Cheerios †Theology Essay

Cheerios – Theology Essay Free Online Research Papers Cheerios Theology Essay My grandson’s response brought back memories of my childhood. Maybe that happens more often the older you get. My wife and I like to have some of our grandchildren’s favorite cereals on hand when they spend the night. When Elijah was asked what kind he wanted, he answered, â€Å"Cheerios, but the honey-nut kind.† He got his honey-nut cheerios. But I remembered how that was my favorite cereal when I was his age. Cheerios have been around a long time. I never did think much about the name until now. I just remembered how the advertising promoted the formation of muscles and strength for those who ate iron fortified Cheerios. Elijah is right though, now I also like Honey-nut Cheerios the best. I had a friend from England who was fond of using the expression â€Å"Cheerio† for goodbye. I thought that a little strange, but after some reflection, I tend to prefer that over goodbye. Unfortunately most Americans would consider you a little peculiar if you went around saying, â€Å"Cheerio.† Cheerio is actually a British, informal expression of good wishes on parting company. I like â€Å"Cheerio† much better than â€Å"Goodbye†. Goodbye sounds so final. Although originally, goodbye was â€Å"God be with you.† We don’t hear that expression much in our secularized society. So, â€Å"Cheerio†. I think Jesus had some British in him. He probably said, â€Å"Cheerio† a lot. At least he often used the expression, â€Å"Be of good cheer.† The New Oxford American Dictionary defines â€Å"cheer† as â€Å"2) give comfort or support to . . . also â€Å"Good cheer†, cheerfulness, optimism, or confidence causing happiness by its nature or appearance.† As never before, we live in a time when people need to hear â€Å"Be of good cheer†. This Father’s Day many children don’t have the memory or heritage of having a father present in their lives. Many fathers face an uncertain and insecure future. They wonder if there is hope and a future for them and their children. Many people try to find cheer in a shot glass, a bottle, a can, or a pill. â€Å"Newsweek† magazine reported the 65% of Americans are having trouble sleeping. They wake up with a black cloud of despair hanging over them. Millions are now medicating themselves just to find a small bit of relief. Jesus came to this earth to bring the Good News of hope, joy, and everlasting life. Jesus constantly told his followers to have â€Å"Good cheer†. In Matthew 14 we read the account of the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee during an awful storm. The boat was battered by the winds and waves. Suddenly, they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. They were terrified. They thought he was a ghost. Jesus called out to them, â€Å"Be of good cheer. It is I, be not afraid† (Matthew 14:27). I’ve wondered why Jesus used those particular words. â€Å"Be of good cheer.† Why would he say this to men who thought they were about to die? Remember the word cheer means â€Å"to be relieved, happy, released from fear†. In the disciples time of distress Jesus tied the word to his identity. â€Å"It is I – Be of good cheer, be not afraid† (Matthew 14:27). Jesus says, â€Å"I will never leave you or forsake you . . . I will be with you always.† If we will trust God and be of good cheer, fear, and the enemy of our soul will flee. How can we be of good cheer always? First – FEAR NOT. Jesus constantly urged his followers not to fear. When we become preoccupied with our problems, circumstances, and storms, fear will take us captive. Put your eyes of Jesus. Remember God’s promises. â€Å"That brings good tidings of good news; that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, your God reigns!† (Isaiah 52:7) Be of good cheer! (John 16:33; Acts 17:22) Second – FORGET NOT His promises and benefits. When Israel forgot their Maker, fear of the enemy entered their hearts. (Isaiah 51:13) David told his soul not to forget God’s goodness, mercy, and benefits. (Psalm 103) Third – FAILED NOT. The Lord has never once failed His people. God cannot and will not fail you. (Psalm 37:24-25) Fourth – FOLLOW NOT the path of the proud, but the path of humility. Jesus set an example of humility. (Philippians 2) He taught that we must become as children. As we come into our teenage years, we begin to act like â€Å"sophisticated adults†. Jesus taught the blessing of childlike faith, love, and humility. (James 4:6-10) Fifth – FUSS NOT with the bustle and business of life. But fellowship daily and moment by moment with the Lord. Martha was busy about many things, but Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. Who do you think had more cheer, joy, love, and peace? Jesus said that Mary did. (Luke 10:38-41) Fellowship with Jesus brings cheer and true lasting satisfaction. Hear His call, â€Å"Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens unto me, I will come into him and sup with him and he with me† (Revelation 3:20) Cheerio! Be of good cheer! Research Papers on Cheerios - Theology EssayComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnThe Hockey GamePersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayHip-Hop is ArtAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationWhere Wild and West MeetCapital Punishment

