Uninhabited planets

My daughter (Nester) just sent me this picture.  It's in our old hometown in Columbus, Indiana where there's some bad flooding going on.

And I went, WHOA.  Not from the flooding.  Just the sight of the side of the building.  Memories are not so much thoughts as feelings, and my feelings knew this place before my thinking did. 

For over ten years I worked inside there.  Right out of dropping out of college.  Why stay in college when you have no idea what you want to do and no motivation?  But you know how they say not deciding is actually deciding?  Deciding not to stay in school meant deciding to work there, even though I didn't realize it. 

I had a song I used to sing as I worked, which you might imagine if you're familiar with the Que Sera, Sera song --

When I was just a litttle boy
I asked my mama, what will I be?
Will I play baseball?  Will I get drunk?
Here's what she said to me:

Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
You'lI work in a factory
Que sera, sera

I didn't play baseball.  I did get drunk -- every day when I walked out of that building at 3:30 I would stop at a liquor store and get three quarts of beer.  I'd drink one on the way home and another when I got there.  Then I'd fall asleep, wake up later and drink the third quart.  Sometimes it was a six-pack or two, but that was the basic routine. 

For twelve years.  Every.  Day.

That was a lifetime ago.  You know how it says Jesus makes you a new creation and the old goes away and the new comes?  That's what he did.  Totally radical.  Another planet radical. 

And then a lot of time goes by and you forget more and more of the old planet stuff and then you see a picture and you suddenly flashback to the old planet and feel it right next to the new planet and you see how they're not even in the same solar system.  And you go, was I really once a creature on that planet?

So now I sing a new song, which doesn't have a melody yet:

As for me, I was dead in my transgressions and sins,
in which I used to live
gratifying the cravings of my sinful nature
and following its desires and thoughts,
by nature an object of wrath.
But because of his great love for me,
God,
who is rich in mercy,
made me alive with Christ even when I was dead in transgressions—
it is by grace I have been saved.

Comments

[The Nester]

I loved reading what you wrote. A different planet, a different life, a different dad.

Oh, and upon seeing this photo, my first thought was "McDonald's Happy Meal" because I can remember going there with mom {to pick you up? pick up your check?} and going strait to Mickey D's.

[emily]

WOW. That building is a white Datson with yellow foam peeking through the torn upholstery on her seats. What a beautiful, powerful post of the dead man being raised in the newness of Life. Even more having been there.

A new creation, indeed. Thanks for sharing, Dad.