Sometimes we experience grief to an unnecessary degree by getting too attached to the blessing, and forgetting the Source of the blessing.
  Seven-year-old Cody and his brother, five-year-old Jack recently experienced this lesson when they began to take as their right, what was actually a bonus. Their friend is my neighbor, so they generally had a few minutes--20 minutes to a half-hour--to play together after school before their mother or dad would pick them up. A few times, the parent was there when the bus arrived, or shortly after, and they rebelled. They wanted to stay and play; they tried to take something as their own from the hand of the giver. Instead of considering each day of play as a gift from a loving parent and being grateful to the parent, they ( in their own minds), were the "owners" of the extra play time, and the parent was cruel for wrenching it away from them.
   Help me, Father, to remember that I am the owner of nothing but my own will and attitude, and that every good thing in "my" life is a gift from You!

Saving your life

It's amazing how many people, as Jesus said, try to "save" their life, and in the process lose it. We have seen so many who have lived long, full lives serving others, and in the older years have treasures to show for it. Others have reversed the process, and have expected others to serve them, but in the end are lonely, miserly, tormented, and fearful. In the end, they have no treasures--their "treasures" have them.

The holy heart that God wants to give each child of His, is the greatest treasure that one could ever have, and in the end, it gives the best both ways--if you have the treasure of a holy life, it also has you: it surrounds, indwells, saturates, comforts and carries you into eternal life with rejoicing.