by

Reverend Marcia Howland

The sandstone foundation rectangles of our farm house in north central Oklahoma displayed imprints of shells and other fossils. They reminded me of the ancient story of Noah and the great flood. Our driveway was marked by two of those great stones. My sister and I used to stand on them and take turns playing all the roles of going to church – the pastor, the musicians, the ushers, congregational singing, and praying. Others surrounded a perpetually weeded flower garden near the house.

Those stones, possibly formed by that great flood, provided some of my early quest toward significant faith, primarily led by my deeply religious mother. In fact, my left little finger, mashed between two of them are a constant reminder. A limited rock collection includes an Indian pestle, rose rocks, cave rock, coral, tiger eye, turquoise, amber, polished beach rocks, petrified wood, a round river rock, and my diamond ring. They are different shapes, a variety of colors, categorized for particular utility or beauty.

Historically, rocks have signified holy places. My spiritual rock collection includes five. The first is providential summons calling for my attention, not to be ignored.  It is the invitation to discover who and what is sacred.

Second is spiritual practice. To “dig” with discretion means searching to find those treasures which fill a space reserved for divinity. There is nothing more exhilarating than discovering a “holy find.”

Third, the struggles are not mythological rocks like devils and dragons. They may present as depressed futility, strained relationships, greed, disease, violence, narcissism, malevolence, or poverty. Supernatural patient persistence leads us through, over, or around the rock piles as we search for spiritual treasure.

Fourth, the “find” is the treasured sanctum. Personal encounters in our spiritual rock hunting provide sense of peace with our past, solidarity for the present, and anticipation for the future. To be embraced by deity fills life with meaning and change us forever.

Fifth, having been changed by the special embraces of deity, we return to the real work of life in a different mode of love, faith, and hope which speak to us of the eternal.

A personal spiritual journey need not fossilize into sandstone. It is like searching for and finding any other treasure. It takes desire, proper tools, and energetic effort. Faith care is the ultimate search for significance.

Resource: The Five Stages of the Soul, Harry R. Moody and David Carroll