Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Dancing with the Stars!



Last night. I couldn’t help but giggle when 82 year-old Cloris Leachman hoisted her leg up on the desk to show off while Bruno, a judge described her dancing as floating on the Battleship Geriatric.

I felt so bad for Susan Lucci, aka Erica Kane of All My Children, when she danced like a stiff robot, obviously terrified – not Erica-ish at all.

What was I watching?

Dancing with the Stars, the 7th season, debuted last night!

For those of you who might be high-minded and have those silly standards against reality TV...well you just click away right now and go read some Jane Eyre. Or have some Earl Grey tea...and learn some new fancy words.

For the rest of you, here's my dishing on the whole shebang last night!

First of all, I love the attitude of the show. It’s just fun! I didn't know everyone, including Cody somebody from Hannah Montana, and Maurice, a track star or Kim Kardashian, apparently a reality TV star on some cable show. But the ones I did recognize I really enjoyed watching. I just love the show!
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Maybe it’s the romantic fantasy of dancing like Cinderella at the ball. All eyes on you as you captivate the Prince’s heart.

Maybe it’s because I get to watch people who don’t know how to dance go through the process of learning. If they can do it, maybe I can?

It’s probably because of the inherent joy in dancing. A quality of energy and hopeful expectancy exists with movement to music.

As I watched last night, it occurred to me that the two stars who did the best displayed a quality lacking in the others. Lance Bass of InSync fame and Warren Bass, a professional football player both walked onto the dance floor with an attitude of “going for it.” They hid their fear and truly seemed to enjoy every step.

The other stars, each to a certain extent, began this journey with obvious fear. The steps of the Cha-Cha or the Fox Trot were exacted with a seriousness and compulsive need for perfection. No room for just fun.



I couldn’t help but wonder about the parallels to our dance with God. I know I find myself at times thinking I have to be perfect. I have to get the steps right. I need to take this Christian walk of mine seriously, seriously, seriously.

But you know what? When that happens, I seem to squish out the joy! I worry so much about being Miss Perfect Christian that doing the Cha-Cha with my Savior becomes an exercise in getting my footwork right and standing up straight. Is that the point of the dance? No.

The point of the dance is to connect with joy to God and to the music. That is the point of my Christian walk. Or is it?

As we go through our own Dancing with the Morning Star, are we in it for a disco ball award? Or are we in it for the joy of the moment, the relationship with our ultimate Dance Teacher.

Last night, the best dances were the ones that we watched with joy because the dancers were joyful.

Is my dance with God joyful? Is yours? Or are we so busy looking at our footwork, are we missing seeing His eyes?

1 comment:

Jan Parrish said...

I loved that fact that at 82, Cloris is still going with it. The message is, you are never too old to go for it. The Danced Teacher is able and willing to help you at any stage.

BTW - I watched this because I knew you were blogging on it. That is what kind of friend I am. :)

We missed you at lunch today.