CHOOSE: TO DANCE ONCE MORE

Many times, especially those of hardship, loss or health struggles, one wants to choose anything but dancing.
Choosing to dance is a metaphor for choosing to live life to the fullest in spite of the "falls" on life's dance floor .
For Christians it requires the right dance partner. Jesus Christ.

When we stumble our Partner is there to catch us. (His hand hold keeps us from going headlong)

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. (Psalm 37:24)

Trust ensues and grows with every recovered struggle/slip.

Step adjustments are made and once again we can see what seemed like utter trial/pain, or devastation---take your pick) God can use for good.

Thanks be...."to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the glory, blameless with great joy." (Jude 1:24)

Choose to dance looking up into the face of the Ultimate Dance Partner who leads you in His chosen dance of love for you.

Dance Step "E"

Book: When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

Author: Angela Thomas  A Springboard for "Dancing with the Lord" 

There is….a time to dance….Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NKJV)

The Message version of the concluding verse says it well---

You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance;

You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers.

I’m about to burst with song; I can’t keep quiet about you.

God, my God, I can’t thank you enough. (Psalm 30:11)

A KJV version whether "written on the tablet of one's heart" (Proverbs 3:3) or hanging at her backdoor, emphasizes "mourning turned into dancing" by Him.

Dance step “E” Extending & Encouraging

D eciding, Delving, Discovering  (Psalm 119: 139 & 160)

A ccepting & Attending (1 Thess. 2:13)

N oticing God’s Hand in ALL Circumstances (Genesis 50:20 & Romans 8:28)

C elebrating God’s goodness and being thankful (1 Thess. 5:18)

E xtending lessons learned during one’s own struggle as a way of Encouraging others. (Psalm 89:1)

Last week's Dance Step "C" dealt with celebrating God’s gooness in all aspects of life and giving thanks in all the "little" things. Big blessings tend to result as folks fill their heats with gratitude, which results in even more celebrating. 

Wrapping up the D.A.N.C.E. aspects of "Dancing with the Lord" included 2 movements for "E"----extending and encouraging. 

Extending = sharing one's story/journey/struggle with others. 

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness, to all generations” (Psalm 89:1)

Encouraging =  (even above my fireplace)

An 10/8/09 letter from MAC survivor, Michèle  encouraged me to share my story with others---to extend the blessings I discovered in the middle of a cancer journey as a way to encourage others in the midst of their struggles. 

Teaching “dance lessons” this summer and celebrating Michèle's upcoming July 4th seven years of survival, I was reminded of the responsibility I had learned from her....(WORTH THE READ)

.....we all  have, as “household of faith” survivors of what ever tough place of hurt or painful struggle we have encountered, to stand at the top and call down to those still struggling to the summit.  Whether they’re emotional, physical, or spiritual, the mountains we’ve conquered are not ours to own, but ours to share.  

We might not always want to revisit the pain we’ve suffered or the crippling we’ve endured, but if we don’t offer them to others as a testimony of God’s sustenance and love, our fellow travelers may not have to courage to find their way to the top. 

My encouragement to you, Dotsy?  

Speak of the treacherous paths and looming precipices you’ve known, tell the story of your climb, the tale of your survival.  And when you’ve reached a place that is beautiful and stable and “breathable,” call down to those who follow and tell them of the strength that comes from surrendered weakness, of the peace that comes from vulnerable faith.  Tell them that you stumbled.  Tell them that you wanted to give up.  Tell them that you were bruised by doubt and battered by despair…but that you made it.  You.  Made.  It.  And the view from the summit of survival?  It’s priceless.

So......from my heart and above my fireplace, "I hope you dance" and tell others (extend to them) how the Lord orchestrated your dance that your words might to encourage them. ( TX Doris for the pic)

Dance Step "C"

Book: When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

Author: Angela Thomas  A Springboard for "Dancing with the Lord" Discussions 

There is….a time to dance….Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NKJV)

Last week's Dance Step "N" had each one “take notice” of God’s hand in all aspects of life. Once the "noticing" had one really looking to see the Lord's participation, there was cause to segue to the next step----"C" for celebration. 

Intentionality, in looking for God's hand often results in Glory Bumps.  The more we see His involvement in life, the more prevalent those "bumps" become.

