May 5 - Oyster Day

A pearl is used in many different kinds of jewelry. Your mom might have a pearl necklace, earrings, or a pearl ring.  They come in lots of different sizes, shapes, and color but all real pearls come from oysters.  The largest type of oysters can get as big as a dinner plate!

An oyster is a shellfish that lives in salt water or fresh water. It sifts through its food from the water where it lives. But sometimes a piece of sand gets stuck in the oyster's sifting system.  When that happens the oyster covers that little piece of "trouble" with a special substance.  Layer after layer of it covers the sand and over time it becomes a pearl.  People harvest oysters for food and sometimes they find this little oyster has a pearl inside.  That is a treasure and can be very valuable for jewelry.

What starts out as a little problem in the oyster's search for food turns into something valuable.  Oh, does that remind you of a Bible story.  Here's a hint: there was a old testament story of a real person who had lots of trouble with his brothers.  They tried to kill him and evidently sold him as a slave!  Many years later when the brothers got together again, the slave-brother said, "what you meant for evil, God used for good." (Genesis 50:20)  Can you name the Bible character?  Did you say Joseph?!  If you did, you were right.  God turned that bad thing (like the sand for the oyster) into something that brought good for the whole nation.

Ask you mom if she has any pearls?  She might have some imitation pearls or real pearls.  Either kind can help you remember that God has the power to turn your bad things into good things!

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