Treasures
Much to my roommate's chagrin, I am beginning to pack for my westward migration a week from Sunday. My favorite part about packing (or unpacking) is taking time to behold my treasures. Treasures? Gold or silver? A million dollars? Baseball cards? Ancient artifacts from Egypt? No.
These are just a few treasures in my treasure chest:
*A plain, triangle-shaped rock. On the front is written in Sharpie, "To Andrea" and has a diamond drawn on it. On the back is written, "From Alayna." One of my outdoor ed students gave it to me at the end of last week, because she thought it looked like a diamond, so she wanted to give it to me. We'd hiked up the legendary Yosemite Falls trail together (very slowly).
*A small piece of paper I've had for nearly 10 years, from a camper at Cohutta Springs. It says, "Dear Andera, I like you because you are very nice to each other."
*A cheap, plastic bead necklace, sent to me by a former student in Yap. She was one of my most challenging students. She wrote a couple letters, and also sent a plastic bead lei, and a whole bag of extra beads.
*A coin from Ireland with my birth year. My almost-10-year-old neighbor, Karis, searched through all her coin collection to find one with my birth year on it so she could give it to me a few weeks ago.
*A simple paper airplane from my six-year-old neighbor in Yap, Raijan. He gave it to me on my last day on Yap.
*A red paper heart on a string with my initials and the initials of my 2nd and 4th grade friends, Jasmine and Elanie, from the time they came to hang out in my cabin and we played hospital and school all in one day. :)
*A water-color painting of a hut and palm tree from a former student, Jaydon. I sent their class the water-color paints last fall.
*A little shell weaving in the shape of a fish--a handcraft from Pohnpei, from my friend and fellow teacher in Yap, Carla.
*A kind of ugly, yellow ceramic duck my friend and roommate, Sonya, gave to me a few years ago to remind us of an inside joke about being single.
*A big neon-yellow island flower my five-year-old friend, Deion, gave me when I saw him at the zoo a month ago, with his mom (Carla) and dad.
*A "coupon" from my mom from Christmas for four foot-massages. One is checked off. :)
*A letter from my brother that he wrote six years ago, but which he just found and gave to me three weeks ago.
*A card from my dad for my half-birthday.
None of these would be considered very valuable in the world's eyes. But the love and friendship in each gift is priceless. It reminds me of the places God has taken me, and the people He has given me to love and to be loved by.
It also made me think about God's treasures. Though God is surrounded by streets of gold and glass seas, I think...no, I know that His most priceless treasures are the gifts of His children. Though it may not seem like much, our gifts to God--a prayer, an awkward smile to a stranger, sharing our money or possessions with those in need, an encouraging word or listening ear, a decision to keep the faith in the midst of the fire...these bring un-ending joy to our Father's heart. Nothing is too simple, too insignificant of a gift when it comes from a simple heart of love. And I think His refrigerator is covered with our labors of love.
What are your treasures?
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| An edible treasure from Yap. |
*A plain, triangle-shaped rock. On the front is written in Sharpie, "To Andrea" and has a diamond drawn on it. On the back is written, "From Alayna." One of my outdoor ed students gave it to me at the end of last week, because she thought it looked like a diamond, so she wanted to give it to me. We'd hiked up the legendary Yosemite Falls trail together (very slowly).
*A small piece of paper I've had for nearly 10 years, from a camper at Cohutta Springs. It says, "Dear Andera, I like you because you are very nice to each other."
*A cheap, plastic bead necklace, sent to me by a former student in Yap. She was one of my most challenging students. She wrote a couple letters, and also sent a plastic bead lei, and a whole bag of extra beads.
*A coin from Ireland with my birth year. My almost-10-year-old neighbor, Karis, searched through all her coin collection to find one with my birth year on it so she could give it to me a few weeks ago.
*A simple paper airplane from my six-year-old neighbor in Yap, Raijan. He gave it to me on my last day on Yap.
*A red paper heart on a string with my initials and the initials of my 2nd and 4th grade friends, Jasmine and Elanie, from the time they came to hang out in my cabin and we played hospital and school all in one day. :)
*A water-color painting of a hut and palm tree from a former student, Jaydon. I sent their class the water-color paints last fall.
*A little shell weaving in the shape of a fish--a handcraft from Pohnpei, from my friend and fellow teacher in Yap, Carla.
*A kind of ugly, yellow ceramic duck my friend and roommate, Sonya, gave to me a few years ago to remind us of an inside joke about being single.
*A big neon-yellow island flower my five-year-old friend, Deion, gave me when I saw him at the zoo a month ago, with his mom (Carla) and dad.
*A "coupon" from my mom from Christmas for four foot-massages. One is checked off. :)
*A letter from my brother that he wrote six years ago, but which he just found and gave to me three weeks ago.
*A card from my dad for my half-birthday.
None of these would be considered very valuable in the world's eyes. But the love and friendship in each gift is priceless. It reminds me of the places God has taken me, and the people He has given me to love and to be loved by.
It also made me think about God's treasures. Though God is surrounded by streets of gold and glass seas, I think...no, I know that His most priceless treasures are the gifts of His children. Though it may not seem like much, our gifts to God--a prayer, an awkward smile to a stranger, sharing our money or possessions with those in need, an encouraging word or listening ear, a decision to keep the faith in the midst of the fire...these bring un-ending joy to our Father's heart. Nothing is too simple, too insignificant of a gift when it comes from a simple heart of love. And I think His refrigerator is covered with our labors of love.
What are your treasures?
Your treasures say some very nice things about what kind of person you are, Andrea. How long are you going to be back east?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are taking that ugly yellow duck. Quack, quack.
ReplyDeletethis is very special, and I like it
ReplyDelete