Eye on Faith

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Lucas first and always

Original Gerber Baby (Fair Use)

Lucas Warren is one in 140,000 – not because he was born with Down syndrome, but because he was chosen to be this year’s Gerber Spokesbaby.

CEO Bill Partyka recently talked about the company’s “longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby.” Jason Warren, Lucas’ proud dad, hopes that his son’s fame will “help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited.”

Lucas has a winning smile and a bubbly personality. His mother Cortney states that he “may have Down syndrome, but he’s always Lucas first.”

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/whats-hot/meet-the-first-gerber-baby-with-down-syndrome-his-name-is-lucas/ar-BBIOwJ0?OCID=ansmsnnews11

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Bundchen: Teaching 'em young

Bundchen in 2007 (Photo by Tiago Chediak)

You’re never too old to learn sharing and caring. After all, Gisele Bundchen demonstrated far more openness this time around than she did back in 2012.

Nevertheless, it’s always great to imbibe such wisdom at a young age. Gisele’s children were therefore treated to Mom’s rendition of losing with dignity. After the Patriots' recent loss, Bundchen offered the following counsel to her Brady bunch: Sometimes you have to let other people win. We have to share. Sharing is caring.

Well, it’s a start. Eagles fans might not agree that the Patriots “let” them win. Eagles fans might rather hear that their team played the better game and thus won fair and square.

But it’s a step in the right direction. And when it comes to humility, we’re all works in progress.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/bundchen-consoles-children-after-patriots-lose-super-bowl/ar-BBIK8TV?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000

Monday, February 5, 2018

McKenna and Timberlake: Bonded for life?

He the MAN (Photo by Mark Briello)

Seventh-grader Ryan McKenna will maybe get married one day. At that ceremony, he and his partner might vow to be bonded for life. That’s what has traditionally warranted “unto death do us part.”

These days, however, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Such “rightness” (as opposed to righteousness) is largely determined by society’s latest whim.

Today’s society is big on the Super Bowl and big on Justin Timberlake. Put the two together, and you allegedly can’t go wrong. So if you’re at the Super Bowl and Timberlake dances up to you, you’re good as gold. And gold is right up there with (beyond?) marriage.

So if you're seventh-grader Ryan McKenna and Justin Timberlake is coming your way, you must whip out a camera to prepare for the “wedding” pics. The great moment has arrived and must be immortalized on social media.

Fame rubbed off on McKenna (if only for 15 minutes) as he and Timberlake were “bonded for life.” At least that’s how talking heads have viewed it. And who knows? When McKenna is 95, he might not remember his partner’s name, but chances are that he will remember Timberlake’s.

Resources

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/see-the-selfie-a-kid-took-with-justin-timberlake-at-super-bowl-halftime-show/ar-BBII1nD?OCID=ansmsnnews11

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Idolatry: For the birds

True love! (Photo by Michael Haferkamp)

Never mind fake news: Nigel the gannet spent years loving a concrete decoy. And that’s for real.

Nigel was lured to an island named Mana off the coast of New Zealand by a bevy of female-looking decoys. After choosing one, he spent the rest of his life grooming her “chilly, concrete feathers.”

Scientists had originally hoped to lure a colony of gannets over to the island. Instead, Nigel spent years alone with the virtual love of his life.

Perhaps other birds sensed the futility of such idolatry. Perhaps they feared it was contagious (as idolatry often is). In any event, live gannets pretty much avoided the island until shortly before Nigel’s death.

Resources

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/nigel-the-worlds-loneliest-bird-dies-next-to-the-concrete-decoy-he-loved-20180203-h0t72l.html