Dancing Queen...or something.

This week, at the expense of myself, I'm going to illustrate something I've learned this week. (Can you tell I write these on Sundays? :)

I guess I'll start with a comment a couple of my friends made awhile back about the whole being someone's hero and someone else's idiot. And so the discussion started. Which was I really? What side did I lean more towards? The final conclusion was that I was a heroic idiot.

The next discussion I wanted to start was whether that was a compliment or not. Either way, for some reason this kept running through my head as I mingled with my peers at a dance this weekend. I'm kind of a dancing-aholic. A dancing nerd, if you will. I don't think I've missed a church dance since I first turned fourteen, though they play a lot of the same songs. And, if you read the lawn mowing post, that kind of got a little...redundant. So, of course, I had to mix it up.

Good Intention #1: Jumping Into Random Circle of People I Don't Know.

I've come to realize I think I'm immune to cliques. That's probably because I really don't see myself fitting into either of them so I just kind of consider myself in all of them. Anyways, Good Intention #1 started out really clumsy. I got a couple people's names and then got closed out of the circle. So I kind of hovered outside for awhile and then got in only to be closed out again. But finally someone else came to stand around and, after I decided to get his name, eventually got a swing-dance session out of it. Though I did most of it wrong and ended up getting dropped on the ground,  it was a blast!

Good Intention #2: Finding a Wallplant to Dance With

I know it's technically the guys' job to ask, but with the way my brain works, I usually can't stand in the same place for very long and wait for them. Don't get me wrong, I love when it happens. Its just a matter of...well, I just need to learn relax a bit I guess. As my mom said today, "Turn the Annelie volume down" (and if your reading this blog, I'm afraid its blaring.)

Anyways, so I made my way all the way to the otherside of the dance floor and found a guy leaning up against a wall more in the shadows. So, of course, I asked him to dance. He seemd a little uneasy at first, but it worked. It was really fun to see his bored face turn into a smile and to just meet a new person. And later I saw him several times in the middle of the dance and was able to say hi to him. I'd made a new friend!

Good Intention #3: Telling the DJ to Change a Bad Song

It's a church dance. I always feel like a hypocrite when I say I'm going to a church dance and then some ugly, stomach-clenching line comes blasting through the entire church building. In this case it was a parking lot, but still.

I've been meaning to do this for a long time, I've just never got up the courage. For some reason though, this time I was determined. I even told my more media-rounded friend that he was supposed to tell me when one of those songs came on so I could. That look he gave me still makes me wish I hadn't said anything, but at lenght, one came on and I finally found myself stumbling over to the DJ. I immediatly began mumbling.

"What?" he turned to me and asked over the music.

"I...you...could you change the song?"

"Why?" he asked, looking out at the dancing masses.

"Um...it's not...it's not good. Morally good, that is."

He gave me a doubting look, "What does it say?"

My shoulders slumped, couldn't he just trust me? So I described the meaning of the song and his eyes widened, "Oh! Ok, I will. Thanks, I appreciate that."

So is it alright to feel that warm fuzzy feeling and that 'you are such a goody-two-shoes Molly Mormon, let loose for once' feeling at the same time?

Good Intention #4: Interupt Guy Socializing With No One but His Cell Phone and Ask Him to Dance

This one really wasn't that amazing. He seemed a little bored with me through the whole thing, but I just kind of laughed and was just glad to know that I had the courage to do it.

Good Intention #5: Recommend the Hokey Pokey

"Hey, you should do the Hokey Pokey."

"The what?" he took off his headphones.

"The Hokey Pokey."

He gave me a strange look, "The what?"

"The Hokey Pokey!"

"One more time."
"The! Hokey! Pokey!" This was hard enough as it was!

"The Hokey Pokey."

"Yes."

"...I'll...think about it."

That was considerate DJ talk for "No. That's a dumb song. Now quit wasting my time kid."

Good Intention #6: Ask Lonely Younger Kid to Dance.

"Hey, you wanna dance?"

"No."

I guess my point is that not everything is going to be as flawless as we may intend. I get really hyper at dances so these weren't the only half-awkward moments I created. But a lot of times I get stuck on those little things. The little flaws in what was supposed to be something selfless or noble. Something bold or just cool. I can get so focused on them, that I don't see the rest of the results and I have a tendancy to think because of that one little slip-up, the entire thing was messed up.

But this weekend I was beginning to realize sometimes its just the fact that I attempted. The Lord knew very well the weakness of my hands, but he also knew the intentions of my heart. Its those intentions, and a pinch of faith, that allow him to make us more than we are, to strenghten our hands. So though we may feel a little awkward at times,or clumsy, or loud, or whatever else, if we give that heart full of intentions all to Him, we have no reason to fear. He can help. Or, in aweomse scripture terms...

Ether 12: 27 -- And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

So even if your like me, the 'heroic idiot' who comes racing to the rescue only to trip themselves in the process, don't worry. If you're willing to listen, the Lord will remind you that you just need to tie your shoelaces.