todd: Grandma turned 89...

"What pearls of wisdom do you have from your 89 years of life for all of us" my mother-in-law asked my aged grandmother at the end of her birthday dinner on Monday night. Quickly, and without pause she said,

"I spent too much time caring about stuff that really doesn't matter. It's funny, I spent so much time worrying about things like taking care of my house, and making sure things were preserved and in good order. It all doesn't seem to matter now. I don't have most of the things I use to care so much about. Looking back now, I can clearly see what matters most is your relationship with God, and of course my family, and good friends."

Way to go grandma...I was blessed to hear your pearls of wisdom. Perhaps Christ's words are most appropriate, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NASB)

Funny thing is...my grandma is the most non-material person I know. She is frugal and doesn't care about name brands, or status items. Rather, she went without in many cases. I still remember helping her go through her stuff before she moved to Redding to live with us. I was amazed at the number of everyday items she had that were wedding presents from the 1940's! I never heard her complain once.

So if my grandma says she spent too much time caring about stuff that doesn't matter, the rest of us are in trouble.