Thursday, June 23, 2011

A Reason To Dance

We find our way to our seats in the dimly lit auditorium, wave to a few familiar faces and open our program. How many years have we done this now? Nine? Ten? I sit low and heavy in my flip-down theatre chair and sigh a good, long satisfied sigh. We made it. Another recital, another year over. Now it is time to relax and enjoy the fruit of our daughter's labour and our hard-earned money.


I'm taking pictures but still I gaze adoringly at the once chubby arms, now long and lean, stretching with gentle elegance. She and her fellow dancers are trained to smile but there's something behind hers that denotes more than just obedience. She's right where she wants to be. The stage, the costume, the dance, this is where her mind takes her on days that are long and weary. I had become cross with her a few times this year when she forgot her dance bag or when she was late again and made us all wait in the van. But as she glides across the stage, spinning and then poised just so, I am overwhelmed by the shear blessing of being able to provide this path for our daughter and the rest melts away.
We go for ice cream later and we hang up the tu-tu for the summer. It's June again and I don't know how we got here or how she grew into a ballerina. It all feels like we were just laughing and twirling together in the living room, pretending she was a "real" dancer. My husband and I have always told this girl that we pray she would use her gifts for the Lord, who gave her the ability in the first place. We're beginning to see this come to fruition as she would wake up the next morning and perform a worship dance for Father's Day in our church. And as our girl grows in her physical skills, we are ever aware that her spiritual connection to her heavenly Father is growing as well. Joining the two is honouring her Creator. And that is a very good reason to dance.

9 comments:

Brandee Shafer said...

How exciting. I have experienced the touch of the Father in witnessing the dances of ballerinas, especially in church. Your daughter is beautiful and blessed.

Wanting What I Have said...

How wonderful!!! I danced for fifteen years and LOVED it! All that driving and waiting and the cost-I am so thankful for those gifts!

sydney ellen said...

Awesome pics! Great job, Meghan!!!!!!! :)

~Syd~

Nizar & Ema said...

The pictures are so inspiring and touchy !! Good job Meghan .
Every step says something to me ,so elegant and sweet !
For sure God is using her talent to dance and worship him ..ur dream and mine is coming true :)

Love u
Emma.

Anna said...

Great pictures! I love what you wrote about your commitment to Meghan's dance, but also her commitment to dance and to her walk with the Lord. She is such a blessing (as are all your children)!!

jeana said...

Stunning! She did a beautiful job Heather!

Pure Perseverance said...

She is so beautiful, Heather!

Heather@Cultivated Lives said...

What beautiful photographs of a truly beautiful daughter (inside and out). This is one of the things that I find so utterly delightful about parenting - getting to watch them grow, mature into their own unique people that still remind us of the babies and toddlers they once were. What a joy to walk thru the different seasons in life!

Lorraine Walker said...

Why do your blogs always make me want to cry? :) Your daughter is a lovely dancer and her dance on Father's Day was wonderful. God has given her - and all your children - abundant gifts. Just ask my Dad what he thinks about Oliver ;). What a special Mom you are to be blessed with these!