Busy Summer

Sketch Dump

It has been a very busy summer. Karen and I have moved back to North Carolina. I have accepted a two point charge as a student pastorate. Technically it's a half-time position, but this is ministry so how that works exactly... Karen and I are still trying to figure out. I had one class on campus in Wilmore and I'm supposed to be working on the final for Philosophy of Christian Religion right now. I'm half way through.

However, yesterday was my Sabbath because my Friday night will be consumed with Oakboro, NC's Cruise Inn. It's a big money maker for one of my churches and we're all hoping the Cruise Inn won't be rained out. What's a Cruise Inn? A Cruise Inn is where people bring in their restored classic cars and park them up and down the main street. Then people come out to see them. Oakboro UMC will be selling hot dogs, hamburgers and lemonade, and just trying to spread the good news of Christ through our actions.

As I was saying. Sabbath. I took a little time to doodle for myself last night and it was great. I had to finish it up this morning, but it was a lot of fun. 9h drafting pencil, colored pencil and brush pen. You'll probably get all of the references. I wasn't going for anything new. I just wanted to play a bit, and it's the first time I've had a chance to doodle in months. I hope you enjoy.

10 Reasons Why I Swear

10 Reasons Why I Swear
#1 It pleases mother so much
#2 It's a fine mark of manliness.
#3 It proves I have self-control
#4 It shows how clearly my mind operates.
#5 It makes my conversation so pleasing to everybody
#6 It is an unmistakable sign of culture and refinement.
#7 It impresses people with the fact that I have more than ordinary education and vocabulary.
#8 It makes me a very desirable personality among women and children and in respectable society.
#9 It is such a useful accomplishment. of all the sins that I could commit, it brings me the largest financial and material returns.
#10 It is my way of honoring God, who said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." -- Quoted

Sometimes I just love sarcasm. This is from a 1956 issue of "The Herald."

You know profanity is one of those things which has a place but is often misplaced and misused. If I drop a heavy object on my foot or accidentally hit my thumb with a hammer then perhaps a well placed profanity is appropriate. The trouble is I all too often catch myself swearing when nothing bad has occurred. I do not swear all the time, and when I do more often than not I stick to what the world might call the minor swear words, and abstain from the all too frequently used F-bomb, and the even worse GD. However, I sincerely believe God calls us all - not just wanna be preachers - to live a more joyful life. Check out this word from James 3:1-6 NIV

 ¹ Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ² We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. ³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

While profanity may be culturally appropriate its frequent or flagrant use damages our credibility. I want to be understood as a credible witness of the gospel while still being genuine. I do not want to just put on an act, and that is why I try not to swear. I'm not trying to be better than anyone else, or holier than thou. I just want to be me - a person who genuinely loves God and wants to share that love with others.

Joplin, MO

These storms are too fast and furious to be believable. They make Twister look like a kids movie. Some great artists are going to be selling artwork and giving the proceeds to the folks in Joplin. I really like all the stuff they create so pop on over and check these two out. If you can swing it, pick up one or two of their pieces to help out the folks in Joplin.

SkottieScott
http://www.skottiescott.com/2011/05/joplin-mo-aid.html

 

BABY MONKEY

Baby Monkey,

Baby Monkey

Riding on a pig baby monkey

Baby Monkey

Baby Monkey

Backwards on a pig baby monkey

The world has gone insane.

And you don't know what is right.

You've got to keep on keepin on

So get on that pig and hold on tight.

Baby Monkey,

Baby Monkey

Riding on a pig baby monkey

Baby Monkey

Baby Monkey

Backwards on a pig baby monkey

Every morning I send my wife an e-mail with something animal related to let her know I'm thinking about her. It is especially important here at the end of the semester when I'm so crazed. I found this thing about a monkey riding on a pig, and she got such a kick out of it I decided to draw this for my wife. It helps me blow off steam and I hope it puts a smile on my wife's face.

Blowing off Steam

When I was in high school I think the last comic I collected faithfully was Leave It To Chance. There was something about a kid with her own dragon tromping around sewers in a town where her father was the head ghost buster, and defender against the occult that held my attention. When I saw DrawForce was dong a hot rod theme I started playing around with ideas and then I remembered Chance's air car, and decided it needed to be souped up a bit. I've actually been working on it five minutes here, ten minutes there for weeks. The end of the semester is kicking my butt and I really needed to blow off some steam so I thought I'd put the finishing touches on this one and post it.

Constantine killed the church?

You know churches are always asking for money. They're always asking for your tithe. They're always asking for a special collection for this, that, or the other. On the surface it always sounds like a good thing. Then I found this quote while writing a mercy and justice paper for a class on John Wesley's theology.

 Persecution never did, never could, give any lasting wound to genuine Christianity. But the greatest it ever received, the grand blow which was struck at the very root of that humble, gentle patient love, which is the fulfilling of the Christian law, the whole essence of true religion, was struck in the fourth century by Constantine the Great, when he called himself a Christian, and poured in a flood of riches, honours, and power, upon the Christians; more especially upon the Clergy...Then, not the golden, but the iron age of the Church commenced.ⁱi John Wesley sermons., 2:462-463. (The Mystery of Iniquity)

Wesley goes on to emphasize money and power are not the best when trying to give aid to the poor, to educate the ignorant, to bring food to the needy. Without a doubt money helps make those things happen, but without people to step out in faith, to answer the call saying, "Here I am am. I will go," money is just another trap.

This being said I never thought of Constantine having such a negative effect on the church. Thanks to Constantine the church stopped being persecuted by the Romans. Thanks to Constantine the way was paved for Roman Christianity which is Roman Catholicism. Why was this a bad thing? Putting that much money, power and influence into the hand of any human - Christian or otherwise, is a whole lot of temptation. Through the centuries the "Church" supported forcing the lower class into near slavery under the guise some people are born to lower station, and it is God's will they were born to be serfs. The Church strong armed countries in Europe to fight the crusades by refusing their people the sacraments, and then didn't provide for the spiritual development of the soldiers to prevent atrocities like the sacking of Constantinople. At Constantinople European Christian crusaders roasted Turkish Christians on spits outside the city walls. These are just the first of many atrocities committed by Christians (not just Roman Catholics) in the name of God. 

Money and power are not evil in and of themselves, but they are an awful temptation for misery - even in the hands of Christians. I'm not saying everyone should be poor. I'm saying at some point we have to be grateful for what we have, and generous enough in spirit to go to those who are hurting with more than our wallets. Perhaps we need to do more showing up for the gospel, and less looking for a handout.

The Tooth!

Evan has been pretty fussy lately, and he's only been teething for four months, but today I found it. I had started to feel something sharpish in Evan's mouth a day or so ago, but today I felt the rough edge of a front tooth. Then when I finally moved his tongue out of the way there it was. The tooth is certainly not all the way in, but the tooth has broken the gum line. If you're looking right at him it's bottom right. Finally, the tooth has broken through!

On a separate note I am pleased to announce my brother and his family now have power at their apartment in Madison. Ryan has gone back to work so I imagine Amber will gather the flock and reclaim their apartment - and then probably hit the grocery store since the had to throw everything in their refrigerator out. Still, the fact they can move back home on the fifth day when most of Harvest, Alabama, will probably be without power into next weekend is a good sign of hope. Maybe the power companies will be able to get power to Harvest sooner.