A NEW DANCE

About 10 days ago, my brother-in-law had an accident.

He fell off his motorcycle while driving to work.

Early one dark morning, as he was changing lanes, a huge rock crossed his path – and he went down.

He broke his pelvis in five places…

Praise God, he is home – but it’s a struggle – a BIG struggle.

He didn’t need surgery – but, he can’t put ANY weight on his legs at all. This means my sister has turned into a burro…

She is the one her husband literally has to lean on.

Last week, I got this wonderful email from her. I just had to pass it on:

"We are doing ok-just trying to settle in to our new adventure. Let's just say, "we are learning a new dance." At first we were sort of bumbling around, and each day we get better at communicating to each other, and now I know what he needs and how to do it. I was thinking last night as I was helping him with his walker to go to the bathroom that it is sort of like a dance-a dance I don't necessarily want to learn, but all the same, a dance. And what is neat is the good Lord has orchestrated this dance for us to learn, and if I fight it, then I will never learn the dance that He has purposed for our lives."

Is my sister just the best, or what?!

I thought about her whole word picture of doing a dance.

It’s so true, isn’t it?

Life is one big dance with God.

Much of the time we try to lead, and end up stepping all over His feet. Sometimes we don’t follow His moves, and we fall down (Kirstie Alley – just sayin’). Sometimes it’s next to impossible to learn the steps – we get tired, and frustrated, and we want to give up.

Sometimes we’re trying to dance a fast dance, and He’s trying to teach us how to waltz.

I loved what my sister said – He has a purpose to His dance.

And when we fight it, we don’t learn it.

The secret is yielding to His lead.

Here’s some wonderful stuff I learned from Wikipedia:

"In partner dancing, the two dance partners are never equal. One must be the Lead and the other will be the Follow.

The Lead is responsible for choosing appropriate steps to suit the music…and leading the Follow by hand…to complete the chosen steps smoothly and safely...

The degree to which the Lead 'controls' the dance (and, by implication, "controls" the Follow) depends on…dancer sensitivity.

…this relationship might better be understood as a conversation between partners, with each contributing to the style and mood of the dance through their connection…the lead's complete control of the follow, and the follow's relinquishing a greater degree of creative or expressive autonomy...

For the Lead and Follow to interact with each other, communication needs to occur between the dance couple…More advanced dancers will take many cues from each other through this connection, with the Follow using it to communicate feedback to the Lead just as the Lead uses it to suggest moves to their partner. The most accomplished dancers use connection as a line of communication which allows the lead to incorporate the follow's ideas, abilities, and creative suggestions into their own styling and selection of moves.

…the lead's steps differ from the follow's…the follow generally "mirrors" the lead's footwork."

Can you see the spiritual truths in there?!

My sister and her husband are learning a "new dance" – and knowing them, they’re doing a great job of it.

But they are also teaching me a valuable lesson.

God is orchestrating His dance, too.

And I must not fight it.

God leads, we follow – it’s the only way it works.

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"