A STUFFED FROG

I have a secret identity.  A stuffed frog!  His name is Norman and I live vicariously through him.

It started a number of years ago when Norman was sitting on a shelf at the local CVS.  There he sat, looking at me with those big eyes.  He is a rather large frog.  A great shade of green.  And, since it was close to Valentine’s Day, he has a red heart on his … well, … on his butt. 

Honestly, I was just standing there, when that frog jumped right into my cart.  I had no choice but to take him home.  As I drove home, with this big green frog that would not fit in a bag, I wondered what hubby would say.  Would he think I had finally gone over the edge?

Hubby took one look at the frog and one look at me.  He was smiling and I knew he was sure I had officially gone bonkers.  “Does it have a name?”  he asked.

That night we were watching City Slickers and there was a calf named Norman.  We looked at each other and said, “Norman.  The frog is Norman.” 

To shorten a long story, let me say that Norman has an Instagram account: #adventureswithnorman or norman_frog.  I have 221 Facebook friends.  Norman has 876 followers.  It is quite humiliating to know a stuffed frog has more “friends” than I do.  If that is not enough, other than one friend in England and a few that could swim, my friends are on the east side of the Mississippi.  Not Norman.  His summer postcard went to 13 states and 20 countries.  He even gets mail in HIS NAME from such places as Russia, Germany, The Netherlands, Moldovia, Singapore and once from the Antarctic.  I mean really!  Norman got a card from a man spending the winter in the Antarctic! 

Norman is famous for his red heart, getting stuck, having conversations with his human (aka me) and hosting the #plushieolympics2018nf.  With help from his human, Norman has given the children’s story at church.

Norman at church.

Norman was on vacation with us.

He got bored and the next thing we knew he was upside down.

I bet you agree with Bill:  Mary has finally lost it!  Just the opposite.  I get to use my imagination.  I see pictures of places I will never visit.  Norman received a CD from a musician in The Netherlands who has won international carillon competitions.  He uses Instagram to talk to an actor and Ninja Warriors.  Now stop and contemplate that.  If you think I am a bit off center, exactly what would you call a photographer who sends a card from the Antarctic to a frog, a world famous carillon artist who addressed that envelope to Norman Frog, the Ninja Warrior who liked Norman’s moves and the actor who thought he might have a role for Norman in his next movie.  (The actor did mention a table and frog legs…..)

So often Christians think they should go around with long faces.  Never have joy.  Never laugh. The Bible says just the opposite.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

…. a time to laugh,

…. a time to dance

Ecclesiastes 3:1 and parts of 4

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Psalm 47:1

God wants us to have joy.  God has a sense of humor.  I mean, he created the platypus and that long neck on the giraffe.  And if you want proof God has a sense of humor:  He created--- us.

This week – this life – find something joyful.  Who knows….you might happen upon a frog, sitting on the top shelf, with a red heart on his butt and very big eyes.  And that frog might open up a whole new adventure for you.

CELEBRATE EVERY DAY WITH JOY