Tag: treasure

Posted in trash

The pink sofa

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s not uncommon to see furniture out on trash collection day. It’s unusual to see pink furniture on the curb.

This is a kid-sized sofa. At two-and-a-half feet high and maybe sixty inches long, I doubt it’s big enough for our Great Dane to nap in. (I should have gotten a quick picture of her trying it out for size.)

I am sure it matched the decor of little girl’s pink bedroom. And for her it was perfect for sitting and watching a video, jumping up and down, and reading a book to a collection of stuffed animals.

I didn’t check any tags, but it’s a safe bet that this was made in China. I wonder how many were made. I wonder if those working on the line making these wondered, “What crazy American is going to buy a pink sofa?” Some Rooms To God assistant manager had to put this out on the display floor. wonder if that manager chuckled when a family came in and said, “This is perfect. We’ll take it!” I’ll bet the trash collection guys were amused when they picked it up, too.

Colors are personal. We love some and others nauseate us. As I walk around the neighborhood, I can’t help but wonder out loud why anyone would paint the outside of their home (or dye their hair) a bright orange or mustard yellow. Or buy a car the color of puked-up green pea soup. But I know that those folks picked those colors deliberately, and, at least for now, think it looks nice.

Maybe someone actually picked up this pink sofa and took it home before the trash truck got there. Perhaps it will be loved a second time.

Posted in treasure

Finding treasures on the trail

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Juliane Liebermann on Unsplash

We took two grandsons and our two dogs for a hike on a beautiful, sunny, Florida spring afternoon last week. I primed them for the experience, telling them, “You find all kinds of treasures on a trail. You might even find some money!” Their eyes lit up when they heard that last part. At ages eight and five, they have become quite the shoppers, mostly for Pokemon cards. We made sure we brought some bags for all the treasures (and cash) we would discover.

Railroad tracks used to run through this part of the county and now it is a six-mile paved trail. Signs warned against getting too close to alligators, but I’ll bet they rarely crawl out of the swamp onto the path. There’s just too much foot and bike traffic on the path and more food near the water.

For a long time, we didn’t find much in the way of treasures. The trail is well-maintained and I was pleased to see hardly any trash along the way. We found a few pieces of broken glass, which we counted as treasures and placed in the bags. The first real treasure that caught my eye was a small, black metal cross. I thought it might be something that I could put on a necklace for one of the boys, but I don’t think it had a hole in it.

We only hiked a mile in, and then turned around to head back to the trailhead. That’s when something shiny caught the younger boy’s eye: a dime! Now that’s a treasure. Before long, the older brother spied a quarter. It wasn’t much, but it made the afternoon a success.

After a stop at Starbucks for hot chocolate and a snack, we headed home. Later that night, I said, “It’s cool that they actually found some coins.” My wife confessed, “Actually, I planted them. The boys were losing interest, so I dug a couple of coins out of my purse for them to find.” Very clever. The next time we go out, I’ll be sure to bring more “treasure” for the boys to find.

Posted in advent, Advent devotions, Devotions

Bonus Christmas devotion: A heart full of treasures

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

A bonus “Live and in person” Advent devotion for December 25, 2020. Read Luke 2:1-20 and Psalm 148

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).

After the shepherds find Mary and Joseph the the baby lying the manger, they shared just why they were there. They had a quite the story to share about the angel’s announcement and the multitude of angels’ wonderful praises that night. Once they left, Mary had plenty of things to ponder. What a night!

We all have memories that we treasure. We store away special places we’ve been and people we’ve met. Photo albums and scrapbooks are filled with treasured moments from our lives. Certain songs or smells or sights bring those moments to mind as well. The music played at your wedding. The aroma of the cookies your mom always baked. The sight of an ornament that you’ve hung on your Christmas tree every year you’ve celebrated.

A ceramic nativity my wife made during her first pregnancy brings back the memories of our firstborn son. A set of nesting Santas we received as a gift in Des Moines brings back memories of playing “hide the baby Santa” with our children and grandchildren. Christmas poems I’ve written for my wife over the years remind us of what was going on at that time in our lives. And how we love to retell the stories – so many stories – of celebrations with our family in different places and in different ways.

I don’t know how often Mary talked about that night. After all, her pregnancy would have been a bit of a scandal. Her explanation a little fantastical for the average listener. At some point, she must have shared it with Luke, or someone Luke got to know. He wanted to be sure he got the story straight when he wrote his gospel about the Christ.

She would have a lot of time to reflect upon this night and what it really meant to be a servant of the Lord. She wouldn’t get much sleep until Jesus began sleeping through the night. She would have a lot of time to ponder while feeding him, rocking him and just simply watching him sleep. She had no idea what was coming. No parent does. Each day is a new page in the story of a baby’s life.

I hope you have a little time to ponder this Christmas. Hopefully, you’ve had some fun, joy and food with family and perhaps some good friends. But if you have a moment, just listen to your heart. What memories of the past are treasured up there? What questions about the future does it ask?

Chances are you’ve heard Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth within the past twenty-four hours. How did you feel as you heard those words? Tuck them away in your heart, think about them often, marvel at this good news of great joy that will be for all the people, and hum whatever carol comes to mind.

Thank you, Lord, for the many memories we store up in our hearts that always bring us back to the good news of Christmas. Amen.