We are, in Filipino terminology, transferring balay (house) soon.
Our current rental home is on Copper Street and we will be moving to Topaz Street.
As I thought about these elements and minerals I found my thoughts wandering to God's word and how He uses elements and minerals to decorate priests robes and the new Heaven and new Earth. (see Exodus 28:17, 39:10, Revelation 21).
I started wondering about the properties of copper and topaz and if there was any correlation between those and my own spiritual life.
Copper is both an element and a mineral. It's found in oxidized zones of copper deposits; in hydrothermal veins; in cavities of basalt that have been in contact with hydrothermal solutions; and as pore fillings and replacements in conglomerates that have been in contact with hydrothermal solutions.
It was probably one of the early metals worked by ancient people. Nuggets of copper could be found in streams and its properties allowed it to be easily worked without requiring a processing step. Copper coins were common. Jesus refers to the copper coins in the story of the widow (see Mark 12:42).
As I pondered how easy copper is to work with I thought of my own spiritual life. Am I a vessel willing to be worked for my Father's Kingdom? Am I a humble clay willing to be molded into His likeness? (Isaiah 64:8)
Copper is easily stretched, molded and shaped. Am I a willing vessel in my Father's hands to be molded into His likeness? (Romans 9:21, Hebrews 12, 1 Peter 2:21)
Copper is resistant to corrosion. Corrosion is the gradual destruction of a metal. Am I staying vibrant in my walk with Christ? Am I guilty of losing my first love (see Revelations 2:4) Do I bear patiently and endure for His name's sake (see Revelations 2:1-3) Do I stay humble, willing to be led in His way (see James 4:5-10)
Copper conducts heat and electricity efficiently. 
Am I allowing His light to shine through me? Jesus in the light of the world (see John 8). Am I freely sharing His light with others in this sin-darkened world? (see Matthew 5:16).
Light does not get hidden under a basket. Matthew 5: 15 - 16 says "Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they
may see your good works and give glory to your Father who
is in heaven."
God yearns jealously over the spirit that He has made to dwell in us. And He gives grace. He opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. We are to submit ourselves to Him. We are to resist the devil (corrosion). We are to draw near to Abba and He will draw near to us. (based on James 5)
"Topaz is a very hard mineral. It is used for the standard hardness of eight in the Mohs Hardness Scale. Some minerals of great hardness can be broken rather easily. Topaz has a perfect basal cleavage making it vulnerable to breakage. This cleavage makes topaz a somewhat fragile gemstone...."(geology.com)
And isn't that how we should be?
Strong in the Lord (see Ephesians 6:10), yet humble and malleable in Him? (see 2 Chronicles 34:27, James 4:10, Psalm 18:27, 25:9.)
God adorns the new Heaven and New Earth with jewels. He has made us in His likeness.
Let's not become corroded in our faith. Let us constantly shine His light in a sin-darkened world, conduct His love to others, stay humble and malleable in Him, stay strong in Him, knowing that He is our strength.
It is not flesh and blood we wrestle with but spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore we should take up His full armour, His word, walk in His grace, bless those who curse us, be a lamb as Jesus was, ever entrusting our souls to Him who never slumbers or sleeps.
My pondering about minerals and jewels led me to recognize that while silver, gold, copper, topaz, and other minerals have value, what God really desires is for us to humbly seek Him
and walk in His wisdom.
Job 28 tells us "Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold that they refine. Iron is taken out of the earth,
and copper is smelted from the ore. Man puts an end to
darkness and searches out to the farthest limit the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
...Man puts his hand to the flinty rock and overturns mountains by the roots. He cuts out channels in the rocks, and his eye sees every precious thing. He dams up the streams so that
they do not trickle, and the thing that is hidden he brings out
to light.
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place
of understanding? Man does not know its worth, and it is
not found in the land of the living....It cannot be bought for
gold, and silver cannot be weighed as its price. It cannot
be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire....The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it
,....From where, then, does wisdom come?....
*God understands the way to it,*
and he knows its place.....And He said to man,
'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to
turn away from evil is understanding.'"
Proverbs 3: 13 - 17 tell us "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her
is better than gain from silver
and her profit better than gold. She is more precious
than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Be a conduit of His love....
"...let your light shine before others, so that they may
see your good works and give glory to your Father who is
in heaven." Matthew 5:16
sources:
http://geology.com
http://biblegateway.com