Pink tutu with Roses

I spent about an hour today at a local ballet studio where I taught a class for what was supposed to be 6-8 year olds. It was more like 5-13 year olds; wow. It was a blessing to be able to do this, share with little girls the love of dance. But it was also a bit of an adventure- some of the girls seemed more interested in hanging off the barre or sitting on the floor than dancing. But what can you expect from 6 year olds? They do their best. The owners of the studio seemed fairly pleased with my teaching, although I still have to wait to hear back from them about a permanent position. I could really get used to that. :) I enjoyed the time, although it is nerve wracking not knowing the outcome. It is in God's hands.

Update

Hello readers,
This week I have been preparing for a very exciting opportunity! I am guest teaching tomorrow at a dance studio close to our place; it's like a dance interview to get a teaching job there. I will be teaching 6-8 year olds ballet! Very exciting but a bit nerve wracking. I am almost completely prepared, with music in hand, and would appreciate all of your prayers as I'm a bit nervous! This is the kind of opportunity I've been praying for. We'll see how it goes!

Names

Recently an old friend contacted me through email and asked me how much I have studied the Bible, and what I feel are legitimate names to use for God, without straying from His true identity. I thought I'd post my response:

"I have studied the Bible in my own way, in my own time, some in school like setting and some in my private time with God over the years. The names of God that you mention are from the Greek and Hebrew translations, and interestingly enough, are not specifically His Name either. The term "Yaweh" is actually often mispronounced. In the original it is a clustering of Hebrew consonant sounds, similar to in English what would be an inpronouncible jumble of letters, like kljdf or kmnknkn. The difference is the Hebrew word, when pronounced directly, is not a word at all, but produces a sound similar to an inhal of breath- Yaweh. We pronounce it as a solid word, but it may be that the breath like noise is more a reflection of our God being the Great I Am, the author of life, of breath. You could look at Rob Bell's video clips online- they're called the Nooma videos and you can search for them. He talks about this title of God in particular. As far as the many other names of God, Jehovah Jaira, meaning my provider, and Jehovah Rapha, and Lord, are many other Biblical names for the one true God, whom we worship. I don't think they are worldly abstractions of His true identity; although in speaking to someone of a Muslim or Hindu background, and in today's crazy world either Jehovah's witnesses or Mormons, you may need to clarify using Biblical Scripture who they mean when they say God. Because sadly, particularly in Mormonism, you will find that they use the exact same titles for God, possibly even including the Hebrew term Yaweh, to describe someone who is definitely not I Am, the God I serve. Jesus is the Hebrew human name given to our God when He came to us in bodily form; this is a completely Scriptural and correct name to call Him by. Lord also describes one of His positionings over us, as it is used in reference to a servant and a master. In the feudal systems of Europe, a vassal, or servant on a lord's land, did what the lord of the land instructed and paid homage to him. We do this with our God as well. This term is widely used in the original Hebrew and Greek describing Jehovah, Yaweh. Many of these titles are similar to different titles that may be used for a person like you or me. My name is April Suits, sister, wife, dance director, student, etc. These are all titles for me. But they only speak of me individually. They help describe who I am and what I do. The Biblical titles we see for God are similar. I feel that as long as God uses names for Himself in the letter He wrote to us, His Word, they are appropriate names to call Him. Once again, clarification may be in order when conversing with people that do not see the Bible as the one and only true word of God. For questions like this, looking at the Bible should be your ultimate authority on the subject."

Dance

I have decided the hardest part about dancing is the transition between the studio and the rest of the world. When I am at a dance studio, I am settled there and feel I could go on forever. Take multiple classes in a row. Never leave the environment. When I am at home, I am at rest, and don't want to bother changing clothes and driving to class. When at peace at home, it is so difficult to rend myself between two worlds- the world of dance, and my personal life. Actually, they are both personal lives, but two separate ones. It is very beautiful when I can swing dance with Justin, and the two worlds meet. But it is so sluggish and difficult to drag myself off the marley floor and away from the barre to the drudgeries of daily life; it is so difficult to wrench myself from the comforts of home to the starkness of an empty studio and the cold of wearing nothing but a leotard. I am home in both worlds; moving between them is the hard part. But I could never leave one for the other; I could never limit myself to one world. That is what creates so many one dimensional dancers, who have sacrificed life and family for the stage. One dimensional people are also made by those who remain in the mundane and never stretch out to experience the magical world of art. Dance without the enrichment of a deep personal life and spiritual life is flat and emotionless. The affectations of the dancer are all fake. The life of a person who remains on the ground and does not attempt to express their spriritual and emotional life through art is trapping their inspiration, their muse, preventing the beauty and rawness of their experiences from being shared with a watching world. A world that needs to experience not only the love of dance, but the love of God through dance. Dance expresses things words cannot, and the spiritual cannot always be expressed in words. God, let my body be a tool in your hands, to show the world the beauty of your love and sacrifice, the beauty of soaring with you in the heavenlies, the beauty of being unrestrained by this physical world. Stretching toward the way you meant us to live, the life you meant us to have, and the intimacy I find with you, only through worshipping you with the dance.

Lately

Lately I have been looking for jobs and for my 'place' here in Northglenn. It seems no ready options are presenting themselves. All the places I have applied to, that I had the most hope for and interest in, appear to be out of the question. No available or affordable dance classes have come in to view, and I find myself with nothing to do but laundry and grocery shopping. Justin's school keeps him fairly busy, but we spend time together when we can. There are always waiting stages in life, and it looks like I'm in another one.
On the brighter side, yesterday was our one year anniversary. We spent a lovely and boiling hot day at Elitch Gardens, where we enjoyed the antics of the sea lions, got matching air brush tattoos, and my honey won me a teddy bear! We relaxed at home before heading to DiCicco's for a cozy Italian dinner. My tortellone al fredo was amazing! Afterward we took a leisurely walk through Old Town Arvada. At home we enjoyed our top layer of wedding cake- amazingly preserved for an entire year! We are so grateful to God for the incredible first year He gave us, seeing us through the hard times and blessing us with great ones. We dedicated this next year to God, looking with anticipation to the wonderful things I know He has in mind.
!