MORE

more = adj. greater; further; additional. adv. To a greater extent or degree; further.

While the world is touting "less is more", or implying that life is good, "more or less", I begin to say....well, I want more. But I'm not talking reality-tv-I-want-more (money, fame, power, success...), I'm talking more life in my life. And I'm not the only woman who feels this way (read: there's many more of you out there nodding your heads in agreement!)

Unfortunately, "more" has become synonymous with greedy. If I'm greedy for wanting a life of more, so be it; I'm greedy. But I'll venture that in my greed for more, my husband, my kids, and those whom I care about will benefit from my "more", because how much easier it is to share when there's plenty!  The world of "more" is opening my eyes, and maybe it will yours, too. Before you go thinking limits on "more", realize it is a much larger subject than confined by how our society displays it. "More" expands the possibilities of people individually and globally. It can redefine outcomes of situations that are dire to situations celebratory; it defines a life lived full, and a life like that touches more benefits others in ways we could never tally.

If you are nodding with agreement, all the while looking guiltily at your feet, let me expound a bit on this concept of more. In the book of John 10:10, in the Bible (close to the back for all of you who are where I used to be--clueless on these things), Jesus says this: "A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy, I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." (HCSB translation) Some other translations say, "...to have life, and have it to the full". (NIV) The word abundance (and concept of "to the full") at first blush in our English transcription may not send a thrill, necessarily. But let the original Greek context be entertained: perissos (per-is-sos'), as described in The New Strong's Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, describes perissos "in the sense of beyond; superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); by impl. excessive;" and in the case of John 10:10, particularly, is meant as "more abundantly”. Can you imagine that? As if all the descriptions of perissos isn't incredible in its own right, a "more" is added. That, my friends, is how we are to have life. So don't apologetically mumble that you want "more" in your life. With head held high shout it out! Let's try it together, "I want "MORE" life!" There. Now we are fellow sojourners on discovering a life of more. Welcome.

So, while my feet still touch this earth, I'd like to take Jesus up on His offer of providing me a more abundant life. With God's help,
I plan to deliberately live a "greater" life, to push myself "further", to add experiences and joys in "addition" to life currently; and to live my years to a "greater extent or degree" discovering "more". 

Until next time!