Pearls

Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old girl.  One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50.  How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money.   I'll tell you what.  I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace.  And don't forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too.  "Okay."  Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.  Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.  Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.  How Jenny loved those pearls.  She wore them everywhere - to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands.  The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower - her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!  Now Jenny had a very loving daddy.  When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite sotry.  One night when he finished the sotry, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?.  "Oh yess, Daddy, you know I lov eyou," the little girl said.  "Well, then, give me your pearls."  "Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!"  Jenny said.  "But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll.  Remember her?  You gave her to me last year for my birthday.  And you can have her tea party outfit, too.  Okay?"  "Oh no, darling, that's okay."  Her father brished her cheek with a kiss.  "Good night, little one."  A week later, her fahter once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?"  "Oh yess, Daddy, yu know I love you."  "Well, then, give me your pearls."  "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls!  But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse.  Do you remember her?  She's my favorite.  Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything.  You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy," the little girl said to her father.  "No, that's okay," her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss.  "God bless you, little one.  Sweet dreams."  Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling.  "Here, Daddy," she said, and held out  her hand.  She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside.  She let it slip into her father's hand.  With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box.  Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls.  He had had them all along.  He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing. 
So it is with our Heavenly Father.  He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so he can give us beautiful treasure.  Isn't God good?

I like this story because it reminds me of all the cheap stuff I hold onto, and don't value the treasure of Him.  Change my heart oh Lord! 
Amen

What is it to be educated?

If I learn my ABCs, can read 600 words per minute, and can write with perfect penmanship, but have not been shown how to communicate with the Designer of all language,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with my stunning logic, but have not been instructed in God's wisdom,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I read Shakespeare and John Locke and can discuss their writings with keen insight, but have not read the greatest of all books - The Bible - and have no knowledge of its personal importance,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I have memorized addition facts, multiplication tables, and chemical formulas, but have not been disciplined to hide God's Word in my heart,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can explain the law of gravity and  Einstein's theory of relativity, but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One who orders our universe,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can recite the Gettyburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution, but have not been informed of the hand of God in the history of our country,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can play the piano, the violin, six other instruments, and can write music that moves men to tears, but have not been taught to listen to the director of the universe and worship Him,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can run cross-country races, star in basketbal and do 100 push-ups without stopping, but have never been shown how to bend my spirit to do God's will,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I can identify a Picasso, describe the style of Da Vinci, and even paint a portrait that earns an A+, but have not been guided into a career of God's choosing for me,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
If I become a good citizen, voting at each election and fighting for what is moral and right, but have not been told of the sinfulness of man and his hopelessness without Christ,
I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.
However, if one day I see the world as God sees it, and come to know Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify God by fulfilling His purpose for me by enjoying Him forever,
                                               THEN, I HAVE BEEN EDUCATED!
Author Unknown

Same, same... Different perspective!!

I keep thinking about a picture my daughter-in-law sent me of my grandchildren. 
One is very perplexed about the wind, the leaves falling, winter coming on.  The other likes what she sees, and life is ok. 
That's kinda like us.  We may look on another's trials and think how do they do it.  While they on the other hand are joyous and praising God for His goodness.  How can that be?
Can it be our assurance of His hand on our lives?  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things unseen.  
As you see in the photo my granddaughter is pretty delighted with these leaves falling that she can play with, and watch fall, and even try and catch.  On the other hand my grandson is studying that tree and try to figure out "Why it is Dying".  His intenseness reminds me a lot of his daddy when he was growing up.  Not  a bad thing, but just an observation.  What goes through their little heads?  One delighted, one not!  Can we be like Allie and be delighted with what  God is doing, or be like Rylen who is  not real sure this is a good thing?

Day after day, week after week, year after year I am constantly amazed at the ways God provides and cares for us. 
God is good all the time!!!!!!!!
This I can rest assured in!  He in His grace and mercy have given me this.  I thank Him.  I look forward to the birth of our #3 grandchild, and look forward to seeing how his/her little heart will see things.  Thank you for this last year of delight, disappointment, joy, sadness, tears of many kinds.  There was a marriage, a misscarriage, the miracle of the misscarriage in that one of the little twins lived.  We bought a new home.  Celebrated 30 years of marriage with the man I adore. 
Yes, again I proclaim...GOD IS GOOD!!
Hoping to blog more this next coming year.  Thank you Lord for your blood on my neverending sin.  Thank you Lord for your protection of those I love.  Thank you Lord for salvation, and walking beside me as I try and love You more. 
Thank you Thank you