This Page

has been moved to new address

12 Pearls of Christmas:Gifts of Purpose

Sorry for inconvenience...

Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service
/* -- basic html elements -- */ body {padding: 0; margin: 0; font: 75% Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: #474B4E; background: #fff; text-align: center;} a {color: #DD6599; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;} a:visited {color: #D6A0B6;} a:hover {text-decoration: underline; color: #FD0570;} h1 {margin: 0; color: #7B8186; font-size: 1.5em; text-transform: lowercase;} h1 a {color: #7B8186;} h2, #comments h4 {font-size: 1em; margin: 2em 0 0 0; color: #7B8186; background: transparent url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-header1.gif) bottom right no-repeat; padding-bottom: 2px;} @media all { h3 { font-size: 1em; margin: 2em 0 0 0; background: transparent url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-header1.gif) bottom right no-repeat; padding-bottom: 2px; } } @media handheld { h3 { background:none; } } h4, h5 {font-size: 0.9em; text-transform: lowercase; letter-spacing: 2px;} h5 {color: #7B8186;} h6 {font-size: 0.8em; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 2px;} p {margin: 0 0 1em 0;} img, form {border: 0; margin: 0;} /* -- layout -- */ @media all { #content { width: 700px; margin: 0 auto; text-align: left; background: #fff url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-body.gif) 0 0 repeat-y;} } #header { background: #D8DADC url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-headerdiv.gif) 0 0 repeat-y; } #header div { background: transparent url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/header-01.gif) bottom left no-repeat; } #main { line-height: 1.4; float: left; padding: 10px 12px; border-top: solid 1px #fff; width: 428px; /* Tantek hack - http://www.tantek.com/CSS/Examples/boxmodelhack.html */ voice-family: "\"}\""; voice-family: inherit; width: 404px; } } @media handheld { #content { width: 90%; } #header { background: #D8DADC; } #header div { background: none; } #main { float: none; width: 100%; } } /* IE5 hack */ #main {} @media all { #sidebar { margin-left: 428px; border-top: solid 1px #fff; padding: 4px 0 0 7px; background: #fff url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-sidebar.gif) 1px 0 no-repeat; } #footer { clear: both; background: #E9EAEB url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-footer.gif) bottom left no-repeat; border-top: solid 1px #fff; } } @media handheld { #sidebar { margin: 0 0 0 0; background: #fff; } #footer { background: #E9EAEB; } } /* -- header style -- */ #header h1 {padding: 12px 0 92px 4px; width: 557px; line-height: 1;} /* -- content area style -- */ #main {line-height: 1.4;} h3.post-title {font-size: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0;} h3.post-title a {color: #C4663B;} .post {clear: both; margin-bottom: 4em;} .post-footer em {color: #B4BABE; font-style: normal; float: left;} .post-footer .comment-link {float: right;} #main img {border: solid 1px #E3E4E4; padding: 2px; background: #fff;} .deleted-comment {font-style:italic;color:gray;} /* -- sidebar style -- */ @media all { #sidebar #description { border: solid 1px #F3B89D; padding: 10px 17px; color: #C4663B; background: #FFD1BC url(http://www.blogblog.com/snapshot/bg-profile.gif); font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 0.9; margin: 0 0 0 -6px; } } @media handheld { #sidebar #description { background: #FFD1BC; } } #sidebar h2 {font-size: 1.3em; margin: 1.3em 0 0.5em 0;} #sidebar dl {margin: 0 0 10px 0;} #sidebar ul {list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0;} #sidebar li {padding-bottom: 5px; line-height: 0.9;} #profile-container {color: #7B8186;} #profile-container img {border: solid 1px #7C78B5; padding: 4px 4px 8px 4px; margin: 0 10px 1em 0; float: left;} .archive-list {margin-bottom: 2em;} #powered-by {margin: 10px auto 20px auto;} /* -- sidebar style -- */ #footer p {margin: 0; padding: 12px 8px; font-size: 0.9em;} #footer hr {display: none;} /* Feeds ----------------------------------------------- */ #blogfeeds { } #postfeeds { }

Saturday, December 12, 2009

12 Pearls of Christmas:Gifts of Purpose


Too Precious to Wear
by Sarah Sundin

One Christmas when my mother was a girl, she received a string of pearls from her father. Since her parents were divorced—an unusual situation in the 1950s—she treasured the pearls as a sign of her father’s love. When he passed away her senior year in high school, the pearls took on even greater significance.

When I was growing up, my mother talked often about the pearls, but my sister and I never saw them. Mom kept them safe in their silk-lined velvet box tucked in her jewelry box. For dressy occasions, she wore other nice jewelry, but never the pearls.

The pearls were too precious to wear.

What if the strand broke and even a single pearl was lost? What if the clasp broke and she lost them forever? She couldn’t risk it. Better to keep them cocooned in silky security.

When my mother offered to let me wear her pearls on my wedding day, I was deeply touched. This was more than “something old” or “something borrowed,” but a sign that she trusted me and loved me.

A few days before the wedding, my mother pulled the box from seclusion. My sister and I watched with curiosity and awe.

The pearls had turned a deep grayish-yellow, they were flaking, and some had fallen apart.

They were fake.

