Dear Sadie,
You are my little princess. You live in a fairy tale. You are confident you are gorgeous whenever you put on a twirly dress. You make friends with small critters. And naturally, you sing songs while you work. I enjoy work too. I enjoy it even more when you help me, and talk about how fun it is, and sing songs while working. You make everything fun!
It helps to have people with good work ethics to look up to. I have my mom to thank for this. Growing up, she always made cleaning house games. She created chore charts where we earned stars. She really had me convinced that housework was not work at all, but fun! And do you know what? I still think it is fun, because I have this perspective! As far back as I can remember, a preschooler I am sure, I stood on a step-stool hand-washing dishes. I sorted mountains of dirty clothes spread out on the kitchen floor. Darks. Lights. Towels. Delicates. Boy did my mom have me trained! We would tie something like a belt from a bathrobe to a laundry basket and give ourselves no more than 4 or 5 minutes to do a fast-paced, clean sweep. Anything that didn't go in that room, we'd throw in the basket. And when we were all done, we'd do a speedy run through the house, dragging the basket to the appropriate rooms for drop-offs. Then we'd hit the next room and start again.
I hope to instill this same craziness in you, my dear. :) It does not take much convincing when you start young, that's for sure. I think as children we have a natural sense that work pays off. If someone is able to cultivate work ethics in us early enough, helping us polish these skills while we are young, the value and enjoyment of work will truly grow and blossom into something invaluable as an adult.
Snow White sang and whistled while she worked. She taught her friends, the dwarfs, to do the same. Cinderella sang about her dreams coming true as she got ready for her day of work, work, and more work. Rapunzel sang while she started her chores and swept the floors. (Okay, so she was singing and wondering when her life would begin, but that's more because she was locked in a tower for eighteen years!) All three princesses were princesses in disguise. They did not yet know their true identity, but by nature they found joy in the simple tasks and mundane chores they found themselves in, day in, day out. They brought their royalty with them into every circumstance. Their peace, joy and confidence.
You, my little lady, are a princess too. Your Daddy is the King. That makes you royalty. We tell you this all of the time. (and of course, your earthly daddy is your prince, for now:) And although you do not understand the full ramifications of this identity yet, you will learn as you grow. God's Word will reveal this to you as He shows His inheritance and promises laid out for you. For now, as a child, you think it means you look beautiful when you're all dressed up. And you think it means you must pretend you are getting married to your invisible prince. But there's also this sweetness inside of you already that sings and dances. It's the joy of the Lord that shines through your eyes and your voice and everything you set your hands to. I love how it is coming out when you see the work you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. That is a beautiful thing. Yesterday when I let you rinse all of the dishes and hand them to me to put into the dishwasher, you'd think we were on a ride at Disney World. I hope and pray I can cultivate this more and more in you. You already bring beauty to the simple. I also pray that you will pass it on to your kids as well. My beautiful, inside-and-out, princess.
Love,
Mommy
"You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours." Psalms 128:2
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord" Colossians 3:23
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