Nearly three years ago when the hubby and I were shopping for our wedding rings I approached this task with a short list of criteria. I wanted a simple gold band free of adornment like the ones that live on my parents’ fingers. Unlike the engagement ring, there are no twinkling stones refracting the sunshine, just a latticework of fine scratches and dents across its once smooth surface.

This preference was partially a practical one. I’ve never been especially gentle on my hands. Anything from washing dishes to changing dirty diapers to gutting and skinning an elk is fair game in my book and I wanted a ring that I’d never have to take off. Even now, after just two years of marriage, it doesn’t shine quite like it did when it was new. It’s not pristine and perfect anymore but each defect tells a story of the beautiful, full life we’ve begun together. This scratched wedding band is my personal reminder of God’s goodness and all the tiny blessings He bestows on us every single day.