Our HomeFlock (like a home bible-study) recently finished a study on "Boundaries" which we all really enjoyed.  We learned a lot from the book but now we were ready to get into the Word and glean from Scripture.  We've embarked on a three week overview of grace, what the Bible says about the subject and what it means for us here and now.  Our strategy wasn't particularly systematic or methodical and yet the Word always produces fruit in our lives when we study it with the intention to gain knowledge and a right heart attitude.

Some of us turned to the concordance and dictionaries.  We looked at Hebrew, Greek and English definitions.  Some of us focused on the New Testament and others more at the Old Testament.  The good thing about studying grace is that God is full of grace and therefore so is His Word.

 

Ask me why I am a fan of this or that and I'm sure that I can usually give you a good reason.  A good reason in my opinion at least.  "I grew up there so I cheer for them" or "I live here so I cheer for these guys now" or even "Their quarterback is on my fantasy team."  All laudable explanations wouldn't you say?

 

How does someone know that you care for and love them? 

As I consider the people in my life that I am closest too and care about the most, they are also the ones that tend to get my "leftovers".  In fact, the truth be told, there's kind of a sliding "leftover/closeness" scale at work here.  The closer you are to me the more likely you are to get dumped on or complained to or even grouched at (yes, even a pastor has his moments).  There's no one in the world who means more to me than my wife and yet there's no question in my mind that she witnesses my rough edges far more than anyone else.  I love my children more than anyone besides their mother but sometimes they are on the wrong end of their father's exasperation.

This truth can be maddening because I feel like these people should receive the very best from me.  Its not that the rest of you aren't important, you are and you deserve excellence, kindness and genuine love from me but these close ones deserve more!  I am also convinced that my experience...