Do you know anyone currently suffering from the ‘winter blues’ ? Our island was dumped on by a huge amount of snow last week, and people are looking particularly glum.
So, at the coffee shop yesterday, I invited two friends, ‘Andrea’ and ‘Joyce’ over to my house to teach them them how to belly dance. This ancient Arabic dance is properly called ‘Raqs Sharqi’.
Both friends looked shocked, and declined my offer. Andrea said that her husband would not allow this. Joyce, with real indignation in her voice, asked me if I knew that she was Pentecostal.
They didn’t give me a chance to explain that this ancient form of dance has excellent health benefits. It increases muscle strength and flexibility, improves circulation, eases stress, promotes relaxation and helps to improve posture.
They refused my offer before I could tell them that this exercise also improves digestion.
Both Andrea and Joyce were ‘offended’ by my offer. Do you think, though, that Christians should be easily offended by small stuff ? Lord, help us not to become touchy, and easily offended . Such an attitude of pettiness does not draw others to the Lord.
Andrea and Joyce also missed out on the delicious Moroccan mint tea that I was planning to offer them.
For now, I will continue my dancing by myself. As my dancing skirt jingles and sparkles, I look out over the mountains of snow that are glistening in the sunshine now.
The days are getting longer, Spring is coming.
We have a choice of being glum, or choosing to be happy.
Choose happiness !
Theology of a Newfoundland Housewife 
too bad for your friends that they are not open minded and less judgmental. Personally I think God loves to see people having fun and laughing. Belly dancing is taught in my city and many ladies enjoy the exercise and the swaying movement. I have mint in my backyard and I love having it in hot water in the summer, and it smells great when it spreads into the lawn and I run over it with the lawnmower. 🙂
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Excellent ! I can just imagine the smell of the mint in the lawn. Thanks for sharing. 🤗
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Your view of the mountain sounds divine. Lol your friends reacted like you were sending them to Vegas to perform. Perhaps you will get a chance to explain another time.
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Hahaha…..great comment . Thanks ! 😁
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I tend to get blah in the winter, so I pack my calendar with activities and such to keep me moving and doing
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Moving and doing is excellent ! And you are blessed because where you live there are so many great things to do. 😁
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I am very lucky! And I remind myself that daily
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I enjoy reading about the excitement in New York. I have visited there. Such an amazing city. 🤗
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💗💗💗
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I would definitely come over to your house. I’d love to learn how to belly dance 🙂 God gave us all things to enjoy. He came that we might have life, and have it to the full 🙂
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So true ! The abundant life is joyful ! Glad you are interested in belly dancing !
It is so much more fun than doing ‘sit-ups.’ 🤗
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It is funny and sad how your friends reacted. Well, they sure did miss out.
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Haha….perhaps I will try inviting some others….😁
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If I were in Newfoundland, I would totally join you for dancing and tea. My best friends are like-minded, but those friendships take time. Maybe next time lead in with the tea offer. You’ll find your tribe.
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Hi Crystal ! Yes, for sure. I will extend my invitation to others. Thanks for commenting. 🤗
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It is a pity your friends did not trust you enough to know that you would not introduce them to something that was bad for them. This is how we sometimes missed out on our blessing when it does not come packsge in the way we want it. I was hoping you would post a picture of yourself in the costume. May be next time. 🙂
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Yes, Beverley. You are insightful. It was a matter of not feeling trusted by my friends. 🤗
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Lol. I can why they might have declined. I don’t know if I would have accepted the offer, but that’s because I’m not the most spontaneous or adventurous person. I probably would have let you show me or explain yourself though. I don’t think that I would have been offended. I don’t offend that easy. ☺
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It is a happy person who is not easily offended. 🤗
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I don’t dance only because I am clumsy and might hurt someone else 🙂
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Hopefully you get a chance to explain later so they don’t have the wrong thoughts toward you or try to spread rumors. Thanks for the background information on belly dancing!
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Hi Dawn ! You made a very good point ! For sure this would be a good topic for “rumour spreading”. The old rumour mill works very quickly in our rural outport. 🤗
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I can see why a person would decline your offer, but cannot fathom people getting offended bout anything, let alone something like that. I have never been a dancer and would probably trip over my own feet trying to do something like that. At 74 and one who has never done much in the exercise way, I am not particularly supple and my balance is questionable, and am kind of klutzy. I would be a danger to myself and possibly to others. 🙂
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Gee whiz..that’s so sad. If I was ever a touchy person..raising four kids cured me. Raising four kids cured me of a lot of personal hang ups now that I think about it…HAHA. 😉
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Hi Cindy ! Raising kids will do it every time ! Congratulations on raising a healthy family. 🤗
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Yes it will.. truthfully they also “raised” me into a healthy adult!
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Yes, you are healthy, well-adjusted, and funny. 🤗
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So sweet.. but about the well adjusted part…😉
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Music and movement definitely helps chase away the blues. (That cup of tea doesn’t hurt, either. 😉 )
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Thanks for your comment ! I feel, however that, although my intentions were good, outport Newfoundland ladies misinterpreted my offer. My reputation is at risk now…..🤗
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Well, as my pastor used to say, “You won’t worry about what people think of you once you realize how seldom they do.” 😉
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Hahaha…..good point ! 😁
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My oldest daughter and I joined a belly dancing class last winter. It was fun when she was with me, but then she had to miss several classes and I felt awkward and alone in the group.
As for belly dancing being something to offend Christians, I don’t know what to say on that. Maybe there is something I don’t know, but as far as I could see, the classes I attended were all about learning certain dance moves, with much laughter. No mention was made to allude to symbolism of false deity worship or anything that would raise red flags in my mind, like what has happened in my mind concerning things to do with “yoga”. Hey, I love doing stretches. Been doing various ones all my life and never called them “yoga”, but if someone slaps the word “yoga” on my car and tells me they own the rights to my using it, I’d ignore them and keep driving.
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I’m glad that you and your daughter enjoyed the class. 🤗
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I’m so introverted and uncomfortable around strangers, it wasn’t great unless my daughter was with me. She’s the same way but together we have fun.
I do wonder what the ladies who refused your bellydance lesson had in their minds, if there was something specific that might be useful information to those of us who could benefit from knowing, or if it was a vague “you shouldn’t do that kind of dancing because I say so” that somehow got into their heads. I’ve probably been guilty of the latter kind of thinking in the past. Like you said, such an attitude of pettiness doesn’t help draw anyone to the Lord, and if I am ever guilty of it, I hope I catch myself and stop… think… pray… and wait, before deciding what to say or do.
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Exactly – think, pray and wait. 🤗
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It’s a shame people are closed minded like this and think that belly dancing is something bad. I took 3 years of belly dance classes and there’s nothing shameful about it. I’d still be taking the classes if I could afford them. In my opinion the dance, costumes and music are all beautiful and sensual. I cannot understand why people look down on it. They are missing out!!
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