New Jersey-home of beaches known as “the shore,” and a turnpike where they
can monitor you from entering to exiting, seeing just how fast you covered the
distance, and offering you a ticket at the end. But what Jersey has to offer is
great food, all types of ethnic food, from Texas Weiners to Italian, Greek, and
Pakastani. But the basic food, the ones we grew up on are still the best, and
in Jersey it is White Diamond. Sold through small pre-fab shiny aluminum
buildings madepopular in the 1930’s, they have a few stools for customers, and
mostly take out. A place frequented many times after parties, concerts, and
open 24 hours to fill your hunger mood, the munchies, and cure your
constipation. Usually a one or two man operation, you order how many, and you
get a real burger, no preformed patty here, the hard core ones still grab a hunk
of meat from an open bag in the cooler, drop it on the grill, mash it with a
spatula, and cook it quick on both sides. A bit of onions, then some ketchup
and served on a hard roll that is sliced by hand-and no two are ever alike. All
prepared by a man who in between orders sweeps up, has a cigarette, and
cooks-all with no gloves or hand washings in between. And somehow it all
works. A certain flavor not found anywhere else, and popularized on SNL in
their “cheeseboiger, cheeseboiger” skit. Served on a tiny paper plate, fries
optional, but not necessary, and a Coke. No diet here...and on one trip back I
almost committed the burger blunder of my life. An upsetting of the hamburger
universe in Jersey.....
The stand in Westfield is lodged between Buicks on the dealer’s lot. No
parking unless you want to get chased by a lot boy, or towed as the signs warn,
you park where you can. This day I found a space with limited dangers and took
it. Going in I knew what I wanted, or thought, but the grease stained menu with
many letters missing caught my attention while waiting my turn. They had a
California burger, and now being a true citizen, says so on my tax return, I
asked “what is a California burger?” “It has lettuce and tomato on it,” came
the answer, and every head on the six stools turned to look at me. “They really
eat them like that out there?” I asked. “Yeah, you want one?” and with every
eye glued on me, I answered, “No, how can anyone eat a burger like that?” And
every head turned back to eating, the talking in between bites resumed, and the
hamburger universe continued without interruption. All I wanted was a
hamburger, I ate two, and smelled like the place for days, and had never
revealed my zip code or area of residence. I can only imagine the outrage, the
jokes, and the prejudice if I had mentioned I live on the West Coast, where we
have beaches. And ate burgers with lettuce and tomato!
California food to me is homogenized. Where else can you order a burger
and be asked “sprouts or without?” Where it comes as a designer burger, on a
white plate, and a sprig of parsley and an orange slice. Where the fries are
served in a cup, and there is more plate than burger on the plate. Add avocado,
sprouts, certain in season veggies, and you end up with a burger that looks like
a half a sissy. And cost as much as a steak dinner, using beef never touched by
human hands. Patties premade at the packing plant....no way was I going to fess
up to that in the wilds of Jersey, no way. Maybe the jokes are right about us
being like granola, we are the land of fruits and nuts, and when you take them
out, you are left with the flakes. And if I wanted some sissy burger I would
have asked for it, but al I wanted was a hamburger. Taken with a dose of
fries.
The story goes of two Baptists meeting at a convention. They meet and find
they are both from the same state, same county, and there the commonality ends.
One is from a different branch than the other, and the two don’t get along. One
believes full emersion for baptism, one only sprinkles. One allows women to
serve, the other doesn’t. One has stricter rules than the other, and the list
goes on. They address themselves as “Brother,” but nothing could be farther
from the truth. And I have stumbled into their churches while traveling, or
when moving to a new town. Many times greeted in love, until they find out you
believe in healing, you pray out loud, your wife wears pants, and your old
pastor isn’t referred to as Reverend. Suddenly the house of God is separated,
and you feel like everyone is looking at you, wishing you to leave. A place we
entered because we thought it was a church where people worshipped God and his
son Jesus, only to find a religious quagmire of sin and deceit. All I wanted
was to fellowship, and worship, but they had given up the ship. Imagine if they
knew I was from California? You mean they really worship like that out there?
Singing songs, hands raised, in blue jeans and shorts? They carry Bibles, take
notes, and actually fellowship with each other? And they call each other
Brother and mean it?
A lesson in why many don’t go to church and why refuse when invited. Jesus
went out among the people, they met in homes, and tabernacles. They worshipped,
sang songs, prayed, and were fed by the spirit. The first church adhering to
the apostles creed, for they had been with Jesus, and no New Testament was
available yet. They lived like Proverbs 12:15, where they listened to the
apostles and others teaching the true gospel, and didn’t think their way was the
only way. It was then, and should be now, all about Jesus. Yet many have
become so legalistic that if Jesus did show up he would not be welcomed. He
ideas would be considered radical. And they were, and are. Consider one woman
met who was caught in adultery. The religious were about to stone her, but not
the man. I thought adultery took at least two. But Jesus intervened, writing
in the dirt, and the crowd of accusers disbursed. His words to her simple,
“neither do I condemn you, leave and sin no more.” Her life was changed in that
meeting, no record is offered if she did sin again, but knowing humans for 61
years I bet she did, but her heart was changed. She had learned the price of
sin, and its consequences. But more importantly she learned about forgiveness,
and had met Jesus. That small exchange of words would be repeated in scripture
for time eternal. Go now and leave your life of sin. Seven words of hope and
direction....how simple yet so deep. Forgiveness.
Do we go and sin no more after being saved? Or is your church, friends,
family, or workplace keeping score? God has forgotten your sin, you should
too. In one case Jesus told the lame man to stand, take his blanket and get on
with life. Here he tells the woman to leave your sin behind. For he who the
son sets free is free indeed. Yet we return to religion, getting fed a meal of
sprouts and avocados, lettuce and tomato, when all we want is just a hamburger.
All we want is Jesus, without the trimmings. He will add what we need...we
don’t need to or should we order our God from a menu. We want the real
thing...and rest assured, every head will turn when you follow Jesus like that.
But just as sure as he tells us every knee will bow, and every tongue confess he
is Lord, we make the choice. And in religion like at White Diamond, the basic
food of life is still the best. Just give me Jesus, he’ll add everything else
on I need.
Only Jesus saves, everything else is just religion. Keep the main thing
the main thing, a supersized love and forgiveness without asking. All the
trimmings without all the religion. From burgers to fries, to God and religion,
you can mess up a good thing with Jesus if you stray. “You mean he really
forgives you and loves you as you are?” And all I wanted was just a hamburger.
Adultery whether in food, religion, or sex is forgivable. Go and sin no more.
With love and forgiveness included. Now can he take your order?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com