The Richest Woman

One of our favorite children's stories is called "Cornelia's Jewels." It tells of a woman who lived in Rome hundreds of years ago. Her two precious boys were looking at their mother and her friend as they walked through the garden.

"Have you ever seen such a beautiful woman as our mother's friend?" asked the younger son. "She looks like a queen."

"But, she is not as beautiful as our mother, for although she is finely dressed, her face is not as noble or as kind as our mother's. It is our mother who is truly like a queen," replied the other son.

Cornelia, their mother, walked towards them. She was simply dressed and was not adorned with jewels on her hands or neck. Her only crown was her beautiful hair that was coiled about her head. She smiled tenderly at her dear sons as she looked into their proud eyes.

"My sons, " she said. "You will eat with me and my friend in the garden, and she will show us all of her beautiful jewels."

The sons could not believe that their mother's friend could possibly have more jewels than what she was wearing. However, upon seeing the casket that was brought out by a servant, their eyes were in awe of pearls, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds.

"If only our mother could have such things, " they lamented, as they watched the servant carry away the casket.

"Do you really not have any jewels, " Cornelia's friend asked. "I mean, is it true that you are, as they say...poor?"

"Oh, no, I am not poor," replied Cornelia, and she drew her dear sons to her side. "Here are my jewels, and they are worth far more than all of your fine gems."

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Although I'm still aspiring to have a countenance that is "noble and kind, " I can identify with Cornelia in that I am truly the richest woman, blessed with priceless jewels.

Here's our Mother's Day picture, which we take each year.

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Mountain Man and our children blessed me with the loveliest day. I was showered with several gifts.....a 5 mile workout DVD (with "boosted walking"....ahem, that's code for jogging!), a set of Charles Dickens DVDs (so appropriate as it includes David Copperfield, which I'm reading right now and loving!), and books...a freezer cooking book, a Bible Study by Elizabeth George on cultivating a quiet and gentle spirit, and J.C. Ryle's "How Readest Thou?"

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My favorite gifts, however, were the lovely cards that my precious children made for me, including one that read, "Happy Mother's Day to the Greatest Mom the World has Ever Known! Each Year with You Gets Better and Better! I love you."

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So humbling.