To Dance with Joy

It was a blustery Ohio winter, and it was my first experience teaching kindergarten. There’s so much to love about kindergartners: their span of learning from the first day of school to the last, their joy about life in its altogether greatness, and the gifts they give.

Very often, they either had no idea what they were giving because Mom had done all the shopping, or they chose to give something handmade—which could be a surprise to us all.

On the last day before Christmas break, Joshua came to me to ask a question. As he stood there pondering his question, he noticed the stack of packages on my desk and the line of children bringing presents to the teacher. I could read the thoughts on his face: “Everyone is bringing presents…I don’t have a present.”

Changing gears, he said, “Mrs. Williford…um, my present for you is…um…a song! That’s right, a song! Only, um, the words…I can’t remember. So instead, um, I will… I will… I will do this dance for you!”

He proceeded to dance in circles all around me – to the music in his imagination. He pirouetted and twirled, jumped and bounced around in a flurry of happy dancing. At the end of his performance, he bowed deeply. He said to me, in a British accent no less, “Brought to you by your student, Joshua Redmore.”

His was the most precious gift of my day.

As I celebrate the newborn King, I want to be the girl who, realizing her hands are empty, chooses to dance with joy before him. Perhaps to music only he can hear.

* * *

Let them praise His name with dancing.

~ Psalm 149:3