The Hokey Pokey - Is it really what it's all about?
It's true... while doing the hokey pokey at my wedding reception, I did a big spin and WHAM! I fell to the floor! Wow, it happened so fast! Did anyone see me? Did I rip my dress? All of this led me to a very important question... is the Hokey Pokey really what it's all about?
I did not realize or even want to know the foreshadowing that had on things to come. See, I personally had experienced a great deal of recovery through Jesus Christ prior to meeting Ron. After experiencing abuse, an abortion, and several years of not using my body in a pure manner – I turned to God and He purified me from head to toe. Isaiah 1:18 was alive and well in my life! “Come, lets talk this over, says the Lord. Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” As I walked down the wedding aisle that day, I was white as snow – I was like wool. My time of restoration was totally awesome and really helped set us up for a healthier marriage.
I was a bit naïve in how intense of an impact my past would have on our marriage, and, of course I had no idea of so many other challenges we would face... I had no idea my Mom’s health would fail so rapidly and pass away at such a young age or that my job would require me to work in Houston for a year while Ron stayed in Oklahoma. I had no idea that we would end up on work/school schedules that would have us working opposite schedules of one another for 7 out of 9 years of marriage. I had no idea that we would hold our lifeless, newborn son and face the challenges of such deep grief.
Turning around is still a requirement in my life – everyday, but all this turning around can sometimes makes me dizzy. Does anyone else ever get dizzy?
How does a ballerina keep from getting dizzy when he/she spins and spins? Apparently the spinning ballerina keeps returning her eyes to a given point in order to maintain balance.
I was pretty dizzy early in our marriage – Panic set in as I started to deal with triggers and guilt from my past, but about 6 months into our marriage I was introduced to Celebrate Recovery. I knew Jesus was my Higher Power, but I had no idea of all the practical tools He had laid out for me in His Word for dealing with pain, confusion, boundaries, loss, etc.
There was no doubt in my mind that I needed to be turned around but I was turning aimlessly and I was the one doing ALL the turning. As I would spin, I would fall. Spin and fall. Spin and fall. This was exhausting and, frankly, a little embarrassing. Then Celebrate Recovery gave me the tools very similar to that of a ballerina “keep returning my eyes to a given point”. This point was Jesus Christ.
I learned that I am not the one in control of the getting myself spun around… I must only be willing to keep my eyes on Jesus – His specialty is turning someone around. I also learned that in my spinning journey I do sometimes fall – even when I am doing what I know to be right. I live in a sinful world – so hurts will exist – but even when I am falling or when I am down, if I keep returning my eyes to Him, He will gently lift me up and return me to my journey.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne.”
When I keep my eyes fixed upon Him, it doesn’t mean that these things don’t hurt, or that they don’t have an impact on my life… it doesn’t mean that I won't get dizzy at times and fall down. It does mean that I don’t become my problems.
This is a place of rest and a peace that otherwise doesn’t exist. This is a hope that cannot be encountered any other way. I now experience tenacity and a joyful expectation of the days ahead as I learn to trust God and His creative plan for my life.
So that leads me back to the Hokey Pokey. Is it really what it’s all about? The song uses the words “turn yourself around – that’s what it’s all about.” I think that’s what this world would have us to believe – that we need to turn ourselves around, but when we do that we often get dizzy and fall down. God did not create us to turn ourselves around. I can’t do it… you can’t do it, but we can keep our eyes on the one that can and acknowledge and thank Him for doing it – and tell others about it.
I don’t mean to ruin this song for you – but turning ourselves around is not what it is all about. So instead of singing “turn ourselves around – that’s what it’s all about”, maybe we can sing “Let God turn us around – that’s what it’s all about” – then we can feel more confident that we are singing truth. By the way, you can still catch me doing the Hokey Pokey from time to time... it's too fun to give up, even if I have fallen a few times :).
I did not realize or even want to know the foreshadowing that had on things to come. See, I personally had experienced a great deal of recovery through Jesus Christ prior to meeting Ron. After experiencing abuse, an abortion, and several years of not using my body in a pure manner – I turned to God and He purified me from head to toe. Isaiah 1:18 was alive and well in my life! “Come, lets talk this over, says the Lord. Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” As I walked down the wedding aisle that day, I was white as snow – I was like wool. My time of restoration was totally awesome and really helped set us up for a healthier marriage.
I was a bit naïve in how intense of an impact my past would have on our marriage, and, of course I had no idea of so many other challenges we would face... I had no idea my Mom’s health would fail so rapidly and pass away at such a young age or that my job would require me to work in Houston for a year while Ron stayed in Oklahoma. I had no idea that we would end up on work/school schedules that would have us working opposite schedules of one another for 7 out of 9 years of marriage. I had no idea that we would hold our lifeless, newborn son and face the challenges of such deep grief.
Turning around is still a requirement in my life – everyday, but all this turning around can sometimes makes me dizzy. Does anyone else ever get dizzy?
How does a ballerina keep from getting dizzy when he/she spins and spins? Apparently the spinning ballerina keeps returning her eyes to a given point in order to maintain balance.
I was pretty dizzy early in our marriage – Panic set in as I started to deal with triggers and guilt from my past, but about 6 months into our marriage I was introduced to Celebrate Recovery. I knew Jesus was my Higher Power, but I had no idea of all the practical tools He had laid out for me in His Word for dealing with pain, confusion, boundaries, loss, etc.
There was no doubt in my mind that I needed to be turned around but I was turning aimlessly and I was the one doing ALL the turning. As I would spin, I would fall. Spin and fall. Spin and fall. This was exhausting and, frankly, a little embarrassing. Then Celebrate Recovery gave me the tools very similar to that of a ballerina “keep returning my eyes to a given point”. This point was Jesus Christ.
I learned that I am not the one in control of the getting myself spun around… I must only be willing to keep my eyes on Jesus – His specialty is turning someone around. I also learned that in my spinning journey I do sometimes fall – even when I am doing what I know to be right. I live in a sinful world – so hurts will exist – but even when I am falling or when I am down, if I keep returning my eyes to Him, He will gently lift me up and return me to my journey.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne.”
When I keep my eyes fixed upon Him, it doesn’t mean that these things don’t hurt, or that they don’t have an impact on my life… it doesn’t mean that I won't get dizzy at times and fall down. It does mean that I don’t become my problems.
This is a place of rest and a peace that otherwise doesn’t exist. This is a hope that cannot be encountered any other way. I now experience tenacity and a joyful expectation of the days ahead as I learn to trust God and His creative plan for my life.
So that leads me back to the Hokey Pokey. Is it really what it’s all about? The song uses the words “turn yourself around – that’s what it’s all about.” I think that’s what this world would have us to believe – that we need to turn ourselves around, but when we do that we often get dizzy and fall down. God did not create us to turn ourselves around. I can’t do it… you can’t do it, but we can keep our eyes on the one that can and acknowledge and thank Him for doing it – and tell others about it.
I don’t mean to ruin this song for you – but turning ourselves around is not what it is all about. So instead of singing “turn ourselves around – that’s what it’s all about”, maybe we can sing “Let God turn us around – that’s what it’s all about” – then we can feel more confident that we are singing truth. By the way, you can still catch me doing the Hokey Pokey from time to time... it's too fun to give up, even if I have fallen a few times :).
To learn more about Celebrate Recovery at Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa, OK click here.
To find a Celebrate Recovery near you, click here.
For a super crazy version of the Hokey Pokey, click here!
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