The Pew

For years I have been looking for a pew to rescue or purchase.  I know they are popular to use as benches in decorating, but I've really wanted one for sentimental reasons.  You see, I am a pastor's daughter and.......well, I have grown up on pews.  The hard wooden kind with the scratchy woolen cushions!

You might be able to imagine the number of hours I have logged listening to the preaching of my precious dad on pews, but you have no idea all the fun that my three younger sisters and I have had playing on them.......and crawling under them.......and hiding between them.  We were at the church often and the pews in the sanctuary were a favorite place to entertain ourselves while our parents took care of things at the church.

When churches started filling their sanctuaries with chairs instead of pews, I realized I wanted to grab onto a piece of this past before they were all gone.  I know you can purchase new pews at Cracker Barrel and other places, but I really wanted one that had lived a real life.  

One day about a year ago when I was surfing Craigslist, I came across an entry from a small church who was gifting all of their pews to some needy organization or church.  While I am neither of those things, I couldn't help but say a little prayer and call to see if they might let me purchase or have just one of the pews.  All I can say is, "I hope I'm as good at talking transfer students into coming to the university where I work as I was in convincing that church to give this sentimental pastor's daughter a pew!" 

They were so kind and gracious and did allow me to have one - with one little catch:  

The pews were all 12 feet long!  

And we don't own a pick-up.  

And Edward was not going to solve my problem for me.  

And the church told me I had to pick it up.

Well, not being easily deterred when I had just found one of my all-time favorite treasures, I did what any good woman my age would do.......I called my daughter.  Why?  Because my Son-in-law is a very big guy with a very big heart.......and he has a nice big pick-up!  (I do not ask for many favors like this, so don't think too poorly of me.)

With a plan in place, I drove to the church to assist my SIL with the loading of the pew.  You can imagine my thoughts when I pulled up to the church and saw the pew already in the back of SIL’s truck - but with 6 feet of the pew still hanging out of the bed.

Ring Ring

"Um.......Baby Girl.......this is Mom.  Remember when I told you the pew was 12 feet long.......and I told you several times to be sure to tell SIL that information?  Did you, because I don’t think he realized it was going to be 12 feet long?"

Well, I won’t get into the details of where the communication disconnect happened - whether with me, Baby Girl or SIL, but obviously we had a problem and the pick-up was not going to work.

Luckily SIL’s father already had a big trailer attached to his truck, and they graciously picked up the pew and then delivered it to my home.  I have no doubt they think I’m insane, but they accommodated me anyway.

I don’t know if I will keep it 12 feet, but it actually fits nicely in our family work space and makes a great place to put books.  It’s not as antiquey as I would have liked, but the truth is - it is more like the pews I grew up on.  While 12 feet is pretty long, it sure would be adorable filled with grandchildren and what fun they will have playing on it!

Pillow from North Africa that looks great on the pew.

What about you?  What is something from your childhood you would love to find or keep around?  I'll bet there are some pretty fun memories out there!

Thanks for stopping by,

Ellie