A Bad Fairy Tale Turns Good

When I got married, I thought I was the princess who had just been rescued by my knight in shining armor. Four short years later, his armor was so dented and rusty that I couldn't even remember why I thought he was my Prince Charming. When he turned his back on me and walked out of my life, my castle crumbled. My heart broke in a million pieces and I vowed to stay locked in the turret for the rest of my life. I was through with men. I wasn't some damsel in distress to be rescued. I could take care of myself. I knew how to slay dragons and ride horses. I would be just fine.

I never planned to raise my own two princesses without a knight beside me. But I had no other option. I went to nursing school, graduated two years later with my bachelor's degree and slowly let down the drawbridge to my heart as I rebuilt my castle.

I met another knight, then another, then another...but I never let any of them get too close. I kept them at arm's length because I refused to bury my bitterness and it seeped through my facade. They left shortly after they realized I was not going to let them rescue me. I didn't need another knight. I had learned to use the sword myself and I could fight better than any of them any day. The drawbridge closed and I felt safe.

After awhile I became lonely and desperate, I let down my drawbridge and asked knight after knight to come rescue me. I jumped in lakes, ready to drown, only to be left there because the knight was afraid to swim. So I swam out and saved myself. Again, I drew up the drawbridge and fortified my castle. No one could get in. The only problem was, I couldn't get out either.

Darkness covered my castle. Happiness disappeared. My two little princesses weren't so little anymore and decided to go to their daddy's castle instead. I let them go, I wasn't doing any of us any good.

The thorny vines from my once beautiful rose bushes overgrew due to neglect and soon no one could see my castle anymore. I sat in the tower, alone, desperate. Close to giving up I cried out, "Lord, where are You?! I need You!"

Looking up with tears on my face I saw a beautiful sight, sitting on top of a majestic white horse was the most handsome Man I had ever seen. His eyes looked straight through me and filled me with a love I never knew existed. He reached out His hand to me and said, "Come away with Me, my princess. I have waited all My life for you. I've loved you since I created the world. Now that you need Me, we can begin the journey I've had planned for you since the beginning of time."

The sun began shining again, the vines parted as we rode down the drawbridge, my heart soared like an eagle. The Knight I had been looking for all my life had been right beside me all the time just waiting for me to call on Him.

Once upon...

Once upon a time in a land called Ohio, there lived a beautiful young girl named Carmelita. She was a pretty young thing with lovely blonde hair and sparkly green eyes. She was living with a wonderful family full of fun and laughter. A male and female guardian and two younger girls and a younger boy comprised this delightful family unit. The guardians took very good care of her and the other children, but one day, she realized something was missing in her life.

Her guardians took her to church every Sunday. The male guardian stood on the platform each Sunday and told stories about a man named Jesus. Carmelita wasn't sure who this Jesus was, but He sounded like a decent man. The male guardian told the congregation they could each have a personal relationship with this Man named Jesus. All they had to do was believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus came to earth as a man even though He was the Son of God and that He was born here, died here and was resurrected from the dead to sit at he right hand of His Father, and they would be saved from an eternity in hell, lost forever.

One day the young girl bowed her head and said the prayer. She believed with all her heart that Jesus was her Lord and Savior and she vowed to serve Him. She didn't know what lay ahead for her, she just knew she would never face it alone because her Prince Jesus would walk beside her all the way. When it would be dreadfully hard and exhausting, He promised to carry her in those low moments of her life. During the joyful and exciting times, He would dance in celebration with her. Wherever life took her with its twists and turns, she would never be alone...He would always be there. She had found that missing part of her life and she began the journey of a lifetime.