It seemed like just another beautiful summer Sunday morning. I awoke with the sun streaming through our bedroom window.

I slowly sat up and then I noticed it: virtually my entire body was covered in red welts.


My dress code for sleeping during the warm weather might be characterized as "minimal" so I discovered the rash was practically everywhere.


I awoke my wife, Joy, who was equally as shocked; her skin, however, was untouched by the rash.


"Did you eat anything unusual yesterday?" she asked me.


I couldn't think of anything out of the ordinary. In fact, our Saturday menu had been really quite average - no exotic shellfish, no steaks made from wild boar. We got up and wandered around the house looking for the answer.

We eventually arrived in the laundry room; Joy picked up a newly opened bottle of "No Name" fabric softener.


"What's this?" she asked.


The previous day I had volunteered to do some shopping and had selected "No Name" as an economical alternative to the more expensive brands.

I had also loaded the washing machine and had added plenty of the new fabric softener.


We determined that this was the cause of my unpleasant-looking red skin: immediately we tossed it out and later returned to the bottle with the little teddy bear on the label for our family laundry.

But - what's with the "No Name" brand anyway?


I don't mean to pick on "No Name" just because its fabric softener tormented me and ignored my wife.

"No Name" is the ultimate in generic marketing: no personality, no cachet, no image: just a variety of products at a very reasonable price.


Can anyone experience any sense of pride labouring at a plant that manufactures "No Name" margarine, for example? What about the shipper who busily loads a truck with boxes of "No Name" ketchup?

All people, I believe, are "wired" for recognition, to be acknowledged and appreciated.


We need to have a purpose in life, a reason for being on Earth. In fact, during the time of Stalin, many political prisoners would be ordered to dig a ditch - often through permafrost - which they would immediately fill in, over and over again.

These prisoners would eventually become totally demoralized having accomplished such a meaningless task.

While much of our life can be mundane -shopping, commuting, paying the bills, cooking meals, and doing the laundry (with brand-name fabric softener, of course) - we still long for a motive for our lives, something to be passionate about.


The Bible says, "I [Jesus] have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly."


It also alerts us to his presence when we trust in him: "I am with you always, even to the end of the world."


Christ, who was perfect, accepted death on a cross to take away your sins once and for all, and he rose from the dead, proving the power of God - and he lives today!


Perhaps you are familiar with John 3:16, the best-known Bible verse: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."


Why not call on him today?