Proverbs 8:19
King James Version
19 My fruit is better than gold,
yea, than fine gold;
and my revenue than choice silver.
If the stones could speak, they'd tell you of the day I saw them.
And plucked them out of the river.
But first, something about grandfathers.
I need to revisit my roots.
I am fortunate I have two grandfathers, who farmed.
I am fortunate, they lived off the land.
I am fortunate, they are well-grounded.
My father's father was from the south.
My mother's father was from the north.
And my parents met halfway -- in Baguio City.
Thus, it was with great delight I visited one grandfather's home in Bacnotan, La Union many years ago.
He had passed on sometime before then.
But I found myself there, visiting relatives.
For whatever reason, I was drawn to the river.
My grandfather's place was on a hill, and the river just below.
The water was low, below the ankles, and a carabao was there.
To my great delight, I found lots of colorful river stones!
If you know anything about me, I always get excited when I see stones, pebbles, rocks.
What more these, made even more colorful by the water!
Smoothened by the river, kissed by the sun, they were at their most beautiful.
I wondered how long the river flowed around, and over them, for them to be smoothened and "weathered" like that.
Perhaps, they knew I'd be visitin', a rock lover, and shone their brightest light.
I didn't know how much I could carry, for there was so many.
I ended up bringing home four rocks.
The ones you see above.
I also learned the river would swell during the rainy season.
And it would reach my grandfather's area.
I looked up from the river, seeing how high the hill was.
I hurriedly gathered my rocks, and climbed back up.
Somehow, I could feel the river's potential "power".
Even during that sunny, quiet day.
As a kid at school, I was always fascinated with "geology".
I loved hearing the words "weathering", "fossils".
And all things "earth".
I would collect every fossil I could find.
My drawers were always full of cool "finds".
I didn't know I'd end up taking Architecture.
Even as my heart was in writing.
And archaeology.
As well as geology.
And psychology.
But never biology.
To this day, I still have plastic containers of stones I've picked up along the way.
Their shape, color, texture, and material keep calling to me.
When I got off "new age", I stopped collecting them.
Although I liked crystals, I didn't know what to do with them.
They were just lovely to look at.
I was puzzled how the new agers used them for "energy", and all that.
Although I was trained in Reiki, and that was also about "energy healing".
All I knew, even before becoming born again, is wanting to be able to "heal" without all the paraphernalia.
I envisioned I'd be able to sit in front of a person, sitting in silence, holding both their hands, looking into their eyes, gaining understanding of their suffering, and somehow, healing would transpire.
Right.
I don't have such power.
When GOD made me born again over four years ago, I turned to JESUS.
He was everything I needed to know about.
He is the ROCK.
1 Corinthians 10:4
King James Version
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ.
He is the GREAT Physician.
Matthew 15:30
King James Version
30 And great multitudes came unto him,
having with them those that were lame,
blind, dumb, maimed, and many others,
and cast them down at Jesus' feet;
and he healed them:
He is HEAD of ALL principality, and power.
Colossians 2:10
King James Version
10 And ye are complete in him,
which is the head of all principality
and power:
Now, ALL rocks speak to me.
Of JESUS.
And not anything else.
JESUS is my foundation.
Upon Whom my soul is built.
And the river passing by my grandfather's land is GOD.
The FOUNTAIN of LIVING WATERS.
We only need to believe in JESUS, and we shall be nourished.
John 7:38
King James Version
38 He that believeth on me,
as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water.
I'd not have been a good geologist, even if I wanted to.
I'd have defied the corporations.
I wouldn't have used my skills to "mine" for gold.
And to strip areas of resources.
Causing denudation of forests.
Causing flooding in other areas.
Causing wealth in a few, and poverty to most.
Defacing the land, stripping it bare.
Being in the surface in comfort.
While workers can barely breathe underground.
Thinking of greed, while everyone was in need.
I'd have been very ineffective to the elite.
I serve only GOD.
Related material:
RIVER stone image by author.
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