Ole Times – Ole Places

I came to Atlanta from Middle Georgia 45 years ago. At that time, it was a booming city; mostly confined to inside the perimeter. On the outskirts were many communities like Crabapple, Shake Rag and Hog Mountain, still entrenched in our agrarian culture of the day. Today, most have disappeared into the bustling suburbs of subdivisions, parks and roads.

It was deja vu for me this past week. I was driving my mother around Bonaire and Kathleen, my boyhood home. Nothing looked familiar; the ole towns had disappeared into the landscape of new homes and places, and I felt like I was driving around Atlanta. Later that evening I joined my brother assisting with a fish fry for the church community we had grown up in. At first, it was a similar experience, with growth all around, but once inside the building, everything was as I remembered it. It was a blessing to hang out with our church family that still saw this 62 year old man as a teenage boy. The stories of old and new rang out. The ole times and ole places are still there. Our sight has been blurred by the trees, and we just need to open our eyes, take a fresh look, see again and rejoice.

“This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 NASB