Two Gold Rings

When Marsha's mother was losing her quality of life, she took her mother's wedding ring and wore it on a chain around her neck. You would see her touch the ring often and you knew she was praying for her mother. I was touched by this quite evident practice for keeping her mom so clearly in her mind and heart.

Marsha and I had simple gold wedding rings we put on when we married and never took off. These two rings have bound us together for forty five years. Often wedding rings are spoken of as links in a chain that bind the two people together. If Marsha and I were chained then it would be because the links in a chain make up a single unity, the chain. I have taken my wedding ring and Marsha's wedding ring to a jeweler friend. He is making a cross from the gold of these two rings which I will wear on a chain close to my heart.

Marsha used to tease me that when I was preaching I would often, at what seemed to be times of thought or listening to God, I would spin my wedding ring on my finger. I don't know why I did that but I found that I did the same thing at lots of moments when I was trying to discern God's will. Marsha had that kind of link in my spiritual journey.

I want the two rings with me. Also our lives together were blessed so much more when they became centered in our love for the Lord . We grew together as people and as husband and wife when Christ became the center of our love for each other. This cross will confirm our bond forever in Christ and my desire for Marsha to always be close to my heart.