Tonight, You Will Dance

Tonight. 

Tonight you will dance. 

You will dance with new friends and many life long companions. 

The stage is your canvas. 

So much preparation and vision. 

Directors who dream. 

Parents who put feet to those dreams. 

Year after year. 

A gift. 

Challenges to move out side your comfort zone. 

To gain confidence in the woman God is creating you to be. 

And this weekend we celebrate all of you. 

The beauty of the Vermont Youth Dancers. 

A community created to promote theater and dance. 

A place to grow and learn. 

To be challenged and inspired. 

Tonight. 

You will dance, "Between the Raindrops."

The Journey to Oz; fictitious. 

Yet so symbolic. 

Many of you will head off to your "future" as you graduate. 

This; your final Show. 

The memories swirl and gratitude permeates. 

Friendships. 

Support when our world fell apart. 

Our hands held tightly. 

This is the way of this group. 

So, tonight we celebrate, again, all the hard work.

The gift of dance. 

It is a gift. 

Cultivated and nurtured. 

Encouraged and set free. 

Revelation 21:21

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. 

The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

Tonight the yellow brick road will span before you and all your cast mates. 

Choices. 

Decisions loom. 

There is but one choice that echoes  through all eternity. 

One choice to say yes. 

To dance on the streets that are Golden. 

For all of eternity. 

Where your brother has gone before you. 

Dance well my dears. 

You are precious to me. 

I have loved watching you all emerge. 

Bringing your unique traits to the stage. 

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old,

 he will not depart from it.

Living Fully

Another perfect summer day. 

The wind blows. 

The sun is shining.

No humidity.
Shows and a wedding.

These are days that the living flows.

Days that take little effort. 

The ease with which to work. 

It's easy to find hope on these days. 

Yet my heart still holds back.  

 Each day healing. 

Each moment filled with grace. 

But just under the surface the pain and the missing reside. 

Forever changed; yet today needing to be lived through.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made. 
We will rejoice and be glad in it.


Gratitude changes the heart.
The rhythm of one's step united with God's Holy purposes.


Grateful For:

A full weekend of dance, family, weddings and pictures.
Remembering
4 days of sunshine and warmth
Hay for winter's wrath
Blue skies and fluffy clouds
Lessons learned in the midst of pain
Deep joy given by our heavenly father
The assurance of the things to come
Community
Friendships and dance directors
Visions and dreams being fulfilled on stage
Cool evenings
A messy house that has been so full this weekend
Coffee. Coffee beans. Ground coffee. Coffee.
A heart that is held

The Partner That Brings Grace To Your Movements

Sometimes I just want off this road. I've said it before. To me it seems hard.

 At each door there is pain and heart ache.

 It's another journey to process and move through. There is a dance while moving through pain. 

The movements can be stiff and awkward. 

Or they can be smooth and graceful.

When you walk hand in hand with a partner skilled in guiding the way; the movements become fluid. 

I want things to be fluid. I long for movements that are graceful. 

What is it that creates the graceful out of the chaos?

Who called order into the cosmic disorder?

And don't we all long for order? Don't we long for things to be in its place?

(Ok. So it's a stretch for me to go that far)

But we long for there to be order. We want things to be nicely wrapped and organized.

 And when our dreams are shattered and life throws a curve ball we recoil. 

We question the chaffing and uncomfortable. 

Yet through these times the hand of the Lord is manifested the most. 

It is through these times that our character is refined.
We are taken through the fire. 

Our dross is removed.
We can't see the ultimate product but we know that it will be grace endowed.

What is this grace? Can we understand such a gift?
Philip Yancey in his book "What's so Amazing about Grace," says,
 “I would far rather convey grace than explain it.”

Are we open to receive such an extravagant offering?
I don't have answers. I am left with many questions.
Yancey also points out that,
"Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God's scheme ultimately leads back to the cross.” 
Even when there is this offering; many refuse the partner skilled in guiding the way.

I have chosen a life surrendered to the skilled partner. I lean into the difficult moves and twists and turns.
 I am unfamiliar with the routine and music.
 I have no choice but to let the master lead the way.
I hope when all is said and done; it will be a beautiful dance. 

We are promised dancing on the streets that are golden.
And what a joyous celebration that will be.

Young Forever

Close to 400 hearts will hold your family close tonight, will stand and applaud the poise of your beautiful daughters and will be present to remember your wonderful son. 30 children will stand behind their friends to show them how much they care. Though your heart is breaking, you are never alone. We love you! Thank you for the privilege you have given us.

This is the note I received from one of the directors' prior to last evenings performance.
These young people and the directors of the Vermont Youth Dancers decided in September, on Elijah's birthday, that they wanted to do something to help the dancers express their grief and support our family. And thus was born, the idea of an encore performance of their spring show "Young Forever" to benefit The Elijah Davis Memorial Fund.

When we were approached by the directors with this idea, we were overwhelmed, 

yet felt like this was a gift they wanted to share. 

And thus began the journey to last night's show.

What we didn't know was how God would spark in the hearts 

of 3 of our daughters a desire to dance for their brother.

A song. A desire. A Gift.

And so the show opened with a tribute to our very missed, Elijah; by his sisters.

Psalm 90:4

A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, 

or like a watch in the night.

Please listen to the song as you scroll through the pictures.

May your heart be lifted as you look at the pictures and 

catch a glimpse of the love displayed last night.

Always. . .

You will be part of me. . .

You're gone now, Gone but not forgotten. . 

I'll see you again. . .

And as the girls finished their dance,the entire cast walked down from the set, and through the aisles to stand behind the girls. And together they lifted their hands and pointed to the heavens. . .

The Dancers then continued on with the most amazing performance of Young Forever we have seen.

Their enthusiasm and energy brought to the stage was inspiring, and for a moment, I was transported to Neverland, with my worries, left behind.

Once again this grieving community came together to honor it's own.

$3,000 was raised for the Memorial Fund.

Gary and I are once again, humbled and in awe of the generosity of this town.

Elijah is not forgotten.

And as we try to continue this journey without him, 

we are reminded so often of how much we are loved.

Matthew 25:40

The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, 

whatever you did for one of the least of these 

brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'