Can a Princess Really Play in a Peck of Dirt???
Spring cleaning…
What’s your reaction to the above phrase? Do you groan, or do you smile with glee?
For me, a very audible groan emanates. But, I have friends who have been happily spring cleaning since the new year. They love it. I loathe it. IF I started cleaning today, I might be done by Christmas. Maybe…
Amazingly, I did tackle a porch project recently. Everyone else was spreading mulch quite feverishly around our bushes and trees. I figured I, too, had better “do something”. We were having a petite army over for Easter, including two newborn babies, so the dirt had to go.
Our screened-in porch hadn’t been used in months because of winter, so armed with mop, bucket, sponge, paper towels, shop vac and windex, off I went. Thankfully the babies visiting on Easter wouldn’t be crawling yet, so I s’pose I wouldn’t have to scrub every brick on the floor.
Oh, the dirt! Bucket water blackened all too quickly, requiring numerous trips to the laundry room sink for fresh, clear water. My Mother used to say, “There must be a peck of dirt out here!” Double that, for certain. (Fun fact for you fans of “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”: a peck is a quarter of a bushel, or two gallons of dry weight, or ten to fourteen pounds.)
In a recent article on spring cleaning, clearly written by a fan of spring cleaning, this gal said, “one must dress the part”. Donning old clothes comes to mind.
Too far into the job, I realized I had on a brand-new, long sleeved WHITE t-shirt!!! “Not the sharpest tool in the shed” also comes to mind.
I admit, completing a project does feel good. Problem is, I’d rather be doing something else. Something else fun. Un-chore-like. Can you say, “Princess”??? Pityful, I know.
One of my friends has a daughter whom we actually call “The Princess”. She knows it and she likes it. She knows we love her even tho’ we poke fun at her. She’s a good princess tho’, not a prissy one and there’s a BIG DIFFERENCE!!!
Remember last week when we talked about Holly Wagner’s book, God Chicks—Living Life as a 21st Century Woman? (Click on “From Easter Chick to God Chick” to learn more…) All eight of the chicks Holly writes about are so powerful. Last week we addressed the Just-B-U Chick. This week, we’ll address The Princess Chick.
Oh boy, do I ever have some good news for you!!! Because we serve an active, living and loving God, and because He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and because we are His children, His daughters, THAT makes us princesses!!! Holly tells us, “We are living, breathing, wonderful daughters of the King.”
1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
More good news: Holly adds, “In spite of the pain and mistakes of your past, God sees you as His daughter. Your past is in the past. Don’t let shame cause you to feel ugly. He commands you to live and hold your head high, wearing the garments of royalty. YOU are a princess because, first you are a daughter!”
Holly continues with reassuring advice: It is crucial that we girls understand that we are the glorious, delightful, irreplaceable, irresistible, loved-beyond-measure daughters of the King. We are His daughters, which makes us princesses.”
Psalm 45: 9-14 has a great visual of “daughters of kings being among honored women, glorious, gowns woven with gold, in embroidered garments, being led to the King…”
Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to be a princess of a palace? What IF you could wrap a long flowing robe around you, place a crown on your head, and grab a scepter-to-go? Come on, couldn’t we have some fun with that?
The Butter Babes (see… “Never Wrestle With a Shop Vac”…for more info’) recently kidnapped our birthday girl and made her “queen” for a night in a real-live castle!
It was a taste of fantasy that five-for-five of us enjoyed. Judy was the birthday gal and we gave her different crowns, a cape and a scepter at various times throughout the day. (For you Kentuckians, you have probably seen this castle. It sits on Versailles Road on the way into Lexington. )
Holly makes a point you can’t argue with: “When you realize there’s a crown on your head, that you truly are a princess, then you will live your life differently. You will value your life differently.” Think Cinderella.
Here’s the best part: “When we understand our value as daughters of the King, not only will our lives be changed, but so will the life of each person with whom we come in contact.”
Unlike the world, loaded with princess paraphernalia, we as princesses must look for opportunities to serve, rather than be served. The world sells tiaras, t-shirts and tu-tus, along with diva mentalities which scream: “It’s all about ME!” and: “Serve ME!”
But…Holly teaches us a concept in the opposite direction of the world: “From the inception of royalty on the earth, kings, queens, and their children were supposed to serve the people they ruled. They were to be the protectors. Regardless of whether any of our current royals get this concept of serving or not, you and I must. I am a princess not to be served, but to serve. We can serve our fellowman only when we understand our role.”
Romans 8:17 reminds us, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” (NIV)
So, let’s return to my question of this post: Can a Princess play in a peck of dirt??? Absolutely! We are all fellow “Princess Chicks”. While we may feel ordinary, God has chosen us, we are His daughters, and we were put here on this earth to serve others in extraordinary ways. May we glorify Him in all we do. Be blessed.
‘Til next time!
(This post is dedicated to the delightful daughter of my friend Doris, whom I talked about earlier. She’s the gal who knows we call her “The Princess”: Miss Eden Bridgeman. She’s the most gorgeous Godly young lady you’ll ever lay eyes on and is the sweetest gal you’ll ever meet all at the same time. We miss you Miss Eden! Congrats on becoming an Aunt! Now you have another “princess” to train!!!)
