3 January

Today's the day when in the year 2000 the last ever Peanuts cartoon strip was published. The stories of Charlie Brown, Lucy, her brother Linus and the lovable beagle Snoopy had appeared in newspapers around the world for almost 50 years. At its peak, Peanuts ran in over 2,600 newspapers, with a readership of 355 million in 75 countries, and was translated into 21 languages. There were several TV spin-offs from the cartoon strip and (inevitably) shed loads of merchandise. There was a time when no self-respecting 6 year-old would be without a Snoopy pyjama case.

Charlie Brown was originally the main character but gradually Peanuts began to focus more on Snoopy. Many of the strips revolve around Snoopy's fantasy life, in which he imagines himself to be a World War I flying ace or a bestselling suspense novelist, to the bemusement and consternation of the other characters. You get the feeling that Snoopy doesn't quite know who he really is. In fact, none of us are secure until we know who we really are. In the bible the Apostle Paul is a great example of someone who knows who he really is – a sinner saved by God's grace. This is what he says:

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason
I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might
display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him
and receive eternal life.