Real Treasure

Store up your treasures in Heaven. Matthew 6:19-21, 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

How many of us have "stuff" we have hung on to for years that has no value? In the process of moving, I have discovered things I didn't even realize I still had. Trying to pack I've been looking at everything with a more critical eye. Even pictures! I have pictures of friends, friend's children, friend's grandchildren. I know who they are or who they are supposed to be by looking, but I never got around to putting names on them. Then one day while packing I asked my daughter, "do you know who this is?" She said, "no, is it family?" I said, "no, it's a friend's grandbaby". She just looked and nodded and asked whose. I told her and she vaguely remembered the friend. I said, "if I were to die tomorrow and you were having to go through my things would you care who this is?" She looked at me of course like I was asking her a trick question, lol. I said, "no, seriously, would you?" She said, "well no, not really". I said, "exactly, this picture was taken 10 years ago, the last time I saw this friend was 9 years ago, this little girl is 11 now and doesn't even know me". This particular friend is probably one I will never see again this side of Heaven, so why do I keep it? The same reason I've kept all this other "stuff" over the years. It meant or means something to me. However, what good are they, or the thousands of other things I've stored up when Jesus calls me home? These "things" aren't my real treasure. The old adage, you can't take it with you comes to my mind.

I think to myself, at the very least I can mark things so that whomever is unlucky enough to have to sort through my things can do it easily and not toss out something that might really be important. Pictures need to have names and even descriptions, especially if they won't mean anything to anyone else without me around. Family pictures need to be labeled for the ancestry buff in the family (present or future). Other pictures and memorabilia needs to be marked so that it can easily be gotten rid of or kept. Then I remember, this isn't the real treasure.

I've found items that really are antiques and I've found items I "thought" might be antiques. My clothes are (were) arranged in sizes, five of them!!!! I won't say which one I'm in now but I will say that stepping into my closet is like watching Cinderella, it's pure fantasy, lol. Meaning, I will never see that size again without getting deathly ill and it's not worth that! What I consider treasure, my children consider trash. A couple of them have begged me to let them clean house for me. That doesn't mean my house is literally dirty just that they want to go through all my "important" stuff and clean it out. My middle daughter and I are big fans of the reality show "Clean House". She looks around my house and says, "you should let me do yours". Not!!! I will admit I'm a packrat! I am sifting through it with a more critical eye with this move that is looming ahead, but there are still some things they will just have to deal with. Then I remember, this isn't the real treasure. With that thought I've gone back through and cleaned out a little more.

That picture of the baby I mentioned above reminds me of happy memories with her grandmother. Sometimes I don't think about her for months and I see that picture and it brings her to mind. I see a drawing I kept that one of my grandbabies did and my heart swells with love, I remember them at that age and wonder where the years have gone. I see the little wishing well on my shelf and think of my grandmother. Then I look up and see an old avon bottle shaped like a peacock with a gold head for the cap and I think of my own mom. I can see her in my mind's eye as clearly as if she is standing with me. I hear her laughter, I remember the talks we had. I remember hearing her pray, I remember her dragging me to church when I was a little girl, I remember her love. I see my dad's old cowboy (farmer's) hat and I hear his laughter, I remember the time he scared me spitless with a fake skeleton hand, I remember hearing him way up in the pasture raising his voice in praise and prayer to the Lord, and I remember holding his hand as he stepped from this life into the next to be with our Lord and Savior. All of these memories and more flood in when I look at this "stuff". How can I get rid of it? I'm sitting on a goldmine. A goldmine and a lifetime of memories. Then God reminds me, this isn't the real treasure.

When I'm gone, though I've told them stories, this "stuff" won't mean the same to my children and to them it will be trash. I hope that they have their own treasures (memories) of their mom and how much I loved each and every one of them to get them through til we meet again. Our memories sometimes need a little nudge, I like to think that's what this "stuff" is, a little nudge, not treasure. Meanwhile, I'll continue to go through my house keep cutting down on some of the things I've kept. We are having a yard sale and some of it will become someone else's "stuff". My closet has been reduced to about 3 boxes. I've actually thrown away duplicate pictures, contacts (lenses) from 5 years ago, some eye glasses from many years ago, clothes that really aren't fit to wear much less sell, I think I'm doing pretty good, however, maybe I'll just keep that little blurry picture of my grandson, even though you can't really see who it is, I know, and I remember him running and laughing loudly when I snapped the picture (which is why its blurry). Even that isn't the real treasure!

Earthly treasures? Not the kind of treasures made from gold or silver. These are little mementos of my treasures here on earth that God has blessed me with - my family and friends. My real treasure is stored in Heaven. My heart is with God first and then this wonderful amazing family He has given me. I am rich beyond measure. I can rid myself of lots of this "stuff". These really aren't my real treasures.

What will really matter when Jesus calls me home? My real treasures will be walking with Him and seeing my loved ones already there. Then someday seeing my husband, children, grandchildren, friends and family coming through the gates when it's their time. I may have these little treasures now but I know where the real treasure is, where my heart is. Jesus said in John 14:2-3, 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Where is your "real treasure" stored up?

God bless,
tawanab