December 15th is National Cat Herders Day! The goofy holiday was created by a couple in California that has thought of a few funny holidays.  This time of year I think many of us feel like we’re trying to accomplish the impossible, like herding cats. Family visits, parties with friends, children’s Christmas activities, and not to mention our day to day work routine. At church we’ve been reflecting on the name the angel said Jesus would be known as in Matthew 1:20-23

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”  ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

So as your busy time just gets even more hectic, remember to slow down and remind yourself (and others) that God is with us.

Don’t let herding cats take control of your Christmas!

Is God Mac or PC?

That is, up in heaven, is he cranking away on a Mac or a PC? Does he love the iPhone or is he currently listening to Michael W. Smith’s greatest hits on a Zune? Does he have a little apple sticker stuck anywhere?

I feel like lists work well on blogs, so let’s break it down list style and weigh all the facts.

1. Macs are beautiful and glimmery white in their design. Christ and God are always represented as the “light of the world.” PCs are often dark. God is definitely a Mac.

2. As soon as you own an iPhone you start to feel a potpourri of pity and shame for anyone who does not own one. Someone whips out a Blackberry and you immediately, smugly think inside, “That poor person. Pushing on physical keys. The horror.” God doesn’t like that arrogance. God is a PC.

3. Apple makes real efforts to improve the planet and recycle their products. God loves that. God is a Mac.

4. Apple is notorious for rejecting apps that people try to put on the iPhone. God doesn’t reject anyone. God is definitely a PC.

5. PCs are often plagued by viruses and crashes. Much like sin, God hates that. God is definitely a Mac.

6. Mac commercials are constantly mocking people who use PCs. God hates mockery. God is definitely a PC.

7. You don’t have to learn a complicated operating system to use a Mac. You turn it on and go. Same with God. Repentance and salvation are not complex systems designed to confuse people. God’s a Mac.

8. PCs are constantly needing to be upgraded and updated with the latest software and operating systems. Just like sanctification. You are constantly changing and being renewed. God’s a PC.

9. Macs take a very holistic approach to computing. There’s iLife and iTunes and iPhone. They all work together seamlessly. Just the way God wants to be integrated into every part of our life. God’s a Mac.

10. Some people treat Apple’s Steve Jobs like he’s God in a mock turtle neck. Turns out God is not cool with that. God’s a PC.

11. Macs are very intuitive. When you want to do something, you don’t look up how to do it, you just do it. With a PC, things are often backwards. When you want to shut down for instance, you have to click “Start.” The Bible is very intuitive too. Proverbs lays out pages of simple wisdom that just makes sense. God is a Mac.

12. Macs are all about outside appearances. They look fantastic. But God cares more about what’s inside. Macs are too vain. God’s a PC.

13. Macs make music easy to enjoy. They’re more artistic and often the choice of graphic designers and photographers. God is a great fan of the arts, as evidence by the colorful sunsets and sunrises he paints each day. God’s a Mac.

14. Macs are really expensive. God’s not. He paid the cost. He paid the debt we owed to him. God’s a PC.

15. The Mac logo, an apple with a bite out of it, is reminiscent of our fall from grace in the garden of Eden and God’s forgiveness of us. God’s a Mac.

16. The Gates Foundation has given millions and millions of dollars to help people around the world. God’s all about generosity. God’s a PC.

17. Apple stores are not designed like traditional retail outlets, but are more like aesthetic sanctuaries. They’re practically consumer churches. God’s a Mac.

18. Mac is constantly teasing us with information. There is a tablet. There’s not a tablet. God, on the other hand, is much more direct with his love and purpose in our lives. God’s a PC.

There’s the list and I’ve got to tell you, I’m stuck. I have a PC desktop and an Apple laptop. I don’t know who to score this one as anything other than a tie. How about you?

You can read more of Jon’s funny stuff or even buy his book by clicking here.

Is God a Mac or a PC?

What evidence would you offer to support or deny either decision?

• All truth is God’s truth – probably means hey you know, I just really don’t have time to see if the Bible says anything on the subject so let me just say it this way!
• Blessings – I’m a Christian so I don’t believe in luck that means I believe in God’s luck, not good luck.
• Thanks you Jesus – what we say when we find a good parking spot!  You bet God cares whether or not I have to walk twenty feet or seventy five feet to the front door of the department store.
• Unspoken request – that means I’m too shy or I’m too afraid to tell you what I’d like you to pray about because you might laugh at me!

What makes me even more crazy is when we actually sing cliches in Christian music. This video says it all…

Do you have any favorite Christian Cliche that you’d like to share? I promise we will laugh with you and not at you!

Into his wiskers,
It started to thrive,
Almost like magic,
His beard came alive.

At first it was fun,
A pet furry white,
He gave it a name,
And kissed it goodnight.

While out giving gifts,
A girl left his fave,
Milk and cookies that-
she knew Santa’d crave.

The beard sprang to life,
It launched out and ate,
All of the goodies,
And even the plate.

So this year children,
You’ll be sure to see,
A clean shaved Santa,
Now smooth and beard free.

My brothers both live so far away. Dave lives on the other side of the country in Los Angeles and Pete lives on the other side of the planet in Hawaii. Even though they can’t both make it every year, often they will choose to travel home for Thanksgiving before they choose Christmas. I think it is because we are truly thankful to have one another, knowing we can always count on our family.

But still there are always those that are not thankful… those that are unhappy and fail to see how amazing our world truly is. Check out this clip from Louis CK in an interview with Conan O’Brian:

Untitled from Laurie Plaza on Vimeo.