I won't use the cliched beginnings of my birth, or time in the ministry. Since those don't really matter for what happened after. Not to God, and not to me.
So, I'll begin with the important beginning. The first feather sent by God, which I took no notice of.
Me, and a couple friends, Zack King, and Willie Michaels, were working a site and waiting for the mold to set, before placing the final frame. For those that don't know, molds take time to dry, before they can be put in place. A lot of time, which gives us time to talk.
Zack, like me, was a devout Christian, who tried to get me to go with him to his church. I always looked him right in his hazel eyes, beneath his olive complexion and almost shaved, brown hair. He needed to know just how tempted I was, before politely declining.
I always made clear I needed to get right with Jesus before I went back. And he always reminded me Jesus didn't care about my short comings.
That was generally the time Willie, an agnostic, would role his brown eyes that lie within his mocha face, and shaved head. The rolling of his eyes is a sign he doesn't want to hear talk about anything God related.
We never stopped trying to reach him. His mind's focused on earthly matters, which was the wrong direction. There was never a moment when we stopped praying he'd look to the heavens.
So, there we were. Just waiting for the mold to set on the Monday before they arrived. Which got us talking about God, in general.
I looked at Willie. "God created man different from all other animals. Just look at what we're building. Nothing comes close in nature. Animals don't build, except for the ones designed, like beavers. We're the only species on the planet who truly creates."
It wasn't the first time I brought it up, since I just couldn't get how he couldn't see the obvious. Not just him, but everyone who didn't believe in the God of Genesis.
The first role of his eyes came, before he looked at his blue hardhat at his feet. It was a not-so-subtle hint to drop it.
Zack picked up where I left off. "Not only did God give us the ability to create, He gave us a moral compass to know right from wrong. There's no morality in nature, except us."
Neither of us used tones other than friendly ones. The words weren't chosen to challenge his beliefs, directly. Just to get him thinking about God in a different way.
The second eye role came while staring at the mold that wasn't set. He was trying to will it ready.
Willie looked up to the heavens for the first time. Had we finally gotten through to him? It was an exciting moment.
"You know that waste of money, Venus station, is sending out another probe, today?" he asked to change the subject.
Had I been more focused on God, I would've noticed the feather. When I said Willie had his mind on earthly matters, it wasn't just some metaphorical use of his state of mind. He never brought up anything that happened away from Earth.
"Those cloudies just love to waste money. They haven't found anything and won't. No sentient life out there. I say, pull the plug."
We hadn't reached him, but at least his mind was on something new. Perhaps, it was a start about him thinking about things in a broader scope.
Zack looked up to the heavens with a smile. "You never know. The Bible doesn't say Earth is the only place of creation in the universe. Just that God created life, here."
Willie looked at me. "What do you think? Anything out there?"
It wasn't a second feather, but the slow drop of the first. Of course, being the stubborn man I was, I paid it no attention.
"I'm a Schrodinger's Cat person, when it comes to sentient life in the universe."
Zack looked at me a bit confused, and Willie soon joined him. It wasn't a phrase I'd used before, simply because nothing had come up for me to use it.
"What's that mean, college boy?" Willie asked.
It wasn't spoken as an insult, just a humble reminder that I'd gotten a degree and neither spent so much as a semester in college.
"Schrodinger's Cat basically means there isn't enough information to give an answer. Sentient life in the universe either exists, or it doesn't. Without more information, there's no way to know if God created only us or created others."
It was a reasonable explanation, at the time.
Willie grinned, while looking me right in the eyes. "I thought you didn't believe in either/ or outside morality and the law. Doesn't lack of choices mean no free will?"
I shook my head, which caused his grin to fade. He really thought he had me.
"Outside morality and the law, so long as enough information's known, numerous choices are be made by us. None of us have to be on this site. I could walk away, but I choose to stay. We could rush the drying, but Mr. Hayes would stop us from getting very far. When it's dry, not all of us can check to make certain the frame's level, which means we might have to do it again. That last part is the unknown. Without checking before, it'll either be level, or it won't."
He nodded as I spoke. I'd made my point about free will and having choices. It was up to him to accept.
The timer went off, which caught the attention of John Hayes, our foreman, who insisted on being called Mr. Hayes.
"Breaks over. Helmets on. Grab that frame and get to work, except you, Ryan."
As bad as you think he sounded, he was worse. A rather unpleasant man who was angry at everyone. Had it not been for his skill as a foreman, I could've pictured him doing any number of illegal things.
I picked up my blue hardhat and left the frame to be carried over. They're light enough for one person to carry, if needed.
Walking to him, I catch a glimpse of my face in his sunglasses. I spot a few wrinkles I didn't know I had around my eyes; along with a bit more gray in my black hair still kept short. I never was one of those to let my hair go or die it.
