GOODWILL OR TRASH! 3/30/09

Recently I experienced a process called 'Goodwill or trash'. I admit spring cleaning always is reduced to 'Goodwill or trash' and I would think nothing of it. But now I view it differently. Perhaps through this weeks discussion, you also will view it in a different light.
THE PIANO!
At the beginning of our marriage, we bought an old up-right piano for $50.00. We cleaned it up and discovered it had a great sound. Jim learned to sing bass with that old piano. My friend Connie, needed more room and I offered to store her spinet for a while. I gave the old up-right to my sister Jean and began to use Connie’s spinet. When Connie decided she wanted her piano back Jim and I began to look for another used piano. We looked and looked and one day we walked into a new piano store. Big mistake! I wanted the grand piano sound and new the up-rights had that so that was where our attention was, until we spied a beautiful Baldwin console. The finish was walnut and it had the ‘acrosonic’ touch. I could feel my heart pounding and my palms perspiring. All the signs of desire were there but I wanted that baby grand sound. The salesman took us into a room that had an up-right, studio and console in it. They were all new! We played them all. The console had the same beautiful quality of sound that the up-right had. It had the same character and general affect that a baby grand would have. I was thrilled! Jim liked the piano also and so it wasn’t difficult to convince him that if he bought this piano for me I would never ask for anything else. Ever! Of course that lasted only for a while!

The morning the piano was delivered, my neighbor Anita, Jim and I were standing at the door waiting for it to come into our living room. I already had arranged the furniture! Again my heart was pounding and my palms were perspiring. After the delivery men left we three just stood there grinning from ear to ear. They were happy for me and I was ecstatic! The piano had only been in place a few seconds when Jennifer, 2 years old took her place at the left front of the piano. Danny, 3 years old took his place at the right front of the piano. Jennifer standing on her tip toes, placed her mouth on the front edge and as on cue Danny did the same thing on the right and they sunk their teeth, simultaneously, into my brand new, newly delivered piano. Surely, I must have screamed and could have squashed them right then and there.

I am sure the shed tears and the feeling of exasperation must have subsided somewhere between then and now because I love to tell this story and remember how precious those teeth marks have been. Danny now owns this piano and of course his boys have made their marks upon this once beautiful and cherished console piano.

We have and will always want things. Things that make our hearts pound and give us sweaty palms. Things that can be damaged, get old, become rotten and eventually decay. Many of us are called ‘pack rats’ because we like to accumulate stuff even when we can’t use it or even if it doesn’t work anymore. I still love remembering, wanting that piano and after it became damaged goods, I cherished it all the more. However, I could still give it away and I did, to Danny!

We are all familiar with Matthew 6 where in verse 19-20, Jesus says; "Do not lay up treasures upon earth, because they will just become moth infested, rusty and even stolen. Instead lay up your treasures in heaven where they are safe for evermore". The reason is found in verse 21; "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". In Matthew 19, Jesus is telling the people that they must keep the commandments in order to enter life with Him. The rich young ruler says I have done this, what else am I lacking? In verse 21 Jesus says; "If you wish to be complete you must go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me!" Don’t wait until you are in your last days to begin storing up your treasures in heaven. Don’t wait! Start today, for your treasures will increase in value as you live each day for Christ. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 6/9/08