Isaiah 61:3 shows the Lord’s pattern for exchanging
“beauty from ashes.”
It is a theme of comfort, hope and healing.
It’s a message to encourage and strengthen
those who are having difficult times.
I find the gift my Dad chose for my Mom,
in honor of their 50th Wedding Anniversary,
was poignantly symbolic.
He had 50 years to think about it, he had to score.
Dad is explaining the story behind the jewelry…
…Mom is surprised, because they previously had agreed,
no gifts.
Good move, Dad.
After 50 years you know,
women always want presents.
The beauty of the gemstones, Emerald Obsidianite,
is that they are formed from the volcanic ash spewed
from the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980.
I was living in nothern ND at the time,
my husband on the east side of MN,
and we both remember having ash settle on our cars.
It was a disaster that touched the entire US in some way.
A logging company had expensive equipment buried under the ash,
and decided to use acetylene torches to recover it.
The ash melted and turned a stunning green.
A synthetic gemstone,
a new industry and a trademark for WA was born.
Beauty for ashes.
As you can tell from my previous blogs,
I have been enthralled with my parents’ milestone.
For 50 years, they have taken any ashes in the marriage,
and turned it to beauty.
Little disagreements became unity.
Misunderstandings became improved communication.
Problems were resolved,
offenses forgiven.
They continued to choose
love,
committment,
honor and
respect.
The best gift given
in honor of the Golden Anniversary,
wasn’t the beautiful jewelry.
It was the gift they gave their children,
grandchildren, and great-granchildren,
a 50 year legacy,
of making beauty from ashes.
I loved everything about this post. Loved the pictures of your mom. Loved that your dad got her a gift even though they said no gifts. Loved the gift he chose. And, I most especially loved the end when you said that the greatest gift was the legacy they were leaving behind. So, so true. Happy Anniversary to them!
What a beautiful love story. Kimmiemama to 8one homemade and 7 adopted
Beautifully written. Happy Weekend.
That is a great way to mark the occasion. I am touched by your dad's thoughtfulness.I am also fascinated by the story of how the artificial emeralds were formed. That is amazing (as so much of God's creation is). I am certainly going to relate that occurence to others with the Beauty for Ashes theme.I totallly understand that you are so excited about your parents anniversary. My parents celebrated 59 years in March and I made a roast dinner etc to share with our family. (They are both frail and in a retirement village but live independantly) I commented that next year would bring up 60 years. They both just laughted! At their age they don't think ahead too far and will not be at all surprised to be taken before then! Neither of them could actually even remember where their wedding breakfast was held! They are also very precious to me xoxox