dance with thankful hearts

"addressing one another with psalms, 

and hymns and spiritual songs, 

singing and making melody to the Lord Jesus Christ, 

giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

Eph 5:19-20

It was a bit, no, VERY unsettling to me the first time I got off a plane on a remote landing strip in East Africa. 

I had not been prepared for the welcome we would receive...

I was a white guy surrrounded by Africans, singing in a language I did not speak, dancing with joy and waving branches. 

I wanted to scream "stop it, I'm just a man, why are you treating me like this!"

What I didn't know is that although they were thankful to see me, they were more grateful to God that  He sent us, and protected us the entire journey. 

The Swahili word "mzungu", what we would say translats to "white guy", is better understood to mean a person of such great wealth that they can pretty much do anything. 

There is a curse behind all of that; I didn't praise God for sending me or keeping me safe to the degree my new friends did. 

We cures the rain, they praise God for it. 

We go to a doctor when we are sick, they go to God. 

We say "bless the hands who prepared our food", they say Bless the God who made it. 

God knew what He was talkign about when He encouraged us to thank him for all things in all times and in all places. He knew the day would come when we would forget that His hand provides all things. 

Today, slow down and look at your food before you give thanks for it. 

Marvel at how it grew. Give thanks for the sun, the rain, the earth. 

If you are daring, or alone, sing a song of praise to Him.

...you see, I was not the humble ones on the dirt runway, they were...to God and God alone