Treasures

I noticed yesterday as B and JK were outside playing...they seemed to find a lot of treasure. Most of what they 'discovered' and gifted to me were the things outside we rake or blow away or put chemicals on to kill.

So I got to thinking...I know, not now...it's Friday. But I did. Why is it that I don't see the beauty in the dandelion...that I see a weed and that I need to call the lawn application guy and talk to him about the fact that we pay good money to get rid of those darn things and they are coming back. You know what I mean, I'm sure.

Anyway, I decided to take a different look at what the girls brought to me yesterday, and I decided there was great beauty in the simple things.

Leaves...fascinating. How in the world did the Lord create all of those ideas with the veins and colors and well, everything.

Dandelions...what a beautiful color of yellow. It's bright like sunshine and really, when there's a lot of them in one place, (like a field, not my yard, of course), they are beautiful.

It all brings me to one of my favorite reminders...I like to refer to it as First Things First. Matthew 6 talks about treasures and remembering what should be first in our lives. And it ends with this great reminder:

"...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.." Matthew 6:33

Funny, my kiddos just are enamored at creation, while I rake it up. That's maybe why I should have faith like a child more often. I worry about lunches and groceries and dusting and laundry and finances and, well, just about everything else. And where should I focus...yep, on the Creator himself. Then, His Word says,

"Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today."

Ain't that the truth?!

So...this weekend, I plan to challenge myself (and you too if you'd like) to look through the eyes of a child at the creation set before me.

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Matthew 6:30-34 (The Message)