Thursday, April 14, 2011

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 connectionthe 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!"

13 comments:

  1. I just voted this best analogy of 2011. Of all the ways that I have heard our following described, I would never have thought to compare it to partner dancing.

    I had wondered how your BIL was doing after the accident. Your sister sounds like a girl with a listening heart. It must run in the family.

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  2. Oh I love that...and I am going to copy her letter and put it in the front of my journal. As a former dance major this speaks straight to me...and I am seeing that even in our marriage, after 30 years, we are learning a new dance and I have been struggling with the steps. They just don't seem go to my counts...so time to release my own choreography and allow the Lord to be the choreographer.

    Thanks I really needed this this morning...now I am going to go get still and let it sink in.

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  3. Your poor BIL, Sharon!! I am so thankful he is recovering. I like your analogy with the dance and I love your sister's wisdom about it too and realizing God's hand in all this! Very timely words you wrote Sharon! Learning to dance over here so I'm going to take these words to heart indeed!!

    betty

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  4. That is beautiful. My sister fell and was off her leg for over six weeks. I will have to tell her and her husband this story. I don't think my BIL felt that way about taking care of her.

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  5. Dancing is something I love so I enjoyed your post a lot. When we learn to follow our partner, it is really a beautiful thing. I think Kirstie looks beautiful when she dances, despite all the trouble she's encountered. I'm inspired to follow Jesus as we dance. I want it to be beautiful even when I don't follow perfectly and fall down. Happy Easter, my friend!

    Love,
    Mary

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  6. Hi Sharon,

    Great blog, I love dancing, but not sure about following. I am much too tired to do the quick step at the moment, but I am sure I tread on the Lord's toes many times. God help me to be a better dancer, more in tune with Him.

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  7. Wonderful analogy, Sharon. (I'm sorry about your brother-in-law's accident, but thankful he is doing better).

    Too often I want to take the lead and not let God direct me. Thanks for this wonderful reminder that He is orchestrating the dance.

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  8. Your sister is a treasure, just like you. Hope the dance continues. From the poem "Guidance"...
    When I saw "G," I thought of God,
    followed by "u" and "i."
    "God, "u" and "I" dance!"
    God, you and I dance!

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  9. Beautiful spiritual truths! I absolutely love this post!

    Your sis sounds awesome! My twin broke her pelvis in a car accident a few years back. It was unbelievably painful for her.

    BTW, I left you a comment a few days ago on your "Planting Seeds" post asking if we could use that post for the next ST Publication. I'm not sure if you noticed it yet. If not that is totally fine. I adore your writing!

    Blessings!!!

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  10. Hi Sharon -

    I believe that I am in step with this tutorial.

    Thank you, Sharon

    You expressed, "He has a purpose to His dance.

    "The secret is yielding to His lead."

    Yes, Amen - Sharon.

    I'm so glad that I'm not "square" dancing anymore. Our Lord has placed us in His rhythmic circle where He smoothly glides....

    Sometimes I'm just happy to spectate... One day I did that, and JOY came by and swept me off my feet.

    The clincher was -

    JESUS came on the floor and danced majestically - He cleared the floor. We watched in wonder. What else could we amateurs do?! We were amazed at His pro moves.

    Isaiah 40:22 - KJV
    It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth,...

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  11. Debbie - Thank you. I would like to accept this honor - but I couldn't have done it without my agent, the Holy Spirit! I just found the whole dancing word picture so ripe with spiritual parallels - it blessed my heart, too. As far as the listening heart - we got it from our mom :)

    Janette - You're so right! It isn't just about following the Lord and letting Him take the lead in the dance partnership - it's ALSO letting Him create the choreography! I loved that extra thought to the whole image. And yes, there are always new steps to learn, aren't there?!

    Betty - Yes, he's doing really well. They are a testimony to me. And yes, you certainly are learning a new dance where you're at right now. I read your recent post - it sounds like the dance isn't at all what you expected. How difficult that must be. Always praying for you, Betty...

    Debby - I hate to say it, but we women make better nurses!! God always has a way of teaching us new things - and most of us ('cause I'm not alone in this, am I?!?) have a hard time letting go of the "lead" position! Step by step - that's the way...

    Mary - What wonderful things you said! Truthfully, I've got to hand it to Kirstie. For one thing, she never gives up. That in itself is a great lesson. Even if we fall down, get up and start dancing again. For the record, I think you're one of God's beautiful partners - and your dance is a sight to behold!! Happy Easter to you too if we don't "talk" before...

    Nita - I'm with you on this one. In the real world of dancing, I don't have very good rhythm. In the spiritual sense, I'm a step-on-God's-toes kind of person, too! And I agree - though it's hard to slow down when God wants to teach me a waltz, it may be even harder to learn the quick step when I'm tired in spirit. But, God is patient - and as you said, I just have to stay in tune with Him.

    Joan - God is orchestrating the dance. How often I forget that. I like watching those ballroom dancing shows sometimes - and two partners in perfect synch with one another is a sight to behold!! How often it is, too, that the Lead really makes the Follow shine. Isn't that the way with God, too? Only by leading us, and only by us following, do we find our inner beauty.

    Anita - I had never heard of that poem. How I love it!! It's just perfect! I get all goose-bumpy when I read little *word* things like that! They just make me :) I'm going to pass on these comments to my sister - I know she'll appreciate your words, along with everyone else's. As far as me being a treasure - I've just got to say, takes one to know one! You are a treasured nugget of gold in my life!

    Alisa - Oh boy, your sister really understands. My BIL is doing well, been suffering from some residual vertigo, though. Appreciate continued prayers. I had missed your comment, but sent an email on to you and Crissy. Thank you for asking - I am most honored to be included!

    Sandra - You never disappoint! You take the image and expand it into other wonderful shades of meaning and blessing! I really got caught up in the whole picture of Jesus taking the dance floor - His beautiful dance, and then, His hand reaching out to me to join Him. What a thrill!! To be invited to partner with the One who dances through the universe! I am swept away too by "He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth..."

    GOD BLESS, my friends. Continue the beautiful dance that God has orchestrated for you!

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  12. Sharon, I have not been here for a while so this morning I decided I'll stay a bit and read up on what I have missed. This is the third one I'm reading (I read by scrolling down from the top)... and I just love what you have written here.

    You do have a way of putting golden nuggets of truth into your blog posts. You are very good at that, Sharon. This post just tugged at my heartstrings.

    Will be back for more.

    I have certainly missed you.

    Will be praying for your brother in law. A pelvis broken in five parts is such a terrible thing to go through. And his wife becoming a "burro" - I really had to laugh at you saying that - is not a joke. But her email was beautiful, and I have appreciated the way you made a blog post out of it.

    Thank you. Happy Passover week, and Resurrection Sunday coming soon dear friend.

    Love
    Lidj

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  13. Lidj - What a pleasure to have you visit! And I so appreciated your kind comments. Yes, my sister is wonderful person, and a tremendously faithful believer. She blesses me greatly. I was really moved by her email, and was so glad that she let me turn it into a post. I will pass on to her that you are praying for both of them.

    Have a wonderful week, Lidj - and I will celebrate with you the wonders of what our Lord did for us during this most special time of year! Easter joy to you and yours, too!

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)