Jennifer was a cheerful, almost five year-old girl with bouncy

golden curls. 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!?

Quickly the mother checked out the back of the foil box and then

looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned

face. "$1.95. That's almost two dollars. 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 buy yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you

might get another crisp dollar bill from your grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted

out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her fair share of chores

and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick

dandelions for 10 cents. On her birthday, grandma gave 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... even

grown up. She wore them everywhere... to Sunday

school...kindergarten...even to bed. The only time she took them off was

when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Her mother said if they ever

got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny also had a very loving daddy. Every night when she went to

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," he said.

"Oh daddy... not my pearls. But you can have my princess... and

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," he replied." Daddy loves you! Good night!"

And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later... after a short

time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes daddy! You know that I love you."

"Then give me you pearls," he said.

"Oh daddy ... not my pearls... but you can have any baby doll.

The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is soooooo beautiful... and

you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper," she bartered.

"That's okay," he said. "Sleep well, little one. Daddy still

loves you!" As always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her

bed. As he came close, he noticed her chin trembling and one silent tear

rolled down her cheek.

"What is it Jenny?" he said. "What is the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything. She lifted up her little hand to her

daddy. When she opened it, there was the little pearl necklace. With a

quiver, she finally said, "Here daddy... its for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out

with one hand to take the dime-store necklace ... and with the other

hand, he reached into his other 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 the genuine treasure.

So it is the same with out Heavenly Father.

What are you hanging onto?

(John 21:15-17)

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