Day: July 10, 2019

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Not Cool Futon Cushion Taker

Earlier this week I posted a much loved futon as a CURB ALERT. A Curb Alert is a post that basically says “hey this is free and on the curb so come and get it”. It is a great way to let someone else use something that you no longer need. They get a benefit out of it and the item on Curb Alert avoids going into the landfill. Curb Alerts give the earth a hug.

So I posted the Curb Alert on Facebook and Craigslist. Here is what it said:

I put the Curb Alert on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Mr. Cushion Taker seems like a Facebook guy.

The best of all worlds.

First, it is free! Can’t find a better price than that.

Second, it is only comfortable to sleep on for a day or two at most so your guest won’t stay for the third day because it will hurt their backs by the third night. It is actually comfortable to sit on so if your friend sleeps sitting up then three day guarantee is null and void. Make sure and don’t invite people over who sleep sitting upright.

Third, my basset hound Clive would regularly lay on it so it has been covered in basset hound comfort and there is no greater comfort than a comfortable basset hound. Seriously these dogs know how to relax .I’ve included a photo of him so that you can see how relaxed he is. You want to be this relaxed.

First come, first serve. If the listing is up it is still in front of my house so there is no need for you to message me. If you message me asking if it is still here I will probably be snarky. I’m in training to be a grumpy, old man. STAY OFF MY LAWN! 🙂 Just come and get it. 

I was excited about someone else getting the futon rather than just taking it to the dump. So today I saw a person in a white Grand Caravan get out and look at the futon for a minute or two and then get back into their minivan. I couldn’t really see them from where I was in the house but I could see the edge of the futon so I knew they hadn’t taken the futon. Later on I walked and discovered that Mr. White Minivan had actually taken part of the futon. He took the cushions and left the frame.

Not cool Mr. Cushion Taker. There is an unwritten rule of Curb Alerts – you don’t make things worse for the person doing the curb alert. Well at least that is the unwritten rule that I live by on Curb Alerts. Mr. Cushion Taker you made it where I still have to deal with the futon frame and now no one else is going to want the frame. So I have to deal with getting rid of the frame. Really not cool Mr. Cushion Taker and you were driving a Grand Caravan, I thought we minivan guys looked out for each other.

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Faithful vs Religious

Sunday morning at Tapestry I spoke out of Luke 22:47-53. In that passage three people/groups performed actions that looked one way but actually lived out the opposite.

  • Judas looked like he honored Jesus with a kiss, but he actually betrayed Jesus
  • Peter thought he was defending Jesus, but he actually did the opposite of what the Prince of Peace wanted.
  • The leaders thought they were protecting Israel from a rebellion, but they were actually delivering Israel into the moment into darkness.

Looking or sounding pious is much easier than actually being pious. Faithfulness is the result of lots of small choices that point toward the One you have faith in. It is always easier to make grand proclamations than to actually live out the commitments that those proclamations concern.

I recently heard a on a podcast or read in an article (I can’t remember which) that every choice has pain and reward within it, and whichever comes later (the pain or reward) is usually the greater. So If I chose to abstain from donuts in the morning I face the pain of not enjoying the deliciousness that is a cream dunker, but I receive the reward of better health. That reward lasts longer than the brief pain of not tasting that little piece of deep fried heaven. Or if I chose to not cleanup after myself I receive the reward of a little rest, but the pain of a bigger mess to clean up later on. It is the old delayed gratification thing, one of the most valuable lessons any of us can learn.

I believe this fits into faithfulness:

It is easy to say something is most important to you, it is different to actually live like it is important to you. For example:

  • Many people say family is most important to them …. few make the daily decisions to put their family ahead of themselves.
  • Many people say they have found the love of their life … few make choices that actually put that love first.
  • Many people dive into hobbies … few people put in the years necessary to actually become good at the hobby.
  • Many post memes and images reflecting that they care deeply for a cause … few actually make choices that reflect that care.
  • Many say they faith in Jesus shapes them … few actually let that faith shape their daily lives.
  • Etc., etc., etc.

None of this means that the proclamations aren’t good, just that they aren’t really the goal. The goal should be faithfulness. Proclamations, bold gestures, symbolic activity, and specifically religious actions are good when they help us to be or become faithful. The good ones do this, when they are used properly.

Our cats are pretty good when they hang out with Clive. It is when they are on their own that they revert to their natural evil selves. 🙂

I think faithfulness is partially why I like dogs better than cats. You know that cats would be all about bold proclamations that only lasted as long as the proclamation was helpful for the cat. ‘I love you when you scratch my chin. NOW STOP!!!!!!” Whereas a dog is going to be faithful. “You’re going to walk over there? Oh okay I’ll wake up and walk over there too.” Don’t get me wrong, I like our cats. I probably just don’t like your cats. Whereas I probably love your dog.

Anyhow I hope I make choices that lead to faithfulness. I know I usually want to do so.