The Pearls

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls, was
Almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout
stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white
pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can
I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil
box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes
of her little girl's upturned 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's
only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill
from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank
and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more
than her share of chores and she went to the neighbour
and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions
for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her
another new dollar bill and at last she had enough
money to buy the 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.
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 come upstairs to read her a story.
One night as 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 very favourite."

"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
beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that
matches her sleeper."
That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one.
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 one silent 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, this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's 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 the genuine treasure.


So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for
us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he
can give us beautiful treasures.


Isn't God good? Are you holding onto things that God
wants you to let go of.

Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners,
relationships, habits and activities that you have
come so attached to that it seems impossible to let
go?
Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the
other hand but do believe this one thing ....

God will never take away something without giving you
something better in its place.
Have a wonderful day.
If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.
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