FULL

A full tank of gas is wonderful, except during the Corona confinement when we have to stay home. A full box of cookies or bag of chips stirs the appetite and lets us know we have lots to share so we aren’t tempted to eat the whole thing by ourselves. A fridge or pantry that's full is always better than empty.  Are we feeling full mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?  Or do we need some filling up a little of ideas and inspiration that is encouraging, positive, and even fun? 
 
You’ve heard the saying about testing attitude with a half glass of water.  The pessimist sees the glass half empty and the optimist sees it as half full. Same level. Different perception. No wrong and no right, just different, but not full.  You couldn’t do this test with a full glass of water because both the pessimist and the optimist would see it full.  So maybe seeing our lives as full is more positive over all. And we are in agreement. 
 
If the glass is over full… if I’m pouring and not paying attention and it begins to get so near the top that it’s threatening to spill over, the response is usually anxiety and a spontaneous shout… “Stop. It’s going to run over.”  Overflow causes a mess, possible damage to a surface, and definitely a waste.  It’s also very difficult to raise an overfull glass to your lips to drink a bit out without spilling on the way, which is why this is done bending over the glass and just taking little sips until the level goes down.

However, there is a full to overflowing that is necessary and that’s with gravity fountains and water falls. Unless there is an overflow, neither of them are possible. The key is the level and the opening that makes way for the water to fall.  The table top fountain will make a gentle splashing sound as the water artificially recirculates to maintain the effect.  The waterfall however, depending on the height of the drop will roar and cause a mist of sorts at the base where some water is already evaporating. Some waterfalls create a curtain over a crevice that people can stand behind if the power of the water doesn’t injure them as they try to get through. 
 
When water overflows with no strong or secure boundaries that’s called a flood and can create a lot of damage. So we want our local water source to be full, and only over flowing if it’s directed and controlled.  That’s what damns are designed to do even as the rushing water turns turbines and produces electricity.
 
A science teacher once wanted to demonstrate that what appears to be full sometimes still has room you aren’t seeing.  He took a mason jar and some small stones and asked a student to put them into the jar until he decided it was full.  When the stones were sticking out of the top a bit the student stopped, stepped back and showed it to the class. 

The teacher then got a bag of sand and invited another student to come up and pour the sand into the jar. By tapping the jar gently on the table, the sand began to sift it’s way down into cracks and crevaces between the stones and soon the sand was all but covering the stones in the top.  He asked the students if they believed the jar was now completely full.  They all said yes.

Then he got a pitcher of water and invited another student to pour the water into the jar.  The sand began to get wet and even sink in the jar as the water filled all the spaces which weren't visible until you saw where the water was going.  Once the jar was almost overflowing, the student stopped, stepped back and waited. The teacher said, “Now is the jar full?” The students were afraid to say yes and wondered what might be added to it next.  The teacher announced that the jar was indeed full now.

There's a saying: “If you want someone to do something, ask a busy person.”  Busy people have learned to fill their jars and find room for what needs to be added without overflowing!   Jesus, the Christ said, “Before now, you haven’t asked anything in my name: ask, and you will receive, you’re your joy may be full.”  John 16:24 Our inner man can be full of joy even if we aren't happy with the circumstances.  May your joy be full today!  
 
 
 
   

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