Skip to main content

Treasure

Today it was Restoration Hardware, Pier One, and L.L. Bean.

Yesterday it was Eddie Bauer.

Last week? C.S. Post, Red Envelope, Ballard Designs, and Land's End.

And then there's my inbox... Walmart, Lego, scrapbooking stores galore, Your Music, Williams-Sonoma... it goes on and on and on.

All vying for my attention.
And my pocket book.
And my heart.
*****
I want my heart to desire after God.
Not after cashmere. Or hand-hooked rugs. Or holiday collectibles or personalized photo mouse pads or veryveryvery expensive French porcelain enameled pots for my kitchen.

So I'm not looking anymore.
I'm deleting.
And tossing.
And I'm not going to the mall.

Because I have lovely dishes.
And a closet full of clothes.
And fully functional, (if old-ish) slippers that keep my feet completely as warm as I need them to be.
And I don't need cashmere. And my TJ Maxx rug gets walked on just like a hand hooked one would. And my house might not be an HGTV showcase, but it's cozy and warm and full of things I absolutely love - even if most of them came from garage sales.
*****
I'm choosing.

Choosing to focus my heart.

Choosing to say no to commercialism.

Saying no, even, to scrapbook supplies.

I'm saying no.

And I'm saying yes to simplicity.

And quiet.

And focus.

Focus, instead of distraction.

What are your distractions?

I've identified mine, for now.
(They'll change, I know. Because this is the world. And as long as I'm here there are going to be things threatening to pull my heart away from God.)

Today, I've got 'em whipped.
In this moment, my heart belongs to God.

(Thank goodness, His mercies are new every morning.
Because I'm weak.
And the mail will come tomorrow, just like it did today.
And my inbox will most likely have more offers of free shipping and bonus dollars.)

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

Comments

  1. Andi7:09 AM

    Once again you prove that we are following the same thought process at the same time! Last night found myself saying, I do not need a new tree, I do not need more decorations, the kids do not need $100's in new things for Christmas....thankfully the catalogues do not tempt me! Shopping online this year, and spending my "mall time" baking!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Susie9:06 AM

    This is such an appropriate post for what we just went through in Genesis this past week- the Tower of Babel and the people building their own towers, relying on themselves as oppposed to God. I didn't see what it was that my own ambition was at the time, but yesterday, my socks were knocked off (why am I surprised that God does that?) and He showed me what my tower was. I get it, Lord, I said. I'm listening. Praise God for His treasures, Cathy. Good for you that you're hearing Him, too. Be blessed today, friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mary Jo 11:00 AM

    I am with you 100%!
    And it feels good :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unknown11:03 AM

    Standing with you friend !

    I found myself thinking this a few days ago - "What makes us do this excessive gift thing every 12 months?" I can't even remember what I gave last year... so I decided to give people my heart and attention and be peaceful so that I could truly be a conduit of peace....
    more peace and blessing to you and yours....more and more.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous11:44 AM

    perfectly said...
    wow

    ReplyDelete
  6. Katy1:38 AM

    Amen.
    Amen.
    Amen.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I love it when people talk back...

Popular posts from this blog

It came out of the faucet that way.

It's been months since I've had a "Getting to Know You Wednesday." Life's been a little crazy. So today, when life is a little bit calm and I've got the least chaotic week I've had for ages, I thought I'd jump back in. So today, if you leave me a comment telling me your most favorite-ist movie line ever, I'll enter you in a drawing for your very own copy of Josh Groban's new Christmas CD - Noel . It's a good one, folks. Classic holiday music from such a wonderful vocalist... you'll like it, I promise. I just want one movie line. Not your three favorite... not a paragraph. Just one line. The one you find yourself repeating. The one that makes you laugh every time. Your very favorite movie line of all time. And if you're the first person to name the movie my title is from, you'll get an extra entry in the drawing. Now, let's hear it.
23 comments
Read more

30,000? For real?

So, if you scroll down to the bottom of this here blog, you'll see that I'm probably just a day or two from reaching 30,000 hits. That's just freaky. And in just under 2 years. (I didn't add the counter until after I'd been blogging for several months...) So in honor of almost reaching that milestone, this weeks 'getting to know you Wednesday' question is this: What would you do if you won $30,000? I like this question, because it's not an overwhelming number, and therefore not brain-freeze inducing. It's big enough to be able to accomplish some nice little projects around the house, but not so large that you have to worry about your third cousins from the Ozarks showing up on your doorstep looking for cash so they can put veneers on their teeth. Answer my question this week and you'll be entered in a drawing for 30 special little trinkets in a lovely little goody box. (And when I say trinkets, I mean trinkets. We're talking 30 little lovelie
18 comments
Read more

Are you ready for this?

How did it get to be Wednesday? Seriously. There aren't enough hours in the day - even when you're up at 2:00 am. And no - I didn't get up at 2:00 this morning. I slept all the way until 5:00! Anywho - I decided I needed something new to blog. Something to shake you all out of your 'thoughts from the deep recesses' stupor. Something to get your blood pumping and your fingers tingling. Something to inspire long and meaningful comments. From you. My beloved readers. It's a new weekly Thoughts From the Deep Recesses feature. It's "Getting to Know you Wednesday" Now this could either be lots of fun, or it could just totally flop, and I could go to bed crying because my blog readers are a bunch of takers who only come here to read and never interact. Like a piece of fresh fruit, you squeeze the juice out of my hard-written and well thought out posts and then you toss them aside, wandering on to the next blog with a simple click of your mouse. You read
19 comments
Read more