You've Got to Mooove to the Muuuuusic!

I had forgotten how much I like to dance! I can count the number of times on one hand that I've actually gone out to a club to dance, that's not really my thing. My favorite dancing memories are ones of celebration - my brother's wedding, celebrating law school graduation at the discotech in Jamaica, Seth's wedding, LJ's wedding (even pregnant and sick), Jane's b-day party (watching my boys dance is pure joy!). Last Friday night we danced with all kinds of fun people at a private party with a kick-ass band. It was a charity event for RAIN, and the diverse crowd made it even more fun. Woodcrest sponsored the table for us and six others and with David being on the board of RAIN we are intimately connected with the purpose of the organization and can celebrate the help it gives to those in need. Anyway, with that as the backdrop, many of us were able to totally give ourselves fully to the freedom of dancing! I like to dance to anything with a good beat, if I know the song and am able to sing along, even better! If it's a message that resonates with anything in my life, I dance with all the more vigor! One of my favorite parts of the evening was near the end when the band kicked into "We Are Family" and all the smokers came running in from outside to join in. I looked around at the people I was dancing with, different ages, race, socioeconomic background, faith affiliation, sexual orientation, political views - all intermingling, dancing together, just celebrating a common purpose and shared experience. As cheesy as it sounds, the song struck me. There is very little difference, as people, as God's created, between any of us. We truly are "family". It was a good moment, brought on by the freedom of dancing!

Which brings me to my thoughts of today, which were brought on, once again, by the dancing. I decided I didn't want to brave the wind today for my usual walk, so I cranked up itunes and danced for my excersize instead. I so happened to choose a Christian album, knowing it was one I could not only dance to, but sing along with as well (which makes for a better workout). I could have just as easily chosen Andre 3000 or Madonna, which are my usual workout choices. It doesn't matter too much to me, I just like good music that I can move to. As I was dancing and singing, resonating with the feel of the music and meaning of the words, I laughed out loud as the thought came to me "What if I totally let loose in church?" The songs I was listening to were ones that are performed on a regular basis by our bands at church, and done quite well. Now, I don't want to be socially inappropriate, or be the girl on the dance floor that is obviously dancing to get noticed. I just want to be free to be authentic. Just the common question "Why do we act so differently at church?" I drove by a downtown church sign yesterday that said "Two Worship Opportunities: 9:00 - Contemporary and Celebratory, 10:30 - Dignified and Joyful." What the? Seriously? As if those things must be continually kept in separate categories. Can't we learn to worship together, celebrating our differences in style, expression, background and musical preference? Since when did the Bible have an update stating that praise is to be forever and always dignified? Sure, the dignified way, it's a style of praise, of sorts, I suppose... but it has become the norm in our white bread churches - so separate from the experiences of the rest of the week, so (dare I say it) controlled.

I agree we must stay within social norms, to a degree, I'm just asking that we accept that the are other acceptable "norms" available for us to stay within. At a football game we scream and yell and jump and curse and slap hands, but we refrain from running onto the field, from bothering our neighbors, ect. We all agree to certain things to make the experience "work" for everyone involved. So, in church, I agree that it'd be inappropriate to "bother" someone unnecessarily with my own expressions. And, I'd not want to be bothered with yours. But what if it wasn't a bother to see people expressing appropriately yet differently? What if it was celebrated? What if we all could lighten up, be a little more real, just a bit?

I realize some of you are feeling uncomfortable, because of both my "at home alone" dancing and my proposed suggestion to free ourselves from the restrictive "dignified" style of praise as the ONLY style allowed. And, no, I don't want to go join the church across town. I love the vision and values of our church.

So, who wants to stand by me at church tonight?

Ok, so whether or not we dance in church is not that big of an issue for me. The underlying value that I care about is that we are able to be authentic, every day, every environment.