More Woofi Than I Bargained For

Why does cheese sell?

I'm not talking about gouda, brie or chedder here. I mean there's all sorts of kitsch things out there for sale. There are some pretty silly fads that people go ga-ga over! Really... like the magnetic ribbon or the rubber bracelets??!! It's out of control!

Christians seem to be just as bad with their wwjd bracelets and testamints. Sometimes I think it's worse for believers... Our faith is something deep and something real -- can it be reduced to a slogan or a cute cartoon character??? There is something about the combo of cheese and faith that greatly disturbs me.

At work I put together a children's book on Woofi, the Missionary Puppy. The concept behind a missionary puppy is sort of cute and the stuffed version of the dog is a quality thing. The illustrations in the book are wonderful and yet there is something cheesy that lurks around the corner. Maybe it's the writing of the book or maybe it's just some of the over-the-top things that I encountered today. Like the Woofi song which his "parents" (I call them that because that's what they call themselves!) played for me and then my coworker, Dan ruthlessly repeated in a lounge-singing rendition. "Woofi, the missionary puppppyyyy..." ugh... Or maybe the Woofi slippers, Woofi backpack, Woofi rattle or someone dressed up in the Woofi costume were what put me over the edge.

The Woofi madness continues! One of my coworkers told Woofi's mom that I was doing a walk-a-thon fundraiser and suddenly Woofi took over the CAKEwalk!!! Now, I'm going to have stuffed Woofis available at my walk... $20 gets them a Woofi for themselves and a Woofi that is sent with me to Peru for some child there and $2 donated to my support fund. I'm having nightmares about a suitcase full of Woofis!!!!

Okay, so Woofi is cute and kids might like him. He has the salvation story in pawprints (like the bracelets with different colors) and I'm sure the kids in Peru will like to get one. Personally, I think I would much rather have just seen Woofi, worn him on my head and then promptly forgotten about him.

"Oh Woofiiiiiiiiiiii, you silly missiooooooooonary puppyyyyyyyyyy"

I guess the cheese will never go away...