The Pumpkin Necklace

I read that fairytales get their basis from the Bible – unwittingly. It makes sense. We live this hard life. We all want a fairy godmother or a charming prince. All the drama of life, then along comes the magic, and voila – we live happily ever after.

Sometimes we don’t get any of the fairytale. Sometimes the fairytale happens but it doesn’t last. We wonder why, if we are Jesus followers, we can’t just live the fairytale. After all, we are the good guys, right? We have surrendered to our Creator. Shouldn’t all the heartache end once we make that commitment?

I’ve searched, but I haven’t found one life-long ‘fairytale’ in the Bible. Some have started that way – like Joseph and his coat of many colors. Some have had the ‘magic’ somewhere in the middle – like Hannah becoming pregnant though she was barren. But all have had struggles and heartaches before/during/after.

I had a wonderful husband who went to be with Jesus way too soon last year. He spoiled me even when we lived paycheck to paycheck. Last year was our last year, we didn’t know it, but it came to pass. There’s something about terminal illness that changes the ‘everyday’ of life. We lived more fully, overlooked any offenses, made memories, laughed, loved, and held on tight.

One day last September we were walking his favorite route in our quaint little downtown. In the window of a local jewelry store was an autumn display of necklaces, earrings, bracelets. There was a necklace with an adorable pumpkin hanging on it and the reverse side looked like Cinderella’s golden carriage. I made him promise NOT to buy me another piece of jewelry – he had already showered me over the years with so much.

In the book of Revelation – after an Old Testament full of faithful and unfaithful followers of God and a New Testament of baby Christians stumbling and failing and trying again, The Prince comes… “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away… I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:3b-4, 5b NIV)

On our forty-second anniversary in late October last year, we were given the bad news: treatments were not working and options were few and grueling and would not work for long. We packed up the car and escaped for a week. We talked a lot. One night we dressed up and went to a fancy, expensive restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute. And then before dessert arrived, my prince handed me a bag with a little box. Yes, inside was the pumpkin necklace and when I looked up with tears streaming down my cheeks, the look of love in those tired eyes reminded me I had been fortunate enough to be his princess.

Our story ended a few months later. But God’s story does not end. From the time of creation man was made in His likeness and eternity was set in our hearts. In the decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, our forever begins. At first, in the here and now hard stuff of life on earth. But someday we walk into the everlasting arms of the One who will look us in the eye and gather us close – we will know we are indeed His princess and it will never end.