Exit Rt 12 Flemington Jesus

Flemington, once only associated with discounted furs: mink, sable, fox, beaver…you get the point, now houses the largely ghost town-ish Liberty Village designer outlet. The recession has hit hard here with the ever-shrinking Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Bass, Calvin & Anne Klein stores, sales associates outnumber the shoppers 4 to none. Literally.

But who knew that just across the tracks, at the intersection of Church and Central Ave, there be an almost cool Christian Bookstore. Bible Bookstore (though Bibles were in the minority of items stocked) was a pleasant surprise and unlike the Village across the way, even had shoppers. The first book that caught my eye was the comic book, Heroes featuring CARMAN (in big bold print) and the New Testament (in super small print). I almost laughed out loud at the thought of Carman being the main focus. So I guess John the Baptist, the Tweleve Disciples, and oh yeah, Jesus weren’t big enough heroes for the publisher.
.
Fortunately, a few others stood out like Jesus: Divine or DaVinci? Nothing like having a thought-provoking book on Jesus in a Bible Bookstore. I usually find more books with that annoying Jon, Kate plus 8 family.

Then I spotted, Jesus the Jewish Theologian and bam! This store even acknowledges Jesus was a Jew…pretty cool stuff. Next shelf over: Sex Begins in the Kitchen. I’m assuming it was one of those How to Save Your Christian Marriage books.

Now I’m not a huge fan of Christian T-shirts but some in this place did bring a smile to my face – Jesus: Life’s Problems, One Solution…It’s just that easy. Now I’m not too sure that following Jesus is that easy and the Pick Jesus T looked kinda cool though I wasn’t too sure about the theology behind it. The next Tee though…no question of theology: there’s power in the blood.

And almost better than the Tees, this bookstore came complete with coffee bar, twenty flavors of homemade gelato (even sugar-free gelato) and transforms to a funky hangout for emerging artists on Friday nights.
　
Matthew 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. [As printed on the there’s power in the blood tee shirt.]

Exit 151 or 161 Montclair/Paramus Jesus

OK. I’ve given up on the Family Christian Bookstore. From here on, it’s Urban Outfitters to get my Jesus-fix. And lucky me, here in North Jersey I can chose locations: Paramus or Montclair (though the Montclair location has far more Jesus-stuff).

While the Family Christian Bookstore stocks WWJD bracelets and bumper stickers which leaves the ultimate question unanswered, over at UO, the Answer Me Jesus takes out all the guesswork. It’s the same principle as the on the old Magic 8 Ball concept…. you think of a question, turn it over and an answer appears in some mysterious blue liquid in triangle form.

An inscription on the box read: Not intended for use by the closed-minded.

I couldn’t resist. I have an open-mind and I do have questions for Jesus and hey, why wait until the BIG DAY when I could get immediate gratification? Well I have to admit, I really didn’t have a question but I turned the pink statue over anyway and the triangle in the blue murk read, “I died for this?” And I almost died laughing.

And then I saw the warning label:

WARNING:

HOLY SPIRIT NOT INCLUDED

Mark 8:12

He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."

Exit 26 Route 80 Long Valley Jesus

Long Valley was known since colonial times as German Valley, but then along came WWI and the townsfolk just had to separate themselves from anything Germanic. The most famous place in the valley is still the German, I mean, Long Valley Pub & Brewery whose website proudly proclaims, "We are kid friendly!"

I can hear those parents now, Hey kids, drink up, it’s happy hour. And those kids, We never want Chuck E. Cheese again! Good thing Jesus's first miracle occured during a wedding, not a birthday party.

Nestled on a hilltop overlooking the valley is St. Luke’s Parish and the parish loves the local children and they want their kids to know Jesus loves them too. Sculputre Tom White created a garden of bronze just outside the parish’s front door. You can find his story here:

http://www.tomwhitestudio.com/tom-white-christian-bronze-sculptor-artist.html

He ends his website with:

John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." His bronze Jesus certainly appears to be coming straight out of the earth with arms stretched wide.

Luke 18:
People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

　

Exit 105 Long Branch Jesus

Long Branch became the nations first seaside resort way back in the 1700s and was the original Hollywood, that is until the other Hollywood on the West Coast took the movie industry by storm.

Popular with dead presidents: Chester A. Arthur, James A. Garfield, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford B. Hayes, William McKinley, and Woodrow Wilson, the city has brushed off it "old" image and now attracts an affluent set of folk.

