Letters from a Nut

What lies below is a real letter written to a real company. The letter is outlandish, funny, sarcastic and meant to provoke a response. The author of this letter is using a psuedo name to protect his identity.
(I'm almost positive the author of this book of letters is none other than Jerry Seinfeld, who I've seen in person.)
The author has put together a pretty funny book of his crazy letters and called it "Letters from a Nut" by Ted L Nancy.

What follows is one such letter and response:

Dear Nordstrom Deptarment Stores,

I am a regular shopper at your Nordstorms stores in Glendale. In the last few weeks I have noticed that a new mannequin you have out in the store looks just like my deceased neighbor. I have passed mannequin from many directions and the resemblance is uncanny. In every way - nose, cheekbones, hair, etc. Look at it from any angle. It looks like the neighbor I was friendly with. Even the clothes that the mannequin was wearing was the kind of lightweight windbreaker jacket my neighbor would wear. It is UNBELIEVABLE that this mannequin looks so much like my neighbor.

Is it possible to buy this mannequin (after its use) so I may present it to my neighbor's family? They would think this would be a VERY sentimental gesture. I think his co-workers would also like to have him remembered, so having him "there" would be good, theraputic behavior for all.

I was told to write to your stores HEADQUARTERS OFFICE afterI inquired about buying this mannequin to the sales lady (Very, courteous, I might add.) She suggested that only the stores main office could assist me in this purchase. But she was very helpful with my socks purchase.

Thank you, Nordstrom, for being a store that cares about its customers. I am a long time shopper. I keep lots of things in your Nordstrom bags. Fishing gear, etc. I have a garage full of Nordstrom bags full of old shoes, wire hangers, etc. Thats how I know I've been to your store so much. Let me know about the mannequin. This family is in some need of good loving. This will help!

Sincerely,
Ted L. Nancy


Nordstrom's response Letter:

Dear Mr. Nancy:

Yours is one of the most interesting requests I have ever received. Candidly, I can't imagine any family who has lost a loved one wanting to see a mannequin that resembles that person.

Of course, we want to respond to our customers as positively as possible, but we definately do not sell display materials while they are being used by the company. I see no reason why (when it comes time for a change of mannequins) that we wouldnt sell it to you at the same price we would get from our normal resources.

If you should be interested in that, simply talk to our store manager there at Glendale, Diane Kantor, and she will let you know when the time comes. Unfortunately, mannequins are used for a number of years before they are phased out.

Sincerely
Bruce Nordstrom

About a Boy Part 2

I wrote this on my blog in April two years ago...
I thought it was relevant to post becuase I reference a couple movies, including About a Boy, the movie we went over at Youth Group on Sunday night.

"Extreme Makeover: Transforming hearts in a changing world", was the title of a Youth Conference Conference that the Jeff, Amy and I attended 2 weeks ago. The question presented to us: "Do we simply try to sell Jesus like a marketing rep? Like someone trying to sell vacuum cleaners? Or do we allow Jesus to touch the whole of our lives each day and as a result genuinely try to touch others for Christ?"

Before we can engage another person's heart whether it be family, friend, a stranger, a child or a student, we must first be aware of what is going on and ruling our own hearts.

There is a big difference between asking someone how they’re doing and actually caring about the answer.

I saw a young man in the mall once that had a T-shirt that had these words on the front "People always tell me to stop drinking.." and on the back the phrase ended with, "But no one ever asks me about my thirst."
Today's culture (MEANING= The world we live in everyday! Even our lives!) is built around trying to avoid the real questions. Avoid that void, the pain, the hurt.
Why can't we be more enticed to see someone’s soul? To really be in tune with someones heart?
Culture today lives for comfort and escapism and we wonder why were apathetic and indifferent.
We should change our motto from "Land of the Free, to the, Land of the Numb".
We can create ourselves island paradises if we have the right supplies.
(TV's, DVDs, music, espresso machines, laptops, video games, nice cars, the right relationships, the cool shoes, the high position at work or church)
This was the idea Hugh Grant presented in the opening scenes of the movie, "About a Boy", the last line of that whole montage said the following,"...like all island dwellers you often have to visit the mainland."
How often have we visited the mainland of our hearts? How often do we break out of this state of anesthesia and enter into another persons world and actually touch them?

As Brad Pitt says in Fight Club, "We're the middle children of history.... no purpose or place. We have no Great War, no Great Depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives." We associate with this quote, with this movie, or at least I did because we feel lost in this culture that says that we live for ourselves. At least those people back when had something to fight for, to fight against, right?
Nope...today we are simply trying to escape reality and enjoy every fake minute of it. We are self-absorbed, living somewhere between depressed and happy and never simply content.
Turn off your TV's, your palm pilots, your cell phones, your video games, your computers for one night and face the quiet.
How does it feel?
Do you feel lonely? At a loss for what to do? Why do we always have to have something entertain us? Because it numbs us from the reality that we need something greater than ourselves. If we occupy our time then we don’t have to worry about the reality of life. That it is lonely without God, without a relationship with Christ.
When life gets hard, the dating scene seems old, your children wont behave, your spouse annoys you, your job is depressing, your dog dies, whatever..turning to the numbing agents of TV, computers, cell phones, and video games feel empty don't they? They dont quite satisfy during those rough times. {As a side note- So we eventually turn to bigger self pleasers...bar scenes, clubs, relationships, drugs, wealth and whatever else}
I'm not saying to turn into a monk and throw away all your posessions, but be aware of what culture says is important, be aware of what you turn to when you feel lonely and empty.
Turn away from the thin things that this consumeristic culture has put in our lives and turn to the thick promises and security found in a relationship greater than ourselves, a relationship with Jesus.
And as a follower of Jesus the next time you bump into someone and ask them how they're doing....care.
Show them the love of Christ. Crush them with love!

I Pity the Fool!!!

Who remembers or knows who this crazy man is?
Tyler, Luke, you can't answer.