Heart Thoughts. From Miss Jennifer… FEBRUARY 2007. VOL. 12, NO. 7. You
don't have to live long before you get a col- lection of stones. Make a poor grade.
Heart Thoughts FEBRUARY 2007
VOL. 12, NO. 7
From Miss Jennifer…
I have had the privilege of getting to meet a variety of people throughout the years. Regardless of our size, our age, our background or our race; we really aren’t that different. I have found that we are all people trying to find a place of acceptance while at the same time trying to atone for our past. For many of us, dealing with the past is something we don’t ever think we will be able to do. Left unvisited, the past can literally put a dead stop to your present. I recently read an article that painted a picture of what our past can do to each of us. I hope this visual example can open your eyes, as it did mine, to see the power of our past if left undone, as well as the great comfort our Savior can be if we are willing to lay down our past and embrace Him.
Get Rid of Regret from the Upwards Collection by Max Lucado YOU HAVE one. A sack. A burlap sack. Probably aren’t aware of it, may not have been told about it. Could be you don’t remember it. But it was given to you. A sack. An itchy, scratchy burlap sack. You needed the sack so you could carry the stones. Rocks, boulders, pebbles. All sizes. All shapes. All unwanted. You didn’t request them. You didn’t seek them. But you were given them. Don’t remember? Some were rocks of rejection. You were given one the time you didn’t pass the tryout. It wasn’t for lack of effort. Heaven only knows how much you practiced. You thought you were good enough for the team. But the coach didn’t. The instructor didn’t. You thought you were good enough, but they said you weren’t. They and how many others?
You don’t have to live long before you get a collection of stones. Make a poor grade. Make a bad choice. Make a mess. Get called a few names. Get mocked. Get abused. And the stones don’t stop with adolescence. I sent a letter this week to an unemployed man who’s been rejected in more than fifty interviews. And so the sack gets heavy. Heavy with stones. Stones of rejection. Stones we don’t deserve. Look into the burlap sack and you see that not all the stones are from rejections. There is a second type of stone. The stone of regret. Regret for the time you lost your temper. Regret for the day you lost control. Regret for the moment you lost your pride. Regret for the years you lost your priorities. And even regret for the hour you lost your innocence. One stone after another, one guilty stone after another. With time the sack gets heavy. We get tired. How can you have dreams for the future when all your energy is required to shoulder the past? No wonder some people look miserable. The sack slows the step. The sack chafes. Helps explain the irritation on so many faces, the sag in so many steps, the drag in so many shoulders, and most of all, the desperation in so many acts. Which takes us to the question, “How does a person get relief?” Which, in turn, takes us to one of the kindest verses in the Bible, “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). You knew I was going to say that. I can see you reading this and shaking your head. “I’ve tried that. I’ve read the Bible, I’ve sat on the pew—but I’ve never received relief.” If that is the case, could I ask a delicate but deliberate question? Could it be that you went to religion and didn’t go to God? Could it be that you went to a church, but never saw Christ? “Come to me,” the verse reads. Jesus says He is the solution for weariness of soul.
RECITAL TICKETS GO ON SALE Art From The Heart
Recital
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS Breanna Cooksey, Kaitlyn Wallace, Julia Alligood, Emma Langston, Melissa Derringer, Kendal Barker, Annabel Zinn, Kristiana Caine, Cheniene Clemens, Alexis Taylor, Allison Baltar, Delaney Blackwood, Julia Jamieson, Carolyne Smith, Charissa Dasalla, Elise Courtney, Kaley Courtney, Carrie Matthews, Alexandra Kroger, Davie Anne Wimberly, Amanda Lehr
PLEASE BE SURE TO BRING YOUR AFTH ACCOUNT CURRENT We would appreciate everyone taking a moment to be sure that your afth account is current and paid up to date. AFTH has financial obligations to its staff, and other vendors, etc. We cannot meet our financial obligations to others if you do not fulfill your financial obligation to AFTH. We count on your “on-time” payment which has been factored into our monthly budget.
This year AFTH will be doing all ticket sales online, or through the mail. There will be no oneday studio sale. Recital tickets will be available through our website at www.artfromtheheartstudio.com, or you will be able to pick up a flyer at the studio and mail your ticket order to our office. Recital tickets will go on sale Monday, March 12th at 8:00 a.m. Please look for more information available soon on our website and at the studio!
RECITAL CAST LIST NOW AVAILABLE The AFTH Recital Cast is now available online and in the studio lobby. This list will tell you which recital show (1:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. or both) each class will perform in this year.
At one time we could accommodate a multiple class student or students with siblings to be able to perform in a single show; however, AFTH has If you are unsure of your account status, grown to the point where this is no longer possible. please call us at 407-612-6565 or email us at We cannot guarantee that all of your child’s
[email protected]. THANK YOU! es or both of your children will appear in the same recital presentation.
LATE FEES! Tuition is due on the first class of every month and a $15 late fee will be applied to all unpaid accounts. Late fees will be incurred on the 12th of each month. Please be sure to contact the office before the 12th if you have not made your payment or a late fee will be applied.
