Sweet Home Alabama.
I say "about" 7 churches because a few of these are in homes, so it's hard to tell unless there is a marquee in the yard. And there is also the random marquee on wheels by the empty gravel parking lot that reminds you that the Salvation Army Wants You To Know That God Is Love on your way to school. No church building, but definitely a message.
We all receive, in some way, unsolicited advice everyday. Some call it Marketing. I want to believe that people are mostly good and nice and that they want to share with me what made them feel good that day.
There are days when I meet someone with a shirt on that says, "Satan is Ugly as Sin" and I don't know where to begin with our conversation. But I still want to have that conversation. I just hope S/HE starts it.
Then I see a sign that says "Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams" and I just want to travel that thought journey with whoever came up with that caption. It's truly clever when you think about it long enough, with lots of references solid to the Southern Bible, but when it catches me off guard on the church marquee I almost run off the road every time.
The Abundant Life Church right by our house just changed its sign to read "Instructions for Abundant Life Inside."
I'm just trying to stay open here. I'm starting with noticing what's on my daily drive: church marquees, cows and Starbucks.
I can't believe I just typed that. I will say (or type) that though Google can only satisfy some of my searches and since Abundant Life has an address, I will embrace this gratitude to be where I am right now, here, with all the advice and suggestions, in the form they need to be.
Again, Sweet Home Alabama.
10 comments:
Love these signs and your reflections on them. There is a church we see almost every day that really does come up with some clever ones.
I love church signs too, and I LOVE being in the South! I had a similar reflection Sunday when we went out to eat after church. I noticed that every table around us prayed before they ate. And that is one of the many reasons I love the South! :)
On my trip through MS & TN this weekend I saw so many great church signs and swore I would remember them since I was driving and couldn't write them down. The only one I do remember:
CH CH
What's missing?
U R
Thanks for sharing! Hope you all are well!
I am laughing out loud after this post! You are too funny and I love your commentary about life in Alabama. They do not have many church signs in the Detroit area, so this brightened my day! Thanks
Our new church has a nice big sign out front on the main drag. The Baptist church in town is set back from the road in the neighborhood, but has a big sign on the main road directly across the street from ours. I think A finds the pressure of the sign a bit overwhelming sometimes and finds it very hard not to respond directly to their sign. For example, when we moved in it said: Get right or get left. So it goes.
i love both this post and your attitude.
love allison
ooo how I miss you when I read a blog like this. love you. keep it coming.
carroll lane! the sign you saw totally wins in my opinion! i'm trying to convince brian to do that next sunday...
anjie, you and andy come visit and we'll brainstorm church marquee sign ideas.
because that's the spirit of the church. ha.
babs, trista, amy and allison - thanks!
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