just DANCE.

So, as you can see we now have a different blog background! I think it's SO hip and retro. Everybody clap for the pretty stripes!! It's very...80's I feel. And I should know the 80's because I was born then. Anyway...I've also added some 'blinkies' and one of them is what inspired this post. It is not, however, inspired by Lady Gaga. Or maybe it is. I don't know.

If you scroll down below 'My Favorites', there's a blinky that says, "Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." I saw it when I was scouring the internet for something to make my blog pretty and fun because it was getting quite boring. Well, when I saw it, I kept thinking, "Boy, I sure have been seeing a lot of things about dancing."

No lie.

Last Friday I stumbled upon 'Stuff Christians Like'. And somehow got to read this post about wishing there was a Christian version of Lady Gaga. Well, I thought it was hysterical, because it's exactly right. Lady Gaga is, as Sarah says, scandalous!! I don't care how catchy her tunes are, (and believe me, they're catchy), her lyrics are quite scandalous. Sarah had never heard of her (have I mentioned that my sister is quite...ummm...sheltered? In a good way though). I sang the chorus of 'Just Dance!' to her and I was completely into it and moving my head and once I finished, she simply said, "Nope, never heard it." So, this is not my point...bear with me.

Today, I was reading something over at The Gypsy Mama and it linked to another one of her posts which linked to something ELSE on SCL. And I read it and thought.

He's exactly right.

If you haven't gone and read the 'else' link above, go read it now before reading the rest of this.

I've turned God into a God associated with sadness, hard times in the valleys and everything else that Jon said way better. I don't think I've ever danced wildy with Him.

For Him.

At something He's done.

Sure, I was happy when He blessed me way beyond what I could ever imagine. But did I dance?

No way.

Maybe because Baptists aren't supposed to dance. (I'm only kidding).

I don't really know why, but, it's true.

The first thing that came to mind was the song 'Dancing Generation'. I love the song but at youth camps or during Souled Out, I never jump up and down when everyone else is singing. I love these lyrics from that song:

It's the overflow of a forgiven soul
and now we've seen You God.
Our hearts cannot stay silent!

The picture at the top shows Aaron Carter and his dancing partner, Karina Smirnoff, from the most recent season of Dancing with the Stars. I had never watched the show before this fall, but when I moved home, my mom and sister got me hooked. One reason that I didn't particularly like Aaron is because he always seemed so spastic in his dancing! I mean, that guy never appeared to really be in control of his body. Seriously...if you don't believe me, scroll back up and look at that picture.

Well, as much as I didn't like him then, I want to be like him dancing before the Lord.

All spastic and out of control with joy and love for Him.

Even in the storms of life.

That being said, don't expect me to dance (literally) anytime the Lord blesses me. But I want my soul to dance.

Father, help me to be like David, dancing before you in praise.

"David...danced with great abandon before GOD."
- II Samuel 6:14, The Message

So maybe we should listen to Lady Gaga this one time.

And just dance.

**UPDATE : I published this post as I was walking out the door leaving work. The FIRST thing I heard when I got in my car was Hillsong United's 'Break Free'. Go and watch the video. Is that not crazy? I'm telling you. God wants me to dance!!

P.S. Darlene Zschezch is DANCING ain't she?! :)