You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks…… but you can always teach a seasoned bird how to fly a little higher.

I named myself “Firebird” at 9 years old. I had put on a ballet tutu, put on Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, and put on a show for an audience of one – that “one” being myself. Mommy was shopping and Daddy was who-knows-where, but I could always depend on me, myself and I to be the perfect audience. That’s how it started, but before the Suite came to its end, I truly sensed that my audience of one had become an audience of One. At 9 years old, I felt the Presence of God enter my living room; I felt His Fire enter my bosom; I felt His Anointing pour upon me like rain. By the end of the Suite, I was laying on the blue shag carpet feeling a peace and a wonder that made me cry, though I still did not fully understand why.

Forty-two years later, and this bird has accumulated many decades of flying. Though I have spent, and wasted, far too many years “grounded” due to my own disobedience as well as circumstances beyond my control, I have also been blessed with as many years “in flight,” ie, DANCING! And now--- this seasoned bird is ready to be a “Higha Flya” –Hallelujah! I will be spending the next year as a student of the Eagles International Training Institute, with the hope of receiving my minister’s license by Oct 2011! The purpose of blogging this is 2-fold: First, in celebration of myself. Yes, my sistahs—we do need to celebrate ourselves sometime! This is the kind of boasting that makes the Father proud. When He brings us from such a mighty long way….. when His long-suffering nature has bought you the time you needed to get yourself together…. when enough illnesses and operations have more than convinced you that, indeed, it is ONLY in HIM that you live and move and have your being--- Oh Yes! It’s alright to celebrate yourself! He Knows all the Glory belongs to HIM!
But secondly, I’m blogging because this will probably be the last time in a long while that I’m able to take the time to do this much writing. For those who have ever considered Eagles Institute, it is important that you pick a time in your life that you can enjoy a lot of biblical studying and writing. I can already see that most of my writing, outside of my occupational life, will have to be devoted to my monthly essays. Also, there is A LOT happening in Liturgical Dance World and in Worship Arts in general [check out the SAVE THE DATES!], so between keeping up ministry opportunities, working full-time in Special Education, and being there for my husband and teenage daughter (we have 6, but the other 5 are grown), I think blogging will have to take a back seat. Do continue to check out Firebird for Save the Dates and periodic videos, etc. Just know that, for now, Firebird is learning to fly like an Eagle!