Her Majesty

I've a new obsession. Winter was "The Hunger Games," which easily carried into Spring. I read all the books months ago, but any someecard referencing the trilogy gets me laughing. Every time.

My new obsession? Thanks to Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, I've become infatuated with the royal family. Really, Kate, oh sorry, Catherine Middleton started the new found obsession when she wore that dress last year. You know what dress I'm talking about. Lordhavemercy. Her arm candy isn't too shabby either.

Yes, of course I'm talking about her bouquet.

Sheesh.

60 years on the throne is quite something. As Americans, we don't quite understand the significance it holds to Britain, but MAN ALIVE they love their Queen. The monarchy is a fascinating entity of Great Britain. I don't know why. Maybe because Kate Middleton looks so pretty in her dresses? I know it means more than that to them, but we Americans like her dresses.

All this pomp and circumstance has made me think a little more about Hazel the last few days. When I was about 20, I worked with a girl my age that referred to herself as a "princess" or a "Barbie." I thought it was weird for a 20 year old to need so desperately for her friends and co-workers to believe she was daddy's princess. but mostly I found it really annoying. From then on, I rolled  my eyes at any reference to a princess. I thought, "How highly does one think of themselves in order to insist upon this?'

scoff. 


[side note: I also find it obnoxious when a bride thinks that a day that ceremoniously joins two people together in the name of God gives her a god given right to be a princess; therefore she can have anything she wants and act any way she wants. What have we done to weddings, people??]


Rant and run on sentence over.


So I vowed to myself that I would NEVER refer to my future daughters as princesses. I never wanted them to think that they were better, or that they deserved more than anyone else or that they could have whatever they wanted because they were the princess. I didn't want them making fools of themselves while they desperately attempted to make an obnoxious identity out of a bizarre fantasy.

Then I had a daughter myself.

She's only eight months old and I already worry about her self esteem, her self-worth. I worry about how much she will take to heart the negative things said about her, or how little she will take to heart the wonderful things said about her. I worry that no matter how much I try, she'll never know how much I love her. I think about her relationship with Christ. How do I foster that in a positive, loving manner? How will I always know that I'm doing that?

I have a friend that has always referred to her daughters as princesses. I always thought to myself, "Ohhh she's going to regret that one day."

I was wrong. When her oldest was five and at the peak of her love for Disney Princesses, she said to her mom one day, "Ohhh Mama, I really AM a princess!"

My friend replied lovingly as she always does, "Yes, sweetie are a princess."

The five year old then said. "No mama, I am a daughter of the King. That really makes me a princess!!"

After that, I have always wanted to raise princesses. It's an idea brought on by a five year old, and yet so profound. I get it now. I'm to raise Hazel Joy to believe she is a special girl. She's not special because she's mine and I'm her mama, and well, that's just natural. She is special because she is God's child. She is fearfully and wonderfully made.

So how do I treat a princess in my care?
 I let her know how much she's loved, how much she's cared for. Her daddy has a HUGE role in this too. He is the one man that is responsible for showing her how much she is loved for all the right reasons. He's got a big task ahead of him in this world we live in. He's up for it though.

How do I properly raise a princess?
I teach her how to care for others. I'll teach her about showing compassion, how to love. A good princess is not the center of the universe; She's a servant. I can teach Hazel Joy to be a servant for His Kingdom. I can help her find her role in the Kingdom. She'll make a good princess. I'm sure of it.

It's become clear to me why this co-worker was 20 years old and wanted to still be daddy's princess. Sadly, I believe it's because she never really was a princess to her daddy. Something for me to remember as I strive to raise a self-aware, community conscience child whom knows she is so very loved by her mama and daddy and her other daddy, the King of Kings.


Our desire to become a radiant princess didn't originate with Walt Disney. It's a desire placed within us by our Maker. He created us to shine with royal beauty to be a sparkling reflection of the stunning beauty of our King 
                                  -Leslie Ludy