From the Home Place

April 18, 2026

Well as usual, all of the moisture missed us. Yesterday, it snowed for about 30 seconds, but the wind howled all day. For those of you who received rain or snow, praise Him for it, and please drive careful. We are starting today at 18 degrees, headed for 54 for a high, with another round of 50 mph winds. Tomorrow looks like a beautiful day to gather with other believers to worship our Savior!

Last evening Miss Deb and I watched a great movie, “The Forge.” One of the lines that I really appreciated in this movie was this, “Be a fountain, not a drain.” Let’s chew on that statement for a bit as we begin another day, and as we begin preparing ourselves to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father for worship tomorrow.

“Be a fountain, not a drain.” A fountain gives fresh water, while the purpose of a drain is to take away tainted water. As Christians, we are to be givers, more often than we are takers. Upon the occasion that my Heavenly Father allows me to harvest meat for our freezer, it sure is nice to be able to run hot soapy water into our kitchen sink as I clean my hands and knives. Yet, it is also especially nice when the drain takes away all of that nasty water.

So, it doesn’t matter if we are washing dinner dishes, or nasty knives, it is always a blessing when the fountain provides clean hot water! Yet it is also a blessing when the drain works correctly, without any clogs. Two points: 1) Being a fountain is to be a blessing to those around us. When we give of our time, encouragement, hugs, help fulfill needs and a friendly smile we are being a fountain.

Maybe think of it this way. A main water line provides fresh water into your house. Then that freshwater line is tapped into with smaller lines that run to all of the sinks in your home, to your showers, bathtubs and washing machine. There is a water line that goes to the hot water heater within your home to provide you with hot water at all of these locations as well. Another line feeds your water conditioner, so that the hot water is cleared of minerals in the water, making it “soft.” There is most likely even a water line that goes to your refrigerator so that you can have ice and cold water on demand. Cold water lines run to all of the toilets within your home, to your outside faucets and to a sprinkler system, if you have one, to keep your lawn nice and green. All of those “fountains” keep your life happy and healthy.

Yes, being a fountain is that avenue of being a clean, healthy, blessing to those around you! Being a fountain would also make a pretty good hymn, wouldn’t it?

2) And then there is the drain. A drain is great when it works but is a real pain when it doesn’t. If you have ever had to remove the drain from under your kitchen sink, or bathroom vanity, you know how nasty those drains can be! Of course, our Heavenly Father greatly prefers we be a clean supply of blessings rather than a nasty place of germs.

When I heard that phrase last evening, I immediately thought of being a fountain as being heavenly minded, while being a drain as being earthly minded. A heavenly minded person is one who worships, praises and blesses, while earthly minded folks tend to be all about self. Even when drain-type folks go to church, they go for what they get out of it, not for what they can give to it. Yes, such people are a real drain!

If by chance, you disagree with any of my illustrations, may I suggest that you grab a couple of pipe wrenches and remove any of the drains within your home. With that drain firmly in your hands, look at all of the gunk that has formed on the inside of the drain. Now, stick your beak in one end and take a big whiff, smells great right? Next, get yourself a glass of fresh water, pour that water through said drainpipe and catch that water in another glass at the other end, now have a drink out of the second glass. To which, you had better be shouting NO! to all of the above.

Drains are just plain nasty, just like our sin! Now read 1 John 1:9 and rejoice that your loving Heavenly Father has provided you a way to run all of the sin-tainted, nasty water in your life through the person of Jesus Christ, making that water drinkable once again! In a real sense, Jesus is the water filtration system for our lives!

In Jeremiah 17:13 we find these words, “Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.” So, once again I remind each of us, “be a fountain, not a drain.”

Drink from the Fountain with you, Neal