| Author | Message | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2227 Registered: 3-2004  |
It has been two years since I left Adventism. These two years have been an adventure with Jesus Christ. I preface my remarks with this because since I quit going to church, after my divorce, I do not remember being troubled about going out dancing. I would go out dancing Friday and Saturday evenings, every other week. My son with with me on the in between weeks, when his Dad did not take him. So, Saturday night I went to a dance organized by the singles group from my church and another church. Sunday evening there were dance lessons at a local Presbyterian church in Las Vegas. I had a ball and have not danced like I did last night for a long time (a long story). Any way, before we broke up, we stood in a circle holding hands and a prayer was said. That is when my Adventist background kicked in and a very, very small voice in my head made a comment about praying after dancing, in a sarcatic manner. I just told God, Thank you for a good time and for the people I have met and the friends I have made. Then, on my way home I thanked him again and again for His blessings He has given me. I have a delightful time and I am a good dancer. It is just very seldom that Adventism has reared its head. Just wanted to share this with you. In everything, God is awesome. Diana | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1216 Registered: 3-2005 |
Diana, Real Christians do dance! Thanks for your inspiring story. Stan | ||
| Seekr777 Registered user Username: Seekr777 Post Number: 380 Registered: 1-2003  |
Diana, your right, "Real Christians do dance!". But some of us are NOT to good at it.  Richard rtruitt@mac.com | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 391 Registered: 10-2001 |
Diana, I just love you, you are so cute. I think it's just wonderful that you are out dancing. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3272 Registered: 12-2003  |
Thank you, Diana, for sharing your story. I so related to your momentary reaction, but you "fought" it exactly how the Bible says to: by praising God! Good for you for dancing! Colleen | ||
| Anotherseeker Registered user Username: Anotherseeker Post Number: 31 Registered: 8-2005 |
That story has me smiling! I also love dancing but all my dancing used to be in nightclubs....SO THAT'S CERTAINLY OUT!! The Bible i am sure speaks of Miriam dancing. I could never understand why i was not allowed to dance as a child. I remember when we used to go to a family Wedding and the time for dancing in the evening came....we had to just sit down and watch. I enjoyed watching but i just didn't get it and i was not about to ask why. I just knew that Adventists are not supposed to dance. So when i left home i danced like a maniac and i still do. I was delighted when i went to this church that i sometimes go to and saw a girl dancing in the aisles....my heart was so gladdened by it!! In my head i thought...YES....SO YOU SHOULD...IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! {you know flag and all} You would never see that in an SDA church. Everything is so static and rigid. SO HAPPY for you Diana...i just wish i could come and praise dance with you in a few weeks time at redlands | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1255 Registered: 7-2003  |
David danced naked before God. When we studied David last year, we "reversed" the service, meaning the sermon was first, ending with worship. The pastor was hoping people really would practice "some" of what David discovered in praising God with his whole body (no clothes were removed ). I usually just attribute our more "rigid" side with the puritan roots American Christianity was influenced by. Though I am still not comfortable with all forms of expression, I am beyond judging how another serves his master. For those blessed with coordinated feet (that would not be me), I envy their ability to move so gracefully before the Lord and know they are truly offering their best gifts for Christ .... I had a couple of friends who talked about praising God "in the shower" one day and likened it to dancing naked before God. In that case, many of us might be able to claim something similar ?? | ||
| Violet Registered user Username: Violet Post Number: 321 Registered: 2-2001 |
Melissa, When hands are lifted high in our church I still cannot participate. Not because I think it is wrong, I am just uncomfortable doing it-- but now after reading your post I wonder if the opposite is not true and I holding back my worship of God. Sort of like when you say thank you to Grandma for a Christmas present verses throwing your arms around her giving her a big kiss and saying THANK YOU! | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1256 Registered: 7-2003 |
Violet, I wouldn't be hard on yourself because I think some of it is personality type and some of it is environmental too. I didn't come from an affectionate or demonstrative family about anything, so that outward expression stuff was weird all the way around to me, but that wasn't the environment I wanted my kids to grow up in, so I had to change my comfort zone so my kids had something different that is "normal" to them. I have not yet gotten to the point I can raise my hands when I'm on stage, but in the congregation it doesn't bother me. I realized one day that as I was doing things around my house and singing praise songs with no one around, I would sometimes raise my hand and wondered about the difference. I gradually realized it was my own self-consciousness that was my block and when I stopped worrying so much about what others thought (as though they might at all) it became more comfortable. It is still an obstacle when I'm on stage, however. It still seems too personal. But others who were raised differently don't give it a second thought. God honors the worship from your heart, not if you merely imitate what someone else is doing because someone else is doing it. As I became more comfortable expressing any emotion to God and recognizing that there may or may not be a "right" way to worship, I have gradually loosened up. I don't yet dance (too afraid I'd trip), but I find great joy in worship now that I never had before...and I'm dancing in my heart . | ||
| Violet Registered user Username: Violet Post Number: 322 Registered: 2-2001 |
I do think is is more fun to worship in a setting where everyone is free to praise God how they see fit. The last time I visited the small SDA church where my sister lives I merely held the hymnal right below eye level so I could sing facing forward and not to the ground I received some weird stares. | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 2137 Registered: 11-2002 |
How fun for you, Diana. I love clean-cut dancing, expecially country and western and hula. Do any of you attend services that have prayer dancing? Some of the Lutheran churches I've attended have prayer dancing. I love it. The priest explained that when we make the sign of the cross that is a dasnce in reverance to God so prayer dancing is an extension of the sign of the cross. I also love square dancing. Yeah, I was one of few kids in school that actually liked p.e. when we had square dancing. In Pathfinders we weren't allowed to dance but we were made to march. Then we were told SDA's needed to registure with the Selective Service as concitious objectors so all that marching and learning those military commands didn't make any sense to me. Why bother to learn it if we weren't supposed to use it other than at Pathfinders? |
