Yesterday was my church's 7th Annual Ladies' Spring Tea. The theme was Rose Petals, Pearls and Lace. Strands of pearls decorated every table.
The devotion contained "Pearls of Wisdom" as the ladies were reminded that pearls are formed when a piece of grit, sand, or shell gets trapped inside an oyster. The oyster protects itself from the irritation by secreting a lustrous liquid that surrounds the irritant until it eventually becomes a pearl. What begins as a trial eventually becomes a valuable treasure.
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Difficult situations come into all of our lives. It's how we respond to them that's important. If we give God our "gritty," unpleasant experiences, He will help us turn them into valuable treasures.
Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." [NIV]
The devotion concluded with a short story called, "The Pearl Necklace." The author is unknown.
A cheerful five year old girl with bouncy golden curls was waiting with her mother at the checkout counter, when she saw a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink box.
"Oh, Mommy, can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother looked at the back of the little box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you, and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only a week away, and you might get a crisp new dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores, and then went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.
On her birthday, Grandma did indeed give her a dollar bill, and at last she had enough money to buy the pearl necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath, because her Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy, and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and go upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay, sweetheart. Sleep well. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"
Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears welling up in his own eyes, Jenny's loving daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.
He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
What are you holding onto today? Our Heavenly Father, the Pearl of Great Price, desires to bestow His finest blessings and treasures on us if we will relinquish everything to Him.
May God bless your week!
A cheerful five year old girl with bouncy golden curls was waiting with her mother at the checkout counter, when she saw a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink box.
"Oh, Mommy, can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother looked at the back of the little box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you, and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only a week away, and you might get a crisp new dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores, and then went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.
On her birthday, Grandma did indeed give her a dollar bill, and at last she had enough money to buy the pearl necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath, because her Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy, and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and go upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay, sweetheart. Sleep well. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"
Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears welling up in his own eyes, Jenny's loving daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.
He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
What are you holding onto today? Our Heavenly Father, the Pearl of Great Price, desires to bestow His finest blessings and treasures on us if we will relinquish everything to Him.
May God bless your week!
I'd not heard this story before, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely Mother's Day.
What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing this!
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