I Hope You Dance

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”


Psalm 8:3-4  

My dog makes me laugh. She is half Labrador Retriever, which makes her part hunting dog and who have a natural affinity for water. She does love water except on her face which makes it difficult to get her to go outside to go the bathroom when it’s raining. So, in the middle of the night when I took her outside in the rain to do her business she refused to walk out into the yard as to not get rain on her face. She just sat on the patio looking out and up at the rain coming down. As I tried to coax her into step out in the rain two thoughts came to mind. First was a saying I like, “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain” followed immediately by the words to an old song my wife fell in love with the very first time she heard it. So much so she immediately sent it to each of our children to listen with the desire they would take the words to heart understanding the hope she has for each of them as their mom.

The words to the song are as follows,

“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance
I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)
I hope you dance (Where those years have gone?)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)
I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder?)
(Song Ends)

As I stood there looking up into the heavens watching the rain fall the words of Isaiah 55:10-11 came to mind, “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Yes, loved one, the rain is a gift from God, it has a purpose, as do the storms of life each of us will face. Let’s don’t wait for the storms to pass, lets instead learn to dance in the rain! I hope you dance!


“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness”

Psalm 30:11


I LOVE YOU!