O the Irony

I am an avid thrift store shopper. I usually hit one or another at least every other week. Saturday, I found a funky skirt, some black pants that I needed quite badly for scooter riding/work and a pair of house shoes. Now, normally I wouldn't look twice at a pair of house shoes at Goodwill, but these were extra special and half-off of $2.99 so I grabbed them. I kept walking through the store and smirking every time my eyes lit on them resting in my shopping cart. What they say on them is "Rejoice with Jesus" with a golden/orange cutout of praying hands.

I bought them because they are absurd. Why? I mean, really, WHY? Who would conceive, design, manufacture and market houseslippers with a Godfish on the heel and "Rejoice with Jesus on the toe? Who would buy them? What is the point? Ridiculous.

I bought them ironically. But the thing that's happened is that every time I glance at them, I get the Violent Femmes song "Rejoice and Be Happy" in my head and it makes me smile and I sing it as a prayer. So, the irony is that these stupid houseslippers have actually done for me what, perhaps (if one is not being cynical about a consumeristic society), they were originally created to do: Act as a reminder of faith.

Rejoice & be happy when they revile you,

just like the Savior told us to do.

Rejoice & be glad when for His name's sake,

they speak all manner of evil and against you they hate.

Blessed are you who are persecuted too,

for righteousness & the good that you do,

if in the bread you put a little leaven,

the Kingdom is yours & it's the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice & be happy when they revile you,

just like the Savior told us to do.

Rejoice & be glad when for His name's sake,

they speak all manner of evil and against you they hate.

Ye are the salt of the earth,

if you're not salty, what are you worth?

Rejoice & be ye exceedingly glad

for great is the reward in Heaven to be had

for the prophets they did persecute too,

unjust though it was, they came way before you.

Rejoice & be happy when they revile you,

just like the Savior told us to do.

Rejoice & be glad when for His name's sake,

they speak all manner of evil and against you they hate.

We are the salt of the earth,

if we're not salty, what are we worth?

Rejoice & be happy when they revile you,

just like the Savior told us to do.

Rejoice & be glad when for His name's sake,

they speak all manner of evil and against you they hate.

Rejoice & be happy when they revile you,

just like the Savior told us to do.

Rejoice & be glad when for His name's sake,

they speak all manner of evil and against you they hate.