Superfluous Saturday

Smoking + KUDO's + Stunning News + Stinky Iowa

G.O.M.E.R. *

For the past week I've been listening to radio ads promoting the new movie "Chappaquiddick." They include disclaimer that the film includes "historical" smoking. HISTORICAL SMOKING? As opposed to what?

* Grumpy Old Men & Their Elucidating Rants

KUDO's to Scheel's . . . 

. . . for publishing an Easter message in the OWH (4/1). Above the image of a cross, the "ad" reads, "HE IS RISEN! Celebrate the Resurrection. For God so loved the world that He gave His one & only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16." At the bottom of the ad:  Happy Easter from Scheel's. COMMENT: In today's culture a public affirmation of Christian faith by a major business is always refreshing. I pledge to buy fishing tackle & gear from Scheel's.

Criminal Minds

From Norfolk Daily News (4/4):  "Mother uses stun gun. A Phoenix woman shocked her teenage son with a stun gun to wake him for church services on Easter, authorities said . . . 'I don't think I did anything wrong because you're supposed to put God first & that's all I was tryng to do is tell my kids to put God first,' (the teen's Mom) said . . . "  COMMENT:  Actions have consequences. Not sure I approve of this practice generally, but it was, after all, Easter.

There Is No Place Like . . . France

From Omaha World Herald (3/26):  "In France, sales of burgers surpass those of traditional hum & butter baguettes. Forget the baguette. The French are going cray for burgers. Figures released last week revealed that sales of the jambon-beurre--the ham & butter baguette sandwich, a classic of French snacking--have been surpassed by sales of American-style burgers . . . "  COMMENT:  Best American fast-food burgers? Whoppers & Big Mac's.

Iowa

OWH (3/31):  "Iowan wins lawsuit over calling his hometown stinky. An IA man threatened by city officials with legal action for saying on a website that his hometown smelled like 'rancid dog food' has won a free-speech lawsuit . . . (Sibley, IA) promises to hold 1st Amendment training & will not prevent Harms from launching a website under the address sibleystinks.com."  COMMENT:  The highway we take to the Twin Cities so longer passes through Sibley, so I'm not in a position to judge. When I was growing up, we made a visit to Sibley most summers. My Uncle Arnold, Aunt Shirley, & cousins Mike & Ivan lived there. Arnold was county sheriff, & they lived in a house next to the courthouse. The county jail was attached to their house. If there were not prisoners, we played in the empty jail cells. There were also pick-up FB games on the courthouse lawn.

Called to Serve Your Neighbor *

LCMS President Matthew Harrison writes, "A common theme began to arise in Luther's preaching . . . Luther began to assert that God does not need our works, our neighbors do. COMMENT:  I feel blessed to write for Orphan Grain Train, where less than 3 cents per dollar supports direct aid to the needy, both near & far.

* Source:  March 2018 LCMS World Relief & Human Care Sharing newsletter