It was the fine print on the side of the box: “batteries not included.” You picked out the gift, then wondered if it was worth the effort, time, and money to track down the batteries to make this infernal toy work. When you finally found the battery counter you were confronted with selecting the right size battery. Next, you had to choose what kind of battery—alkaline, heavy duty, or the “cheap but it will last till you get out town” type. Then you had to choose a brand name. “Do I get the bunny battery, the one with the weirdo mechanical people, or some cheap store brand?” Decisions, decisions.

    You about had it all worked out when this little voice went off inside your head as you stood in front of the rechargeable battery display: “Now this would be really good because when the batteries get low, we can just recharge them and use them again. On top of that, I bet that would save a ton of money!”

    Good idea! But one look at the price of those rechargeable batteries, not to mention the recharger unit itself, made your pocketbook scream, “No way—these things are much too expensive. This will blow my Christmas budget! Why, I could buy three or four sets of batteries for this price. Besides, the toy won’t even last that long and if it does, the kids will be bored with it!” So much for the voice in your head! You bought the cheap ones.

    Well it’s barely January, and all those cheap batteries have already worn out. And I’m not just talking about toy batteries anymore. I’m talking about you. The kids are whining because the batteries for their toys are dead. You’re exhausted from the time warp trip through the holidays and family politics. On top of that, it’s the tough time of the year. It’s a long way to spring, cedar fever is in full bloom, the weather is mostly sorry, flu is all around, no solid holidays or vacations are in sight, and all this family togetherness is beginning to wear everyone a little thin!

    So how will you keep going? Isn’t it time to listen to that little voice in your head which keeps asking for you to invest in something more than the cheap substitutes you’ve been pursuing? Haven’t you depended upon cheap artificial sources of power long enough? Haven’t you opted for the artificial stuff enough? Isn’t it time to invest in something, or someone, that really matters. As the year begins, do more than the normal bunch of resolutions you’ll break before the Superbowl comes.

    Why not use this coming new year to begin your search for something more lasting and sustaining than the old worn out solutions you’ve tried in the past. Sure, it may cost you something in the search, but we all need a source of power that won’t run out when our batteries run down.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found the one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” —Matthew 14:44-46