My Special Things

My 3 year old often wants to know, when we go places, if she can take toys with her.  This morning she asked if she could take her Cabbage Patch baby to heaven with her...you know, her favorite toy that I'm having a hard time getting away from her to wash.

"No," I say, "There will be better things in heaven that don't fall apart."  Wrong answer--she wells up with tears, "But I want to take my baby and my blanket.  They're my special things." 

I welcomed her to come sit on my lap as I tried to smooth things over with how much better heaven would be.  I told her I didn't know what all would be in heaven (she was also worried there wouldn't be a place to go to the bathroom).  I tried to assure her that everything in heaven would be better (because now we live in a broken world with broken things) and that we would have everything we will need or want (although our wants might be different, I think we'll be far from bored).  Honestly, I wasn't very successful, but we eventually changed the subject.

Still, It made me think of how many temporary things (you know, all that stuff that is bound to wear out and break) that I hold on to too tightly.  I want to be a good steward of the material things God has entrusted me with, but I want to be an even better steward of the spiritual and eternal matters that He has entrusted me with. 

Matthew 6:19-21 "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."