The Perils of Penelope Pitstop

One of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons from when I was a little girl was the show "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop".  I remember being extremely impressed by her cool car, and the way that she never showed distress in her unending predicaments.  Sure, she might call out "H-E-E-E-L-P" in her southern voice, but she usually was formulating her own plan for escape (along with the help of her friends, The Ant Hill Gang)  Sylvester Sneekly, disguised as the "Hooded Claw" was the villain, out to destroy Penelope.

The show would usually start out with "Last time we left Penelope, she was in the clutches of the Hooded Claw".  And that poor girl just seemed to go from one peril to another...nonstop drama I tell you.  Of course, no harm ever came to Penelope, and the show would usually end with the Hooded Claw saying "I'll get you Penelope Pitstop".

Since life is fluid and life is constantly changing, we go through smooth times and we go through rocky times.  Often during the rockier times, I feel as if I'm a "Penelope", going from one peril to another.  Just as Penelope would usually end up tied to a railroad track, or tied up in chair, and unable to move; I sometimes feel as if I'm bound by the problems in life and a big ol' train is bearing down on me.  That's not just life for me, that's life for all of us.  We all have Sylvester Sneeklys in our lives...they need not be people, they can just be life's problems.

Life can be a roller coaster, full of ups and downs.  But the reassuring promise we have, as believers, is that God is bigger than any problems in our life.  He is bigger than addictions, divorce, disease, failures, problems with our kids, struggles with friendships, financial worries, career worries, the loss of someone we love.  Whatever it is that life throws at us...He is bigger than.  God doesn't manipulate us like puppets on a string, He doesn't prevent anything bad from ever happening in our lives.  But He does promise that He will be with us.

I love Exodus 14:13-14 where we are told "Do not be afraid, Stand firm and you will the deliverance the Lord will bring you today....the Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still."

Penelope never seemed to panic as I mentioned before.  She would be still and call out "H-E-E-E-L-P" (I just love the way she did that in her southern drawl, making the one syllable word two syllables!) That's what I need to do when I feel are bound by my problems, be still, and call out "Help" to the Lord. 

I was reminded of this as I was reading from "Jesus Calling"....and I quote, "..humbly bring Me in your prayers and petitions.  Your problems will pale when you view them in the Light of My Presence.  And right before I read those words, I had a friend tell me to "give myself a break, turn it over to HIM and BREATHE."

The good news is that not only is God right there beside me, but unlike Penelope, I am not in the clutches of the Hooded Claw.  I'm in the Hands of my Savior.