Charm Bracelets

When I was a little girl, I loved Mom's charm bracelets. They were especially fun when the pastor decided to get a bit long winded. I believe she has three of them, and I never tired of looking at them. At one time, I probably had all the charms memorized. I knew the stories behind most of them. I found that most interesting. Even a little charm has a history - a history that tells me about my mom.

I received my first charm bracelet the Christmas I was fifteen. It was silver and had a heart already attached. Over the next ten years, I collected charms until it was full. The Christmas I was 26, I got a new one. So, I decided charm bracelet #1 would be for the first 25 years of my life. Charm bracelet #2 will be for the next 25...should I live that long.

Charm bracelets reveal a lot about their owners. A couple of girls at church and I were discussing that several weeks ago when I stopped to admire one of their bracelets. It told me she loves elephants and every year she was on a Bible drill team she had a charm made to go along with the theme. I never thought of an idea like that.

This week I was wearing charm bracelet #2, (#1 is in my dresser drawer in Indiana) and I got to thinking about what my bracelets tell about me. It's rather interesting, actually.

Charm Bracelet #1:

• 3 picture charms, one of me at age 2, one of Katey and I just after Katey was born, and one of Katey and I a couple of years later: to prove I really did have bleach blond hair! And I loved being a big sister
• flute: I played the flute for nine years
• state of Texas: I lived there - now three times
• carousel: I love carousels
• computer: I can't say I love computers, but for some reason I'm good with them
• mustard seed: to match my mom - I loved that charm on her bracelet
• engraved circle: reads "Graduation, 1998", when I graduated from highschool
• state of Rhode Island: where I was born - hooray!
• graduation cap: engraved "12/5/2005", when I graduated from college
• Sweet 16: self explanatory...and a long time ago

Charm Bracelet #2:

• Navy symbol: I was born a Navy brat - Go Navy! Beat Army!
• heart with a citrine stone: my Indian name from camp is "Conscientious Citrine"
• blue M&M guy: my initials are M.M.S.
• fall leaf: beautiful New England autumns
• Confederate flag: where all my sympathies lie, even if the South doesn't rise again

Maybe some day I'll have little girls of my own. During church when the pastor waxes eloquent, they'll finger my charms and imagine when they're grown up and can have bracelets of their own. And after church, they'll say, "Mommy, what's this one for?" And I'll smile and say, "Well, many years ago..." And remember my past and all the Lord filled it with.