teach me, spongebob

Watching a lot of Sponge Bob these days. I've been sorting through the myriad of cartoons on TV that I let my kids watch and I decided that Sponge Bob, however odd, is actually not a bad one to watch. Sponge Bob inadvertently shows us many lessons in how to behave (or sometimes how not to behave) as a Christian. Crazy? Not really.

I was watching the episode where he and Patrick go to Glove World. For those of you fans out there, I'm sure you've seen it, but for those who haven't, I'll summarize. Sponge Bob and Patrick visit their favorite amusement park "Glove World" and once they are ready to return home, they get on the return bus and miss their stop and wind up in some deep, dark, unfamiliar place. While Sponge Bob volunteers to go find a bus schedule, the bus comes and Patrick gets on and Sponge Bob gets left behind. While Sponge Bob is busy getting angry with his circumstances, a local comes by. Sponge Bob says, "Can you help me?" and as he asks, Sponge Bob's balloon flies away and the stranger chases after it. Then Sponge Bob becomes irritated again with the stupidity of his would-be helper. Then Sponge Bob misses several more opportunities to catch a bus due to distractions, such as hunger, etc. It seems that Sponge Bob is about to give up and even becomes frightened by his circumstances, the stranger from before shows up with his balloon. Sponge Bob then begins to explain to this stranger why finding his balloon was not helpful in so many different ways, the stranger is blowing up the balloon enough to cause Sponge Bob to float up to his home.

Sound familiar to anyone? Well, the unfamiliar place that Sponge Bob and Patrick visit could maybe be those trials and tribulations that the Lord allows us to go through to test our faith or it could be a result of a bad decision in our lives. I'm sure this has happened to everyone out there at least once. God provides us with a solution to the problem, but we're so busy trying to find our own solutions, we miss this God given opportunity. We might even be angry or bitter because God helped someone else out of the same jam more quickly then he did us.

Then we stop and decide to ask for God's help, but our expectations of what God's help should be cause us to miss the help he sends us (the stranger who retrieves the balloon). Then we chastise God, because he didn't fulfill our preconceived notions of what He should have done to help us. Then we start looking for more ways to find our way out of the darkness without God's help, until it becomes hopeless and we become discouraged and even afraid. That's when God really shows His mercy, because after you've missed, rejected and chastised God for all of His previous attempts to help you out of your circumstances, He comes through once again (the stranger returns with Sponge Bob 's balloon). And God triumphs after all!

Wow. God can teach us lessons even with cartoons.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

I'm not suggesting that you go out and buy Sponge Bob DVD's in order to teach your kids, but if they already watch it, you might use it as an opportunity to share life's lessons by watching Sponge Bob with them. I often tell my kids, how even though Sponge Bob seems very odd and even stupid at times, most times he's a good example, because in spite of his circumstances he tends to keep a good attitude and be content in his surroundings. It's only society that makes us think this is wrong, silly or odd. God wants us to be all of these things in spite of what others think or how we are treated.

1 Peter 4:13-14
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

I know this all sounds pretty silly, but our family so enjoys Sponge Bob and his antics, that I find myself continually dissecting it to make sure it's appropriate for my kids to be watching, as so many other "children's" shows now available are not.

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It's now February, time for valentine's day greetings. I know this isn't a Christian holiday nor is it based on Christian values, but here is yet another opportunity to use something of this world for the Grace of God. You can honor your spouse, by making it a day where you show your spouse special attention.

Here's an idea. Several years ago, I bought my husband a gold necklace, but I so enjoy the giving of the gift, that wrapping it was simply not enough...so...I decided to make him hunt for it. I wrote little clues and placed them throughout the house (I'm very hot and spicy, but I'm not your wife --> this clue I left to lead him to the Tabasco sauce (his favorite) which had another clue for him attached). This eventually led him to his prize. This made it fun for both of us. My husband was very pleased with my creativity as well as his gift. (Note to you guys - women eat this stuff up! )

Everyone have a great day!