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My daughter, Monique, once began a list entitled, “101 things that make me happy and 101 things that don’t.” I decided to write my own list and three things instantly came to mind – long lines, spoons stuck in the garbage disposal, and something in my eye.

Whenever something gets in my eye, it irritates my contact until tears wash away the irritant. And when it comes to the trials of life, my first prayer is for God to just remove them!

But when a grain of sand intrudes upon the quiet world of an oyster, it reacts by coating the foreign object until a pearl is produced. While I admire many gems, pearls amaze me for they were produced inside of a living creature.

Maybe I should take a lesson from the oyster and allow God to transform my problems into admirable qualities. When a painful trial enters my life, I want it to produce a pearl.

George Matheson, a blind Scottish preacher who lived over 100 years ago wrote, “There is a time coming in which your glory shall consist in the very thing which now constitutes your pain.”

Instead of “101 things that irritate me,” maybe I’ll suggest Monique titles her list, “101 Potential Pearls.” Looking for the pearl in the problem will surely cause me to look at life in a whole new way.

Made any pearls lately?

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.