Well, howdy folks!
Here we are…yet another Monday in this dog day of Summer July month.
Almost August!
And almost the end of Summer!
Anyhoo, I took the easy way out with this week’s post because I’m bascially just focused on moving…which happens on Friday!
AHHHH!
I gave a little reflective message in church yesterday, so this is what you get this week!
Sorry not sorry.
Enjoy!
I don’t know about you, but I am definitely one of those people in the world who LOVES a good theme song, commercial jingle, slogan, or catchphrase to rope me in to buying the latest and greatest gadget, eating the newest crazed food item, watching a classic TV show, or just having that constant tune that sticks in your head from the time your alarm goes off in the morning until you shut your eyes and rest your head on the pillow.
And in true JP fashion, I feel like I can’t stand up here in front of you today trying to give an inspiring message without some type of audience participation.
So, let’s see just how good you might be with some of what I feel (and I of course am a bit bias), are the greatest theme songs, commercial jingles, and catchphrases.
Don’t Leave Home Without It (American Express)
Ba Da Ba Ba Ba, I’m Loving It (McDonald’s)
Thank you for being a friend…travel down the road and back again (The Golden Girls)
15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurace (Geico)
Have it your way (Burger King)
Expect more. Pay Less. (Target)
What’s in your wallet? (Capital One)
Here’s the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up 3 very lovely girls…(The Brady Bunch)
Survey Says (Family Feud)
Have your pets spayed or neutered (The Price Is Right)
Like a good neighbor, (State Farm) is there
We’ll leave the light on for you (Motel 6)
Well, now that you have passed the test of these famous catchphrases, slogans, commercial jingles, and theme songs, let us turn to another entity which might not be as easy.
If I told you to pick a catchphrase or slogan from The Bible, what would you say?
Not that easy, is it?
It’s funny because I started this message I’m sharing with you this morning on Tuesday night…a mere 5 nights ago…and just finished two nights ago on Thursday.
And when I originally started to think about where I was going to go with this message, I too, could not pick out certain slogans and catchphrases from The Bible.
So…I had to do some digging.
Some good old fashioned research of opening up the actual pages of The Bible and speed reading through verses of familiar phrases that I could think of while also highlighting with my sharpie, and re-reading the verses of the readings that we heard just a few moments ago from Alice.
And from my research, here is what I came up with. (And I hope you will use your creative brain with me today as some of these slogans and catchphrases that I thought stuck out are a bit wordy.)
As the classic musical Sound of Music tells us, let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.
That means, of course Slogan/Catchphrase #1 comes from the creation story in Genesis. Specifically, Chapter 1, Verse 31 which states:
“God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.”
No matter how much crap or darkness might be going on in the world around us, we must always remember that this creation we have the beauty of being a part of day in and day out IS good and what was created for everyone IS good and that we should continue to do everything in our power to share with others around is that it IS good.
Slogan/catchphrase #2 also comes from Genesis, but this time I looked to Chapter 8, Verses 13-16 with the story of Noah and the rainbow.
“I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the convenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my convenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh: and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting convenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
The rainbow. I talked about this symbol a few weeks ago with the children’s message in church. The rainbow is a sign of hope, a new beginning, a breath of fresh air for ALL in this world. Notice that the verse reads “I will see it and remember the everlasting convenant between God and every living creature of ALL flesh that is on the earth.” That means this symbol of hope and love is for ALL. It doesn’t exclude. It’s doesn’t judge. It doesn’t have prejudice. It doesn’t care if you’re white, black, Hispanic, Latino, gay, straight, bi, transgender, rich, poor, divorced, single, short, tall, skinny, etc. It is for ALL. Period.
Slogan/catchphrase #3
This one comes from one of the most well-known verses (well I feel to be one of the most well known verses) and one that we hear every December month during the Christmas season. They are some of my favorite words to hear during the traditional Christmas Eve service and reading them makes me super excited for December 24th.
Luke 2 Verses 10-12 reminds us: “But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. For see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Powerful stuff. A little baby lying in a manager in little wrappings of cloth was born for ALL of us…notice again the emphasis on the word ALL of us. Jesus’ birth does not exclude a single person—I am bringing you good news of great joy for ALL the people. Great joy to never be afraid no matter how much fear this world tries to throw at us with its tumultous roller coaster of craziness.
And for my last two slogans/catchphrases, I took to the readings from today’s service.
Slogan/catchphrase #4 comes from our first reading in Ecclesiastes specifically highlighting verse 12.
“I know there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.”
If I were to go out on a limb, I would like to say with almost 100% confidence that this particular verse could be a slogan for each and every one of us sitting here today. What good have you completed thus far in your life on this Earth? What good do you still have to accomplish? Are you executing each day with happiness toward others displaying love and kindness? If you are someone who is struggling with happiness and doing good, how can you overcome and change that? Are there ministries at St. Luke or Penryn that you can involve yourself with to start finding that spark in your soul? Being a volunteer at the food pantry, participating in events at The Backyard, enjoying conversation, fellowship and a few adult beverages with others during beer and bible, coming to church weekly to see familiar faces, participate in worship, hear the message, sing the songs, and confess your sins and remind yourself that you are loved. What are the things in your life that make you happy? Is it having weekly dinners with family, laughing with your friends, sitting outside in peace and quiet listening to the rain without saying words, texting a friend to let them know you are thinking about them, or enjoying a sunrise and sunset in solitude. Whatever the case might be, I would encourage all of you sitting here today to do more of what makes you happy and to do good with everyone you meet.
Slogan/catchphrase #5 comes from the famous Corinthians reading that we often hear at weddings; however, verse 1 and 13 are what I highlight today.
“If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And now faith, hope, and love remain, thse three, and the greatest of these is love.”
LOVE. The four letter word that can arguably probably be both the greatest action to display toward someone else in life while also proving to equally be the most difficult one.
And because I can’t stop at just 5 catchphrases, I had to throw one more in as a runner up because it aligned perfectly to mesh in seamlessly with these two verses from Corinthians.
This verse I’m speaking of is John 13 verse 34 and states, “a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, as I have loved you.”
The commandment above all commandments.
When I think of these words (and hopefully this is a reference that most of you will get), I imagine the music from the opening credits of The Wizard of Oz with the lion roaring and the orchestrations playing majestically and triumphantly in the background as the words “To love one another as I have loved you” are showin the clouds on the screen.
This would be the catchphrase that I would so boldly say is the catchphrase of the entire bible.
Love one another.
Love yourself.
Love your family.
Love your friends.
Love your neighbor.
Love the stranger.
Love your God.
Love ALL as if your life depended on it.
Love one another as I have loved you.
The end all be all that triumphs over ALL the catchphrases, slogans, commercial jingles, and theme songs in this world.
Amen.
Sprinkle sunshine always,
JP!
Mr. Sunshine Smiles 