2 Thorns and A Rose

My left hip hurts.
My right hip hurts.
I almost quit.

But I didn't.

You know what would have happened last year?
I would have danced, but inside, I would have quit, and that's half the battle lost.

Today, I found something more.
An inner strength I never knew before.
It comes from a year's training with Jesus.
Walking with Jesus.
And allowing him to be enough for me.
Allowing him to take me hand when all I really want is to sit and sulk.
To allow him to walk me even when my bruised ego is torn and tattered and wants to give up.

How am I dancing with two bad hips?
Last year, I would have said no and sat out.
This year, miraculously, I am still dancing.
Even as the teachers say things like, "you're not going to be a very good dancer even after you graduate", and things like "you need to lose weight", "you're a little too chubby", "what are you doing? that's not dancing!"
Demeaning talk? I've heard it before, all too many times.

Yes I'm still dancing.
Somewhere inside, I'm sarting to understand, for real, the difference between magic and miracles.
The quote from Evan Almighty comes, once again, to mind.

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

If someone prays to become stronger, do you think God zaps them with super muscles or does He give them the grace to train even when their bodies are not wanting to?