Not That Kind of Fairy Tale
song five on The Calling of a Priest
Not That Kind of Fairy Tale. (2 Cor. 12: 8-10, Mark 14:32-41, and other references.) It was June, 2006. We had made the trip to Atlanta from Novosibirsk a few days before. I had been reading in 2 Cor. 12 for several days. I was - and still am - struck with how often things happen in three's, like in a fairy tale. And I was struck with Paul asking 3 times, like Jesus asked 3 times in the garden for this cup to be taken from Him. (Matthew 26:26-46). It wasn't. Nor was the thorn removed from Paul. And yes, we have a fairy tale, a wonderful magical REAL fairy tale where the Prince really does come and save us - but at great cost to Himself. And, sometimes, to us. And this is something we have to come to in our calling journey - that while it is a wonderful tale, a wonderful story we are part of, and there is a transformation that He is working in us and in our world that is deeper than we could ever have imagined or hoped - but that it takes more than the waving of a wand to work this transformation, that the things we want Him to change aren't always the things that He does change - but the cross and His grace to me throughout are worth it. God did not take away Paul's thorn, or Jesus' cup, and when I'm begging for HIm to change something for me - I remember that I'm glad He didn't change that for them. He worked something more wonderful instead. And His grace was enough for them, and is enough for me, and what He does work and give will be more precious, and worth it all.
*notice how many 3's there are in the Bible - even the Trinity is a 3.
**In addition to the video above, I am sharing below an old video I created for this song using my Russian Christmas tree ornaments and choreographing a dance for them. Their stage is my dining room table in Novosibirsk and a piece of linoleum.
Not That Kind of Fairy Tale Lyrics
Three times pleading
Three times asking
In fairy tales wishes are granted by three
Three times weeping
But the request goes ungranted
This is not that kind of fairy tale
in this story, His grace is enough for me.
And power is not in perfection
but is perfected instead in weakness
and the fairy tale godmother comes and waves her wand
But the result is not transformation,
at least, not the kind I want
This is not that kind of fairy tale
this fairy tale is too real
and the pain can't be waved over
these wounds are for us to deeply feel
and the fair girl herself
is as wicked as her stepmother's girls
And the transformation needed
is not a dress or pretty curls
But a black heart is too deep to be touched
even in a fairy tale world
And power is not in perfection
but is perfected instead in weakness
and the fairy tale godmother comes and waves her wand
But the result is not transformation
at least, not the kind I want
It's a reverse fairy tale world
instead of three wishes, three requests denied
three days in the whale and the earth's wounded side
a dark and dying world returns to life
when the Prince comes seeking His cinderella bride
And I look, and see, no godmother fairy, but You, all along
and when I am weak, then I am strong
Three times pleading
three times asking
in fairy tales wishes are granted by three
Three times weeping
but the request goes ungranted
this is not that kind of fairy tale
in this story, His grace is enough for me.
this is not that kind of fairy tale
in this story, His grace is enough for me.
Find Not That Kind of Fairy Tale on:
Not That Kind of Fairy Tale (old video with Russian Christmas ornaments) .
I created the video using my Russian Christmas tree ornaments and choreographing a dance for them. Their stage was my dining room table.