The Covenant of Family

Outside of Portland, Oregon there lives a loving family of four.

This Easter, one of our customers will be presenting her husband, son, and daughter with a ring, to represent the covenant they all entered at the parent's marriage. The wood comes from a 90 foot tall cherry tree that was in their backyard. The tree had to come down because it was dropping an unhealthy sludge. Sad to see it go, the family which hosts more then one woodworker, will be salvaging the wood in different ways, including creating a cherry table. The rings we created came from a mossy green branch she had sent us. Also included in the ring design, is an inlay of acacia wood, which holds religious significance. It is thought that the Arc of the Covenant was made out of acacia wood, and also that Jesus was crucified on a cross from an acacia tree. On the inside of the rings are each family member's initials, as well as a favorite bible verse.

When our time on this Earth is limited and even the trees decay, the most meaningful thing we can do is share our time, our space, and our stories with the ones we love every day.

www.simplywoodrings.com

Why I do what I do.

I recently celebrated my birthday, and with that came some time to reflect. I took a break from the mad rush of life and the draining desire to live every single moment—I stopped to exhale. As the big day approached, my wife asked if there was anything special I wanted to do. But there wasn’t much I was interested in doing to celebrate the day of my birth. That’s sad, you say. Well, my wife said the same thing. Not in so many words, but I sensed her concern that I may not be taking the passing of the years as well as I made it seem. So we spent the morning out with the kids. We made it back to the house and had some cake, at which point I decided to take some photos. And right there in the viewfinder, I breathed the oxygen of life, the essence of what makes life what it is. I snapped many photos that day. I decided to share with you the one that captured what I felt. In that moment, I did not long for the next; I knew this was life – simple, quiet, still. I inhaled. My wife and boys helped me to be still for just a moment. I’m forever grateful I have the time to do what I do.

--gustav