Glory Bumps are similar to the goose pimply feeling that you get when you read a Hallmark card or hear a story that touches your heart. But “glory bumps” are more than that. Glory bumps are precipitated by an awareness of God’s involvement--a “God thing” a "God wink"---those incidences in our lives with a spiritual connection.  Glory bumps might result from seeing a miracle or a moving of God’s hand or just from experiencing the grand sense of LIFE that is beyond our comprehension. 

One's circumstances and situations might not change but an attitude adjustment can give a new perspective. Thanksgiving follows and a thankful heart is always a cause for celebration!

An "attitude of gratitude" helps to make even the seemingly "small" steps toward a life of abunDANCE seem worth celebrating! Dance Step "C," a dance of celebration, goes hand and hand with gratitude! 

D eciding, Delving, Discovering  (Psalm 119: 139 & 160)

A ccepting & being Attentive (1 Thess. 2:13)

N oticing God’s Hand in ALL Circumstances (Genesis 50:20 & Romans 8:28)

C elebrating God’s goodness and being thankful (1 Thess. 5:18)

E 

Finding great summation notes in the front of a "used copy from Amazon" of a study book, could cause "glory bumps" if one was prepping for a test!

Dance Step "N"

Book: When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

Author: Angela Thomas  A springboard for "Dancing with the Lord" Discussions 

There is….a time to dance….Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NKJV)

**Because you asked for info--- "Dancing in the Chips" story is from And God Said...Let There Be Laughter by Mary Hollingsworth.

Dance Lesson --N

D ecide (Joshua 24:14) Delve (Psalm 119:169) & Discover  (Psalm 119:130) 

A cceptance and Attentiveness (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

N otice God's hand in ALL areas of life (Genesis 50:20 & Romans 8:28)

C ....

E ....

Noticing involves intentionality. It seems that the more one “notices”, God’s hand in her life situations, the more God allows her to really see. Awareness becomes more constant/consistent. 

“Notice” verse--Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! (Psalm 66:5) Begin to LOOK for it!

Noticing involves focus and sometimes even positional change can give a new perspective.

Focus and position are essential in our "dance" especially in times of struggle when the "closed position" is needed, both in stance and time away from distractions. Focus on your "dance partner." Time in His Presence. Remember the One who is leading. See self as the "follower."

• ·      Close contact is employed as two dancers face toward each other.
• ·      A sense of connectedness occurs as the “leader’s” right hand is on the “follower’s” back, offering “step” security.
• ·      The “follower's” left hand is on the “leader's” right shoulder or upper arm near the shoulder, allowing an extra sense of directional change.
• ·      Palm to palm in an upper-hand clasp, the “follower’s” right hand is in the “leader’s” left hand, providing guidance.
• ·      Feet are often positioned slightly offset so that the right foot of either partner can step between the other partner's feet, aiding in transition.
• ·      Eyes are lifted thus the focus is away from the feet and ears are open for “whisper” clues.

D2D Dare to Dance

Dance Step "A"

Book: When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

Author: Angela Thomas

A springboard for "Dancing with the Lord" discussions. 

There is….a time to dance….Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NKJV)

It is always time to dance with the Lord---when dance means living a life of fullness/abundance w/ Him. It’s that dance/life that gets us through the "mourning’s"(griefs) of life---loss, disappointment, regret, fears, etc. 
Dance steps include the acceptance of the truth from John 10:10b where Jesus (our Shepherd) said, “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance” (to the full, till it overflows)(AMP) (abunDANCE, mine) The fullness or abundance of the Christian life is exhibited, according to Westcott, in three elements—safety, liberty, & support.
Jesus gives--thief takes!

In comparison, the first part of the verse reminds us, "..the thief comes in order to steal and kill and destroy." 
Identify the thief or thieves in your life. Ask self, “What have I allowed him to steal, destroy or kill in my life? John 10:10 is a new verse to hang our dance shoes on---shoes of acceptance and attentiveness for a life of abunDANCE.

