I was recently talking to a dear friend who is in the process of a big change. They are moving from their home to a whole new area. It's a whole new start for them really. She made the comment that her house was nearly empty but since we weren't really in the middle of that kind of conversation I did not press her for any other details. I'm often the pyschologist type that would ask "and how does that make you feel?"!! But later as I laid down for the night I had lots of thoughts running through my mind.
There are times as a pastor's wife that I bricked up my heart to not hope for a "life-long" dwelling. We moved 8 times in 10 years of marriage following God's direction for our family and the whole time I would wonder "why in the world would anyone move just because they wanted to?" A higher calling from the One in Supreme Authority over my life was the ONLY way I was moving especially after a few times. I think as mothers most of us have an inner yearning to want to settle. We like to "nest." I found myself liking the change that a new house and enviroment would bring by consuming myself in home decor. As long as I got to buy a few new things, change a rug, or map the furniture layout I was ok that we were having to start over once again. I guess in that way God helped me to cope with the calling He had given my husband and our family.
The holidays bring on an enhanced pride in material things. We like to decorate our homes, show off our best clothes, and put our credit cards to good use at discount sales. I go a little over the top with fall leaves and swags and pretty plates with Thanksgiving verses. I have a somewhat eclectic taste in home decor but find great joy in a beautiful well put together Christmas tree. My current housing is not by any means a mansion but my decor is top-of-the-line-Better-Homes-and-Gardens-taking-pictures kind of stuff. I said all that to say this...It is ALL just stuff! Just man-made pretties. At the end of the day, I can live in a multi-floor, 10 bedroom, 5 bath mansion with a grand security system and guarded gate, but the building will not mean a thing to me without the ones I love in it!
My husband's grandmother past away this past year. Her house will no longer be the meeting place for family times of holidays and happenings. Due to hurricanes and other uncontrollable circumstances precious times in my own grandparents' home is but just a memory now also. I can still picture my Pawpaw and Mawmaw's old front porch where we gathered so many times. I can even hear the sound of an old bug zapper. I can close my eyes and smell the stew at my Granny's apartment. All those things make me so long to step back into their old home places just one more time. Then the thought occurs to me even if I could go today, even if I could stand right where they stood and be in the middle of where memories were made, would it be the same? Days have gone by and buildings decay, hurricanes destroy, time wears materials to rust, but even if it didn't, NOTHING would be the same. Without the love that open arms and big smiles of precious family bring a house is just a building, four walls, material.
The Bible tells us in Matthew 6 (verses 19-21) "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
We cannot take my beautifully decorated Christmas tree to heaven with us so I should not make it my greatest treasure. Although it's sweet to think of my grandparents' little yellow house destroyed by many storms, rust, and moths sitting next to the streets of gold right inside the gates of pearl, I highly doubt that God would be "preparing" that kind of place for us. He has much greater in store. The greatest thing we can possibly put our time and effort, our hopes and dreams, and our love and passion into is other human beings. We can't take our houses with us but when we take our loved ones to heaven with us, we take our homes! Lay up treasure where it matters in family, loved ones, and friends. A material possession could never add up to where my treasure is. My treasure is in my memories of days gone by, the relaxation of a girls' day with my Mama, the smile my Daddy's laugh puts on my face, the warmth of a house (no matter where) full of family, the twinkle of my kids' eyes, and the serenity of my loving husband's embrace. For there my heart will always be.
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