The Pearl Necklace

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This is adapted for Christmas from a similar story found online, but did not find an author's name. If anyone finds an author, I will delete this promptly.
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One day in early December, Jenny (who is almost 5) was at the Dollar store with her mom. Mom was looking for Christmas decorations, but Jenny was just looking at things on the shelves she could see. Mom had picked up quite a few things when she heard Jenny’s excited voice, “MOMMY – look at that beautiful necklace!” Mom looked at it, a simple, cheap necklace made of play/faux pearls strung by elastic. Mom did not share her excitement knowing it could break easily with beads going everywhere. Jennie tugged on her mom, once, twice, and said, “I really WANT that pearl necklace mommy, can I have them, please!”

As mom stood in line to check out, Jenny tugged again at her mom and pleaded one last time for the necklace.

“Jenny, will you help me bake cookies without complaining?” “YES”, said Jenny. “OK",agreed mom. Jenny ran back to the necklace she had her eye on, carefully picked it up and went back, smiling, to the check out.

The minute she got in the car, Jenny opened the box and proudly put on the necklace. She felt so pretty and so grown up. Jenny wore them everywhere – Church, School, play, even to bed.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night he would read her a story and pray with her.

One night when he finished the story he asked Jenny: “Do you love me?” “Oh Yes Daddy. You know that I love you”, said Jenny. “Then give me your pearls,” said dad. “Oh Daddy, not my pearls! You can have my favorite pink horse, Daddy! You gave me that one remember Daddy? That is my favorite one!” “That’s ok, Honey”, said dad. “Daddy loves you. Good Night”, and he gave her a kiss.

About a week later, after story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?” “Daddy you KNOW that I love you”. “Then give me your pearls”. “Oh daddy not my pearls. You can have my baby doll. The new one I just got for my birthday. You can even have the blanket and her clothes.” “That’s ok. Sleep well. God bless you. Daddy loves you”, and he gave her a kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed. As he came close he noticed Jenny was softly crying. “What is wrong, Jenny? Why are you crying?”

Quietly she lifted her little hand up to her daddy. When she opened it, her pearl necklace was in her hand. She said, “Daddy…this is for you, I do love you”.

With tears in his eyes, Daddy took the necklace and said, “I am so glad you love me that much”.

On Christmas morning, when all the gifts had been opened, daddy handed Jenny the gift hidden in the tree. She opened it and saw a blue velvet bag. Carefully she emptied the contents into her little hands….there was a strand of REAL pearls.

She put her arms around her daddy, and said, “Oh thank you…they are beautiful!”

See the Daddy had the real pearls for several months, but he wanted Jenny’s heart to be prepared to welcome the pearl necklace of value. Her heart seemed satisfied with the cheap one. He needed her to be willing to lay down the cheap one, so he could bless her with the real one.

What are we hanging on to? We think we can’t live without it? It makes us feel so good. But if we give everything we have to God, HE will shower us with blessings that are more valuable than we could ever imagine. #

The heart shaped twig wreath

This heart twig wreath has hung in our bedroom for many years. I am sure I do not dust it as often as I should. But nevertheless, it hangs in our room year after year.

Because we are fixing up our bedroom, Ken recently took it outside and gave it a good spray down. ( I told him I usually put it in the shower - but he knows it is not often enough.)

Today I asked him if he remembered the story of how we got that wreath. Perhaps his mind was on what he was doing on computer, but he stopped and said he didn't have a clue. I was slightly disappointed, for I was sure he would be able to fill in the blanks of my own faulty memory. You know how love has a way of finishing each other's sentences? Well this becomes a hoot as time goes by.

All I remember is we lived in Escanaba, MI and had gone into a flower shop to pick out an arrangement for someone. While waiting for our arrangement to be made I looked around the shop and I spotted this lovely twig heart wreath on the wall. I commented to Ken how much I liked it (I love hearts), but the price was HIGH, so I kept looking around.

Soon we left the shop with our arrangment.

It was later that day Ken went back to the shop and bought the heart wreath to surprise me.Although I do not remember all the details, I remember the LOVE I felt the moment he surprsed me with the wreath. To think that he had LISTENED to me, and made a SPECIAL EFFORT to go back and get it....meant ALOT. I felt loved.....and I am LOVED!

The wreath hangs in our bedroom, not getting dusted as often as it needs, and the story fades in our memory....but our LOVE is not fading. Thank you LORD!

Never too old to learn

I must say I am ashamed of myself at what I am about to confess.

Let me explain:

Our adult daughter lives with us and I do her laundry every week. I do it mostly because I enjoy it and the washer and dryer are located in OUR bathroom. Our bedroom and bathroom are off limits to others, hubby and I reserve the LOVE SUITE for us (smile).

The last few weeks we have been out of town on the weekdays and I try to get everything done, but I have had to leave a few things in the dryer. Last week when I came home, exhausted on Friday night, I found our little load of towels in a heap on our bed. Now I always wash, dry, fold and take hers into her room. She takes my laundry out and plops it unfolded on our bed so she can do hers. Yes, a bit of anger rose within me. 'What would have been so difficult to fold up the few towels that I had left in the dryer?', my mind argued. OF course my dryer was full of her clothes. So for the first time EVER in her lifetime, I emptied the contents into a basket and put them in her room. I felt dirty inside for doing so. I knew I was justified by human standards, but it wasnt me. I love her.

She didnt say one word about the fact that I had not folded her clothes. I knew that her clothes would look alot more wrinkled every time she got dressed this last week. I felt bad inside for having been so selfish and unloving.

This last week I received a phone call which led to out-of-state travel plans. The trip was unexpected. It was a trip of LOVE. After my mom, my sister and I were on the road, my sister handed me an envelope. She said it was from my daughter. My daughter had put half of her paycheck into an envelop for me, to be sure I had enough money for this unexpected trip! She gave it to my sister to deliver saying that Mom would never accept it otherwise.

Well you can imagine what this did to my heart. She may not fold my clothes but she DOES love me and shows me in HER way, not my way.

I didn't end up needing her money, so was able to give it all back to her, but it would not have been necessary. She gave out of her love for me. Just like I do laundry for her. In fact she came back from being with her horse early knowing I would not have a car when I got home and I may need to go somewhere.

Her clothes are now in the washer and I will have them folded and in her room when she gets out of work.

I am never too old to learn, and neither are you (smile).

"Lord, Help me to love like You love---unconditionally!"