Polishing Bumpage

I just love good lessons at  church.

Today we had a joint Priesthood, Relief Society lesson on families. There were many good things said, but one comment in particular struck me. A sister shared the idea that as families we are all rough stones, and that as we grow together and interact and learn we help polish each other. 

Her comment immediatly made me think of a popular Joesph Smith quote:

I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force...knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty. (History of the Church, 5:401.)

I thought how families really are like rough rocks all thrown together in our little homes, full of bumping and elbowing, of "he's touching me!".  Sharing rooms and chores and couch cushions. Or as Erma Bomback described her family:

“We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life, sharing diseases and toothpaste. Coveting one another's dessets, hiding shampoo, borrowing money. Locking each other out of our rooms. Inflicting pain and kissing it to heal in the same instant. Loving, laughing defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.” 

Figuring it out. Forming those bonds through a closeness that sometimes makes us shove a little. But all of the "bumping" serves a purpose helping us become less selfish, more loving...busting off those rough edges, refining, sculpting, polishing.

It's just a perfect metaphor. 

So next time my boys are wrestling, and shoving, I'll just think  Yup, there's gonna be some bumpage, 

but with enough love tumbling around too, 

hopefully we'll all come out a little smoother.