When the heaviness of our circumstances weigh us down, our hearts crave something to lighten our spirits. It’s an unexpected pleasure when humor comes to the rescue. Humor can bring healing, and finding good, healthy humor is a tonic to the spirit. While author Deb DeArmond usually writes books on marriage and relationships, her newest book, Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes, takes a detour into a humorous look at life and God’s prescription on how to live it. Our interview today will tell you more.
Linda: Deb, the first time you told me the title of your book, Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes, I chuckled. It’s an absolutely delightful title. Would you please tell us where you came up with the concept of a book based on bumper stickers? It’s more than a bit unusual. Tell us about it . . .
Deb: Because I often write blogposts and articles, I’m always looking for themes I can turn into a series. A friend posted a photo on social media she’d taken of two cars she’d spotted, side by side, in a parking lot. One had a bumper sticker that read:” The truth will set you free, but first it will tick you off!” The other read “Don’t believe everything you think.”
They both made me laugh, and as I considered them further, I saw biblical truth in those two statements. The idea of the “truth above the tailpipe” intrigued me. We live busy lives, trying to stretch ourselves thin every day. Trying to find time to spend in the Word of God.
I wrote my first posts with the original two as the titles and included a brief explanation of how they’d been “born.” People, some total strangers, sent me their favorite bumper sticker sayings. The rest, as they say, is history!
Linda: So, where did the term “Be-Attitudes” come from? What’s the connection?
Deb: The concept behind Be-Attitudes came from my publisher, Deb Haggerty. You may recall from the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5, Jesus identified eight Beatitudes—values or principles—that when practiced, lead to a blessing. These attributes are significant today, just as they were when Jesus spoke them:
- humility, righteousness, self-control
- a submitted and selfless heart
- love, empathy, and peace, to name just a few
Linda: How did you select the fifty titles that appear in the book?
Deb: It wasn’t easy! Over the span of two years, I’d collected more than 300 Bumper Stickers! I sorted through and separated them by topics. I wanted a good balance of different themes and messages that packed a spiritual punch with some humor on the side.
All of the themes feature humor, a quick true story, a scriptural basis, and a set of tips and challenges at the end of each chapter. Learning new principles is great. Doing something with that knowledge is even better!
We live in a challenging time. Current culture is often unkind and self-focused. Believers are challenged to maintain an attitude of Christ-likeness, which is essential to reaching a world in desperate need of the Savior.
Messages that enlighten, encourage and empower provide us with hope in unexpected places. Even in the carpool lane – those became quick picks.
Linda: Why is humor an important aspect of this book?
Deb: There are several reasons I chose to make this something that would bring a smile to the reader. Maybe even a guffaw.
We are bombarded by messages from a world determined to inform, sell and influence something. Television, movies, social media – you name it – they all have a message they hope we’ll latch on to. And often it’s entertaining and fun.
We have a message, too—THE MESSAGE—of the love of God. And from the bumper of the car in front of us to the fortune cookie at the end of the meal, one-liners that are meant to entertain often hold a much deeper meaning when seen through the eyes of those who follow Christ.
I believe in the power of humor – research suggests it is healing; it has the power to lift our spirits, open our hearts, and in many cases, heal us – body, soul, and spirit. Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was written to capture those deeper meanings and combine them with a hearty helping of fun so it touches the heart with humor and truth.
Think of all the great “laugh lines” from movies you love. Do you know why you remember them? Because humor helps ideas and concepts to stick. We learn more effectively and recall more accurately when we are having fun in the process. Knowing the Bible deep in our heart equips us for what the day may bring!
Linda: Do you have any personal favorites among the chapters?
Deb: Just like a mama, it’s tough to have a favorite among your babies – even your book babies. But I must admit, there are a few that stand out.
My mother was a unique woman. She never finished high school and was always a bit uncomfortable about it. She’d had a summer job before her senior year of high school and when she was offered full-time status to stay on in the fall, she accepted. It was during the Depression and her family was struggling. So, she read voraciously. Her intelligence did not just involve her intellect, but her heart and soul also favored her common-sense approach to life. There are several chapters I consider “Memos from Mama.” Titles include:
- If You Can’t Be Kind, Be Quiet
- Cancel My Subscription, I Don’t Need Your Issues
- Youth is Fleeting, But Immaturity Can Last a Lifetime!
Another favorite category in the book is marriage. I’ve lived in matrimonial bliss for 45 years. Well, most of the time, much of the time – okay sometimes it’s bliss. It’s never been what I’d call effortless, but it’s always been worth the effort. We are blessed. I know Jesus loves me because he gave me the finest man on the planet. He loves me on my good and bad days. And I return that grace. Because marriage is a primary topic for my other books, our life experiences have had more “airing out” in public than most.
The chapter entitled Laughter is the Shortest Distance Between Two People tells the tale of co-authoring a book together. It was our first and, most likely, it’s probably also our last. It’s among the toughest things we’ve ever done together. The book is titled Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! It required we look back at our then 42 years of marriage and share our experiences. We both had razor sharp memories about our life together. We just didn’t recall them in exactly the same way. And that’s when the trouble began.
It caused a bit of a dust-up, an intense moment of fellowship as we call it. And in the middle of our discussion, I began to laugh. It startled him. He demanded to know, “What’s so funny?” which only made me laugh louder. Here we were having a conflict while writing about conflict. And then he joined me as we snorted and guffawed for several minutes. Life is full of surprises.
Linda: So, Deb, where can people find your books, including Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes?
Deb: Online at Amazon is the best spot to locate all four of my books. Readers can also find me on my website, Family Matters at debdearmond.com
Thanks, Linda for inviting me in today.
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