Blog 563 – 03.06.2017

If You Stumble Make It Part Of The Dance

Missteps and mistakes are all a part of life and rather than stop dancing or stop living we should just make those stumbles a part of the dance. A wonderful country song says, “If you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.” I grew up in a church that taught that dancing is a sin but I believe it is a far greater mistake against God and yourself to sit it out. I am reminded of a great line from Frank Sinatra’s song, “That’s Life.” The Chairman of the Board sings, “Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race. That’s Life.”

It is so cute watching a baby learn to walk. Most of those first wobbly steps end up in a fall, more times on the bottom than the face, but stumble and fall they do. And so do we all through out life. It is a continuing learning process and about the time we get the walking down it will be time to try out our wings. Do you suppose junior angels crash now and again? I would not be a bit surprised. Like with our babies we pad their bottoms and keep an eye on them. One of my dearest friends has made, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” her theme song. I hear her singing it often in my mind, “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He is watching me.”
In her younger days when she was a beautiful lounge singer, one of her theme songs was the sultry, “I Know How To Do It.” And did she ever. Anybody blushing or judging? Well, don’t. I said that to get your attention and to lead in to an important point – you know how to do this, you’ve got this, don’t give up, don’t quit.

At the movie theater I frequent in Platteville, Wisconsin, the nearest town to where I am staying with a multiscreen movie house I saw the movie,The Shack, there twice this weekend and encourage everyone to see it. I noticed recently that they had begun to run a public service announcement in the pre-show advertisements about suicide prevention. The concluding line is that if you think someone is contemplating suicide try to help and if you can’t help get someone who can. My mother committed suicide, many of us have known someone who has, our mililtary veterans are killing themselves in record numbers. Some believe that our chemical addictions are just a slow method of suicide.

Life is meant to be good, to be fun, like a dance. If you stumble you don’t have to quit, you don’t have to die, keep dancing. If your legs get too shaking, pat your feet, clap your hands, or just hum along with the music. What I am trying to say is that this party, this dance, was all arranged in your honor. The band is playing and the balloons are all set to drop for you. Please  don’t let a stumble cause you to miss out on life. Garth Brooks had a great hit called “The Dance” that talks about how he might have avoided some pain in his life but that he was glad he didn’t because if he had that he might have missed the dance. Again I quote that other song, “If you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.”

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White