The Fish Tank

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 NKJV When I was about 8 years old I went around my neighborhood with homemade invitations inviting all my neighborhood friends to a party. I was so excited to have all my friends over for this random event that I made up all on my own. I remember my mom asking what I was doing. Of course I hadn't run it by her first. Twenty-eight years later and not much has changed. I thrive on having people over. I love gathering together with others. It is the heart-beat of my life. I love connections, enjoying a meal around the table, and just being with others. I have had a few life-giving moments lately and it got me to thinking. We all have those relationships that suck us dry. Like the thief who comes to steal and destroy, we have relationships that rob us of an abundant life. It happens. If you are going to go into ...

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 When I was little, I used to play with all kinds of bugs, insects, and animals. I always had something in some kind of container. I remember playing with fuzzy black caterpillars on the tile in the entryway of our home. I recall holding a gecko by its tail when the tail broke off setting the lizard free. I tried to rescue a grasshopper...