CHOOSE: DANCING IN DISNEY # 2

Fun! Fun!! & more fun to come. 

CHOOSE: Dancing in Disney

There's LOTS of dancing in Disney.
In Epcot, at the International Flower and Garden Festival, even the flowers danced in the wind.

Epcot's World Showcase of 11 countries had music and dance at every turn.
Music is the international language and dance just interprets each countries culture in a unique way.

From the Mariachi bands, not to mention the Three Caballeros, "stepping out" in Mexico and the flag throwing dancers in Italy to the exquisite Japanese dancers accompanied by the matsuriza, taiko drummers,  added to the international experience.

Even our Japanese chef at Teppan Edo brought a form of dancing to the hibachi.

She had the onion volcano smoking and all the chicken dancing with the chopsticks drumming.

What an experience!

A "dancing" good time was had by all!

CHOOSE: "GRAND" DANCING

Words in books can be as lyrical as the words of a song. Toe tapping.

Riding through "Cat in the Hat" storybook tunnel listening to those rhythmic words and on the "High in the Sky Trolley Train" ride had us all rocking and rolling and dancing our way above, around and thru the Island of Adventure.

One of the advantages of having been an elementary school librarian for 20+ years is familiarity of many picture books.
"That Sam I am---that Sam I am!" can have one's toes tapping right along with her "grands" and the "Grinch.".

Even the One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish ride had Lucy and me dancing in our seats to avoid the water spouting at us!
Ending up at the bookstore with all the "Cat in the Hat" characters had us all dancing around those books---

until the characters corralled us all for a picture!

God has "made known to me the path of life;" and I know that "in His presence is fulness of joy; and at His right hand are pleasures ever more." (Psalm 16:11) 

How grateful I am for that truth----which I experienced as I "danced" throughout the day with my seven grandchildren....and shared with Lucy in our "Thank you, God" nighttime prayer, as we recounted our day. Praises that after the a-men, she wanted to "pray" again!

CHOOSE: TO BE A DANCING GRANNY

Choosing to dance---as dance is a "positive" metaphor for fully living the life the Lord has chosen for one, regardless of the "happenings" which come one's way.
Most people assume the "dancing choice" is easier the younger on is. 
However, experience is important as well. The experience one receives as she ages can bring an awareness of the importance of staying on the dance floor. Showing up counts. Being present in the midst of all circumstances. Trusting the One who leads you to keep you

Used by permission of the author/illustrator.

Choosing, always requires intentionality. For the "elder" set it can requires fitness, both physical and spiritual. It also requires energy. ENERGY to keep up with the younger set.

Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre (Psalm 149:3)

A "Dancing Granny" cannot be a wallflower. A true "Dancing Granny" needs to keep in step with the One who is her perfect partner so that her grandchildren can see and learn from her as she focuses on Him (not her feet/circumstances) and depends on His lead.

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.(Jeremiah 31:13)

Maybe that verse could be an answer to the prayers of a grandmother who chooses to be a "Dancing Granny!"

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.

CHOOSE DANCING

Choosing dancing can be an easy choice when life is going well. 

It can also be an easy choice when one is at the Apple store getting help on a disabled computer while using their wifi. Apple Store wifi dances and does not drop----hooray for "dancing" wifi!"

But....do we sometimes get complacent and forget to choose dancing. Forget to celebrate. Forget to be thankful.

Dancing can be an expression of gratitude.

Gift from Ashley Bryan---Used with the Artist's Permission

A video with "my" Ukraine ladies dancing with the Lord with their ladies from India warmed my heart. They chose to take my D.A.N.C.E. dance to India. We often think we, the United States, are the only ones who send missionaries. At the missions conference this week the number of missionaries going out from South Korea was unbelievable.
Some are sent to the US. Just last year, I met, in Turkey, a lady from South Korea who, with her husband, had been a missionary in New York City.
Such news pleased me as NY is home to three of my most precious loved ones.
That kind of news makes is easy to "choose dancing!"

CHOOSE: UNITY

"What a fellowship, what a joy divine." (Leaning on the Everlasting Arms) Hebrew

English

The language doesn't matter----the truth is the same.

And all God's people said, A-MEN!!!

CHOOSE: EXTRAORDINARY

Chocolate is probably not the ordinary breakfast food chosen by the average person.

But.....somedays need a little boost and dark chocolate is healthy. 

Plus, today's morsel had one of those "just for fun" messages. 

Treat Tuesday like Friday. The fine print adds.....choose less ordinary.

What does that mean exactly? Are Tuesdays considered ordinary days? I've pondered this throughout the day. So I decided to choose extraordinary (corrected by me) and when autocorrect separated the one word to two, (extra ordinary,) the meaning was totally lost. I didn't want more of the ordinary! No extra same-o, same-o!

I wanted the compound word, extraordinary (But.....with auto correct, I had to make that happen myself! Think retyping more than once. 

Extraordinary---remarkable, amazing, incredible, exceptional. 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord jesus, giving thanks to the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17)

Why can't a Tuesday, as well as a Friday, be that kind of day? A special day unto the Lord? (Romans 14:6)

Partake each day with thankfulness...(1 Corinthians 10:31) and then await, with expectation, all the extraordinary things the Lord will do.

CHOOSE: TO SMILE

Proverbs 15:13 is all about smiles. 

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance....(KJV)

Smiling Siblings from Hungary

A glad heart makes a cheerful face...(NASB)

A happy heart makes the face cheerful...(NIV)

Smiling Siblings from Ukraine

A glad heart makes a happy heart...(NLT)

No matter how you say it---one's facial expressions speak volumes about one's  heart condition.

Smiles are the international language. Children from any country make most folks smile!

These international beauties made my heart smile---what an easy choice!

CHOOSE: RELATIONSHIP

It might be February but I'm still mulling truths from Tim Keller's Hidden Christmas---in particular the name Immanuel. Immanuel is the person of the incarnation.

He is God. He is human. He is with us. He is God with us! (p.53)

Christ chose twelve that they might be "with Him." (Mark 3:14)

What does "with Him" mean contextually as Matthew and the other gospels describe this relationship as well? Being in their Rabbi's presence. Sitting at His feet. Close enough to Him to be "sitting in His dust." (John Ortberg)

Being with Him is all about relationship. 

Being in Jesus' presence, for us, is also about that intimate relationship with Him---conversing with Him, (prayerful conversation is two-way and involves both listening and speaking) learning from Him and having His comfort moment by moment.

The purpose of the Incarnation was to have that relationsship with Him.

To be able to choose relationship, one must know a relational God and desire to be with Him!