It's All About Wings Not Roots, People

I believe in moving children/people in motion. I believe minds work better, hearts are more alive, we shake loose roots and develop wings when we move. Age and poor choices limit how I can move. I can no longer run (at least not without debilitating pain and a nasty lecture from the orthopedic surgeon trying to save my knees.) I can swim andI do. I can walk and I will sometimes. I find it incredibly boring. But as long as I can remember I was a dancer. I was never great but I had a great love for dancing. 

I am almost this good!

In an effort to encourage some kids to move at my current pastoral appointment I started a liturgical dance team. We started with six willing little girls with no dance experience that planned to do one dance on Easter Sunday to a complete program with soon to be three groups, more teachers and approximately 40 kids. Are we great? The congregation thinks so but I am sure Abby Lee Miller would not agree.

We bring a new aspect to worship; a change in how and where we see God. We have kids ranging in age from three to 17 learning about God in a new and different way. I have seen children moved to tears by listening to music in a new way. The best part is seeing them gain confidence and self-worth in their God-given bodies. I see kids carrying themselves better, more willing to tackle new and challenging tasks and a deeper love for God and each other.

Robert Schnase says in his book, Remember the Future, "Faithful obedience practices with intentionality and movement, the following of Christ becomes more creative, satisfying, effective, and graceful even when it takes us to places we may not want to go."

The same is in all places in life. Moving forward gives us a new outlook, keeps us less rooted in the same old, same old. Gives us fresh air in our nostrils and challenges to our brains and bodies. One of my favorite quotes, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,"(who didn't say this) applies to this concept of movement. Movement for the sake of movement is is what my uncle calls "runnin' ingnernt" but moving forward is progress. Just the act of movement awakens our senses to new possibilities. 

In the Book of Acts, chapter eight, we see the story of the burial of the apostle Stephen due to being stoned for spreading the Good News. The passage also includes his brutal death didn't dissuade the the other believers from scattering and sharing that very message. But there is one in the story that is still rooted, Saul. He has yet to become the monumental change agent we know him to be. What made the transition? The willingness to move beyond a pre-conceived mindset, the willingness to move beyond blindness at God's bidding, and desire for the change his life needed, prompted by a meeting with Christ on the road to Damascus.

Where do you have roots but need wings? Is there a place in your life where you could use a new look at the possibilities. Hey, a quick experiment even helped me become the best dance teacher ever.

See here is proof! The ushers found this in the offering late the other day.

Shameless brag but truly, moving into the venture of liturgical dance has opened me/us into so much more!