Why Groundhog's Day Made Me Cry. . .

Don't save treasures for yourselves here on earth. Moths and rust will destroy treasures here on earth. And thieves can break into your house and steal the things you have. So save your treasure in heaven. The treasures in heaven cannot be destroyed by moths or rust. And thieves cannot break in and steal that treasure. Your heart will be where your treasure is. Matthew 6:19-21

This verse gets directly to the point. . . do not store up and save treasures on earth. I think this verse has become lost in our society. So many people are in the rat race to make money to buy more stuff. They are in pursuit of being better than the next person. Their days are consumed with activities that revolve around their jobs or income producing activities. Why?

Everyone is looking for what will make their life happier here on earth. Money seems to be most people's answer to happiness. They will be happier when they can have that new car or that new house. . . or that lifestyle that matches their friends. If they do not have that lifestyle, then they may not be respected or maybe they will no longer feel accepted into their peer group. Is that what true friendship and happiness really looks like? 

The verse goes on to tell us that the treasures can be destroyed here on earth. We begin to place value on what we have here on earth and place our worth in comparison to what assets we have or what we want people to think we have. People work so hard to earn money and spend countless hours working to put money in their bank account so they can pay the bills each month or the credit cards . . . what are we paying for? Are we paying for our future on earth or our future in heaven? 

It's hard not to get caught up in the treasure hunt with social media flashing the perfect people and lives in front us of all the time. . . are those "friends" really living those lives they portray on social media? I'm living this rat race with you all. . . I have been there and still there having to balance a budget each month. But I have had my eyes opened to what is left behind when loved ones move on to their eternal home with Jesus. 

I have cleaned out apartments, closets, garages, and houses over the past five years. My loved ones did not take their "treasures" with them when they were called to heaven. Through the years of shuffling "treasures" around and organizing and having garage sales, I have come to realize it is not the "treasures" of material things that I treasure the most from the family members that are no longer here on earth. . . it's the lessons they taught me to make me a better person, it is the moments that we had together that helped me become the person I am, it is the love that they showed me, and the time we spent together. 

Grief is a funny thing. . . it is the smallest moments that you did not even know that mattered that sneak up on you at the most unexpected time. Groundhog's Day. . . who would think that would be a day that I would do an ugly cry because my mom was not here? But my mom was an elementary teacher for thirty three years and taught about the significance of Groundhog's Day in the curriculum. My mom was aware of the importance of providing children with experiences and knowledge. My mom wanted us to have experiences, and she wanted her grandchildren to have the same. 

When my mom passed away in November 2013, it was a sudden unexpected death and has been hard at times. Yes, the holidays were hard, but I geared up and prepared myself for those days. But who would have thought that I needed to prepare for Groundhog's Day? Well, the first Groundhog's Day  arrived after losing my mom, and we all got up and got ready for our  normal school day. . . kids at school, and I was tending to my mom duties at the time and Daniel at work . . . then it hit me so hard. . . I had sent my kids off to school without any knowledge of it being Groundhog's Day. I lost it. . . I mean I completely lost it and had a long ugly cry. . . mom fail moment for me and missing my mom so much at that moment! This was a treasure my mom had left behind, and I did not know it was even a treasure until she was not here anymore. 

See. . . my mom would call the night before and remind me to discuss Groundhog's Day with my boys. She did not want them to go off to school without knowing what day it was or without knowing what the Groundhog saw. She wanted her grandchildren to be able to discuss the current event of the day. Well, the first Groundhog's Day without my mom was the first real moment that I realized the legacy she had left behind. She left behind ways to provide for others and the importance of investing in others. . . my mom stored up her treasures in her family, and we hold on to those treasures daily. . . they have not been destroyed and they have not been lost. . . they are heavenly reminders and whispers I hear all the time . . . they are my mom's treasures she stored up for heaven. . .  and they are in our hearts. 

What are you storing up on earth? Can your treasures be destroyed or will you take them with you to heaven where you can place them in your loved one's heart when they need it the most? What will your family treasure the most when you are in heaven? 

1 Timothy 6:17-19Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

God calls us to love on one another and to invest our time in others while on earth. He does not want us to put our hope on earthly wealth or riches of earthly materials and accomplishments. God wants us to go out and bring people to Him and give them hope through Him.

Groundhog's Day was not about grieving my mom and crying because my mom was not here anymore. . . it was about realizing the heavenly treasures my mom had stored up in all of us. Of course, she enjoyed her heavenly materials . . . she loved her antiques and a home that she could fill with family, but she did not put her worth and hope in these earthly things. She loved Jesus, and she loved investing her love into her students and family.

Groundhog's Day to me is a reminder that we leave our legacy by loving on others and letting them see Jesus through us and not the importance of storing up earthly possessions.

While we are discussing Groundhog's Day, this Louisiana girl would appreciate it if the groundhog would not see his shadow. . . bring on spring time and forget this winter cold!

Bring on new life!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17