This story is for my mother in law. She wanted a story of something symbolic. She is serving a mission at Martin's Cove. Her phone keeps dying right in the middle of our conversation and I told her I would email the story. Since I know she will be checking my blog I decided just to share it on here, since she doesn't have an email address :) The story is what I remember of it. A woman told us this story and I am sure you have already heard it before.
" There was a girl who wanted a pearl neck less so bad that her mother took her to the store to buy some fake pearls. Her father came in to tuck her into bed and asked her what they were. She was wearing the pearls and told her father they were her pride and joy! Her dad kissed her goodnight and left it at that. The next day came and went, and it was time for her Father to tuck her into bed. This time he asked her if he could have her precious pearls. She was so upset he would even ask, she told him those were her pearls and she would not give them up!! Night after night the father kept asking " Can I have your pearls?" Each night the same reply was NO! Finally one night the little girl thought that if her father wanted them so bad she would give them up. She gave her Father her precious pearls, and when she did he held a box out for her. She opened the box and saw real pearls." The moral of the story is that we all have weakness's, sins, or wrong doings. Sometimes we hold on to them so tightly when the Father has his arms stretched ready for us to give them up. He simply doesn't make us, we have to let it go on our own. When we do we receive true joy and happiness. There are many things that this story can be remembered by, but all I know is that each one of us is a real pearl to someone who needs us. Kind of like the quote to the world we may be one, but to one we may be the world. What a good quote for mothers on mothers day. I think of this life as a war. We have people falling in the trenches with bullets being shot all around our heads. Are we going to run and save ourselves from the dread? Or are we going to jump in the trench, lift up our own and help him to his feet? reminds me of "Onward Christan Soldiers" This life how easy is it to turn our backs when we see someone hurt, or doing something they shouldn't be? How easy is it to gossip and throw our own stones at people we may know? WE may know a friend who has made a big mistake by going out of the bonds of marriage and has no one to turn to. We may know people with addictions and are too scared or too lazy to help them up. Whatever it may be I am so glad that we were given the opportunity to not have to judge. I wouldn't want that burden on me. One of my favorite pictures is of Christ holding the black sheep. I have had many eye opening experiences where I realized I was the one who needed the changing and that I was judgmental. When we strip ourselves of the pride we all have then we can truly see that people out there are wonderful people. I believe this life is to get on our hands and knees and pull each other out of the trenches and up on their feet without judgment. For those fake pearls we may think make us happy, what great joy to know there really is REAL joy if we allow it. Too many people are afraid to talk about such issues, but I think we need to if we are going to get better. Hopefully you have surrounded yourself with good people who will carry you when you need it most. I can't find the picture that I once saw of Christ sitting down holding the black sheep.