Tag: statues

Posted in neighborhood

Mary has a prominent place in this neighborhood

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I’ve been noticing the statuary in the front yards I pass on my morning walks. One that piques my interest is Mary. The one pictured here is a full-sized representation of the mother of Jesus.

Why have a large (or small) statue of Mary in front of your home?

From what I’ve read, a statue of Mary is a profession of faith as well as an appeal for protection for that home and neighborhood. It serves as a reminder of Mary’s faith, encouragement to pray, and a witness to the community.

This family has constructed a small shrine. A nativity sits in front of it through the Christmas season. Colored lights illumine the statue at night.

I’ve never seen a statue of Jesus. I suppose that’s because of the commandment prohibiting graven images. St. Francis of Assisi has a spot in some gardens, reminding us his traditional close connection with flora and fauna.

A seashell sometimes surrounds a statue of Mary. The shell was a symbol of baptism in the early church. It also represented the sea, traditionally connecting Mary with protection for fishermen and sailors.

Posted in Life, Travel

Yard art for everyone

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We’ve passed it dozens of times on our way to Ocala, Deleon Springs, Blue Spring State Park (to see the manatees), Eustis, and Mount Dora. Finally on our way home from Umatilla after a grandson’s baseball game, we stopped to see what the Barberville Yard Art Emporium was all about.

The emporium is three acres of every size and shape of aluminum, glass, wood, concrete, ceramic, and clay animals, pots, mailboxes, birdbaths, fountains, lampposts, and any other kind of statuary you can imagine. Right out front is a twenty foot tall giraffe alongside life-size cows, lions, elephants, and flamingoes. Lots of bigger-than-life chickens and roosters line the road. These large animals are bolted to the ground, as if a thief would have the means to steal one.

The emporium is filled with over 800,000 pieces in every shape and size. Most item’s aren’t cheap. A modest three-foot rooster was $445. A life-size ten-piece aluminum nativity had a $7,995 sticker price. (Where would you store that after Christmas?) We looked at walls filled with Haitian tin art, hammered from used oil drums. Overhead we saw shelves filled with brightly painted pots. This is the place to find that six-foot extraterrestrial giving a one-finger salute you’ve been searching for.

We didn’t purchase anything this time. At least we know where we can find a gorilla or unicorn when we need one.

So I wonder who would buy a giant chicken for their yard? A farm sellling eggs? A fried chicken restaurant? How about a huge cow by the entrance to a dairy farm?

Now that I think about it, I used to ride my bike past a house in our community that had a triceratops statue in the front yard. A friend has a life-size dog statue by their front door. Giant Santas smile at me from lawns in December. Some day I’ll have to count all the flamingo statues I see on a morning walk.

Posted in Ministry

Another shrine in the neighborhood

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday’s shrine in the woods was nothing compared to this front yard Samson and I saw on our walk today. I first saw St. Francis, but then noticed Mary and her son Jesus, plus a few angels.

So I couldn’t help but wonder, who would decorate their front yard in this way? Shrubs, flowers and trees all seem to make sense. Statues and figurines just aren’t my style. I love the Madonna (and Jesus), just not on my front porch. I love angels, but prefer the real ones that no one sees. St. Francis was a wonderful servant of God, but no more so than many other unnoticed “saints” who fill our churches each week for worship and live out their faith in the world.

Statues just don’t do it for me. Give me the living, breathing people of God any day.