Tag: crazy

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Are you out of your mind?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Mark 3.

And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3:21)

Jesus couldn’t openly enter a town. He had to stay on the outskirts, because too many people were coming to be healed (Mark 1:45). He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him when the crowds were crushing in on him (3:9). Jesus and the disciples were so busy they didn’t have time to eat. Which is why his family thought he was out of his mind.

On any given day I wonder if someone is crazy or out of their mind. When the un-helmeted motorcyclist zooms past me on the highway, weaving in and out of traffic, I yell, “You guys are idiots!” I hear how much some people are asking for their houses and conclude, “You’re crazy if you think you’ll get that much.” When I caught my 80-year-old neighbor up on his roof, I asked, “Are you out of your mind?” (He had been banned from climbing ladders years ago.)

Of course, I’m sure some wonder the same thing about me. Driving youth home from a Christian rock event at 3 am, then getting up to preach the next day. Teaching middle school classes. Delivering Angel Tree presents to home in the housing projects. “Is he out of his mind?”

But Jesus? Out of his mind? I suppose one could say that. Especially when he tells us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive each other. Really, Jesus? Maybe your family was right.

Posted in business

That’s a business? That’s crazy.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Daily writing prompt
Come up with a crazy business idea.
View all responses

The problem with crazy business ideas is that many of them already exist.

As I walk by a shop in Saint Augustine that sells nothing but olive oil, I think, “That’s crazy. Can you sell enough olive oil to pay the rent?”

The person ahead of me in line at the convenience store is buying a candy bar to deliver to an Instacart customer. That’s crazy. Someone will pay to have a single candy bar delivered to their home.

Some people make a living frequenting thrift stores in search of items they resell online. The amount of money to be made in resales is crazy.

A Jamaican guy with a truck, a few friends, and a twenty-four foot extension ladder drives through our neighborhood every once in a while, offering to trip palm trees. We’ve hired him a few times, and as one guy scrambles up the ladder with a running chain saw attached to his belt, we say, “That’s crazy!”

The last time I purchased a thirty dollar electric toothbrush, the self-serve checkout screen asked me if I wanted to purchase the extended warranty. Yes, that’s crazy, but I’ll bet some people buy the purchase protection.

And yet, as soon as I start to think, “There’s nothing new under the sun,” another crazy business idea pops up in a strip mall, online, or knocking at my door. Some are legit. Some are scams. Some are profitable. Some aren’t.

So I should be able to come up with something crazy.

  • I’ll come by your house once a week to make sure you have extra rolls of TP in all your bathrooms. You’ll never get caught short and have to yell across the house again.
  • I’ll come and declutter a room (or rooms) for you. I’ve gotten pretty good at this. I’ll get rid of all the stuff I know you don’t use or need. You won’t even know it’s gone.
  • I’ll write a poem you can insert into a card for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or other special occasion. You can sign it like it came from you. (I’ve gotten pretty good at this, too.)
  • I’ll get in touch with your children and remind them to call you on your birthday, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. It’ll be completely confidential. If they get offended, there’s no connection to you and it’s no skin off my nose.

The craziest business of all may have been Crazy Eddie’s consumer electronics chain that was known for entertaining commercials and massive fraud. Family Auto Mart out of Orlando was pretty crazy, too.