All that matters is what I think

The title of this post maybe a little misleading. As much as I believe that all that matters is what I think, I am aiming to convey something else with this title of this blog :). For Christmas, all the children of our ward received a book titled "You are special" by Max Lucado. I think this book is a must have in your children's library. The first time I read it, I started crying and I am sure you too will be touched by its message. The story talks about some wooden people carved by a woodcarver named Eli. Each of them had a box of gold star stickers and grey dot stickers. The wooden people were called Wemmicks. They went around the village sticking stars or dots to each other. The prettier ones, and the most talented ones got stars the others less pretty and less talented got grey dots. One of them was Punchinello.

Punchinello was not pretty, his paint was peeling off, and he wasn't very talented either, so he got lots of dots. After a while he started to believe that he wasn't a good Wemmick. One day he met Lucia, she didn't have any stars or dots. He asked Lucia why the stickers didn't stay one her, and she told him that she visited the woodcarver, Eli, every day. Punchinello decided to do the same, however, he was a little timid and didn't believe that it would be a good idea. NOW the story gets really interesting. Eli called Punchinello by name as soon as Punchinello entered his shop. Punchinello was surprised that Eli knew his name. But Eli responded "Of course, I made you". When Punchinello started to justify himself for the "bad marks" he was given, Eli responded, "Punchinello, I don't care what the other Wemmicks think. You shouldn't either. What they think doesn't matter. ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT I THINK. AND I THINK YOU ARE PRETTY SPECIAL." But Punchinello was a little hesitant to believe it because he wasn't neither pretty nor talented. After Punchinello's question, "Why do I matter to you", Elia responded, "Because you are mine. That's why you matter to me. Every day I have been hoping you would come". Eli continued explaining that the stickers only stuck if Punchinello let them. Eli told Punchinello that, "The more you TRUST IN MY LOVE, THE LESS YOU CARE ABOUT THE STICKERS". Eli insisted that Punchinello visited with him every day so he could remind him how much he cared.

As Punchinello left, Eli reminded him one more time, "REMEMBER, YOU ARE SPECIAL BECAUSE I MADE YOU. AND I DON'T MAKE MISTAKES". As Punchinello walked out he thought that Eli really meant what he said, and when he did, a dot fell to the ground.

I love this story. Eli to me is Our Father in Heaven (do you see similarities with their names too, Eli and Elohim, :)) who always loves us. And that we are special to him and that is ALL THAT MATTERS! We are all His children. We are all talented and beautiful to Him. We need to visit with Him every day, so He can remind us through the Holy Ghost that we are special, and how much we matter to Him.

Did you like the story? I hope this story inspires you as it has inspired me!

Warmly,

Juliana