Even though it wasn't a bright day, the sunglasses were worn for Mr. Hayes wore them to see the details of the sight we couldn't, like what was happening, everywhere his crew was working.
His scowl told me more than the tone he already used. Someone with that much anger needed a target, which is God. Or at least those who believe.
"Look, Ryan, I know I can't stop you from talking up your fairy tales. But can make your life miserable, if I ever hear that kind of talk close to me, again, minister."
We weren't talking to him, but I should've been more aware of where he was. The atheist foreman was right. He could. Not that I'd hold it against him.
Mr. Hayes was a lost brother. So long as I carried myself as a Christian should, maybe I'd reach him. Just because I wasn't worthy to step foot in a church, didn't mean I didn't carry myself as a Christian.
I was the Bible he saw, and never read. That was the reason I never gave in to anger. I prayed, and loved him, just as I was commanded to do.
I nodded without saying a word. Words would've added to his anger. In that case, it was better to walk away. See, choices of free will I made.
I joined my friends at the center of the frame they were holding at the corners against the other frames already in place. I pulled out my level and laser to save time, and signaled I'd tell them what was said, later.
I've wondered what it used to be like. Back when hammers and nails were used for construction. There must've been a greater sense of accomplishment, than I got welding a frame already level in every way, so long as we set it right.
Perhaps, if I built something with my hands. And I mean really build something. Maybe that would get me closer to that sense of worthiness.
See. I missed the first feather. My mind wasn't on God, but me.
Now, I'm not talking about the way I handled Mr. Hayes. I was right. But that had nothing to do with the feather sent by God.
Had I been listening to God, my words would've been on the wonders of the universe, and possibility of sentient life. Not only Schrodinger's Cat, but free will for sentient species.
If I were less stubborn back then, I would've remained focus on God's creation, which meant nothing was impossible to God.
After the weld was set, and frame level, we were done for the day. More molds would be printed, which would lead to more time to talk about God.
We headed to a diner, before heading home. It was one of those sports places I never could recall the name. Not that it mattered. If God wanted me to recall the name, I would.
It was a place Willie liked to go for cheap beer. I've never been one to drink, and Zack hadn't touched alcohol in 10 years, thanks to God. And had the will to be around alcohol, without giving in.
The two of us had water to drink with our burgers and got a platter of fries to share. Nothing really special about that moment, except what was on the television.
There should've been a game on. Not video feeds from satellites orbiting Venus. Someone turned the channel to the news, which just never happened.
Just because a feather from God's missed, doesn't mean God stops pointing it out. It wasn't just Willie talking about it, but a sports bar that never has the news on.
The probe was being followed heading close to the sun, before gravity was used to slingshot it for faster speed into the universe. Rather than continue on its course, it exploded, which led to a few cheers, before the channel went back to sports.
For most of us, it wasn't the kind of thing that really stood out. Probes occasionally blew up or ended up hitting the sun. It just wasn't the kind of moment where everyone remembered where they were.
The only ones who could recall that event clearly were the ones who knew what caused the explosion. Hitting a battle cruiser did cause that moment to stick in the brains of those who witnessed, better than a circumstantial explosion.
We didn't find out until much later it struck anything. By then, there was no secret worth keeping from the world, since reaching Earth made it unnecessary.
After we finished eating, and making certain Willie was sober, we all headed home. Just because he enjoyed drinking cheap beer, didn't mean he ever had enough with dinner to do anything. One glass and enough time was all it took to make sure he was as sober as the two of us.
I had just opened my Bible to study, and pray, when a call came in. Looking at the TV screen, I saw Zack's name.
"Audio only," I called out to keep my mind focused on the Bible.
"Turn on the news," he said a bit concerned, before I had the chance to say anything.
My first instinct was someone we knew got hurt. I wasn't going to stop studying and praying unless I knew for sure.
"What is it?" I asked ready to turn on the TV.
Looking back at how I worded my question, I realized just how selfish I was. I should've asked if everything was alright, but I was too focused on me.
"I don't know," he replied with a worried voice. "Something's happening at Mars."
I rolled my eyes at the interruption since he couldn't see me. He knew I didn't want to be interrupted unless it was an emergency.
"Whatever's happening there isn't as important as my studying and prayer. It can wait until morning."
I ended the call and went back to what I was doing without a thought about what was said. Had he said peoples' lives were in danger, I would've turned on to see what was happening, and prayed. All he said was something's happening. It's Mars. There's always something happening.
It was God working through Zack to get my attention. Even though the details weren't revealed in any reports, a satellite orbiting Mars picked up the other battle cruiser of the second warring species. They were also headed to Earth since we were simply next in line for desired territory.