To this day, I can’t see how they can sell Cosmopolitan Magazine in plain view of children. There’s some pretty raunchy stuff in there. I know because I used to look in it for the raunchy stuff when I was younger. And it kinda did some damage to my spiritual integrity at the time. Sure, it’s not as bad as porn (which, unfortunately, I also sought out), but this is more insidious – it’s kinda saying it’s ok to have this in the mainstream. There  was always a sense of mischief and shame with porn. With Cosmo, it’s almost as if the stuff should be accepted. Give me a woman who doesn’t read Cosmo and I’ll be a happy man.

An atheist posted a pic on Facebook showing hands planting a tree. The tagline stated something to the effect of “two hands working does infinitely more than a thousand hands clasped in prayer.” I have to agree on some level, though not entirely of course. I believe in prayer and allowing God to do His work, there is something to be said for doing our part.

God made this earth for us to dwell in it and working is not a curse, it’s a good thing. The Holy One gives us strength to accomplish His will. And, in dire situations, He takes over. Yet believing in God does not abdicate us from doing work. And faith is not a substitute for work but a compliment. Especially when it comes to others:

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. – James 2:15-17

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. – I Timothy 5:8

We can pray for God to take care of others and ourselves but we too have a responsibility to do what we can with the tools and resources He so graciously provides us.

People who make snap interpretations of the scriptures creep me out. Here’s the scripture, just in case you were curious:

Deuteronomy 21:10-14

 ¹⁰ “When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive, ¹¹ and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife, ¹² then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails. ¹³ She shall put off the clothes of her captivity, remain in your house, and mourn her father and her mother a full month; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. ¹⁴ And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money; you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her.

Yeah. I probably won’t be doing this particular commandment any time soon.

I think it’s interesting that the magicians used this terminology. Makes the idea of a “strong arm and outstretched hand” quite fitting.

Now, we know that the officers of the Israelites got beaten, but what about the taskmasters (as this comic implies)? One has to think that Pharaoh didn’t take it easy on anyone.

Regardless, the whole idea of taskmasters is prevalent in our society today. Some bosses want to squeeze every ounce of effort out of their employees, maximize their tasks. But we all know that if we pack too much into a work day, our productivity and morale suffer. But it’s easy to think people are slacking. Anyone who has been in management knows it’s tempting to become a taskmaster.

BTW, my apologies to Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, the best newspaper comic strip on the planet.

Genesis 49: 5- 7

5 “ Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.

6 “Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.

7 “Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.”

It seems as though that whole Dinah thing left a bad taste in Jacob’s mouth.

1. A stronger focus on my job
2. The idea of a consolidated website

Ok, so here’s the situation: the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a classic and one of my favorite movies of all time. Yet, I don’t celebrate Christmas anymore. Should I or shouldn’t I watch it? After all, it is a depiction of that day and age, not necessarily our day and age. Yet there’s that whole “not doing Christmas” thing. I’m confused.

You may notice that this particular strip has a different feel to it. That’s because it was done completely digitally. Where I usually use Bristol board and ink, I used Photoshop and a Wacom tablet.  While I used to create my “Perk at Work” this way and developed a feel for the method, I yearned for the tactile nature of putting pen to paper. Going back the digital route was different but not bad. I actually enjoyed it.

Why did I go digital this time? Well, I’m in flux and I don’t have all my art materials with me. We adapt. I may even go this route again. It was fun!