Window Princess

Every summer Saturday night there is a unique event that occurs in my small town.
There is a parade.
Not just any parade.
There are no floats.
There are no clowns handing out candy.
There are no giant inflatables floating through the town streets.
There are no businesses taking the opportunity to advertise their wares by means of elaborate, decorated vehicles.
No, this is not just any parade.
It is a Scottish pipe and drum band parade.
There is a group of people who suit up in wool kilts and thick hose, and march down the main street in the heat of the summer, playing tunes for the locals and tourists alike. Hoards of people show up to see the sight and hear the music. Then the crowds directly follow the band and walk along behind until it wraps up the evening with a concert in the park.
It is unique.

And every Saturday night there is a princess.

She sits on the edge of her third-floor window and waves to the commoners pursuing the band.
They wave back.
Children giggle and point, saying, "Mommy! Look at the princess!"
She is a woman who dresses up a plays the part of a royal.

Something I think we've all done, at some time in our lives.
Whether it is the little boy climbing up the walls, feet and hands braced in the doorway of his bedroom as he hoists himself up, insisting he is Spiderman, or the girl who spins around, humming the television show theme song, pretending she is Wonder Woman. Or the princess. Or the knight.
We often long to be something we think is more.
Stronger.
Prettier.
Bigger.
Smaller.
Richer.
More and better than we think we are.

And we forget something.

We forget that we are already royalty. Children of the King. God's princesses and princes.
We don't have to play the part.
We don't need to pretend.
We don't need to revel in the pretense.
He sees us as a princess in the window and knows that what He sees, is who we are.
A window princess.
Waving, smiling, wearing the crown.
We need to give up the role playing.
It's time to step into the crown and stand strong in who we are.

Chosen.
Royal.
Holy.

And it's a choice we have to make. We can live with the King or walk away from the kingdom. We can accept the royal station or disown it.

As for me, I'm going to wear my crown. However tarnished it gets; however unpolished the sheen; however tilted it sits on my head ~ it will remain.

So here I sit, straightening my crown, accepting the declaration that I am His princess.
A window Princess.
What He sees is who I am.


"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession that you may declare the praises of Him that called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9, NIV)


(And the window princess at the parades? She can be found on Facebook at :
https://www.facebook.com/peacefulprincessofKIncardine/ )