The Stone in my Tumbler

I love the poem about footprints in the sand. I love the image of walking with the Lord along the beach. What I really love about that poem though, is when there is only one set of footprints. I love knowing that the Lord carries us. It really is a special image. I don't get very many opportunities to walk along the beach, but when I do, these images always come into my head.


On Saturday morning of our OBX trip, Bob and I got to go for a run together along the beach. It was great because we left Miss Lily with her Feddy and Kemo and headed out jogger free. We ran most of the run on the road, but on our way home we ran along the beach for the last mile or so. Running on the sand is REALLY challenging, and definitely shows you muscles that you never knew you had. Since Bob and I have both gotten into the barefoot running craze, it was so much fun to run in and out of the tide.


Bob led the way and I followed his footprints. I found myself thinking about companionship and marriage and how special it is to have someone to go through life with. With the busyness of life, baby, work and life sometimes it is easy to fall into a routine of marriage without really pursuing each other. I think that Bob and I have discovered this lately. Unfortunately, getting lost in the routine makes marriage more of a social living situation instead of an intimate relationship. It has been hard. Running along the beach gave me a moment (okay a mile of moments) to really remember our marriage, remember its purpose. It's purpose is growth. I think that the Lord designed marriage so that we could be molded into a better version of ourselves, so that we would have someone in our lives who was constantly challenging us.

Someone likened marriage to polishing a gemstone. When a ruby or diamond or emerald is found in nature it looks very much like an old rock. You have to polish the gemstone in order to get the flawless gem. But polishing is not as gentle as it sounds. To polish a gemstone you have to have an abrasive grit and a secondary stone. You put the abrasive grit and the stone into a tumbler with the gemstone and let them tumble together. The grit and friction of the stones smashing into each other slowly polishes the gem. Simply put, we are the stones and God is the grit. Take one of the pieces away and you don't get a polished gem. I love this analogy. Sometimes there are rough times in life, but having the other "stone" and the "grit" of the Spirit can really yield the most beautiful things.


That is why I found myself humbly following this special man down the beach treasuring the thought that he would stop, turn and welcome me into his arms. I am a better version of myself because of Bob and I love that he is the stone in my tumbler. My prayer is that when we come out we are what the Lord intended us to be, glowing, exquisite gems.