sometimes I think about stuff

I was sitting in church last week, we were asked to think about ...well about something.  I dont remember  what I was suppose to be thinking about.  I was playing with my bracelet and thinking about how happy I am that it was able to be fixed earlier this week.   I was moving some cleaning supplies around, cleaning a garage space.  I got either some paint, solvent or something all over it.  Its a metal band bracelet.  Silver with the words wisdom courage and strength on it. I love my bracelet, it means a lot to me, memories of a trip I took to Montana, the words are amazing, always reminding me of how I want to be.  It tarnished with this mystery chemical.  I was really bummed! I tried to clean it up myself.  I used toothpaste...I remember my mom using toothpaste to clean her jewelry.  It didn't work but it sure smelled nice and minty. I was going to wear it anyway, its my favorite piece of jewelry I own.  Not that I own a lot but all the more reason to be a little upset it was ruined.   A few days after I ruined it I happen to find myself at Nordstorm...thats a story for another day.  Anyone who knows me knows that me in a Nordstrom store is odd to say the least.  Anyway I was there and in the jewelry department I asked the nice lady if she could help me out, polish or magically fix my armor.  She tried with all her might and did not get very far.  She used a polishing towel and rubbed the heck out of it.  She then tried to sell me some thing I was firmly convinced was toothpaste.  Later on I was in yet another jewelery department, really I swear!  How I was in two in one day I don't know but it was not  planned.  I asked the guy there what he thought of my poor bracelet.  He took it from me and went to the back...oh no I thought.  I could here him using steam pressure.  I worried.  When he came back out he said "its not perfect but ..."  It looked more beautiful than I had seen it since I bought it!  It was shinny and the words popped out and where strong.  Underneath, where only I can see, it still has stains.  It is scratched with years of love but it was all cleaned up.  It took massive amounts of pressure.  In researching steam cleaning I learned it took 40psi to do the job.  I dont really know what that means but it sounds impressive.  I think about the work the Lord has had/gotten to do in me.  The pressure HE has used to clean me up.  I tried to clean myself up, used toothpaste, a polishing towel went to lots of people, but until I let HIM use HIS ways I saw no results.  I still have stains and scratches, most only I and a few close friends can see, but HE promises to finish what HE starts.  Philippians 1:6  I am HIS!