So today the 29th, the 5th day of Christmas you should have accumulated 5 partridges, 8 Turtle Doves, 9 French Hens, 8 colley Birds and 5 golden rings. The bird count gets pretty crazy. I received something different and fun. Someone handed me a small box that I put under the tree and opened the other day. I didn’t look into the box but felt around inside and for the life of me I thought I had been given some lumps of coal. It turned out to be some rather attractive and very smooth stones. They look like river rock but very smoothed and maybe polished.
It is one of those presents that make a statement and tell a tale. Many years ago I wrote a song called “Five Smooth Stones” about David going after Goliath without armor and grabbing five smooth stones from the riverbed and using a sling shot to kill him. He had five stones but only needed one. It occurred to me that we have been given the equivalent of five smooth stones. We have grace and peace and mercy, (forgiveness). We have God’s Word, and we have hope. In the end we only need any one of those and yet we have them all. So that was the idea behind the gift and the song was played at the Popple Ridge Picker concert and the kaylee before the Reformation, Mission and Mercy conference.
So I am thankful for all the gifts that I receive but this one works on so many levels. Feeling it and thinking it was coal gives an insight into what I believe that I deserve. Seeing what it was brought all kinds of feelings. First I had to figure out what it meant and then when I did there is that kind of joy that someone else gets it too. Much appreciated.
