Goober

I have a story for you! So one of the coolest people in the world and I were arguing about how to spell goober/gouber. In fact, Microsoft Word recognizes goober but not gouber as a word. Any ways, we were yelling, punching, pinching, slapping, and even kicking. Actually, none of that is true, in reality, we made fun of ourselves while we texted each other. Lame right? However, we think it just means we are freakin awesome.

Needless to say it made me want to know more and who was right. So the first reasonable thing to do would be to search Wikipedia right? Well, I learned a lot. Goober (yes that spelling) is another name for a peanut. Who knew? If you add an ‘s’ to Goober you get a brand name chocolate-coated peanut. Also the brand Goober is a food product that combines peanut butter and fruit preserves (jelly for us common folk). Well that doesn’t answer my question of wanting to know more about goober, however, it did show how REASONABLE people spell the word. I mean I was spell champ in 8th grade.

So the next thing that any academic would do is look up the word goober in an Urban Dictionary. Here is what that said. “Basically a goober (let me emphasize the spelling again. Hah) is just a kindhearted, rather oblivious goofball. It’s a term of endearment really. It comes from the ancient Scottish verb ‘to goub,’ which has to do with doing a dance and smiling sheepishly while doing so.” Well, if my friend were to be Scottish I would accept the spelling gouber, but she’s not, however, due to the origins of the word, I will agree to disagree (like our text earlier).

When I think of a goober, I think of someone who is being silly and who is a goofball. I have been called a goofball my fair share of times, in fact, my mom used to call me that a lot. I mean, I am only a goofball or a goober around those that are my friends or family. The people I care about. Then it made me think, am I goober with Jesus? I mean I am close to Him. I love him. Or better yet, is Jesus a goober in my relationship with him?

Why should I be a goober with Jesus? Bare with me here. If Jesus is a friend, I should treat him like I would any other friend. I don’t want to have a fake friendship; therefore I will be a goofball with Jesus. I will have a playful friendship with him. One that we can laugh at things that happen in our lives, act silly, or even be undignified like David was. In fact, the verb to goub was about dancing crazy. Being undignified is like being a goober for Jesus. Jesus wants a REAL relationship with you. If that means cracking jokes at each other, so be it, if it means, playing hide and go seek, just know that Jesus will always find you, and if it’s his turn to hide he just stands by you. (That just made me think of the next Open Mic) Who doesn’t like to play? So many times know we think we need to be serious when it comes to Jesus, but I don’t find that to be true. I imagine Jesus in heaven, looking down at me, HIS FRIEND, laughing and saying ‘Oh Mic, you little goober.’ It would be my honor to be a goober around Jesus, because it means I am comfortable around him, it’s a sign of endearment.

I think Jesus is a goober as well. Jesus is definitely kindhearted, and I can see his disciples when he had 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread and said he will feed 5000 people. I can hear the disciple’s kid around with him calling him a goober for his silliness. I think Jesus wants to have a playful relationship with us. He kids us, he jokes around with us. One minute we think all is well, and BOOM there is a surprise a twist in events. That is when we look at Jesus and think “Oh Jesus, you goober, you really got me!” The other option is to blame him, but that just makes us dwell in the current situations. Plus Jesus has our backs, and he may play practical jokes on us, or maybe they seem like practical jokes because what Jesus is doing in our lives is not what we wanted. There is the key word, WHAT WE WANTED! Jesus when he throws in a surprise is being our best friend, a REAL friend, one that he can honest around and love and be a goober. He has our plans and we may think we know our plans but we are so wrong, so maybe what we see as a practical joke from Jesus is simply our desire to control our lives.

I like being a goober and so should you. Have a playful relationship with Jesus. Love Him! Enjoy the time you have with him. If Jesus is not someone who you can be a goober around, it is so simple. First, ask Jesus to be a friend and a leader and guide in your life, and he will. Tell him you love him, like you love your other friends, and before you know it you and Jesus will be two goobers interacting with each other.