Back to Lowe's fishing ground...tonight I get to the checkout stand and after a brief chit-chat with the young black lady behind the cash register I ask, "What do you live for?"

"My dream house."

"Is that house still a dream?"

"Unfortunately it is!" she laughs.

"So let's say you get your dream house. Then what? What will you live for then?"

"For myself," she smiles. The smile quickly fades, a shade of guilt flashes in her eyes, and she adds, "Well, I'll just take one day at a time." The next few seconds are stolen by silence. Then she breaks it.

"So what do you live for?" She sees my seven yeard old son, Josiah, and adds before I can respond, "Oh I know. You live or him!"

"Actually I don't." Her face says surprise all over. "Because I have no guarantee that he won't be taken away from me, just like you have no guarantee that your dream house some day won't be taken from you."

"That's true. So what do you live for?"

"For Jesus Christ." I can't explain the power in that name, but when I say it, it's as if the whole world freezes for a moment. "Jesus Christ is the only thing that could never be taken away from me."

"We all try our best and that's what matters."

"But it's never good enough. If I was a convicted criminal and I told the judge, "I tried my best!" he'd be corrupt if he let me go. Well, before God I am a criminal. I'm a sinner."

"You are?" she says sarcastically.

"Have you ever told a lie?"

"Yea."

"Welcome to the club. The only way to be forgiven of one's sins and be made right with God is through Jesus Christ."

With two full carts of materials we had plenty of time to talk. As I signed my receipt I said, "Shanika, I will not forget our conversation tonight."

"And neither will I. You gave me some deep stuff to think about."