Awaited learning ended in fulfilled expectations.
Pearls…
Some interesting info that I found online about pearls…and thoughts to go along with the message this morning….
The largest pearl in the world was originally called “Pearl of Allah”, now it is “Pearl of Lao-tze”. It was found at Phillipines, near the Palawan Island. Its diameter is 238 mm, and its weight is 6.4 kg! As it is a natural pearl, its weight is measured in carats, 1280 carats.
To compare: the size of a large akoya pearl is about 7.5 mm, its weight is about 3 carats.
The price of the Pearl of Lao-tze is about 40 million dollars.
http://jewelry.port-arthur.org/pearl_price.htm
Among jewelers and collectors of jewels, real pearls are very valuable. Put the pearl at which I speak of holds a much greater value than the most expensive pearl known to man. It is the pearl of great price, also known as salvation.
I love how practical the Bible is. God is so good to us humans, bringing his word to us in a manner in which we can understand. Jesus spoke in parables for this reason, so we all could understand the plan that God has for us.
In Matthew 13 Jesus likens salvation to a pearl of great price. It reads, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
We can understand this. To be apart of the kingdom of heaven we have to acquire salvation. This is that pearl of great price, a treasure that we find, that is being offered to us, we just have to be willing to sell ALL that we have to obtain that most precious treasure. It is not enough for us to give up just a little, but it will cost us everything, all of our ideas, notions, hopes, wishes, attitudes, dreams, opinions, wants, loved ones, all we have or will have, all we are or ever will be. The cost of this pearl is very great. We have to be willing to sell our self, to give our self completely over to God’s control to receive salvation and be apart of the kingdom of heaven.
There are all kinds of pearls out there, so don’t be deceived into purchasing imitation or cultured pearls. How will you know the difference? I am not an expert on pearls; however after a quick search about pearls it was easy to tell one from the other on price alone. A imitation or cultured pearl necklace can run around $15 at a accessories store at the mall, where as a natural or real pearl necklace can cost more than a couple thousand dollars depending on the quality.
In a spiritual sense, imitation or cultured pearls will allow you to keep some self on board. It may tell you that you can be a Sinning Christian or that you don’t have to forgive every one, or a few lies are ok. Imitation means the result or product of imitating, artificial likeness, a copy, counterfeit. Imitation pearls are fake; they aren’t the real thing, they are just pretending. We need to be careful that we get the real thing. Imitation salvation will not be the key to entering into the Kingdom of heaven, only true salvation will work. Don’t settle or be satisfied with a $15 pearl necklace, sell everything you have and save up to get the thousand dollar one.
September 11, Essay Hug, Love, Live
2Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The simple question continues to echo through my mind hours later.
“What is it, Mommy?” my nine-year-old daughter, Katherine, asked. “What
is it that makes some people do something so awful! What is it?”
The day was dawning as she questioned me. We were standing in
our front yard, the sky turning from grey to blue as we prepared
to take her to school. She looked up at me, her deep blue eyes
round, her innocent face expectantly waiting for an answer. Her
expression said “Mommy will know the answer. My Mommy can
take care of anything.”
I paused, looking towards the sky. The same sky that had just
carried passenger planes turned weapons of destruction plowing
into American targets. Targets I had seen personally. Targets I
could remember being built as a child in New Jersey. Targets that
are visual icons of New York and Washington, DC.
“Fear. Hatred. Misunderstanding. And the desire to keep people in
fear, hatred and misunderstanding.” I looked at my daughter, who
at nine is wise beyond her years. She was slowly nodding. I
continued: “People know if you are afraid, you can not feel love.
If you can not feel love, you can not feel peace. These people do
not want us to feel peace or love. They want to control us. We
won’t let them do that, though, will we?”
In a very short conversation, Katherine had brought my resolve
firmly back to me. She reminded me of a very important lesson
that lives deep within me. In the moments after I heard of the
devastation that was occurring so close to where I had grown
up, I was frightened to the point of near hysteria. I paced,
frantically worried about my children, my friends, my safety, my
country, my world.
