Treasures

"Speak Lord, for your servant is listening." (I Samuel 3:9)

The definition of treasure is something highly prized or of great value, to lie back for future use, to retain in the mind, and to cherish. About 6 years ago, I began to notice that God was taking me on little treasure hunts. He used these treasure hunts to teach me lessons in my life.

A treasure hunt has clues, sequential clues, each clue must be solved, so that you receive the next clue, at which time when all clues are solved, gives you an answer. Many times I am not even aware of what it is I may be searching for, but I have discovered, He knows.

There is a prize after completing the treasure hunt. It is not only in knowing more of yourself, but more humbling is that God knows what you need, without your ever being aware of it. He provides the clues for you to obtain it.

The first time I became aware of this was concerning a pair of milk glass hands with the palms extended upward. I saw them for the first time at a flea market. I couldn't take my eyes off those hands, and when I inquired as to the price of them, I was told they weren't for sale. I walked around, came back and inquired once again if he was sure he did not want to sell them, and was told the same thing.

I had no idea why they were of such importance to me. I began to search antique shops and other places where I thought I might find them, and finally found a pair just like the pair I had admired. I bought them, took them home, and ever so slowly it became clear as to the reason I had such a desire to have those hands.

God was saying, put everything in my hands and I will take care of things for you. I began to write out prayers for not only myself, but also others, being careful to place the little folded sheets of paper in the extended hands.

That was the beginning of my journey to learning to trust God and becoming aware of the personal treasure hunts God has taken me on. Even today as I share this with you He continues taking me on treasure hunts. The latest treasure was when He clearly spoke pertaining to His hands were the words, "Father into your hands I commit my spirit."

Return to Top

Red Petunias

How do we recognize the signs that lie "hidden in plain sight"?

Several years ago I was doing a great deal of traveling in my job. Because of this I did not get around to buying the red petunias I usually planted in the flowerpots in my yard. Every year I planted red petunias because they were the flowers that attracted the hummingbirds.

By the time I could get to the store to look for red petunias, they were all gone. All the store had left were white and pink. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

One day I happened to look out at two window boxes I had hanging on the two front windows of my house, and saw what looked to be tiny shoots coming up. I had no idea what they were, but I decided to water them out of curiosity. After a week of watering, I studied them more closely; they appeared to be petunia plants.

I continued to water for another week, and low and behold, that was exactly what they were, petunias! They were coming up everywhere in the two boxes. Soon there were more plants than there was room to grow. Even after transplanting and filling all my flowerpots, I still had plenty of red petunias left in my two window boxes.

Over and over I have discovered that when I trust God, He provides all that I need in far greater abundance than I ever ask of Him. He provides before I am even aware of a need or a desire. All that is required of me is awareness of His greater good for my life.

Take a moment now and become aware of all your God-given grace experiences.

Return to Top

The Aerobics Class

He knows our needs even before we ask

At the request of my neighbors, I agreed to teach a Deep Water Aerobics Class in the pool at my home. I placed an order with UPS on Monday for the needed flotation belts. By ordering them on Monday, I expected to receive them sometime Thursday morning.

In the 24 years I have lived here, UPS always delivered by 11:00 AM, but Thursday came and there was no delivery. I called one of the ladies to tell her that we would not have the needed equipment and ask if they wanted to wait until it was delivered. She suggested we do something else in the pool and I agreed, although I didn't know what it would be.

On Thursday precisely at 6:50 PM I heard a loud noise and looked out the window to see the UPS truck rolling into my driveway. It had arrived with our needed equipment just ten minutes before the class was to begin. In all the years I have received packages UPS has never delivered any time other than mornings!

God provides, no matter how small or insignificant our needs seem to be. Take a moment now and become aware of all the grace experiences you have had

Return to Top

His Hands

Lord into your hands I commit my spirit. (Luke 23:46)

One night after watching the movie Tuesdays with Morrie, based on the book by Mitch Albom,

I awoke from a dream with a start. Most of the time I rarely ever remember what I dream, much less dreams that create any type of fearful emotions, but this time was different. I awoke with a start!

I liked the movie with all its wisdom, especially the wisdom Morrie imparts to Mitch about what’s really important in life, and how difficult and slow it was at first for young Mitch. It depicts where today’s priorities are in life for most people.

The road to success it seems is through acquirement of material things. Everyone rushing around stressing out, trying to fit into everyone else’s mold. And after all is said and done, what do we really have that’s lasting?

But let me get back to my dream. I “knew” when I awoke that when my own time came to die, I would be alone, for some reason, no one would be with me. I don’t know why, but I felt certain of that. I wondered what the significance was for me in this.

And then it began to make sense. I would die alone, because in the transition, you can’t take those you love with you; it’s a path you must walk all alone.

But what I clearly saw and understood was that He was waiting for me with His outstretched and open arms, waiting to welcome me home, just as He is in my favorite picture Welcome Home. And I was no longer afraid, but at peace.

I thought of the milk glass hands and what they represented to me so long ago, a direct message from Him. Remember, put everything in My Hands. And once more the words, Lord into Your Hands I commit my spirit…and I was at peace.

Return to Top

No Room for Him at the Inn

A few days before Christmas I had decided to close the door on what was for me at one time, a very important and loving relationship. Due to the pain I had been suffering for some time, I felt that shutting this person out of my life would be best for me.

But a funny thing happened when I tried to do it. I was awakened at 3:00 AM on Christmas Eve sensing that I needed to clear the air and ask forgiveness of this person, with the realization that closing the door on him meant closing the door of my heart to God.

And I surely wasn’t able to do that; I needed Him too much in my life. He was my dearest and best friend. I couldn’t shut the door of my life on Him, and I couldn’t shut the door on my friend, no matter how much I had been hurt.

Isn’t it funny how God uses the stories from the scriptures to teach us those things we need to be aware of in our lives…He used His birth to teach me that to put a No Room in the Inn of my heart was to say there was no Room for Him as well.

Return to Top