Cinderella, Snow White, God and Unjust Oppression

I find it very interesting... and perhaps very disturbing/troubling... that even though the story of Cinderella can be traced as far back as 1bc... it could have very easily been written in 2011.  Snow White was written in 1937... and it too... could have been written in 2011.  Cinderella was a myth, of sorts, written for the element of unjust oppression and triumph over the oppression.  Do you hear that???  Unjust oppression!!!!!  REALLY?????  Unjust oppression!  Isn't that what the suffergates and women's libbers have been screaming about for absolutely ever??? 

I am not a "woman's libber"... in the sense in which it was created.  I am, however, an advocate of women.  We are able to vote and for the most part... our salaries are equal to men (except in some areas).  I am grateful for these major accomplishments... but, yet...we are still not "free".  We are still oppressed.  I feel... more now than ever.  And... ladies... it's not the men causing this.  We are doing it to ourselves and to each other.  If the women's movement had begun with a strong foundation... and with God as the focus... we would not be in the same place as we obviously were in 1 BC.  It seems to me... if we would celebrate each other's successes, accept each other for all our faults, support each other when we are down and out, be each other's sister and unconditional friend... we would experience the freedom we fight for each and every day... and the happiness we so richly deserve.  I will, of course, explore this in later blogs.  As my mom says, "not to worry"!  I just love that!!

There is a correlation between Cinderella, Snow White and God.  He needs us to keep the balance of the world, to witness to others, and carry out the emotional and nurturing part of His word.  Clearly, that is lacking in both stories.  Both Cinderella and Snow White mirror exactly what we are focused on instead of God... even as far back as 1 BC.  We are the wicked step sisters and the evil step mother.  Ouch!  That is hard to not only to type... but internalize the concept.  We squelch the kind and gentle spirit of "Cinderella and Snow White".  I include all women in this... because we are all guilty from time to time... if not all the time. We are still so involved in the outer beauty, comparing our beauty to others, and condemning other women if they don't measure up.  We would rather "trample" on another female to keep her from succeeding than emotionally support her as she spreads her wings and takes a risk.  We are so involved in the earthly things... including finding a handsome mate because maybe that will make us happy.  Not to mention that there is so much pressure from society to be in a relationship.  Society... by the way... is defined as "all women".  We are so involved in what really doesn't matter... that we can't, won't and haven't been carrying out God's will for us. We haven't been listening to what He has been trying to tell us. 

Everywhere Christianity has gone, the status of women has improved.  What a novel idea!!  Women's faith and prayers are vital to the growth of the church and our nation.

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that come from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.  1Peter 3:4

Oooh... THE Prince!

OOOOH...THE Prince! sigh!  He is gorgeous...everything I've ever dreamed of! He wears those tights and OH MY...that ever so fabulous poofy shirt! The absolute swoon of it all!! Can you see me drooling? The Prince! If only I could be his Princess...and live happily ever!

BLEAH! REALLY? Has anyone noticed that in fairy tales...the author goes to great lengths to depict the females as either drop dead gorgeous with a gentle spirit or haggerdly ugly with a cruel and evil spirit? How is the Prince portrayed? Drop dead gorgeous...and we all assume...rich. What about his character? His heart and soul?  What do we know about it? Absolutely NOTHING! We do not know that he is REALLY the best partner choice for sweet, precious Cinderella or Snow White! We don't know that he will treat either one as they deserve to be treated! All we know is they live "happily ever after".

Here is what we know about the Prince... He falls in love with Cinderella...as the person she was at the ball. Well... apparently... he fell in love with her dainty foot.  Maybe a foot fettish!  He was attracted to her physically...but, he had no clue about her true inner beauty. To be fair...he probably was impressed with her dancing skills. Lets face it...she spent an insane amount of time dancing with the birds and her broom. Other than that...he didn't know a thing about Cinderella. All he cared about was the dainty foot fitting in the glass slipper. Bottom line...he fell in love with someone who was not herself. Someone who was pretending to be someone she wasn't. Can happily ever after really be a reality...when reality of day in and day out settles in?  Would he still love her if she preferred to wear the more comfortable rags?

Don't get me started on Snow White!! Again...the Prince is attracted to outward beauty. He knows nothing about Snow White's heart and soul. But, the 7 dwarfs do...and care so deeply about what happens to their precious Snow White! We even know the heart and soul of each dwarf...but know nothing about the Prince. What we know about him is...The Prince gallops into the fairy tale...looking all gorgeous in his tights and poofy shirt...and kisses Snow White. He does so without her permission! She wakes up and with one look at the poofy shirt...another happily ever after is declared. Again I ponder...how can happily ever after be a
reality when the Prince cares about only physical beauty?  In his favor... he doesn't care about morning breath!  Remember that Snow White has been asleep for a hundred years!  Just thought it was worth mentioning!