Who would have thought a drive down the Garden State Parkway to beautiful-and now very trendy-Long Branch would bring out so many Jesus inspired car stickers? My trek began in the parking lot at Kohl’s where low and behold adjacent cars had the following stickers:

And as I pulled out of the lot, the car ahead of me had a NJ plate which read, "JC Lord" but I couldn’t whip out my camera in time to take the shot.

Arriving at Pier Village, to my delight there was street parking and oh lookie, lots of Jesus bumper stickers too!


After strolling the promenade and window shopping all the chic bar-restaurants, I treated myself to a gelato, imagining I was in Venice. But alias, no trip to Long Branch would be complete without a stop at Max’s – which serves up the dangest, biggest hot dogs on the planet. I pulled into Max’s lot and glory be…more Jesus bumper stickers than you’d find in the SixFlags parking lot for a Toby Mac concert!

Then it was time to head back North, where yes, I was indeed cut off several times by some crazy New York drivers who obviously didn't understand the concept of turn signals. After a few miles, I thought I found my soul mate:




After several thoughts of giving the NJ one-figure-salute to the last jerk who cut me off, a car pulled up to me with this in the side window:

I took the hint and kept both hands on the steering wheel.

Proverbs 10: A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.

　

Exit 4 Cherry Hill Jesus

When the fine residents of Delaware NJ lobbied the US Postal Service for their own Post Office, much to their dismay, they were informed that Delaware NJ was already taken. So they held a town meeting, changed the town’s name to Cherry Hill and for their efforts, they received a Post Office.

One other oddity: in the cult film, "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," Harold and Kumar’s final destination is the White Castle in Cherry Hill. Only problem is, there is no White Castle in Cherry Hill.

While waiting for Dawn to cut my hair at SuperCuts, I picked up the Was-at-one-Time-Trendy magazine, DETAILS. My have the mighty have fallen. The lead articles highlighted on the cover included: The Best Dive Bars in America, The Curious Case of the Gay-Porn-Star Identical Twins, The New Rules of Khaki and finally, Don’t be a Goatee Guy. I don’t think Jeopardy will be using DETAILS as a source any time soon. But then something caught my eye:

Since my real-life job is on the line, I do need to know How Jesus Can Save MY Career. A quick glance up at Dawn (still cutting someone’s bob) and a flip to page 117 where I read that the Society for Human Resource Management claims that 48% of job seekers use house of worship to help them in their job hunt and 24% of HR professionals recruit at churches, huh….must I must be attending the wrong church.

Now these are hard economic times, no doubt. I looked up and a mug on the receptionist’s counter caught my eye. There was a pic of Jesus... coupons in one hand, scissors in the other.

You know I had to just turn that mug around to find:

When I got back home, I logged on to write this post and found this kind of cool link. You should check it out: http://www.jesussaves.co.za/

Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Exit 43, Exit 55a, Exit 1 Jesus

Lub-Dub. Lub-Dub. That's the sound of a healthy human heart beating. But what happens when our compassion for others flatlines? When we lose the beat of God's own heart for those on the fringe? If your passion for a broken world has flatlined, this hope-filled series will get your heart beating again.

And so began our new series at church and we couldn’t just sit back and watch the heart wrenching videos and listening to a moving sermon from our pastor in Africa without getting into some local action. So my local Life Group took up the call.

Exit 43 – we worshiped and were convicted to serve.

Exit 55a – we shopped for groceries and cooking supplies.

Exit 1 – we cooked, served and dined with the 55 residents of Bailey-Holt House (NYC’s first residence for people living with AIDS).

　


Isaiah 58: and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,like a spring whose waters never fail.

Exit 7 Bordentown Jesus

Quincy Adams, Thomas Paine and the King of Naples and Spain, Joseph Bonaparte all called this humble town of Bordentown home. It is now known as the little town with all those churches.

Strolling down that quaint little Farnsworth Avenue with its sweet shops and churches got me thinking of those songs with the sweet Jesus lyrics:

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more;
Jesus saves and keeps me, and He's the One I'm waiting for.
Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.

Sweet Jesus, my Savior,you are my faithful friend You made me, you know me You see my every sin And my soul is amazed by this gift of your grace And these arms that take me in Sweet Jesus, my Savior, You are my faithful friend.

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely Name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Nothing in this world
could ever take your place
always in your arms
just to live in your love
Sweet Jesus.

Then I stumbled across this: Anti Theft-Virtuous Vanilla-Sweet Jesus-Air Freshener-

Who would have thought that Jesus was in the sweet smelling car protection business? Forget The Club, if I was looking to jack a car and read, "This Car is Protected by Jesus," I’d move on for sure.

Psalm 19:
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.