All I wanted to do when I was growing up was to dance. I began tap and ballet when I was young but only got to do it for a short time, because my dad was afraid I would end up as a showgirl in Las Vegas! I was heartbroken. I loved dancing so much.
He must have changed his mind when I grew up, because when I was in eighth grade, I tried out to be cheerleader for ninth grade. I had to go out in front of the whole school and do a cheer myself. I was very quiet and shy when I was growing up so this was terrifying to me yet I wanted it so badly. I went to a very large, public junior high school also. I didn't make it...
In ninth grade, I tried out again for cheerleader for tenth grade. Many girls tried out. We only had to go in front of a very large board this time and do a cheer for them. Once again, I didn't make it. My number wasn't called. I remember hoping for many days afterwards that they had made a mistake and I really was chosen, but a call never came.
I tried out again in tenth grade for my junior year. This was a division one high school, so it was very large. Another board to try out for. As they finally decided who was going to make it, they slowly called out the numbers. They called out my number! I was so happy, I cried tears of joy!
Up until I was a cheerleader, I was very shy like I said. Cheerleading is what got me out of my shyness and helped me become more outgoing and talkative. I had never even been asked out before this time. However, the fall of my junior year, ten different guys asked me to go to the Winter Formal. Nothing about me had changed except that I was a cheerleader. I guess I was one of the "popular" kids. I hopefully never used it to act better then others, because I knew I wasn't. I was the same person, only I had the label of "cheerleader" now. {God always used trials to keep me in my place. He is good at that!}
I made it easily my senior year. The picture above is of Stephanie and me. We were friends in high school. I LOVED cheerleading. I loved the summer camps and the competitions. I especially loved the football games. {This is why I love football today!} After the games, I would go to the school dances and dance until I could hardly walk. The next day, I could barely get out of bed! {Keep in mind, I was NOT raised like the Duggars!}
My persistence paid off! We won't always get what we want and work hard for, but we should at least try and encourage our children to do the same. Find out what your children enjoy and seem to be good at, then allow them to pursue it. Whether they succeed or fail, they will learn from both experiences. We all have different gifts and talents. We enjoy what we are good at and what comes easy for us. {I took 17 years of piano even through college, but NEVER play anymore. It is not my gift or my talent. I was pretty good but never really enjoyed it much.} Therefore, don't try to fit your children into your mold, but find out what their mold is and where God may be leading them. You never know how He may use them in their gifts and talents!
Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
