Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa? Merely an overpriced, wry smile. Munch’s The Scream? Looks a bit too much like Kevin from Home Alone. (Seriously—Google it!) Larrington’s Milk Moola Cow? The perfect blend of fine art and commercial success. Brian sketched the infamous bespectacled bovine back in 2003. Sadly, Kwik Trip has since retired Mr. Moola but not before Brian’s artwork appeared on at least a million milk jugs. His masterpiece is now enshrined as vintage artwork.
Ironically, Brian is still engrossed in cow and farm related artwork since he was hired by Organic Valley in 2004. OV is the largest farmer-owned cooperative in the nation and one of the leaders of organic food production. Brian enjoys creating. All kidding aside about the milk moola cow, he’s really good at it. You don’t become the Lead Designer at the nation’s only billion dollar organic-only food company unless you have a high degree of competence. I create simple brochures and powerpoint slides at church and enjoy ‘bragging’ to Brian about my artwork and try to convince him that he should use Microsoft products for his design work. It’s just one of the many brotherly banters we enjoy.
As talented as he is, Brian would probably prefer earning a living fly fishing and bow hunting, were that possible. Brian uses these hobbies as his sanctuary in God’s marvelous creation. The solitude of the river and the iridescence of the trout he catches are just two of the ways that he sees the Lord at work in nature. Many men and women enjoy being outdoors but some of them tend to turn these hobbies into an idol. They don’t just enjoy the outdoors. They literally exist for the next time they can be in the stream or waiting in their favorite deer stand. And they spend money on these hobbies like their very lives depended on it. But I don’t see this tendency in Brian at all. Also, don’t mistake him for a mere naturalist. The God he worships is a Trinitarian God and Jesus is his Savior. This is why he enjoys creation so much.
I love Brian’s testimony. He was raised in a loving, Christian family but did not fully stake a claim to his parent’s faith until his late college years. Unlike many who stray from the faith to live as a university party animal, Brian did not reject his moral foundation. But neither had he fully embraced Jesus. He refers to those years as living as “a rebel with conviction.” Like all who walk with Christ, Brian had to settle God’s truth in his own heart and mind and since then, he has never looked back. He’ll be the first to admit that he’s not perfect. No one’s tougher on Brian Larrington than Brian Larrington. But as he struggles along with the rest of us, his kind and generous heart are evident every time I see him talking with another adult or youth in the church.
Brian’s family has been a true blessing to our church body. Brian served as one of our elders for six years, helping to shepherd the entire church. His wife Deb has served in our worship ministry almost since they walked through our doors the first time. And now his children are leaning into Jesus and walking their own path of service and faith. He prays that they will retain his same faith in Christ while skipping over the “rebel” part. Such is the prayer of all Christian parents.
As talented as he is, Brian would probably prefer earning a living fly fishing and bow hunting, were that possible. Brian uses these hobbies as his sanctuary in God’s marvelous creation. The solitude of the river and the iridescence of the trout he catches are just two of the ways that he sees the Lord at work in nature. Many men and women enjoy being outdoors but some of them tend to turn these hobbies into an idol. They don’t just enjoy the outdoors. They literally exist for the next time they can be in the stream or waiting in their favorite deer stand. And they spend money on these hobbies like their very lives depended on it. But I don’t see this tendency in Brian at all. Also, don’t mistake him for a mere naturalist. The God he worships is a Trinitarian God and Jesus is his Savior. This is why he enjoys creation so much.
I love Brian’s testimony. He was raised in a loving, Christian family but did not fully stake a claim to his parent’s faith until his late college years. Unlike many who stray from the faith to live as a university party animal, Brian did not reject his moral foundation. But neither had he fully embraced Jesus. He refers to those years as living as “a rebel with conviction.” Like all who walk with Christ, Brian had to settle God’s truth in his own heart and mind and since then, he has never looked back. He’ll be the first to admit that he’s not perfect. No one’s tougher on Brian Larrington than Brian Larrington. But as he struggles along with the rest of us, his kind and generous heart are evident every time I see him talking with another adult or youth in the church.
Brian’s family has been a true blessing to our church body. Brian served as one of our elders for six years, helping to shepherd the entire church. His wife Deb has served in our worship ministry almost since they walked through our doors the first time. And now his children are leaning into Jesus and walking their own path of service and faith. He prays that they will retain his same faith in Christ while skipping over the “rebel” part. Such is the prayer of all Christian parents.
RSS Feed
