Showing posts with label pearls. Show all posts

CAST Shop of the Week: CarolDowningDesigns

If you are in the market for some stunning exotic pieces of jewelry to add spice to your style, visit CarolDowningDesigns.

Necklace. HANDMADE, Stylish Ancient Asian Coins, Owyhee Jasper, Wirewrapped Antiqued Brass

Please note that the only way to be featured as the CAST Shop of the Week is to tag your shop items "castteam" on Etsy and to not hide your teams in your Etsy profile. You will also have to have at least 12 items to feature. Those are the ways that I find great CAST shops to feature each week.

by Sue of SueRunyonDesigns

8:59 AM | Category: Alegra Jewelry, carol downing designs, CAST, cast shop of the week, castteam, exotic, gemstone, jewellery, pearls | 5 comments

Passion for Pearls

Cascade of Pearls from Jensjewelry

A parable shared by Jesus:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44,45 NIV

By Phyllis Ducey of pfdoriginalartworks

The start of the new year took me into a thoughtful journey. I examined myself honestly in the mirror and was aghast to see the quantity of poundage that I added in the past several years. Which, by the way, I have carefully hidden having learned the art of wearing clothes well and not wearing my glasses when looking at my full body in the mirror. I found a few new wrinkles and I realized I have to color my hair a little more often now. Externally, I gathered I have some things to change in my life.

Internally, I felt the need to do the same type of examination. So where is my mirror for that? I began checking off all the things I do that should count, like the fact I read my Bible daily, pray, go to church on Sundays, tithe and… you know, all the things that Christians are suppose to do. I do them. So I decided I must look better by that mirror than the one in my bedroom. Or did I need to wear my glasses again?

In the parable of the merchant who finds the pearl of great value, the merchant sells everything he has in order to buy that pearl. That merchant knew what was the most valuable to him. He was so passionate about it; he did whatever it took to get it. Jesus compares that pearl to the kingdom of heaven.

Hmmm, I had to ask myself am I really that passionate about my God? About His kingdom? Looking closer at myself by God’s mirror…His words in the Bible, I have some changes to make. I don’t think God is calling me to sell my house and property but I do think He is calling me to offer myself more fully to Him. To release even those deepest parts of me that I cling to so that I may be as passionate about Him as the merchant was for the pearl. That will be one of my new year’s goals and my focus of prayer… release and passion. To open the dark caverns within. So that I may be filled with God’s grace deepening my passion for Him.

I think I am going to start wearing my pearls more often as a reminder to me of this parable. You may be interested in doing something similar. Below are some of our incredible artist’s shops that carry pearls.