I was born & raised in the Anderson, Indiana Church of God movement -- not denomination - LOL! The movement began in the early 1900's, out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement. We reach our hands to every blood washed one. We believe in the Trinity. We believe in salvation & sanctification. We take of the bread & the cup. We wash feet!! But, WE DO NOT DANCE!
Since my younger days being raised in the Appalachian foothills, I was told that WE DO NOT DANCE! My parents were fine with me whirling about at home - singing, clapping and celebrating. However, that was NOT to be taken outside of the home -- even into the backyard, for that matter. Can you imagine the issues my father - the pastor of that little country ChoG - faced when (unbeknownst to him & my mom) I appeared on the stage of the local elementary school enthusiastically dancing to the latest secular tunes as our community-wide PTO assembly began. Needless to say, I received a little talking to when I got home. And unfortunately, my father received several calls & notes about my serious infarction!
I continued to be a rebel with the dancing -- not understanding in my heart what the problem was if I was just dancing out of joy. In college, my roommates & I hosted an illegal off-campus dance at a local State Park out-building. We raised enough money to send all of us girls to Florida for our Spring Break. (That trip might have been a little outside of my parents' view of appropriate, as well!)
Since those days, my church movement has made leaps & bounds (figuratively) in the area of dance. I cherish the sight of little ones waving palm branches & spinning about in sheer joy. I'm incredibly blessed by our youth dancing to the latest from Mary Mary, Toby Mac & other artists. However, I still haven't quite been won over to watching middle-aged women (like myself) dressed in unattractive smock-type dresses with sashes over their shoulders leaping about the church platform to music. Just give me a little Ballet Magnificat! & I'm a happy camper :)
And so... I continue to dance before the Lord...
KARAR...
I dance before the LORD
I dance before the LORD
with all my might... 2 Samuel 6:14
MACHOL...
He has turned my mourning
into dancing... Psalm 30:11
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| I took this photo in Sept of 2013 when the haze over the fields from the harvest of the soybeans filtered the setting sun just perfectly. It always reminded me of dancing before the Lord! |
I'm posting this on the Wednesday of Holy Week. In this week, we reflect upon the last words spoken by our Lord in those final days as the cross drew near. We think about whether WE would have been the one to deny knowing the Lord. We bow in awe as we consider the great sacrifice paid for OUR sins. And, on Easter morning, we joyously celebrate the power over the grave & over death which comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ. I can't think of a better reason to dance!
This Sunday I'll be saying, "He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!" ... and I'll be dancing!
#JoyDare No. 2490 dancing
Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...
