Gold: We are gifts to each other, blessings from God, but we are not each other’s final destination. We are not eternally complete by or in our relationship to each other. God holds us accountable to help each other along our present path toward the golden streets.
Diamond: “Diamonds are forever”? Not quite. They burn in God’s wrath just like anything else. God, however, is forever. Alpha and Omega. Before we physically existed, we existed to him. He had plans for us, and he is finishing his work with us and others, even beyond our earthly lives if he so chooses. He was our Creator in the beginning. He is our counselor and shepherd in this time. He will be our judge and our joy in the future, world without end.
Green (emeralds): In God, by Jesus Christ, we are no longer walking dead. We have life, walking evergreen, bearing good fruit in season. As individuals, we are alive. As companions, we have a relationship of vibrant, green health. Our roots, our foundations, are solid, the Word of God itself. When (not if) troubles come; when trials, tests, attacks, adversities come, we will not fall, and what’s more, we’ll remain intact, alive, continuing to bear good fruit, because HE will not fail.
Heart Shape: As a guideline for our family, we govern our lives by this principle: “better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” We do not sacrifice our love to God, to each other, or to others for worldly wealth, money, possessions, positions, or experiences.
The Number Three – two emeralds plus one diamond equals three: Our marriage relationship is not whole if it does not include three: God, Todd, and Danielle. Likewise, it is not complete if it is not carried out under God, in God’s ways, and if we do not conduct ourselves towards each other and others out of the God-recreated hearts within us. This we know not only from scripture, but also from experience.
Diamond Between Two Smaller Emeralds: God has not forsaken us to this world. Our Lord came and left and will come back, but he did not leave us alone in this present time. God is with us: our teacher, counselor, and guide. God is still with us in every breath and every step.
Clear Diamond Versus Occluded Emeralds: God, represented by the diamond, is perfect; in him there is no imperfection. His holiness is absolute. If one wants to see original beauty and magnificence far surpassing the remnants that remain in this fallen world, they need to look only to God, for he alone is perfect, holy, and beautiful – the source of all that is good. We, represented by the two emeralds, in comparison, are not perfect...yet. As followers of Jesus Christ, children of the one God, perfection is part of our destiny. However, we are not perfect yet, hence the visible imperfections in the emeralds. Our perfection is a process initiated and continued on by God. He will not quit. Our time is coming...
Size of Diamond Versus Size of Emeralds: If one ever thought they could stand toe-to-toe with God, they would be sorely mistaken. God is terrifyingly awesome, able to end human existence with but a single breath. Sooner or later, every knee will bow to God’s awesomeness, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is King. Some submit now, some do not. Eventually, all will. God is greater than us. There is no escaping him or his truth. We encourage all to submit to God now. As for our family, we indeed submit.
Emeralds Have Three Sides: We are multi-facetted beings – not just body, not just mind, not just spirit. We are all three, combined into one whole. We were created in God’s image, three-in-one. Thus, in our interactions, we remember this and do not neglect each other’s full being. To fully care for each other, we care for each other’s body, mind, and spirit in Christ.
Emerald Triangles Point Toward Heart Diamond First, Then To Each Other: God comes first. God is our first love, not each other. God loved us before anyone or anything else. We do love each other, but in the context that God first loved us, and that God has commanded us to first love him, then each other, in that order. We foresee problems arising in our relationship if we put each other, or anyone or anything else, before God. Similarly, we foresee blessings flowing in and through of our lives as we love God first, then each other and others.
