Treasures, Temporary & Eternal
"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 moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and
steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
I have always had trouble with money. I like to spend it. And I tend to be rather impulsive. Case in point came when Tim
and I were on our honeymoon. We went on a cruise to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas. During our first hours on
the ship we were given a tour of the restaurants, pools, clubs, gym, lifeboats and, my favorite, the spa. Tim and I had
already decided on a loose budget for the trip, and I had decided that I would be visiting the spa during our stay. While
touring the spa we heard a promotion for this European treatment for -gasp!- cellulite! This treatment was so innovative
that at the time it was not yet approved for use in the United States, so we had to wait until we were out to sea before
the spa mavens could begin appointments. Through the miracle of electronic currents one could actually lose inches in a
matter of minutes! I was hooked. I made appointments for both the spa teaser (three mini treatments for the price of one
full treatment) and the cellulite treatment.
When I went in for the cellulite zap the spa lady handed me paper underwear and a sheet of paper that listed the three
levels of cellulite intensity. As I was standing there in nothing but disposable granny-pannies she asked me to pick which
category I fell into. I picked the first - the least amount. I knew that I had some noticeable cellulite, but I had no
problem with strutting around in my bathing suit in public. With a look of pity, she told me no, I did not fall into the
first category, rather, I fell somewhere in between the middle group and the last, most extreme,
never-go-in-public-without-pants category. I was mortified. She then took my measurements with a measuring tape. As I
was still reeling from her assessment, I did not notice how loosely she held the tape around my stomach, waist and thighs.
I then lay down on the table and she proceeded to smear my stomach and thighs with warm goo before sending low-voltage
shocks into my body. While I was enduring this beauty torture she began to launch into sales mode, touting the necessity
of their spa's vitamins, exfoliants, creams, gels and scrubby brushes. For only $1,500 I could maintain my cellulite loss
at home. What a bargain! I declined to buy all the extras, although I did break down and get the scrubby brush. When
the zapping was over, the lady took my measurements again to assess inches lost. After squeezing the tape as tight as it
would go, she announced that I had lost an amazing 19 inches! Wow! I felt skinnier as I went to join my husband for
dinner. The total for my brief stay in the cruise ship spa? $350.00.
A few days later Tim and I were exploring the shops of St. Thomas and we went into a duty-free jewelry shop. Under the
glass of the jewelry case I saw the most gorgeous emerald-cut blue topaz and diamond in platinum setting ring. It would
have been so beautiful on the tanned ring finger of my right hand. This ring was very similar to an engagement ring my
grandmother had been given by her first husband who was killed in World War II. It was a beautiful ring, and I desperately
wanted to have it. The price tag? $350.00.
I came home from the cruise with a tan and funny memories of that spa. But I left that beautiful ring in St. Thomas. You
see, I had already spent my allotted amount on those spa treatments. It has been over three years now, and there have been
many times that I have thought about how nice it would be to have that ring. I could have had a beautiful, tangible
reminder of my honeymoon. A treasured possession that I could have worn and even passed on to my daughter someday.
Instead I just have a silly story about a rather uncomfortable spa experience.
So many times in life we choose the quick-fix, the immediate gratification, and we hastily give away our money, our time
and worse, our precious hearts and bodies. We soon find out that the fleeting satisfaction is not worth the cost, and we
want a refund. Fortunately, life can have a different outcome than my spa-and-ring story. We don't have to live with that
regret forever, because we can choose to make a new start, to begin practicing self-control today, so that we protect our
valuable "assets." You see, there is a priceless treasure that far outweighs the worth of any piece of jewelry - that
treasure is you! And who knows what wonderful surprise awaits you down the road? You won't know until you get there, so
keep your valuables close to your heart until then.
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