Your Deck Chair...

"One of my favorite "Peanuts" cartoons starts with Lucy at her five-cent psychology booth, where Charlie Brown has stopped for advice about life."Life is like a deck chair, Charlie," she says. "On the cruise ship of life, some people place their deck chair at the rear of the ship so they can see where they've been. Others place their deck chair at the front of the ship so they can see where they're going."The good "doctor" looks at her puzzled client and asks, "Which way is your deck chair facing?"Without hesitating, Charlie replies glumly, "I can't even get my deck chair unfolded."Charlie and I are soul mates." (taken from MESSY SPIRITUALITY by Michael Yaconelli (nonfiction))

I took this excerpt out of my daily book club and it made me smile! I've been feeling crazy and worn out, confused and like my life is a mess. I don't understand so many things about life at this young age... maybe when I grow up I'll figure it all out. I'm committed to so many things that it feels like I don't even have time to breath, and then... there is good old Charlie Brown to make you feel better. Because even I... I at least have my chair unfolded. It may rotate between the rear and the front of the boat and I know I can't make up my mind as to what I want sometimes, but I have my chair unfolded - I just have to decide where to put it! I know I want to be at the front of the ship, but the "problem" being that too many times I don't want to be in the deck chair... I want to be steering the boat! I want to have the control and drive that ship in whichever forward direction I want. No map needed! If there is a nice little caribbean island in one direction, maybe that's where I want to go, or the next day... maybe it will be an entire trip around the world. So, Charlie Brown, my problem is not unfolding the deck chair, it's accepting that I'm not the Captain in charge! Or maybe I am... :-) Thanks Charlie Brown!