Some families are musical. A friend’s five children all learned stringed instruments and now have their own chamber orchestra. Growing up we knew a family of nine, all of whom sang and played. They traveled to churches and put on lively, impressive concerts. Then there’s the Osmonds, the Cashes, the Jacksons and countless others, all musically gifted.
Our family is musical, too, although not quite like those above. But Nate and I attended more kid-concerts than we could count, and tonight I got to attend one more. Birgitta, our number seven, has always loved to sing and dance. She and our next-door-neighbor, Stefanie, formed their first group when they were eight and six, calling themselves the Cool Cats. They wrote their own songs and choreographed their own dances. My personal favorite was the duet, “Mazagine, Magazine!” Their brothers put written programs together and corralled audiences from the neighborhood.
Once these two were in high school, they tried out for the show choirs at Hersey High, hoping to parlay their childhood experience into a more professional gig. Both made it and were able to begin singing while dancing, in earnest. Tonight, although Birgitta is no longer a high schooler, we attended a performance of the boy-girl show choir group, “On Stage.”
(Birgitta in center)
Each past performance has been impressive as the kids danced aerobically while singing with gusto, never losing their wind. They’ve won endless awards and outdone themselves every year with each program more spectacular than the last. Although nothing like this existed when I was in high school, I wish it had. Never mind that my parents thought dancing was “worldly” and ought not to be done. I knew in my heart if Mom had found an acceptable way to dance, she would have.
It’s important to encourage kids in the direction they’re already programmed to go. The famous Scripture verse that says we should train up our children “in the way they should go” means exactly that. Some people say it means we ought to train our kids in spiritual things and when they’re old, they won’t turn away from God, but it makes sense the other way, too.
God creates each individual with talent, tendencies and desires. Birgitta wanted to sing and dance, and it’s been obvious from the time she was very young. Nate and I have been thankful for the creativity within her and tried to encourage her to develop it. Having a healthy outlet in the school show choirs, managed with excellence by those in charge, was exactly what she needed, being both athletic and imaginative. As people used to say about Ginger Rogers, she did everything Fred Astair did, but in high heels and backwards. The show choir kids did all that, and added risers.
If we encourage our children toward their natural bents, when they’re old, they’ll be glad they didn’t waste them. To use the talents God gave is to lead a satisfying life.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
(2nd from left)
Bravo!!
Hi Margaret,
If I might boast here, Hersey is a great school!! The girls just went downstate in basketball. But I don’t think we excel in anything better than our music programs- those kids are pure fun to watch and listen to and the staff who oversee them are amazing.
Birgitta escaped my classroom, but I did watch her perform! Any chance you taped “Magazine, Magazine” and can post it on YouTube? 🙂
Good words today- I agree with your interpretation of the famous Proverbs verse. There are a lot of other verses that lay out the responsibility for spiritual training, but I do think this one is more about the individual child as it literally means “according to his way.” Yours is a good example to just stand back and see what they gravitate toward and encourage it… times seven… wow.
Love,
Terry
P.S. I’m sure your mom knew the Psalmist David could kick up his heels. 🙂
“It’s important to encourage kids in the direction they’re already programmed to go” Amen and Amen! I’m thinking of the talks we had on that subject while you were here. God creates such diverse people, even within a single family. That deversity is to be celebrated and encouraged, not squelched. Thanks for another terrific blog. You make my heart sing!
I love these pictures! A lot of my students from when I taught K-5 music are now in the Hersey music department and in those pics. I saw Birgitta in a lot of the music programs while she was at Hersey when I would go and visit my old students. It was a delight to see her all grown up and loving music! 🙂
Both of our children were musical all the way through junior high. One continued through high school and college, and now handles the music at the church her husband pastors. After jr. high, our son wanted to wrestle, so that was that – and then went off to a military college. However it has been gratifying to see that he sang to both of his children while they were in the womb, and continues to sing to them when he puts them to bed. Sometimes training them in the way they should go takes them in a direction you are comfortable with. However, other times, the direction is foreign. But God knows what is best.