Two Lefts Don't Make a Right

Many years ago, way back in the Dark Ages when I was in my early 20's, I stepped out of the box and into the world of entertainment.

I auditioned to be in the shows at our local amusement park.

Now, while this may not seem to be of the same monumental import as say, oh, skydiving or jumping over 42 Greyhound buses on a motorcycle, it was A BIG STEP for me. Because, after all, that could lead to who knows what in my brilliant career of song-dom. I could be DISCOVERED by some record producer or talent agent that just happened to be vacationing in Our Fair City and whose children had roped them into a day that, for them, would not be WORLDS OF FUN.

A-hem.

Until, of course, they happened to sit through one of the shows I was in. At which point they'd be all google-eyed and wonder-struck, just aching to know who on earth that extremely talented songstress was, and how in the world they could sign her up before anyone else whisked her away to certain fame and fortune.

Uh-huh. You know it.

So I went to the open call. I made it through the first auditions just fine. I sang up a storm and really wowed 'em. I was asked to return for callback auditions. I had the world in an oyster shell. Things were great, things were swell, things were comin' up roses.

But then the callback audition came along. In this round I had to sing, but there was another monkey wrench thrown into the works.

I had to dance.



Now, you may think that because I can sing, dancing would just naturally follow. I mean hey, you use rhythm to sing, right? And if you use rhythm to sing, then you will most certainly be able to use it to dance. Look at Fred Astaire. Look at Der Binger, or Judy Garland. They could all sing and dance. So I should be able to do the same thing, right?

Wrong.

Oh, so very, very wrong.


They started out by teaching us a few simple steps and having us repeat them. I had two strikes against me from the get-go. One, I was overweight. Two, I didn't know you were supposed to wear "dancing attire," and so I showed up in slacks and heels.

Can you say "loser" with me?

I learned the steps, or at least I thought I had. But when it came time to actually DO THE DANCE, I ended up moving left when I should've moved right, forward when I should've moved back, up when I should've been down, and used not one iota of any of the rhythmic talent with which I have been so sparingly gifted.

In front of a panel of judges.

When I embarrass myself, I do it big. Really big.


The only thing I managed to do well was not to fall down. However, in my case that might have been a blessing. I could've feigned an ankle injury at the very beginning, thus saving myself and others from the sad spectacle I made of myself. It was so bad that I can't even remember most of it, much less try to repeat the steps.

I hung my head afterwards and walked out defeated. I'd made a complete fool of myself. What on earth could I have been thinking to even try? I was just happy the sound of the judges laughter didn't carry out to the parking lot.

So what's the point in me baring my proverbial faults to the blogging world?

Just this...

God didn't let me down. Even though I may have failed in my own eyes, God didn't see it that way. He had better plans I couldn't even know about.

If I'd gotten that job, I would've worked terrible hours for ridiculously low pay. I would've been away from my young son for the better part of spring, the whole summer and into the fall. I would have become a pseudo-mother, letting my own mother raise my son for one-half of a year.

HALF OF A YEAR.

Now, if you're a mom, you know how much can happen with a little guy in just a few weeks. You know how they grow and learn and change in even that short a period of time. If I had gotten that job, I would have missed some of the most important times in my young son's life. And for what? Nothing at all. So my little Baby Elephant Shuffle led to some of the greatest happiness I've ever known.

Today I use what talent I have to sing praise to God. I'm part of the band at my church, and there's nothing I like better than singing for this purpose...His praise, His honor and His glory. God was faithful to me in the Dark Ages, and He's faithful to me now. He's brought me through many more times when my own stubbornness could have gotten me into trouble, and He continues to do so every day.

So the next time you can't understand why you're going through a tough time, why things aren't working out, or even if something you've planned just doesn't go your way, it might be wise to do one thing.

Trust God.

Trust that the One who made you knows what He's doing. Trust that His plan for you is better than any you might come up with on your own. Trust that He alone knows what the future will bring, and that He will do only what He sees as right for you.

Trust Him.

Praise Him no matter what is going on, because He WILL bring you through it. Praise Him in the good times, and praise Him in the bad times. Praise Him because He holds YOU close to His heart. He holds YOU in the palm of his hand.

And He'll bring you out of the Dark Ages, just like he did me.

Even if you have two left feet.

Ecclesiastes 3:4
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.