She brought IT. Oh my. Beth started by reading Luke 2 to us from the Message. You would do well to go and read it right now before reading the rest of this post. THEN she threw down the questions:
What if this happened to be a different kind of Christmas? What’s it really like to truly treasure something? Mary treasured. (Luke 2)
The title of her session was: Rediscovering the lost art of Treasure
syntereo- to hold or treasure up, to guard, keep, to preserve it, keep safe, close. To protect, to preserve of, guard. (I know I missed other meanings to this fabulous word.. cause my mouth was WIDE open in awe)
First light smack upside my head: We are loosing the art of treasuring.
I know, right? We are. Too much of everything we have to share online and via text and the Twitter and etc… (and she did say that she loves them all.. as do I.. but some things are just down right sacred and are to be treasured.. to be only held tightly between you and God.)
Brace yourself for the list:
1. There are treasures out there.
2. They’re not my treasures until they make it past my defenses. (ouch)
- it’s not about the amazement its’ about the treasure..BUT, Mary treasured, preserved, guarded.. oh heavens.
- Treasures are for storing up – it’s never just intellectual, it’s emotional as well. (She went on to talk about BIRGing, which means basking in reflected glory. i.e., sports, groupies, celebrities)
3. Treasures strung together bring healing – Beth took us back to Luke 2:49-52 . Jesus asks his parents why they were looking for him.. he asks them, didn’t you know? “But they did not understand what he was saying to them.” Luke 2:50
- understand is the greek word “suniemi” which in the Greek Lexicon means:
- to put (as it were) the perception with the thing perceived, to set or join together in the mind, i.e. to understand: the man of understanding.
- The comprehending activity of the mind denoted by suniemi entails the assembling of (and then I lost her… you can check Lexical aids for the definition)
- She took us to Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” and reminded us all that we don’t have to have all the puzzle pieces. I just need a few. God has the rest, I just need a few. Beth spoke to sweet Angie Smith , fellow blogger, precious woman of God and author of I Will Carry You and went on to talk about how many of us who learn how to treasure receive healing. You must go read Angie’s story if you don’t know… must. Are you ready for this statement from Beth? Hold on, ready? If we never learn how to treasure then all we are left with is the obvious. Who it the world wants the obvious??? WHO, I ask you?
4. Our treasure gets lost in the same trash as our time. (wowzers)
- It takes time to treasure.
- What does your page look like? Do you have margin?
- One of the purest things this culture takes from us is the art of meditation.
- It takes time to think beyond the obvious.
- Where there is no margin there is no treasure. (I literally could have stopped here and been slayed for days…. but no.. she kept going!!)
5. We’ll miss our most expensive treasure if we look past the hardship and pain.
- If we look forward to the next easy streak, we’ll miss the treasures of the darkness.
- Luke 2:34 – “Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against.”
- If you hold someone close enough to you, take down your guard and tender yourself to them, a sword that strikes them will pierce your own soul too;
- When we hold everyone at arms length, we miss the true treasure.
- Part of your grief is the testament to love.
- Beth shared the story of loosing her father (her relationship with her father was strained and not full of a great many treasures) and she found herself alone with him in the hospital room stroking his hand… not remembering many moments that she did hold his hand. (I lost it… it took me back to loosing my dad so young and not remembering that he told me he loved me very often and then I immediately went to being in the room alone with my late husband after he passed away.. bittersweet treasure moments)
- She took us to 2 Kings 24:13, Luke 2:41-52 as well as to the word sunodia which means caravan, traveling party, journeymen…
6. When you feel like you have lost the treasure, look for Jesus. In Him is hidden all the treasures.
- Jesus has all the puzzle pieces and He has had them all since He was 12.
I still can’t get her message to me out of my head. It’s a season of treasuring around here. Lots of “lasts” going on around me. My last two sweet ones are headed off to college next year and I just completed the first semester of the first one’s freshman year at Auburn. Lots of lasts and lots of firsts and I’m treasuring every moment. Not looking forward, not looking behind, just treasuring.
Tell me… What are you treasuring this Christmas? Are you doing things differently?
I’ll be giving away two Therapon travel packs to 2 lucky commenter types! Cause I am loving me some Theraderm and want to share the love!!! 
