Thank you President George

I’ve always been the kind of person who says “I never win anything.” Picked last, last place in the race, struck out in baseball, struck out with girls. Charlie Brown. I’d call into radio stations for contests but the line would be busy, or maybe I’d get through but the ninth caller would win and I was the tenth caller, or the producer would put me on hold and then I’d get hung up on before it was time for the DJ to talk to me.

But I’ve discovered the secret to luck. Dumb luck. Call it what you will, but inevitably, you never get what you really want until you stop wanting it. The Hindus call it Nirvanah. Buddah said that the only way to reach true inner peace was the absence of all desire. Jesus said that whoever would save his life must lose it.

I didn’t meet the love of my life until I gave up “looking for love in all the right places. Anyway, here’s the story about my recent streak of good luck.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I was packing lunches and listening to the news on National Public Radio (KWIT 90.3fm) when Bethany called down to me from brushing her teeth.

“Which President made Thanksgiving a Holiday?” she asked?
“Lincoln made it a CONTINUOUS, annual holiday, FDR made it the third Thursday, why?” I volleyed back, trying not to sound TOO much like Cliff Claven from ‘Cheers.’

“In 1789?” She asked.

“Only one guy was president in 1789,” I said.

“Call ‘the Bridge’ right now, they’re having a contest.” And she gave me the phone number.(‘the Bridge is a Christian station in Omaha, KGBI 100.7 fm.) I was in no hurry or panic since I not only knew the answer, but didn’t believe I had a snowballs chance in Havana of getting through anyway.

“Good morning, this is the Bridge, who was the President to first make Thanksgiving an official holiday in 1789?” asked the voice.

“Well, since the Constitution was just drafted in 1787, I’m going to say President George Washington.” I answered, trying to sound unsure of myself- which wasn’t hard since I was so shocked that I was actually speaking to a radio personality.

“That’s exactly right! What are you doing this morning?” asked the DJ.

“Uh, getting ready to go to school?” I said without thinking.

“Where do you go to school?” wow, I must sound young.

“Um, I teach at Boyer Valley in Dunlap.” I replied.

“Uh, oh, You don’t teach History do you?” shoot, I wondered if they were going to disqualify me or something.

“Uh, no, Art and Yearbook.” I muttered, as if I need to be ashamed that I teach Art, rather than History. I feel the same way when I tell people that I coach cheerleading rather than basketball. Of course, I didn’t go into it with the DJ that I did major in History and had taught it for the better part of a decade.

I was amazed at how quickly the prize came in the mail. Just a day or two, but I still didn’t think of myself as “a winner.” The prize was a CD and a DVD. Both of my favorite Christian musician, Steven Curtis Chapman. I had already gotten the CD for Bethany for Valentines Day (Arizona Statehood Day) and we didn’t have a DVD player, we still used the same VHS recorder we got as a wedding present. So I still felt like a loser. I was Charlie Brown on Halloween night when all the other kids are getting candy bars and money and popcorn balls, I got a rock.

So last week, at Santa Claus night in Charter Oak, I didn’t expect to win anything. I thought it would be great to win a turkey. Actually, I’m such a pessimist, I totally expected to win doughnuts and be embarrassed about how fat I am. Either that or I’d win a subscription to the NEWSpaper, which I already have.

Needless to say, I did a double take and didn’t believe my ears when my name was drawn for the DVD player. Part of me wanted to hide. I didn’t deserve this. Part of me wanted to jump up and down and squeal like a contestant on ‘the Price is Right.’ Wow, I’m not a total loser, I’m not, I’m not.

But you know what, it was a million times more exciting, more fulfilling, more thrilling, and more important to hear Gracie’s name drawn for the bike. It’s pretty big for her yet and she has a tough time with coordination, but wow. Just wow. That was really cool. I get to be related to her. She’s in my family. I’m pretty lucky.

Oh Great Pumpkin, where are you?!

