Adventure Travel Package Deluxe

Recently I got excited about entering the Faithwriters.com writing challenge.
The point of the contest is to write creatively about a given topic within the time frame given.
"Predicament," was the challenge word and I scoffed at the irony in relation to my current situation.

But, I wanted to write something a little more original and inspiring than a "How To Guide: Keeping a Good Attitude when your World is Upside Down."
My first thought was fishing. I'm not sure why, it just was.
Lately I've been thinking about going back to my original birth name, Tina Mollie Fisher.

It's a long story, but growing up, I was Tina Shogren. All of my Iowa friends know me by that name.
Then, it was Tina Rich.
This is the name I took one fateful Friday the13th. Knowing that the marriage would be a flat out nightmare, I romantically chose that date.

Next, Tina Hoffman.
Another long story, but having been divorced now for over a decade, much longer than the marriage actually lasted, I figure it's about time for a name change.

God even said, "I will give you a new name."
He did it for Saul. He became Paul.
But I would not make a good Paul, at all.
I make a better Peter.
Let that one go.
I've always thought "Mollie Fisher" would be a great anonymous pen name. But then who would know it was me? Or maybe that's the whole point of anonymity. And maybe that's a good thing.

Fish. Fishing. Fisher. Fishes.
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea...Joy to you and me....
I'm sorry. I randomly rabbit trail in both word and speech.
But then I remembered where Jesus said, "I will make you fishers of men."
Umm.Yeah. No thanks.
Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.

Oh! Wait!
I Googled "Predicament" t-shirts.
Unbelievable internet find at Threadless.com!
It's a light blue t-shirt where this guy is fishing under a beautiful tree, and he has a tiny bait fish on his pole. His predicament is that he is actually standing on a very, very huge fish already and just doesn't know it.

I Googled it again just now and they are on sale for $9.99!
Check out this totally cute shirt!
Anyway...I pondered a bit more about fishing, and being a fisher of men and then BAM!!
God drops Jonah into my head and I'm so excited! I can't imagine a bigger predicament than being swallowed up by a giant fish, whale, shark...or whatever it really was. Everyone has an opinion about that.

So, for a week I'm forming the entry in my head while working in my garden and then I end up in my own pitiful predicament. I misunderstood the deadline. They said it was Next Thursday, which was in fact This Thursday.
Needless to say, I ended up, "missing the boat."
Here is what would have been my idea of an original entry for "Predicament":

Need to Get-Away? 

Which way would you go? East Coast or West?
Actually, I don't have any extra spending money for luxurious trips or even weekend escapes, but I still enjoy reading the daily deals I get from LivingSocial.com.
Sometimes they are real bargains, and I feel compelled to share them with friends or family who might be interested in something fun and new to do, at a great price!

Living Social: Bright White Smile - $29
Living Social: Family Portrait - $19
Living Social: Zoo for Two - $10
Living Social: 3 days & 3 nights in the Belly of a Whale, The Adventure Pack - Priceless.


Okay, so Jonah didn't have a travel agent or access to the internet back then, but he sure got himself on board for the trip of a lifetime with his unwillingness to do a job that God gave him to do.
He was told to go to Nineveh. But he blew it off for the better beaches at Tarshish.

Now, when you're a prophet, there is probably a certain amount of required socializing that is going to have to take place. It's a public speaking kind of gig.

God was telling Jonah that he needed to go to the capital of Assyria to warn the people to get it together and get right with God, or it was going to be Hammer Time.

But Jonah didn't want to. He wasn't feeling particularly sociable towards the people of Nineveh.
He didn't even like them. Inwardly, he despised them, because although they were a great empire, they were evil. They mocked God and were Israel's greatest enemy.

Jonah didn't want to go to them because he was prideful and arrogant and had a serious attitude problem.
I would go so far as to say, Jonah was a jerk!

I used to think I loved Jonah because I could totally relate to not doing what God tells you to do the first time. Or the second, or even third.

Not only am I sometimes disobedient like Jonah, but I am also a person who has a job that frequently requires me to live socially.
The major difference between us though is that I love all people. Or at least I try to be loving.
Most of the time.
Admittedly, I love the misfits most of all.
My people are the outcasts, the dismissed, the forgotten, the losers and the unlovable.

Jonah was a jerk because he didn't want to deliver a message of God's love to people he didn't approve of.

He knew that God's character was good, merciful, gracious and compassionate, but Jonah didn't want him cutting them any slack.
What Jonah really, really wanted was a fire and brimstone light show that rivaled any modern day rock concert!
He didn't want them redeemed and set free. He wanted judgement. Jonah and the Jews, not to be confused with Josie and the Pussycats, wanted them to suffer for their sins and transgressions.

He believed that his own people were "the good ones."
They thought they were better than everyone else and the gentiles didn't deserve God's mercy and grace.
Jerk.

So, Jonah ignored God, went his own way and ended up getting thrown off a boat and into the ocean to then get swallowed up by a giant fish of some sort. At this point, he was probably wishing he'd have listened to the almighty tour guide.

Jonah spent an all-inclusive, 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of that great whale.
And then he prayed a thankful prayer.
It wasn't a "get me the heck out of here" prayer, but more of an, "Oh, wow! You are an amazing God who saved me from a certain death in an unimaginable way! How great you are! I praise you even in this situation and I will do what you told me to do to begin with. So sorry, seriously. My bad and I love you."

Next, the Lord caused the great fish to spit him out on the beach and told him again to go to Nineveh and preach to the people.
Talk about pier pressure!

This time, Jonah obeyed immediately and gave the urgent message.
They responded willingly and were saved from a certain type of self-destruction.

But, being a slow learner, like some of us, Jonah got angry and God had to school him again in the lessons of compassion and love, kindness and mercy.
God saved the sailors who threw Jonah overboard. He saved the people of Nineveh, and again, saved Jonah with his unconditional love.

The Lord answers our prayers when we sincerely call on him.
He says, "You will find me when you seek me with your whole heart."
It is a message for all people.
"Call on me and I will rescue you."
"I will give you rest."

Although I would love to go on a nice beach vacation, I better just do what he's telling me to do.
Right now.
Otherwise, I may end up with my own kind of Super Saver Travel Voucher.


Living Social: Seaweed Wrap for One - Free!