Helen Rogers Loves to Dance With Joy!

I always enjoy a visit with Helen Rogers who at 96 years old continues to radiate joy and gladness.  Helen was the first girl born in the new village of Erlanger back in 1915.  She lived most of her life at 245 Broad Street in a simple mill house she made into a loving home.  Helen's parents were dedicated Christians and her late husband, Ellis, was a spiritual giant. 

Ellis loved his Bible and would spend all week preparing to teach his Sunday School lesson.  He and several other men from our church did numerous church related jobs, helping people in need, collecting papers for a drive to raise money to dig wells in Central America, and taking care of maintenance issues at the church.  In the summer, Ellis grew the most delicious tomatoes that should have been featured on the cover of Southern Living. 

Helen loves her church.  She was always active, always faithful.  She talks about what a loving church we have and what her church means to her.  Helen has always lived a very simple life and has never been blessed with financial abundance.  The first year our young people did a Port-A-Pit fundraiser to help with the Belize Mission Trip, we talked about several deserving members of our church for whom we wanted to donate a plate.  One was Helen Rogers. 

Several of the youth went with me to Helen's modest home on Broad Street.  She was delighted to see the youth and wanted to know who they were---grandparents, etc.   We gave Helen the plate and told her that we hoped she would enjoy it.  "Wait a minute," she said.  "I need to pay you."

We objected, telling Helen that we wanted her to have the plate as a gift from the youth. 

"But aren't you raising money for the mission trip to Belize?" she asked.  "I want to be a part of this."   And Helen went back to her bedroom and returned with a generous donation to the mission trip.  When we were in Belize, I reminded the youth of her sacrificial gift!  She was an inspiration to us all.

Helen is now a resident at Brookstone and has a wonderful roommate named "Kat" who is a vibrant Christian.  Helen and Kat have become dear friends. 

I was getting ready to leave when Helen said, "Preacher, I want to tell you something.  Perhaps, I shouldn't tell my preacher this, but I love to dance.  I always have and I always will."

I told Helen I wish I could dance.  Helen grew up in a time when many Baptists thought dancing was a sin.  Thank goodness Helen didn't listen to them.  My grandmother did listen and taught me I shouldn't dance, a lesson I now regret. 

Dancing is a celebration of joy and Helen shares love and joy every day!  Isn't it great that at age 96 she still talks about her love of dancing!   People danced in the Bible to celebrate their joy in the Lord.  And don't tell my grandmother, but I think we will all dance and rejoice in heaven!   (Actually, my grandmother is probably dancing with joy right now!)

If you get a chance to visit Helen Rogers you will be blessed and you may just dance with joy all the way home!