Alright, let me tell ya ’bout this here thing they call the “Eggbeater Jesus” church. Don’t rightly know why they call it that, but it’s a big ol’ picture of Jesus on the side of a church, and it’s somethin’ else.
First off, this ain’t no small picture, mind you. It’s huge! They say it’s like forty-some feet tall. Can you imagine? That’s taller than my barn, I reckon. And it’s made of all these little shiny pieces, like glass or somethin’. Musta took ’em forever to put it all together.
Now, this Jesus in the picture, he ain’t just standin’ there. He’s got his arms all stretched out, like he’s welcomin’ everybody. And behind him, it’s all kinds of colors, purples and yellows and such. Looks like a big ol’ flower garden, or maybe the sky at night, all sparkly and whatnot. They say it’s the cosmos. Sounds fancy, don’t it?
Folks ’round here call it the “Eggbeater Jesus” ’cause the bottom part of Jesus, it looks kinda like one of them eggbeaters you use to whip up eggs. You know, the kind with the handle you turn. I guess it does look a little like that, if you squint your eyes just right. But I don’t see no eggs in the picture, so I don’t know what the fuss is about.
- It’s big, real big.
- It’s got lots of colors.
- Jesus looks friendly.
- Some folks think it looks like an eggbeater.
This here church, it’s called the First Baptist Church of Huntsville. That’s a big city, way bigger than our town. I ain’t never been there myself, but I heard tell it’s got all sorts of things. But this Jesus picture, it’s gotta be one of the biggest things there. You can see it from far off, they say.
The fella who made it, they say his name was Gordon William Smith. He musta been a real clever fella, to make somethin’ like that. I can barely sew a straight line, let alone put together all them little pieces. And it ain’t just flat, neither. It’s got all sorts of curves and angles. Makes you wonder how they got it to stay up there.
Some folks call it “Cosmic Jesus” too. Like I said, sounds fancy. But to me, it’s just Jesus. He’s lookin’ out over the city, makin’ sure everybody’s alright. Or at least, that’s what I like to think.
Now, I ain’t no church-goin’ woman, not regular anyway. But I reckon this picture, it’s somethin’ special. It makes you stop and think, you know? About Jesus, about the world, about all them colors in the sky. And even if it does look a little like an eggbeater, well, that’s alright too. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with a good eggbeater.
So, if you ever find yourself in Huntsville, you gotta go see this “Eggbeater Jesus.” You can’t miss it, it’s that big. And you can tell all your friends back home about the giant Jesus picture that looks like an eggbeater. They probably won’t believe ya, but that’s their problem, ain’t it?
And that’s all I gotta say ‘bout that. It’s just a big ol’ picture, but it makes ya think. And that’s more than you can say for most things these days.
Anyways, that’s the story of that there Eggbeater Jesus church as best as I can tell it. It’s a sight to see, that’s for sure. Whether you call it Cosmic Jesus or Eggbeater Jesus, it’s still Jesus, and that’s what matters most, I reckon.
Tags: Eggbeater Jesus, Cosmic Christ, First Baptist Church, Huntsville, Mosaic, Jesus, Art, Alabama, Landmark, Religion