The character of the Prince becomes evident...loud and clear! This is not the character of someone who puts God first in His life...only himself. When physical beauty is all that matters...the kind and gentle spirit's voice will never be heard by the Prince! Cinderella and Snow White are "arm candy"...their voice is not going to be valued and treasured. Which means...their heart and soul will slowly get snuffed out. The Prince only cares about how the princess makes him look. Now... I ask..is THIS happily ever after? Is this worthy of a
princess?  Truth be known... the dwarfs are more of a Prince... as they cared about Snow White for who she was on the inside.

Is any of this the Prince's fault? No... it's the author's fault.  This is what molds little girl's view of relationships.  All that happened to make a happily ever after... was never defined.  Like Julia Roberts... I, too want the whole fairy tale! I still believe in fairy tales... happily ever after.  Only... I want God's fairy tale.  His happily ever after. 

"All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever". 
I Corinthians 13: 8

From God to Fairy Tales

From God to fairy tales? Really? My first blog is the foundation for the journey I am discovering! That means...God is my foundation. I will bring this back to God... And how the puzzle pieces fit together.

Fairy tales have been my nightmare for the greater part of my life...so it is only fitting that I tackle them head on! I did not read a single one to my daughter as she grew up! Why? Because I wanted her to be grounded in the for real life..not filled with the view of life that fairy tales tend to lend themselves to. If only I knew then...what I know now! Of course..my life would not be what it is today if I did! Duh!

We have our Cinderella and Snow white! Ahhh! The fantasy of it all! On closer inspection...not quite a fantasy...but, real life! Huh? Gather around and hear me out! Fascinating stuff! Both have the beautiful princess, an ugly queen, and a handsome prince! Sound like real life yet? No? Okay... So...the queen and ugly step sisters are not physically pretty because their heart and souls are not pretty. All are selfish, self-centered, jealous...so very focused on me, me, me! They all feel they deserve the best in life and want it NOW! These characteristics of a God-less soul...shows up in the physical self. No one wants to be around a negative, out to sabbatoge, and get what you want at any cost type of person.

Are you with me? Cinderella and Snow White are patient, giving, kind... to even the smallest creatures and grumpiest of people, thinks of others long before themselves, and never once say "Woe is me! Poor me"! They both work hard...with a song in their heart. They are thankful for everything they have... even if it's not anything more than a broom and rags! Neither are aware of their glow or their influence just by being themselves. All of these characteristics ARE the spirit of our Lord! Cinderella and Snow White have taken care of their heart and soul, filled them with the fruits from God...which ultimately shows up in the physical self...their glow. Their heart and soul gives them the confidence to hold their head high through all of their circumstances. No matter how tough their journey may be.  Which...is a strong part of their beauty. Every creature and person wants to be enveloped in the circle of their glow! 

My next blog will deal with the prince and the essence of the fairy tale. For now...absorb and internalize the differences between the queen, step-sisters, and the two princesses. Concentrate on all of their hearts and souls...and realize that what is on the inside is, in fact, on the outside. So... Until next time....don't forget...

"You are the World's light-a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father". Matthew 5: 14-16

Chapter 1: What did we miss?

So... as I always do... I ask questions.  Deep questions that sometimes don't find an answer.  I have been raised going to church but never understood some of the very basics and how it relates to my life.  I asked many questions... over the years... with the same response by my mom, "You just have to have faith".  That response was not a satisfactory one for someone who is always looking behind every single nook and cranny in life... trying to figure out the "why" and the "how".  I know there is so much more than what meets the eye.  I never let most of the questions of life go.  I have spent my life trying to find the answers. This first question... is one that hopefully will help everyone take their first step to happiness.  Or... is it freedom? 

The most basic question I had was... if we were made in the image of God... then whose image is the correct one?  There are white, black and brown people, yellow and red people.  Some even say... there are green people (do Martians count as people?).  There are people with brown, black, yellow, and grey hair.  There are people with long, short, and no hair.  People are fat, skinny and medium weights.  There are rich people and poor people...which can determine our physical self.  There are differences in gender.  There are infants, young people and old people.  The list is endless to all the physical differences in people... so, which one is the image of God?

God brought me to my answer.  Every single person in this whole entire world (not sure about the Martians)...are in the image of God.  It's our hearts and souls that were made in the image of God.  Our physical being... is merely the way to transport the precious cargo.  Our hearts and souls... are the image of God.  Adam and Eve... are the reason we can see our physical selves.  God can't see our physical selves... nor is He interested in it.  Our physical self... is God's temple because it houses our hearts and souls.  God intended us to take care of our physical self... so that we could carry out His will.  But, God did not intend for us to get so wrapped up in our physical selves that we neglected our hearts and souls.  The most important part of each one of us... is not how we physically look... but, the very core of us and how that looks to God.

Interesting!!  The photo I chose for this blog... has some critical elements and thoughts in the background!  I didn't realize it... until I was editing this blog.  The words "journey", "putting it together..", and Mary Tyler's signature song at the foundation of the statue... "Who can turn the world on with her smile"?  These are the elements within this blog!!  Especially... the signature song.  The smile... is from the heart and soul.  It's the foundation for each one of us.  If you can turn the world on with your smile... you have God's Spirit beaming from within you.  God is touching every person!  That's something for me to remember the next time I smile... or choose not to smile.