It’s not every day a girl gets to wear the equivalent of a house on her finger.  This is the most stunning ring I have ever seen in my life.  My husband and I went to a charity event at a beautiful jewelry store and they were gracious enough to let me try it on.  I was quite proud to have been wearing the exact same ring, only a third of that size.  Mine looks like a Kashmir sapphire but it is really tanzanite.  Also, my ring is in white gold and of course this beauty was set in platinum.  Bubbles and bling, combined with hearing from good kids for whom the cause benefitted made for a delightful evening.  I am willing to bet I was the only person in that glittering room who had ever been on the receiving end of something like this.  It is a camp just for kids with juvenile diabetes and the event was to raise funds for those who could not otherwise afford to go.  In the fourth grade I began singing with the Dallas Girls’ Chorus and the next year I was the ONLY one who could not afford to go sing in Washington, D.C. for the President.  It was incredibly painful to be left out and has stayed with me to this day.  I do not have diabetes but I do know what it is like to want desperately to go to camp and seeing how upset your parents are because they simply do not have the money to send you.  Twice through church scholarships I got to go to Sky Ranch in junior high and they are still some of my fondest childhood memories.  So I really understand the importance of being able to attend.  I felt so good that we were able to make a donation, knowing that at one time someone had done the same for me.  The American hotelier Conrad Hilton said:

“Charity is a supreme virtue, and the great channel though which the mercy of God is passed onto mankind.”

I can say it is eminently better to be on the giving end; however, there is no shame in receiving.  I thought how great it was that this couple who owns the exquisite jewelry store and has been so blessed has chosen to be a blessing to others.  And, I realize this is a trivial thing, but I love it when we leave an event and they have the valets place “goodies” in our car.  It was just a fun cap on a terrific evening.  We got two beautiful publications and a bag of absolutely delicious chocolate chip cookies.  My husband, who is not big on “parties,” even told me he had a wonderful time with me.  I felt like a million bucks.  Now if I could only get half of that I could have that bling!  😉