Treasure

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).

I have been watching the pile of presents under the tree increase so much it has spilled out into the room. Partly because our new tree is the tall skinny kind and not the wide girth one.......that the branches do not cover much at all. Last years bit the dust as the boys decided it was a chew toy and treated it as and outdoor tree. (yuck but now the boys are no longer intact and much better behaved) So I digress. In my process of weeding out for a upcoming move, the girls really are not getting many toys this year. A lot of these presents are things the whole family will enjoy doing together or some personal things that are needed/wanted. I removed 8 garbage bags of items from the house that have just been stored and moved but not used. No real sentimental value to these things was had by anyone just held on to for the "I can see this being useful" thought. Well, in reality we are not going to use it we have not used it, etc.
This began my thinking back to where I store up my treasure and my attachment to belongings. I really do not have an attachment but to my hubby, my kids, and pictures. All other items can be replaced and in the end do not matter. I can state this firsthand and mean it as a fire 10 years ago took everything from me but my daughter and my faith in God that he was watching out for me and in control. I still feel that way. The accumulation of stuff has happened over the years since as has a marriage, a melding of our two household goods, and two additional children. I think stuff just happens but not in any of it do I consider my treasure. If need by, I can walk out of the house today with my kids, hubby and photo albums and be content. I stated this ten years ago right after my fire, all the items are just kindling and I can not take them with me out of this life.
I would rather store up my treasure in Heaven and look to him for my help and guidance than in the things of this world. I learned the lesson of materialism overnight. What am I teaching my kids? Does the pile under the tree teach them to want the newest and best as toted on the tv or teach them about family and values and God? hmmmmm. I need to think on that. I hope I have leaned farther to the right than the wrong with our presents and will think harder on that as I make purchases for birthdays, holidays in the future.
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).