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I never read princess stories. I never played with princess dolls; and I actually cried when I received my first barbie. Not a happy cry either. In away I am very thankful I was a tomboy and that I grew up wanting to do the things that most would only think for boys to do; fishing, camping, climbing trees and learning to take care of myself. I still love to do those things today. In fact, I often struggled to fit in with a lot of girls groups growing up because I was always looking over there at the boys group wishing I could just go do whatever it was they were doing; playing tag, watching sports or tossing the football around.
When I had my first flat tire, my dad sat on the porch swing and watched as I was left to change the tire myself. I remember being so angry and mad that morning. I was dressed in my cheer uniform and ready for school and then here I was left to figure out my flat tire all on my own. It came in hand later on, for when I had other things go wrong if be my car, situation, relationships; I almost always figured them out on my own, or at least found temporary solutions until I could seek out the long term resolution. My dad sort of had this military (Marine) style in his teachings for us kids. While learning to drive our first cars, we weren't only learning how to parallel park and switch gears of a stick shift. We also were learning how to train our minds to remember our surroundings. This was done in order to help us from getting lost, be able gather our barrings and being able to trace ourselves back out of where we got ourselves in and or how to get back to that particular location again all by remembering the surroundings in a photographic way in our minds.
I grew up with fire in my heart. I was so independent and I was determined to be a women of strength and success. I dreamed big! I also grew to know the only man I would ever need to rely on was my Heavenly Father. When I started dating, I never allowed boys to pay for my dinners. It was my choice to some how work jobs to have my own spending allowance so I could be free on my dates and not rely on the guys to "take care of me" only to expect something from me later that I wasn't willing to give. My father still to this day loves to tell this story. It was my own choice to live by that rule, but it made my father happy to see how strong I was becoming as a young women. He must have felt he had done something right along the way, right? My response is "yes!"
Im glad I didn't grow up in the fluffy world of princess stories and dreams of living my whole life just to get married. As cute as fairytale stories are and I do love my daughter dancing in her tutu's and tiaras...... my tomboy upbringing has given me the ability to be who I am today. I didn't rely on attention from boyfriends to make me happy and secure. I relied on God and all the amazing things I could do on my own in my life. I loved living in my own apartment alone. I loved going to work and paying my own bills. I loved being able to travel the world. It allowed me most of all to see past all the fluff so I could see a man that would love me and become my partner and friend, not a replacement figure of my own earthly father. Or a man to silence my voice, my heart and my dreams just to have my life be only about him.
I learned early on that I do have a voice. I was given a mind of my own by my creator. I was given the physical ability to take care of myself. Now that I am married and a mother, I am still that same person, but for the first time I do get to feel like a princess. I have a husband that provides for our family so I can be available for my children and husbands needs, as well as to take care of the home. But at the same time, I am still given the freedom to work at my choice and go after dreams that I have. Too often girls forget they too have dreams and they start to believe that the only way they can be happy is to just get married and start a family...... but there is so much more to life that can be discovered in your marriage if you first learn to be GODS princess and a women full of LIFE and STRENGTH.
I look forward to helping my children grow in the man and woman that by Gods grace they will one day be. In fact we are already talking to Hunter about things that he will need to do and understand as part of being a good Godly man. Before even reading this link tonight, I laid in bed with Hunter and quietly told him as he began to fall asleep "I just know you are going to make a wonderful man one day." I didn't go into details, a simple statement to linger in his thoughts as he drifted to sleep.
I love the idea of getting to share with my own daughter the things I grew to know from being a strong Godly women. Although I must say, she is far from being a tomboy like her mother. She is as girly as they come, loving her dresses, fancy shoes and baby dolls, and thats okay. However, she can still enjoy all those girly things and while learning to be a an independent women. A women that can also allow her husband to be the man, father and husband in her life that God has called him to be too. Knowing how to acknowledge your independence as a women and not forgetting that about yourself, all the while still getting to be the princess in your role as women, wife and mother.... the lady and princess GOD has called us to be.
Are you teaching your daughters to be Modern Day Princesses or GODLY PRINCESSES?
