I sometimes here News Commentators say ‘You can’t make this stuff up’.
I was checking on a state law recently and ran across some state laws that fall under the categories of funny, weird, strange and downright dumb! I did not take the time to verify them and am merely posting them here for your amusement.

I am posting them according to categories.

Food
In Philadelphia, you can’t put pretzels in bags based on an Act of 1760.
In New Jersey, cabbage can’t be sold on Sunday.
In Massachusetts, it is against the law to put tomatoes in clam chowder.
In Tennessee, a law exists which prohibits the sale of bologna (sandwich meat) on Sunday.
In West Virginia, one can’t cook sauerkraut or cabbage due to the odors and the offence is subject to imprisonment.

Animals
Alaska law says that you can’t look at a moose from an airplane.
In Corpus Christie, Texas, it is illegal to raise alligators in your home.
In Miami, it is forbidden to imitate an animal.
In the state of Colorado, a pet cat, if loose, must have a tail-light
In North Carolina, it is against the law for a rabbit to race down the street.
In Texas, it is still a “hanging offense” to steal cattle.
In Utah, birds have the right of way on any public highway.
In the State of Kansas, you’re not allowed to drive a buffalo through a street.
In Florida, it is against the law to put livestock on a school bus.
In Galveston, Texas, it is illegal to have a camel run loose in the street.
In North Carolina, it is against the law for dogs and cats to fight.
In Virginia, chickens cannot lay eggs before 8:00 a.m., and must be done before 4:00 p.m.
In New York, it is against the law for children to pick up or collect cigarette and cigar butts.
The law states that more than 3000 sheep cannot be herded down Hollywood Blvd. at any one time.

Modesty
In Michigan, it is against the law for a lady to lift her skirt more than 6 inches while walking through a mud puddle.
In Rochester, Michigan, the law is that anyone bathing in public must have the bathing suit inspected by a police officer.

Couples
It is against the law in Connecticut for a man to write love letters to a girl whose mother or father has forbidden the relationship.
In Michigan, married couples must live together or be imprisoned.
In California, a law created in 1925 makes it illegal to wiggle while dancing.
In Utah, daylight must be visible between dancing couples.

 Lastly…
Why were these laws needed?
In Texas, it’s against the law for anyone to have a pair of pliers in his or her possession.
It is against the law to mispronounce the name of the State of Arkansas in that State.
In Washington State, you can’t carry a concealed weapon that is over 6 feet in length.
In San Francisco, there is an ordinance, which bans the picking up and throwing of used confetti.
In Kentucky, it is illegal for a merchant to force a person into his place of business for the purpose of making a sale.
In Phoenix, Arizona, you can’t walk through a hotel lobby with spurs on.
In Georgia, it’s against the law to spread a false rumor.
In Missouri, a man must have a permit to shave.
In Illinois, the law is that a car must be driven with the steering wheel.
California law prohibits a woman from driving a car while dressed in a housecoat.
In Tennessee, it is against the law to drive a car while sleeping.
In New York, it is against the law for a blind person to drive an automobile.
In West Virginia, only babies can ride in a baby carriage.
In Georgia, it is against the law to slap a man on the back or front.
A barber is not to advertise prices in the State of Georgia.
In Oklahoma, no baseball team can hit the ball over the fence or out of a ballpark.
In Kentucky, it’s the law that a person must take a bath once a year.
In Providence, Rhode Island, it is against the law to jump off a bridge.
In Virginia, the Code of 1930 has a statute which prohibits corrupt practices or bribery by any person other than political candidates.
In Memphis, Tennessee, a woman is not to drive a car unless a man warns approaching motorists or pedestrians by walking in front of the car that is being driven. In Louisiana, a bill was introduced years ago in the State House of Representatives that fixed a ceiling on haircuts for bald men of 25 cents.

Hope some of these made you smile!

Last night as I was praying and giving thanks for all that God has blessed me with I was stopped cold in my thoughts as I realized my feelings or lack of feelings contradicted my words. I truly am thankful; still I am aware I don’t begin to understand what it is like to really be lacking in any necessity. In my younger years we lived from pay check to pay check. We did without many things yet we always had food, clothes, and shelter. I’m mindful that God knows my heart and the genuineness of my heart. That very thought is what made me examine my conversation with God. It also caused me to reflect on how truly blessed I am. I have taken my blessings for granted and I do not want to do that!

I have never been homeless or without food or clothing. I have not had to experience being completely impoverished I have been spiritually impoverished, when I chose to turn my back on God.

I was reading in Amos this morning and I read this:

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land — not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.  Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. Amos 8:11-12

These verses caused a sinking feeling in my heart. I can not even imagine how horrible it would be to search for the word of the Lord and never find it!! It seems to me our nation is spiraling downward in that very direction. Sin isn’t even swept under the carpet anymore. It is out there in full force, in plain site being flaunted in every way imaginable. Sin is now called tolerance. There are many who are trying to remove God from print, from our speech, from our very thoughts and we stand by silently, looking the other way fearing to open our mouths and take a stand.

Murder, Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality, Rape, Stealing, Abortion, Lusting, Lying, Injustice and even Idolatry are as prevalent today as what we read about in the Old Testament. We still need to teach against SIN and quit trying to rename it. Sin is not alternate lifestyles, not personal choice, not consenting adults. We are to put God first in all things. Too often God is last in ALL things. Work, family, recreation and whatever pleases has become God for far too many.

Amos was sent to announce Gods judgment on the northern kingdom (Israel). From what I read he was an ordinary man and earned his living from the flock and the sycamore-fig grove. (Amos1:1; 7:14-15).

I have sinned far too many of the sins mentioned above. I thank God for my Savior Jesus Christ. Through him we can be forgiven. The message and the hope is still open to all today.

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Imagine all of this from my conversation with God last night. I want to be able to say as David did…I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Ps 119:11

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? I do!! Simply watching the local and world news makes me feel that way. Hearing all the names on our prayer list at church often overwhelms me. Sometimes I find myself asking WHY!!

I know the answer.  I also know if I don’t stay focused I can get derailed by all of the turmoil, evil, and conflict in this world. It all started in the Garden…the fall of man. Gen 3:1-24.

 In the first two chapters of Genesis God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. Gen 1:31-2:1 Then…the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Gen 2:7

I don’t know how many years there is between all that I read of in the Genesis account. I do know in chapter four things start going down hill where we read of jealousy and murder between Cain and Able.

To this day the world is filled with all kinds of evil and wickedness. We are all sinners and since the fall of man we will have to make choices to serve God or Satan until Christ comes again.

Can you imagine how Noah felt? He was in the same ungodly environment as we see today, surrounded by idol worship and everyone doing what gives them the most pleasure. He was surrounded by every kind of imaginable evil and yet he chose to worship God. The people were so wicked during that time that God decided to destroy the earth. Still God was fully aware of the righteousness of Noah and the choices he was making. He wasn’t following everyone else in their sinful ways. He chose to live for God and it saved his life and the lives of his family who chose to follow their father’s example.

The way we live our lives influences others. We are heavily influenced by the world, yet God wants us to follow his example, not the examples of the sin we see around us. The world doesn’t want to hold anyone accountable for sin; the world teaches “tolerance” and calls evil good and good evil. Isa 5:20-30

Too many times I have followed the sinfulness of the world. I thank God I am able to repent and be forgiven. I want to be obedient to God and I will continue to seek him and his ways. There will still be times when I make mistakes and poor choices.  Hopefully they will become less and less as I grow in truth and knowledge. I will press on!!

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
2 Cor 4:16-18 (from THE MESSAGE)