Finding Treasures

A pretentious, showy life is an empty life;    a plain and simple life is a full life (Proverbs 13:7)

Yesterday Daniel, Cecelia and I went on a treasure hunt.  Really.  There is this great activity that's been around for the past 12 years or so called "geocaching."  It's an online community of "treasure hunters."  Treasures are placed all over the world by members of the community, who then log the location by latitude and longitude.  Treasure hunters find the hidden caches by using their GPS.  The "treasures" aren't valuable in a monetary sense.  Sometimes there is nothing but a piece of paper to sign in on.  Sometimes there are little coins or other inexpensive trinkets.  Yesterday, Cecelia found a seashell necklace.  Whenever you take a treasure, you are required to leave one of equal or more value.  We left a rope necklace with a little olive wood cross on it.  If you are interested in more details, go to www.geocaching.com.

These days it seems to take a lot to entertain us.  We have so much technology.  And kids are getting harder and harder to excite.  But what a wonderful time we had yesterday and we only used a little gas to treasure hunt right here in the little town of Lincolnton!

If we are not careful, we will lose our ability to be amazed.  We can see the world from our couches on our IPads so why bother going anywhere?  But the most beautiful images on our screen can't beat the incredible sunset we see from our own front porch.  The rush you get from the most realistic XBox game can't beat the joy of tracking down and finding a homemade seashell necklace.  Sometimes we get so sucked into virtual reality, that we forget the wonders of real, true reality.

Reconnect with the simple things in life.  Commit to enjoying nature for a period of time each day.  Take a walk at lunch time.  If you can't get around well, just sit outside for a while and listen to the birds and watch the squirrels.  The simple things really are the best.  And they are usually free.

Father,

Thank you for a beautiful world.  Thank you for birds and sunsets and trees.  Thank you for treasures of all kinds.  Amen.