I came across the above strip online the other day, along with a comment that stated this was Peppermint Patty’s last appearance in the Peanuts comic strip, which ran in newspapers on Sunday, January 2, 2000, just a few short weeks before the strip’s creator, Charles M. Schulz, passed away (he had colon cancer). What struck me about the comment was that, unlike previous instances where Peppermint Patty seemed to “miss the boat”, there was no follow-up strip that essentially redeemed Peppermint Patty among the clan. This time, Schulz died before he could do it again for this character.
I wasn’t a “Peanuts” fan growing up, but I came to appreciate it as a young adult, recognizing and respecting its place in American comics history as one of the premier (if not the premier) strips. Schulz drew and wrote every single panel himself for almost 50 years. But I remember in conversations with both my wife and my ex (when we dated) and in each case, their first reaction was to say how depressing the comic strip was. At first, I was confused by each of their reactions considering that, unlike the modern comic strips, this one at least referenced the Bible periodically and was far more conservative than most. Not much more came of the conversation (which was fine with me), but I did bear it in mind, as I myself would note how constantly Charlie Brown struggled with depression (an outlet for and extension of some of Schulz’s own issues, which he admitted occasionally in interviews). But I figured that was the extent of it.
As an aside before returning to the above strip and the revelation I believe was placed in my heart, I still haven’t seen every strip. Far from it, in fact. Most of my knowledge of the strips come from the very beginning (the first few years), almost the entire 1960s (I purchased a few treasuries of strips from roughly 1960 to 1968), and one book that catalogued strips from the year 1997, giving me a glimpse into what the end-stage strips were like. Peppermint Patty first appeared in strips in 1966, but my knowledge of her character largely came from TV specials, whatever strips I did happen to come across in the newspaper, and that one book of strips from 1997. I mostly remember her as a spunky athletic character who was a poor student in school and relied on her friend Marcie to bail her out. But that’s it. I have a gap of knowledge of Peppermint Patty’s character development during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, outside of the few bits of information that I gleaned from the sources that I did read and/or watch.
Considering therefore that because Peppermint Patty is a fictional character, she can only exist in Schulz’s mind and in whatever forms she had appeared in print and on TV. As such, no fate really awaits her. She, along with all the other characters from “Peanuts,” have far outlasted Schulz and will continue to do so until the end of time. But, what really struck me more than anything else about this strip is that I got a sense of her final appearance (as per the above strip) as an eerily accurate picture of how well Schulz prepared for the end of his life and for his eternity. I wouldn't be surprised if, among all the other things that came up in Schulz’s life before he died, part of him wanted to draw a strip, just one more, to redeem Peppermint Patty from her latest faux pas (in this case, foolishly and stubbornly being unaware that the game was over and everyone had already left, and not really being able to cope with it), and not being able to draw that strip. Even though she is but a fictional character, the way this strip leaves us readers is with the realization that this time, she will not be redeemed. Her unredeemed faux pas (what she's left instead with is a diagnosis that she messed up, courtesy of her friend (and conscience) Marcie, and that she’s run out of time to right that wrong).
I suspect Schulz was caught in a similar trap. He did well in this life, successfully earning a living and being able to do so by doing something that he loved. But, I’m not sure that he prepared for his eternity; rather, it seemed as if it sneaked up on him and his response was to scramble. He had made lots of plans in his life and got to see many of them through. After all, he seemed to have acknowledged as such through Peppermint Patty when she asks her friend Marcie, “we had fun, didn’t we?” in the third-to-last panel, and Marcie, acting as her conscience, replies, “yes, sir, we had fun.” But he still had more plans to make and see through, and in a moment, it all was snatched away:
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ Luke 12:20, NKJV
Schulz had 77 years and didn’t prepare for his eternity in any of those years, so of course he was caught off guard. But Jesus warns His followers to not do this, not for the end of their natural lives, and not for His return to earth:
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:42-44, NKJV
He commands us to spend the time that we do have - i.e. NOW - to prepare to meet Him:
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Luke 12:40, NKJV
And He doesn’t give vague instructions, not at all; rather, He gives us very specific directions as to what we need to do to be ready:
Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Revelation 3:3, NKJV
As a fellow artist-at-heart, this revelation admittedly hurt. I praise God that I’m still young and in good health. But I’ve had some blips in my health (thankfully minor ones) that were enough to get me thinking about my life and eternity. What is my status? Will I go to heaven or to hell? I’m aware that of the above passages, most of them have to do with when Jesus returns (His second coming). But, I’m also aware that, once we each pass away, our lives and our works will indeed be demanded of us by the Lord Himself (as per Luke 12:20). And still, I’m aware also of my own sin regarding all these artistic ambitions and desires of projects. I have periodically wrestled with fear around whether I’ll get a piano sonata completed (I currently have a few incomplete ones), and the proper response as I understand it is that I have to completely let that go. If it is God’s will that certain ambitions and projects are incomplete, then I have to learn to be at peace with it. One could argue that at least Schulz got 77 years to both get things done and get himself right with God. Others, like Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, Frederic Chopin, and George Gershwin, among countless others, barely got to have at least half that. Regardless, like Schulz, none of them prepared for their end.
Schulz’s sad story is that he made it all about life in this world. He was successful during his life here on earth, and he made art that was and still is beloved by millions. He even quoted Scripture in his art. He did have church in his life at various points, but, even from his Wikipedia article, it appeared as if his faith had waned and dissipated (if not disappeared entirely) by the end of his life. He appeared to display some works of faith, but there didn’t seem to be any evidence of a real, personal relationship with Jesus to back it up.
So, how do I avoid that same mistake? I do love the art that God has allowed me to make. But I cannot love it more than He who gave me the gift of art-making (and He Who has the power to take it away if He chooses). God has to come first, now and always. Lord, help me to make that happen! Help me to hold fast to the Gospel of my King and Savior Jesus Christ and to repent and loose every sin and encumbrance keeping me from You!
Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29, NKJV
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9, NKJV
