Caring For My Inheritance

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:6

An old, but recently remodeled house in Santa Ana and a LARGE bin of beads were my inheritance when my mother passed away. The blue beads above are just a very small portion of what Mom gave me. I've used some, given away some, and stashed some. All in all though, they have brought me delight by either delighting others or bringing back fond memories.

All but the light blue tri beads in the lower right corner have been used to make angels. When I'm making my patriotic version (red, white and navy blue) I pray for our military. I end up giving away most of the angels I make though I've tried to sell them. It brings me more joy to give them away. 

I don't currently have a craft pattern for those blue tri beads. But Mom used them to make little baskets at Easter time. When I gave away a bunch of beads I wasn't using I just couldn't let them go. Fond memories and "maybe someday" ensures they'll stay around for a while.

This is my tangible inheritance from my mother. I have an intangible one as well: the lessons she taught either directly or indirectly and the faith she instilled. And if I go back to that Psalm I truly have a delightful inheritance. God is my Father and I've inherited the riches of His mercy and grace.

Heavy sigh. Inheritance comes after death. It is sad to only have Mom's things and not Mom. In the same way Jesus had to die for me to inherit from His Father but no heavy sigh here. Jesus rose from the dead and lives within me, providing a living inheritance resting in pleasant places with Him.

The only time my bead inheritance hasn't been delightful was the other day when I stepped on one of the beads on my tile floor. (It's the crafters equivalent of a kid's Lego.) A container of red beads had been dropped and I got tired of picking up beads. I thought they were all in the back of the closet.

This has me wondering if I'm as careless with my spiritual inheritance. Do I sometimes falter and tire of picking up the pieces?  Have things I thought wouldn't bother anyone somehow find their way out of the closet and into the open just waiting for an opportunity? Do sins I've allowed to go unnoticed bruise my heel?