Keeping count for Mother's Day

Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Treasure.  It's something we count, store up, focus on, lay aside and keep coming back to.  And gradually, your heart follows, becomes like that thing that you treasure, keep track of.  That thing we place value on, our value, our worth.  As it's Mother's Day, I consider that we treasure our children, I need to treasure more the little moments- smiles, hugs, moments of sacrifice and service, expressions of love.  Sometimes, do we treasure more the "good behavior" of our children then our children themselves or place our sense of worth on the balance, the count of their obedience, cheerfulness, goodness vs their bad attitudes, messes, disobedience and feel like that balance is always coming up short of what we dream, desire for them, for us?  I know I don't want my sins counted against me and am so thankful that my Father not only doesn't keep count but sees me as perfect, altogether lovely, washed white and remembers my sins NO more!!

Some that I treasure most

    I've begun exchanging my treasure, replacing those counted failures, stored wounds with tellings, retellings, sightings of God at work, breaking through, setting free.  I'm in the process of recognizing what was in my treasure box and replacing it with that which really has value, that in which I want my heart to follow. To see and draw out the treasure, the value in others - because the heart will follow.  We maybe have little treasure boxes attached to all of our relationships - things we store up, recount...and our heart follows, reflects in that relationship the things we've hallowed, set apart.  I want to store up the beautiful.  Those things that are lovely, praiseworthy, excellent, of good report.  Then, what will my heart feel?  What will my heart reflect in my day to day and in my relationships.  If all around me, I look for, count, recount, treasure the truth, goodness and beauty of God, of others, of the situations He gives just to express his love, put a smile on my face and those that are purposed to draw me in, bring me to my knees, to surrender and dependence, to learn to be an overcomer...then my heart will expand like a flower breaking out into full bloom - it's like feeding and watering the beauty, truth and goodness inside and allowing the full expression of it to burst for in glorious day, fullness of joy.
    And. of course, there is that Highest Treasure, Great Reward Himself, storing up faith in Him, absolute trust, reliance and counting, recounting the works of His hands, the revelations and promises He gives, the sustenance and hope...Gen. 15:1 After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”


Jesus, Priceless Treasure
1 Jesus, priceless treasure,
source of purest pleasure,
friend most sure and true:
long my heart was burning,
fainting much and yearning,
thirsting, Lord, for you.
Yours I am, O spotless Lamb,
so will I let nothing hide you,
seek no joy beside you!

2 Let your arms enfold me:
those who try to wound me
cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking,
every heart be quaking,
Jesus calms my fear.
Fires may flash and thunder crash;
yea, though sin and hell assail me,
Jesus will not fail me.

3 Hence, all worldly treasure!
Jesus is my pleasure,
Jesus is my choice.
Hence, all empty glory!
What to me your story
told with tempting voice?
Pain or loss or shame or cross
shall not from my Savior move me,
since he chose to love me.


4          Banish thoughts of sadness,
for the Lord of gladness,
Jesus, enters in;
though the clouds may gather,
those who love the Savior
still have peace within.
Though I bear much sorrow here,
still in you lies purest pleasure,
Jesus, priceless treasure!
Psalter Hymnal, 1987Story behind the hymn
Jesus, Priceless Treasure- beautiful rendition