The Necklace

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  “SHE WAS one of those pretty, charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no hopes, no means of becoming known, appreciated, loved, and married by a man either rich or distinguished; and she allowed herself to marry a petty clerk in the office of the Board of Education. . . .  She had neither frocks nor jewels, nothing. And she loved only those things. She felt that she was made for them. She had such a desire to please, to be sought after, to be clever, and courted.” —THE NECKLACE Guy de Maupassant    France, 1884 (pic by Grok) Read this short story here:  https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-necklace

Meditation

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From my friend, Dr. John Williamson:

"Tucked away in a rather obscure corner of Isaiah's prophecy is a most remarkable verse. It is hardly noticed when someone is reading through the book in a perfunctory manner. Yet, slow down for a moment and notice these words. "Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars. The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of his might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing" (Isaiah 40:26).

We all know that God created the stars--big deal--right? But He also named them all. Think of the billions and billions of stars that twinkle, glimmer, and blink in the night sky; they each have a name known only to the Creator. And, on top of that, "Not one of them is missing." It is this last statement that I find the most profound, and, I must admit, it took me a while to ponder it. That statement implies that each star that we can see serves a purpose, and every star that is suppose to be there is there, and there remain there by the power and might of God.

God not only created all the stars and named all of them, but his inventory is perfect and complete. There is nothing lacking in the work of the Almighty. When He finished his work of creation, He not only finished it; He completed it."