Fairy Tale - A story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending, a made-up story usually designed to mislead, a story involving forces and beings (just for kicks, I thought the definitions were kind of funny)
If you have little girls, like myself, you probably find that fairy tales are a part of your everyday life. We are either watching them, dressing up and pretending to be in them or talking about them. Every little girls wants to be a princess...let's be honest every woman wants to be a princess too. A girl with such a kind, loving, compassionate, gentle heart that she radiates beauty. She is beautiful inside and out. Everyone loves her with the exception of the evil, jealous step-mother or queen, and she genuinely loves others (with out effort). She is so captivating that even the wild animals adore her. She has such a pure heart that she doesn't even complain about having to be a servant!!! I wonder if this resembles what Eve was like before she sinned, just a thought. A woman right? Radiating beauty because her heart was full of love and served with love, not complaints. The world right? That we are even able to "pet" wild animals. Then, there is the evil step- mother, queen, or witch. She is hard-hearted, jealous, and controlling (or is at least trying with all her power to control life and its outcome). She tries through out the movie to destroy the beautiful princess so that she may become the most beautiful or important in the kingdom. Finally, we have our beloved knight in shining armor who destroys the evil queen, rescues the princess and whisk her off to a kingdom full of happiness and splendor.
I know that there are lots of things that these movies teach our kids that are wrong. An example of that is magic and how powerful it can be. Maggie just asked me the other day if unicorns were real and if rainbows had real magic. I had to be honest and tell her that "no, sorry unicorns are not real, they are only pretend. But YES! RAINBOWS ARE FULL OF MAGIC! WONDERFUL MAGIC BECAUSE GOD CREATED THEM!" I know the sight of a rainbow has the power to move me to tears, and often does because it is such a strong VISUAL reminder of God's promise to us. And in a world that can be so trying and sad at times it is so wonderful to look up in to the sky and SEE a rainbow after it has just rained. It has real power to fill a heart with joy. I also think these movies give us a great opportunity to talk to our girls about how they really are princesses created by God. How our hearts are suppose to be tender, loving, gentle and kind. Some times these princesses are a better model of that than I am.
As I was laying in bed last night I was thinking about these fairy tales and the messages that they send to my girls. And about the characters in these movies and which one would best describes me. Which character would I be cast as? And what role my girls see me playing in their lives?
I was broken hearted! These days the only way to describe me is as the evil queen or more specifically Maleficent is the one who came to mind. Demanding control and SILENCE when they are being disobedient, bickering, whining or coveting what the other has. I find myself belittling them in the process of "correcting" their behavior. And destroying their beauty in the midst of disciplining them. I am impatient and selfish because their sinful heart is an inconvenience to me instead of an opportunity to love them and show them Jesus.
I am so thankful that they do have a real King who will fight for their hearts and destroy the evil queen. I have hope in Him that even through my poor parenting they will still see Him, and that he is in control. Also, hope that he will change my heart and tongue.
"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" Proverbs 18:21
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