Katherine reminded me that I could not feel fear AND feel love
at the same time. As I listened to reports from survivors, I heard
gratitude in their words. I heard an unusual peace. I heard light
among the tragedy.
We can love as we grieve the senseless loss of so many lives. We
can love as we pray. We can love as we donate time, blood and
money to the Red Cross and other charitable organizations. We
can love as we talk to complete strangers as we sort out our own
feelings about the tragedy. We can love as we hug our children,
friends and neighbors. We can love as we take an extra moment
to simply feel grateful for each breath. For each moment. For each
person whose lives we touch positively. We can love as we put
one foot in front of the other. We can love as we choose to trust.
We can love as we serve our fellow world citizens.
Later this afternoon I was with Emma, my four year old daughter at
the park. She came to me and I gave her a big hug. She looked at
me and stated simply: “A plane flew into a building. Lots of people
died. Lets talk about it”.
So we did. Plainly and with the vocabulary of a preschooler we
talked about what had taken place in New York City. She went
back to playing.
She returned to me and said, “Mommy, give me a nice big hug so
the bad guys can’t get me.”
So I did. Hug. Love. Keep the bad guys away. And when the bad
guys come anyway remember to hug. To Love. To trust. To feel
peace deep within you.
Hug. Love. Live.
July 07, 2005 Julie Jordan Scott
Not too big to sit on my Lap
August 25 was A1’s birthday. He was 11 years old. I was there when he was born, I fell in love immediately. He was 8 or 9 and sitting on my lap when I asked him how old he would be when he was too old to sit on my lap. He thought for a while and then said, when I am 12. I only have one year left. Maybe he’ll forget his time limitations.
Today’s Writing Prompt: Inheritance
What trait or feature do you wish you’d inherited from one of your parents (but didn’t)?
That would be my mom’s thoughtfulness. It seems she always thinks of others and how her actions would impact them. I saw this demonstrated so beautifully with my father as he suffered with Alzheimers
thankful for lives spared…
This time of year when it’s Mom’s birthday and mine is coming soon… I reflect on how thankful I am that God spared both of our lives. Mine when I was born – so early and small, thankfully the nurse was wrong when she said “this one isn’t going to make it”. And Mom’s in the year or so following my birth, when she was so ill. I’ve heard her testimony time and again, how she held on to God’s promise – one day at a time, when she didn’t know what to do. And God was faithful to hold on too, he has promised us, he will never let go. I am thankful for my Mom – for the lessons she has taught and the example she has been.
60 things
Sixty things You May or May not Know About Leslie
1. Likes yellow roses the best
2. Doesn’t like her feet messed with
3. Favorite meal to eat out Breakfast
4. First choice dark chocolate with almonds
5. Favorite vacation spot – ocean beaches
6. Next car Hyundai Genesis ( I’m hoping)
7. Loves to knit and challenge myself with new stitches
8. Determined to finish quilting projects
9. Would rather piece tops than quilt them
10. Happy my children live in Sacramento area
11. Been married 42 years
12. Born in Fresno, at St Agnus Hospital
13. Never lived more than 4 hours away from Fresno
14. Went to 4 grammar schools, 1 jr. high and 1 high school
15. Attended both ARC and Sac City jr. colleges for assorted classes
16. Could eat Chinese food several meals a week
17. Favorite color green
18. Favorite songs Not My Will and Every Need Supplied
19. Enjoys having stuff organized
20. but Procrastinates about organizing stuff
21. Volunteers in Kyle’s second grade class
22. Reads many types of books: mystery, science fiction, light romance, espionage
23. Grows violets, now that I know their favorite window, they bloom
24. Mistreats orchids and sometimes they bloom
25. Definitely a night person
26. Has seen sunrises and sunsets and knows the sunrises are not worth getting up for
27. Will get up early to see hot air balloons rise
28. Favorite holiday – thanksgiving
29. Enjoys being by myself
30. Enjoys just driving around for no real reason or destination
31. Loves to stop at yarn and quilt shops in new cities
