Recently my parents made their bi-annual trek to visit. While they were here, they commented on the rocks I have scattered around the inside my house. It’s a family thing that I came by through my dad’s mother, whose window sills were full of interesting rocks. It’s also something I share with at least one of my sisters. I don’t know if my grandmother had stories to go with her rocks, but I do.
There’s more to the knickknacks in my house than just being cute little things to collect dust, or even just interesting rocks. I don’t collect pigs or bears or any of the usual things people collect, but I do collect Ebenezers.
Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” – 1 Samuel 7:12 NASB
My window sill and desk shelf hold a strange variety of things, and most of them have special significance to me. They remind me of things in my life that I want, and need, to remember: special things God has done for me. Not only do I need the physical reminder, but they’re object lessons for my family.
Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, “What do these stones mean to you?” then you shall say to them, “Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord…” So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever. – Joshua 4:6-7, NASB
Every now and then one of the kids will ask about a knickknack I have and it’s a perfect opportunity for me to tell them about what it reminds me of. They hear the story of what God has done in my life, and that makes it more than a cute moose sitting on my shelf.
When my parents sold their home ten years ago, my older sister and I were envious of our younger sister who brought home a silly little frog that sat on our mom’s shelf for years. It surprised Mom that we all loved that frog, but it was such a good lesson for me. It is one I remember every time I go to my younger sister’s home and see the frog on her kitchen window sill. It’s something we can capitalize on as mothers.
Do you have a shadow box or shelf? How about just a window sill you can use? Turn it into a special Ebenezer shelf and work together to fill it with physical reminders of what God has done for you. Not only will the children love it, but it’s something they’ll remember long after they’ve grown and left the house. Even if they don’t carry the knickknack with them to their own homes, they will carry the story with them.
Don’t collect clutter; collect Ebenezers.
It’s funny but I collect rocks as well. My daughter started doing it when she was very little. And, then we found a book by Byrd Baylor about having a stone or a pebble.
Oh I loved this post about Ebenezer stones….gave me something new to think about in my times of trial.
God Bless~~
Thank you for this lovely explanation and suggestion! I, too, have collected rocks and other small items through the years, which are strategically placed throughout our home. We have moved several times throughout the years of our marriage and these lovely “Ebenezers” have remained a constant in the many homes the Lord has enabled us to establish.
This Christmas season finds us in the midst of a many moments of deciding whether to keep or give much of our physical possessions as we prepare for our eventual move out of the country. Our children have been very involved in this process as they share their memories about each of these special items.
It is not a coincidence that your “reflection on the home” so beautifully explains the significance of these Ebenezers! Thank you!
When we went into missions, my parents had to dismantle our home and so many things were given away or sold–things that we later wished we had found a way to store because we missed what they reminded us of. One of the really neat things was to go back and visit our friends and see little things from our home that had become a treasure for them. It was a double treasure. =]
“here i raise my ebenezer . . .” what a wonderful
outworking of a favorite hymn and scripture! the
Lord used these stones as commemorative signs,
and so now do you.
brilliant.
merry Christmas,
lea
I to have little stones (and some big ones) scattered around. My “favorite” reminder is a pile of them in my yard. My daughter and my grandchildren were in Florida during Hurricane Katrina..in the pan handle. Katrina at that time was scheduled to hit there. I needed to keep myself busy so I tilled up a garden. With each stone I ran across, I prayed as I placed it in a pile, usually with tears falling. I could not reach my daughter for a couple of days after. The pile grew. To anyone just looking, it is a pile of rocks. To me it is a monument, a reminder of God keeping my beloved children (grand and other) safe.
Oh Jodie. Thank you for telling us about your ebenezer! What a story they tell.
Patty, what is really incredible is now the grandchildren live with me. I show them that pile and share with them the story of how each rock in that pile is a prayer for them, and how God kept them safe.
God is good!
Excellent! I, too, have many special items around my house ~ meaningful in that they are from special places, remind me of special events, have belonged to my daddy or my gr-parents. Love the idea of the Ebenezer.
Blessings from Ohio…Kim<
I love collecting rocks from special places we visit. Of course, they stay outside in the garden. I enjoyed your post and have many items around my home that holds memories of God’s love. Sharing with the next generation–it just doesn’t get much better than that! Hugs!
Hugs back at ya, Rita. You’ve been such a blessing to me! =]
Patty….loved the article. My grandpa McKee always collected rocks….he had rocks from all across Southern Illinois and also from the places he visited….or just from the park that he happened to find while sitting on a bench or, in the winter, ice skating. I still have a small jar of some of those rocks sitting on my mantle. I also have one outside that Shannon brought back from Jeckyl Island where she re committed her life to Christ at 16. I keep it as a reminder that she belongs to the Father and I have picked it up several times since to remind Satan that she isn’t his and that he can’t have her. I certainly can relate to this story and to your collection. Love you and keep writing!
Jayma! What a wonderful treasure Shannon’s rock is! A solid reminder for you. Love it. I’ve prayed many times for Shannon (LoL, and Steph too) and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon! =] Love you too. =]
What a beautiful post! I love those verse’s and I was just reading it the other day. Kind of nice getting this in my email today. Love the stories behind things like that! I have kept stuff like that for a long time too. Just hope that it will pass on to my daughter.
Have a blessed week and thanks again for sharing!
LOVE this. Wonderful.
Here I raise my Ebenezer…could you post the words of the hymn, please. I haven’t heard it. I am somewhat surprised at your choice of topics as it reminded me of something that happened recently to me. I’ve not told anyone but my mother and my dearest friend because I didn’t think anyone could relate to it. But since you brought up this very subject of rocks being the physical reminder of what God has done for you, I’m going to tell it here.
I have been enduring a hard situation for quite a long time. Two weeks ago while in church it was like the spirit spoke to me and said, This is the day of your deliverance. It was so real my immediate response (though uspoken) was, This day the Lord hath heard my prayer. I decided at that very moment that I was going to take my dogs for a walk that afternoon into the woods around our house and build a memorial to God to mark the day of my deliverance. I found the perfect spot, a knoll overlooking the valley. I gathered up three stones representing the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, stacked them up and put 12 stones around it and said a prayer of thanksgiving.
It is a physical reminder between God and I that he hath heard my prayer – a memorial forever.
Here ya go, Becky… The title of the hymn is Come Thou Fount.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
Thanks Patty. I’ve been raised in church and reading the scripture but never heard about an Ebenezer stone. Very interesting.