"What's YOUR Bling?"

Hey... guess what? I'm back! I must say that I totally missed being online! I have missed the "inter-net-action" with you all. Get it? Internet... Interaction... Internetaction! I'm so whitty I amaze myself sometimes. (more like whitless... LOL)

During my brief offlineness... I had a yard sale with my neighbor. We all did pretty good. I chickened out on putting some of my antiques in the sale. I could not bear to part with them. I know that in the bible it says:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

I know that these verses truly do mean exactly what they say. My mamma collected antiques. She had all kinds of things. She had things that were not antiques... that were nice... and at the time they were bought cost a lot of money. Some things she had given me throughout her lifetime... and most... I just kind of ended up with. When she passed away... she did not take a U-Haul truck with her... and the things that were left behind were just that... THINGS. I have struggled financially off and on since her death... yet I have all these treasures in my home. I still struggle on a daily basis with whether or not to sell them. I can almost hear my mother... "Suzii!! You have all of those THINGS sitting around collecting dust! Sell them! Pay off some of your bills and do something special for you and your family with what is left over! When your life is over... you can't bring them with you anyways... and besides... THE STREETS HERE ARE EVEN MADE OF GOLD!!"

So, here I sit. In my house with all these THINGS. I still cannot bear to part with them... yet. Every thing I look at brings back memories of my mother. All sort of them actually. I can see all of the scenes of her actually buying these things. I can remember her loving them and caring for them and displaying them for us and others to enjoy. I remember her talking about them... and telling my brothers when they were little toddlers... "Don't touch... no no! Those are "pretties". Can you believe that all of these THINGS made it through twin boys!?! These inanimate objects hold memories of life in them. It is kind of hard to part with them.

I know that if Jesus came back and said... "Follow me... and I will provide for you everything you will need." I would go. These things have been left behind by my mother... and they will be left behind by me. I cannot see just letting them be given away practically... in a yard sale.

Part of me wants to keep them... part of me wants to sell them. I also believe that God wants us to be able to enjoy nice things while we live on this earth. Just so long as we don't lose focus on why we are really here... and get caught up in loving things and money instead of Him. That is where I am at with that. I made a little money in the yard sale... the stuff that didn't sell I will be donating to some place that helps those who are in need. There is not alot of stuff left... but some people have nothing.

Also on my offlineness... I worked. Woopee... you might be thinking... people do that every day. For me though... sometimes it is all I can do to get dressed in the mornings. I persevere though. I spend my mornings on the way to work with God. I have six miles of pure "God time". I talk with him... pray... sing... and sometimes cry and pray. On a bad day... when my body does not feel like it is going to do very well... I ask Jesus to become my strength. I ask Him to lift my feet with each step. I ask Him to be my pain pill. I get so tired of taking pain medication to make it through the days. Don't get me wrong... I am thankful for them and the doctor that allows me to take them... but I DO pray for healing... and for strength... and to be painfree. To never have to take another pain pill in my life will be the most wonderful thing in the entire world! In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the Lord says... "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

((I bet you are wondering where my title to this blog comes in?)) Well... let me tell ya! I also got to spend some time this morning/into the afternoon with my best friend. I absolutely needed some good "best friend" time. We always talk about everything... just about. I always feel like we could sit there and talk forever... and never run out of things to say. Our conversation went from iced tea... to underwear! I love iced tea with sugar in it. I only like it partially stirred and to drink it with a straw... so you can suck up some of the sugar from the bottom and chew it... don't ask or say eeeewwwwww unless ya try it! Thelma likes her tea that way too.

Now, I know that the definition for "bling" is probably gold chains, fancy rings, lotsa money, nice cars... etc. So MY definition for "bling" is... all things good. I was explaining to Thelma that when I ask my daughter, Hannah, to get me some iced tea... I tell her to put a little extra bling bling in it....... aka... sugar. We talked a little more about it... laughing those wonderful deep belly laughs that bring tears to your eyes. We also talked about some things that brought the real tears to your eyes. Things of the heart. Those tears can also come from deep inside... like being wrenched from your gut. Things that I will go to God and ask for His grace to bring comfort and fullness to. Let me be there to lift up my friend in my prayers... that is why we are all here.

Anyway... our conversation went all over the board. I told her that my husband's "bling" is his fishtanks. He loves buying fish... and raising them... and making the tanks beautiful. His "bling" is fish. Sounds silly... but it's true... according to my definition. He doesn't spend a whole lot of money all at one time on his tanks... but he does have alot of money wrapped up in them... and they truly shine.

Then Thelma asked me what my "bling" was... and I had to tell her that truthfully... right now... my "bling" is laughter... and being with my family. I love it when we are happy together... and laughter is so wonderful when shared with those you love. Laughter is cleansing... as are tears... but laughter... wow! Sharing a good belly laugh with someone you love... is the ultimate form of bonding! *I love ya Thelma! Thank you for our visit today!* My family and I watched a really funny movie this weekend. We laughed through the whole thing... hard laughing! It was awesome to share that with them.

Today... I thought... What would be Jesus' "bling"? What would God's "bling" be? I bet it would be a saved soul. Or how about us... maybe we are God's bling. "Look at them... I MADE them! Aren't they awesome? Look how they shine!"

Do you shine for God? Does your crown of salvation glitter with the jewels of souls for God? People can see "bling" a mile away... can they see yours? Is your bling gold and money?... Or is it life and laughter and THINGS you CANNOT buy?

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12

THAT is the "bling" that I seek.