The Necklace

> > > 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 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.  Remember, daddy? The one you
> > > gave me.  She's my very 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 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.  The greatest gifts happen when you share love and touch others.
> > > All that I am, and ever hope to be, I owe all to Jesus!