Chloe's Dance with God

There once was a Princess named Chloe with long golden hair. She had a stuffed shepherd named Odie that she loved with such care.

She was a grand Princess, beautiful and sweet, and every day she'd dance around her castle with her tiny ballerina feet.

Around and around Chloe would dance. Through each room and each hallway, she'd jump and she'd prance.

From sun up to sun down, the Princess would hop all about. Until Mommy said it was time for bed and Chloe would stop with a pout.

Every night, as she lay tucked all warm in her bed, visions of ballerinas would twirl through her head.

Good night Chloe. Zzzzzz....

Now every Tuesday, Chloe would wake bright and early, and get dressed in tutu and tiara with her hair Oh So Curly.

Tuesdays were dance lessons with her teacher, Mrs. Kate. So she'd jump into her parents bed yelling, "Wake Up! We can't be late!"

Little did the Princess know, that this Tuesday was going to be different than the others before. The dance teacher had such a wonderful surprise in store!

Mrs. Kate told her whole class to gather near, and then explained how Christmas was almost here. With a gleam in her eye and a smile so wide, she shared her news as she bounced with pride.

"The Royal Ballet will be in our kingdom in only a few short hours, and they've invited you all to perform with them as little dancing flowers."

"We have one week before we'll dance in front of the King and Queen. I have faith in you all and know it'll be the best ballet they've ever seen."

So every day Princess Chloe practiced as much as she should. She wanted to be the shining star on stage that she knew she could.

The days went by and Tuesday was finally here. The hour was approaching and Chloe's moment to shine was near.

So dressed as a flower from head to toe, Chloe grabbed her sparkly ballet bag, at last it was time to go.

The King and Queen walked their Princess backstage to Mrs. Kate. Together they said, "Good luck ChloBug. We're so excited to see you dance, we just can't wait!"

As they walked up to their thrones, Chloe looked behind the curtains to see. With wide eyes she said, "So many people here to watch us. To watch me."

Then something scary began to take place. Chloe began to feel dizzy and her heart started to race.

In that moment, as time passed her by, the Princess sat on her tutu and started to cry.

She cried and she cried with all of her might. See, poor sweet Chloe had a bad case of stage fright.

The King and Queen looked up in despair, because even through the crowd and the noise, they would recognize their daughter's cry from anywhere.

When they found her, her daddy scooped her up, kissed her cheek and hugged her tight. Then he looked into her beautiful blue eyes and asked, "How can I make this right?"

She hiccuped and shed big crocodile tears and then told them both all of her dancing fears.

Chloe said to her dad, when her tears were all done, "I want to go home with Odie, this isn't any fun. My heart hurts, my legs won't work, and I'm just so scared. Please take me home daddy. I'm really not prepared."

Now this King was a very wise King, and he knew exactly what to say. For he knew that it was with her Heavenly Father, that Chloe's heart did truly lay.

"Remember in Church last Sunday, we learned about fear and what to do? Isaiah 41:13 tells us, "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you."

"So my dear sweet Chloe, don't dance for me, your mom, or all the rest. Hold your head high and dance for your Heavenly Father who loves you as far as the East is from the West."

With courage in her heart and The Lord by her side, the Princess stepped onto that stage and smiled with pride.

Then one after the other, the flowers danced, dipped, and would lean. It was in fact, the best ballet that kingdom had ever seen.