Tiny Treasures

It’s always during this time of year that I become a reflective person. Or shall I say an abnormally reflective person. I think we all do to some degree. After all, this is the holiday season and I think we just can’t help but get a little sentimental and hopeful. When I think of all the things that I have, and all of the things that many other people don’t, it causes me to stop and pause. Those things in my life, material or otherwise, are often taken for granted. And I’m the guilty party here folks. Are you the same?

I heard this term the other day: tiny treasures. I loved it. It was used in the context of trying to recognize tiny treasures throughout each day so that we can acknowledge that Jesus is very much a part of our lives. That He strategically plants these tiny treasures in our days. It really made me think of all of the little things in life that make me a happy person, a successful person, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a co-worker who hopefully makes work life a little better, a neighbor. All of these “positions” that I have in life are impacted by tiny treasures.

So given that I’m an uber-reflective person right now, and Jesus has seemingly tasked me with searching for the tiny treasures in my life, I thought that I would make a mental treasure chest with all of them as I come across them. Here is what I’ve come up with so far:

Independence – I love that I’m an independent person. I crave alone time and could honestly spend days by myself and I’d be okay. And it means that when I do spend time with people, it’s a conscious choice and heartfelt desire of mine. And it’s a way that I can let people know that they are tiny treasures in my life. I have spent the last couple of days shopping and running errands by myself. I loved it. I love that I can just create a plan and execute it with a scary level of precision.

My love for cooking – I love cooking. A lot of people really can’t cook, or at least they don’t have the desire to cook. For me, it’s a way to release energy, be creative, and serve others. I love being adventurous in the kitchen. I love trying new things. And even if they don’t turn out so great, that’s part of the fun. With my new job, I don’t get to cook as much because of the travel, so now it is an absolute treasure to spend time in the kitchen. I don’t take it for granted at all. How can I when it makes me so happy?

Seasonal coffee creamer – this makes my mornings better, period. How can you go wrong with fair trade coffee that supports orphans (http://www.justlovecoffee.com/teamhuss), coupled with spiced pumpkin, sugar & spice, caramel apple, or white chocolate raspberry creamer? It’s heaven in a coffee mug, and an absolute treasure. I miss this when I travel. And if I’m not at home, a gingerbread latte from Starbucks will do just fine, thank you. But you get the idea, seasonal tastes are sensational!

Bible study with a blanket – I love nothing more on a Saturday morning then to grab a cup of coffee (see point above) and sit on the oversized chair beneath my window and do my Bible study, curled up with a comfy blanket and a cuddly fat cat. It’s probably the most relaxed that I ever am in life. Me, Jesus, Kenna, and coffee = bliss. These moments never go unnoticed and are definitely in my treasure chest.

Friend time – I am very careful about not taking my friends for granted. I consciously make an effort to spend time with the people who are important to me, and I am forever grateful that I have so many amazing people in my life. They are tiny treasures that have been dropped off by Jesus in every aspect of my life. And when I get to experience special moments with them, well, I am just thankful with every ounce of my being.

The sun and the moon – have you ever been so impressed by a sunrise, or sunset, or the moon, that you want to tell every person that you see to look at it? Lately I’ve been noticing them more than usual. God doesn’t have to make them beautiful, but He does. I think He must like to see us just stare up at the sky at the marvels that He creates. What a simple and beautiful way to get the attention of His people. Just remember to acknowledge Him next time this happens :-)

A short line – especially during the holiday season, we need to be thankful for short lines. I always seem to notice when I have to wait in an extraordinarily long line, but I’m going to try and be better about noticing the short ones too. And then be thankful for them. Because long lines make people grouchy, and we certainly don’t need any more grouchy people around at the holidays!

So there you have it, my mental treasure chest, with just some of the many tiny treasures that I have recognized in my life. And I try to add to that treasure chest each and every day, and throughout the day. I have found that if I take the time to acknowledge little things in my life that are going right, they really do add up, and the bad things don’t seem so bad after all.

I encourage you to retrain your thinking. Retrain how you look at each day and search for the tiny treasures that are hidden amongst your daily routine. Be thankful for all green lights when you’re in a hurry, or a perfectly baked cake. Or a moment when you experienced Jesus. They probably happen more often than you realize. And they are life’s tiny treasures.