The Importance of the Ball
In February, The Church at Severn Run hosted a Royal Father Daughter Ball and the results were fantastic. Over two-hundred and fifty golden tickets were sold to church members and members of the surrounding kingdom. On the night of the ball, the young ladies were escorted to the ballroom, entering on a red carpet where they received enchanting tiaras fit for a royal.
From there, each proud king was announced by name while presenting his princess for the entire court to see. Culinary masters (AKA mothers of the young princesses) from all over the realm came together to create a dining experience that none would soon forget.
Dinner was served, lemonade flowed freely and once everyone had had their fill of the main courses, the vast table of cupcakes was unveiled. Chocolate, strawberry and vanilla cupcakes all topped with a rich icing made the evening even more magical. Competitions were held, and the princesses were delighted to see their royal fathers dancing to songs such as Can’t Stop the Feeling! and Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae). There was dancing, there was singing and each of those beautiful young ladies was absolutely beaming.
Dear Dads,
Now, while the ball was a huge success, let’s take a second to talk about the reason things like father/daughter dances are so popular right now.
Dads, you are so SO important in your precious little girls’ eyes. You are her hero. You are her love. You are her Daddy.
Life easily gets busy and chaotic; we as parents get so bogged down dealing with everyday trials that it can be easy to forget how much your daughters need you to invest in them. The relationship between father and daughter is so sweet. I am not saying that other relationships like mother/daughter, father/son are less rewarding or less important, but there is certainly something precious about a daddy and his little girl.
You, as her earthly father, have to opportunity to instill in her how much her Heavenly Father loves and values her. Remind her how very beautiful she is inside and out by pointing out the good you see in her. Turn her towards the scripture of Proverbs 31 and emphasize that the beauty that matters is the beauty that comes when Christ shines through her.
Dads, take you daughter out so you can establish A high expectation for a Godly relationship. Talk to her; ask her questions about her likes and dislikes, open doors for her. Show her how she should be treated as a precious Daughter of the Heavenly King.
Dr. James Dobson wrote a book I highly recommend called “Bringing Up Girls” (there is also “Bringing Up Boys” that I’ve heard great things about). In a chapter called, “Why Daddies Matter” Dobson has this to say: “There is a place in the female soul reserved for Daddy, or a daddy figure, that will always yearn for affirmation. Not every girl or woman is the same, of course, but almost every girl desires a close bond with this most significant man in her life. She will adore him if he loves and protects her and if she finds safety and warmth in his arms. She will tend to see all men through the lens of that relationship.”
He goes on to ask, “Why do girls and women have such intense needs for affirmation from their fathers, and why does the hurt caused by abandonment or rejection often reverberate for a lifetime? As you’ll recall, a primary reason for this inner ache is because a daughter’s sense of self-worth and confidence is linked directly to her relationship with her dad. What he thinks about her and how he expresses his affection is a central source of her perceived value as a human being. It also affects her femininity and teaches her how to relate to boys and men.”
So, in case you didn’t know already, Dads, you have a big job loving those precious daughters of yours.
It is my sincerest prayer that we, as parents, look to our Heavenly Father when guiding the little hearts and minds of the daughters and sons he has given us.
Sincerely,
The mother of three little princesses