From crying to dancing ,,,

Today, I was sitting and watching as Joshlynn ran around the house with a piece of bread. She went and hid in our living room and when I went to check out why she was so quiet, I found her sitting in the floor and she was ripping that piece of bread to shreds. It was all over the floor in tiny pieces. She was eating each individual piece, but when she saw me walk in and look at her, the tears started flowing. She knew that what she had done was not the right thing. It was what she wanted to do “at the time.”

I pointed out her mess, made her pick up the big pieces, and then I placed her in time out. She cried the whole time, and finally when I let her get up she went right back to the table where the rest of us were sitting and acted like nothing happened. She then saw me go and start vacuuming the smaller pieces up and saw that I didn’t look to happy still, and she got up and came over and hugged my leg and said, “Sorry Daddy!” This 32 year old man, who had been so angry before, over bread, could do nothing but turn off the vacuum and pick up his daughter and hug her as tight as he could.

She did something wrong, because at the moment it was what she wanted to do. Kids are like that unfortunately, that’s why we parents need to teach them what not to do and why. The crazy thing is, we as adults are like that sometimes too. We just do something, and then we pay the price. The guilt comes and we know who we are supposed to turn to for that acceptance and forgiveness. We turn to our Father.

Psalm 30
I will exalt you, LORD, for you rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O LORD.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous, I said,
"Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.

I cried out to you, O LORD.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"What will you gain if I die,
if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
Can it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O LORD."

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!

Joshlynn received her hug from daddy and we danced around the room for a little while and then she ran off in a rush to her next project. She was so happy, but just minutes before, she was in tears because she was caught doing something wrong. I wanted to share this story, and relate to you that part of Celebration is knowing that you have been a horrible person, and you have failed your Father, but you also know that your Father is waiting on you to run back to him and ask for that forgiveness. That is when the party starts in your heart.

Just like Joshlynn, a smile should jump onto your face, and you should begin that beautiful dance of praise, because your Daddy loves you so much even though you stumble and fail. I think that we need to really celebrate as well. You can tell when you have made your children happy, especially by letting them know they are forgiven. Take some time to thank God for his forgiveness and sing some songs, write down a prayer of praise for all He has done for you, do a little dance around the room, or just sit alone in your favorite chair and smile in the presence of your God. You are forgiven, your God is there for you as always, and He loves you!

Praise God!

Jason