More Precious Than Gold
My Aunt Carol lives about 30 miles from me and is the
youngest of seven children on my dad’s side of my family. It is always a treat
to visit with her. Carol and I both have a love for crafting and at times we
work on a project when we get together, but we mostly go shopping and talk
about the projects we are working on.
As you grow older, spending time with family becomes higher
on the list of priorities. I am a family person! I love making dinners, hosting
holiday parties, planning food, and anticipating fun times with both my family and
my in-laws. I know quite a bit of family
history on my dad’s side because we spent a lot of time together as I was
growing up. I loved my grandparents and always looked forward to the Christmas
party she hosted each year because it meant getting with our cousins and filling
a very small house up with so many people that you better not give up your seat
on the floor or you might end up without one for the rest of the night!
Recently, Carol and I spent a day together and as I was
getting ready to leave she said she had a couple of things for me. I followed
her into her bedroom and watched her open a couple of drawers and then she
opened a small jewelry box and placed a ring and a charm bracelet in my hand.
Here, I want you to have these. The ring was one that my grandmother wore for
as long as I can remember. It was a Mother’s ring containing the birth stones
of all seven of her children and the charm bracelet was specially made and
given to my grandmother by Carol and her late husband Darwin. The charms are
made into a side profile of each of her children with their name and birth date
engraved on the neck of each child. The charm has a plate with my grandparents’
anniversary date as well.
As Carol handed me the jewels, she said, “I want to give
these to someone I can trust will keep them in the family.” Carol explained
that there are some who would sell them in hopes of getting a decent price for
the gold. She went on to say they need to be owned by someone who understands
the value of what they have. I was both humbled and amazed at what had just
been entrusted to me. I would never contemplate selling them because I am so
familiar with all the people represented in the jewelry. I also know the children of those people represented
in the jewelry well and I know the value that each birth stone represents. Each
stone represents the month that one of my aunts or uncles were born. The tarnished,
worn ring represents the many years my grandmother wore that ring. The bracelet
represents the face of each child my grandmother birthed and most of them
arrived right in their own home! The anniversary date engraved on the bracelet
represents a moment in time when my grandparents made a vow to each other to
stay faithful, and to love and to cherish one another for as long as they
lived.
I brought the jewelry home and shared with my family the
treasure that was entrusted to me and I shared with them how I thought I should
take the jewelry and have it cleaned up so it could shine once again like it
did so many years ago. I planned to find
a way to display the jewelry so I could share the story of what the pieces
represent with other family members and close friends.
As I contemplated the value of these pieces I realized that without
an understanding of the history, the stories and the purpose of keeping the
jewelry in the family, it would be easy to sell them to the highest bidder. I
recognized that this is what many do with the presence of God. God pours his
spirit on many people, He shed his blood for all. He places something of value
in us, but unless we catch a glimpse of the value, the love and the trust he
has placed in us, it is very easy to toss it to the highest bidder. His spirit represents the whole purpose for
coming to earth, taking on a robe of flesh, dying, raising Himself up again,
and providing a way for us to come to Him so He can fill us with His spirit and
give purpose to our life. No, I would
never part with the jewelry because it truly is more precious than any amount
of money the gold could bring to me. No, I will never part with the one who
purchased my salvation, entrusted me with His spirit, and loved me so much that
I was to die for. Some things are much more precious than gold!
-Written By Patty Hollaway
