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June 3, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
What Do You Treasure?, by Russ Lawson
Years ago, when I was a child, my grandparents owned Overman's Shoe
Repair and Sales shop in Springfield, Ohio. I have many fond memories
of that shoe shop as a child. Being the oldest grandchild, I probably
got to spend more time with my grandparents than some of the younger
grandchildren -- at least I got to spend my time there before I started
school. I can remember spending many a day in the back of the shop.
Grandpa would give me a piece of old leather and I'd work on whatever
my child's mind thought of making that day.
I remember being fascinated with all of the containers and boxes of
small nails, toe and heel taps, glue, heels, replacement shoe soles,
brushes, polish, and of course the powerful grinders and polishers. One
of the most fascinating pieces of equipment was the large sewing
machine that so amazingly hooked those two pieces of waxed string
together repairing thousands of shoes and other leather articles. I
remember the smell of the new leather, the smell of rubber cement, and
smell of shoe polish as I relive those times. I still have the pair of
sandals my grandfather hand made for me as a toddler. My brother Lynn,
who owns a leather shop in Florida, now has the old sewing machine.
In the front of my grandparents store were shelves full of men's and
women's shoes and boots. To one side they had an old roll top desk and
a big safe. The desk was always stacked with all sorts of things, and I
loved to look through all of the papers, drawers and various items that
ended up on and in that old desk.
On the counter, they had an old manual (not electric) cash register,
and at special times, I would be allowed to push some of the big keys
and watch the numbers pop up on top.
Those times are long past and the shoe shop has been closed for many
years. My grandparents have departed this earth, yet the memories
remain of those special things and special times.
What do I really treasure?
One thing especially stands out in these memories. Many people often
paid my grandparents with silver dollars. You don't see that any more,
it's too inconvenient to carry those big pieces of metal now. Of course
you didn't need to carry near as many of them in those days. Silver
dollars are a special memory to me for another reason: they were
grandma and grandpa's savings. They put aside the silver dollars that
came into the shop to purchase special things. They also used these
silver dollars to give to their grandchildren on their birthdays. I
still have a couple of those old silver dollars they gave me. No, they
are not collector's pieces, they are not worth a whole lot more than a
dollar to anyone else, but to me they hold memories and are priceless.
I can't help remembering once again Jesus' words about realizing what
is really important in life. Jesus said:
Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by
moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store
your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth eaten
or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your
treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be (Matthew
6:19-21 NLT).
As I remember these times from my past, I have to stop and consider
what it is that I truly value most in my life? My relationship with God
is first, of course, and then my family and friends. But the "things" I
have really don't mean very much to me; it's relationships that are
really most valuable. "Things" sometimes represent the memories of
relationships -- that is what makes them precious, not their monetary
value. That's why many people treasure a simple Cross in their home,
because of the memories it provokes in them. That's also why Jesus
instituted the "Lord's Supper" or "Communion," to keep the memories of
his sacrifice fresh in our minds.
The question perhaps each of us needs to ask ourselves is, just what is
it we really treasure? What is it in our lives we would most hate to
loose and why? We remember that, "Wherever your treasure is, there your
heart and thoughts will also be." We know that what we choose to
treasure will be the path we have chosen not just for this life, but
also eternally!
---------
(c) 2008 Russ Lawson <rlawson@wclo.net>, Messages from the Heart
<http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Treasure in Toilets
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200708/20070821_treasure.html
* Closer than You Think
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200706/20070623_closer.html
* An Honest Day's Work
http://www.heartlight.org/feature/sf_990721_honest.html
* Messages from the Heart
http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200806/20080603_treasure.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
CAPTIVATING: UNVEILING THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN'S SOUL, by John & Stasi Eldredge
Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the
pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, passionate
lover, or capable home manager. What Wild at Heart did for men, this
book can do for women.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?251
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
each purchase you make, you're helping to support Heartlight's
ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
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