School Dance Chaperone

I was a chaperon at 2 dances last Friday night.
I must admit I've done it before.  Some dances are better than others.  It was really cute to see my oldest son build up the courage to ask a girl to dance.  Her initial response of 'I don't know' was a little worrisome.  Thankfully she said okay when he asked a second time.  It was  very cute.  The girl's mother was also a chaperon and  she too thought it was great.

"For a Mennonite who doesn't dance, I was a chaperon at 2 dances last Friday night. How did that happen?"
That was my post on Facebook.
I got a variety of responses:
"Your students have a excellent role model in you."
"Biggest dilemma for a Mennonite: winning free dance lessons!"
"This is not unlike the non-drinker driving everyone else home."
"Excuse my total ignorance. Why is it that Mennonite people do not dance?"

I just had to respond to that:
Great question, Jan. I believe it originates with the evangelical christian ideal of being separate from the world. A christian is one who is to avoid 'worldly' things to be more 'godly.' So, many Mennonites avoid worldly things like drinking, dancing, movies, gambling, etc. Some Mennonites I know insist girls have long hair, wear dresses and abstain from makeup and earrings.
In my Mennonite hometown, the high school doesn't have school dances. In fact, when I was subbing and participated in the grade 12 Christmas party a few short years ago, before the class had their pizza lunch the question wasn't whether someone would say grace for the food, it was a question of WHO would say grace or if they should sing the doxology prayer. They sang - in four part harmony.
As I was growing up, my mother had my sister and I wear dresses or dress slacks a lot. I remember having fights with her when I was 10 or 11 about being able to wear jeans to school. I didn't wear makeup until I was in University; I got my ears pierced when I was 27 (a birthday present from my husband) and I only went to a movie theatre for the first time when I was in my 20s. I'm such a heathen.
I think I've learned that being a Christian isn't so much about avoidance as it is about acceptance. God loves us for who we are and accepts us no matter what we do. When we have this incredible love relationship with God it means that we have freedom to do and be anything. Most importantly we make life choices to honour and glorify God. I hope that my lifestyle, my attitudes and my actions show others how much I love God and that I have hope in Him for my future and my life.