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The cheerful 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
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 when 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 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 so
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.
It's for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind 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 genuine treasure. So like our heavenly Father.
Wonder what we're hanging on to.....
Unknown
(Inspirational submitted by: Unknown)