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Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Emerging Church - Donut Sprinkle Theory

A young boy stood with his face pressed against the glass at his local Daylight Donut Shop. He had his eye on the chocolate covered donut with the multi-colored sprinkles. This little guy got so lost in staring at the donut that he began to daydream.

He imagined that all of the little multi-colored sprinkles of different shapes and sizes spontaneously decided to move toward the middle of the donut. The boy imagined the sprinkles noticing each other moving from places all over the donut toward the same location. Although some moved north and some south, others northeast while still others move southwest, they all moved toward the center. It was beautiful, like a choreographed dance.

Then the boy's imagination went really wild. He imagined that he was one of those sprinkles. He felt this desire to abandon his position on the surface of the donut and move to the center of the donut. He didn't really even know where he was going, but he had the feeling that he could no longer stay at his current location on the donut.

He noticed other sprinkles moving as well, although from the perspective of the sprinkle, it looked more like chaos than choreography. He was tempted to accuse other sprinkles from other locations on the donut of being in the wrong place. Then he, as a sprinkle, also realized that other sprinkles were different colors and different shapes, and was that cause for him to have concern. However, he also realized that they were all indeed sprinkles, just like him. That fact gave some comfort. Furthermore, he took comfort that they were all going to the same place.

Then a gruff voice shook him out of his daydream.

"Hey kids, you gonna buy that donut or slobber all over my glass all day?"

"Yeah, I'll take the one with the sprinkles. I really like those sprinkles."

7 comments:

judy thomas said...

Sounds like a children's book, Chris. Do it!

Anonymous said...

Ok, get yourself well and back to work. Being at home with time on your hands just makes you think of donuts and food. :)

Brandon Scott Thomas said...

are you telling me now you believe in sprinkling?? So much for baptism.

(doesn't that comment remind you of a lot of conversations we've had with church people who hear but don't listen?)

Fajita said...

I just heard a commercial on the radio, secular talk radio, done by a local church. "If you're not baptized for the remission of your sins you'll face eternal damnation."

It sounded like, "if you don't invest in gold, right now, you'll lose you chance to at wealth forever." So many, many thingsd wrong with the content, but more importantly the process of the message.

And yes, I believe in sprinkles.

Beaner said...

I heard a sprinkle in time saves nine!

Steve said...

Have you noticed your parables/stories often include food?

Nice story

Fajita said...

Yes, there always seems to be food in my stoires. My nickanme is a food. I like to eat food. In fact, I like it so much that, without intervention, I can eat more than I can process.

Good observation. Disturbing, but good.