(I purchased them myself and am in no way gaining anything but happiness by giving them away..) I’ll draw randomly Saturday, December 18, 2010 at noon.
So, go ahead.. tell me what you are treasuring!
This Christmas I am treasuring a visit with my parents. We found out 2 weeks ago they will be moving from North AL to Tallahassee, FL. Instead of a last minute weekend trip to their house, we will now have to make more planned trips and as frequently. It's bitter sweet, but a complete God thing.
Praying that this Christmas is a precious one for all of you. So excited for this new chapter in their lives!
I am treasuring the time I have with my oldest son who just turned 18. He has joined the Navy and will be going off to Boot Camp in June which is in Great Lakes IL, then he will be off to Pensacola FL. From there only God knows where he will go to service our country. Chase has overcome many challanges in life, he has tested my every mother fiber I have but what a true blessing and treasure he has been in my life. I am so proud of him. I have try not to think about the moment when he leaves as my boy knowing that he will come back as a man. So as you said Dedra I am " Not looking forward, not looking behind, just treasuring" .
Praying over your momma heart! Can't wait to see what God has in store for him and how the Navy will help him share his gifts!! So exciting but also scary for you momma. I love you a ton girl!
This year I am treasuring my great big beautiful family. I am so blessed to have my parents and my 7 brothers and sisters in my life. We will spend Christmas Day together – laughing, crying and "treasuring" one another.
Thank you for your beautiful comments regarding Beth Moore's talk in B'ham. It was one of the most meaningful "events' I have ever attended and I got to treasure it with my sweet sister, Angela.
You and Angela are so blessed with a rich heritage!! Have a beautiful Christmas and sprinkle some of that treasuring around.
I will definitely share the "treasuring" message. Thank you for this beautiful blog. I am looking forward to more and more messages. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your precious family.
I am treasuring the message of Christmas. It BLEW ME AWAY when she read it in the Message, so I am trying to study it in any translation I can get my hands on this year and really looking for all the hidden treasures within!
(I also treasure your friendship and the fact that I learned all this beautiful stuff by your side!)
His Word rocks and so do you friend. Time together + His Word = lifetime treasure. Thank you for coming to Birmingham.
Oh, what a word. The move hurt so much, I’ve fallen back into guarding my heart too much, even from Jesus. But these last two weeks, He’s been gently leading me back. One of the ways is by His sweet revelation that He was born Emmanuel, and He is *still* Emmanuel, God WITH me!
rachwinn recently posted…Boys first Christmas Choir
This is beautiful. To treasure something is to hold it in complete caution as in a treasured antique piece irreplaceable. (careful to not break it)
Why do we not see our relationships so treasured? why is it easy to break each others hearts or souls and not see
that they really are what is most important. The antiques will go away unnoticed and unmissed. The people will stay in our hearts even if they do leave us physically or emotionally.
This is a beautiful writing and has given me alot to think about today.
I treasure my remarkable husband. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him in 1974. We've been together ever since that day. I treasure the way we live and serve together – keeping Christ center to all we do. Living this life with him has been exceedingly abundantly more than I could have ever imagined.
Thanks again for taking us to the conference with you. It's like I am right there with you.
Oh yes – Beth let's the Holy Spirit BRING IT through her EVERY.TIME.
Bless you.
Oh girl, I have so loved your recaps. But I loved, loved, loved your disclaimer. It is my heart completely — I could have as easily been the writer as much as you! I have met Beth personally — had a chance meeting at an elevator in a hotel in Nashville 3 years ago. I think I made her miss her elevator 3 times and STILL couldn't get out what her love for God and His Word has inspired in my own heart. Maybe one day I'll be able to adequately thank her.
In the meantime, I am TREASURING the simplicity of this season. Everything about this Christmas has been simple for us — not by our choice, but by God's design. He has called us to walk through this season slowly, deliberately and with eyes wide open looking for Him at every turn. I'm loving every minute and will not do Christmas any other way from this day forward.
He is everything to me….more than a story!! He is life and breath and worth treasuring!
Love Him and you,
Dori
wow…thank you for sharing. as always with God's timing…He knew I needed to hear that!
and truly i LOVE therapon!
xo
My pleasure girl… I love a timely Word!