Two Tales of the Morning....

Part A:

I haven't seen the princess yet. I still see the rags and the "ugly"...I dream of the dance, the ball, the beautiful ladies and the elegantly attired men, the gown, the jewels and the handsome prince. I hear the music. I hear His invitation, His call, to dance, and I feel Him leading me to the floor.

The ecstasy of complete harmony and union with Him as we slowly move to the music. His lead, and I gently follow and trust His timing and perfect rhythm. Such grace and majesty. All eyes are on us, but His are the only ones I see as I gaze into something I've never known before...pure love. They glisten and gleam with a twinkle somewhat like Santa's... perhaps it's a "knowing" of what is yet to come. Perhaps it's an awareness of a "cinder-ella" opening to more than she's ever known before. The music swells in a crescendo of harmonies and melodies that rival the heavenly angels. Then again, maybe just this once, the music is that of the angels?

Without her being aware, He leads me to a large gilded wall that is covered in a dark blue velvet draping with large golden cording and tassels. An attendant pulls back the drapes to reveal the largest mirror I've ever seen. (I think to myself, "mirror mirror on the wall, I'm the ugliest of all".) He stands behind me, both hands on my shoulders and says, "Look at my beautiful princess. See her precious face, behold her deep blue eyes, her lovely frame, her beautiful smile. Isn't she amazing?"

I look into the mirror, only to see tattered and filthy rags hanging from an altogether too large of a broken body. Years of self-hatred staring back at me. I turn away, but He gently places His hand on my face and guides it back to looking straight ahead at the dreaded mirror, reflecting back all the "ugly" that I know to be true. "Isn't she just magnificent? I love her so much! So much that I wear these scars so that she doesn't have to."

I can't look at myself, so I stare into His reflection in the mirror. He is adoring me, as if He's appreciating the workmanship of His own hands. "I know you don't see her yet, the beautiful princes I've created. I know you see the scars of sin and the pains inflicted by others, but you will see her. You just need to trust me to help you see her."

He gently lets go of my shoulders and begins to walk back to the center of the ballroom....He reaches His hand out to me and asks, "Princess Kara, may I have another dance?"