The other day, I listened to Billy Bud, Sailor on CD. The story is kind of an allegory. Billy Budd is like Jesus, the captain of the ship that Billy sails on is like God, and the bad man, Mr. Claggart, is like Satan.

Billy Budd is falsely accused of trying to start a mutiny by Mr. Claggart. Billy accidentally kills Mr. Claggart but only because Mr. Claggart provoked him into it. Billy is hanged!

I didn't get that. You see, I'm a stickler for happy endings. (I hate that book now and I have never listened to it or read it since.) The story of Billy certainly didn't have a happy ending. Another audio book, Les Miserables, that I listened to had a partle happy ending. Waves of Grace (another audio book, can you tell I like audio books?) had a happy ending. Why couldn't Billy Budd, Sailor?

You see, God doesn't promise us happy endings in this life. All he promises is that he'll stick by us and that if we accept him, we'll be saved.

John Newton, the man who wrote "Amazing Grace", was forced to become a sailor. How many of you have heard of press gangs in history class? Those guys who hit men over the head, hauled them to a ship, and forced them to become sailors. John Newton had a very rough time before he found Christ.

Jean Valjean, in Les Miserables, was pursued by the law for the better part of his life. He eventually dies fairly peacefully when his accuser commits suicide.

You see, not everyone gets a happy ending in this life. Some people will and some people won't. God doesn't promise us a smooth ride like in a car with really good shocks on a highway. It may be like a jeep in a jungle.

Just remember, God will always be by your side through the thick and the thin. He'll always give you the strength to make it through. Even if you don't have a happy ending. And remember, even if you have the worst ending in this life, you'll have the ultimate happy ending when you get to heaven.


What do you guys think? I'm afraid it's really random and the whole title doesn't match with the rest of the theme of happy endings. I wrote it when I was thirteen.

I like it. Good thoughts - thanks.

I like it!