Far Out Friday

I'm such a sucker for cute notepads and schedulers.
I discovered Kosney while I was in Korea and quickly fell in love.

Not only did they have great stationary, but they had some good CD mixes. I found a radio station that plays fun music.

My newest infatuation is this weekly scheduler:

Crippling Christianity

Beyond the current economic situation, news of unemployment normally takes a back seat to fantastic news like puppies caught in storm drains and polar bear attacks at the local zoo. While, especially now, many would and have conjectured/commented on the current economic situation, I write not in reference to the situation that our world is currently facing, but rather, in generalities.

I've long advocated the fight against institutional international poverty over domestic partially because the grips of poverty in developing nations insinuate a stronger hold than in cases of domestic poverty. My leaning may be a result of hope in the American Dream and the idealistic thought that everyone is able to pull up their bootstraps if they just pull hard enough.

While I still do have a stronger affinity for restoring economic justice internationally, there is one topic that I would like to comment on that has caused me a great deal of frustration. Lest the reader would think that I tout myself as immune to affecting this problem, I would like to state that some of my concern stems from my own inaction.

My interest in poverty and the role that Christians play in the institution led me to read John Stott's Our Social & Sexual Revolution: Major Issues for a New Century. The most recent chapter I read focused on the value of work and the problem of unemployment. Stott articulates how biblically, work is intended for the self-fulfillment of the individual, service to others and service to God. Being such an integral part of life, the absence of work is "a serious assault on our humanness."[1] Regardless of whether or not the reader agrees with the idea of work as a whole or even partial fulfillment of humanity, it would be safe to say that the absence of work, or unemployment can be devastating to the individual as well as society.

To take the biblical stance that work "is an indispensable element in God's original purpose for human beings," would require an even stronger stance against the holds of unemployment.[2]

What is it that stands in the way of eliminating unemployment? “It is [unrestrained] greed which keeps taxes low and interest rates high, crippling industrial recovery which we need to restore full employment.”[3]

I have often thought how contradictory mainstream Christian thought is in the face of eternal biblical principles. The biblical principles that Christians supposedly hold dear often don’t coincide with current political practices that would in fact support those ideals.

If as Christians, we find ourselves agreeing that work serves even a portion of the purpose for which we were created, then we would be guilty if we didn’t concern ourselves with unemployment. Stott suggests that industrial recovery would come from a stronger investment in creating employment in both private and public sectors. Especially in the public sector, the creation of new jobs would obviously require some amount of sacrifice from American tax-payers.

I don’t claim to be an economist and neither do I write about economics – rather I write about the underlying principles of the problem of unemployment.

“The problem of unemployment is neither economic nor political, but moral and spiritual.”[4]

Regardless of the solution to unemployment, Christians should be at the forefront of sacrifice. How do we expect to heal the sores of unemployment without some sacrifice?



[1] Stott, John. Our Social & Sexual Revolution: Major Issues for a New Century. 3rd Ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1999. 25-26.
[2] Ibid. 35.
[3] Ibid. 35
[4] Ibid. 36.

Far Out Friday

I am so excited to present this Friday's great find!

With spring, summer and some sun in Seattle coming soon, it's the perfect time to introduce solar lighting on those bleak patios!

I saw this very modern solar lantern in a magazine the other day . . .

Priced at $39.99, I thought our patio would look so celebratory with this very fun and practical lighting from Allsop Home & Garden (stores located throughout the US).

Coincidentally, while I was doing some research, I learned that IKEA just introduced some solar lighting of their own! For about half the price, these pieces are more simple, yet have the same features as those made from Allsop Home & Garden.

Of course there are some other designs that suit all tastes, but I thought these were more than fun enough.

Left Butt Cheeks

United Airlines has officially decided that left butt cheeks must now fork up a ticket. Following the lead of Southwest and Delta Airlines, United Air is now requiring larger customers to purchase an additional ticket for additional space – regardless of whether or not empty seats are present.

In an effort to please their customers, United Airlines has found itself on the top of a slope. How slippery is it going to be? What other social stigma is going to be barred from sitting too close?

I personally have a problem with people who breathe too loudly. The wheezing and sudden release of air drives me insane. Maybe these airlines will create a separate area of the plane for wheezers. Fingers crossed.

Far Out Friday

Another lovely Friday warrants another lovely love.

Create your own Polaroids without the Polaroid.

Skip the Dryer

Skip the dryer April 19 on National Hanging Out Day!

In another effort to add to the trite cliche of "being green," I entreat you to cast away your dryer - at least for a day. Greater Seattle residents - just because you live in Seattle doesn't mean you can't line dry your clothes.

Opting for line-drying doesn't mean having to set up an elaborate hang-dry system in your yard. Instead, try transforming what you already have - inside your home.

• - Make practical use out of art. (Once a month my decorative bundle of sticks turns into a scivies dryer.)
• - Be more industrious with things you use every day. (Use your door knobs, curtain rods and doorframes to hang hangers.)

Fear not for you (and the earth) will reap rewards . . .

• - Brunch for you and a friend at Maltby Cafe as a result of lowered energy costs (savings could equal up to $20 - $25)
• - A few less trips to buy socks as a result of longer lasting clothes (especially clothes with spandex or lycra)
• - Preserved brain cells as a result of decreased bleach usage (considering that sunlight is a "natural bleach")
• - A nice smelling room

Happy National Hanging Out Day!

Far Out Friday

Because I love Fridays, here's something lovely . . .



"How to Reduce your Chances of Being a Terror Victim," XX Teens
This was straight from an article that Fox News published in 2003.

I don't know what's more hilarious - the song or the article.

Watch yourself. Terrorists love car bombs.