Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Pickers...

Do you ever watch the American Pickers?

We get such a kick out of watching Mike & Frank as they head down the road in their van to find 'whatever is next'... They get into old barns, houses or warehouses with their flashlights, they don't know what they are going to find till they start digging.

What a great adventure!

It's a little like when we head to Canton every month. Canton is a gigantic antique and decorators market about an hour from where we live. The first time I ever went there, I was about 7 or 8 months pregnant with our first child. We've been going there ever since. We have found so many neat things through the years. My husband always thinks of it as a giant Easter egg hunt for adults!

Isn't life like that sometimes? There are treasures to be found, often in unlikely places.

Sometimes it's as simple as meeting someone in the grocery store, and the unplanned conversation becomes a quick blessing to both of us...

Maybe it's lending a hand or baking a casserole to give a neighbor or friend who is having a hard time...

or... like Mike and Frank... sometimes a treasure is only found after you dig a little deeper, and then make a discovery that comes as a real surprise. Often with me, it's the reaching out to someone that I might have hurried past at another time, and this time the words exchanged had a sweetness and blessing that was like a gift, and often it's right in those conversations that God opens the door for some real heart sharing.


I know that when 'the pickers' find a rusty piece that is hidden in an unlikely spot... sometimes it turns out to be even more than the treasure they were hoping for.

How many times have you opened your Bible and found not only a good word for the day, but more than you even hoped for, it spoke to a specific situation, and something that confirmed an answer, or just made your heart sing?

I want to think of this journey of life in the same way... heading out into each new day with hope and anticipation. Some days will yield very little, others will be disappointing, but some will hold treasures that we didn't even dream of...



Proverbs 2:1-5




"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."



14 comments:

GwendolynKay said...

Hi Sonja,
I have never seen that show, but can appreciate a good find. You have prompted me to get my bible out today and read it.
Blessings~

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Oh great, great post...with you on stepping out to a stranger and the blessings that come. I will have to check out this video and I will remember to treasure hunt each day.

Such a good word to keep us looking for the hidden treasures God has for us each day...we just need the eyes to see.

Now I must go to Canton again....but it is just toooooooooooo hot! Maybe I can find some treasures for the house. Such childhood memories when I get there and love ones buried in that cemetery...so just the memories make it worth the trip...the treasures that open up in my mind.

Anonymous said...

I always enjoy discovering a scripture I never noticed before, or one that suddenly is clear in its meaning that I missed in previous readings. Great post!

Cindy (Letters from Midlife)

NanaNor's said...

Hi Sonja, Such a good post-great analogy! We love American Pickers, watching Mike and Frank uncover incredible treasures; yes God's word is just like that. We have a family member who is a hoarder and we always think they should go to his house and take everything away. Canton sounds incredible-never been there but I remember antiquing several times in New England and everything was so cheap but we never bought anything because we didn't have a way to get it home. Thanks for this post dear one.
Blessings, Noreen

Debbie said...

What a wonderful anaolgy you have presented here...I have never seen that show, but I will watch for it now as it does sound good. How we do need to watch for our treasures, as they really are all around us...I want to go to Canton's..it sounds wonderful! Have a good day! HUGS

Debbie Petras said...

Love this! We never know what each day will hold for us. The Lord often has treasures for us and yet are we too busy to notice at times?

Love you,
Debbie

Nancy said...

You have just reminded me with this post to always keep an open mind and heart as we journey each day because you never know what God has around the corner......He never disappoints and always goes beyond what we can image.......

Thank you

Maryann said...

I love keeping my eye out for "treasures". What I have to watch for is that I may be so hurried or task oriented that I miss them. This is a good remnder to me to be more intentional, more sensitive to his leading so I don't miss those "treasures"

Debbie said...

This is a wonderful analogy. I wouldn't have thought of it. So many times, I have been the scripture picker and found that buried treasure in the Bible. In fact, it's one of my very, very favorite things to do.

And with people? I've never thought about it either, but some of my favorite people were once buried treasure, too.

This was wonderful. I really do love the way you think.

Beth Herring said...

love finding those hidden treasures in God's Word.

Felisol said...

I've never heard about The Pickers, but I am a picker by heart, so I guess I'd find it most entertaining.

My Bible sure is a treasure chest. It also (at least to me) functions this way, the more I need a special word, the surer I can be I'll find it, like God stood by my side and spoke to me.
Which is actually just what He is doing after His promises.
Shame on me for not going treasure hunting more often.

Just Be Real said...

NO I have never seen it. But, I do want to thank you always for your encouraging words. Blessings.

Kathleen said...

Oh yes! I do love a treasure, AND a bargain. Sometimes I think I'd like to investigate garage sales, or rummage through Rummage Stores. And I'm always looking for some way to turn a coupon into a "steal". I do the happy dance every time I think I've actually scored.

I love the way you've tied this to our journey in the Lord. Isn't it often the way: the little things turn out to be great adventures, even treasures. But only when we look for them ....

Hugs,
Kathleen

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh dear Sonja,

Your words of reflection ring so true for me, and I was just telling my husband yesterday about how I feel that I am getting younger, IN MY MIND...let's NOT discuss my aching back! teeeheee

BUT GOD, HIS SPIRIT, HIS WORD and HIS GRACE in our lives gives us the gift to want these treasures, to seek, to find, to EMBRACE and BEHOLD them and then to KNOW they are from Him. It always confirms to me that HE exists for the sheer fact that we human beings need something outside ourselves and the ONLY thing that satisfies is the TRUTH of God. THANK YOU for this uplifting post, and for coming to see me and liking MY quote. Everyone loves the photos I select...YEAH! But I hope that one day, my words will tell what is in my heart and what is led by His grace in me. Thank you for embracing me.

Anita