We’ve been to Mayberry, in fact we spent a night there. At least the town
that Andy Griffith based his long running series on, and the town is Mt. Airy,
North Carolina. They even have a mountain named Pilot Mountain. And the town
is all about being Mayberry. And when entering the Exeter Mercantile in Exeter,
California, some 3000 miles west, we were greeted by the owner, “welcome to
Mayberry.” Go figure. How many have been to Metropolis, aka New York City, the
Big Apple? And did you know the Daily Planet Building is really in Los Angeles,
and is three buildings-the opening shot is the E. Clem Wilson Building, the
front door is of an unnamed building a few doors down on Wilshire, and of course
Los Angeles City Hall is them most famous shot we all remember. Look up in the
sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane...it’s LA! Ever visit the Beav and Wally at 211
Pine Street, Mayfield, USA? No state given, but Leave it to Beaver fans can
claim it in many states. Watching the show I feel as if I have been down that
street many times...maybe I have. There are eight towns called Mayfield in the
United States. A rerun of Starsky and Hutch the other night showed BCPD on
their jackets, Bay City PD, which is really San Pedro, south of Los Angeles.
Many Bay City residents from Michigan to Texas take note. And of course the
most famous address in Malibu, 29 Cove Road belongs to Jim Rockford, been there
many times, and courtesy of a wide angle lens, it looks bigger on TV than it
is. The real address is really Paradise Cove Road, and the restaurant there
will not let you park unless you eat there-sorry Rockford fans, and on the
occasion we did, the food was OK, but no where near enough to warrant a return.
Sorry Jimmy. Note this also the beach where Gidget surfed.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and maybe it is true. Been to
Southfork, home of the Ewing’s? My wife has, and it is again made to be larger
than it really is using a wide angle lens. But it is in Texas. Just as Miami
in Miami Vice is, and Boulder where Mork and Mindy lived-again been by the
house. So it seems there are many places we grew up with on TV and have been to
many times, but we still don’t know where they are. Not on any GPS, map, or not
even a local to ask directions, they exist only on film and in our memories.
And due to reruns we can go there just about any night of the week. Sometimes
trading reality for the 25-50 minutes of show minus ads, retreating to a world
where Ward always tells Beaver the right thing, Andy knows best, and Jimmy
catches the real crook. Starsky burns through another set of tires, and Mr.
Kent returns from the store room. And JR puts another deal together, and we al
cheer his badness. But in real life, we have towns like Poway, Scotch Plains,
Hillside, Yonkers, and Farmington. Towns where families raise kids, and then
they go off to seek their fame and fortune elsewhere. Towns that never grow in
population, but remain steady, with no real reason to leave, and no real reason
to stasy either. And if not for us living there, they have no real reason to
exist. Everytown, USA, bed room communities, and fly over America, which is
where most of us live. Whoever came out of these places?
The same question was asked of Jesus. He was a Nazarene, and Nazareth was
a town of no reputation. They wondered “can anything good come out of
Nazareth?” He was just Joe and Mary’s kid, with a brother or two, who helped in
his dad’s carpentry business. But was to go on to great things, once He left
Nazareth. We are never told how much of an influence Nazareth had on Jesus, but
we know what kind of influence Jesus had on Nazareth,, and the rest of the
world. An example worth following and repeating, wherever God has us now , or
will be sending us. From Texas to Pennsylvania, to New Jersey, back to
Pennsylvania, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado, back to New Mexico, and then to
California, my course was not plotted by me, but by God. And someday to
heaven-again reserved by God. For where we are now is not our final
destination, we are only passing through, sojourners-I like that word. And we
can leave an impact on those we meet on this trip. Just like Jesus left an
imprint on our lives.
I am lousy at giving directions, but can get you there. I don’t remember
road names, but landmarks, and where to turn, where to eat, and where to stay.
Many times places not on any map, places in the middle of nowhere, but in the
middle of someone’s life. So I try to take Jesus’ advice to the disciples, “as
you go, preach the gospel.” An ongoing gospel, to whoever, wherever you are.
Using words when needed, and watching as Jesus changes lives along the way. You
many never visit the Cleavers, a perfect family, but you will encounter Eddie
Haskell’s, who need Jesus. You may be sitting on a park bench, and someone come
up to you and pour out their life, like has happened to us. Somehow they knew
you would listen, and love them. You may never see Paradise Cove, but can
encourage someone about the Paradise the thief on the cross went to that Jesus
promised him. So don’t feel lost when you remember these towns you grew up
with, but have no idea where they are. They are where you are, and where you
are going. A trip to heaven, with many stops along the way. And someday we
will look up into the sky, and it won’t be a bird, it won’t be a plane, but it
will be a super man. It will be Jesus calling us home. Riding along getting
our kicks on Route 66, watching the sunset over Paradise Cove, and seeing the
sun rise on Miami. No vice, just life. Wherever you live, so does Jesus.
Invite Him into your home, and accept the offer to visit His. All who believe
will go there someday...and I still don’t know where it is-glad He will show me
the way.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com