This one got a lot of positive feedback. It's a simple joke, really. I love the captured emotions that are possible in a comic. It deepens the vignette in a way that connects so much better. Admittedly, I rarely nail it. One of my favorite cartoonists, Will McPhail, is a master of this. Check him out at:  https://www.willmcphail.com/

I grew up in a very conservative family where alcohol was shunned. Being the obedient son, I was a sober snob until my late 20's when I was exposed to some proper brews in Germany and visited a lovely winery in Texas called Messina Hof that has a great tour for newbs like me.

... but I will, anyway 😉. 

Another one of my favorites. Every time I hear this line in a movie, I roll my eyes wishing script writers could come up with a fresher imperative. Anyway, taking this very adult statement, meant for action-heroes and sports cars and replacing it with a wagon just makes me smile. BTW, there are a LOT of kids in my neighborhood but if I ever see one pulling an actual wagon, I'll probably faint from shock. 

This is one of my favorites as well as one of the last panels I did. Drawing for myself allows me to do visual gags like this that wouldn't pass certain editors. 

The real joke here is one of those "funny because it's true" situations. Churches are so desperate for members willing to commit to 2 or 3 years of thankless service that they dismiss all kinds of things that would have weeded out candidates 20 years ago.  If you haven't already, consider volunteering for something you are passionate about. It isn't easy, and some days you'll want to skip an obligation, but it is gratifying in retrospect.

My favorite comedy is that which pokes fun at the person or institution that delivers it. Finding Elim has a lot of that. Christians, of which I am one, take ourselves too seriously and can even become self righteous if we're not careful. It's easy to label sinners, especially if their "sins" are not something that is part of our personal experience. WWJD? Love his fellow man so much that He would give His very life. He asked nothing less from us. 

"No man comes to the Father except through me" means that He will judge - not me or you or the Pope. So, let's get back to feeding the poor and tending the sick.

Politics, ugh. It's my opinion that Jesus wouldn't have voted. Not because it's pointless but because He would be too busy taking care of His neighbor. If each of us spent as much energy doing something for the people in our immediate circle as we do writing memes about how terrible the candidates are, we would all be way better off. 

One of the things I learned from writing panel comics is that it's tempting to lead the punchline with a "but". It's a device to deliver the ol' setup and delivery and can be a crutch to a so-so image. As a sketcher, I often drew what I thought was a decent image and then struggled with the caption. Then I started crafting the joke first and then drawing the comic around it. My later comics benefitted from less words, better images and just funnier jokes. 

I like using Timmy to illustrate our human nature. For all we know, he may be an atheist. And that's OK because he personifies our worldly side. Like Denis the Menace, he can be a real stinker and, mostly, get away with it because he's just a kid. If you are familiar with Denis the Menace but haven't read any of the early comics, you're missing out. Hank Ketcham's work was mastery. 

This comic is one of those that I felt was a gimmie pulled from Sunday School lessons gone by.  

While I didn't steal this joke from anyone directly, I have no doubt it was done before this ran in 2008. It's ironic how social media is "connecting" us with an unlimited supply of "friends" but we are, at the same time, becoming more isolated and alone than ever. In some cases, we know more about what online personalities are thinking than we do our own family. A psychiatrist I know tells me this is an opportunity for churches to become relevant again - making real human connections that matter.

As I type this, I'm sitting on my couch enjoying the 1/1/2024 holiday. I do the resolution thing every year. I think it's healthy to self-evaluate once in a while. I try to make little adjustments rather than big goals. Less screen-time, more creativity, more personal relationships are on my list. Check in with me in March and I'll let let you know how it's all working out.

For those of you with more serious resolutions, like trying to kick an addiction or make a big life-change, I truly wish you all the best and encourage you to find support in a partner or group that understands.