Sadly, my grandma passed away several years ago. When she passed, my mom was given this ring that I adore. Now, my mom's birthday is not in July, but September. When my mom received the ring, she had the birthstone changed from a ruby to her birthstone. She then had a new ring created out of the ruby for me. {Which was very nice, thank you mom.} However, I was devastated that the ring I loved for so long was no longer in its original form.
Life has continued on in our families. Since my grandmas death, we have had two littles. One being an April baby, whose birthstone is a diamond and a July baby whose birthstone is a ruby. Hmmm, just like that original ring, right? Since Landon was born 3 years ago, I have been thinking of what a perfect representation that ring would be of my children's birthdays. Through an interesting series of events, that ring is now mine. For the longest time, I have wanted to have it changed back to its original setting with the ruby. I loved that it represents my children and my grandma.
We were back home again a few weeks ago and we took the ring to our small town jeweler there who was able to change the stones without charging an arm and a leg. But, I had to wait even longer for them to come! I'm happy to say that my ring arrived in it's {semi} original setting this week and I love it! {I say semi because it had to be worked on, you know.} I have had many thoughts on this ring which translate to faith journeys, so here we go:
That ring was beautiful and perfect in it's original form. There was nothing wrong with it, but somewhere along the way, it was changed from it's original form and the way it was created to be. What does that sound like? Us - we are all born beautiful and perfect in our original form, but sin gets in and messes us up. Or, we could even take it back to Adam and Eve. They were perfect in their original form, but sin changed them too. Frequently, I desired the ring to be back in it's original form, but the conditions had to be right for that to happen - money, time, location, etc. It was a process that didn't happen overnight. Much like our sanctification doesn't happen overnight. It is a process of Jesus working on us. And, then, once I knew it was happening, I still had to wait! The refining fire of the Holy Spirit doesn't happen overnight, sanctification is an ongoing process. We can either embrace it or work against it.
I will say that once my ring arrived and it was as it should be {in my mind}, it was symbolic of things being right. Things that have been not right are being reset and becoming right. It is a beautiful picture to me of so many things:
- What Jesus does in us if we are open to it.
- Things being set correctly, as they should be.
- It takes time to reset things, it doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen.
- Jesus is the ultimate re-setter. He is the only one who can make things as they need to be.
I think that the Lord gave me this picture and image, because I need the visual reminder! I'm thankful that I can look down at my finger and be reminded of this truth -
- "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." ~ Phil. 1:6
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