“Treasure”…Overused, but the Only Term Sufficient
I have experienced of late, a rare moment here and there to pause, fighting the urge to attend to tasks, and revel in the gift of a treasure found. One day it was a chestnut tree found at the very back of a city park, bursting with chestnuts.
The kids and I gathered hand-fulls, lining our pockets (and handkerchiefs) with the shiny nuts. They came from this unassuming, bedraggled tree.
Unfortunately, we did not wait for the starches to turn into sugars and we rushed to roast them. They were awful…nothing like the roasted chestnuts I have had in the past. I will not make that mistake twice. But the children’s excitement at finding nuts was wonderful, they acted like they had found a hidden treasure trove of food.
Our next treasure was found at the local community center. While waiting for my daughter’s ballet class to let out, we stumbled upon a table full of pottery with a large sign saying “FREE.” My middle child spent 20 minutes combing through the stack, looking for the perfect find. His exclamation said it all, “These are amazing! We are so lucky we get to pick one!” It made me think about treasure, His treasure…our hearts given freely…previously broken, kiln dried, rather lumpy and misshapen. And yet He wants them.
Then there are the moments when we are outside and the weather is cooperative, that the children just shine, little treasures for me to care for. Messy, wet, but shining glory.
