the princess, the knight and the snake

This morning after going for a contemplative walk I did this activity with the kids. I gave them some paper and pencils and while I was cleaning up the kitchen I told them a story that they could draw all the pictures to as we went along.
My kids drew beautiful pictures and I think they learnt something special.

Once upon a time there was a wonderful king, and he was the king of the whole world. He had a beautiful huge castle. His most special people in the world were his princess and his knight.
Everyday, he would tell them he loved them and speak kindly and nicely to them. He would tell them how beautiful, handsome, strong and brave they were. And as he spoke words of love to them everyday, they became more beautiful, they grew taller and stronger. Every time he told them he loved them, they would grow taller and their hair would shine brighter.
The King had a beautiful garden filled with beautiful trees and whenever he said loving and kind words, more and more plants and flowers and fruit and veggies would grow. The princess and knight loved the garden, they would run and hide and play and pick fruit and veggies and eat them.
One day, while they were playing, a snake came into the garden. It was a beautiful snake, with a sweet voice, but sneaky and dangerous. It told the princess and knight that they weren't beautiful and strong, but that they were weak and ugly. Since they had never had reason to disagree with anyone before, they believed him, and he showed them in his mirror that it was true. And they did believe that they were ugly and weak, and not beautiful at all.
As the snake spoke with them, he began to plant seeds in the garden, and scatter them about. It wasn't long before thorns and weeds were growing everywhere and tangling the beautiful plants.
The sneeky snake slithered away when he heard the King coming.
The King saw the weeds and thorns all over the garden and he knew that the snake had been there. When he saw his beautiful daughter and handsome son he told them, as he did everyday, that they were beautiful and lovely and strong and brave. But now it was so much harder for them to believe. He began to pick the weeds and thorns out of the garden as he led them to the edge of the pond. He showed them their reflection in the water, and told them that he loved them. Then they truly saw that they were beautiful, handsome, strong and brave, just as the king had always said.
.....

I sort of just made up the story as I told it to the kids. And they had lots of questions. They were so shocked when I said that the princess and knight believed what the snake said.

What do you want your kids to believe about themselves? What do you believe about yourself?

Grace and Truth

Mark just went back to work today. It's funny how in the holidays, most days, I can be pretty relaxed about housework - it doesn't matter if there are piles of clothes to be folded, a few toys lying around, washing up to be done, we seem to be able to take a bit of a relaxed view to life. But as soon as Mark goes back to work, this bizarre thought comes into my head that by the time he walks in the door again, everything must be picture perfect. Maybe its to show that I did something today, and because I want some praise, or to show that haven't been completely lazy while he was working so hard, or because I need to feel that I'm doing something valuable with my day. 


Or maybe its from reading some 1950's housewife book about making sure children are bathed and dressed for bed, dinner is cooked, and all the housework is done by the time your husband walks in the door. And to make sure you take some time to hear about your husband's day, don't bother him with the boring details of yours, while your children play silently in another room.
I had such a laugh when I watched Mary Poppins recently to hear Mr Banks singing his 'on the way home from work' song:
The Life I lead - Mr Banks
(have a look at this youtube link)


This is one of my favourite parts:
"It's 6:03 and the heirs to my dominion
Are scrubbed and tubbed and adequately fed
And so I'll pat them on the head
And send them off to bed
Ah! Lordly is the life I lead!"


Anyway, whatever that feeling is and wherever it comes from, I've squashed it on the head, and going to continue in our holiday mode for today.


I really feel to focus my blog this year on 'grace & truth' for the supermum. There are so many lies we believe and expectations we feel we need to live up to (our own and others), many things to feel guilty or inadequate about - but to all of that there is the truth of God's word - tried and tested ancient proverbs, that bring grace and truth to every aspect of life. That's the domain that I want to live in. 


I'd love for you to come along for the journey as I explore some of the lies we mums come up against, and as I find some grace and truth for those. But mostly I'm doing this blog for me, because it's a journey I need to go on this year.


Grace and truth to you,
Sarah