Sin Stained

When I was two, I received a Christmas gift that became very special to me as I grew. This special gift was a baby doll that I named Jeannie somewhere along the way. This is a picture of our instant bond the day that I got her. We became inseparable.

Where ever I went, Jeannie was a tag along. I played with her, slept with her, ate with her, laughed with her, and cried with her. Even as I gaze upon her today, her features seem so pure and precious.

Before I started Kindergarten, my mom and my “Nanny”, which was my dad’s mom, worked together at the local shoe factory. My Granddaddy was retired, so he became my babysitter. One of my most vivid childhood memories was one afternoon when Jeannie and I were playing out on Granddaddy’s carport while he was in the utility room. There was this, what seemed to me at the time, HUGE puddle of oil on the carport. As I pranced around the carport, Jeannie in hand, I remember very distinctly thinking to myself What would I do if my Jeannie fell in there?. I remember being saddened at even the thought of how stained she would be if she wound up in such a mess. As children do, though, the thought quickly left my mind and I continued imagining and playing with her on the carport, next to the grease puddle. How often do we dance dangerously close to grease puddles?

The next memory I have is both seeing and hearing her kerplunk, face down into that grease. I really don’t remember how she got there, whether she slipped out of my hand, or what, all I know is that she was there. My worst thoughts had happened and my little heart broke. I yelled for Granddaddy, he probably thought I had severed my arm or something because of my frantic state, he stepped down the porch steps and scooped her up, assuring me that everything would be ok and that he would do the best he could to clean her up.

I remember being so sad. Even at that young age, I already knew that grease stains were permanent and that she would never be as good as new.

He scrubbed her and then tossed her into the washing machine. After a few cycles and much effort, he told me it was the best that he could do.

She wasn’t the same, but I loved her anyway.

If you look closely in this picture, you can see the stains on her little legs. I remember often looking at her wishing that day had never happened. I guess that was the first time I really experienced regret, and I still don’t like to experience it today.

Even though, I am sin stained, even though God rescued me from the greasy pit, oh how He loves me anyway. Even though Granddaddy couldn’t remove the stains from my baby doll, God has washed me and washed you white as snow. There is not a blemish one upon you. Not one.

Many years later, our Sunday School Class had a special dinner for Valentine’s Day. Each husband was instructed to bring something sentimental as a gift to his wife. Upon arriving, I was seated at the table designated for us, and as instructed, there was a very special gift there for me.

My husband had purchased me another Jeannie doll, and she was just like brand new.

One as white as snow, and one tattered from everyday life.

Jesus purchased you, and you are just like brand new, my sweet sister. He loves to gaze upon your face, your features so pure and precious. Relish in that thought today. He wants you to.


Royal Princess Daughter Of The King