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Just What Is A Dead Chicken Hat, Anyway?
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You might expect the Dead Chicken Hat logo to include a chicken, but instead, there's a fish. You might have seen it on car bumpers as well. What's that all about?
Well, the fish is a symbol used by early Christians. (ooh, yes, it's religious). But that doesn't mean it's just for perfect people. That would count me well out. Every saint has a past - Every sinner has a future.
I believe that Jesus' death around 2000 years ago wiped the slate clean for my less-than-perfect life. Life, since I twigged, has never been the same.
Now, I'm good at sewing, but I'm pants at writing. I have a friend whose story reads a lot like mine, but he says it better. He's real and down-to-earth and honest. No flim-flam and no jargon. Visit him under the acacias, or read my drivel below. It all says the same thing.
Or here's a page for those with questions, try The Gospel According to Jim Carrey or God and The Simpsons.
Or here's a song by Thebandwithnoname called Justified for those who like Christian hip-hop punk.
Or everything I think important written in the words of a hymn, Before the throne of God above. Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me.
A hundred and fifty years ago. Two thousand years ago. Right today - this hour - this minute. It's all the same song. It's all the same God.

Imagine I were up before a judge who looked at every part of my life - when I've shouted at my children, when I nicked a biscuit as a kid and blamed it on my brother, when I sat in a corner secretly hating someone - all those nasty little bits that everyone has but no-one wants to think about.
The judge knows them all and considers the evidence.

Now here I might be tempted to think 'I might be OK. I've done good stuff too. The good might balance out the bad.' But it doesn't work like that. It's not a question of doing enough right to cancel out the wrong. It's more like a parachute jump.
When you leap out of a plane, you've got to get everything right or you're jam. Getting most of it right just isn't good enough. The pass mark is 100%. If at first you don't suceed ... then skydiving's not for you.
I only get one shot at life, and I've messed it up already. Rats.

"Ever stolen?" he asks. Well, I'm not a thief, but that biscuit ... Guilty
"Ever Lied?" I'm generally pretty truthfu, but I'd be lying if I said 'never' ... Guilty
"Loved your neighbour as yourself?" What? Even that guy? ... Guilty
Let's face it. Inside, I'm not really a very nice person.
We don't need to go on. The standard is perfection and I fall way short. I know it, the judge knows it. He looks at me. "The law is the law. I would be doing wrong if I let you off." He passes the sentence: the rest of my life in prison.
He raises his gavel. I turn pale. There's no way I can save myself. What am I going to do?

Then I suddenly lurch sideways as someone shoves me out of the dock. I land in a heap on the floor and look up. There's a man standing in the dock, standing in my place. BANG! The gavel comes down and the man is led away.
I look around, bewildered. The judge smiles at me and nods. "You're free to go", he says, "your crimes have been paid for", and he rips up the charge sheet.
On the way out, still dazed, I ask the usher, "Who was that man who took my place?" "Him? He is the judge's son."
The only one who ever lived a perfect life. The only one who ever passed the test. The righteous for the unrighteous to bring me to God.
That's why the fish.

Here's a short movie called One Solitary Life.
Or here's a good site that addresses lots of common questions.
You can ask questions to real live Christians here or here. (I guarantee they don't bite!)

No fish were harmed in the construction of this page - if you exclude the sardines in the toastie I'm eating

Additions and corrections are welcome, accompanied by referenced sources, to seamstress(at)deadchickenhat(dot)com.

All mistakes are entirely of my own invention, and I claim world-wide copyright on them.

Dead Chicken Hats Biblical Greek Roman Medieval Tudor Stuart Character Glossary Gallery Free Patterns Free Leaflets Videos and Tutorials - NEW! Why The Fish? Fun Stuff Real Chicken Hut About Us About our Costumes Garment Care Fabric & Construction Refunds and Returns Hiring We Don't Sell That, But... Shipping Privacy Policies & Terms Contact Us See-Saw Maths Just What Is A Dead Chicken Hat, Anyway? .	You might expect the Dead Chicken Hat logo to include a chicken, but instead, there's a fish. You might have seen it on car bumpers as well. What's that all about? Well, the fish is a symbol used by early Christians. (ooh, yes, it's religious). But that doesn't mean it's just for perfect people. That would count me well out. Every saint has a past - Every sinner has a future. I believe that Jesus' death around 2000 years ago wiped the slate clean for my less-than-perfect life. Life, since I twigged, has never been the same. Now, I'm good at sewing, but I'm pants at writing. I have a friend whose story reads a lot like mine, but he says it better. He's real and down-to-earth and honest. No flim-flam and no jargon. Visit him under the acacias, or read my drivel below. It all says the same thing. Or here's a page for those with questions, try The Gospel According to Jim Carrey or God and The Simpsons. Or here's a song by Thebandwithnoname called Justified for those who like Christian hip-hop punk. Or everything I think important written in the words of a hymn, Before the throne of God above. Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free. For God the just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me. A hundred and fifty years ago. Two thousand years ago. Right today - this hour - this minute. It's all the same song. It's all the same God.
		Imagine I were up before a judge who looked at every part of my life - when I've shouted at my children, when I nicked a biscuit as a kid and blamed it on my brother, when I sat in a corner secretly hating someone - all those nasty little bits that everyone has but no-one wants to think about. The judge knows them all and considers the evidence.
	Now here I might be tempted to think 'I might be OK. I've done good stuff too. The good might balance out the bad.' But it doesn't work like that. It's not a question of doing enough right to cancel out the wrong. It's more like a parachute jump. When you leap out of a plane, you've got to get everything right or you're jam. Getting most of it right just isn't good enough. The pass mark is 100%. If at first you don't suceed ... then skydiving's not for you. I only get one shot at life, and I've messed it up already. Rats.
		"Ever stolen?" he asks. Well, I'm not a thief, but that biscuit ... Guilty "Ever Lied?" I'm generally pretty truthfu, but I'd be lying if I said 'never' ... Guilty "Loved your neighbour as yourself?" What? Even that guy? ... Guilty Let's face it. Inside, I'm not really a very nice person. We don't need to go on. The standard is perfection and I fall way short. I know it, the judge knows it. He looks at me. "The law is the law. I would be doing wrong if I let you off." He passes the sentence: the rest of my life in prison. He raises his gavel. I turn pale. There's no way I can save myself. What am I going to do?
	Then I suddenly lurch sideways as someone shoves me out of the dock. I land in a heap on the floor and look up. There's a man standing in the dock, standing in my place. BANG! The gavel comes down and the man is led away. I look around, bewildered. The judge smiles at me and nods. "You're free to go", he says, "your crimes have been paid for", and he rips up the charge sheet. On the way out, still dazed, I ask the usher, "Who was that man who took my place?" "Him? He is the judge's son." The only one who ever lived a perfect life. The only one who ever passed the test. The righteous for the unrighteous to bring me to God. That's why the fish.
		Here's a short movie called One Solitary Life. Or here's a good site that addresses lots of common questions. You can ask questions to real live Christians here or here. (I guarantee they don't bite!)