FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ THE LOSER WHO NEVER GAVE UP ~ 16 May 2021

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

THE LOSER WHO NEVER GAVE UP

For "Sparky", school was all but impossible. He failed every subject in the eighth grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero. He also flunked Latin, algebra and English. And his record in sports wasn't any better. Though he did manage to make the school's golf team, he promptly lost the only important match of the season. Oh, there was a consolation match; he lost that too.

Throughout his youth, Sparky was awkward socially. It wasn't that the other students disliked him; it's just that no one really cared all that much. In fact, Sparky was astonished if a classmate ever said hello to him outside of school hours. There's no way to tell how he might have done at dating. He never once asked a girl out in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down... or perhaps laughed at. Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates... everyone knew it. So he learned to live with it. He made up his mind early that if things were meant to work out, they would. Otherwise he would content himself with what appeared to be his inevitable mediocrity.

One thing WAS important to Sparky, however -- drawing. He was proud of his artwork. No one else appreciated it. But that didn't seem to matter to him. In his senior year of high school, he submitted some cartoons to the the yearbook. The editors rejected the concept. Despite this brush-off, Sparky was convinced of his ability. He even decided to become an artist.

So, after completing high school, Sparky wrote Walt Disney Studios. They asked for samples of his artwork. Despite careful preparation, it too was rejected....one more confirmation that he was a loser.

But Sparky still didn't give up. Instead, he decided to tell his own life's story in cartoons. The main character would be a little boy who symbolized the perpetual loser and chronic underachiever. You know him well...because Sparky's cartoon character went on to become a cultural phenomenon of sorts. People readily identified with this "lovable loser." He reminded people of the painful and embarrassing moments from their own past, of their pain and their shared humanity. The character soon became famous worldwide: "Charlie Brown." And Sparky, the boy whose many failures never kept him from trying, whose work was rejected again and again...is the highly successful cartoonist Charles Schultz. His cartoon strip, "Peanuts," continues to inspire books, T-shirts and Christmas specials, reminding us, as someone once commented, that life somehow finds a way for all of us, even the losers.

If you follow the comic strip for a while, you will begin to notice one other thing as well. It isn't anger, resentment or in-your-face sarcasm which fuels Schultz's creativity and resilience. It's his faith. In fact, one study of the comic strip, published several years ago, made precisely that point. It eventually became a popular book entitled, "The Gospel According To Peanuts."

Sparky's story reminds us of a very important principle in life. We all face difficulty and discouragement from time to time. We also have a choice in how we handle it. If we're persistent, if we hold fast to our faith, if we continue to develop the unique talents God has given us, who knows what can happen? We may end up with an insight and an ability to inspire that comes only through hardship. (Read Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28.) In the end, there are no "losers" with God. Some winners just take longer to develop!

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro...and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Did you work hard today? Are all your “major” projects complete, or at least under way?

[PROCON]

Hi Kathy, mowed today and replacing a fence tomorrow with Robin in 90 degree heat, ugh!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, TigerHawk...and thank you.

I am pleased that we can help get you off to a good start for the new week.

[luvie]

Hey there, radu!

So...how did it go at the museum today. Are your tootsies screamin’? Mine would be!

We had a bit of rain. Not sure if it’s still coming down, but I sure hope so.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thank you for the hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

To our Military -

Thank you for protecting us. Sleep well and safe.
May you be protected. May your families' hearts be at ease.

Thank you to our Allies.

**********************************

To those of our Military and Allies who gave their all,
- May your souls rest in peace. May your families be comforted.
May your/our country always remember.

[Kathy in Alaska]

YIKES!!! 90 degrees...stay hydrated!!! No heat stroke allowed.

[Kathy in Alaska]

w h !!

luvie got some rain!!

[TigerHawk]

THANK YOU, RATHER. YOU’RE ONE FINE LADY.

(I’M NOT “SHOUTING” WITH THE CAPS. I HAVE VISION PROBLEMS
AND THIS HELPS ME SEE BETTER WHAT I’M TYPING.)

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

We had a steady flow which meant no sitting down all day. The tootsies really aren’t that bad off but I’m beat. Still had a great time and met some interesting, fun people.

I hope you got a decent amount of rain earlier. The radar doesn’t look very promising for more. :-(
We have slight chances for rain the next three or four days but I doubt we’ll get much.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I understand about the vision issues. I need reading glasses, and I should probably have glasses while driving, but my best vision seems to be computer distance...thank goodness. 😁

[The Mayor]

Thanks!

Up early for show prep.
Radio 1-3:00

Leave station and head to sons graduation party

Arrive home after 8
Post coffee

watched part of a movie
Now off to bed.
Church in the morning

afternoon CAT Scan at VA

: ) Then rest

[luvie]

Well, I just peeked out and it didn’t seem to be raining any more. doubt if we got even a tenth. sigh

So glad you had a steady day. I’ll bet you had the best time even though you’re worn out now. I’m guessing you’re gonna sleep in tomorrow.

And...i won’t, of course I’ll have to head out before long and I’m not very sleepy. Means I’ll flip and flop half the night. LOL!

[luvie]

LOL! Well, a little bit anyway. Probably not enough to measure, but we take every single drop!

[radu]

Drat. I hoped you’d gotten more rain than that. Oh well, a little is better than none.

It’s definitely been a great time this weekend. We weren’t the only ones who were antsy for the museum to reopen. All the locals who stopped in commented that they’d been anxiously waiting for it too.

Can’t wait for next weekend to get here. LOL

I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight. We don’t need you nodding off in church. :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Therefore we must celebrate (and encourage) every drop. LOL!

We are awaiting our cleansing spring rains...soon would be nice. We had maybe half a dozen drops this evening.

[luvie]

Sounds like you might be as frustrated as we are. Yes, let's do a little rain dance for both of us to get a nice soaking rain!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Sunday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hear! Hear!! Bring on the rain for both of us!