New Beginnings

Life is NOT Like a Box of Chocolates!

Mama always said, "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what your gonna get."  A much repeated line by Forrest Gump in the movie.

Well, let the records state--I disagree! 

If life were like a box of chocolates, we'd have a lot more fun.  I mean there are not many bad things one can say about chocolate! 

If life were like a box of chocolates, we could just throw out all the things we don't like or leave them half-eaten for someone else!

If life were like a box of chocolates, we could savor it one tiny bit at a time and be in complete control of how quickly or slowly we move through and we'd never run out of our favorite flavors!

I say, "Life is like a box of treasures and troubles --not truffles!  While we never know what we are going to get, Jesus, the One True Treasure knows! --Brandi after 9 hours of Christmas shopping and a handful or two of Hershey's Hot Cocoa and Cream Kisses!

Life is like a box of troubles and treasures........

The more "troubles" you experience, the closer you get to the One True Treasure.   In fact, sometimes you cannot even see the Treasure until you go through the "troubles".  Unfortunately this is life and you cannot just throw out the ones you don't like.  You may try and leave them half-eaten for someone else to "enjoy" but it doesn't work that way.  If the Lord wants you to have that trouble, He will see that you finish it!

Each and every bite of a trouble, brings you closer and closer to the One True Treasure.   The Treasure is right there in the box for you all the time.  You can grab it and have a taste anytime you want!  And as much as you hate to admit it, the Treasure "tastes" much sweeter when you've had a few troubles.  In fact, when you have tasted a few troubles, you long for the Treasure.  You grab it often and savor the flavor, lingering with it as much as you possibly can.  And when you do that, even though the troubles are piling up, they seem to fade and love their flavor. Then, the Treasure grows filling the box so that there isn't as much room for more little troubles!  

Sometimes if you have too many of the little treasures, which are nice and sweet, you forget about the One True Treasure right there in the middle of the box.  You just don't seem to need to take a bite of it as often because the treasures taste so good.   When that happens, you may find that the little treasures suddenly get replaced with big troubles and the Treasure seems hidden beneath them.  But if you will look past the troubles, you'll find the Treasure and as you move the troubles over just a little, you can get to it again.   And, once again the more you taste the Treasure the bigger it gets. 

The troubles never disappear completely or forever, but they do seem to get lost amongst lots of little treasures as long as you stay focused on and loyal to the One True Treasure right in the center of the box!

Life is like a box of troubles and treasures.  Sometimes you look back and realize that some of those things that you thought were troubles were really little treasures!  They led you straight to the One True Treasure in the center of the box!  And maybe they even spilled over in the boxes of others and helped them discover their Treasure too!

This Christmas season, I've heard lots of "trouble" stories.  There have been a lot of really bad tasting troubles all around the people I care the most about.  I am still trying to force down a couple of little "troubles" of my own, but I am trying to take a taste of the Treasure between every bite.

Despite all of the pain, sadness, crime, sickness and other troubles, there is a Treasure alive and well in the world today.  He came to us as a tiny baby--poor and unknown.  He was barely noticed by most and no one seemed to care.  Only God knew that the tiny hands and feet of that perfectly innocent child, would one day be nailed to a Cross to save a world of "trouble seekers" that didn't deserve it.  The amazing thing is that He didn't have to do it, but He did.  Even more amazing, He would have done it even if there was only one of us to save.   It really is that personal. 

Jesus is always right there ready and waiting to be a part of our box of troubles and treasures.  All we have to do is open our box and let Him in! 

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are acheiving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Jesus, help us through our troubles.   Let us not skip over a single one if it will bring You glory.  We know that you are all-knowing, all-loving, all-powerful.  You are our Wonderful Counselor, our Prince of Peace and our Treasure in the darkness.  We praise Your Holy Name for it is Powerful.   Thank you for coming as a baby and suffering on the cross.  We want our lights to shine for You this CHRISTmas! Amen