There was a Son who wanted to invite some guests to a party. As he began getting the house ready, he considered how he might decorate so that the guests could enjoy their time there. He considered the infinite options, then decided on a few that would be best suited for his guests, one of which was a very large and elaborate aquarium.
Since the guests would be arriving in four hours, he thought it best to set up the aquarium right away. He picked the perfect spot, then decided on the details for the big 100 gallon aquarium. Salt water would be fine, along with all colors and sizes of fish. He decided some lava rock scattered in the bottom would be nice mixed with fibrant living coral, plus some elegant, slender sea plants reaching from the sandy bottom to wave slowly in the current just below the surface.
Now most people would think you could not set up a big aquarium like that in a few days, much less three or four hours. But it was not a problem for the Son, because he was not limited by time. In fact, he controlled all time. Some would say he even invented it. He literally had all the time in the world at his disposal. And he had a Father with limitless resources. Getting an aquarium ready for his guests would not be a challenge. It would be a fun opportunity to be creative.
The fun began when the Son went to visit his Father at the pet store. “Father,” he said, “I would like to create a beautiful aquarium to share with my guests tonight. In the beginning, I need a stand to hold it, and a large 100 gallon glass container. Maybe a lid and light would be good too.”
The Father looked at him and smiled. “That won’t be a problem.” he said. “Everything you ask for is here. But wouldn’t it be nice if the Aquarium was the centerpiece of the house? Maybe built in, as part of the foundation so that all the rest of the house focused around the aquarium?”
“Nice idea.” said the Son, as he picked up the aquarium, lid, and light. “I’ll make that happen.” So the Son took a trip back to the time before the foundation of the house was built and added the aquarium stand into the plan for the center of the house. Then he moved to the time when the house was just finished and carefully placed the aquarium, lid, and light. Back in the present, he walked into the central room and looked at the beautiful aquarium tank sitting on the foundation stand, right in the middle of the room. A perfect fit in the perfect spot. It looked good, and it only took an hour to get it done.
Next he went back to the store for water and the proper minerals and salt to make the perfect fix. The Father gave him 100 gallons of water and the salt mixture. “You will need to let this set for a few days for everything to mix and settle before adding plants and fish,” he said.
The Son nodded and jerked his thumb back over his shoulder. “I’ll head back to some time after I set the tank and light in place.” And so he did.
When he returned to the present, he looked at the lighted aquarium, full of crystal clear water, just waiting for life. “That looks good,” he said. “It’s still two hours before the guests arrive. Plenty of time to add plants, coral, and fish.”
Back at the pet store, the Son got everything he needed, and traveled with it to the perfect time, planting plants and giving them time to grow, adding coral, and fish at the precise moment and place necessary for them to flourish. The intricate puzzle of aquarium life was put together perfectly.
When the Son returned to the present, he took a long gaze at the beautiful aquarium, full of colorful fish swimming through and around the vibrant green growing plants. Clown fish were darting around the coral. There were crabs and shrimp, snails and seahorses, life of all kinds, and all ages, living in the perfectly designed aquarium. “This is good,” he said. Then he looked at his watch. It was an hour before the guests would arrive. He decided to just rest, and enjoy his aquarium.
When the guests arrived an hour later, they all stood and stared in awe at the magnificent aquarium. The Son listened to them talk of the amazing design, the intricate details, and the unimaginable beauty of the aquarium. “How long did it take you to put this together?” they asked. “This aquarium looks like it has been established for years.”
“It has,” replied the Son. “And it only took me three hours to create it.”