Jenny was a bright-eyed, pretty, five year old girl.  One day when she
and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a
plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50.  How she wanted that necklace!
When she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother
said,  Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of
money.  I'll tell you what. I'll buy you the necklace, and when we get
home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the
necklace... And don't forget, that for your birthday Grandma just
might give you a whole dollar bill!    Okay?  Jenny agreed, and her
mother bought the pearl necklace for her.

Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough
Grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday.  Soon Jenny
had paid off the pearls.  How Jenny loved those pearls!!! She wore
them everywhere.... to kindergarten, to bed, and when she went out
with her mother to run errands. The only time she didn't wear them was
in the shower.  Mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!

Now, Jenny had a very loving Daddy.  When Jenny went to bed, he would
get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite
story.  One night, when he finished the story, he said,  Jenny, do you
love me?

Oh, yes, Daddy, you know I love you!  the little girl said.

Well, give me your pearls.

Jenny said,  Oh, Daddy, not my pearls!  But you can have Rosie, my
favorite doll. Remember her?  You gave her to me last year for my
birthday.  And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?

Oh, no, darling, that's okay .  He brushed her cheek with a kiss.
Good night, little one .

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story,  Do
you love me?

Oh, yes, Daddy, you know I love you!

Well, then, give me your pearls.

Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do
you remember her?  She's my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can
play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you
want her, Daddy.

Oh, no, that's okay , her father said, brushing her cheek again with a
kiss.  God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams.

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her a story.
Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. She reached
out her little hand to her father and said,  Here, Daddy,  and she
opened her little hand and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She
let it slip into her father's hand.

With one hand her father held her plastic pearls, with the other, he
pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box were
real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had them all along. He was waiting
for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so that he could give her the
real thing.

So is it with God.  He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things
in our lives so He can give us beautiful treasures.

This made me stop and think about the things I hold on to and wonder
what God wants to give me in its place.

What are you holding on to that God wants to replace?  What do you
value most in your life?  What is most cherished by you?  Is it
something that you hold in your hand?  Or in your heart?