Tumbled and Polished

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all of your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” *

Our recent trip north for a short getaway turned out to be a little different than expected. We were looking forward to spending a few days exploring and riding on some bike trails which a friend of Al’s had highly recommended. However, in the rush of getting ready to leave early one morning, the bike rack and bikes were left behind. By the time we realized what had happened, it was too late to turn around; so, we had to adjust our plans accordingly.

Instead of bike riding, we spent an entire afternoon on the beach at Petoskey State Park along the shore of Lake Michigan. As one young lad said, “If you’re in Petoskey, you have to get Petoskey stones. That’s where they are!” Al and I joined many other families and people on the beach looking for the fossilized coral, the state stone of Michigan. Coming from a family of avid rock hounds, this was a real treat!

My dad owned a rock saw, polisher and tumbler. The operation from the raw material to a polished, crafted stone was noisy and time consuming. Grandpa, also a rock hound, faceted certain gems with a special machine, turning them into rings and other jewelry. Mom made the settings for their finished masterpieces out of silver. It was a great family hobby.

As a child, I always enjoyed our trips to the coast where I would sit on the sand for hours, sifting through brightly colored bits of shell and stones. Walking along the shore of the lake half bent over, with my eyes focused on the piles of rocks at the water’s edge brought back those childhood memories.

This particular stone, a brownish rock with a turtle shell design, was not so easy to find. Another beach comber told me that in years past they were very plentiful. I only found one small specimen of the coveted Petoskey stone, along with agates, jasper, or a combination of the two, and several rocks containing fossils of shells or pieces of coral.

Most were rounded and polished, tumbled by the constant movement of the waves and of the abrasion from other stones over centuries. The weather was very pleasant, making it a perfect afternoon for the two of us.

The next day we drove to Nettie Lake, a few hours east from Petoskey, near Lake Huron. Nettie Lake had also been highly recommended by the same friend, who not only enjoyed the bike trails there but who also told us to be sure to watch for the loons on the lake.

Al and I moved into a little cabin on the lakeshore for two nights. There was a boat dock close to the cabin with a row boat available for us to use. We heard the loons calling in the evening and early in the morning, their lonely voices echoing over the water. It was a peaceful and serene environment.

Rowing the boat replaced riding the trails. He did the rowing while I soaked in the beautiful scenery, a nice arrangement! The first place we wanted to see was the island on which someone had built a small home. It didn’t take Al long to row around it. 

One simple cottage was about all the tiny island could hold, with high water levels making the idea of a house boat a real possibility! We heard later that the owners only visited about once a year. Maybe trying to live such an isolated life wasn’t a practical idea after all! 

The tumbled rocks piled together on the beach at Petoskey made quite a contrast to the scene of the lonely house perched on the island. Sometimes we feel like isolating ourselves from others, especially when tumbled and battered about by those who are abrasive or abusive. Living out the Lord’s command to love one another as we love ourselves is difficult and yet, He claimed that the second command was similar to the first.

Just as we put everything into loving God, so we put all of our energy into loving others. The end result? Polishing! Our rough edges become smooth; others see Christ more clearly in and through us and perhaps through our changed lives might discover for themselves the joy of knowing Him.

*Matthew 22:37-39 NIV