Kiss Me Kate

"love...

comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" 

(1 Timothy 1:5 NIV)

With Valentine's day just a couple days away, I can't help but think of the precious book "The Princess and the Kiss."  A dear friend of mine read it and used it as a devotional in high school and after she shared it I thought it was one of the best illustrations of purity I had ever heard.  

The story is all about a Princess who's parents give her a special gift when she is born- her first kiss.  The kiss is put away and when she is grown her parents give her the kiss and tell her the importance of that kiss.  They tell her how special that kiss is and how special it would be to be able to give that first kiss to her husband one day.  All kinds of suitors start to pursue her, but she knows that none of them are special enough for her first kiss.  She even finds herself questioning God and asking if she is ever going to find her true love to share her kiss with.   It isn't that much longer until a young farmer pursues her and even shares with her that he has a gift his parents gave him when he was born- a first kiss.  They end up getting married and sharing their first kiss on their wedding day and of course live happily ever after.

Even though I probably won't expect or even tell Kate she should wait until her wedding day to kiss her husband, I still think the story has such an important message behind it.  I just want my baby girl to guard her heart and be cautious of the relationships she forms when she does start dating- A LONG, LONG, LONG time from now :) I know she's just a month old, but I believe it's never too soon to start praying for her future relationships, husband, and decisions she will make.  I pray she becomes a young woman who loves the Lord with all her heart and guards her heart so she can give it wholly to her husband when her wedding day does come.  I may not have saved my first kiss until my wedding day, but I think it's pretty special that Steven is the only man I've ever shared a kiss with.  I pray she realizes that in this world where purity is hard to find, it is not impossible and under the pressures of our society she stands strong.

How I love you sweet Kate and can't wait to share this precious story with you one day.  And mommy and daddy should be the only ones saying "kiss me Kate" for a long, long time :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

(My poor baby gave herself a massive scratch
during a diaper changing fit. :(

I guess Mommy needs to do a better job of cutting those fingernails!)