Free Grumpy Cat

In 1st Peter chapter 4, the author addresses our mindset, even when we face difficulties:
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Difficulties can absolutely destroy us and drive us away from God - if we let them.   But, the Biblical mindset is that trials come into our lives in order that He might develop more of His character in us.   When circumstances overwhelm us, we can draw from the inner strength that flows from a relationship with the Most High God through Jesus Christ.   While bad times could tend to make us grumpy or despondent, the Lord prescribes for us to respond in joy and allow more of His nature to radiate throughout our souls.

In Psalm 30, the writer lays out a pattern for an attitude that can be very helpful to us, especially in times of adversity:
2 O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.

3 O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing praise to the Lord, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

The annual music and media festival known as South by Southwest is underway now in Austin, Texas.   I became a bit more familiar with the event through one of my contributors, Chuck Harvey of the website, The One21 Music, who has provided some coverage of the Christian element of the event in the past.   He's also the official Meeting House "American Idol" analyst - and I expect to have Chuck back on the show soon, now that we're into this season's top 10...by the way, Chuck points out that 8 out of the finalists have a Christian connection.   So, we'll look forward to that.

Well, South by Southwest is underway in Austin throughout the week, and one of the "stars" of the festival so far is not human and not a musician - yes, it's the YouTube sensation known as "Grumpy Cat" - everyone loves crazy cat pictures and videos, right?   Remember Keyboard Cat?   Or other, "fill-in-the-blank" cats?

Well, Grumpy Cat, also known as, "Tardar Sauce", showed up at SXSW and became an instant sensation, with people standing in a long line to see this feline up close and personal.   CNN reports that this is the first official public appearance for Grumpy Cat, who lives with her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, in Morristown, Arizona.   The cat first gained fame in September when Bryan, Tabatha's brother, posted some photos of her on Reddit, the social-news site.

"It was an accident," said Bryan Bundesen of the viral stardom that followed. "We thought it would get some laughs, with the Internet liking cats. And it just kept going."

Grumpy Cat now has a website that Bryan Bundesen said attracts 1.5 million unique visitors a month, plus a popular Facebook page, YouTube channel and Twitter account. Bryan manages her social media pages from his home in Ohio with occasional help from Tabatha, who sends him fresh Grumpy Cat photos every week or so.

"I don't mind it," Tabatha said of her pet's celebrity. "I'm thrilled to see that my cat brings joy to people."

Of course, not everyone is impressed - there is a move on the Internet to "Free Grumpy Cat", presumably driven by the notion that putting a cat in a cage to be gawked at by throngs of people is somehow cruel.   Oh, well.

In this case, "grumpy" is funny.   And, poor Tard apparently has her face fixed in a frown due to a genetic disorder.   But, in real life, grumpy is not really funny - and we do have a choice.  

So, what makes you grumpy?   And, does it affect the people around you?   When the Biblical prescription is to rejoice, and since are given the capacity to choose, God is pleased when we radiate His nature.   Sure, there will be devastating circumstances, and there are times to mourn and weep, but remember the Psalm - "joy comes in the morning".   And, that's the endgame for the believer in touch times - and a witness to the world...we can have joy in the Lord, who will sustain us in our times of difficulty.   And, as our minds are fixed on Christ and He controls our countenance, it makes a difference in our outlook and the resulting atmosphere around us - so choose joy today!