Hearts, watering can, hummingbird,
rose, teapot, chocolate bar, ice skate, snow globe, Madonna, Nativity, words
like hope, love, Grandma, Mom—all charms to go in my necklace locket. My daughter gave these to me, as well as many
more.
Last week
for a beach getaway with my daughters the locket held a bright sun, a camera, a
swimmer, a bare foot, a stack of books, and an ice cream cone.
That
vacation is over and we are back to the routine, so the charms have been
changed again. Today I thought of what made up my life, what represented where
I am in life. So as I filled the locket
once more, I pondered each charm.
A cross is
the first, the symbol of my salvation, my reason for living. I have known the Lord for almost all of my
life, but sometimes I am complacent. Sometimes
I get a little proud of what I can do, “But God forbid that I should boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been
crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians
6:14) For many years my goal has been to
“know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” (Philippians 3:10) So the cross must be
paramount.
The next
charm is of a hand showing “I love you” in sign language. I feel loved and I want to express love. My Gram said many years ago, “Faith, what the
world needs is love. They need to know
that Jesus loves them and that you love them because Jesus does.” That means I want my children to see love,
not criticism from me. It also means my neighbors must feel love from me, that
the waitress must like to see me come in, that I must not be quick to insist on
my interpretation of events in the world.
We live in a society that seems to encourage hate and rage, not
love. We must be different! We must be the love of Jesus with skin on.
The next charm
shows a stack of books and says, “I love reading,” and I do! I would rather read than watch television or
do most other things. I love reading
silently and I love reading aloud to others.
Sometimes I even read aloud to myself.
There is reading material in every room of the house. There is a pile of
books on the floor next to my bed. I try
to keep it under control, but those books multiply! Right now my Bible is there, a book of hymn
histories, a devotional book, fiction, decorating magazines, and even a Word
Search. I am consumed with curiosity and
hate to ignore anything printed. Today I am struggling to stay alert because I
stayed up last night reading until 1:00! I read for spiritual growth, for
mental stimulation, and just for fun. I
want to keep my mind alert.
The locket
also contains a coffee cup. Yes, I love
my morning coffee, especially now that I’m retired and can sit on my front
porch and watch the world wake up while I enjoy my coffee. I no longer have to drink from a travel mug
as I drive to work. Hurrah! But that’s
not what the coffee cup represents. It
represents fellowship, friendship, companionship. A cup of coffee or hot tea shared is better
than one sipped alone. Ecclesiastes 4 says,
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his
companion. But woe to him who is alone
when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.” This year I have spent a lot
of time alone. I love my solitude, but
only to a point. I need people, and so
do you!
The final
charm in the locket for this week is a beach ball! You didn’t expect that one, did you? It represents fun and enjoyment. One of my life mottoes is “Be fun to live
with.” That was some of the best of the
advice offered before I got married. I think
of it often. I enjoy life and I am
determined to make life rich and enjoyable for others.
Can you
tell I love symbols? These charms are my
symbols. They help me identify what is important to me and they help keep me
focused. So many times I get distracted
and frustrated because I forget what my priorities are and should be. May I concentrate on making Christ first,
learning to practice love, continuing to grow, sharing with other friends, and
remembering to play, to enjoy living.
What would go into your
locket? What are your priorities? What
are the symbols to help you focus on the important things in life? You don’t
have to have charms in a locket to remind you, but it helps. Think about it, at least.
Faith Himes Lamb
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