FReeper Canteen~HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!~15 June 08

The Canteen Crew ^ | June 14, 2008 | Serving the Best Troops in the WORLD!

[Brad’s Gramma]

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

[MeekMom]

Good grief Luvy!
You’re gonna have to wear gloves just to drive!!
What about your buns? Did they stick to the seat? LOL

I’d never survive down south.
Better ship me off to Ma’s state! :) Or maybe to Maine! (always wanted to visit there!)

[luvie]

That is very cool, Tann!

Happy Father’s Day!

[luvie]

Shoot! It’s too hot for gloves! LOL!

My buns don’t stick only because I have velour seats and that’s the only semi-cool place in the car. However, right after I get in and put my back against the seat, it feels really good, because bending at work makes it sore! LOL! Theraputic seat....for about 20 seconds. :D

It is dry desert heat, but heat nevertheless. I want fall to come SOON!

[luvie]

Well, that is just adorable!

Won’t be long you can turn the whole job over to him! LOL!

Thanks for sharing that precious son with all of us, Drumbo!

[MeekMom]

Oh I know! I cannot wait until Fall! and then, the best season of all... WINTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[luvie]

I think I’ll just pass on winter, too.

I want to live where it is spring and fall all the time! LOL!

[AZamericonnie]

You are!:) Happy birthday Starlette & many happy returns of the day! *Hugs*

[AZamericonnie]

~Anniversary Song~

Happy Anniversary to you two! *Hugs*

[AZamericonnie]

Instructions For New Fathers

LOL...to funny! Terms any new Dad can relate to!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And all those neat, easy to follow steps. LOL!

[MeekMom]

[Kathy in Alaska]

The Lord's Prayer

[Kathy in Alaska]

Mahalia Jackson ~ The 23rd Psalm

[Eaker]

Yer a peach LUV.

Twenty three years.

Wow.

[PROCON]

Instructions For New Fathers

That is funny!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Shorty GiggleLips & the Canteen Kids

[AZamericonnie]

Happy Fathers day Canteen Dads, Troops & lurkers!

[Eaker]

We are going to give it another 30 or so years to see if it works out.

Thanks for thinking about us my friend!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Pretty handy info, don’t ya think? d:o)

[redrock]

Got a couple of nice hugs from my girls for Fathers Day....and a really nice lounge chair for the back yard so I can heal up (like I like to) outdoors.

....and the hugs are the BEST part of Fathers Day.

Mike