro Baptist Church has stated that they will protest the memorial service of Heath Ledger. Westboro is the same Kansas church that pickets the funerals of American soldiers who are killed in Iraq. Now they have decided that Ledger’s performance in Brokeback Mountain is cause for them to unmercifully protest any type of memorial service for the man and his family.

Though it doesn’t suprise me, especially coming from Westboro, I am still stunned. This planned action is both gutless and heartless. Whether you agree with Ledger’s character or role in protraying homosexuality, protesting a man’s funeral might be the close second to cheering for the man’s death on the graceless scale. At the very least it is like rubbing salt in a wound. How would Jesus treat this family? What would he do in this situation? I can’t exactly answer that question. However, I have a strong hunch that picketing and protesting, and at a man’s funeral no less, would not be his course of action. We are called to speak the truth in love…in love. (Ephesians 4:15) What love can be seen in protesting a man’s memorial service? Can a person disagree with another’s stance and beliefs while showing grace and love toward that same person? Absolutely. Instead of rushing over to Hobby Lobby to gather up picketing gear, how about humbly and thoughtfully reaching out to the family and friends of this man and showing them gentle compassion as Jesus showed compassion. Wouldn’t that go a long way in protraying the truth of the gospel? Wouldn’t that be a better representation of Christ? My hope is that between now and the memorial service Westboro Baptist Church will seriously reconsider their course of action. My hope is that they will put on the character of Christ and discard the radical legalism of the Pharisees.

To the Ledger family…though I am not a person of any great significance and for what it is worth, I am sorry for your loss.

A Longing for Consistency

The world around us seems to be in a state of constant flux. Popular trends are constantly changing and evolving. Cultural norms are being stretched, reimagined, and remade. The newest technology seems to be rendered obsolete the minute it leaves the store. The world we live in today breeds an environment and attitude of change. There is no doubt that my generation understands this concept as well as anyone. So many of my friends and people I know around my age are constantly changing jobs, churches, and locations. Heck, I attended four different colleges before I graduated so I am not exempt from change. A common theme amongst us all is the desire to know “where we should be” and how to serve the Lord (in most cases vocationally). Behind the search for God’s will is a desire for some semblance of consistency.

 Consistency seems to elude many of us. They say that if you do something for 21 days straight, it will develop into a habit. I can’t seem to do anything consistently for more than 3 days. And when Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to “be joyful always, pray continually,” I realize I am quite far from that type of person. So what keeps us from being people of continual prayer or men and women who constantly seek out God’s Word? I think part of the problem is the mentality we have regarding prayer, bible study, and other spiritual disciplines. We see them as a waste of time because they are not tangible or don’t yield tangible results. No, many of us would not say that in words. However, our lifestyles would say it for us. The priority we place on our own efforts and works tell the story. Because our “actions” seem to produce real results immediately, we place our faith in them practically. When something doesn’t seem to work right away or patience is required amidst any situation, we immediately go to something else until we find what “works.” All the while we are ignoring the most important things we can do each day.

Is our faith real? Do we truly believe that God exists and that Jesus died for sin so that we could be reconnected to the Father? Shouldn’t that impact the way we live and how we spend our time? Shouldn’t it yield a change in our priorities? Change is inevitable. The greatest change we can experience is in a new birth through Jesus Christ. If we wake up each day determined to pursue Jesus in all that we think, do, and say, then we will begin to see that the consistency we long for lies in a God who never changes. But until we really know God, we will never understand this truth.

Huckabee is Chuck Norris Approved

This is the ultimate endorsement of a candidate. Every time I watch it I crack up. This may be reason enough to support Mike Huckabee’s candidacy. I think someone should turn the last shot on the video, Chuck Norris Approved, into a t-shirt. I guarentee it would sell.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjYv2YW6azE]

Wedgie-Proof Underwear

Come on…this is just too good to pass up. I have to give props to Denny Burk for making this wonderful invention known to me. The interview is as priceless as the underwear. They even give a demonstration. Classic. The inventers are 8-year-old twin boys Jared and Justin Serovich. All I have to say is take that all you playground bullies. It’s your move. (Note: Growing up, I was neither a victim nor a perpetrator of wedgies on the playground or in school. However, within my friend group…well…that’s another story.)

This invention couldn’t come at a better time. Just in time for the holidays. Show someone you care. Buy them a pair of wedgie-proof underwear.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgCPHy3agO4]


The Monday Muse

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