A Short History of the Toothpick

A Short History of the Toothpick Thanks to the humble toothpick, taking care of your oral hygiene after meals has become somewhat of a ritual. With needle-like precision, it makes removing unseemly pieces of food debris, such as that stubborn sliver of shredded chicken, a thoroughly satisfying task. So who should we thank for it? DIY Origins   The toothpick is one of the few inventions being used today that predates the arrival of modern humans. Fossil evidence of ancient skulls, for instance, suggests that early Neanderthals used tools to pick their teeth. Scientists have also found tooth indentations indicative of teeth picking in human remains among Australian Aborigines, prehistoric Native Americans, and the earliest Egyptians.    The practice of teeth picking was not uncommon among early civilizations, too. Mesopotamians used instruments to keep dental crevices clear and artifacts such as toothpicks made out of silver, bronze and various other precious metals that date back to antiquity have also been unearthed. By the Medieval period, carrying a gold or silver toothpick in a fancy case became a way for privileged Europeans to distinguish themselves from commoners. The toothpick wasn’t always quite the lowly, mass-produced and disposable piece of wood that we’ve come to know today. Queen Elizabeth once received six gold toothpicks as a gift and would often showcase them. There’s even an anonymous portrait depicting her as an old woman wearing multiple chains around her neck, from which hung a gold toothpick or a case. Meanwhile, those who couldn’t afford such luxuries resorted to more creative ways of fashioning their own toothpicks. The Romans came up with a particularly clever method of pulling bird feathers, chopping off the quill and sharpening the tip. The technique was passed on to future generations in Europe and eventually carried over to the new world. Over in the Americas, native peoples carved toothpicks from deer bone. And just up north, Eskimos used walrus whiskers. Coincidentally, wood was generally considered unsuitable for the purpose of dislodging trapped food bits. Twigs from trees were inadequate because they tended to wear down when wet and had a propensity to splinter, which tended to be problematic. One exception is the mastic gum tree of southern Europe, with the Romans among the first to take advantage of the plant’s pleasant aroma and its teeth whitening properties. A Toothpick for the Masses With the ubiquity of tooth picking tools across the world, it was only a matter of time before an industry was built around them. As small businesses specializing in toothpick manufacturing began to pop up, demand for toothpicks also grew.  American entrepreneur named Charles Forster. The mass production of toothpicks can be traced to the Mondego River Valley in Portugal. It was there, in the small municipality of Coimbra, that the 16th century nuns of the Mos-teiro de Lorvo monastery began making toothpicks as a disposable utensil for picking up sticky confections that tended to leave residue on fingers and teeth. Locals eventually picked up the tradition, using only the finest orangewood and a jackknife to handcraft the toothpicks. The region would over time earn a reputation as the world capital of the toothpick industry where the finest toothpicks were made. Orders soon came in from all over Europe and shipment were sent out as far overseas as the Americas. The Portuguese were especially renowned for a special type of cocktail tooth called â€Å"palitos especiales† distinct for their carved involutes and curly shafts. In the U.S., some vendors seek to mimic the classy, festive aesthetic with toothpicks topped with colored cellophane. Toothpicks in America The American entrepreneur Charles Forster was particularly impressed by the high quality of the toothpicks in South America. While working in Brazil, he noticed that the locals often had impeccable teeth and credited it to the use of imported toothpicks from Portugal. Inspired by fellow American Benjamin Franklin Sturtevant’s shoe-making machine, Forster got to work on building something similar that would be capable of mass-producing millions of toothpicks a day. While he was ultimately able to come up with the goods, Americans simply weren’t interested. Part of the problem was that Americans were already accustomed to whittling their own toothpicks and doling out cash for something that can easily make themselves made little sense at the time. What was needed was a sea change in ingrained lifestyle habits and attitudes if there was any hope of generating demand. Forster just so happened to be crazy enough to take on such a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Some of the unusual marketing tactics he employed included hiring students to pose as store customers seeking toothpicks and instructing Harvard students to ask for them whenever they dined at restaurants. Soon enough, many local eateries would make sure toothpicks were available for patrons who somehow developed a habit of reaching for them as they’re about to leave. Though it was Forster who at the time nearly singlehandedly established a growing market for mass-produced wooden toothpicks, there were a few others jockeying to get into the game. In 1869, Alphons Krizek, of Philadelphia, received a patent for an â€Å"improvement in toothpicks,† which featured a hooked end with spoon-shaped mechanism designed to clean out hollow and sensitive teeth. Other attempted â€Å"improvements† include a case for a retractable toothpick and a scented coating meant to freshen one’s breath.  Ã‚   Towards the end of the 19th century, there were literally billions of toothpicks made each year. In 1887, the count got as high as five billion toothpicks, with Forster accounting for more than half of them. And by the end of the century, there was one factory in Maine that was already making that many.  Ã‚   Toothpicks Not Just for Picking Teeth With the commercialized ubiquity of disposable wooden toothpicks, the concept of the toothpick as status symbol, which stubbornly persisted well into 19th century, would slowly begin to fade. Silver and gold toothpicks, once immensely popular amongst society’s most well-heeled elites, were increasingly turned in as donations at fundraisers. But that doesn’t mean a toothpick’s usefulness was simply relegated to oral hygiene. Most people, for instance, are familiar with the use of toothpicks in social settings where eau doeuvres and other finger foods are served. Yet they’ve also proved capable of pinning down overstuffed deli sandwiches, cleaning dirt from underneath fingernails, and even picking locks. While the standard toothpick of today remains essentially unchanged from the ones Forster was cranking out over a century ago, entrepreneurs still seek to improve upon its very basic iteration. One early attempt by Forster and others to make them more appealing was the introduction of flavored toothpicks. Popular flavors included cinnamon, wintergreen, and sassafras. For a time, there were even liquor flavors, such as Scotch and Bourbon. Inventors have also tested other coatings such as imbuing sticks with zinc as a disinfectant. Another therapeutic approach involved combining a toothpick and a gum massager. Others have tried tinkering with the shape by making the center square as a way to prevent rolling when dropped while some newer ones claim to offer enhanced cleaning ability with the addition of brush-like bristles to the head. Though such efforts to build a better toothpick may arguably yield some advantages, theres something about the toothpick’s modest simplicity that makes it so users dont have much of a desire to deviate. A disposable, cheap object with a simple design that achieves its desired goal, you really couldn’t ask for more - as a consumer or as a manufacturer.