THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS

When I was growing up, my family stayed in a cottage owned by my great uncle (on my Dad’s side) James Okie Archer – the only other preacher in our family.  He spent most of his ministry in the Apollo District of the Pittsburgh Conference and therefore was always involved in their Camp Meetings (which ran simultaneously with the Rochester District Camp Meeting).  

Consequently, he struck a deal with my Dad that if he and Mom would clean and repair the cottage, they could use it during camp.  However, during Annual Conference, he would use it.  I think this was part of what pushed my parents toward buying a camper.  

Uncle James had three wives in succession.  Aunt Hannah died after many years of marriage.  Then, Aunt Anna died and he married a third wife.  

My mother had a letter from Uncle James indicating that our family was to inherit the cottage after his death.  However, it passed into the property of his surviving wife.  I think this rankled my Mom because she had some personal possessions in the cabin that she had never been able to retrieve.  

Years passed.

Eventually, Deb’s sister, Cathy (and Jeff) were able to buy the cottage and still own it to this day.  [It’s the top cottage on the row at the northeast end of camp.]

Soon after they bought the cottage, we were visiting at Cathy and Jeff’s and while talking about camp, Cathy very graciously said, “Harold, is there anything in the cottage that you wanted?”  

I told her there was, but that it had probably been thrown away as junk.  She asked me to describe it.  “It was an old mirror in a frame with a little shelf below it that hung in the former, corner bathroom of the cottage,” I said.  Cathy got up and said, “I’ll be right back.”   

She was gone for about five minutes and returned with my family heirloom (or Haireloom).  This relatively worthless item is the only possession that I have from my Grandma Walton (my Mom’s Mom), who died before I was born!  It currently hangs in Debbie’s bathroom.  

When Cathy and Jeff moved into the cottage, they asked if we wanted an old ‘Hoosier’ that sat in the back corner of the kitchen.  We passed on it at that time.  They took time to refinish in and placed it in their home for a number of years.  

Then, when remodeling, they asked again if we’d like to have it.  Today, that ‘Hoosier’ sits in our living/dining room where we admire its beauty daily!  

Two treasures that we thought we had lost came back to us through an unusual set of circumstances and the generosity of family!  How cool is that?  

Now, it’s all just stuff.  We could easily live without either item.  I honestly mdon’t think my kids will value these things the way I do, so they’ll probably pass on to a treasure-seeker someday, or end up in a dumpster.  

But to me it illustrates the fact that God knows the desires of our hearts and works in His mysterious ways to delight us.  His kindness and generosity with me and my family wells up within me.  God is good – all the time!