God crumbs...

We are just a breath away from our daughter's big day...June 1st. While in our home and amongst our family and friends the anticipation is exciting. At the dance studio, however...well, lets just say it is in utter chaos.

This whole situation has sure brought out the devil in A LOT of people. While we are excited and planning and trying to stay positive...there have been people who have been working in the background trying deliberately to take our girl down. I have never seen anything like it. The things that my young daughter has had to face these last weeks at some points made us all question whether we should have passed on the offer. But don't get me wrong...the fire is still there...it is just difficult people.

As soon as the announcement was made to the other teachers...by the current owner...Brittany was immediately shunned. She was blocked on Facebook, and the rumors were flying...the announcement was made just before spring break...May 1st...the announcement went public through two letters...one from the current owner, the second from Brittany. The current owner, being distracted from just giving birth to her third baby wasn't very clear in her letter...Brittany's letter was very clear. This really set things on fire. People thought that Brittany's letter was from Miss Jessa so they read it first...which they didn't understand because the owner wrote her letter in a little snippet in her studio newsletter. The plan was that Brittany would go in and hang and and mingle on the days that she didn't teach so that those who don't know her could talk to her and such. Making it through that first week was really tough...a second teacher balled her out after Brittany pleasantly greeted her. This girl was so bold she actually had the nerve to tell my daughter to never talk to her again unless it was an emergency. Our daughter began to feel like she was a villain. The next week...I couldn't let her go in there by herself...so...I went along. Just for moral support if anything. I have never felt such tension in my life...we walked in the door...immediately Brittany was surrounded by some of 7-9 year old kids...they were so excited to see her...they were all fighting to give her a hug and we could barely get in the door...the parents however wouldn't even make eye contact...by the time we entered the waiting area...the parents had calmed their kids...and the kids stayed away from her...would smile at her from a distance for the next hour. Obviously they were told to keep their distance...we lasted nearly a whole hour and I told Brittany...this is pointless...so we said our goodbyes...as no one could look us in the eye and we left. Brittany was beginning to feel deflated...and as a mom...my heart was breaking. So...the next night, we had a meeting with a parent at a Panera...she is going to be in charge of fundraising...so we talked...it was uplifting...and she is a Godly woman...and this is when we began to see the first of many God crumbs...what's a God crumb? We began to feel encouraged through different people...and these people were like crumbs along the way encouraging us...we were so thankful that they were actually kind. We began to recognize them and give the glory to our God...so they are now called God crumbs...those little things that happen along the way to keep you on your path...I know I'm rambling here but bear with me...

I went in with her the following Friday...as a mom just hanging out (secretly I was thinking if she needs protection, I'm her girl). Sitting in the waiting room I was given the chance to hear what was going on in the minds of the people. Of course, no one knew who I was...it was hard to hear...most of it was just utter confusion...this dance studio hasn't been cared for in a year...people are tired of not having their questions answered...the current director hasn't been present and people are angry...and questioning why she chose Brittany and not one teacher in particular...(the one that was working behind the scenes to cause the students in her classes to leave). I moved into another part of the waiting area because I couldn't take it and I was about to introduce myself and make my intentions very clear...so I just removed myself from the area all together...another mom...probably could read my face...came in and sat across from me. This is one of the mom's that couldn't look my daughter in the eye three days before that...we had a nice chat...another one of those God crumbs. I finished talking to her, she left and then I did...when I walked out to the parking lot.

My heart felt so burdened. Why is it that when something really good happens to someone...we can't just be happy for them in this society...why is there this need to put others down...why is it OK for someone to live out their dream, choose their college...do what they want to do? I've been through this before with my in-laws...I just don't understand it?

At that moment in the parking lot as I was waiting for my husband to pick me up...I bowed my head and prayed and I will tell you...I thought about how our God must have felt the day that they beat His Son...the day the spit on Him...the day they cursed Him. I think I felt closer to our Lord right there in the parking lot than I ever have. God knew that His Son had to endure all of it for His good...I realize that this is on such a small scale...but when your child is persecuted for having a dream...it feels much the same...after all...isn't this America? Where we have the freedom to explore our dreams?

Anyway...my sweetheart picked me up and we just drove...he let me talk, I told him about my prayer and what had hit me there...and God is so amazing when we ask for wisdom...isn't he? We both just knew what had to be done. We spent the rest of the weekend working on a document to set the record straight...after all how does the saying go? The truth will set you free?

We found out from a good source what the rumors were...so we addressed them each one by one while we gave Brittany's background.

Here are just a few...

That I was going to run the dance studio...yes me, her mother, who has never taken a dance lesson in all her life.

That she fired all the other teachers...uh, hello, they never worked for her in the first place.

She doesn't have any experience...we proved them wrong.

What about education?...this part was fun! Fellow homeschoolers...God will give you exactly what you need to educate your child...he will help you nurture their skills. Don't doubt it for a second.

She is going to combine ages 2-7 and teach them together...I'm sorry, it doesn't take any of us long to realize that this wouldn't work...really?

She is only going to teach young children...well, if that happens it is because this other teacher has encouraged all of the older kids and their parents to leave.

The entire document was 4 pages. We printed it on turquoise paper, we stapled them together, titled it with Dance Out Loud's! FAQ and placed them on the end tables throughout the waiting area. That evening, as I worked the desk to sell recital tickets I could see those beautiful blue pages of truth in the hands of people...it took them a while to get through it...one grandmother even chuckled at some of the things being said. I guess that saying about the truth will set you free does really work because this one particular teacher that was being really nasty? She quit that very night. Since then, things have calmed down. Brittany has made herself available to talk to anyone...she has received calls and emails which she has been able to return in a timely matter. People are still upset for the way the studio is currently run...but we are beginning to see whole cookies and not just crumbs now...we have a few signed up for summer classes. WE have no idea what the future entails...but do any of us. This is such a faith walk...we are just trusting that our Lord who brought her this far will not drop her.

Thanks for listening...I'm posting this as a memory...it's nearly behind us now and better things are ahead.

Wishing you a beautiful day,
Joyce Marie