I know what’s going to happen, you guys are going to start reading this and you’ll make it to the second paragraph and figure that it’s one of those cheesy, forwarded emails, and then you’ll stop reading. Yes, it is one of those cheesy, forwarded emails but read the whole thing.
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.
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 mommy 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 neighbor 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.
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 neighbor 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
favorite."
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."
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."
can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one.. Daddy
loves you."
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.
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,
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 had them all the time.
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 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.
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.
up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.
God will never take away something without giving you something
better in its place.
better in its place.
My Two Cents
This was one of those forwarded emails that seem to make it rounds all over the world. Most of the time I would scan an email like this real quick and then delete it but this one was different. This one really made me think.
How many times have we substituted God’s best plan with our cheap plan. Most of us have the same problem as this little girl, we’re impatient and we want instant gratification not realizing there is something better. Look at Matthew 7:7-11. We have completely messed this up. Instead of ask, seek, and knock we just take what we want. Drugs and alcohol does this by substituting the true healing of a Godly relationship with the instant numbing of the substance. Porn, in much the same way, substitutes God’s plan of sex with airbrushed images. It’s so easy to get caught up in what seems right; like working so many hours for our family that we never see our family. Let’s face it; God’s plan is always better than ours. When we jump the gun and settle for the cheap pearls we miss out on all the good things that God has for us. In what ways are you settling for the cheap pearls because your rushing God? What blessings are you missing out on? Spend some time in prayer this week and ask God without a time frame in mind.
________________________________________
Man Up Men! Live Christlike!
Walter
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