I just can't get this outta my mind.
Last month at our writers' conference, the keynote speaker told a lengthy story of Phil Vischer, the creator of the Veggie Tales characters.
It all started on his kitchen table. And the concept grew and grew and grew to greatness. Parents loved Veggie Tales almost as much as their kids. Bookstores loved them, too. $ $ $ $ Everybody loved Veggie Tales! How God did bless!
It was a heady time for all the folks at Big Idea, but alas, it all came tumbling down. Bad management, poor advice and the most ludicrous lawsuit in the annals of tort. The lawsuit claimed 'breach of contract,' even though there was no contract. The plaintiff was awarded just about everything Phil had ever thought of. It was too much. Phil lost all that he had. He sold his company for a few pence and then declared bankruptcy. He was both broke and broken.
"Why, God? Why?"
Nevertheless there was a little idea floating around in his head. Jellyfish. Jellyfish? Jellyfish cannot choose the course they will swim. They are basically helpless. They ride in the flow of the ocean current and go where it takes them. They depend on the current for all their nourishment. The current alone is their source of life.
"This is what you wanted me to learn, isn't it, God?
"That no matter how much I have; no matter the fame and celebrity; no matter the bank account, the honors, the awards...no matter where I go or what I have, I only have God Alone.
"And no matter how much I lose; how much I have lost; how little I have; how many people have turned away from me, how alone and lost I feel...no matter if I have nothing or no one, everything I have is God Alone."
He smiled and with that little Jellyfish, Phil thoughtfully began another company. It won't be long and everybody will love Jellyfish, too.
He smiled and with that little Jellyfish, Phil thoughtfully began another company. It won't be long and everybody will love Jellyfish, too.
By the way, eventually the Texas Supreme Court snorted at that lawsuit and tossed it out. Overturned everything. Well, that was nice for Phil, but he was already starting over...but not alone.
9 comments:
A very good lesson!
Seems like the best lessons are the hardest ones, eh?
That God, always teaching us ;)
That is soooo sad. I would've loved Veggie Tales.
God is faithful, no matter what.
Beautiful, Pablito! God is always there for us. :)
My nieces were big fans of Veggie Tales. They've been around a while.
I've been testing out the Jellyfish Theory this year and can vouch for its claims. Good one Paul, thanks for sharing.
I read the book about his story. Veggie Tales has meant so much to our family.
Phil Vischer is a creative individual.
I'll have to admit that the Veggie Tales Christmas is highly entertaining to this farmer. The tunes are catchy but mostly the expressions on the characters are made for adults. I kept ru-running different parts to tell my grandkids things like "watch the face on the cucumber in this scene." Everybody here keeps their distance from me.
The lesson in this post is similar to what we talked about in SS yesterday. I likened it to sitting by a pilot in a small plane and having him let you fly it 'straight and level' which I have done. He let me fly it but when things got just a tiny bit uncertain I'd say, "You take it. I don't think I know what I'm doing." Then I'd take the controls again when things got back to smooth.
We're like that, aren't we. It's hard to keep your hands off of the controls. And the pilot lets us do it sometimes to teach us a lesson.
Great post Paul.
I sometimes remind myself...I have God and God has me! :-)
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