Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Why It Is So Hard To Let Go

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
17 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 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 it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the
cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasure.

Isn't God good?

Are you holding onto things which God wants you to let go of. Are you
holding on to harmful or unnecessary relationships, habits and
activities which you have come so attached to that it seems impossible
to let go? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but
do believe this one thing.............

God will never take away something without giving you something better

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