In 1799, 12-year-old Conrad Reed was playing in the section of Little Meadow Creek that ran through his family’s land, when he spotted a shimmering stone in the stream. Captivated by its shimmer, he picked it up and carried it home to his father, John Reed. John used the rock as a doorstop for the next three years.

In 1802, he sought the advice of a Fayetteville jeweler about the large rock he used to prop open the door. The jeweler revealed the rock was no ordinary stone. It was a 17-pound gold nugget – the first documented discovery of gold in the U.S. John Reed, formerly a poor man, died wealthy after his family started their very own mining company.

Isn’t that story remarkable?? The Reed Family walked past a piece of gold, with extreme worth for years, thinking it was nothing more than a handy doorstop. How often does the same thing happen to us? We walk past valuable relationships, opportunities, moments thinking they are merely a door prop in this life versus something or someone who can add tremendous value to our days.

I think of the Jeremy Camp song “Keep Me In The Moment”! Lord help us not to miss one thing along the way that can impact our lives for the good, for the better… times we can beautifully be the hands of feet of Jesus to those around us.

Gold is priceless in this world, but lives have eternal weight that lasts forever. Maybe today we can stop and be intentional about asking the Lord to open our eyes to treasures we are casually walking past in our living room or kitchen, not noticing the gem right at our feet.

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It’s Monday, July 16, 1945. It’s 5:30 in the morning. A blinding flash suddenly awakens the sleepy village of Carrizozo, New Mexico. Two minutes later there is a deafening roar. The first atomic bomb has been detonated 35 miles away, and a new age has been ushered in.

Less than a month later, on August 6, President Harry Truman announced to the nation that an atomic bomb had been dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Oddly enough, the code name for the atomic bomb project was Trinity. I’d like to think Harry Truman knew the power behind that name.

I mean, think about it, we carry that same atomic power Jesus gave to the disciples, all those many years ago, to go out into all four corners and touch a hurting, dying world, to truly be His hands and feet. Tragically, we seem to overlook or forget this tremendous calling on our lives from the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior. From the instant that glorious relationship begins, the enemy does all he can to drive us away from understanding the tremendous power we carry. His mantra becomes: “If I can’t win their souls, I’ll pull every trick out of my hat to make sure they are totally ineffective.” I mean, he’ll come at us with everything under the sun possible. He’ll try to waylay us in the midnight hour as an individual. He doesn’t play.

But, in this rough and tumble, never ending battle, our sanity comes from knowing he is fully defeated in the end. We’ve read the back of The Book and we win!  So thankful today for beloved souls who have taken time to remind me of this truth when I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Here’s the beautiful hope, dear ones. In all this muck & mire, Jesus has ushered in the power to trample on the enemy’s head with the strength of the Cross. There is nothing, not one thing we can’t overcome with the Holy Spirit living and dwelling in our souls.

You, my friend, are an atomic bomb for the Kingdom! Now that’s something to shout about today!!

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When I think of my Dad, the first word that comes to mind is patient. How many times did I run out of gas in the wee hours of the morning, run up his credit card bill on polo shirts, or bring way too many friends on vacation? I really think any other man would have gladly traded me in for a better daughter model any day of the week.

Dad was a beautiful picture of Jesus and I know, now, that is so rare. He made it easy for me to believe God was good and true and loving. My dad was born a champion. You know, one of those “one in a million” people that just came here good.

He was smack dab in the middle of a passel of boys. He started carrying a paper route when he was 10, rising up at the crack of dawn every morning with his older brother, to deliver the daily news to one and all. After a full morning, even in the Summer, they came home to a yummy breakfast, then went about their day. This paper route money, saved for 8 years, would go on to pay for dad’s college education.

My dad often told me unbelievable stories, which I have written on the fibers of my heart. One time, while serving in the Air Force, he was flying with his battalion when their plane started to break apart. In an instant, the pilot realized Dad was the only one with no parachute, so he decided to try to steady the plane a wee bit longer and then things began to settle down. That very day, Dad learned the power of prayer. After they settled safely on the ground, the pilot shouted back to Dad as they walked from the tarmac. “Hey Kitchens, you must be a praying man.” Indeed, he was and continued to be until his roll was beautifully called up yonder 70 years later.

Dad was one of those rare gems that could put everyone at ease instantly. He was a dentist for 40 years and people loved him. Most people dread a visit to the dentist, but not his patients. He would make people laugh, with his demure sense of humor, and even distract them from an impending shot. When he retired, it was a sad local community. I remember vividly coming home for some occasion or another and Dad had sweetly placed an adorable teddy bear in a dress and hair bow on my bed with a sign that read, “Welcome Home!” signed Tessie. I still have that bear to this day.

I had the honor of being there when my dad took his last breath on this earth. Not long before, he had asked for a good ole cup of coffee, one of his favorite things. Days before in the hospital, he would drift in and out and often stroke the invisible pets that I know he was seeing on the other side. I wish I could have only seen a glimpse of the grand reunion they had in glory as he was tenderly and jubilantly welcomed home.

I have often asked the Lord why I was so blessed to have one of the most amazing men on the planet as my Dad. I feel the Lord sweetly replies, “So you can take that love to those around you everywhere you go.” And I am determined to do just that!!

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