“Whoomp, there it is! Whoomp, there it is! Whoomp, shaka-laka-shaka-laka-shaka-laka-shaka” If you are a ninety’s child like myself, you are probably singing this chorus in your head as you read. (You’re welcome!) It was a catchy tune and now nearly thirty years later I honestly had to look up the lyrics before writing this little article. I’m sad to report the lyrics aren’t the most wholesome and I found much more comfort in the Kidz Bop version! My young, naive self probably had no clue what the original lyrics meant and the other half of the lyrics, well I’ve never been able to understand rap music. Regardless of what I heard or didn’t hear, it was a catchy tune and was played on the Discman connected to the cassette player in our cars as we cruised the loop in Edgerton. (Students, you’ll have to ask your parents to explain this entire paragraph to you. J)
While I haven’t heard the song in years, I often say, “Whoomp, there it is!” in my head or occasionally out loud. We all have our quirks, right? I usually save it for special occasions like a grand slam hit in a baseball game, a dramatic breakup scene in a movie, or I even once uttered it out loud when my husband grounded our daughter. (Oops!) It’s my 90’s version of the more modern “Mic Drop” moment.
So what does this have to do with anything for our church Archive Article? Well, nothing really other than I have now cleared 200 words which will help me fill this page. I’ll get to the point – The other day I heard myself say this little phrase in my head when I saw the verse Micah 6:8 for like the hundredth time in just a few days. Growing up Micah 6:8 was our theme verse at Calvenettes and at each meeting our leader would prompt us with “What does the Lord require of us?” and in unison the group of girls would say, “to act justly and to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Micah six verse eight.” It’s just one of the many verses I hid in my heart as a young girl. But, as I said, it’s a verse I have seen repeatedly lately as I have read my devotions, scrolled through my Facebook feed, and the familiar words even caught my eye as I was looking at wall decor the other day. “Whoomp, there it is! Again!” I thought to myself.
Do you ever see or hear something repeatedly and finally realize maybe God is trying to get your attention? For me it means it’s time to pause and listen carefully because God is about to say something. I trust God has something for me with this scripture just as he has before. Maybe it’s a simple reminder to stay calm in this ever changing and challenging time we find ourselves in. What started as precaution a few months ago has turned to frustration, loneliness, and lots of opinions. The last couple weeks we have watched protests and riots reveal what seems like an even greater divide among many and deepening heartache within our world. So what is it the Lord requires of us when times get tough like this?
I’ve been asking myself what it means to act justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly each day. Not just what it means, but rather what it means for Becky. Whatever I am doing, I wonder if I could do it with a more generous and honest heart, love more deeply with no strings attached, and how to simply be a brighter reflection of my Savior to everyone I encounter. And I pray, as I shine my Savior’s light in this ever darkening world, I may do it in complete obedience and humility.
Are you up for the challenge? Let’s all keep our eyes and hearts open to grow in how we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. After all, what does the Lord require of us? (Whoomp, there it is!)
Becky Ossefoort