Where is Your Treasure?

One Wednesday a while back, the preacher at the congregation we attend taught a lesson on storing our treasures in Heaven. Matthew 6: 19-24 says:

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Usually, when we read this passage, we automatically think "Where my heart is, that is where my treasure will be." But if you read closely, it's quite the opposite. Where we store our treasure is where our heart will be, as we read in verse 21.

 ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, what is our treasure? Typically, we think of gold and jewels as treasure. At least that's the first thing that comes to mind, especially when I was a child. However, that's not all the word means. We can treasure things, people, time.

So, what do you treasure? Wealth? Time? Friends? Family? Pets? Really, what do you invest in? That is how you will tell what you treasure. Because if you spend time doing something, you treasure that. For example, I spend lots of time with my husband. Therefore, as I should, I treasure him.

The real question is: Are you treasuring God? If we are supposed to be storing up our treasures in Heaven, should we not be treasuring God and His work? Of course we should. So, are we? Are we spending the amount of time we should with him? Perhaps we should be spending more time with Him and less time on Facebook, or playing video games, or watching TV, or whatever else we are doing so much.

I think it's time we re-evaluate how much time we spend doing things. Myself included. Time to start storing our treasures in Heaven instead of earthly things that won't last. For where our treasure lies, there our hearts will be also.

It's That Time of Year Again.

Well, it's almost Christmas. Tanner and I have the tree put up and decorated, the icicle lights out up around the shed outside, most of the presents are bought and wrapped, the plans are made for heading to Dallas for Christmas, and everything is settling down a little. I can't believe it's already this time of year!

It's weird to think back on last year. The 14th of this month will mark the day that I picked up Tanner from the DFW airport and we first saw each other in person. Who would have know that less than a year later we would be married!

I'm working on the 12 days of Christmas for Tanner. I got the idea from a fellow blogger who said she and her husband enjoyed it emensely. So, I'm giving it a try. Unfortunately, I didn't start off so well. We've technicly been celebrating the 1st day of Christmas since Saturday night. I couldn't be patient. I was going to make him a ice cream cake, (recipie via Pintrest) which is just two layers of ice cream bars, cool whip, and carmel topping, this Thursday. However, he wanted ice cream and I really wanted to find out if the "cake" was going to be any good, so we ended up making it together and eating it after it had time to freeze for a bit. Needless to say, it was delicious. On the down side, now I have to wait until this Friday for day 2. -.-

That's pretty much all that has been happening. I lead such an exciting life. :P Ha ha!

Keep On Keeping On!

Elisabeth

Happy Thanksgiving! (Belated Thanksgiving, rather..)

I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving! I've been married for two months and it's almost Christmas! Time just keeps on flying by! I remember the days when each day dragged on for waht seemed to be forever. Where did those days go?

In other news, two weekends ago, my wonderful husband and I went to a marriage seminar. (Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas to be exact.) It was amazing! I seriously think anyone even thinking about getting married in the future should go! Gary has a way of putting things in a different light and thinking about things in a new way, a GODLY way. It was really eye opening.

One of the things that he said that really stuck with me is that marriage is the biggest challenge a person can face spiritually. People never really see it that way. Most people think that they are in love and they will get married and everything will get easier from there. However, things just get harder. It's really true if you think about it. Once you start living with someone, those little things that once attracted you to that person start to get on your nerves. The hard thing is though, that, for a good relationship, you can't make them change. You, yourself, have to learn to live with it and deal with it in a Godly way. That is truely a BIG challenge.

All that being said, Tanner and I are in Dallas celebrating with our family. It's really good to spend time with everyone and have more than just a weekend to be together. Of course, as like every other year, we have all eaten way too much of the many delicious foods that entered into our house for lunch. Not that being too full stops any of us from eating more. It's all just so good! I think, though, that we shall be sent home with many leftovers.. If they survive the long journey back that is.

Speaking of going home, I get to put up our first Christmas tree when we get home! I'm acctually pretty excited. We got a pre-lit, six foot tree for fifty bucks. It was pretty awesome. We got some solid colored ornaments for it, until we fill it up with ornaments that mean more to us, and a nice lighted topper. I'm really excited to put it up. Though I can't decide if I should wait for Tanner to help or just do it myself. I should probably ask his oppinion beofre I do anything. :P

I've acctually gotten several gifts already picked out and ready to be wrapped. It's pretty cool. I've still got a month left and won't have to frantically search for something to get for everyone. Yay!

