I am not much of a souvenir girl. I suppose this stems from growing up in a resort town and working in “gift” shops selling tchotchkes and gaudy t-shirts to tourists. I never understood how cheap trinkets like a wooden owl holding an “I Love Lake Geneva” sign qualified as a keepsake of a visit to our beautiful lake, let alone a gift. But you’d be surprised at what people are willing to buy.

Some parents enjoy bringing back presents from their travels afar. But I am way too practical to buy my kids souvenirs from a place they didn’t go. Well … I take that back. I do bring home a pack of gum and some hotel soap for each child when I go out of town. It never ceases to delight them and make me feel like a cheapo all at the same time.

Anyway, on my recent trip to St. Thomas I noticed my friend over by the more rocky area of the beach. He was hunched over, scanning the sand and rocks, and periodically plucking something from the ground. He’d hold his find up to the light, smile, and hunch over to start the process again.

I was curious what the heck he was doing. But not curious enough to drag my thoroughly-enjoying-laying-around self off the lounge chair and walk all the way across the beach to ask. Eventually he came back and dropped a handful of treasure onto the side table.

A little pile of sea glass, smooth and colorful, twinkled in the sunlight. I was mesmerized and slightly jealous. Like any girl, when I see something sparkly, I kind of want it. Plus I had an epiphany that maybe my kids would like this treasure in addition to their usual gum and soap.

I leaped up and commenced my own personal hunt for sea glass, dragging my reluctant husband with me.

We searched and searched for these silly little pieces of worn glass. Basically its just trash that some schmuck threw overboard years ago. Over a period of years the pieces are sanded smooth on the by the waves and washed ashore. Every time I spotted a tiny green shard a little thrill shot through me. I’d hold it up to show the others what I found and happily add it to my collection. It was an addicting game.

Not to brag or anything, but it turns out I am pretty good at spotting the glass. And I loved watching my collection grow, albeit slowly. Even my colorblind hubby, who initially had a bad attitude about how he couldn’t see the colors, got into it. Especially once he realized he could spot the holy grail – the clear ones – better than any of us. Show off.

I had a little movie in my head … playing out the scene that would unfold when I returned home to my adoring children. They’d ooh and ahh over this cool treasure. I’d teach them how sea glass was made. I’d tell them how painstaking it was to search and scan the rocks – how there were infinitely more rocks than glass and you had to have patience to find it. But it was worth it.

When I got home they just shrugged and asked if I remembered the gum.

Here’s what I love most about the sea glass: It reminds me of what Jesus does for us.

We were all broken, wounded, cast aside and worn down by a cruel world. But he seeks us out. And when he finds us, he picks us out of the mire, and claims us as his treasure. He delights in each one of us, no matter how broken and scarred. And he sets us together to shine as the body of Christ – a collection of broken but beautiful individuals rescued by our loving God.

The little dish of sea glass perched on the windowsill is a reminder not only of a trip to the beach, but also as a reminder that my God rescued me. He redeems me and loves me more than the finest treasure. Souvenirs don’t get much better than that.

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17