Donuts on Sunday

As a child, one thing I remember about Sundays is that after church there were always coffee and donuts. That was the time to catch up with friends and share fellowship. I remember the donut store that provided the myriad dozens of glazed donuts the church sprung for each week. I passed it on my way to school.

I know donuts aren't health food. I know that I shouldn't eat them all the time. But there's just something about hot donuts on a Sunday morning that makes my world all right.

We moved to Oklahoma in 2000. At that time, I was amazed by three things: 1) the number of young people smoking here; 2) the number of people who prayed in public over meals; and 3) the number of people missing teeth. Oklahoma was wild new frontier for me. As a child, we'd camped here--seen buffalo and picked up geodes. But moving here meant really getting to know the people of this great state.

The first Sunday I had a hankering for a donut, I learned a lesson about Tulsa. This is the HOME of Daylight Donuts. I live less than 5 miles from the factory where they ship out 18 wheeler loads of donut flour on a weekly basis. There are more Daylight Donut franchise shops in this town than you'd think possible.

And so few open on Sundays. That's right. All the donut stores are closed on Sundays. Don't get me wrong, I know a sole proprietor needs a day off too. I know Sunday is biblically the day of rest. I understand all of those things--logically--but when you want a donut... you want a donut.

This morning, as we lay in bed, my husband opined that he wanted a donut. I told him to call around and see if he could find a donut shop open on Sunday. The only one I know of is the Krispy Kreme shop that is way across town. Taking up the challenge, he googled donuts and started down the list, calling shop after shop until he located one where the phone was answered.

We got our donuts. We didn't have to drive TOO FAR. The shop was bright and clean and run by very nice folks. I'm sure we'll go back. On the way over, we drove by eight different donut shops that were not open on Sunday. Seriously. Who's making all the dozens for the church services?

So, on the list of things that surprise me about Oklahoma, I'm adding a fourth thing: how few donut stores stay open on Sundays. Maybe a fifth: how churches manage to serve donuts and coffee if the stores are all closed. Are they serving day-old donuts? That's not very Christian.

--Sandee Wagner