32. Doesn’t really like garage sales
33. Knows that grandchildren are a special blessing from God
34. Loves black walnut ice cream at Baskin Robbins
35. Fascinated about how children learn
36. Knows audio books are the answer to how to anything and read at the same time
37. Thinks Bacon, tomato, Avocado sandwiches is a good breakfast
38. Must have lots of open (without curtains or blinds) windows in her house
39. Loves ironed pillowcases
40. Is learning to blog
41. Is being more open to people
42. Would like to go horse back riding on the beach
43. Collects thimbles from places she has been, has 30 (not all from places, some gifts)
44. Loves scissors that are less than 7 inches long
45. Thinks her children are wonderful, smart, beautiful and clean up well
46. Is a yarn and fabric fondler
47. Doesn’t have a passport, yet
48. Favorite scripture: Malachi 3:6a For I am the LORD, I change not;
49. Loves the fall because of the cool weather and the wind and the rain
50. Thinks she wants to own a dog
51. Would love to take a long road trip every year, home or abroad
52. Gets very frustrated with mechanical things that don’t work right, right now
53. Doesn’t really like to shop for clothes
54. Could not have picked more perfect daughter in laws
55. Volunteers at a school library one day a week during school year
56. Loves to look up words in the dictionary
57. Thinks thrift shops are okay
58. Would like to travel to England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland
59. Is going on her first cruise this year,
60. August 16 is my birthday and I am 60 years old.
Friday Fiction: Green
Write a brief bit of fiction involving money.
I remembered going to Sunday School as a small girl and having my offering tied in the corner of a hankie. The hankie was 100% cotton, not the permanent pressed ones of today. I was very careful not to lose the offering and held on tight to the hankie. By the time the offering basket was passed around and I had untied the knot, the hankie was is pretty sorry shape. The offering was all I had.
It belonged to Jesus.
Today’s Writing Prompt: Home
How do you feel when you walk into your home after an out of town trip?
Walking in the front door, my home gives me a hug.
Walking from room to room reacquainting with my things;
I feel peace and contentment.
Seeing the familiar and the constant, I’m home.
Now if only I didn’t have to unpack and …..
While waiting on the porch…
I have been waiting on the porch, for such a long time.
What have I been doing while I’ve waited?
I have been very busy.
1. I checked the driveway, yes, free from poison oak and stinging nettles
2. I checked the porch foundation, yes, secure and constant.
3. I swept down cobwebs of discouragement,regret and disappointment.
4. I washed the window to keep a clear vision.
5. I kept the steps de-iced with warmth, forgiveness and compassion.
6. I sat on the porch chair and prayed.
7. I washed the steps with tears.
8. I was watchful, even when busy, glancing out the window.
9. I paused often, listening for a knock.
10. As I looked down the road, I looked up.
The best part of waiting on the porch was opening the door and saying,
“Come in! I’m glad you’re home!”
Improve your Gratitude
Family, Friends, and Visitors , please, click on the “Gratitude” tab on the top of the page. Join us as we develop a thankful heart, discontent and gratitude cannot live in the same heart.
Being a Contented Isn’t
That is what I have found also. There was a time that I was focused on just one thing, having another child. I had two and my life was full, but I wanted another. I kept telling myself when ____ happens, I will…
Well, for months, ______ never happened.
One day, the Lord said, “What if _______ never happens.? Are you going to put your life and the lives of your family on hold for your own way, dream?”
So I began to do things that were on the someday list, being thankful for what I had, doing my best to leave discontent behind.
A few months later, during our 10th anniversary get-a-way God fulfilled my dream. In the fullness of time, Margaret was born.
Not always, have my desires been fulfilled, but always my life is more content when I accept today as today, doing my best to please God today, because today is really all I have, leaving the tomorrow (the Isn’t) in His hands.
Thoughts of Grace 