ACCEPTANCE --For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. (1 Thess. 2:13) ACCEPTANCE--of one's life situations and acceptance of what God’s Word shows you about those  circumstance. ATTENTIVENESS---Along with life situations, there are often verses that do just that---GET MY ATTENTION Ps 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
A recent NP ranger's forest fire story illustrated that verse for me---a bird found dead, feathers scorched & burned from flames of the fire....but when ranger turned her over with a stick, 3 little chicks waddled out. Secure. Safe from the fire by the covers of protection from the feathers of one who was trustworthy. 
ATTENTIVENESS to God's Word is always NEEDED because truth is NOT revealed to idle spectators! (C Huffman, 6/13/15)

Dance Lesson --A

D ecide (Joshua 24:14) Delve (Psalm 119:169) & Discover  (Psalm 119:130) 

A cceptance and Attentiveness

N ....

C ....

E ....

Acceptance of life's situations & attentiveness to God’s Word require a choice......just like a dancer chooses the "correct" shoes for each dance. 

Dances may change and shoe choices may vary but our Lord is steadfast, unchanging and His truth endures to all generations.
 If you’re wearing the wrong shoe, you’re asking for trouble. All of us need a shoe that FITS her own dance/ situation for Dance Step "A."

Dance Step "D"

Book: When Wallflowers Dance: Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

Author: Angela Thomas

A springboard for "Dancing with the Lord" discussions. 

There is….a time to dance….Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 (NKJV)
When the stresses of life have you not knowing which way to turn....turn to the Lord and ask Him to lead you through this "new to you" life dance.

Lesson #1 w/ insights from the foreword and the afterword

Dance Lesson --D

D ecide (Joshua 24:14) Delve (Psalm 119:169) & Discover  (Psalm 119:130) 

A .....

N ....

C ....

E ....

• Step #1---Decide you want a life of abunDANCE. Turn to the Lord as your dance partner.
• Step #2---Delve---dig to discover the truth that is available about your struggle or hard place. Determine that the Lord has you there for a reason or season, as Robert Morgan teaches in his diminutive book, Red Sea Rules. Rule #2 states, " Be more concerned for God's glory than for your relief."
• Step #3---Discover what God' Word says about your hard place----fear, (Isaiah 41:13) disease/poor health, (Psalm 73:26) disappointment, hurts, or rejection (Psalm 55:12-13) Consider word searching for abide, trust, sustain, belief, hope, refuge, protection, salvation, .

Remember godly living, aka "life of abundDANCE,"  is possible even during_________________(fill in your own difficult time or struggle) as your "dance" will be unique.

Allow the Lord to turn your mourning into gladness in the midst of your struggle----that you might "dance" with HIm. (Psalm 30:11)

I Could Have Danced All Night....

I Could Have Danced All Night.......but I didn't want to. I wanted to sleep. Why is it when one is trying so hard to sleep that those musical thoughts "throb" in your head---like a broken record. 
Instead of "spreading my wings to do a thousand things I have never done before," I think of a thousand things I need to do----and at 2am, who is going to be awake to respond?

I know God is awake, so I ask Him again---to lull me to sleep. But....it was if I had slipped my "tap shoes of impatience" on and was"tapping away" on the sheets.
I know "impatience" is not one of my strong suits, as my kids have reminded me, but the wee hours seem a hard time to begin to practice that virtue.

But God.......in His perfect timing brought thoughts to mind needed for tonight's teaching---which as any teacher knows---lessons are mainly for her.

Hopefully, I will "dance" tonight as I teach His truths.

It's all about the........

For "most" women "it's all about the shoes." Designer Shoe Warehouse makes sure we know, "Shoes Say a Lot About You - Say Something Great." In line with my lone pair of Skechers I was welcomed as the "next shoe lover" in line, though all the ladies behind me with their teetering stacks of 6+ shoe boxes, fit the bill better than I. 
Shoes. So many styles. So many specifications. Athletic---running, racquetball, golf. Dress--stilettos, pumps, flats. Casual---wedges, flip-flops, boots. 
OK, so I don't "do shoes"---I "do comfort" and most styles, especially new ones, are beyond me. Regardless, shoes are "all about" an individual's choice. Some more important than others.
"Dance" shoes are important choices, especially in the "dance" of life. Some shoes are better left in the closet. 
Today's choices....

• ballet---white silky slippers of grace 
• tap shoes---black patent capezios of impatience
• zumba gray laceups---for pounding out frustrations
• walkers---with pink laces for pounding God's truth into my head to keep me spiritually "in the pink"

....which will I choose? Actually, before noon today, I had tried on all of these and had to make myself throw a pair deep into the back of my "cluttered" life closet. (I like neighbor Lynda's reminder, "gallimaufry--an exhuberant hodgepdoge." (CA 5/10/15)

The dances may change and the shoe wear may vary..... but our "Partner" is steadfast, unchanging, eternal.  (Lamentations 3: 22-23, Jehovah the Eternal One) Because....it's NOT all about the shoes, it's all about Him!

