The Purple Dress {And a Beautiful Song}

You may remember the story of The Purple Dress that Bekah needed to wear for her choir's spring concert. After a long and fruitless search, we decided to go online and order a dress that was scheduled to arrive sometime between mid-April and May 5th, the day of the concert. Too close for comfort! But Amazon had always come through for us, so I was fairly confident that the dress would arrive in time. 

So we waited.

And waited.

And concert day arrived. If the dress did not arrive in the afternoon mail, we were up a creek!

As we were leaving our house to go to the final rehearsal, we saw the mail truck drive away. Hoping against hope, we checked the mailbox and the front step.

No dress. 

I was probably even more disappointed than Bekah was. (I may have cried.)


I dropped Bekah off at rehearsal and I asked the Lord to help me find my girl a dress for this special night. I went in five stores (if you know my speed, you are amazed at that!) and I bought three items: two pretty tops and a dress, having NO idea whether Bekah would like any of it because she has a hard time even pleasing herself!

As we were leaving rehearsal, dear friends who knew of our plight offered dresses from their own closet, so we followed them home and borrowed all of their purple clothes!

Back at home, we had a (quick) fashion show. When Bek came out of her bedroom wearing the dress that I had bought, she was smiling and I knew that we had a winner. Amazing! (And it was on clearance too.)

Oh, it was such a wonderful evening! Bekah sang in the older choir and accompanied the younger choir for several songs. Eight of my ten grandchildren sang in one of the two choirs; some also performed in solos or ensembles. The music was glorious . . . songs with stirring melodies, rich in faith and praise.

As I listened, I was thankful that the Lord heard a mama's prayer for her daughter. I was thankful for sweet friends willing to help. I was thankful that He cares about the little things in my life (like a purple dress). I was thankful for our home school choirs and for the teachers who are pouring their gifts into teaching our children. I was thankful that my daughter and my grandchildren have the privilege of learning beautiful and God-honoring music.

I was even thankful, in spite of the stress of the afternoon, that the dress had not come. If it had arrived early, or even on time, we would have missed seeing these other gifts.

Maddie and Bekah , , , wearing their purple dresses 😊

I am sharing two songs from the concert. This gorgeous Chopin piece was performed by the older choir. (Bekah is in the back row on the far right. Granddaughter Maddie is at Bekah's immediate left, and grandson Gavin is on the far left also in the back row.)

"To God Be Joyful," performed by the younger set, is a song of exuberant praise. Bekah is playing the piano accompaniment for this piece. (Granddaughter Nora is in the front row far left. Alaine is also in the front row, wearing a color-blocked dress; her brother Ben is to her immediate right. Grandson Peter is on the far right of the front row. In the back row, grandson Owen is on the far left, peering just above Nora's shoulder, and granddaughter Eve is on the far right.) 

Watching God provide  . . . and an evening of beauty and praise!