the dance

this morning i read Psalm 30. amid the treasure that is found in that passage of the Word are these verses: {11+12}

"you turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. o Lord my God, i will give you thanks forever." 

a few weeks ago i spent a few days with my parents at their home in Washington.  i talk to my dad on the phone quite regularly and i'm grateful for the deep and open friendship we enjoy.  one of the consistent conversations we have is in regards to the walk my father takes almost daily.  he calls it his 'prayer-walk' and he does it, weather permitting, at 'his park'.  on this recent trip to WA i was able to take part in person on the walk with him.  i cannot begin to explain what an emotional experience it was.  these pictures do not do the place justice. the trees are majestic and massive, towers of beauty and grace and strength. what my dad has discovered is that these magnificent representations of creation exist at this park in sets of 3. each in a triangular pattern.  he sees in this an illustration of the Trinity and as he walks and prays he considers the weight of each... Father.  Son.  Holy Spirit.  and engages in conversation with each.  

no. he's not crazy.  although i'm sure some that have noticed him talking out loud might think otherwise! he just gets swallowed up in the moment, truly conversing with his Creator.  as i walked behind him and beside him, watching and listening, trying desperately to absorb every thought and word, i wept.  it was so very real. and heavy. and light. i tried to explain to my family when i got home... but you really, truly had to be there.  2 big, main things struck me, although there was enough there to write an entire book! one was that my dad, having spent his life in ministry, is continuing to find new, fresh truth through the Word of God and in relationship with Him.  he is 73 and not only grew up in a preachers house, but wound up the preacher in his own house, where i was raised. he's literally been in and around ministry all his life... and Jesus remains real. actually, he says God is MORE real than ever before.  the fact that he continues to find analogies and illustrations, and have visions and dreams for the future inspires and encourages me to no end.

the second thing relates to the Psalm i mentioned at the very beginning.  my parents are at a crossroads. a moment in time i suppose we'll all reach at some point in our lives, where age and experience and life and death and sickness and the future all come crashing together to form a big ball of chaotic confusion and the way forward is veiled in fear.  and yet... God promises to turn wailing into dancing. mourning to joy. confusion into clarity. he promises peace. by His Spirit. and i saw this played out as my dear-ol-dad danced around the trees and expounded on the reality of who God the Father is, how Jesus the Son saves and what the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through us. simple truths with deep meaning that will last a lifetime.