Feb. 12.
I hate laundry. Because you get it all done, everything is neat and folded and put away, but then as soon as you wear something and dirty it, the whole cycle begins again. The same applies with cooking. You cook, you eat, then you have to cook again. I am all about accomplishing things, checking them off a list and then enjoying the rewards of being done, but you can’t ever “accomplish” things that have to be done over and over again.
And don’t even get me started on material possessions. Imagine a girl who is obsessed with accomplishing things, budgeting and doesn’t like excess and then throw her into our world where nothing lasts – talk about a nightmare. Just yesterday I had to throw away my black boots because holes were starting to appear in both boots….and now I am back to needing to purchase a pair of boots.
I try everything I can to make things last as long as possible. For example, I carry a folder in my bag where I can keep notes and paperwork that I need. I go through the folders pretty quickly, so I decided to laminate them. I bought a very cool Phineas and Ferb folder and laminated it, probably chuckling like a triumphant but deranged scientist while I did so. Mwa ha ha! My folder would last forever!!! (So maybe it wasn’t quite that exciting…)
Matthew 6:19 – 20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Well, surprise, surprise, the folder didn’t last forever. It fell apart just like all the others, except it looked even worse because it had laminating film hanging all over the place. Nothing on this earth will last forever; nothing is safe from the ravaging of time, not our possessions, not our country, not even our relationships. If we keep them intact despite distance and keep them safe from Satan, death will still separate us in the end.
Talk about depressing. But thank God, that’s not the end of the story…
1 Peter 1:3 – 4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,”
Doesn’t that sound amazing? No more endless need, no more working for things that will not last. What is coming cannot be destroyed. The endless labor here will bring forth a bounty of rewards that will never wear out or fall apart. Don’t give up and don’t obsess over worthless possessions. Fix your eyes on the everlasting Glory.
February 12, 2013 at 5:16 PM -
God is the fixer of broken things- II Cor 5:17-21. Paul calls it a “ministry of reconciliation.” I’m a gearhead, so I see it as God restoring our worn, broken, and rusted lives, and making us fit for use in the kingdom agan.
February 13, 2013 at 7:40 AM -
That is a very good analogy, Robert. I love the idea of us all being second-hand parts brought to life in a immaculate machinery. Thanks for sharing!
February 12, 2013 at 4:35 PM -
My favorite possession is a love letter from my first husband Josh. It perfectly sums up the love he felt for me, and it’s something I hope to have the rest of my life! If it was ever lost and destroyed, I’d be beyond sad… I’ve realized that this has always been a possibility, but I always think about how if there was ever a fire or something of that nature, my “Josh box” (where I keep the letter) is the first thing I’d grab. It is comforting, though, knowing that I’ll be in his presence one day again if ever anything were to happen to it…
February 13, 2013 at 9:11 AM -
Oh, Sammi, that is so beautiful. That is a very precious possession, and it is things like your letters that are so hard to lose. I hope that you’ll be able to keep it for as long as you are on this earth, but I love that thinking about meeting Josh in Heaven comforts you. That’s a great attitude and we serve a great God that allows such a thing to even be possible!