Discovering Gems—Once More

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*Hope you enjoy this encore presentation from June 2008.

Last Friday while on an outing to a nearby town, my friend Teri and I discovered a gem. A beautiful and unique little shop nestled right in among the ordinary businesses on the ordinary streets of our very ordinary little corner of the world.

We wanted to go to lunch for a girlfriend catch-up session and decided to make a quick trip to Independence. We had heard about a quilt shop there that had recently been selected as one of the top ten quilt shops in the nation. In our neck of the woods? We needed to see this with our own eyes.

We were not disappointed. As we entered the shop, we seemed to step into another world. The high ceilings and rich-looking furnishings along with the beautiful and creatively displayed quilts and accessories created an ambiance of a luxurious and delightful retreat from the outside world. Everything we saw held a special touch. We were awestruck by the quality of goods and workmanship. And for those of you who know I don’t even own a sewing machine and am craft-challenged — yes, even I could spot the quality here :)

What fun to discover this gem of a shop in our own backyard. Teri was in her element, and me? I tried hard to fit in. When the salesladies were around, I just acted like I knew what I was looking at, and then when they walked away, I asked Teri one elementary question after another. Know what I discovered, though? You don’t have to understand all the facets and complexities of a gem to enjoy its beauty. I loved the shop.

As I think about us as individuals, I know a gem could be found in each one of us as well. Something beautiful and unique. Something quality. If others looked into your own very ordinary life, what gem would they discover? Would they find a master quilter, an artist, or a gourmet chef? Perhaps a talented athlete or musician? Or maybe like me, you’re just good with words. The possibilities are endless, aren’t they?

So take a closer look at yourself as well as others in your life. There’s beauty all around. Go ahead – have fun discovering gems!

“…its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel…” Revelation 21:11

*What gem have you or someone else discovered in your life?

*Flickr photo by Jewellery Monthly, Creative Commons License

Comments

  1. You won’t believe this, but for years I didn’t even like women. As a tomboy who never learned manners, decorating, or putting together great outfits, I felt that I didn’t fit in with most women. And because of that belief, I almost missed out on the abundant blessing God has given me through women’s ministry and Christian Communicators Conference. I often say He took me kicking and screaming into it, and that’s true. I’m so thankful that I followed His lead, even though I had no idea how He was ever going to use me in a ministry related to women.

    Just shows the power of our God!

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