THE PEARLS

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, 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 stand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. 
He had 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 like our heavenly Father, what are you hanging on to?

Travel to China or Holy Land with Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes  

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Prayers on Christmas

The greatest joy of discovering that glorious bright star when hope and expectation were almost gone; we cannot imagine what words were spoken by visitors or if first impressions left them somewhat confused. 
Messiah, Savior, a King born in the barest of palaces. 
Yet they saw and fell down on their knees in adoration. 
Lord, they saw you and knew whom they had met.
As we meet around crib candle or advent wreath draw us into that stable in our imagination. 
In the quiet moments of prayer this Christmas, that brief oasis from the bustle of the world bring alive to us the smell of the hay the sound of the animals the cry of a baby. 
Draw us close to our Savior Messiah and King as we bring not Gold, Myrrh or incense but the gift of our lives the only offering we can bring.
There were thousands of babies born that day all helpless dependent needful of love warmth and sustenance some no doubt did not survive to see another dawn their tiny light extinguished through lack of appropriate care some would grow up to be kings queens leaders of men, others slaves, prostitutes, beggars, murderers, and thieves most however would live ordinary lives among ordinary people and live and die whilst the world scarce noticed their existence.
But not you Who rose from the ordinary to the extraordinary from stable to cross and beyond whilst the world tried its best to ignore you and failed.
Travel with Father Tomas Del Valle to China and Holy Land.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

Merry Christmas 2017

May our Lord Jesus be with you and your Family all year around. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year 2018



 http://www.discovering21century.com/  
Rev. Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

A Prayer for Deliverance

Heavenly Father,
I desire to help create a new context for human work and wealth, in which all people might prosper, in which all poverty might disappear, in which all of us might achieve as You would have us achieve, and give to others as ou would have us give.
Let the illusions that hold us back, dear God, as individuals and as a society, now disappear. Let me have new energy. Let me have a new sense of purpose. Let me know that I am on this earth to serve.
Let me not feel guilty about the expression of my power.
Let me no longer play small, regardless of other people's reaction to me when I play big.
I am willing to receive an expanded set of options that You, dear God, might work miracles into my life, that You might cast out all negative and limited conditions of this world.
May I receive a future unlike the past, for myself and others.
For I now open my mind to possibilities I have not dreamed of, to forces of life that I have not allowed in, and to realms of joy I have hardly imagined.
I let go.
I release everything that blocks me in this endeavor, from my past, from my present, and from my future.
May I awaken from the dream of my inadequate self.
Amen.
Rev. Father  Tomas del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/