From JOY to JOE!

Y'all...normally when I talk about JOE I am referring to the acronym for Joy Over Everything. But today I am talking about Joe Jackson...THEE Joe Jackson...Eternal King of POP, Michael Jackson daddy...Joe Jackson!

Sooo, today my baby girl participated in her first ever talent show.

Cue the tears because I have been waiting on this moment for a really long time.

We have been working on this for a few weeks. Not as diligently as I would like, but I let her drive this thang how she wanted so it could remain her choice. If you know me then you know I am a real life performer and anything stage or forwarding facing means execute with excellence. This Mama does not believe in half-stepping! So being a laid back, not too coachy, not too judgy supporter was where I landed. Y'all my eye twitched for 31 days!!

A few days ago, we were rehearsing and I told her that she looked terrified when she sang like it wasn't enjoyable or she was being held hostage. She assured me that she wasn't scared and even after I let her see herself on the recording she asserted that she was not scared. Me not wanting to make her scared accepted her truth.

Welp today was the big day and she was in fact terrified. But the terror rested in her lack of preparation. Had I channeled my inner Joe Jackson or Mathew Knowles from the start, I would not have given her the freedom to not rehearse as often and as intensely. I would have done my part to make sure she felt confident enough to go out there and shine. Confidence comes from preparedness. I know that! She did well with what I focused on...staying on pitch and not dropping her words off. She sounded amazing because she is a confident singer. But she did not perform! My goal is to help her become a talented performer so that her gifts of song and dance and fuse and create an experience for her audiences.

I am super proud of her for making the first step toward achieving her dream! My job now is to make sure the next steps are bold and confident and that she doesn't just entertain...she captivates!

I am about to become Joseph Mathew Knowles Jackson! I hope she's ready!

This actually brings me great JOY...I love how God taught me a lesson in while I was trying to teach her one! Yep, got me right on together! I fussed all daily only to walk away realizing that it is my job to teach her the way! I apologized to her and promised her that I would show her the way!

I love that for both of us!

I hope you found some JOY today too!

Love,

MichelleRena