More than Etiquette Classes

Keren took on the great task of teaching our girls some table manners and Etiquette this summer. It was no small task. They reminded me of the little mermaid twirling the fork in their hair and using the knives as mirrors as I opened the packages for the first time. We had a goal. We were going out to eat with Reba and her special guests at the end of the summer and we wanted to be ready….

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. --Romans 12

Before the first time Reba talked with our girls she asked me what I wanted her to share with them. Off the cuff, I said, I want them to know who they are. She prayed that night and we covered her in prayer before she entered in. She gave the most compelling re-telling of David and Goliath that our girls had ever heard. They hung on every word and were truly inspired. Afterword, she told me that God had impressed on her heart that she would be speaking before kings and presidents. That’s who they are! –She got it!

Our girls know what the world says about them…“daughters of prostitutes, rape victims, thieves, liars, lice ridden girls who only know hunger and perversion”. These are the things they hear about themselves and even say to each other.

We are determined to fill their minds and convince their hearts of the truth! May the words of their heavenly father ring louder in their head than any other. May they know who they are! May they know they are a holy nation, a royal priesthood, chosen, loved, daughters of THE king. Beautiful, lovely and restored... Princesses!

Princesses, fit for a banqueting table with a king.

So we’ve been practicing… We practice telling the truth-- To ourselves, to each other and we practice living the truth too.   We got all dressed up and went out to eat together, another day to practice.

Practice being what they don’t always feel like they are…beautiful, educated, worthy, princesses.

I listened to the girls talking as they modeled their new dresses I heard them say, “look at us, we are people now.” Oh, my sweet daughters—May you know in the depths of your hearts who you are because when you get it, the world will never be the same.