For over thirty years, my mother nurtured a piece of costume jewelry. All that time she could have worn them and enjoyed them without worry. Her father gave them to her for a purpose—to wear them and feel lovely and ladylike and special. He didn’t mean for her to hide them away.

On our wedding day, my husband gave me a strand of real pearls. They symbolize my husband’s sacrificial love for me—they were expensive for a graduate student with half-Scottish blood.

I vowed never to tuck them away but to wear them often. Yes, I’m careful. I inspect the cord and knots and clasp, and I plan to have them restrung when necessary. But I wear them and enjoy them. That’s why my husband gave them to me.

Our heavenly Father gives us gifts too—brilliant and costly. We should cherish them, but we should use them. Whether our individual gifts involve serving, teaching, encouragement, evangelism, or even money—they have a purpose. The Lord wants us to use our gifts to bless others and to spread the message of His love.

While pearls make women look lovely, using our God-given gifts for His kingdom makes us even lovelier. And just as pearls grow more lustrous with frequent wear, our gifts from God grow in beauty and strength the more we use them.

This Christmas I plan to wear my string of pearls, a sign of my husband’s love—and to display my pearls from heaven, a sign of my Father’s love.

Have a lustrous Christmas!

__________________________________


Sarah Sundin lives in northern California with her husband and three children. She works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Her first novel, A Distant Melody, historical fiction set during World War II, will be published by Revell in March 2010. Please visit her at http://www.sarahsundin.com or her blog or find her on Facebook.




_______________________________________

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:

posted by Margaret McSweeney @ 4:05 AM

13 Comments:

At December 12, 2009 10:58 AM , Blogger eph2810 said...

So sad that your mom tucked away the pearls for 30 years only to find out they were fake.

Thank you for the reminder to use our God given gifts and talents.

Peace & Love,
Iris

 
At December 12, 2009 11:19 AM , Blogger Roxanne Sherwood said...

I love the way you wear your precious pearls instead of tucking them safely away.

May we cherish and use all the gifts God gives us.

 
At December 12, 2009 12:41 PM , Blogger Kristinia - Loving Heart Mommy said...

A great story! Very touching ! I love the part about our Father giving us great gifts! Gifts that will never be fake but will always be something we can use, everyday of our life!

 
At December 12, 2009 1:08 PM , Blogger Virginia C said...

This is a very lovely giveaway! Happy Holidays!

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

 
At December 12, 2009 1:15 PM , Anonymous Stacie Ruth said...

As a "Pearl Girl" contributing author, I appreciated this post and the deep meaning it presented. God bless you, Sarah. Excellent post!

 
At December 12, 2009 4:39 PM , Blogger Michelle V said...

I love this story and the message!

Blessings
Michelle V
m.vasquez[at]grandecom[dot]net

 
At December 12, 2009 10:17 PM , Blogger Carla Gade said...

That devotion had a great message. Pearls are for wearing! As are the gifts the Lord has given us. Profound thoughts.

 
At December 13, 2009 11:26 AM , Blogger Kav said...

I followed a link from Carla's Writing to Distraction blog and I'm glad I did. I've been touched by the two pearl stories I've read so far and I've been introduced to a new author! I'll certainly keep an eye out for your book come March.

This line really struck me: "For over thirty years, my mother nurtured a piece of costume jewelry. All that time she could have worn them and enjoyed them without worry...He didn’t mean for her to hide them away." and the way you linked it to God's gifts to us. Lots to think about...lots to be grateful for.

I'm glad that you're wearing your pearls! :-) I have a friend who wears pearls every day. She wears them with jeans or dresses. To church or to work or when she's cleaning out the garage. It's kind of a long standing joke with everyone who knows her and I did think it was a bit...well, quirky and old-fashioned until she told me that she wore them because they reminded her that she was a lady and should conduct herself accordingly, no matter what situation she found herself in. And you know what? She certainly lives up to those pearls! She has always been one classy lady!

 
At December 13, 2009 4:37 PM , Blogger Sarah Sundin said...

What kind comments!! All of you made my day! Iris, Roxanne, Kristinia, Virginia, Stacie Ruth, Michelle, Carla, Kav - I'm so glad you all enjoyed my little story. By the way, I went to my company Christmas party last night - wearing my pearls!
I know God has given each of you great gifts - wear them well!
And Kav - I love your pearl-wearing-friend story! There IS something so intrinsically ladylike about a woman in pearls.
And thank you, Margaret, for adding this late-coming newbie author to your wonderful "strand."

 
At December 14, 2009 3:29 PM , Blogger LV said...

Sounds a lot like the story of my Great Aunt Betty's diamond!! Very sad.

 
At December 14, 2009 4:50 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

My dentist in the desert wore her (single) pearl strand every day. It was actually a lovely distraction while getting teeth worked on and added elegance to an otherwise less-than-elegant day (for both of us).

grateful to our 'wonderful, patient, loving, grace-giving, servant Lord',

HveHope -:¦:-
-:¦:-¸¸.·´*
(Sally Clarkson, "Words of Life")

 
At December 15, 2009 8:50 AM , Blogger Buttons and Bows said...

That is such a great illustration of the gifts and talents that God has given us.
I pray we too do not bury our talents that the Lord has given us.
You apparently are not hiding yours as you do have the gift to write.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

 
At December 15, 2009 7:53 PM , Blogger Stacie said...

Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home