I found a beautiful shell on the beach today, tiny intricate spirals that gradually and gracefully grew into concentric circles. The creature within must have grown slowly, sealing off each successive chamber and moving on into larger circles. How fortunate he was! Able to abandon old failures and move into a fresh room with new hope and a clean spirit. But I too have that gift of a clean room; thank you, God, for the chance you give me each day to move into a larger, cleaner chamber, one wiped free of sin and failure, open to your future and closed to my past. May I willingly move in your direction and leave the flawed past behind. Amen.