Pearl Girls: 12 Pearls of Christmas: Life Beautiful

Sunday, December 13, 2009

12 Pearls of Christmas: Life Beautiful

Life Beautiful
by Margaret McSweeney

During a quiet moment after Thanksgiving, I started reading my parents' stack of love letters that I recently found in a storage box. As a Christmas gift to you, I would like to share my father's words to my mother written to her during Christmas 1949. This incredible "hug from heaven" has been a tangible affirmation that Pearl Girls has true meaning and great worth for women throughout the world. I pray that God will continue to bless this ministry and outreach. May we all realize that the grit in our lives can be transformed into grace through the love of God.

This is what I found written on a tiny folded card inscribed with "Christmas Greetings" on the front:

Christmas 1949

My Dearest Carolyn,

Truly a jewel is a thing of beauty, but a life that is lived to serve others and to glorify our Christ, such as yours, is my dearest, a far surpassing gem in radiance and beauty.

Pearls to me, symbolize this "Life Beautiful" that you have achieved, Carolyn. Each pearl is a result of a great hurt to the oyster's life. But the little mollusk builds an iridescent coat around this source of hurt, and as a result, the precious pearl comes into being. Life is like that too.

If we, like the pearl, can make of our hurts the basis of a thing of beauty, then we can bear witness to an on-looking world how Christians can overcome through Christ, blows that are seemingly insurmountable.

At this happiest season of the year, I give thanks to God for you, Carolyn - my Pearl of Great Price.

Your Claude

Isn't this an amazing Christmas Pearl? I hope this message has touched your heart, too. Another Christmas gift I would like to share with you: My father's lessons on leadership. These can be found on my guest blog post at Michael Hyatt's website.

During this holiday season, decorate your life with Christmas Pearls --- strands of God's grace-reminders that nothing can separate us from his love, not even the grittiest of circumstances.

And please celebrate the "Pearls of Great Price" in your life through Post a Pearl. It's a fun and free gift that you can share with special people who have been a blessing to you over the years.

Merry Christmas!

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Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. She's the founder of Pearl Girls and a published author. Please visit www.pearlgirls.info for more info. You can also find Margaret at her writing blog, From Finance to Fiction or on Facebook and twitter.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Labels: 12 Pearls of Christmas

9 Comments:

At December 13, 2009 11:36 AM , Kav said...: Wow, the idea of transforming our hurts into a thing of beauty is an inspiring idea. I take great comfort in these words of yours: "...strands of God's grace-reminders that nothing can separate us from his love, not even the grittiest of circumstances." I don't think I'll ever look at a strand of pearls the same way. Thanks for lifting me up!
At December 13, 2009 12:05 PM , Carla Gade said...: Kav, couldn't have said it better.

And, what a precious letter. Thank you for that wonderful post! It truly touched me.
At December 14, 2009 1:32 PM , Stacie Ruth said...: Lovely and meaningful...
At December 14, 2009 3:28 PM , LV said...: Wow, what a marvelous idea.
At December 14, 2009 4:57 PM , Anonymous said...: My mother always said that pearls were meant to be worn and as proof of that fact, they take on lustre because of the natural oils in our skin that buff & shine them when we wear them.

A lovely little fact that reminds me to 'wear' my 'pearls' given by the Lord for His glory.

grateful for 'Him who sustain me in my weariness with His words',

Jackie -:¦:-
-:¦:-¸¸.·´*
(Sally Clarkson, "Words of Life")
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~Matthew 6:34
At December 15, 2009 8:46 AM , Buttons and Bows said...: That is the sweetest letter.
They just do not come like that anymore. Very far and few between that will write their feelings on paper as your father did to your mother.
What a legacy to behold.
God Bless.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
At December 15, 2009 7:52 PM , Stacie said...: Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com
At December 18, 2009 10:23 AM , Wendy said...: What a beautiful tribute to a Godly wife! It reminds me of Proverbs 31:28-29--"Her children arise up, and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." Thanks for sharing this gem.
Wendy @ Faith's Firm Foundation
At December 18, 2009 6:05 PM , Diva Kreszl said...: your father was a very special man...with a heart big enough to see so may truths and the real beauty of his wife!