We had no choice but to pick two winners of our ring contest! Both of their stories were so amazing that we had to let them both win.

I'll repost the stories and images here so you can see what I mean:

"This ring is very unique and one of a kind. The diamond came from the retirement watch my father received for thirty years with the company. One diamond for every ten years. He passed away suddenly in 02/07. The gold is from my wife's and my first set of wedding rings, a gold bracelet from my sister and gold earrings from my Grandmother. The ring is designed around the diamonds and the master jeweler hand designed it from my crude ideals. The emblems are hand struck from original dies from the 40's and 50's era. He inherited them from his Uncle who was a master jeweler and Mason, who made the rings for the local Masons and Shriners back then. I am a U.S. Navy vet., Yet, I have never been more proud to were a ring, than what this ring symbolizes. Bro. Shake..." -- shakespeer13@aol.com

"My ring isn't fancy, nor is it very expensive. However to me it is priceless.
My parents divorced in 1978, Mom got custody and Dad lived on the other side of the country. Some twenty five or so years passed with no contact with Dad. He had moved back to Florida but still we didn't call or see each other. Mom had kinda brain washed me into her side of the story. I basically grew up without a father from age 11.
After serving five years in the military, two failed marriages and two sons of my own, I wanted to hear Dad's side of the story. I got in touch with him, we started a new relationship, getting together to play golf, family events, birthdays etc. and after years of resentment, I found out that Dad went through the exact same thing that I did with my boy's mother. I sure could have used some of his guidance back then.
Dad was raised in 1972, he petitioned at about the same time that his Father "Gramps" did however neither one knew that the other did. The subject came up between the two when they were both Fellow Crafts at different Lodges. Dad was raised before Gramps and actually got to raise Gramps.
I on the other hand asked my long time friend and band mate for a petition and when it was accepted I called Dad, man was he proud!! So he was there for all three of my Degrees and he (with very trembling hands and teary eyes) Raised me to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on the 29 of October 2007. That night he presented me with this ring that only comes off of my finger to shower or wash my hands.
This ring started it's life as a stainless steal nut that dad brought home from a job site in 1974. he brought two of them home and began grinding, filing,sanding and finnishing. The Square and Compasses are a lapel pin, he drilled a hole in the ring and welded them in. He made two of these rings, one he gave to Gramps, he is wearing his in the "House not built with hands" he went to eternal refreshment in 1987. Dad kept the other one with hopes that one of his two sons would become a Mason. And after all of those years he told me that he was wondering at one point what he should do with the other one. Well, he found out!"-- Waco Renshaw

Congratulations to our lucky winners, and I want to thank both of you for your  heartfelt stories of your Masonic Roots.

Fraternally:

Bro. David Mondrus