The rain washed over the roof this morning, gushing down spouts, splashing over the eaves, puddling on the red earth. Water was everywhere, available.

A few days ago, I watched a colt-like boy with smiling eyes inspect the creamy green spindles of unfurling hosta plants. Without a word or any need for permission, he uncurled a nearby hose, turned the faucet knob, and gently, tenderly sprinkled water over the stems.
Then, as if only reminding himself, he said, "Mom's plants need this water to grow. That's what I learned today, that all living things need water."

In the commerce of the innocent, water is not a luxury nor is it an obstacle.
It is the essential substance to life; refreshment abundantly provided to be unselfishly shared.

Jesus said, ..."whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."

So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth. (Hosea 6:3)

Barabbas, as despicable and dirty as he was, is a picture of me and what happened to him--released from prison and pardoned of his death sentence for his crimes because Jesus was chosen to take his place--is exactly what Jesus did for me too.

The most important thing that we know is what we know about God.

Paul (Ephesians 2: 1-7 The Message)
It wasn't so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus.

Receive each day as a resurrection from death,
as a new enjoyment of life.
(Wm. Law)

Terry's life needs a Solomon.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--for we are members of his body.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-33)

After careful deliberation of the conditions of her existence and the life that awaits, to whom would the wise judge gently hand Terry -- her husband or her parents?
(Solomon's decision: I Kings 3:16-28 )

The mystery of generosity produces joy--
in the giver, in the receiver,
for the Lord.
How it pleases God when we're unselfishly liberal!
We become more aware of what others need when we're willing to give!
He returns to us infinitely more to give away than what we gave!

Hoarding abundance of time and talent?
Gripping possessions of influence with an excuse of sentimentality?
Clinging to control of resources?
What does accumulation reveal about trust in God?
How is Christ's reputation of surrender misrepresented when His tight-fisted follower fails to imitate Him?

Am I filling up on God as the first step to giving generously?
Did Jesus Christ hold anything back?
If all I have belongs to Him, then in what ways am I proving eternal freedom by spending His gifts extravagantly?

Have you snagged the latest title from Anne Lamott?
My copy of Plan B is reserved at the library.
For an appetizer, check out her newest posting at Salon.com.
If you're not a member, you may have to watch a short advertisement to enter for free--it's the same length of time it will take to pour a cup of tea to accompany Anne's rich insight