Dance 101: a primer

I knew as 2015 began* that not only would I be "dancing anew" with the Lord but that I was somehow going to share this unique, "new to me" dance. That "many might see." (Psalm 40:3)

Thus, a Summer Refreshment class for women seeking to "Dance with the Lord"---a book study of When Wall Flowers Dance by Angela Thomas to blend with our own lives as we don our dancing shoes.
For me, each "new" dance can require a return to the ABCs of a life of abunDANCE. (John 10:10) or the basics of Dance 101---

How basic is this "chocolate reminder" to "Dance with your heart" or as I interpret it---"Dance with the One who holds your heart."
* Blog References click here to check out 1/31 Dance to the Music or 2/28 A New Dance

accorDANCE---same word different verse

10/3/12

Studying in the book of James, I sense the Lord is trying to teach me some new steps----those in complete accordance with His word. The accorDANCE is a dance of unity and harmony, as long as God is doing all the leading---which is always in accordance with His law.

Though it helps to have others come alongside, those also desiring to walk according to His good and perfect will, these steps take practice.  Private lessons. Then accorDANCE steps, once learned, can be shared as a way of encouragement, even testifying to God’s faithfulness in one’s missteps along the way!

This “dance” seems to have many facets and I ‘m sure I’ll be “learning” new steps as I go. 2 Kings 16-18 has provided much for deeper consideration. But God….today has me focusing on His love.

 Hear my voice in accorDANCE with your love;…..(Psalm 119:149)

 In accorDANCE with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now. (Numbers 14:9)

Hear my voice. Forgive my sin. Those are the first two steps of accorDANCE!

We would do well to remember that as we are led in the accorDANCE by Him who is our great love.

attenDANCE!

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design@brokenpromises.org

9/19/12 Successful businesses have attendance policies. Attendance is seen as an integral part of a good work ethic.  Sometimes an unstated, but real, expectation.

Class attendance. An important facet of education. ADA (Average Daily Attendance) results in rewards ($$) from the state because the Department of Education knows how importance attendance is for learning. After 42 years in education, I know that to be true.

Learning and growth occur when one is attending. Present. Focusing. In the realm of education, attendance is both a physical and a mental act. The same is true in the spiritual realm.

attenDANCE! Time alone with the Lord. Necessary for instructions in each “dance of life” which one faces.  Only the Lord God knows these steps. It’s the dance He has planned. He wants to lead you. Following requires attenDANCE.

attenDANCE!! How long has it been? Darkened the doors of a church lately? (Hebrews 10:25) How else can one spur others on to love and good deeds if we’re not in attendance. (Hebrews 10:24)

attenDANCE!!! How long has it been? To dance with Him, one must “show up.” This attenDANCE requires our participation, both individually and corporately.

“Let the Little Girl Dance”

5/11/12 “Let the Little Girl Dance”---I know this iTune download of mine is not spiritual in context but the words could have some spiritual connotations, if "dance" was used as a metaphor for life with the Lord. From her condition before salvation, (alone/without God) as a wallflower who sits out of the dance because she’s never accepted the offer of grace. Timidly, as she accepts Christ’s offer and moves toward Him. She passes by all the "worldly Buddys" (temptations that beckon) as she walks toward her Lord. It’s obvious that she does in fact want to “dance” with Him. Now, if she’ll just allow Him to lead!

(Little wallflower on the shelf)
(Standing by herself)


(Never had the nerve to take a chance)
(So let the little girl dance)

Let the little girl dance Let the little girl dance

She never danced before
So let her on the floor
(So let her on the floor)

Let the little girl dance
Let the little girl dance


She wants to give it a try
So let the little girl by
(So let the little girl by)

She's been a little wallflower on the shelf
Standing by herself


Now she’s got the nerve to take a chance
So let the little girl dance

Let the little girl through
She wants to pass by you


Buddy, can't you see
She wants to dance with me
(She wants to dance with me) (Billy Bland’s rendition, 1960s)

 All of this once again prompts my somewhat continual prayer---“Lord continue to lead me in the ”dance” you have chosen for me.”

