One of my favorite breakfast places is the Squeeze In. It offers all the usuals for breakfast, the biggest omelette menu selection I’ve ever seen, & lunch stuff too. Lately, I’ve been looking for excuses to eat there, & my recent favorite is a #7 – 3 eggs, double bacon, all the cheeses, & nacho cheese on top. Yum.
Its a locally owned restaurant, with a laid back feel – so laid back that they not only permit but encourage people to write on the walls.
This Sunday, I was downing my #7, & I heard a conversation going on at the table behind me – a conversation about church. This kinda stuff always catches my ear, & I love to hear what people are saying, talking about, processing on the topic of church… especially when I can do it incognito.
Let’s just say that the couple at the table must have had a bad experience or 10 – but their summation was that they were SO glad that they hadn’t “wasted” their day at church, but instead had “Squeezed In”… They shared their thoughts with the waitress, & before they left, wrote on the wall. After they vacated their table, I went over & took a picture of what they’d written: (see the picture at right – “Omelettes are better than church.”)
Made me sad. Made me wonder the specifics of their situation. What they’d endured, suffered, &/or caused… If it was the result of a drive-by, a big blow-up, or a long-term fizzle…
Led to lots of thoughts about faith -& about growing up, putting it into practice. Thoughts about “faith sabotage” – something that is done to ourselves or done by another, undermining a foundation. The role of discouragement, frustration, fear & lies in the undermining of faith. Boring church meetings, spoken in a language that makes the goings on of the day inaccessible to beginners &/or the uninitiated…
Sigh.
I wish I could conduct a study noting these sorts of people. I wonder if they feel other things or situations have wronged them as well, or just church. My guess would be it was more than just church. I know plenty of times religion gets in the way of church and really causes problems. But, I would bet, more times than not, people who feel "done wrong" by church, feel "dont wrong" most places they go where they are expected to put out. iykwim.
Also, my word verification is billowni, which I would pronounce balogna.
shontell is correct, billowni is a much more logical spelling of the "meat" people with no standards put on sandwiches and such.
the squeeze-in is awesome. i bet i could find dylan's name and drawing from back when there was a lot of bare space on the walls.
What time do they open? it might be a nice change of pace for my thursday breakfast regimen.
Obviously they have never eaten omelettes at IHOP . . . Might have given them a much better viewpoint on church . . .
I'd agree with Shontell. I'd bet that half of the people who are bent on church are just bent. I've seen both sides…the people who truly get hose-ed, & the general bent against the world types. You should have asked which they were.
Murdoc- I think people who get truly hose-ed and still stick around, should get a cookie.
Omelettes are better right after church.
Oh, and I am pretty sure that is how you spell Omelette, but now, I have looked at it for so long, it looks totally wrong.
Shontell & Murdoc – I'd concur with you.
Brintus – 7 a.m. What's that about summer school? I thought you passed… :)
Tim – For pancakes, Squeeze In BURIES IHOP. Theologically speaking.
Laura – I'd say brownie over cookie because I'm on a chocolate kick.
One thing for sure: the Omelettes at Squeeze In are truly the best I've ever had…
I want to go to there!
i love the squeeze in. i haven't been in a while and have never thought to just head on up there for the specific reason to just go there. we always stop on the way home from something.
about your problem with eaves dropping we will have to discuss this unhealthy habit at another time :)
about the conversation and lovely piece of artwork it makes me think these people have a good sense of humor and that they might be on to something.
finally i would have to say that my church is far better than a plain old omelette. is it better than an omelette with bacon, avocado,lots o cheese, sour cream, mushrooms, onions, and a sprig of parsley on top?
i would have to say with a very loud tone, WHY YES, YES IT IS!!
do you know why because not only could i go there and eat the above omelette of choice but the company i would get to eat it with is outstanding!! and…. i might get a FREE cup of coffee at the same time.