“You put gems into the tumbler and they they are brought into constructive, creative contact with each other. They knock the rough edges off of each other until each gem is smooth and beautiful. But if you don’t put a special compound into the tumbler with the gems, the stones will either bounce off of one another without any effects or may crack and shatter each other. The grinding compound in the gem tumbler is like God’s grace in a marriage. Without the power of grace, truth and love can’t be combined. Spouses either stay away from the truth–they ‘bounce off each other’–or else they attack one another and they shatter.” 

And If you’re wondering how the lovely pizza night ended up, I apologized for losing my temper after a quiet dinner, and all was forgiven. And in that reconciliation, I saw one more glimpse of God’s sweet grace poured out on me.

And I just had to share a picture of my anniversary gift (Lisa Leonard Designs–I love her beautiful work). By the way, it is only “well with my soul” because Jesus makes it so.