Thanksgiving - Wednesday

Today is almost over, and I'm just now sitting down to write this! Goodness me, what was I thinking???

Oh, right, I was gone all day. Well, that explains it.

Anyway, today I'm going to talk about talents. Specifically, I'm going to talk about singing, dancing, and musical stuff in general.

I like to think that I have some musical ability. That's why, I think, I'm so in love with those kinds of things - because not only can I appreciate them from an audience standpoint, I know what it's like to be the one performing. It's exhilarating, addicting, and brings joy on a spiritual level.

I'm not trying to say that I'm the best performer ever to grace a stage, because we all know that's not true. But it's truly a joyful thing to be a part of. And I look forward to building on those talents for the rest of eternity. I also really want to cultivate some new talents that I'm not strong in yet.

One of those talents (the ones I'm not great at but would like to be) is dancing. I did a lot of dancing in college, but that was pretty much the first time I'd done any. So I was never very impressive. I loved it, though. There's nothing more beautiful to me than someone expressing themselves through movement. It's fascinating to me, probably because I can't do it with any real level of competency. The dancing I've done, though, I've truly enjoyed. I focused mainly on latin ballroom dance as my college education went on, because that's where I found that I had some talent. I competed in Dancesports (and generally did well), took as many classes as I could, and even helped with some choreography in a play I was in. Ballroom dance is one of the things I miss most since I got married and became a mother. Ben and I both did it, and I had so much fun being able to dance with him like that. It's not something we have the opportunity to do anymore, and I don't know that I'm limber enough now anyway. But watching it is almost as good, especially when the dancers are truly outstanding. So You Think You Can Dance is one of my favorite shows, because of the sheer level of talent! I've decided that, in the next life, when I have a perfect body and lots of time on my hands, I'm going to increase that little amount of talent that I have until I can move like the pros do. There are so many things that language is too limited to say. Dance is one of the ways you can communicate something without the barrier of words. I look forward to being able to express myself that way.

Music is another great way to express something without language. Music has the power to lift your spirit to incredible heights, sink you into a well of sadness, make you feel pumped up and excited, or make you wish you were somewhere else. It's incredible. What a gift God gave us when He created music! It's no wonder that the musically talented are revered so much. It's no wonder that the entertainment industry (even TV and movies) is overflowing with scores and soundtracks. It's no wonder that inventors are constantly coming up with better ways to obtain, store and listen to music. The demand is huge! I'm so grateful to have music in my life. I'm grateful that my parents made me take piano lessons as a child, so I could make beautiful music myself. And I'm grateful that God blessed me with a decent singing voice, so I can express whatever is in my heart in a way that touches others as well.

Singing is my favorite form of music, mostly because that's where my real talent lies. I'm not as good a singer as I wish I were; I'm not even as good a singer in the real world as I am in my own head! But people seem to enjoy listening to me, which provides a lot of opportunities for me to use my talent. I get asked to sing frequently, and I usually get cast in musicals when I audition for a role. I don't always get leads, but any role where I can sing is worthwhile. I get put in callings at church where I get to use my talents, as well. I'm perfectly happy to consecrate my singing talent to the Lord. He gave it to me, after all, and I enjoy using it. I'm blessed to get the callings I frequently do - as a chorister, or pianist, or choir director. It means I can use my talents to uplift others. It's truly a blessing.

I love music, and I love everything that goes along with it. I've never had much athletic ability, I can't draw or paint, I don't understand machines or engines, and the only people that I can consistently make laugh are myself and my three-year-old. My talents lie almost entirely in the realm of the musical, and I'm 100% okay with that. If I had to choose a talent, I would choose music every time. There's nothing that brings me more joy. I'm so thankful that music can be such an intimate part of my life.