Between the fiery explosions, the obnoxious laugh, and flipping Krabby Patties for a living, Spongebob always manages to teach us a lesson--one way or another. I'm not sure if it was ever on purpose but, even as an adult, I can watch the show and mutter to myself, "Same." It's spooky but oddly comforting.
Always say thank you.
We'll start with an easy one. Growing up, our parents always told us to say please and thank you. So...does that translate to adulthood when the Wifi company suddenly increases your monthly bill from $25 to $50 (when they advertised $25/mo 12 months NO QUESTIONS ASKED)??? It's difficult to discern if we should be hulking out a thank you for the continued wifi services or be completely ticked that we were bamboozled. If anyone knows the answer to that ever-pressing question, let me know.
Don't panic. Even if everything's on fire.
Obviously, things don't have to literally be on fire for us to freak out about our everyday lives. I remember a day in the doctor's office (where I work) and the computers were down, we were short 3 employees, and (to top it all off) the Broncos had lost the night before. Mayhem? Oh yes, lots of mayhem. However, my coworkers and I did all we could do: put our noses to the grindstone and did the best we could. Believe it or not, we emerged at the end of the day alive and kicing (and only slightly singed).
Push yourself to your limits.
We can talk about the metaphysical, if you'd rather. Not everyone is into pumpin' iron like good ol' Spongebob but we can all relate to making ourselves better. After I finished my degree, I noticed myself getting slightly bored. I no longer had 2 hours of homework to do after work. I remember thinking to myself, "What is this madness?!" Then, I started discovering other things I enjoyed i.e. buying encyclopedias and, yes, reading them. I'm weird like that. We can always be better, even if only by one stuffed animal.
Be generous.
Being a cheerful giver seems to get harder as we get older. We grow up and realize that money doesn't grow on trees and, yes, that tin of cashews DOES cost that ungodly amount of $8.50. We learn to cut corners where we can and spend as wisely as possible. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." I don't think God loves cringing givers any less than cheerful, but it probably makes him smile wider when we do it without complaining.
Keep your cool until, well, you can't.
We've all been there. The house is a wreck, the car has a flat tire, the bills need to be paid, and you're supposed to be at mom's in 12 minutes for a family dinner. I suppose it's all about the proverbial "poker face." There's a time and a place to lose your marbles (usually at 1 AM curled in the fetal position in your spouse's arms) and a time and a place to keep your cool. I guess what matters most is that we take the time to be real with ourselves, even if it's in our most private of sanctuaries. It probably looks different for everyone.
Don't be afraid of your dark side.
Whether or not we want to admit it, we all have parts of ourselves that we avoid--or even hate. I guess that's part of being human and, even though it sucks, we can't run from it. We can never hope to be wholly free of what makes us human but the Bible tells us that through Jesus and our choice of his Salvation, that we are made pure. There is freedom in that knowledge. Our dark side will always be with us, until the end of this world anyways, but we can't run from it. We have to face it.
Never be a Squidward.
Somehow, it's become normal and accepted to be uncaring and unfeeling of the world around us. And I'm not even talking about global issues like hunger, poverty, war, etc--I'm talking about the smaller things that make our lives what they are or could be. I spend quite a bit of time on the phone every day at my job and always try to have a perky, update personality. It's difficult when I'm on the phone with someone who I can viscerally tell has absolutely no interest in being where he/she currently is. We don't always have to love everything about our lives but we should attempt to be positive towards our fellow human beings. If not, then what's the point of our struggle?
