The parson was changing the saying on the large reader board sign outside his church. Standing on the ladder he leaned back to ascertain if everything was centered. A voice caught his attention.
“Well, goodness gracious, parson, that’s cute.”
The parson turned to see Ralph. He stepped down from his ladder and greeted his visitor.
“Ralph, good to see you. What’s cute?”
“Your little saying there. My, my, ‘Honk Your Horn If You Appreciate Teachers.’”
“Oh, I see,” said the parson. “Well, Ralph, school started yesterday. I thought a little acknowledgement of the teachers might be appropriate.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate at all, if you don’t mind me saying so, parson.”
“Why would this not be appropriate, Ralph?”
“Because this church paid good money for this sign and the purpose of it was to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You hardly ever put anything up there about Jesus and the marvelous love of God. You’re wasting our money.”
The parson stared at Ralph a moment. The sign had been a
personal project of the parson. He’d raised the money from various members who
agreed to help. Ralph had not contributed a cent.
The parson thought of some possible changes he could make to the sign. The parson thought of what a pain in the neck Ralph insisted on being. The parson thought of all the things Ralph had opposed over the years. The parson thought of all the trouble Ralph had stirred up with his constant complaining about the actions of the denomination.
The parson silently said to himself, Self, get a grip. Cool it.
Self replied, Why are you always putting it on me?
The parson folded his ladder. He started to walk away.
“Hold on,” said Ralph. “You’re going to leave that dumb appreciate teachers stuff up there and not change it to a message about Jesus?”
“I am, Ralph.”
“I don’t approve of that being on a church sign, parson.”
“Okay,” said the parson.
“Okay? What do you mean, okay?” asked Ralph.
“I mean, okay, Ralph.”
“You’re just blowing me off, aren’t you, parson?”
The parson had already begun to walk away. He stopped and turned around, ladder on his shoulder. “I am, Ralph. I am; praise the Lord.”
Let all God's people say AMEN! You did a great job. I wonder what Ralph would have put on the sign?????
Posted by: PK | August 05, 2008 at 09:25 AM
Good night, you're a much bigger man that me, Parson - I'd have told him to his face what a pain in the ass he was, and then would have had to deal with the regret for the rest of the week.
Great story.
Posted by: Scott | August 05, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Hahahahahaha
I just love you.
Posted by: Mary Beth | August 05, 2008 at 02:36 PM
And what would he think of a pro-American slogan, I wonder?
Posted by: Songbird | August 05, 2008 at 10:52 PM
BRAVO Parson!
Posted by: David | August 06, 2008 at 07:47 AM