Dancing Again by Joy Lewis

Today’s guest blogger is Joy Lewis. Joy is the founder and president of Joy and Company. a ministry that promotes and supports the reading, writing, application, and circulation of faith based literature. Joy is the co-host of “The Review with Joy and Company” with Rosemary Legrand, where she and Rosemary review new Christian books that are out. You can find the show on The Word, 100.7 in Dallas at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday’s; however, the show is seasonal and is currently taking a break. Joy also hosts the Christian Literary Awards in Dallas each November, where she and her team honor the best Christian books that have come out in the current year. You can find Joy at: www.joyandcompany.org and at www.christianliteraryawards.com.

Recently one Saturday morning, I awoke around 2:00 am from an uncomfortable sleep on the sofa. Every muscle in my body ached.  Surely an 18-wheeler had run off course, into my den and rolled right over me.  I sat up somewhat discombobulated and found myself feeling a bit overwhelmed, unaccomplished, and outright disheartened.  I was haunted by memoirs of past mistakes, a scale with ever increasing numbers, and a strong desire to pull the covers over my head and sleep for the next six months or more.

I felt justified, since I was in fact mourning the passing of several loved ones. But we all know most times any ol’ excuse will do. To top things off, in a few weeks, I would be visited by yet another birthday. No big deal right? I mean I have already had 55 of them.

They come the same time every year, so it’s not like it was a surprise and I didn’t know it was coming.  But for some reason, the thought of this upcoming visit caused me to lower my head and count teardrops.  I reached for the uneaten portion of last night’s fast food dinner and with arm extended in mid-air… I STOPPED, looked up and yelled, “FATHER, HELP ME!”  I cupped my hands to my face and cried until I slumped backward on the sofa in exhaustion.

I laid in the stillness of the wee morning and suddenly heard, “Go Dancing.” It was a soft, somewhat muted sound, and I wasn’t sure what I heard, so by instinct I sat up and said, “What?”  After all, I knew I heard something.  Once again, but this time louder and more distinctly, “GO DANCING”.

I jumped off the sofa, and with hands on my hips, I pronounced matter-of-factly, “I am going back to my dance class!” (As though it were my idea).  I picked up last night’s mess, took a hot bath, and went to bed properly.  I awoke about 9:00 am, turned on my favorite Pandora station and cleaned my house with vigor.  I was excited, because on Sunday evening I would be dancing.  Later that evening instead of going to the closest fast food eatery I made a beautiful salad, and ate my heart content.  When thoughts of my upcoming birthday returned, instead of crying; with great enthusiasm I picked up pen and pad and began writing out my bucket list.   When I was done, I choose the most right now achievable item to give myself as a birthday gift.

I retired properly and awoke, excited to go to church and came home to prepare for dance class.  I was on a mission to let nothing interfere.  When I received a call from a friend to go out to dinner, I declined, as I proudly explained I had started back dancing.  It was a wonderful evening that left me sore but surged with excitement. Early Monday morning I scheduled swim lessons to commence on the morning of my birthday.

My birthday has come and gone, and though I wake up on Saturday mornings feeling revisited by an 18-wheeler, it is not because I greet Friday nights with fast foods and Netflix.

Today, with eight weeks of dancing, and three swim lessons behind me, I have swum the length of the pool twice and can do the “double turn- behind the back” maneuver on the dance floor with ease and finesse.  Unhealthy food is losing its enticing appeal, and I am loving smoothies, salads and grilled veggies.

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.  Because He turned his ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.”…….Psalm 116:1……read in its entirety and BE BLESSED!!