If you are old enough to remember the cartoon strip Li’l Abner you might also remember Joe Btfsplk. Joe was a regular character in Li’l Abner and always had a dark cloud over his head. Wherever he went the cloud was sure to be there to cause trouble. It had no silver lining. For almost six hours this afternoon I felt like Joe. This afternoon we drove from Philadelphia to our home in central Massachusetts and it rained hard the entire trip. The storm moved up the east coast at the same rate we moved up the east coast. We managed to stay right in the heart of it the entire way fighting our way through the blinding clouds of water generated by hundreds of semis. Needless to say it wasn’t a pleasant trip.
While crossing the George Washington Bridge at New York City I remembered a church member I had in my very first pastorate. She was Joe Btfsplk in the flesh. There was nothing in her life that was right. After visiting with her I would have to go home and eat ice cream or do something to lift my spirits. I have to give it to her she was gifted. She could take any blessing and turn it into something bad. I would try to point out good things to her but she always bested me with her gloom and doom. One of her horrors was none of her children ever became Christians. Really? I wonder why?
It is just as easy to find the bright side to something as it is to find the dark side. Happiness is a choice. Sharing Jesus with others is a happy choice. If it isn’t a call to a better more abundant life then it really isn’t a choice at all.
Written by Roger Bothwell on March12, 2013
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94547
Rogerbothwell.org