Fairy Tales and Magic Spells

Growing up, I loved fairy tales.  I was such a girly-girl, I wanted to live the life  of a fairy tale princess.  Of course, I always focused on the ending (and the clothes, of course) and not on the tragedy that was the impetus for the story.  Often, the story began with a magic spell being cast upon one or more of the characters, or even upon the entire village.  The magic spells that were cast had a way of making the characters see the world in a false way.  Even though I've outgrown fairy tales, I've come to realize that magic spells do exist.  My latest no-spending challenge has brought me to this discovery.


Marketing executives and psychologists work very hard at creating the consumer fairy tale.  Buy this and you'll instantly be thinner, smarter, prettier, hipper, popular...you name it, the product exists to help sculpt the fairy tale.  We see beautiful, affluent people in the advertisements, commercials, television programs, and movies and we want and expect what they have.  The fairy tale tells us that all of that is within our grasp, if only we loosen our purse strings.  And that, my friend, is the spell.


Having sworn off shopping (and, of course, frequenting stores), I've discovered there is a magic spell behind the fairy tale, without which the fairy tale will not function.  By avoiding the media that spins the tale, I have discovered that I am immune to the magic.  I don't feel like shopping and think of it as a time waster.  In fact, I've become happy with my limited, yet very functional, wardrobe.  Without the media telling me I need new electronics or furniture or anything else for my house, I find that I'm much more satisfied with what I do have.  I've broken the spell and now want to live happily ever after, in the real tale.


It saddens me when I think of the people who, when confronted with this reality, don't want to hear it.  They say it spoils their enjoyment of life, as if being a part of this never-ending quest is a satisfactory way to live.  It can be painful at first to give up the dream, but it is really a dream that can never be attained.  Once that realizations sets in, there is freedom in being released from the spell.  


If you're interested in breaking the magic spell that has been cast upon us by Wall Street and Madison Avenue, I suggest embarking on a shopping moratorium.  You may find yourself in your very own fairy tale, minus the evil spell.

(Photo source:  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/17899)

Wellness Wednesday

...er, I mean Friday.  I was out of town and didn't have time (or enough internet access) to research a wellness topic so I'm presenting it a couple of days late.


Here's a link to an interesting Time Magazine article about a study on longevity and television viewing.  According to this study, "watching too much TV is as detrimental to longevity as smoking and lack of exercise."  Further, those "who watched an average of six hours of TV a day lived an average 4.8 years fewer than those who didn't watch any television."


Last year, when I cancelled my television subscription, I had no idea that I could be increasing my life span.  Now when I tell people the benefits of not having a television, I can add that to the list!

(Photo source:  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/999218)

Update on Shopping Challenge

I have a little over a month left in my shopping - or should I say not shopping - challenge.  Since my last update on the challenge, I've refrained from spending any more money, except on essentials.  I did use a gift card I had to purchase some blank books for myself.  I feel this is within my challenge as 1) I didn't spend any of my money; 2) I consider journaling to be an essential part of my life so am always in the need of a new blank book; 3) I rarely have access to a good selection of journals so I took advantage of the opportunity to stock up on this necessity.


This challenge has not been oppressive at all.  More and more I realize how little I really need and that I have enough material possessions that I can almost always made do.  This exercise is helping me rethink some of my spending habits and, once I'm "off the hook," think I will be much more mindful of purchases.  

(Photo source:  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1176693)

Civility

While modern technology such as emails and voice mail are extremely convenient, I often think that it also has lead to the degradation of manners.  Lately, I've started thinking about the number of emails and voice mail that I send with personal information, sometimes information I've had to spend time researching, and yet I never receive a response.  I understand that we live in busy times and sometimes it might take a while for someone to get back to you, but never?  Even when one is extremely busy, it seems like a quick response like, "Thanks for the information" or "Thanks for thinking of me" or "Thanks.  I'm tied up right now, but I'll get back with you on it" or even just "Thanks."  A response like that doesn't take but a few seconds beyond actually reading the email.  Voice mails, of course, do take more time to respond to, but often even those can be handled with an email response.  


What really makes me believe it is not busy-ness but simple rudeness is that I often see or hear about the same people on facebook.  I suggest that anyone who doesn't want to respond to emails should refrain from posting and commenting on facebook as it shows others that you don't care about them.  


I make it a habit of responding to all emails I receive that seem to require a response.  And, even though I'm not as busy as others, I do know some extremely busy business people who are prompt with responding to all emails.  As for me, sometimes I don't get back with other as soon as I should, but I do get back to them.  For anyone who hasn't received an expected email from me, I apologize as it was clearly an oversight.

(Source:  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1317214)

"May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may 

happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through." 

~Irish Blessing

(Photo source:  http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1359419)

Women and the Church

One reason we need more female pastors, priests, and leaders in the Church:

This past June I accompanied my husband to Kentucky where he attended a class as part of his seminary degree.  As this class involved numerous field trips, I ended up tagging along and got to know one of the two women in the class.  She and I spent quite a bit of time together and we exchanged views on a variety of things.  She told me that the residential seminary was composed of about 30% women and it was often difficult being among the minority there.  She also talked about the difficulties of being a single woman looking to get a church assignment once she graduated.  As we parted, I tried to encourage her by telling her what a wonderful pastor she would be - because I know she will be.  


After returning from the trip, I really started noticing that even the contemporary, "hip" churches are made up of mainly white men.  I started looking at church web sites and noticed that when there was a female on staff, she was usually in a traditional role, either as the secretary/office manager or the children's minister.  Rarely does one find a woman as the lead pastor or in any kind of leadership role.  It seems kind of lopsided to me as many people turn to the church for counseling and in times of crisis.  Personally, should I ever need to confide in a church leader, I would only do so to a woman and the church secretary or children's minister would not be the appropriate person to turn to.  I don't think I'm alone in this so I think the Church is failing 50% of the members.


Until the Church begins to encourage more women to go into the ministry and to rise to leadership positions, I believe the Church will continue to look backwards and out of step to the outside world.



(Photo source:  http://www.jesusneedsnewpr.net/church-sign-of-the-day-38/)

Friday Funny

(Source:  http://www.patheos.com/community/exploringourmatrix/2011/08/18/highway-driving-101/)