Yesterday morning, I woke up and went into Ava Faith's room. I had her clothes laid out the night before and it was a new to us dress from one of my best girlfriends! I put it on her and immediately it was as though my 2 1/2 year old daughter transformed! She looked at me with her BIG blue eyes and said oh so seriously "Mommy, I a PIN-cess!" as she twirled herself around! I looked at her and said, yes...yes you are baby! Because you know what? Whether it be her imagination pretending she is Cinderella or not...she truly is a princess. She is a princess of the one true King. The highest and most majestic court of all! I looked at her and asked if she knew who her king was? She said matter of factly. God! I couldn't have been more proud in that moment more than I already was. For wrapped up inside the heart of my child...she already knew who her king was and she understood...yes indeed she IS a princess!

Sometimes as moms...I think we forget this. NOT ONLY are we caretakers, house keepers, chefs, chauffeurs, gardeners, baby rockers, burp rags {come on...please tell me I am not the only one that has been spit up on a zillion times!}, zoo keepers, wives, mothers...but beneath the worn out old stained gaucho pants, fuzzy socks and cozy tank tops we are princesses of the ONE TRUE KING! I want to shout this out. I am HIS daughter. The heavenly Father on high...and you know what. This makes us important.

I will confess that not everyday is sunshine, roses and rainbows. Yesterday I was in a foul mood. I was planning on sitting down and writing an awesome blog piece as I was feeling inspired. And you know what...the dark angels had other plans. Plans to bring me down and make me feel low, tired, ragged and unwanted. I felt these dark forces all around me just as soon as it was time for me to be able to take a moment, sit back and write to you. The thing those dark angels didn't realize, is that once I got my thoughts back in order I would prevail. Yes...call me cuckoo but I felt as though I was being attacked. Not physically...but spiritually. Talking to close girlfriends they are noticing these things more and more as well. Instead of being able to see the beauty in the small things we see and feel and send out the negativity. I was told by a friend and pastor (you can view his blog HERE) that this spiritual warfare is trying to take even the smallest people down (I will do a blog post later touching base on this subject of my mini...and how we overcame her fears!). Anyhow he gave me some good insight and that is to always quote scripture. Get out of your "head" and listen to worship music. DO something "Jesus-y". Funny thing is this advice...didn't click in until this morning! Yep...just a wee bit slow in my tired stage of life! Mathew 11:28-30 says  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

  

Yesterday I came down on my myself because I was negative. I posted my vulnerabilities on Facebook like any sane person would do...right?! And instead of seeking refuge in our one true King I sought solace in guilt and shame. But just as the Lord knows my every thoughts and my heart He KNEW I needed to be lifted from the dark trenches...so guess what the first verse was that I read this morning? Luke 18:14 "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." 

wow.

Do you think God was sending me a message to pick myself back up, brush myself off and to put on my big girl panties...because you know what? HE is using me to show others that it is OK to show your "other" side. Because if we were to only speak or do the things that we want people to hear or see us do then what would that make us? Hypocrites, fakes, heck we would be putting up a facade. And for what? To make ourselves feel better or someone else? Because I dunno about you but in this big world of blogging and in this big world called life, I personally relate more to those that speak the truth. That don't just talk the talk but they truly walk the walk. God has brought a lot to my table in the course of this last year leading into this...the loss of my dad, the loss of my favorite uncle, my brother not admitting and yet dealing with alcoholism, losing the relationships of 2 of my favorite and closest cousins. Then He opened my heart to the light of my life. My ray of sunshine that makes this world a better place Livy. Now in that moment, He showed me how precious life is. But you know what? He never left my side. He could have. But you know why He didn't? Because I am the child of the ONE true King. I am the princess of the heavenly father. I AM the daughter of the KING! And in this walk of life; in this life journey I want to teach not only my son...but my daughters to put on their Armor of God. 

Each piece of the Armor of God is put in place to help us to stand firm in the battles of life. Put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and also the sword of the spirit which IS the word of God. The best way of teaching our babies to wear their armor and wear it with pride is to get up each morning and adorn ours as well. Teach, lead and guide by example.  And when the waters are muddied or we are just plain having a no good rotten bad day...remember this: there is only one expert and HE is exalted. If He leads you to it...He can definitely pull you through it!