Charlie Brown

I love the comic strip Peanuts. When I was about Charlie Brown’s age–approximately eight years old–I relished Sunday mornings because it meant nesting in my father’s lap to read the funny pages with him. I did not understand most of the comic strips my dad liked best. He usually roared with laughter at Andy Capp and Beetle Bailey. What was with that bag of ice on Andy Capp’s head and why was his wife always screaming at him?


When we finally got to the Peanuts comic strip, I was completely entranced. Dennis the Menace and Nancy were some of my favorites, but it was really Charlie Brown who captured my heart.

I thought Charlie Brown and I were soul mates. He was tenderhearted, a little goofy and definitely gullible. Charlie Brown never tattled on anyone, he never got angry or ran away crying with his feelings hurt. He just patiently put up with everyone else’s quirks and oddball personalities. He wanted, so badly, to fit in that he tolerated anything and everybody. Sometimes I wanted to boot him in the behind and tell him to stand up for himself.

Even though Charlie Brown tried so hard to be a part of the gang, he always managed to foul things up. He dropped the game-winning pop fly. He picked out the most pathetic Christmas tree. Even Snoopy laughed at him. It was a lifetime of humiliation for poor, poor Charlie Brown.

Charlie Brown’s heart was pure gold and that put him at the top of the list for me. I loved him for choosing the littlest tree on the lot. No boy I knew had that kind of sensitivity or vision. To me, he was the most humble boy alive.

Now that I am grown, married and have a child, my heart aches for heroes like Charlie Brown. My son, who is the same age now, that I was on those memorable Sunday morning’s with my father before heading off to church. My son doesn’t have Charlie Brown to show him how to handle life’s trials.

Instead, my son and his friends have warped pop stars making daily headlines with their twisted behavior. They have prime-time television featuring half-naked stars engaged in behavior that is questionable even for consenting adults. Children are exposed to commercials during so-called family hours, complete with explicit language and inappropriate subjects. Even sports heroes jump from one public relationship to another, in-between answering charges of illegal performance and enhancing drugs. Divorce has become the norm among my son’s friends and it no longer upsets him and pre-marital cohabitation is flaunted by parents at school.

Safeguarding our children’s innocence should be a priority for all parents, but in this media age, it is a daunting task. Sure, parents patrol the Internet, newspapers, magazines and books that children are using. Parents try to keep positive influences in their children’s lives with church and family time. Children are encouraged to play sports, take music lessons, learn horseback riding, attend dance classes and endless other activities. In fact, many parents are over scheduling their children to their detriment, to ensure that they are being supervised and receiving positive messages—but what else can parents do?

While Charlie Brown was a tolerant guy, I think even he would get mad at this country’s downward spiraling culture. I know kindhearted, innocent Charlie Brown would be petrified of the even uglier society that lurks around the corner.

Sadly, I no longer see myself as Charlie’s soul mate. I have become more like Lucy, banging and screaming for Charlie Brown and the rest of the world to wake up.

With fewer and fewer Charlie Browns for our children to look up to how can parents be surprised when our children have become spoiled, narcissistic, uncharitable and demanding?

Maybe instead of wondering where Charlie Brown has gone, as parents, we all need to become more like Charlie Brown ourselves. Patient, positive and always looking up, taking what we learned from him and sharing those character traits and lessons with our children. Who knows, maybe even Lucy would approve.

Written by Jane C. Autler - Baton Rouge Parents Magazine

What Were You Thinking?

Tonight my dear, darling son wanted oatmeal for supper. So I stuck it in the microwave and went about my business (you know, picking up, laundry, etc). I heard him call, "Mama, it's beeping."

So I made my way back in to the kitchen to see this on the floor. Smushed buns. His feet were still standing on them.

"Luke - WHAT were you thinking?", I ask in the sweetest Mom voice I could get out, which, as I recall, may have not been that sweet.

"Trying to reach, Mama", he says.

"Luke, buns do not make a good stepping stool."

I think he must have realized that himself, because he did not scream when he didn't get to open the microwave door himself, like any good, independant two year old would.

He gets the middle bun for lunch tomorrow!

The Word Became Flesh

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14

He looked like any other baby boy, yet He was not. He was Emmanuel, God in the flesh. He became a man for us. Me and you! Before there was anything, Jesus existed. He is the creator of all things.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2

I. The Moment In Time When The Word Became Flesh Was...
1- A prophetic moment - Isiah 7:14
2- A perfect moment  - The disciples were allowed to go through Rome freely to spread the good news. The Jews were looking for the Messiah.
3- A precise moment - God knew the exact moment Jesus would be born, and He planned it that way.

II. The Miracle Of The Word Becoming Flesh
1- He was born of a virgin birth -  She was found with child of the Holy Spirit Matthew 1:18
2- It was a vital birth - He shall save His people from their sins Matthew 1:21

III. The Motive Of The Word Becoming Flesh
1- He became one with us, so that we might be willing to follow Him.
2 - He became one for us, because He loves us.

What is Christmas all about? Oh, it's all about the kids. It's about giving to others. Santa. It's about super sales.

No, the real meaning of Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. The birth of God's Son, who cared enough to give His life for us, so we may believe in Him.

Greenwell Springs Baptist Church

Sunday, December 6

Hats

My beautiful babies, being silly with their Dad's old, stained, possibly smelly hats.

At least Luke is not in fairy wings. I promised not to post those, least I bring shame to the family name :)

What Do You Do

...On a wintery day, when it's too cold to go outside and play?

WE CRAFT!

A Nativity (with them all holding hands) - that's my sweet girl!

Colorful reindeer (we ran out of brown construction paper)

And homeade play dough (it's easy & fun) who knew?

Guess this picture!

Twas 3 Weeks Before Christmas

And a new toy arrived (thank you again Mrs Angie). How is it you know what the boys like?

Luke was quite happy to have 2 new wheeled toys. Because really, who can have enough trucks? Certainly not my son. But wait, I explained, we have to put batteries in the drill. A power tool? Really?

He was quite pleased.

Then Erin gets home from school, and who says a girl can't play with a drill? Not me.

But she is a real girl, and real girls need to exfoliate to keep skin this young looking!

Let's Say Thanks

It only takes a minute to say how much you appreciate them. Those who are putting their lives on the line, their families on hold, to protect us so we can be home with ours.