Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
As I sat and looked at the tan, brittle sticks - which are called weeds - growing out of the planter on my deck I thought "This is where my life has gone."
In years past, the planter would have been full of beautiful flowers and the entire deck would have been filled with lots of hanging baskets and flower boxes with lots of brightly colored petals of happiness. But things had taken a turn and life isn't what it used to be.
I got up and walked back into the house not bothering to pull the weeds in that box (or any of the other boxes on the deck). Funny thing is, while I don't like the weeds, I understand them. When life gets turned upside down, sometimes you have to choose what to focus on. And in this time, our focus isn't on beauty on the outside. It's on beauty on the inside.
Inside the house is an elderly parent who needs a lot of care, a married couple that has to find time for each other. Involved with this house are adult children and grand-children that need love and hugs and time. Extended from this house are family and people - lots of people that God has shared with us. People who need love and encouragement, people who need to see Jesus with skin on. We don't always manage the chaos well but, we try to put our focus where it needs to be.
Yes, I do prefer flowers instead of weeds in my flower boxes but there is one thing I prefer more than that. It's planting flowers in people's lives. I tolerate the weeds until I can get to them. I guess somewhere along the way you have to choose where you want to see the brightly colored petals of happiness.