Churches

Pete Lawson19 Comments on Churches

Whenever I’ve had good or bad health news I’ve looked for a church to let God know my feelings. She likes to hear from you no matter your situation; not just when your luck runs out. I travel a bit, so finding a church on the road is challenging. When my mother died I was working in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, so the next morning I went to Immaculate Conception Church at dawn’s first light.  The doors were locked, however, so I guessed God must have been working late the night before.  As I  returned to the hotel though, I passed First Baptist Church, paused for a second, then went in anyway.  Although First Baptist wasn’t the home turf, I still felt God sitting next to me on the pew drying my tears.  Ultimately, no matter where you find yourself God listens just the same.

My three siblings and I were born in a five year span (Irish Quadruplets) so my mother fought us every Sunday morning to get up, dress for church, and pile into the Torino station wagon for Mass. On top of this we also went to St. Mary’s School – going to church on Sunday’s felt like overkill.  Most kids would be despondent, but we went to church knowing full well there was plenty of comic relief waiting for us.  Remember, the funniest jokes ever told are those whispered in church.  In the early ‘70s people still got dressed up for church in their Sunday finest.  Men wore long coats with perfectly styled fedoras and women like my Grandmother Lawson carried purses that held lipstick, tissue, cigarette cases, compact mirrors, coke spoons, etc.  One Sunday Mr. Connery, Sr., the local undertaker, sat in the pew right in front of us.  He made a flourish taking off his fedora and gently placed it on the pew next to him.  When the congregation stood up for the “Our Father”  I slid his fedora right underneath him.  At the first syllable of “Amen” he sat down and flattened the hat.  None of us cracked a smile when he turned around, so he logically blamed my Grandmother sitting next to him.  Later in Mass she somehow sat on her own purse and blamed Mr. Connery.  I started wondering about the benefit of going to church when we were piling up more sins just being there than staying home.

As years passed the humor of going to church faded while the messages started resonating more.  Fr. Ted Hesburgh, Notre Dame’s President, told us at Mass in our dorm that older alumni were complaining Notre Dame students weren’t going to church every day like they did years ago.  Fr. Ted told them, “you went to church everyday then because they made you go; students go today because they want to.”  Research shows that although fewer people go to church most are still actively engaged in their religion.  I’m no different since I talk to God more often than I ever have for good reason.  And without a doubt I’m at peace with those conversations.  The last few years rather than fight the sea of humanity at Easter Services Diane and I have taken our boat out into the Gulf before dawn to watch the sun rise over the water.  Although we may not be surrounded by Italian marble, polished oak, and grandmothers with fancy purses, we still feel God out there no different than the people on the Sea of Galilee did two thousand years ago. Churches and office buildings maybe less occupied these days, but faith and work still happen regardless.  Slainte.

19 Comments

  2. Just love reading your words of inspiration. I try to attend mass weekly with my husband but either way, I pray and converse with God throughout the day. The vision of you and Diane out in your boat on the Gulf on Easter is lovely and the Lord enjoys your tribute and smiles down. Love the St. Mary’s Church and School stories. Marcia and I could be quite the gigglers in church much to my Aunt Ida’s dismay. God bless. Do you still have yoyr grandmother’s cone spoon.🥸

    Reply

  4. Mr. Pete…churches make me nervous…even though I promised you that I would quell my anxious thoughts. 👀When I wake up each day…I politely ask her to stay with me…specifically…in my back pocket. She seems to be ok with that. I must admit…it makes me feel better about each day.

    My favorite church is in Brimley, MI where my Mom and Dad have their cabins. That’s the closest thing to home I have now. It’s a lookout point high up on Mission Hill. I used to run it…hoping I wouldn’t have a bear encounter. When I would finally reach the top…I would look out over Spectacle Lake…and pray. I thought of my Grandparents…Cash…and me. And…for sure…I thanked
    her that she helped me make it up the hill.

    I think she is everywhere you need her to be. 🙏🏻

    “From a bar stool to that Evinrude… Sunday mornin’ in a church pew…In a deer stand or a hay field….An interstate back to Nashville…A Chevrolet with the windows down…Me and her just ridin’ around…Sometimes…whether I’m lookin’ for Her or
    not…That’s where I find God” 💕🎶💕

    ~ Larry Fleet/Morgan Wallen

    Reply

    1. Elisa, our conversations with God are more important than the buildings they occur in. That’s why its great to be outside where there are no boundaries. Pete

      Reply

  7. Brings back Memories , with 9 in the Family the four youngest would pile into my Aunt’s Fifty Seven Chevy Bel air . On the way we were told to behave ! We knew better , because none of us wanted to spoil the our Trip to Gijanto’s Drug Store for aTreat ! Now it’s a Treat to Talk to God !!

    Reply

    1. Tom, although my memories of St. Mary’s Church has plenty of other stories like this one, it is one of my favorite churches embedded in my roots. Pete

      Reply

    1. Brings back Memories , with 9 in the Family the four youngest would pileinto my Aunt’s Fifty Seven Chevy Bel air . On the way we were told to behave ! We knew better , because none of us wanted to spoil the our Trip to Gijanto’s Drug Store for aTreat ! Now it’s a Treat to Talk to God !!

      Reply

Thanks for reading and letting me know your thoughts!