Hooked on Rocks, Part Two

The jury’s still out.

After finding gems in purchased buckets of dirt several weeks ago, we decided to try our hand at digging up our own dirt.

At one site, we paid to dig in some tailings from area mines, and spent about an hour looking for “color” in a pile of rocks and sand. Three different employees gave us three different ways to go about this. I was drawn to the white rocks but was quickly told that was just rock. It’s a lot harder to find color in dry sand.

We didn’t feel very successful, but when we sat at the sluice and washed our “keepers,” we discovered we had several nice sized garnets, as well as lots of quartz and moonstones. My husband thinks quartz is so plentiful that it’s not worth the effort, but it is pretty and can be made into some nice jewelry, so we kept it.

The second place we tried allows you to dig in the “mine” or to hunt for stones in the creek. We thought the mine sounded more promising, so we opted to dig. We discovered the mine was really just a series of open pits spread over a wide area, so we had no idea where to start.

It was Labor Day weekend, and the place was really busy, so the staff had no time to provide much instruction. We asked for advice and were told to “find the deepest hole and dig there.”

What we found was red Carolina clay with some layers of soft rock. We asked other diggers, but everyone else was a first-timer, as well. Finding “color” when the clay sticks to everything was even harder than finding it in dry sand. We picked through spades of clay, selecting a handful of rocks to examine more closely at the sluice. After washing the clay off, we had a few stones that might be garnets or emeralds, and again, several quartz-like pieces.

Unfortunately, the staff helping with identification had long lines and we decided not to wait to find out what we had found. For all we know, we may have brought back more red clay than gems, since the clay seemed to cover everything we wore, as well as our tools.

We came home with a determination to learn more before we go digging on our own again. It helps to know what you’re looking for.

I guess the spiritual application is this: God knows the treasure that is hidden inside each one of us. Sometimes it is not revealed to others—or even to ourselves—until we are washed clean by Jesus Christ.

Hooked on rocks

I think I’m hooked.

Last weekend, we went hunting for gems. Not dig-in-the-dirt, get-muddy-all-over kind of rockhounding, mind you. We took the “easy” way, for now, and bought buckets of dirt, which we sifted through screens over a flume. Maybe we’ll try the messy, dig-your-own kind of treasure hunting next time.

But this time, we were rewarded with lots of rubies, a few sapphires, some amethyst, and, best of all, a big emerald. Actually, this rock is about four inches in diameter and contains at least 3 emeralds. The jeweler at one of the mines estimated their combined weight will be about six carats. Pretty exciting. I can’t wait to see them after they are cut.

Oh, wait. Getting them cut is a problem. We could have left them with a jeweler at the mines. We’d have to wait at least six weeks to get them back. Instead, we’re hoping to find someone closer to home, who’s not so far behind.

After the stones are cut, we still need to figure out how to get them mounted without spending an arm and a leg. After all, what good is it to have beautiful, real-gem rings if I don’t have any fingers to put them on?

Now, I’ve never been one to wear lots of jewelry, or anything real flashy. But there is something about the hunt and the reward of success that is more exciting than store-bought, any day. I will be proud to wear the final result because I will know that it is unique and because I will remember the fun we had finding the gems.

Maybe Christ takes the same sort of pleasure in us when we decide to follow Him. After all, it’s been said, He seeks us until we find Him. Then He cuts and shapes us into the jewels that He designed us to be.