The Pointy Spoon

I know that
I have piqued the

interest of at least
one dear reader,
and so I will
share the story
of the
pointy spoon.

I have mentioned before that I am the only girl among three brothers. This was not an easy life; believe me. I am second in line. Raymond came first. Three years later, I came along. Exactly two years to the day following my birth, Brian arrived. Eighteen months passed, and Michael was born. As we were all very close in age, there was much competition. Raymond always won.

The pointy spoon, as we affectionately called it, always intrigued me for there was only one like it. I do not know from where this spoon came. When I was very young, I remember pouring a bowl of cereal, and proceeding to the drawer to fetch a spoon. It seemed like just as I would reach for the pointy spoon, Raymond would appear out of nowhere, punch me in the arm, and take the spoon away from me while proclaiming, 'That is mine!"

As I grew older, it was my job to unload the dishwasher. I tried hiding the coveted spoon in the back of the drawer. That didn't work, either. If it couldn't be found, more punching ensued. It was then that Raymond starting hiding the spoon himself. I remember cleaning out the garage as a family, finding the spoon between two wall studs, and stupidly holding it up in a taunting fashion for all to see, "Look what I found!" More punching. I never found his new hiding spot.

The spoon always moved with us. My parents have lived in the same house for 26 years now, and we live 500 miles away from them. Several years ago I was home visiting, and I spied the pointy spoon in the silverware drawer. Raymond was there on this day, too. We started talking about how he always had to use that particular spoon, and the beatings that happened when anyone else tried to use it. I dared to be bold that day. I said, "Mom, I would like to have the pointy spoon. I never got to use it as a child, and I think I should have it."

Now, Mom had been sitting at the table listening to the entire conversation including Raymond's confessions of the beatings. Do you know what she said? Unbelievable! She had a grin on her face, and replied,"No. It should be Raymond's." What?!? I couldn't believe my ears. Raymond just smiled like the Cheshire cat.

Out of nowhere, Raymond took the pointy spoon, handed it to me and said, "You can have it."

"Really," I asked.

"Yes."

I did a little gloating happy dance. Not pretty, I can assure you. At last, I finally owned the pointy spoon! Triumph!!!

After returning to my own home, Mac and Autumn continued the fighting over the spoon, sans punching. They only wanted in on tradition, and it didn't last long. Shortly thereafter, Collin and Abigail picked up where the story left off. This too, was short lived. Now the spoon just sits in the drawer, hardly ever being used. It makes for a great story, and an even greater moral.

You see, dear reader, the spoon brought only fleeting happiness, not real contentment. How often we long for *things*, wishing that we could make them our own. If I only had... You fill in the blank. Then, I would be happy. What a pack of lies we believe. There is nothing on earth that can bring us joy and contentment short of a relationship with the Lord.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21