"HIS GREATEST TREASURE" Friday
Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>
Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company
come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave
their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever
struck his fancy.
Inevitably someone would forget and something would end up
missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and
there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys.
Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very
particular that his toys stay in the box.
It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer.
Something told her she was going to die of this disease. She
was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy,
fear riding her shoulders.
The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with
Lucky. A thought struck her. What would happen to Lucky?
Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog
through and through. "If I die Lucky will be abandoned," Mary
thought. "He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him." The
thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.
The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had
anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took
Lucky for his evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped,
whining and miserable.
But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When
she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up
the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch
and left her to nap.
Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she
called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.
When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was
wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot.
Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem.
She was covered, literally blanketed, in every treasure Lucky owned!
While she had slept, Lucky made trip after trip to the basement
and brought his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had
covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living
again, walking further and further together every night.
It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.
Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy
box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.
Live everyday to the fullest because every day is a blessing from God!
Author Unknown
As I faced my Maker at the last Judgment, I knelt before the Lord
along with the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives, like the
squares of a quilt, in many piles. An angel sat before each of us sewing
quilt squares together into tapestries that represented our lives. But
as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged
and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes.
Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult,
the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I
saw hardships that I had endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me. No one else had such squares. Other than a tiny
hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color
and bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was
disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together,
threadbare and empty. Finally, the time came when each life was to be
displayed, held up to the light. . . the scrutiny of truth. The others
arose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their
lives had been!
My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to arise. My gaze dropped
to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had
had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of
illness and death, and false accusations that took from me my world as I
knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the
temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and
begin again. I had spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for
help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule,
which I endured painfully; each time offering it up to the Father in
hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the critical gaze of
those who unfairly judged me. And now, I had to face the truth. My life
was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it had been.
I arose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.
An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who
stared at me with eyes wide. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.
Light flooded the many holes, creating an image. The face of Christ.
Our Lord then stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He
said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My
hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you
stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than
there was of you.
May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine
through.
Author Unknown
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