Desert town with main street revitalized.
Colorful shops and cafes, side by side. In aged buildings freshly painted with desert hues. Sand and sage and purple.
We wander in the warren of shops connected through inner doors. And find antiques, curiosities, junk.
Collecting dust.
Picked over
Someone’s treasures. Now on display for all who care to see. Picked over by tourists and snowbirds.
Old bottles. Teacups. Plates and serving bowls. Watches. Jewelry galore.
Hauled out of attics and basements. Off curio shelves.
Now pressed together in no particular order. Crowded onto old tables. In worn bookcases.
Marked with peeling price tags.
Collecting dust
I consider the treasures we keep and shelve. Not much value except for the memories. Calling to mind places. People. Celebrations of years past.
Someday they’ll end up in somebody’s junk shop. Or at the dump.
This world’s treasures. Always rusting or breaking. Fading or fragmenting.
Collecting dust.
Open hands
Even after many moves, I struggle with decisions over things. Stuff.
But learn to say, “All of this belongs to You. Show me what to leave and what to take along to the next stop.”
Determining to live in the temporary with open hands.
Releasing things to His care instead of holding on so tight. He knows what my family needs, when we need it.
The eternal
When I ask, He shows me what to treasure in my heart. And how to keep my eyes on the eternal.
Where moth and rust cannot reach or destroy. And temporary treasures aren’t just sitting there. Collecting dust.
“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“
Matthew 6:19-21
What about you?
What has the Lord taught you about earthly versus eternal treasures? How has He worked in your life through this? Is there a verse that helps you?
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7 replies on “Collecting dust”
I wonder if I am so stubborn or so blessed that God makes things very plain for me – like the time all my belongings were on a ship that ran aground! Surrendering was hard but I was finally able to say “God, you gave it all to me and You can replace it if it is gone.” It was all OK and I have tried to keep my eyes on Him.
I remember that time! Whew—that was a heads up for ME!
I like this. I’m in a time of my life I need to make decisions about things. This will help me.
Thankful. Seeing things “in light of eternity” has helped me in a variety of situations where I had to make these decisions. Grace to you.
I have learned to get rid of things in these last years, knowing that the only memories of their value is in my memories of who gave them to me or where we bought them…but even those are fading. Children don’t need to carry our stuff to their homes: they’ve got enough of their own that’s full of their own memories.
This really speaks to me! Just this morning, I was able to donate several boxes of china that I love but no longer need! Hopefully, I can continue doing this on a regular basis!
Thank you for sharing. 😊