Pearl, Pearl What A Girl.

Have you ever experienced something that seemed like more than just a coincidence?

As a believer in Jesus, we tend to call those little moments God winks, or as my sweet little friend said to me one time, “It’s not odd, it’s God.”

Yesterday, I had one of those moments that I wanted to share with you.

My grandma, who has lived a beautiful 92 years, just passed.

I was so fortunate to have had her in my life. She was such a warm, sweet, nurturing, tiny powerhouse of a woman. She loved the Lord and her family without reserve. She lived humbly and welcomed everyone with open arms and a hot plate of food. Anyone who was blessed enough to know her was undoubtedly loved, cherished, and doused in prayer by her.

She is actually the reason A Simple Little Pearl has the name that it does.

It all began back when I was 16 years old, working at my Mom’s tearoom. Grandma was the main one to cook, and I worked as one of the waitresses. We became really close over those years and had a lot of sweet conversations about life. Through those conversations, she would look at me sometimes and say, “Pearl, pearl what a girl.”

30 years later, A Simple Little Pearl was born.

I tell you all that to give you context that Grandma and I had a really special relationship that only grew as we both got older. As she was in her last days, I drove home to see her, hoping I would make it before she passed. I did and was able to spend her last little bit of time on this earth just loving on her with my family.

The time came when I had to leave to drive back home, and I wanted to take something home with me to remember her by. Being that we both have a strong love for God’s Word, I wanted to take one of her Bibles. I saw one up on the dresser, and when I opened it, I saw her writing all through it. There were names and dates of deaths, marriages, and births, all written in her sweet handwriting. Through tears, I asked if I could have that Bible, to which they said I could. However, as I read through it more, I saw my aunt and cousin actually gave that to her. Thus, I felt like I needed to pass it over to them.

So, I went back to look for another Bible and eventually found a little shelf full of books and Bibles, but nothing of hers. Then, tucked between some other books, I found one. I pulled it out, and there was her name engraved in the bottom right corner,“Mary Casteel”. It was in pristine condition, too. I asked if I could have that one, ended up saying my final goodbye, and headed home with her Bible and one of her sweaters tucked tightly under my arm.

After getting home, I settled down on my couch and opened her Bible to see what evidence I could find of her. I was, honestly, still wanting to keep the one my cousin gave her because it was covered in her handwriting. It’s all worn on the cover and is very apparent that it had spent a lot of time in her hands.

The one I had with her name on it looked like it was barely touched. But as I opened it, I knew this was the one that was meant for me.

I read on the inside that it was gifted to her by my grandpa for one of her birthdays. They would have been married for 75 years this year had she not passed. As I flipped through the pages, I found a sweet, daintily crocheted fish as a bookmark. This bookmark fits every definition of a grandma. It was laid out perfectly flat, and its bright white color made it look brand new. I saw a few dates she had written on some pages as if to mark that's when she read those chapters. Still wanting to find more evidence of her using this Bible, I continued to flip through the pages and came across a piece of paper. I went back and pulled it out to see what it was.

It was my God wink, my Grandma wink. My gift from them both to show this was my reminder of our sweet life together.

When I flipped the piece of paper over, it was my oldest son, Addison’s, sonogram picture.

Written on the back, I had put “Baby Addison, 11 weeks old”. I honestly don’t ever remember giving that to her, but there in her Bible, marking Psalm 1, was his little picture. Nothing else did I find. Just a beautifully crocheted bookmark, a few dates, and Addison’s picture, but it was everything to me.

To people, she was Mary, Sis. Casteel, Mrs. Casteel, Pat, Sister, Momma, Grandma, and so many other titles I’ll never know about, I’m sure.

However, today, I know she heard the best title of them all.

“Welcome home My good and faithful servant.”

She will be missed by so many. Forgotten by none. And if her prayers have anything to do with it, seen by us all again in Heaven.

Today, as I pay honor to my precious Grandma and think about her sweet life and all the love she shared with so many, there is only one way to close out our chapter together, and that is to say:

Pearl, pearl, what a girl she was!