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Over the years I have tried to remain aware of cultural trends.  My first and only failure on a assignment in high school was a paper that was to highlight current affairs as reported in newspapers.  We didn’t get newspapers at the time so I just didn’t do the assignment.  Shame on me.  For the last 50 or so years I think I’ve made up for that!!!

As COVID wound down in 2022 a number of TV series (or Netflix series, or Disney+ series, or . . . ) have been recorded.  While I generally do not enjoy the salaciousness of many edgy videos, some of the series sound interesting or have actually been insightful.  The ones I enjoy are based on humour that points out inconsistencies.

I was remarking yesterday that often the ability to laugh in our day and age means we are at least aware of the culture around us.  We may be restricted to an echo chamber of our own social group – but can we see the inconsistencies (and hypocrisy)?  Or we may study more widely and understand a “world” culture and see the strangeness of the system.

For me, gut-wrenching laughter comes when a contradiction is pointed out in such a way that you know the speaker has put some thought into the monologue.  At the same time there is a sense that this contradiction needs to be remedied.  Good comedy pushes for change.

My morning thoughts in not such an ordered way . . . almost comical!

December 29, 1979 the Calvin Baker family gathered. One sibling was missing, but the rest of the family (including spouse) were there. Youngest was 11 years old and the oldest was 61 (my dad, who was holding the cassette tape recorder). We start slow but get going – this is a 30 second clip – enjoy!!! A traditional Congolese song – Jesus is here, with us.

I don’t often post pictures – but here goes.

This is from 1972 – as the caption reads we are in Midland, Ontario on a music tour.  I look young and dapper (which shows how old I am by using that word).  We are all retired now and although I don’t keep close contact with the group, they were a great help in launching me into the singing/touring world!

The church that flourishes tends to have a strong positive cultural toolbox.

This toolbox contains their stories, their dreams and their past, present and future pathways.

All things work together for good – but seemingly not for those who are negative or unconcerned – who may have decided that looking ahead shows only the bad of the past and the despair that there will be no change.

Instead, good working is seeing the past as instructive, as able to be adventured through, and able to come to the next day with resilience.  God is willing, we need to be obedient.