Last year when Denise
was in 3rd grade she came home from school with a letter about Honors
Choir and said she would like to try out. Denise's school is fairly
large, and they have an honors choir for the 3rd and 4th graders and 60
kids make it, and about 200 kids audition. Now, Denise likes to sing, and in the van when we're
driving she'll sing out loud and strong, but last year when she sang,
lots of times it wasn't really on key or even to the tune of the song.
So, when she said she wanted to try out, I was hesitant. Like all moms I didn't want her to try out and not make it. I didn't
express this out loud, just asked her if she was sure she wanted to try
out. She was. So she did. And, the letter came home that Friday that
she hadn't made the choir. She was very disappointed, and she cried,
and Jeremy and I were very sad for her.
So, what comes home in her Friday folder the first week of school this year? A letter about the 3rd and 4th grade Honors Choir. I read through it, and tossed it in the trash. I didn't think Denise would want to try out again, after the rejection from last year. "No need to even mention it, and bring up bad memories of what had happened last year", I thought. So that was that. Until a couple of days later, when Denise asked me if I had seen that letter about Honors Choir, asked me where I had put it, and could she please try out?
"She wants to try out again," I thought. Wow! I told her how I had thrown it away, and maybe she could ask her teacher for another note about it. She did, and she signed up to try out at 4:00 on a Wednesday.
From a singing standpoint, I do think her singing has improved a lot from last year. She has a pretty voice, and most of the time she seems to sing on key and to the tune of the song. But, I was still leery about her trying out again. She was determined to do it, and the day of the tryouts, I felt very nervous for her. I said a prayer and asked God to let her true voice shine at the audition, and if it was His will for her to be in that choir, that she would make it. That was all I could think to pray for her, so that's what I prayed and left it at that.
On that Friday she came home from school beaming! I couldn't figure out what she was so excited about and she was very secretive about it. Finally, she came out with a letter in her hand and shouted, "I made Honors Choir!" At dinner that evening we all celebrated her victory!!!
Well, it is true that kids learn a lot from their parents. But, I have to say, I learn a lot from my kids. If I had been Denise, especially at that age, I know that I wouldn't have tried out again. Actually, I would have let the failure keep me from trying again. I know that's not the right thing to do, but that's what I would have done. Yet, she stepped out there, and tried again, and made it! Watching her taught me something...never give up on the dreams that you have, because just because someone else says you're not good enough, there's Someone in Heaven Who knows that you are!!! And, He will never give up on you, and He will make a way, and give you the desires of your heart, just like He did for Denise. :) Thank you, Lord! To God be all the Glory!
I wrote this story soon after school started in 2011, and since Denise just had her Spring Honors Choir program I was reminded of it once again. As an added note, I just want to share that at their Christmas concert four students got chosen to sing a quartet together, out of the sixty students that are in Honors Choir. Denise was one of the students that got chosen for that quartet! Wow! She went from not even making the choir, to getting chosen to sing in the quartet! God is just so good, and she has truly enjoyed her year in Honors Choir. Yep, I'm one thankful Mama!
So, what comes home in her Friday folder the first week of school this year? A letter about the 3rd and 4th grade Honors Choir. I read through it, and tossed it in the trash. I didn't think Denise would want to try out again, after the rejection from last year. "No need to even mention it, and bring up bad memories of what had happened last year", I thought. So that was that. Until a couple of days later, when Denise asked me if I had seen that letter about Honors Choir, asked me where I had put it, and could she please try out?
"She wants to try out again," I thought. Wow! I told her how I had thrown it away, and maybe she could ask her teacher for another note about it. She did, and she signed up to try out at 4:00 on a Wednesday.
From a singing standpoint, I do think her singing has improved a lot from last year. She has a pretty voice, and most of the time she seems to sing on key and to the tune of the song. But, I was still leery about her trying out again. She was determined to do it, and the day of the tryouts, I felt very nervous for her. I said a prayer and asked God to let her true voice shine at the audition, and if it was His will for her to be in that choir, that she would make it. That was all I could think to pray for her, so that's what I prayed and left it at that.
On that Friday she came home from school beaming! I couldn't figure out what she was so excited about and she was very secretive about it. Finally, she came out with a letter in her hand and shouted, "I made Honors Choir!" At dinner that evening we all celebrated her victory!!!
Well, it is true that kids learn a lot from their parents. But, I have to say, I learn a lot from my kids. If I had been Denise, especially at that age, I know that I wouldn't have tried out again. Actually, I would have let the failure keep me from trying again. I know that's not the right thing to do, but that's what I would have done. Yet, she stepped out there, and tried again, and made it! Watching her taught me something...never give up on the dreams that you have, because just because someone else says you're not good enough, there's Someone in Heaven Who knows that you are!!! And, He will never give up on you, and He will make a way, and give you the desires of your heart, just like He did for Denise. :) Thank you, Lord! To God be all the Glory!
I wrote this story soon after school started in 2011, and since Denise just had her Spring Honors Choir program I was reminded of it once again. As an added note, I just want to share that at their Christmas concert four students got chosen to sing a quartet together, out of the sixty students that are in Honors Choir. Denise was one of the students that got chosen for that quartet! Wow! She went from not even making the choir, to getting chosen to sing in the quartet! God is just so good, and she has truly enjoyed her year in Honors Choir. Yep, I'm one thankful Mama!
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