The old adage one man’s trash is another one’s treasure still rings true. While dedicated garage salers see hidden gems when they come across a yard sale, I tend to say there goes another junk sale. Perhaps its all the heaps of clutter that makes want to steer clear of them. But for someone who can see past how the item appears in the present state and foresee what it could be with a fresh coat or paint or polish, they do not mind the extra time it takes to find that hidden gem.
Scaling through piles of discarded things the owners have deemed as no longer useful can be a bit exhilarating for those die hearts. I hear conversations between my co-workers boasting about their latest find and how it fits perfectly with the picture or skirt they already possessed.
Saturday morning as I walked along the track field, I noticed a folded dollar bill drenched from the overnight downpour. Undoubtedly the owner of that lone dollar bill didn’t realize they had dropped it while attending the Friday night football game.
Every Day Life Lessons
After reaching down to pick it up and allowing it to air dry in my hand as I finished up my morning walk, I reflected upon how often we are like that lost dollar.
SOME RELATIONSHIPS END. We started out in connection with someone and they seemed pleased to have us in their company. Then the unexpected happens. You lose track of each over the course of time. We began to drift away from one another and before we know it the relationship is a complete lost.
WE ARE LEFT EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. Through no real fault of it’s own that dollar was left out exposed to elements. It lay folded over and soaking wet but it was still worth one dollar. In the course of our lives, we can encounter betrayal, disappointment, heartache, trials and sufferings that leave us bent in the way see the world and ourselves.
Yet despite our limpness and distorted views, God still sees and proclaims us as valuable.
NEW CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. There are some relationships that we mourn over and some longer than others. But life keeps right on moving and it brings new people into our lives.
Even when tattered by the trials of life, we are valuable.
Even when relationships end, we are valuable.
Our worth is not defined my our human connections or our life circumstances, we are valuable because God declares us to be.
photo credit: oschene via photopin cc
Shared with Three Word Wednesday, Winsome Wednesday, A Little R&R, Doing You Well
Yes, yes….we are valuable.
Even when the relationships and situations we hoped
would become richer and deeper and more intimate
take drastic turns and twists and we find ourselves
oh so disappointed, we are still valuable.
And loved. And seen. And cherished.
And not at all foolish for hoping.
And, likely, it was an accident that caused that dollar
bill to tumble silently to the ground, not a value-choice
or statement from the owner.
Just life being messy.
This touched my heart so…..thank you:)
-Jennifer
Love the way you expressed it Jennifer. Indeed we are loved, seen, and cherished. Oh I agree that it wasn’t a value choice at all. Just like some relationships ending isn’t a value choice but we often perceive it that way.
Your three lessons from the dollar are spot on. I will share this with Dick–I see an object lesson from it some Sunday morning. Great writing, Wanda. Thanks for always being so encouraging.
Well thanks Pam. I’m honored that you would share it with your husband. I’d love to hear how he incorporates into an object lesson.
Great analogy – I just loved it. I have to admit, I am one of those people who loves to rummage through other peoples’ *discards* – and yes, I’ve found some great stuff. But, having done one garage sale myself, I realize that there are decisions to be made afterwards with all the stuff that’s left over!
Just like the dollar, though, discarded things can be passed on. I took your *dollar* lessons to heart. And today I am choosing to see the WORTH in things…including myself.
GOD BLESS!
Yes just because someone else passes over it doesn’t mean it has no value but rather rather the beholder fails to know the value of it. And you have certainly been an invaluable encouragement to the blogging community. And thanks for letting me know about your comment not showing up. Not sure what sparked Askimet to tuck your comment (along with a few other valid ones) into the spam folder.
A true message. Value can be given to everything depending on who is assessing.
I’m just glad our true value doesn’t rely on the assessment of others. I know I’d come up far short.
I didn’t see my comment show up so maybe it went into spam.
I fished out your comment from the spam folder. It seems Askimet is extra hungry today in marking valid comments as spam.
Hi Wanda! You learned so much from finding that dollar…and you got to keep a dollar too!
