Jimmy has been clean from drugs and alcohol for just over 9 months. Last Sunday, he woke up late. It was 6:45AM and he was angry with the guys for not waking him up at 6:00 so he could do his driving job here at the Mission. Jimmy didn’t get cleaned up, stop for a cup of coffee or a cigarette (!), just went straight to where the van had been parked. It was still there, but there were no guys waiting for him.
So Jimmy went to see if someone else had taken them in another vehicle and he ran into Richard. He expressed surprise that Jimmy was driving guys somewhere that early on a Sunday morning…Sunday morning!?!? Jimmy thought it was Monday morning.
So, after he calmed down, Jimmy went upstairs to go back to bed. It has been a rough day already and he was just going to relax a bit. The lights were still off in the dorm, and he couldn’t believe it – somebody was sleeping in his bed! He knew that new guys sometimes get mixed up about where they are or are supposed to be, but this was ridiculous. He walked out the back door of the dorm into the dorm lounge. Somebody had changed all the furniture around since last night!
Then Jimmy noticed the sign on the stairwell door, it said 2nd Floor – and his bunk was on the 3rd floor Now stuff like this used to happen to Jimmy in the past, but he was always using drugs and alcohol. So, on the one hand, it was a little scary thinking that he was capable of being like this sober…but on the other hand, he knew he was clean – and in all this confusion that felt pretty good.
Most of us understand exactly what Jimmy was going through. Life can be tough and there is only one way to do it – one day at a time. I hope your day has started off better than Jimmy’s did.
Sincerely,
Pastor Gary Byers
Spiritual Life Director