There was an old sitcom with the words, “Movin’ on up to the East side, to a deluxe apartment in the sky. Movin’ on up to the east side we finally got a piece of the pie.” I am sure I am aging myself with that but as I am getting older I find myself singing, “Movin’ on up, up to Heaven. To that bright mansion in the sky. What will I find when I get there? Laying up treasures now on high.”
We just bought a house. Yeah, yeah, I know at my age I will probably not live long enough to see it paid off. Why do we need a house at our age? I have heard it all. I figure we can leave it to our boys to fight over when we make our final move home. There is just something about sitting in your own house, in your own backyard. I never thought I would see the day my husband actually enjoyed doing yard work. We first bought a tractor to cut our tiny yard and of course it was way too big, but he always wanted one which he promptly sold to our son who can certainly use it on his big backyard. My thought process is that this is the last place we will ever live, so make it good and get everything we want. I have my fireplace, we got central air put in (you know a southern gal needs her central AC), and we plan to put a pool in for next summer. All we need now is a porch. The more we are at this house, the more we like it. It is perfect for old people – no stairs. I have a sewing room that is great.
I have learned something during this process, though – I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER move while I am living ever again. OH boy was it hard. We are not as young as we once were. I didn’t think we would make it and get completely moved. Thanks to my son Matthew, his friends Ian, and Matt, and Dan, as well as Ted, and Stan and Kathy who supplied our meal when we were so tired, and praise God we finally got it all moved. How two old people could have so much stuff. Of course, most of it was my fabric stash and sewing stuff. You can never have too much fabric.
As I was sitting in my living room one night I thought, here we are laying up treasures on earth and it will all be destroyed one day. How much treasure do I lay up in Heaven? It has been on my heart lately that I don’t get to witness to anyone. I work from home, I never see anyone except when I go to church on Sundays. I try to put a witness on social media almost daily but most of my friends are Christians. I try to talk to people when I go out to eat or shop, but is that enough? When I make that move to the sky, what treasures will I have laid up in Heaven?
Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth ad dust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”
I may not have the advantage of witnessing to others physically daily, but treasures in Heaven can be laid up by giving to the needy in secret (That thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which seeth in secrete himself shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:4), and praying in secret for someone (But you, when you pray go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6). No one has to go to Heaven without any treasures. All of us can pray for others, can spare some money for others. A great example of this selfless giving is my friend, Denise Peasley. She gave us flowers for a house-warming gift. Totally unexpected, but oh so appreciated. Unpacking can be overwhelming at times then she shows up with flowers. What a wonderful thing to do and it surely made my day.
When we were younger, my husband and I would drop groceries and things off for people in secret. We would leave them on the porch with no sign or card. Laying up treasures can be fun at times. I don’t say this to toot our own horn, but to challenge you to look for people you can be a blessing to. Let’s start a movement and start looking for others we can bless in secret. Even if we just look for people we can pray for and ask God to richly bless them that day. We can lay up treasures in Heaven by blessing others. Believe me, I have been on the receiving end and it is great to know that someone is thinking of you.