Well, Keep on keeping on! :)

Dealing with a Loss

Today is filled with greif and sorrow. Thoughts of what was left undone and what will never come to pass.

My grandmother died last night. Apparently it was just her time. She died in her sleep. My mom called me this morning with the news as she tried not to weep over the phone, to be strong. I couldn't believe it at first. There was nothing to suggest she was going to pass. I can't imagine what my grandpa is going through right now.

Tanner and I had already planned to go to Dallas next weekend for the marriage seminar. I was looking forward to seeing all of my family. Now.. I'm guessing we'll be heading up there sometime this week or this weekend.

I was looking forward to seeing her at Thanksgiving.. and Christmas (or around Christmas time depending on what Tanner and I worked out).. I already had her gift, and I knew she was going to love it. I was looking forward to seeing her at the hospital when my aunt gave birth.. I was looking forward to her seeing my children... So my kids could have a great-grandmother since I didn't get that pleasure because she died soon after my parents got married.

It's funny how life repeats itself.. the same thing that happened to my mom, though probably not in the same time frame, happened to me. My kids will never get to know their great-grandma, just like I didn't get to meet mine. I never wanted that for them. I wanted my grandma to live to see both my sister and I get married. I wanted her to live to see our children. I prayed that she would live that long. I guess God had a different plan.

I wish I could be there for my family. I wish I could hug my parents and hold my sister. I wish I hug my aunts and help my little cousins through this. I know what it's like loosing a grandparent at a young age. My dad's parents died when I was 10 and 11. I know it's going to be so hard on them.

And it just hit me.. she never go to see the pictures from my wedding. Oh the things that were left undone!

I don't want to ask God why. It's not my place. Yet, I find myself  feverishly wanting to cry out and ask why He took her so soon!

If you're reading this, I ask that you keep my family in your prayers. I think this is hard on all of us.. really hard. I'm not sure yet when the funeral is going to be. This is not how I wanted to see my family again. But I can't change that. God has a plan. I just pray he help us all heal quickly. Between this and the news I recived yesterday... it's been a hard week, and I have a feeling that it's going to continue that way. (If you can, pray for someone dear to me. I can't give details.)

I guess there is only one way to go now... forward...

Keep on keeping on.

RIP Grandma. I miss you.

New city, new home, and a husband!

Yesterday, I moved got into Lafayette, Louisiana, my new home. I married the man I'd always wanted this past Saturday and had an amazing honeymoon out in a cabin amongst nothing but trees outside of Nacogdoches, Texas. It was absolutely amazing. I couldn't be happier. :)

Mom and Dad and Meredith visited us a little when they generously brought Tanner's car to Nacogdoches after filling it with all our stuff. My family is awesome! Both sides. He he! :) Both my parents and his parents have done so much for Tanner and I that I just can't thank them enough. I can't wait to see them all again when we have our Ohio reception for all of his friends and family that couldn't make it to Texas.

As for the condo, well, it's a work in progress. Ha ha! I've just about got everything in the kitchen and that room all organized. Most of the trash is gone from our room. Ha ha! I give Tanner a hard time, but it's not terrible. The closet is a little hard to deal with as the door are three sliding doors, so you can only see a small portion at once. (I think I'm going to have Tanner take at least one of them down.)

I took Tanner lunch at his work and then just spent some time chilling and watching him work. He's working late today, so that helped. It also got me out of the house so I didn't have to think about the chaos of all my stuff I have to unpack. Ugh.

I need to organize the bathroom.. There so much random stuff under the sink. Gotta love men. :) Course it doesn't help that there aren't any drawers. Not set up the best. Oh well. It's a nice condo and I am grateful for it. :) I just have to figure out where to put everything. :P

I can honestly not tell you how happy I am! Despite all the cleaning and organizing and unpacking and craziness. I am so extremely happy! There aren't even words to describe how happy I am! Ah! Now, if Tanner would just get home. :P Ha ha!

Keep on keeping on! :)