Dance First? Think First?

1/3/11 Titles have a way of grabbing me when I'm browsing bookstore shelves, especially if "dance" is mentioned. The result is usually perusal of the table of contents.
I choose not to read summaries because too often they can spoil a good read. Fiction books are often too short a read for a purchase but I jot down those titles to check my "local" library's stock. Being a faithful library patron, as well as a frugal shopper, I'm probably not a bookstore's favorite customer.
I also don't buy quote books since quotes are readily available on line. But.....I will thumb through them to grasp words to "google" if one jumps out at me. I did just that on a recent book store browse.
In Dance First, Think Later, (which I think is a Beckett quote) there was a phrase in the forward that had me thinking....."eat your sandwich." It was a metaphor for enjoying the ordinary---a making the "most of life's little moments-type" analogy.

It's what I've been thinking about lately as I'm trying to regain my enthusiasm for "dancing" through all the regular, sometimes mundane, routines of life. It's more than just wanting to see God's Hand in my life. It's wanting to grab hold of that hand and allow Him to keep me dancing to His music----the songs/melodies He's picked because they suit my rhythm best. The rhythm He gave me!

As God would have it, Katherine's recent devotional gift speaks directly to that desire. Practically Holy is a daily guide to "Finding God in the Everyday." The everyday of "sandwich eating."

That's what I've been thinking about. Hopefully, now I will be able to "dance" as I eat and am nourished by all those sandwiches God brings into my life everyday.

The Cancer Dance

5/11/10 Nancy Gibbs essay for this week’s TIME magazine offered food for thought.

“Cancer hands you red-hot shoes and makes you dance with death everyday for the rest of your life. So, the question is, Who gets to lead? And what can the rest of us learn from watching?”

For sometime now, this blogger has been asking others to consider, along with her, these very same questions. These questions aren’t cancer specific. It’s just that cancer or other catastrophic diseases can bring such questions to the forefront of our thinking.

Certainly in those first weeks after my diagnosis, I worked on getting my affairs in order with lawyers and living wills, info in files and letters to kids. But more than that, I wanted assurance. Assurance that, in the event of my death, my friends would “take on my absence” from my family by filling in the gaps of my life for them. My kids know me (sometimes better than I know myself) but I wanted my “grands” to know personal things about their “Shug.”
My dear friend, Pam, has taken hold of this idea. She has a “cupcake” party each summer for her friends and their grandchildren. We are all introduced by our granny names. It’s a casual way of initiating our “grands” to each other and to us, the grandmas. It’s an unspoken assurance that we’ll be there to carry on those values, that we all hold dear, to each other’s grands if one of us passes away. A passing on of the traditions and the values, which we have shared, through the years.

In my "dance", I have asked the Lord to lead and have tried to share with others what I’m learning. What I am learning is the importance of relationships---a vertical relationship with the Lord that extends horizontally to my family and friends. A community of faith. A fellowship of friends who are committed to going the distance with each other even when one is wearing “red-hot cancer shoes.”

Dancing term…………….“Light on your feet”

5/3/10 How does one keep “light on her feet” when dancing with a partner? Balance is important---so keep your focus. Posture too---helps you move as a unit of one with your partner. Listening is key. Are you listening to the same music? Being aware of the gentle nudge from your partner. Response is also very important so that you don’t have to be “jerked” into compliance. Don’t even try to anticipate your partner’s lead----just go with His flow. Whatever you do, don’t lead!
My God Calling “journal jottings” made during my surgery month last fall as I pondered Psalm 34:1-5 (KJV):

• First step in my dance with the Lord is Praise---Boasting in Him and magnifying Him is so much easier in the “closed position”—facing him, looking into His face, which opens the line of communication so that you are prepared to follow before fear even sets in. Burdens are lifted as I look to Him---

The result is lightness of heart, which I think translates to our feet so that we then have a “dance” (our Christian walk) to show the world. That's our final step---showing the world the beauty of a dance/life with Him.

1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. (Psalm 34:1-5)

Graceful and beautiful dancing (being light on your feet) can be achieved through a gentle but definite lead, coupled with a sensitive and responsive follow. Allow the world to see your “dance” and thus glorify Him.