Barefoot on Holy Ground

In discussing the story of Moses and the burning bush this week, we ended up focusing less on the fire and more on the idea of holy ground. How to explain "holy ground" to concrete thinkers? I settled on the idea that a place of holy ground is somewhere that you feel loved and special. The list of places we generated had some hits (the bed where we cuddle to read bedtime stories, the field where they play baseball with Daddy) and misses (our TV), but I tried not to pass judgement and instead model with my own contributions.

One spot I suggested was the park within easy walking distance of our house. In the summer it boasts a beautifully manicured rose garden. In the fall the mature oaks blaze red and orange. I have many memories of pushing a stroller, pulling a wagon, helping balance a precarious 2-wheeler, taking family photos, and outdoor meals on blankets in this space. We took advantage of the not-too-steamy weather this week, put the dog on her leash and packed a picnic lunch for our special park.

"Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." -Exodus 3:5

In my own thinking about this story of Moses, I was drawn to the image of bare feet. Why does God call  Moses to take off his shoes? To the Kindermusik teacher in me, the answer is clear. In our music and movement classes with young children, we always encourage children to be barefoot, because "the sensory input from the bottoms of the feet send information directly to the brain about texture, temperature, and contour of the surface. When barefoot, the child doesn't need to use his or her eyes to look at the surface under his feet creating an unnatural posture, but rather can sense where the floor is and make adjustments with appropriate posture. Their bare feet give them the proprioceptive sensory feedback that allows them to learn balance and a stable base of support" (Kindermusik). Playing barefoot, especially outside, connects our brains to our bodies and our bodies to the earth. We are grounded. We more fully sense creation--God's creation--as it is literally underfoot. The lesson: connect with yourself and connect to God with some good barefoot play and experience Holy Ground!