Saturday, April 14, 2007

Dumpling's Dance Recital

Baptists beware.

There is dancing up ahead, and I don't want to cause anyone to stumble into judging something that is more like eating meat offered to idols than it is actual sin. I also don't want to be the cause of anyone going against their own conscience. So, if you don't think you can help yourself one way or the other, *warm smile* maybe y'all better just move along for the time being.

We dance. The girls and I like the joyful expression of Davidic dance and employ it in our morning devotion time often. I realize that some may be offended by the very idea but my thinking is that people -- and especially children -- are going to move their bodies to music -- even the hymns. I've watched it happen. To stifle it is not to train up a child in the way she should go; it is to exasperate her. So, 'round here, we're teaching the girls to associate dance with modest movement and a heart of praise toward the Lord.

Psalm 150:3-5 says (emphasis mine)...

Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

We're not going to throw the baby out with the bath water just because the World has taken such a beautiful thing and made it a lewd and lascivious exercise in all that is an abomination.

Oh! *Ahem* Excuse me; there I go again.

These are the costumes that Fifi and I designed and sewed; it was hard, long, messy work...but such a blessing to have something to offer. And the girls all did so well. They practiced all semester to bring honor to God in this way. It was a delightful evening complete with refreshments afterward. Praise the Lord! The Lord is good.

21 comments:

Ashleigh Baker said...

Here is a "Baptist" girl who agrees 100% with you. :)

Adorable pictures and precous video. My little guy was dancing to the music here while I watched. :)

Anonymous said...

That was beautiful :) Thanks so much for sharing!

Melanie @ This Ain't New York said...

Amen from a Baptist. :>) Lovely.

Laura Talbert said...

I had never seen Davidic dance, nor had I ever heard of it 'til you mentioned it recently. Lovely!

Their outfits were nicely done, too. Good work, all of you!

Anonymous said...

That was lovely. :0) I wonder how you got your girls involved in such a group. How neat! I know my girls love to move and to have pure motives in a group that allows them to dance unto the Lord would be awesome!

Anonymous said...

Baptist here too. And that was beautiful. The girls are as sweet as can be. They have worked hard and they should enjoy that lovely praise dance. I did.

By the way, my 16 year old went to the "prom" that our church put on for our youth group. It was an alternative to the high school prom. Dancing they did!!!

Dawn said...

What a lot of work! Congratulations to all of you.

Kevin and I have both finished our Part 6 of our story, if you're interested.

sethswifeforlife said...

Very lovely and creative! Great job! On the dancing and the costumes!

Wendy said...

Great job on the outfits for the girls, they look great!

I love Davidic Dance, but haven't had time to work on learning myself!

We have a family in our homeschool group who has taught a Davidic Dance class during our co-op several times. It is always so neat to watch them! The older girls in our group (and the moms) especially have liked the classes!

The Lord definitely encourages us to worship Him with all that we are.. that would include using our bodies to show joy and praise to Him!

Thanks for sharing the pictures and video! Tell Dumpling she did great! :)

Elise @A Path Made Straight said...

Beautiful costumes! Beautiful music! Beautiful worship!
Something is stirred within me as I watch this...I've written before of my love for dancing, and having my little girl beg for music and raise her arms to it has awakened that love once more.
Thank you for sharing this soul-stirring beauty.

Free In Christ said...

Beautiful. The girls, the dance and the outfits. Great job all around. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Makes me think of the verse in Psalms that says, "little children praise Him perfectly..."
Fun!
:-)

Diane Viere said...

Well, since THIS Baptist is a former Pentecostal dancer.....no offense taken! What fun!

Diane

Anonymous said...

Oh, that was lovely! I loved how the intensity kept rising, and the flowing skirts added to the beauty of it. Thanks for sharing!

Kim Anderson said...

I'm glad you took the risk. And thank you for posting your encouraging comment on my much-neglected blog!

I will be returning to the blogosphere just as soon as I get my children's school year done. I'm determined to be able to remember that I taught them more than...how to drive. :^)

Carol said...

Since there's going to be dancing in heaven, I figure we'd do good to get in a little practice now. Miss Fifi's way ahead of me right now; I'd best get crackin'!

Tell her I enjoyed it very much!

Linds said...

I loved this, and the girls looked lovely! I agree that there is to be dancing in Heaven, and we had better get practicing. I am quite sure it gives God immense pleasure! My daughter and I have always danced, and we do in our church as well.

Michelle said...

Oh, girl...my deeply Baptist church has a wonderful dance ministry and often do liturgical dances in the services.... and trust me after all the years of paying for dance classes for dd...WE dance!!! LOL

Tammy said...

I absolutely loved watching them praise the Lord in dance! My girls take ballet...I wish I also knew of a group that did Davidic dance in our area so my girls could participate- I just love it! :)

Kimberly Lottman said...

This is just beautiful! The church we came from had a girl's dance group, but not the one we are at now. I don't know enough about it to teach, but it sure makes me wish I did! Beautiful!

Kim

Mishel said...

I *loved* this!! What a blessing! The girls did a great job--and the costumes turned out so pretty--very modest and sweet. : ) I love the music. Who is singing? Is it Marty Goetz?