Tell a Fairy Tale Day | JOY for Today

What's your favorite fairy tale? What part of it brings you JOY? Now, find a way to connect that JOY to your life. While you may not encounter any dragons, fairies, or poisoned apples today, we do believe your happily ever after is coming.

JOY for Today Offerings:

• Did You Know... Three we didn't.
• Wolfe Stew Connects To a fairy tale life.
• Bible Verses and Quotes About fairy tales.
• Activity Suggestions for telling and discussing fairy tales.
• Last Year's Post: Ash Wednesday Day (46 days before Easter)

Did You Know:

1. Fairy tales are not just for kids? Fairy tales, loosely defined, are stories with mythical creatures, a plot centered on good versus evil, and are told from generation to generation. Some fairy tales are written with children in mind, and others for adults. Many of the popular fairy tales we know today were originally written for adults but altered for children. (American Literature and Love to Know)
   
2. The Grimm Brother's tales and Hans Christian Anderson's stories were not their own? Rather, they both collected and retold stories passed down through generations, often by women. (Love to Know & Biography.com)
3. Cinderella is the most popular fairy tale? While over 1,500 traditional variations of the tale exist, Charles Perrault wrote the most familiar version in the 17th century. It continues to intrigue us with numerous modern retellings.  (Reader's Digest)
4. The first literary fairy tale might be a version of Beauty and the Beast? While some scholars name Apuleius' myth "Cupid and Psyche," similar to Beauty and the Beast, the first written fairy tale, the oral origin of fairy tales makes it impossible to definitively name a first. (SurLaLune)
5. A synonym for "fairy tale" is lie? Other synonyms listed: falsity, taradiddle, and whopper. (Merriam-Webster)

We'd Love to Know:

What fairy tale fact would you add?

Wolfe Stew Connects

The thing I love most about fairy tales are the timely, unexpected, and mind-blowing rescues. Sure, the "happily ever after" is nice too, but without the perilous journey, the "happy ever after" loses its luster. A good fairy tale demands deception, evil curses, alluring traps, betrayal, heart-wrenching loss, and an encounter with a horrendously evil maniac no mortal man could ever defeat. Yet, despite every cunning deception, through every hardship and despairing plot twist, our hero emerges triumphant.

If only that could happen in real life. If only birds would fly in my window and clean my house. If only a fairy godmother would appear to grant my requests anytime I felt distressed. If only prince charming would rescue me from every inescapable, unavoidable, and undesirable encounter. If only.

But what if it does? What if real life is a type of fairy tale? 

Settle in. I'll tell you a story. 

Once upon a time, light was separated from the darkness. Then, the same mystical power that divided the two formed you from the light. You, Hero, were then positioned in a gut-wrenching plot full of carefully plotted snares conspired by the evilest of all villains who is intimately familiar with your every weakness. His goal, his sole purpose, is to devour you by keeping you separated from The One that formed you. Yet, despite every cunning deception, through every hardship and despairing plot twist, you emerge victorious because of the power of The One at work within you. The One who carefully crafted you and set you apart before you were born to star in His story. And in His story, you are guaranteed a "happily ever after." All you must do is believe.

You are living a fairy tale. Go conquer those dragons; navigate the dark, treacherous pits; learn from every trap, deception, and misdirection, knowing in full confidence your Prince Charming will come. You will get your "happily ever after."

In response:

1. Describe the current plot twist in your fairy tale. Imagine God rescuing you from it in a crazy, off-the-wall, fairy-talesque way. Then, thank God for His goodness. Let Him know you trust Him. You don't know how you'll be delivered from this current evil you're facing, but you know He is good. You can rest in that.
2. Turn to uplifting others in their fairy tales by joining us as we continue studying Proverbs 31:23. Next week we're looking at gates, roles, and God (Take a peek at our Wolfe Notes to see what we covered last week.) Or engage in last year's growth opportunity and learn to RISE to change.

Bible Verses and Quotes 

Bible Verses

• "Don't let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men's thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said." Colossians 2:8 TLB
• "But refuse and avoid irreverent legends (profane and impure and godless fictions, mere grandmothers' tales) and silly myths, and express your disapproval of them. Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit]." I Timothy 4:7 AMPC
• "Put an end to their myths and fables, and their idea of being saved by finding favor with an endless chain of angels leading up to God - wild ideas that stir up questions and arguments instead of helping people accept God's plan of faith." I Timothy 1:4 TLB
• "In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable." Philippians 4:8 GNT
• "We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders." Psalm 78:4 NLT

Quotes

• "Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl
• "But wishes are only granted in fairy tales." - Simone Elkeles
• "There is the great lesson of 'Beauty and the Beast,' that a thing must be loved before it is lovable." - G.K. Chesterton 
• "Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." - G.K. Chesterton 
• “But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." - C.S. Lewis

We'd Love to Know:

Which verse or quote connects with your thoughts about fairy tales?

 

Activity Suggestions

To foster enjoyment in telling and discussing fairy tales. 

The Mr.'s Suggestion:

Tell your favorite fairy tale!

Check out The Little Oak Learning's Instagram post for some quick tips on telling stories or Mensa for Kids' activities for improving storytelling. Also, delve into this online collection of fairy tales (at FairyTales.Info) for inspiration.

The Mrs.' Suggestions: 

Write Fairy Tales

• But sequence one first with Kindergarten Nana. Then, use a similar blank 2-by-3 grid to have them plan their own through drawing or writing. (PreK-1st)
• By planning story structure with Mrs. Labrasciano (Second and Third Graders)
• From a different perspective with Teacher Nyla's list of fractured fairy tales for models. (Fourth to Sixth). 
• After reading a few for inspiration. 
• Goldilocks for Dinner by Susan McElroy Montanari & Jake Parker. A book where goblins are on a quest to find the most wretched, rudest child and teach the child some manners.
• Help Wanted: Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson; illustrated by Courtney Dawson. After her father gets a new job, Shailey is on a quest to hire a new storyteller. You'll recognize the fairy tale characters who interview to fill the position.

Discuss "Would You Rather..." Questions

• Wake up in a fairy tale or mystery novel?
• Grow a magic beanstalk or ride in a pumpkin carriage?
• Face a dragon or the big, bad wolf?

If you would like three "Would You Rather...?" questions for every February (or March) day, download this Wolfe Stew PowerPoint. 

Take on the Family Challenge

Take turns telling your favorite fairy tales. See if you can guess the teller's favorite part of the story. 

We'd Love to Know:

What's your favorite fairy tale?

We’re excited to share one more day with you and wish you JOY for Today and HOPE for Tomorrow. Come back next week for...International Women's Day!

Your Partners in JOY Finding,

Find even more JOY for Today in our monthly calendars, holiday, and seasonal posts.