Welcome to my creative outlet. A place to share ephemera I’ve collected online and offline,
along with some writing.
One of the core instructions throughout the Bible is to wholly trust in God. This instruction gets to the heart of following him; do we believe that God is good and that he can (and will) do what is best – or can we make a better future for ourselves?
Continue readingTrust in the Lord with all your heart,
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Poor Richard’s Alamanck was an annual publication by Benjamin Franklin from the mid-1700’s. An enduring legacy of the almanac is a large number of sayings and maxims, many still used today.
I was able to borrow a compilation of these sayings from the library and found it quite a fun read. Some sayings have not aged well, but many contain timeless life advice. I’ve included a few of my favourites below.
After crosses and losses, men grow humbler and wiser
How many observe Christ’s birth-day; How few his precepts!
O! ’tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.
The poor have little, beggars none;
the rich too much – enough not one
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead
He does not possess wealth, it possess him
Good heals and the doctor takes the fee
Words may show a mans wit, but actions his meaning
A wise man will desire no more than what he may get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully and leave contentedly
I love a good sign, especially a handmade one. This was spotted in my neighbourhood the other day. I do hope the owner and chickens were reunited 🍗
My son attacked me with this epic mashup costume. Darth Vader meets ninja warrior (with a wooden shield to top if off)!
Rags make paper
Anonymous
Paper makes money
Money makes banks
Banks make loans
Loans make beggars
Beggars make rags
I don’t recall where I found this poem, but it resonated with me, as its both funny and true (though I’m not sure if we use rags for paper any longer).
I’ve always loved plants, and have been a semi-serious gardener for the past 10-12 years. Though still a beginner in many ways, I am well acquainted with weeds.
I’ve been a Christian for most of my life, but have been serious about my pursuit of Christ-likeness for the past 20 years or so. Though I still have far to go, I’m well acquainted with sin.
These two pursuits have made me realize how similar sin and weeds are, and as I garden, I’m tangibly reminded of the battle against both.
Rat head duck neck*
- When an official group (government, corporation etc.) proclaim that one thing is the truth, despite the fact that everyone knows it not to be true.
I learned about this phrase when reading about Chinese internet slang (sadly I can’t find the article). In 2023 a student at a college in China found a rat head in the cafeteria meal, but officials announced that it was actually a “duck neck”.
This phrase is most relevant when an organization or group tightly controls the dissemination of information – so sadly, we may be using it more.
* Yes, its more than one word, but “Word of the Day” sounds better than “Word or Phrase of the Day”
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.
Unknown
Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.
Over 20 years ago this was the quote I used in my high school yearbook. I’m not sure how serious I was, but it is a good one.
Recently I heard a variant of it, and think it’s better – but I may just have an odd sense of humour.
Give a man a fire and he’s warm for a day,
Terry Pratchett
but set fire to him and he’s warm for the rest of his life.
One of my favorite nerdy activities is visualizing data; helping to communicate numbers and ideas in an accessible way. I made this chart below to showcase the stages of a banana ripening, and the usage zones. It was inspired by my dad (Opa to my kids) who is very picky about his bananas!
Like a blind dog in a meat market*
- Running around completely out of control
I don’t recall where I heard this phrase, but it immediately stuck. I think it’s because it sometimes accurately describes my children (especially the youngest).
* Yes, its more than one word, but “Word of the Day” sounds better than “Word or Phrase of the Day”
Sitting in our garden on a sunny summer day, I am reminded of what an amazing space it is, nature in the city. The breeze causes dappled sunshine to break through the leafy canopy above me, busy bees flit from flower to flower, and wasps scratch at the cedar posts. I also hear the hum of the nearby road, and the sound of neighbours – music, talking, and washing dishes.
Getting away from busyness to spend quiet time with Jesus is vital for our faith. Yet we don’t do that apart from the people we’re called to be in the world, sharing Jesus’ love tangibly with those around us.
Being in the garden gives a blend of both, a quiet place to read, listen, and pray, but also to remember where I am, in the midst of a city with millions of souls created in God’s image. My call is to be a light here, not to everyone, but to everyone God leads me to. The garden reminds me to find that balance between stillness & quiet, and work in the real world.
I saw this sign while camping a number of years ago and was sadly excited that I could get connectivity … then I realized it was just an amphitheatre icon.
Unfortunately with ever expanding WiFi and cellular coverage, it is harder to unplug.
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
TS Eliot, The Rock
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
This quote from TS Eliot’s play, The Rock was written in 1934, but seems even more relevant today. We are amassing an ever increasing amount of information, and can now get an answer for anything from AI (though not necessarily the right one). However, we forget that the value is not just in the information but the wisdom that it took to gain it.
How can we be people that value the hard work of gaining wisdom in an age of instant gratification and ease? How do we push back against hoarding information without truly understanding the world in which it belongs?
As I read books and articles, I have a habit of saving unique words (or phrases) that I like. I’ll be sharing them here on occasion, so you too can sound smart at dinner parties.
Pettifogger
- Someone who quibbles over minor details.
I think I like this word so much because I can be a pettifogger at times. Unfortunately this is a trait my sons have inherited; if I say the time is 7:30 and its only 7:29, I will be corrected 🤦
No. AI* isn’t coming for your job.
Don’t get me wrong, many jobs are disappearing, especially at the lower levels, but AI isn’t some sentient being plotting your destruction.
Continue readingI consider the success of my day based on the seeds I sow, not the harvest I reap.
Robert Louis Stevenson
This is how I want to evaluate my days. Not based on my output, but if I invested my time in the right things. It may feel less productive, but that is okay.
There is this silly game my wife and I play, we take a sentence and put air quotes around a random word – the goal being to change the meaning and make it much funnier.
This request for feedback does the same thing, making me question whether they “actually” want my input 😂
I spotted this in Sayulita, Mexico. I love how they committed to painting the rolling shutters to perfectly frame the plant (at its current size).
A friend of mine bet that if I did a back flip with a cup of water, the centrifugal force would keep the water in. You be the judge 👇
