Just Stuff I Like ~

I don't know how many times you may have moved, it seems like we move a lot. Now my husband would say different. And, he is right. When we were in the Coast Guard; we moved a lot. A lot. . . After we got out, we did moved of course for job purposes. The places we've lived the longest were, New Mexico and Ohio. Some other places we lived were, AZ, CA, NC, OR, WA, VA, and I was born in PA. So many people don't even leave the state they were born in. I guess you could say I've been on an adventure most of my life.

There's something about moving. And, whether you live in a big house or small - there's STUFF.

And boxes of it. We have stuff that we hadn't even unpacked from the last move. It's nice to know though, there are some things we don't have to box up this time.

When you move you can and do collect stuff. Some of the stuff you might collect isn't all junk either. I'm reminded of Hector the Collector, by Shel Siverstein. Now, I might not have collected some of the things that Hector did. But then again, hummm . . .I have been known to collect rocks of all sorts, glitter, insulators, door knobs. Things I can be creative with and more. I've been known to tote around things from others also. Like birdbaths and a little rusty pot-belly stove (no bottom and has only half a door). I find stuff too like fossils - not just rocks. I collect boxes and paper and paper in boxes. Fabric up the wazoo! Buttons too! Cups and some even with saucers. Books and tons of them, all which I plan to read. Maybe I'd have time if I wasn't collecting or moving. I think if I had a favorite, it might be glass and other shiny things. I don't know exactly when I started liking them. I do know it has something to do when I was little. There used to be two squared pillars that neighbors of my grandmothers made. They were all white with bits and pieces of colored glass. To a kid it was a treasure. And, when the sun kissed it man oh man. . . I wonder if I'm the only one who remembers that? I think that started the collecting business.

The Bible talks about treasures. In Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is so true; the treasures you store in heaven are far greater. I do like things I seem to collect. Most of it has no value or importance other than to me. It's really just stuff. And, nothing that important that it keeps me away from what is. Jesus is most definitely the truest of treasures.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NASB) Matt. 6:33-34

HECTOR THE COLLECTOR

by Shel Silverstein

Hector the Collector

Collected bits of string,

Collected dolls with broken heads

And rusty bells that would not ring.

Pieces out of picture puzzles,

Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks,

Twists of wires, worn-out tires,

Paper bags and broken bricks.

Old chipped vases, half shoelaces,

Gatlin' guns that wouldn't shoot,

Leaky boats that wouldn't float

And stopped-up horns that wouldn't toot.

Butter knives that had no handles,

Copper keys that fit no locks,

Rings that were too small for fingers,

Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks.

Worn-out belts that had no buckles,'

Lectric trains that had no tracks,

Airplane models, broken bottles,

Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks.

Hector the Collector

Loved these things with all his soul

Loved them more than shining diamonds,

Loved them more than glistenin' gold.

Hector called to all the people,

"Come and share my treasure trunk!"

And all the silly sightless people

Came and looked...and called it junk.