Shall We Dance?

Monday night I attended the introductory session of a new Bible study I'm enrolled in at my church. What a delight!


First, let me say that I am excited about this Bible study on several different levels.

• Women's Bible studies have been a vital part of my life for more than thirty years. At one time, I even had a tote bag that read "Bible study is my bag" ... and, believe me, it WAS. Because my depression robbed my desire to participate in anything, I have not been a part of a small group Bible study in several years. What joy to once again desire the fellowship of women and hunger for studying God's word together.

• I am certain God directed me to this particular study and I have great anticipation regarding what He is going to teach me through it. As I prayed about which study to take this Fall (our church offered 8!) I felt drawn to this book. Then - God used the following words from my favorite teacher in the whole world, Beth Moore's, blog to confirm what He was saying to me. Beth wrote: "Around here, we just want women in the Word of God! We love Precept, BSF, CBS, and every other solid approach to the study of God's Word. I've taken my staff through a number of other teachers' Bible studies through the years. As my mentor taught me so many years ago, all of us must be students of many teachers so that we aren't accidentally led astray with no other voice to call our doctrine into check."

• The study is called BEAUTIFUL OFFERING (by Angela Thomas) and the question on the back of the workbook asks: Do you want to return the lavish love of God with the gift of your life? My heart cries "Yes - oh, Yes!" More than anything, I want my life to be a beautiful offering to Him.

Angela Thomas is an adorable, animated, and energetic teacher whose enthusiasm for God is immediately contagious. Her message in the introductory video was based on Psalm 45:10-11; reinforcing God's love and acceptance for us by telling us that He is enthralled with our beauty.

She told her story of growing up, not as one of the beautiful girls who everyone noticed but as a "wallflower". She recounted how her Daddy used to tell her she was pretty but how she never really believed him. Boy, could I ever relate to that!! My daddy and I always watched the Miss America pageant together...it was a "tradition". As every contestant was presented on stage and the announcer would call out her name and vital information, my daddy would say, "Why she's not nearly as pretty as you are!" And for days afterward, every time I'd come down the hall, Daddy would burst into his rendition of "There she is ... Miss America ..." Bert Parks couldn't hold a candle to him. But in MY heart, I always thought, "Poor Daddy. If he thinks I'm as pretty as that girl, he needs glasses. THICK glasses!!"

Angela made the point that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the King of the Universe, our Heavenly Father, thinks we are so pretty He is enthralled with our beauty. His love towards us is lavish! She urged us to hear God call to us asking, "Hey, do you want to dance the dance of your life in my arms?"

I was rejoicing in the Lord as I drove home. Both the video and the time with the other women had been poignant, personal, and profoundly inspiring. I said aloud, "Oh, Lord, I really DO want to dance the dance of my life in Your arms!" ..... And then I got the holy giggles. You know why? I can't dance!!

When I was growing up I was a dedicated little Baptist girl who, pharisee that I was, did NOT believe in dancing. Dancing was a sin! But, of course, it wasn't a sin to gossip with my Baptist friends about those Methodists across the street that think they are Christians but have dances in their church basement. Mercy me! God must just shake His head in dismay at some of our human foolishness! In my senior year of high school when I decided God probably wouldn't count it too great a sin against me if I went to my prom, every guy I danced with had to remind me to let him lead! See, I told you - I can't dance!!

So - I'm driving along Monday night, alone in my car (thank goodness), giggling my silly head off because I've just told God I want to dance the dance of my life in His arms but I can't dance. Then some of the other things God has changed in my life this past year began to flit through my mind.

Never in my life have I enjoyed anything outdoors. As a young child, my mother used to have to practically threaten me to get me to go outside to play. In school, I was the only student delighted when the teacher made us skip recess. I've just always loved being inside - in the house. Poor Roy - you wouldn't believe how hard he tried to make a camper out of me when we were young marrieds. But it just wasn't in my "nature". Last year when God began His renewal work in me, I focused all my study time initially on His nature - Who He Is. As I began to be reminded of His nature, He awakened a new appreciation in me for the nature He created in the world around me. I began to love being outside. I began to look for things to do outside. I couldn't get enough of the great outdoors!

Next, never in my life have I had any interest whatsoever in gardening or yard work, much to the chagrin of my mother. My mother is a master gardener. Her yards always looked like a photo out of a home and garden magazine. This Spring as planting time drew near, Mom's birthday and Mother's Day were just around the corner. Mother was anxious to enlarge her flower beds and get the summer perineals in the ground but was dismayed to be experiencing some minor physical impairments that made it impossible for her to do the work. The Lord laid it on my heart that I should give her my labor to do the gardening work she wanted done as a gift for her birthday and Mother's Day. The first day, I worked a full 7 1/2 hours in the yard, and was grateful to God for my new strength and stamina. But what astounded me even more was - I truly ENJOYED every minute of it!! God so totally and completely changed my attitude toward gardening that now, the only thing I hate about gardening is that I don't have more time to spend doing it! I love it. And do you know what my very favorite gardening activity is? Pulling weeds (but that's a story for another day)! I tell Mom all the time ... it's a win-win situation for us. I get to enjoy learning from her expertise and she gets to enjoy bossing me around. ROFL

The next change on God's agenda for me this summer was learning to swim. Yep, that's right - 62 years old - grew up in Florida - but I never learned to swim. The summer heat engulfed Mississippi and my daughter's family got an above ground pool so the munchkins and I went to their house to swim nearly every day. I figured if a 4 year old could learn so could I and taught myself to swim. A lot of times there was no one else around but the two 4 year olds and they didn't know I was making a fool of myself practicing holding my breath and ducking under the water. They just thought we were playing and having fun. And so, little by little, I taught myself to swim. (Well, "sort of" anyway. Enough to keep from drowning. But I'd still like to take some bona fide lessons next summer to learn better breathing techniques and proper strokes.)

Okay - does anybody see a pattern emerging here? Remember, I told God I wanted to eat healthy foods in healthy amounts and incorporate healthy activity into my life. So what has God done with that desire?

• Given me a form of exercise I thoroughly enjoy (my Leslie Sansone workouts)
• Given me an enjoyment of the outdoors
• Given me a love of gardening
• Given me the fun of swimming

And NOW ..... Now He wants me to DANCE! And, oh, how I want to dance the dance of my life in His arms! Do you?? Sweet sister, the King is enthralled with YOUR beauty. He is wild about you! Just like you are - fat or thin, clumbsy or graceful - He looks at you and beholds beauty and He invites you to Dance. Will you say Yes?