The party's over, now get back to work.

It's a fact of life. As we get older, birthdays become less and less important. After about 20, other people only make a real effort at the decade mark and then it ends up some sort of morbid roast to the "nearly departed". Black balloons, images of the grim reaper ... Until you hit 70 - then it's too close to the mark and people go back to celebrating your long life. Finally, after hitting 90, every year becomes a milestone again.

Oh well, when you're a teenager, life is just a series of reality-checks. This comic depicts just one of the many. Happy birthday.

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Game on, stringbean!

Growing up, I was a huge fan of the daily comics. I read 'em all including the soap-opera ones like Rex Morgan. Blondie is a classic strip that does everything right. The art is well crafted, the main character has his famous idiosyncrasies that makes him endearing to the reader. His ability to make and eat sandwiches has permeated into society to the point that most people know that a "Dagwood" is going to be a big sandwich when listed on a menu.

Also, I've always loved crossovers in comics partly because it immediately gives the reader a connection to the artist. As you read a comic, if the artist is true to the strip's universe, you get so into the characters that you forget the artist behind the scenes. But when Hagar shows up in Pearls Before Swine you are exposed to the artist's thought process. As a cartoonist myself, I really appreciate that connection.

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Careful what you pray for

It's a concept as old as Genesis but somehow we need to be reminded every day. I sometimes wish Finding Elim would be more popular or even syndicated but when I really think about it, It's also a frightening thought being committed to do a more frequent or even (gasp!) daily comic.

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Coffee Chemistry

This one was just fun to draw - I've always loved the look of the movie laboratories with the bunson burners and test tubes.

But really, my morning "coffee" is pretty complicated: coffee, chocolate milk, too much sugar, extra cocoa and whipped cream on top. All served in a cup that's so big that other people in the office have mistaken it for a soup bowl.

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Funraising Opportunities

Well, let's face it. That money's not going to just fall in our lap. Finding the right way to raise money is tricky, especially for a church.

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A great idea ... for you.

Visions, grand plans, wish lists ... phooey! I've sat in my share of these types of meetings and personally I think they're frustrating. Churches have a mission and it's not to erect a new gymnasium. Years ago, our church wrote a mission statement that was pretty good: "... to make disciples and meet human needs." But when attendance is down and giving is down, the attention turns to the cold, hard numbers and the questions turn from "how can we make disciples?" to "how can we balance our budget?"

It's a fair question to be sure but adding programs that require the resources of an already tapped-out congregation can be counter-productive. And in the end, it seems the program in question gets a cool reception at best when people are attempting to assume what the "outsiders" would be attracted to.

So here's my suggestion: If you have a group of ladies that like to scrapbook, allow them to use the facilities and invite their friends. If some of your youth love frisbee, suggest they invite others for a game of ultimate on the church grounds. The point is to rely on your strengths, make use of your interests and enjoy what you do. And ALWAYS be inviting friends and neighbors to join in the fun.

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Another Bored Meeting

There is so much good that Christians can do to demonstrate their faith. Volunteering to help the less fortunate, visiting the sick, befriending the lonely ... but personally, I find sitting in a meeting is just spinning my wheels. Of course we need to connect to do things efficiently but that doesn't mean I have to like it. 'Nuff said.

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