Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Fanwood-it could happen to you




















Nestled in the center of Scotch Plains, where I grew up, is a small, one square mile town of Fanwood.  Once known for its abundance of millionaires per square mile, it was a town of 300 year old homes, a 150 year old train station, and a busy, but small downtown.  A place where as a kid we went to shop.  In one square block was the hardware store where we bought the nails for our forts, the pharmacy owned by Terry’s dad, with a fleet of VW’s, how we wanted  one to pull up in our driveway, Hand Lumber where my dad bought all his building supplies to finish the upstairs, and an ESSO station where BH bought his first bike, a used CL 77 for $50.  The steeple from the Presbyterian church is still there, where Bruce’s dad preached, and the dentist office where Nicky’s girl friend worked, and where he tested the NOX waiting to pick her up.  A vibrant downtown always bustling with people, from getting gas at Henry’s father’s gas station and getting the latest gossip, to the post office where many of my friends from high school went to work after graduation.  But always the focal point of the downtown was The Corner Store on the corner of South Ave. and Martine Avenue.  The place where many of us tried our skills at stealing, under the watchful eye of Dave, puffing away on his huge Corona, the owner.  Where girlie magazines were left out in the open for us, and the smoky counter in the aback was always occupied with greasers.  Later it moved onto Martine and was renamed The Corner Store in the Middle of the Block, but had lost a lot of its charm along with its longer name.  Dave was gone, the air was cleaner, and so were the magazines and greasers.  That was the Fanwood I remembered, and expected as I came over the viaduct a few weeks ago....
Only to find progress, or its perverted definition on display.  All the old buildings were torn down, and the entire city block was being converted into four story apartment houses, expensive rich yuppie housing, with a Colonial façade.  Even the condemned ground where Dean Oil used to be, apartments.  No more Scotchwood Pharmacy, no ESSO station, and no Corner Store, from either location.  The latest inhabitants had voted and wanted a non-descript downtown, and they got it.  With all the glass face businesses alike except for signage.  Even the train station has been updated, and not one landmark to give directions from or to.   History had been put to rest, and now was beginning anew, I wonder how many of the kids growing up will return years later and get sentimental about the non-descript downtown?  The place where we bought nails and lumber, or bought nickel candy bars?  Will the historical train station be remembered with the new façade, and how many will have memories of their dads rushing across the street from the new high rises to grab the train to the City?  And who will pass on the local gossip now that Henry’s dad no longer pumps gas there anymore?  I wonder about Fanwood, and could it happen to me?
Among the many things that makes the gospel unique is that God inspired it.  And no other books are necessary, it has it all, wholly from a Holy God.  Written from a shepherd’s perspective of one who loves and cars for his flock, it has remained true to God for thousands of years.  Like Jesus, who is the Word, they are the same yesterday, today, and forever.  You never have to wonder if what you are doing is right or wrong today and may be different tomorrow, God never changes.  He wants us to change to be like him.  Yet men have taken the gospel into their own hands, and changed it for their own selfish means.  Pastors pass on sin, on the holy spirit, and have taken on socially good causes, neglecting the eternal ones.  Even scripture is twisted and studied, looking for the one word to OK their sin.  Like Fanwood, a new façade is being placed on the Bible, and turning Jesus into something he isn’t.  Or was never meant to be.  A recent program highlighted these items, and it is sad to see how subtle the devil is and how immature too many Christians are.  These pastors got it somewhere and passed it on, and so many trust the man in the pulpit rather than the man on the cross.  Read the following twelve things and see what I mean.  For like Fanwood, it could happen to you....
1)  Keep them busy with non essentials.  2)  Tempt them to overspend and go into debt.  3)  Make them work long hours to maintain empty life styles.
4)  Discourage them from spending family time together, for when their homes disintegrate there is no refuge from work. 5)  Over stimulate their minds with television and computers, so they can’t hear God speaking to them.  6)  Fill their coffee tables and nightstands with newspapers and magazines so they have no time to read the Bible.
7)  Flood their mailboxes with sweepstakes promotions and get rich quick schemes to keep them chasing material things.  8)  Put glamour models on TV  and on magazine covers to keep them focused on outward appearances.  That way they will be dissatisfied with themselves and dissatisfied with their mates.  9)  Make sure couples are too exhausted for physical intimacy so they will be tempted to look elsewhere.
10)  Make Santa and the easter bunny bigger than Jesus to divert them from remembering the real meaning of the holiday.  11)  Involve them in good causes so they won’t have time for eternal ones.
12)  Make them self  satisfied. Keep them busy working in their own strength so they’ll never know the joy of God’s power working through them.
Either your life is all about Jesus or all about yourself.  In a year and time of testing to see who we say Jesus is, can you afford to be popular and trendy, or stand fast with God?  I am sure the planners of the revitalized Fanwood had good intentions, but maybe look back before we look ahead.  Fanwood-it could happen to you.  Fortunately God knows the plans he has for you, do you?  Interested, just ask him.  He is guiding your steps even now, is the Bible or Oprah more of an influence on your daily walk?  Just as Fanwood could happen to you, so can Jesus.  Your choice, a façade or the real thing.  A today with no tomorrow or a today with a bright future?  It was once asked of Jesus, “can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  It’s your town...can anything good come out of you? 
I’ll keep my memories, and my Jesus.  My memory may fade, he never will.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com