Treasures

Events over the last week or two have caused me to ponder a bit on how short life is and what really matters.  It was this time two years ago that my mother-in-law was told there was nothing else doctors could do for her, and we spent the longest two weeks of our lives sitting at Hospice, watching her slowly fade.  About a week ago, Phllip, his sister, and I were going through some things up in his parents' attic.  My father-in-law has remarried, moved to Tennessee, and is planning to rent his house that he shared with Carolyn, so he asked Phillip and Jenny to go through some things before he finishes cleaning out the house.  As we sat up in that cramped attic sorting through the boxes of random things, I couldn't help but to think of the irony of the situation.  Carolyn is now rejoicing in Heaven, walking on streets of gold, and there we were, sorting through her earthly "treasures."  The stash of items seemed pretty random: some were of sentimental value, some were things I'm sure she thought she'd get around to using someday, and other things were just clutter, but for whatever reason, Carolyn felt the need to hang onto them.  I started thinking about all of my "stuff" that seems important to me and how hard Phillip and I work to save and plan for our future.  In the end though, none of those earthly items are going to benefit us one bit, and they might actually leave our kids shaking their heads saying, "Why did they save this?" 

My grandma Lucille is getting ready to pass away, and I've spent a lot of time the last week and a half sitting at her house, reminiscing with family, holding her hand, singing her songs, and watching her weaken to the point that she is no longer responsive, and it is just a matter of time until she draws her last breath.  When you see someone at the end of her life, you can't help but think about what really matters, and it isn't wealth, popularity, beauty, or the materialistic things that we all work so hard to accumulate. 

I KNOW this is true, but why is it so hard for me to remember?  There are days when what I'm going through or what I'm working on seems like the most important thing ever!   But when I'm lying on my death bed, the only thing that is going to count is whether or not my name is written in Heaven and what I have done for Christ.  Lord, help me to desire to lay up heavenly treasures more than earthly ones!

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

 Only one life, twill soon be past, but only what's done for Christ will last. - unknown

 "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot, missionary to the Auca Indians, martyr for Christ.

 ~Bethany