Today I carry on a ritual that I began when ten years ago. I’m sometimes known, not as "the Art teacher," but as "the teacher who shows Peanuts videos." Today, of course, is the day to see "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," in Mr. Mallory’s classes.

Call it my contribution to stemming the tide of darkness, violence, anger, and over commercialization of Halloween. Occasionally over the years people have asked me how I, being someone so deeply religious can celebrate Halloween. I tell them if Charles Schultz could do it, that’s good enough for me.

Schultz has been important to me since I was a tot. You know how there’s always that project in 4H where the kids have to show off a collection they’ve accumulated? Well, mine was for Cub Scouts and it was my collection of 1950’s and 60’s Peanuts books. That collection might have been what led me to want to become a cartoonist and to become an art teacher.

Like lots of little kids, I liked to feel sorry for myself, I’d get picked last for teams, I couldn’t kick a football to save my life. So it made perfect sense that I found comfort in Peanuts. When Lucy first pulled the football on TV in "It’s the Great Pumpkin," in 1965, millions of little kids who felt sorry for themselves identified with poor Charlie Brown.

The more I read about Peanuts creator Charles Schultz, the more I admired him. You may have heard much of the trivia about him since the 50th anniversary of Peanuts and his death early in 2001. He’s originally from St. Paul, Minnesota. His father was a barber, just like Charlie Brown’s. He had a beagle puppy named Sparky who’d eat anything. Schultz’s first published drawing was of Sparky eating razor blades; he sent it in to Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

Schultz thought about becoming a pastor, he was active in his church. He fell in love with a red-haired girl, like Charlie Brown, but lost her to a friend because he was too shy to speak up in time. After serving in WWII he sent in one of those "draw Tippy the turtle" Art tests for Art Instruction Schools. Eventually he worked for them as an Art teacher while he tried to get his cartoons published in magazines and newspapers.

In 1950 United Features Syndicate started selling his comic strip "little folks" and renamed it "Peanuts." In 1965 CBS took a chance on his half-hour special "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It broke the rules, it didn’t have a hyper active fast pace, it didn’t have a laugh track, it included a score performed by a jazz trio. Real children performed all the voices of the children. Little Cathy Steinberg, who played the voice of Sally, Charlie Brown’s little sister couldn’t even read yet! They had to read her lines to her and have her repeat them into the microphone. And most daring of all, it had an overt Christian message. They read from the Bible itself on national television.

The very next year, in 1966 came the Great Pumpkin. Both specials were perennial favorites on CBS for more than thirty years. Now Disney’s ABC owns the rights, but generations continue to enjoy Schultz’s masterpieces.

The Great Pumpkin has a lot to say about life. Linus is the Quixotic prophet, desperately trying to convince people to believe in the Great Pumpkin, but like Jesus called the unbelievers of His day, the other kids in the neighborhood remained "ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving (Isaiah 6:9 & Mark 4:12)."

But, like most of us Linus is a bit of a hypocrite. Lets face it, was it really about having the most sincere pumpkin patch, or was it about getting the big prize of all the candy and toys showered on you as the Great Pumpkin flies through the air. It’s about faith as opposed to works.

It’s also about greed and misplaced faith. Sally could have just trusted her big brother and get candy just by asking for it, but instead she follows the false prophet Linus and squanders her entire night sitting in a pumpkin patch, hoping for a for a bigger pay off than any of the other kids. "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened (Luke 11:8-10)."

Halloween was once All Saint’s Day Eve, a Church holiday, and then it became about superstition and fear. For a while in America, Halloween was about little kids, neighborhoods, hospitality, generosity, candy and costumes. In recent years it seems to have become more and more about big kids and adults, parties, pranks, blood and gore, demons and witchcraft, vampires and serial killers.

I say, take it back. Claim it for decency, civility and little kids. Make it about faith and mystery, surprises and silliness, not about meanness, anger, revenge and evil. Read the comics, rent "It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," and buy good candy, not just candy corns either, but something chocolate. But please, please, remember poor Charlie Brown and don’t give any little kids rocks.