Five Golden Rings: Precious Stones and Minerals

There is so much to admire about the earth we live on. Usually I think about the beauty of nature when I think of the beauty of this planet. Seldom do I consider the beauty beneath the earth we stand on. The rare and precious gems and minerals we find there have been and are the subject of a lot of debate and violence over the course of history. But, they were part of the original creation of this planet and they are great blessings. Diamonds, gold, silver, other gems coal, granite, marble, and other minerals, I am grateful for all of these. I am grateful, as a lovely hymn says, "for the beauty of the earth," and that includes what we find above and beneath it.