Fairy Tales...

I work for Disney. Along with the thousands that pay a ton of money every day to come into Walt Disney World, I have always loved the Disney movies and the "happy" feeling that goes with them.  But why have they always made such an impact on people? Why does a fake world full of animals that talk and princesses appeal to us so much? It's because there is ALWAYS a happy ending. Scar may kill Mufasa, but Simba comes to rescue his pride and all live happily ever after. Aurora touches a spindle and falls into an eternal sleep, but Prince Philip defeats Maleficent, his kiss awakes the princess and they live happily ever after. Ariel even disobeys her father and falls into the trap of Ursula, but Prince Eric runs a ship into the sea witch and King Triton even gives Ariel the legs she wanted so badly! Are you seeing a pattern here? Every time all seems lost, at the most scary moments of the story there is, without fail, a "but".

Most of the time I feel like I live in the scary part of the movie. The part where all seems lost. If something bad isn't happening, I'm worrying about what MIGHT happen. I watch the news and sink into a hole of despair, wondering when the "but" in my story is coming. When do I get my happily ever after? There are all of these points that I've looked forward to in my life - when I could drive, when I went to college, when I found the right guy - that I've been SURE would be my "but" moment. But time and time again I've been disappointed and continued to live in fear of the next tragedy that might befall me or those around me.

Then one day I read a certain part of Ephesians.

"All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead." - Ephesians 2:3-4

Did you catch that? That's a pretty big "but" moment. If you read verse 3 it really does sound like that bad moment of the story, but much scarier than any Disney movies. We were subject to God's anger. Not some mythical monster, not even the evil in the world around us. This would be as if King Triton was so angry at Ariel for going up to the surface that HE became the villain because of what she had done. Now I don't know about you, but I think that version of the story is infinitely more frightening than the one with Ursula. Our Father, the One who made us and knows us best of all, and we were the subject of His anger? Not a good situation.

But God.

There comes the moment we've been waiting for, right? We were dead because of our sins, But God. That's the biggest "but" moment we could ask for. So now He's taken care of the BIG tragedy, but the selfish, fearful part of me asks "What about the rest? What about my small, petty problems?" And then I realize, if God has taken care of the biggest climax of my Disney movie life, why couldn't He take care of every side story line?

I'm lonely, but God.

I'm scared, but God.

I'm hurting, but GOD.

Do you catch my drift? He's already written our happily ever after, we're LIVING it. Our "but" moment isn't just one moment, we get continuous reminders every day that we are saved and no matter what struggles might come our way, He is there to either rescue us or give us strength to endure.

So don't EVER tell me I'm not a princess, I'm a daughter of the King of Kings and He writes my fairy tale into a beautiful tapestry of struggles and successes. No offense Disney, but you've got nothing on His story.

Every time I type "but moment" I giggle a little bit. I'm pretty sure I really do belong at Disney, I'm definitely still a child.