After setting up the appointment/s we decided to meet at my shop, since it had plenty of room and a decent sound source. I have taught dance for several years through private lessons and via a city community program offered to the public. Believe it or not, I once taught a class in the basement of a local church for their single/divorce group. I was a little puzzled as to what they hoped to accomplish by encouraging their attendees to frequent the local bar. Anyway, 300+ turned out and it was quite an experience to watch the organized confusion play out. By the look of some of them they were getting an early start on their great excursion out to their new world of holding a stranger real close and attempt somehow to keep their salvation in tact. I was just grateful all I had to do was instruct and not participate in the latter.

Back to my story.........the first attempt to establish a starting point as to the couple's knowledge of country western dance was a bit skewed. The bride managed to show up, but the groom was out of town working. But the bride-to-be was resourceful and brought a friend with the same name as the groom. I guess I would at least call out the correct name at the proper time. It gets better, because the bride showed up in open toed flip-flops as well as her sister, grand-mother, grand-father and two other people who came along for moral support. The replacement with the same name as the groom, who I assumed was supposed to be the stand in, quickly became mesmerized with a remote-control helicopter I had on a shelf in my shop collecting dust and proceeded to fly it into every wall and all those attempting  to learn the fine art of dancing. Needless to say, this was not exactly the prime environment for efficiency in acquiring skills in dance. After getting things a bit more settled and a bit less chaotic and getting the basics of dance down, it was time to wrap things up and set up time for the next fun-filled lesson.

The next time we met, the groom was still out-of-town, the same name replacement arrived on cue and everyone else from the last session had arrived as well. There was at least some consistency in all this. The bride adjusted her footwear somewhat. This time she wore some open-toed high heels that looked rather striking and quite stylish and just as dangerous for possible permanent foot damage. Oh, before I forget, there was one additional character to our story. She was the bride's additional little sister, who proceeded to display her ballet prowess with an invigorating   example of a move I have seen that involves a series of pirouettes, one after another. Actually, she was really something to watch. I am not sure how many turns she put back-to-back, but it was quite impressive to see such a young lady display a combination of poise and athleticism together. I was impressed.

The next session was very different because all the parties committed to the great event were on hand and eager to learn. The correct people with the correct names. Everyone arrived with the proper foot attire, and there was an air of desire to get this stuff down since we were getting close to the date of the great event. Luckily, we had established that the groom could hear the beat of the music, the bride could not and the groom was a visual learner and a quick on at that. You may laugh at what I just stated, but the fact-of-the-matter is that if the man can hear the beat of the music and the lady cannot, you have the perfect combination for a couple to look really good on the dance floor. There is nothing that looks more ridiculous than a man being led about the floor while pretending to be the one in charge. Now that I mention it, it really doesn't look much different any where you go and you can see this take place just about anywhere you go. In the shopping mall, at any public event, while out to eat, even driving. Some men actually look like the only thing missing is the handsome leash that has their name in a stylish font on the collar dangling about their neck.

My point is this, as we communicated the proper order of things that should take place while dancing, the LORD showed me that the same principles applied to a solid marriage, hence a proper relationship with our Saviour as well. For a couple to keep from quickly becoming a train wreck on the dance floor, they must first understand that there is a ton of communication going on between the couple while moving about the floor. You see, there is a proper stance, posture, position and timing that must take place for everything to go well while moving. And it all starts at the beginning. There must be established who is going to lead and who is going to follow. This must be adhered to at all times. Not just when you feel like it. There must also be a slight sense of rigidity between the couple to establish a constant space for movement and fluidity. The couple is learning to move as one. You see where the Lord was taking me with all this. 

As the time wore on, I saw the groom, sensing his darling bride was getting a bit frustrated with her less dramatic learning curve, calmly tell her to not quit, that she was getting it and that he was there for her. This young couple had all the makings of a near perfect fit. He understood that he was to lead, but it was with a tenderness and calmness that showed her he loved her with his actions, not just words. And as the session played out, the progress with which this couple displayed, I had not seen in all the years I had the opportunity to teach dance. By the end of the evening, we talked about what they had learned, what to expect on the evening of their great dance and a bit of what my perspective of dancing was all about. My philosophy is this, the man's role is to become almost invisible on the dance floor. His mission is to show off and present his most excellent choice of dance partners to all those lucky enough to look upon her and admire how she glides across the floor. He is the leader and he protects and guides as they move about effortlessly as one.

The night of the big event went as planned and no one knew that they had only had two sessions together. They went slowly and gently around the parquet floor with not one person, except myself, noticing that he was gently counting out the beat to her all the while she was beaming and looking radiant as every bride should on her special day. I was never prouder. And the Lord took this young couple who requested instruction as to the proper execution of a two-step dance movement and instructed me as to how He does the same thing for each of us if we will only take our place and trust in Him as our Great Leader and Protector. If we will only keep our position IN Him as our focus throughout our new life and remember that it is in keeping that position in our great dance with our Saviour, that we are designed to be. Not leading, not in competition with Him, not working at keeping the commandments, but in resting in the completed work of Jesus Christ as LORD and Saviour. That is what Christ meant when He said to take upon us His yoke. The lightness of the weight of His yoke is such that there is no chafing, no blistering, no callousing formed. Matter of fact, when properly viewed with eyes that see and heard with ears that hear, there is no work, no effort on our part. Just two moving as one, each willingly taking their proper place. When done in this fashion, the dance is truly magnificent to behold.

Ain't GOD great!