The Life of the Party
I’ve never been the life of the party. You won’t find my name atop the list of “must-invites” for your next shindig. It’s true. I’ve never been accused of having too much fun. Invite me to a party and I’m likely to be found in a corner with a good glass of wine, making friends with the family dog and calculating exit strategies.
My preferred spot on Friday night was no different.
When the “needs list” was being passed around, I signed-up for fire-pit security. Not shocking. Basically, the fire pit is as far away from the crowd as possible but close enough to see all the dancing, watch all the fun and hear all the tunes. For the introvert, it’s the promised land.
Friday night was Joy Unleashed; the special needs dance at Calvary Community Church; the valley’s premiere event for kids impacted by disabilities. The pioneer of the event and the Biblical example of how a church should throw a party, Gina Spivey along with her team of misfits, did it once again. They rolled out the red carpet, matched high school sweethearts as dates and said, “Let’s dance.”
Max Lucado once wrote, “I’m not one who easily envisions a smiling God. A weeping God, yes. An angry God, okay. A mighty God, you bet. But a chuckling God? Hardly. But consider the wedding at Cana. Jesus wasn’t invited because he was a celebrity. He wasn’t one yet. He’d yet to perform any miracles. They just liked him. The Holy One wasn’t holier-than-thou. The One who knew it all wasn’t a know-it-all. People just liked him.
Sure, there were those that called him a blasphemer, but they never called him a braggart. They accused him of heresy but never arrogance. He was branded a radical but he was never called unapproachable. He never used his heavenly status for personal gain. He was simply likeable. He called people by name. He listened to their stories. He answered their questions. He visited the sick. Helped friends. He had lunch with the little guy. He was always on the guest list.”
Suffice it to say that I don’t think Jesus would have been hanging with me around the fire pit. No, I think he would have been on stage with Robbie, tearing up the dance floor with Nathan and belly-laughing with Brandon. I think he would have been doing the “YMCA” with Kevin, singing “Shake it off” with Jennifer and sitting on the floor with Gina. He would have been the life of the party, because he brings the party to life. I can almost see him catching my eye and waving me over to join him. He’s telling me to not take myself so seriously. To lighten up. He’s encouraging me to find the beat, join the fun, unleash a little joy.
I’m envisioning a smiling God, and if you think I’m grinning, you’re right.
Jimmy Peña
Unleash Joy
The Joy Unleashed dance is just one of the outlets that we at PrayFit get to pour into, and you’re a part of it too. Whether you’re an avid reader of our blog or a monthly donor to The Body, you are in this with me. Thank you for your constant encouragement and generosity. The PrayFit Run will pour into events like this, so, I hope you sign up. We’re two months away. We need as many participants as possible.
Tuesday Prayer
Lord, my arms work because of You. My legs respond to my thoughts and my mind is uncluttered. Every ounce of my body is a gift from You. Prevent me from believing that I somehow earned any of this, but for Your glory let my workout be as reckless and abandoned as those precious kids on the dance floor as they danced the night away.
BE SURE TO VISIT THE STORE
One of the ways you can continue supporting our efforts at PrayFit is by visiting our store. A couple of new arrivals have hit the pre-sale block including our new ultra thin summer hoodie and the trucker race cap. You’re gonna love these. Thank you for checking it all out.
