Made Any Pearls Lately?

Life’s full of surprises for someone like me. I buy, then hide gifts, and eventually discover them. Recently I was excited to find another one while cleaning out my desk. I quickly lifted the lid of the small white box to expose a double strand of pearls. Instantly I remembered buying the necklace for Victoria’s 13th birthday. Or the Christmas she was 13. Let’s just say I remembered part of the reason for the purchase.
What type of child wants pearls when she’s 13? The type who relaxes by listening to classical music, and who, for her 10th birthday, wanted and received a mixer, cake decorating kit, and various baking accessories so she would be ready to run a restaurant. Victoria and her cousin, Tiffani, dreamed of the day they would open BananaWasps, the name they chose since Applebee’s was already taken. This is my Victoria.
As I looked at the pearls, I was faced with a decision. Give them to her immediately as an early (or three years late) birthday gift, or keep them until the actual celebration? Not trusting myself to find them again, I called Victoria into my room.
“I just found something I bought you three years ago,” I announced. She smiled broadly and quickly looked inside the box.
“Pearls!” she shouted, then carefully dangled them between her fingers as she seemed to examine each one. “I was just looking for my pearl earrings. Do you know where they are?” Great, I thought, she’s just like me.
I jumped over the hurdle of the lost earrings and ran toward the goal of the object lesson for tonight. “Remember how pearls are made?” I asked, as we both sat down on my bed. Before waiting for a response I continued, “When a foreign substance, like a grain of sand, intrudes upon the quiet world of the oyster, the oyster reacts quickly. A substance which lies within the oyster instantly begins to coat the irritant, resulting in the production of a pearl. While I admire many gems, pearls amaze me for they were produced inside of a living creature.
“When we stay close to God, He shows us, too, how to transform irritations into beautiful qualities in our lives. When a trial intrudes upon my life, I want God’s grace to cover the pain, and produce a pearl of wisdom for the future. Just think, one day you’ll tell the story of the pearl to your child.”
“Mom, it’s safe to say I’ll never have these conversations with my kids.”
“Well, do you think one day you’ll give them something you hid three years earlier?”
“Oh, yes,” she said as she placed her new (well, three years old) pearls around her neck.
“Then, that’s a start.”
She laughed while she hugged me, unaware of how much I was thanking God for her life, and knowing beyond doubt that Victoria will be a far better mother than I have ever been.
Ronny may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.