The photo today was taken while driving around the countryside in Central Texas. It caught my eye immediately because of how well the owner staged the scene of a mid-town gas station in New York. It even had a pay phone for crying out loud!
I mean, who was this guy who put this together? Probably, someone who grew up in the city and needed a daily reminder of his boyhood while living amongst the cows and corn fields… The only thing he was missing was a corner hot dog and newspaper stand!
One of the regular television shows the Mrs. and I enjoy watching is American Pickers. For the Mrs., it’s a chance to see how they value the antiques they find compared to what she knows they sell for here in Texas (and she knows..!). For me, I enjoy seeing the personalities of the people Mike and Frank come across.
Nearly every show, it amazes me to see how people hoard their ‘stuff’ and keep things out in the open where rust and weather are beating them down. Yet, they just can’t let go of those old rusty treasures. It’s that haunting thought they have of, ‘I may need that one day’ or, ‘that will be worth a lot of money one day’.
Then, you get the creative types. They enjoy taking junk and making art out it. Those people are one of a kind. Like this guy below who made the perfect jet car.
I’m not like any of the hoarders, for sure, but I do enjoy holding onto a few things from my childhood that have sentimental meaning (as you’ve probably noticed if you’re following my blog). The the artistic people are the ones who really inspire me because they see something more than just junk. They see something that, if put together the right way, maybe with another piece of ‘junk’, could be made into a one-of-a-kind art piece.
Having the vision to see beyond what the average person sees in things, in my opinion, is a gift. A lot of photographers understand that. You can have twenty people take a picture of something and then, that one person, takes the shot they see and it’s like art. For them, it just came naturally. That ability to look at something and see if for more than it is, is how God sees us.
Have you ever thought to yourself, ‘God, why would you want me? I’m just a pile of used up junk.’ I know I have. Plenty of times! I’m thankful, however, that the Master, as I like to refer to God, sees this pile of junk not just as something to thrown away, but as something He can put together into something beautiful.
The Master can take a life that seems to be all ‘washed up,’ full of nothing but a series of failures, and make that life into something beautiful. He sees beyond the mistakes, the poor choices, the tragedies, and even the rebellion, and He sees treasure.
During our morning devotion time while listening to our favorite podcast, The Daily Audio, Bible, the Mrs. and I heard the story of the prodigal son this morning. I know that story well, because, I’ve lived it. Yes, I was that prodigal before. I remember coming back ‘home’ and seeing the Father waiting for me with open arms. And, yes, I ran to Him!
If you’re wresting with feelings of worthlessness as though your life means nothing, that your life is nothing but a pile of junk because of bad decisions you’ve made over the years, take heart! The Master can take our pile of junk and turn it into something more beautiful than anyone has ever imagined.
You’re not a throw-away my friend! We all have a purpose and He has a plan for us. Hold onto that and know that He will restore you, and me, by putting all those broken pieces back together again into something very unique and special…