I love it when you connect to the spirit from everyday occurrences. I am sure I look like a sorry mess to the Lord, but he still thinks I am valuable. What a gracious and loving God!
Have a wonderful Monday, Wanda 🙂
Ceil
Oh I think it is us who seems the mess in ourselves. God looks at through the finished works of the cross. Have a great week Ceil.
Such wonderful lessons.
Amazing the simple ways God uses to get our attention. Wishing you a blessed week.
“We are valuable because God declares us to be.” Amen! I just love how God will use such simple things as picking up a dollar bill to speak to us and then use you for His glory. So good my friend!!
Much love,
Beth
Yes and His Word has the final say. I appreciate having a God that is far beyond my comprehension but knows exactly how to communicate to me in way I understand. Have a great week Beth.
Blessings…
good lesson. everything is worth something, it all depends on whom you ask.
peace.
Rhapsody
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Who we ask may not always see the value but it everything does have some worth indeed.
That is powerful!
And garage sales are just junk to me.
Lol, I’m glad I am not the only that sees garage sales in that way. Although I must say some people I know are skilled at finding treasures.
What a unique way of showing us our value especially as it relates to money – something we so easily value way above other things such as love, family, relationships. Loved the simplicity in the message itself; thanks for the very timely reminder that we are indeed valuable – because God deems us so.
Hi Gale, money does tend to rank high in value but isn’t it wonderful know that God considers of much more worth. What a pleasure to have visit. Hope you have a great week and I look forward to visiting your place.
Beautiful Wanda! I do love the message of worth and how we tend to sometimes not place the value where it should be~ I love this unique post 😀
Thank you!
And you’re just the kind lady that can see value in the things most of us would not. I love the way you bring new life to mundane items.
Hallelujah! My home is filled with little treasures that seemed to others beyond repair and useless. I am blessed beyond measure reading this. We often spend so much time lamenting what is lost that we don’t see the new connections God is putting in our lives. Thank You, Lord, for new beginnings and new seasons.
I know I have gotten so focused on what had ending in my life that I failed to see new areas of new growth God was opening up.
“Yet despite our limpness and distorted views, God still sees and proclaims us as valuable.” That’s the big takeaway from this post for me, Wanda. We can be a hot mess, unattractive to anyone but God, and He sees us as altogether lovely. We can’t help but love Him!
Altogether lovely is exactly what we are to Him.
thanks for this.
i still want it back.
I understand wanting it back. However, we don’t always make those reconnections in the time frame we would like and sometimes never at all. But new things do form in our lives.
Hi Wanda, I needed that illustration today!! A very good object lesson. Thank you.
Thanks Karen
“Our worth is not defined my our human connections or our life circumstances, we are valuable because God declares us to be.”
Beautiful Wanda! What great lessons you were able to share from discovering that dollar. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Bernadine. God speaks us in some of the simplest ways, which is good because I would likely miss Him otherwise.
Good Morning Wanda,
Visiting you from the Little R &R link-up. I like your analogy of the dollar.
What I’ve learned no matter who comes in or out of my life God is always there!
That’s the perfection lesson to cling onto. I found many of people go in and out of my life that has caused me to wonder at times about by value. That’s why I so glad for the reminder God gave me.
In a world so ravaged by missing the truth about how God values His creation, it’s nice to read a post from some one who can see how God really views us. A very true post! Thank you!
Thanks Lauren! I’m grateful that God reminds me of this truths about His creation.
We are valuable because God declares us to be! So true and something I need to remind myself of every day.
Holly, I think we are all in need of that from time to time. Some days more than others in my case. What a pleasure to have you stop over.
Reading again and loved even more the second time around! 🙂 I’m glad you linked this up for Three Word Wednesday. {Hugs} Btw…I really am grateful for our growing friendship!!
Oh how sweet of you Beth to read it a second time. I cheated a bit by leaving out still but I thought it might fit since the main three are really the true essence. I’m glad the to of us met in blogland as well. You’re helping me to see another view about deployment. God knows just what we need.