Where Lies Your Treasure

"At a country house after dinner, some wealthy guests were discussing their valuable collections. One guest said, "I collect ancient coins. They are worth so much money that I keep them in a bank vault."

Another guest said, "I collect objects made of silver. I take them out now and again just to have them cleaned, but they are kept most of the time in a secret safe in my home."

Still another guest said, "I have a collection of rare china and I built a special room, with good locks to keep intruders out, to store it in."

At this point, one of them noticed that the servant who was clearing the table appeared to be smiling to himself. He pressed him to say why.

"Well, you see," said the servant, "I, too am a collector. I collect the most precious things in the world and no one could ever steal them from me. I paid nothing for them, and I carry them with me wherever I go, yet no one knows they are there or what they are."

"What are they???" the guests demanded eagerly.

"My beautiful memories," He replied and, still smiling contentedly, he left the room." ~Unknown



I reckon I'm a little bit like that servant, or at least I hope that I am. I don't have much in the way of earthly treasures. There is nothing in my house that needs regular polishing or even that needs to be held under lock and key. The things that I have which I value the most are not things you can touch or hold anywhere but in your heart, and they are priceless to me.

The love and relationships that I have built with family and friends. Also things such as honour and trust. These things can take a lifetime to build and yet, they can be torn down or lost in an instant, with just a careless word or action. Losing these is never worth the risk. They are valuable beyond measure.

Photographs and memories. I don't have a lot of photographs of my family when they were growing up. I do have an old pile of negatives that are no good, that were all damp and stuck together when they were so generously given to me by my ex, so what few photographs I do have are very precious indeed. Worth more still, are the photographs and memories that I hold in that special place in my heart. No one can ever take these from me and they cannot be destroyed. I can share them from time to time with those whom I carefully choose to share them with, but they are my own personal treasure and beyond price to me.

My faith and testimony of the Gospel and my Lord and Saviour. Built over a lifetime, this is the rock in my life and from where I gather most of my strength and my power from. This is the very essence of my being . . . the root of all that I am, who that I am and who that I am striving to be. Built on solid ground it is firm and steadfast and sure.

Serving others with a cheery heart and disposition. By moving outside of myself and my own needs, and looking to others and their needs, I have enriched my life in so many ways that I could not ever begin to describe them. I truly believe that you don't really begin to live your life in full, until you have learned how to give it away. In doing so, I have received far more in return than I have ever been able to give. It's like magic the way it works.



"Do not hoard treasures on earth where moths and rust corrupt, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where neither moths nor rust corrupt, nor thieves break in to steal. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." ~The Sermon on the Mount

Someone could break into my house tommorrow and pinch my telly and sure . . . I'd be a bit miffed, but . . . at the end of the day, they won't have taken anything from me that I couldn't replace and it would not truly devastate me. I never want to have so much that I need to worry about somebody taking it away from me. I pray that I never place all my trust and love and hope in such things. The things of my heart, these are the things that I value most of all, and they were all free for the asking . . .

I've been trying to eat a bit healthier these past few weeks. It's not easy when you cook for a living and are surrounded with delicious food from morning to night, but it can be done. (I do admit that the other night during that tasting session all my willpower went directly out the window!) I made this delicious fish dish the other night and it went down a real treat. I had it simply with a salad, but I made Todd a jacket potato to enjoy his with. It was lovely.



*Pan Grilled Haddock with a Spicy Tomato Sauce*
Serves 2

You can adjust the spiciness of the sauce by reducing or increasing the amount of chili powder that you use. If you don't want spice at all, you may leave it out altogether. Tomatoes are lovely with the mild sweetness of the fish. This is a winner on all counts.

1 TBS olive oil, plus extra for brushing over the fish
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder (Or to taste, depending on the strength of the powder)
7 oz tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp tomato paste (puree)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
the juice of 1/2 an orange
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 thick skinned, boneless haddock filets, about 3 1/2 to 4 ounces each
seasoning salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and let them soften for a few minutes, stirring. Do not allow them to brown. Add the smoked paprika and the chili. Stir them in quickly then add the tomatoes, and the tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and then add the orange juice and the vinegar. Cook gently, simmering for about 5 minutes to allow the flavours to meld and blend completely.

Season your fish well on both sides and brush it with some olive oil. Heat a skillet large enough to hold both filets over medium high heat. Put the filets in presentation side first and cook for about five minutes. Carefully turn it over and cook for another five minutes on the bottom side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Do not over cook. The fish should be lightly browned on the outside, and very moist inside.

Place the cooked fish on warm dinner plates and spoon the sauce over top to serve.