Meet Ribbons! She is my perfect kind of award winning pig.  No pen cleaning, feeding, or walking required.  This was Mary Ellen’s pink princess pumpkin pig for the Pringle-Morse pumpkin decorating contest.

Mary Ellen shopped to pick out all the special pig accessories.  The crown was a candle ring.  She had to have a purple tutu.  Then of course flowers to go on her crown to match.  Felt was used because Mary Ellen can cut.

She sprayed the paint.  (Multiple times, patience was tested.)  She held Ribbons while I poked the floral pens in holding the tutu.  Mary Ellen did a couple, but it was really hard Momma. She glued on Ribbon’s eyes, nose & cheeks.  We added lips the next morning when Mary Ellen realized, “Ribbons doesn’t have a mouth!”

She was so excited to that Ribbon’s “won”.  She went on to tell who her friends were that won also.  Not until later did she understand that she didn’t win 1st.  She was just happy.

Ribbons came home from the Carnival & sat on the kitchen island.  Day before yesterday, I realized that the little feet pumpkins were rotting.  Halloween was over.  Mary Ellen was gone to school.  I removed the crown & ribbon.  The beloved pink princess pumpkin pig went in the trash.

Yesterday morning at 6:30 am, Mary Ellen asks the dreaded question, “Where is Ribbons?”  I took a deep breath, let it out & told her that Ribbons was rotting.  I put her in the trash.  I expected wailing & gnashing of teeth.  I was shocked & surprised none came.  Mary Ellen calmly asked, “Why?”  I explained.  Then pointed out that I had thrown the carved pumpkin away also.

She came home from school & realized that the pumpkin that wasn’t carved or painted or poked was still sitting on the counter.  She, with reservations, asked if it must be thrown away.  I told her no.  Again, “Why?”  I explained this pumpkin is still good.  She could enjoy it a little longer.  It hadn’t had the same treatment as the other pumpkins.

Not one of us gets exactly the same treatment.  Each of us have different events that carve & poke our lives.  Each of us react differently.  The thing is that’s ok! In fact, HALLELLUJAH! If everyone acted like I do sometimes, this world would be a complete & total disaster.

Point is:  We all are wonderfully made, useful & prize winning.  We are all different-celebrate it!

“And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male & female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you because I am fearfully & wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” Psalm 139:13-15

“Let all who seek You rejoice & be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!”‘ Psalm 40:16