Blessed With Stones

I received several thoughtful gifts yesterday during the sabbatical blessing at the end of the church service, and one curious gift: a bag of stones. Then when I got home, my family had a few presents for me, too. I picked up the first one, and knew what it was before I opened it: more stones! I confess I struggled to interpret the message behind these gifts. "Blessings on your sabbatical: have some stones." Then I read the description that came with the bag: each stone was given by a child. Like the children, the stones are unique and beautiful in their own way. As the card said, "Ideally, the stones will be tactile reminders of our love for you." Then I looked at the stones my family gave me. One said "Peace" and the other said "Joy." I added those stones to the children's stones, as tactile reminders of my love and prayer for them. I will dip my hands into this collection of stones often over the next three months, giving thanks to God for community, grace and the mystery of creation. As I begin this time apart, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift.