~ Stone Polishing Refinement ~

Perfectly shaped
round rocks lay scattered across
white-lined foam ocean sand.

How did they become so?

Is it through natures ebb and flow motions riding countless waves,
being tossed to and fro, swept up in whirlpools, endless grinding
on ocean floor
traveling hundreds of miles and hundreds of years
smoothing rough edges - polishing refinement?

Where did they begin? 
What is their story to tell?

It is here I gaze in awe upon each one,
so uniquely their own. 
A myriad of color - freckled tiny with gold specks, black specks,
white marbled thread veins ...
and wonder how long did it take
for them to
become
these perfect orbs of creation?

And then I wonder
how long does it take for a stone heart,
even my very own -
to become polished?  Perfect?  Beautiful?

Is it through daily
constant motion of life waves as well,
tossed to and fro, enduring daily pounding, life-storms, trials and challenges
to smooth my rough edges?

Is it giving my heart to Him and
willing
polishing refinement for me to
become
who He created me to be?

I see beauty upon these
stones in their own perfect shape...
imagining what they once were and now are.

Hope swells within heart-depths,
to become beautiful within -
with smoothed rough edges outward,
the way He would have me
become.

"Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft

in the quiver of the Almighty."
-Joseph Smith