“Jesus was the Firstborn among many," said Pearl's mother.  "He planted Himself that He might have a family; many brothers and sisters. And He says in the Word that, when someone told Him His mother  wanted to speak with Him outside the temple, ‘Who are My mother and My brothers and My sisters? Those who do the Word of God/obey the Word."

“Mama--"

"Robert, it is Queen Mother to you!”, said Pearl.

"Shush, Pearl!" Robert glared at her, and she glared back.

"You kids know how to act," corrected their mother. "

"Sorry, Queen Mother," said Pearl. Brat! she thought, and glared at Robert again.

"What was it, Robert?"

"Why was Pearl born first? You said the firstborn is the heir, and gets everything!”

"Because it's God’s plan!" said Pearl, smugly.

Her mother ignored her and touched Robert's hair. “Rob, when you receive Jesus, you will also be  my firstborn--as is every child who asks the LORD Jesus into their heart to be their Savior. It’s kind of like you are His only child!”

Robert scowled.

Yes, Jesus, he sure needs you! thought Pearl.

Their mother continued. “I know Jesus will soon be your best Friend!" She hugged him and Pearl knew she was speaking by faith. "See Rob, Pearl is my firstborn daughter and you, my little man, are my firstborn son! So in one way, you are both firstborns! And so am I. All three of us are firstborns. Now, isn’t that fun?”

Suddenly Robert looked worried. “Mama, are you going to have another?”

She laughed, a good hearty laugh. In fact, she laughed so loudly that Princess Pearl asked her, after several minutes, “Mother, are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Pearl. God is so good! Just the thought of me having another child made me laugh, and I needed that. You two are plenty to handle! And, besides, there was only one Immaculate Conception!”

“Imma-what?” asked Robert.

“Tell you what," said their mother. "Now’s a good time for an impromptu vocabulary lesson. Robert, please get the dictionary out, and look up, 'immaculate' and then 'conception.' Pearl, please help Robert.

Robert scowled again.  “I don’t like words. They are so much trouble,” he moaned. “Do we have to have them?”

“Sir Robert, why of course we need them! How else would we read God’s instructions?!” said Princess Pearl, rather huffily.

“That is a very good point, Princess,” said Queen Mother, “and next time you may say the same thing, only in a more polite way."

She grabbed the dictionary, but then handed it to Robert. "What kind of vocabulary lesson is this again? It's an 'impromptu' lesson; a lesson you suddenly do, or all-of-a-sudden, or right now, without planning it."

Queen Mother helped them spell 'immaculate.' They looked the words up, then wrote them in their vocabulary folders.

“Wow, these are big words!” said Prince Robert.

His mother smiled. “Yes, and you are my big boy. These are not too big for you!

I'm so glad that Queen Mother is not going to have another child, immaculately or not, thought Pearl. It might turn out like Robert!

As if she read Pearl's thoughts, her mother turned to her, smiled, and said, "With God, all things are possible!"

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.