Treasures That Have Seen Better Days…

In ‘The Repair Shop’ professional craftspeople restore family heirlooms that have sentimental value for their owners. We enjoy watching the skill of the restorers, and the stories that explain why objects are precious. Last night’s episode included a guitar amplifier from a punk-rock band, and a teddy-bear owned by a mother who died in a house fire…

The show always closes with an invitation for further items for restoration: ‘If you have a treasured possession that has seen better days…’ Rachel and I often look at each other and chuckle. Sometimes it’s better not to give an explanation…

Yesterday, conversations included heart conditions and surgery, a recent bowel cancer diagnosis, anxiety and depression, dementia… These are friends, Treasures who have seen better days.

Musing…

…Accept: Sometimes I just need to accept the way things are.

When I was younger I believed that I shouldn’t accept less than the best. I must do something… find an answer, fix a problem, improve a situation…

Sometimes today I just need to pause and accept.

…Appreciate: I need to appreciate what I have, not regret what I don’t have.

Yesterday’s local news told of penguins visiting a Norfolk care home. Susan Fisher told staff that she’d love to see penguins in a zoo. It wasn’t possible, due to her health, so they arranged the penguins to visit her…

Susan certainly appreciated the visit.

…Anticipate: Having future hope, lifts my eyes above present problems and frustrations.

Some friends planning for the future, create their ‘bucket list’; some Christian friends talk about ‘laying up treasure in heaven’. I’m looking forward to something better…

Treasure that’s seen better days…

St Paul’s says: ‘But we have this treasure in jars of clay…’ Accepting that our treasure is in fragile containers.

Continuing:‘…to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.’ Appreciating his God’s power in personal weakness.

Concluding: ‘So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen…’ Anticipating a hope-full future.