He holds my treasures....all of them

**What follows is not only very personal, but has a faith-filled message.  Read at your own discretion:

I try to read Francine Rivers' THE SHOE BOX every year for Christmas.  It is such a wonderful, sweet little book about a boy full of faith even in the worst of circumstances.  Little Timmy has his box of "things" that he gives to Jesus one Christmas....and Jesus accepts Timmy's box of "things" just as if they're THE MOST IMPORTANT TREASURES in the world--even the "things" are simple, ordinary, every-day items that demonstrate love to a hurting little boy.  So very precious and wonderful.

An amazing reminder of the fact that God does hold our hurts...the Bible even says that He catches ALL my tears.  Tears are such simple "things," but anyone who has ever cried over heartbreak, pain, suffering, the loss of a loved one, or even just because knows how very special it is that God Himself has record of each and every tear.

That means a lot to me right now when I seem to cry at the drop of a hat for any reason at any time...when the tears are flowing as if rivers are attached to my eyes---rivers that had been dammed, but the dam has broken....and the valley is flooding.

If God finds such things to be treasures, then it is also a comfort during this season to know that He is holding my three treasures close to His heart:  James Isaac, Panya Ruth, and Anna Rose.  Momma loves you, my Beloveds, but I know that Jesus is taking good care of you......Hold my treasures tight, dear Lord, and take good care of them for me until I can be with them for eternity.....