Please know that great consideration regarding the casting for each class has been given by all of the AFTH staff. We have made every effort to keep as many siblings together as possible. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility with this matter!
Book An AFTH Company! AFTH is currently confirming Performance bookings for their student companies. If your school, church, or other organization would be interested in bringing the AFTH Performing Companies to their event, please contact the AFTH Office at 407-612-6565, or email us at
[email protected].
BELLA’S BOUTIQUE AFTH prefers that all retail orders are placed via our online store, BELLA’S BOUTIQUE. Here you can create an account that will make ordering easy and convenient. You are even notified when your order is on its way to you. You can find a link to Bella’s Boutique on our web site. All retail orders are shipped to you once the AFTH office has received your order and payment. We typically place orders once a week. Once ordered, retail is generally shipped to AFTH and on its way to you in about 7 to 10 days.
DO WE HAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? AFTH strives to provide you with as much information and with as much advance notice as possible. In fact, AFTH is known for our attention to details and our communication to our AFTH Families. If you have not received any e-mails from AFTH since the new year, please be sure to check with the office to verify we have your correct email. Also, please note that our contact information has changed! If you have made any communication to the office since the new year, and have not received a response, you may not have updated your records. Our current information is… Address: 5200 Fieldview Court, Orlando, FL 32819 Phone: 407-612-6565 E-mail:
[email protected] Please know that all communication received during our normal office hours (Tues.-Fri. 10am2pm) will be answered within 24 hours. Thank you for helping us keep you informed!
HELP KEEP THE STUDIO CLEAN & FRESH As you can see, AFTH took the time and money to spruce up the AFTH Studio(s). We ask that each of you do your part to help us keep the studio clean and running efficiently. As such, do your part by: • Picking up any trash • Keeping young children from driving trucks and cars into the wall and base boards • Picking up after yourselves • Putting chairs back when finished • Treating the studio like a friend’s home AFTH has some wonderful people who will clean on a regular basis, but we need each of you to do your part to keep the studio(s) looking great!
TUITION REMINDER Your dance season has been divided into equal monthly payments as an affordable option for paying your dance tuition. As such, your monthly tuition is due in full in order to fulfill your financial obligation to AFTH. Tuition is based on a full dance term and is divided into equal monthly payments for your convenience. This includes the months of December and May. ALL TUITION IS PAYABLE IN ADVANCE AND IS DUE BY THE FIRST CLASS OF EACH MONTH. If paying by auto credit card or PayPal, your tuition will automatically be processed on approximately the 24th of the preceding month. If a tuition payment is not received by the first class of the month, a $15 LATE FEE IS INCURRED. All unpaid late fees will be added to your costume balance at the end of the season. There are no refunds for registration fees, missed lessons, costume payments, recital tickets and some retail cannot be returned. AFTH accepts checks and all major credit cards. Credit card charge forms can be found in the studio lobby. Online payments are also available via our web site at www.artfromtheheartstudio.com. MAKE-UP LESSONS: Make-up lessons are available and must be taken within 2 weeks of absence or are forfeited. A student may make up a class in a level equal to or 1 level higher than their normal class. No make-up classes are available after the beginning of March 2007 due to recital rehearsals / classes. No Adjustments for missed classes. WITHDRAWING FROM A CLASS: AFTH must be given a written notice 30 days prior to a student withdrawing from a class. Tuition must be paid in full until the 30-day notice is completed and fulfilled.
FRIENDSHIP PASSES AFTH is once again offering Fr iendsh ip Passes. What is a Friendship Pass? It is a certificate for your friend to try a class at AFTH for FREE! Please have your friend contact our office to ensure they are trying a class that is appropriate for their level. If your friend becomes an AFTH student, you will receive a $15 credit on your account. You can request your Friendship Passes via email at:
[email protected], or by downloading them at: www.artfromtheheartstudio.com. So, bring a friend and you could earn a $15 credit on your AFTH account! You can’t beat that!
A LOOK AHEAD The AFTH calendar is subject to change. Please frequently check our Newsletter and web site for updates. FEBRUARY 2007 • Begin Recital dances • Recital cast list now available online and posted at the studio MARCH 2007 • Recital tickets go on sale • Look for recital hair style and make up details online and posted at the studio APRIL 2007 • AFTH Picture Week REVISED DATE: April 2-6, 2007 • Company Auditions - April 7, 2007 • Look for Recital check in/out procedures and dress rehearsal call times online and posted at the studio • $10 per student recital fee due MAY 2007 AFTH dress rehearsal and recital May 11-12
— STAFF — Jennifer Kroger, Noelle Romanacce, Aimee Bennett, Kendall Dupree, Ashley Boss, Eva Young, Ali Kroger, Merry Glee Dupree — OFFICE HOURS/CONTACT INFO — Tuesday-Friday: 10:00am - 2:00pm Mailing Address: 5200 Fieldview Court, Orlando, FL 32819 Phone: 407-612-6565 Fax: 321-251-5334 Email:
[email protected] Web site: artfromtheheartstudio.com
