Through a Glass

Look through a Glass, Less Geekly.  That was the title of an article that I read in a copy of USA Today while travelling this week.  The article was about the new frames that have been developed for Google Glass, and while I'm geeky enough to have found the content of the article cool, what I found intriguing was the title of the article.

I always marvel at culture that at least nods to Biblical references.  In this case it is a nod to 1 Corinthians 13:12 in the King James Version, check it out.

I wonder if the author of the article knew that is where the phrase came from?  And I wonder how many people actually caught the reference.  Probably not many, but again it reminds us of how deeply the Bible has influenced culture.  If you think that is just an American thing then check out the ad for MacGillivray Law here in Halifax.

Whether we are reminded to turn the other cheek, to remember the Golden Rule, or simply told that we can look through a glass less geeky, the Bible continues to pervade our everyday culture.  Now if we can figure out a way to get it to pervade our everyday lives.Have a great week and remember:  To see what is really possible you will have to attempt the impossible.

Cheaters don't win, etc. etc.

Well, that certainly makes me feel safe.  There was a report out last week that the United States military has stripped the certification and security clearances of 34 of their air force officers.  The reason?  It appears that the 34 had cheated on their monthly proficiency test, which wouldn’t be an issue if they were in charge of cleaning latrines, painting rocks or something similar.  But these were the exams which tested the officers’ knowledge of the nuclear missile launch systems they were in charge of.  Nice. 
Air Force Secretary, Deborah Lee James, said that she is “profoundly disappointed” in this behavior.  I bet she is.  The military hasn’t told us what part of the exams the officers cheated on, so we don’t know if they aren’t proficient in arming, firing or aiming their missiles.
And it again reminds us of the futility of placing our faith and security in the hands of mortals.  2500 years ago the prophet Isaiah warned people in Isaiah 31:1 What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots and charioteers (nuclear weapons) and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the LORD. . .
Still sounds like good advice to me.  Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible. 

Of Donkeys and Foxes

Last week I happened upon the news that Walmart has pulled donkey meat off the shelves in China after testing showed it was contaminated with fox meat.  Seriously?!  I’m not sure if I would rather find fox in my donkey meat or donkey in my fox meat.  However, it seems to be a very real problem & Shaun Rein of the Shanghai-based China Market Research Group, told Reuters this recall “is another hit on Walmart's brand, meaning wealthy shoppers will start to lose the trust they had before.”  Because apparently wealthy shoppers in China don’t want their donkey meat to contain fox. 

If we can get beyond what it was supposed to contain, and what it did contain, we can understand the concern.  When you think something is 100% something and you find out that it isn’t,  that’s disturbing.  Whether it’s donkey or fox.

When we say that we are a Christ Follower, that comes with an expectation that we are actually following Christ, that Christ is a part of our lives, and that we are following what Christ taught.  And when people find out that we are mixing it with the world, they are disturbed and often disappointed.  And that’s worse than finding fox in your donkey.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.  

They Burned Their Car!

Seriously, they burned their car!  Two men in Alberta resorted to desperate measures last week after becoming stuck in a snow bank on their way home.  It appears that while returning to Lethbridge, after dark, the men got lost and then wound up in a ditch.  In order to survive the frigid temperatures they first built a fire with their belongings along with the seats they had ripped from their Honda.  When that fire went out, they proceeded to torch the car.  They survived the night, but the car didn’t.  By the light of day they discovered that they were within easy walking distance of a nearby home.  Who would have known?  It was then they remembered that they were both carrying cell phones…… oops.  

We might laugh, but it wasn’t our car and how often have we done the same thing in life?  Maybe we didn’t burn our Honda but we made rash decisions that we later regretted.  Especially when we realized those decisions really weren’t necessary.   And how often have we taken matters into our own hands without stopping to ask for help?  The men who burned their car had cell phones they didn’t use, but how often as Christians do we have prayer that we don’t use?     Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.