My Happy Dance

I got caught doing the happy dance today. The janitor at the office is a man who is staying at the Mission and is volunteering to help out. I rather think it was a side of me that he had never seen and certainly did not expect.. he seemed pretty startled. But there I was in my office doing the happy dance and saying “Woo Hoo!”

The occasion of my celebration was the grant proposal that I just put the finishing touches on. I will bundle it up and deliver it to the Foundation this afternoon. I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when I wrap up each grant and send it on its way with lots of prayers for its final success.

Deadlines have always been a part of my adult life. There have been sermons to write, grant deadlines, meetings, appointments, events … there are so many components of what I do that has a deadline attached to it.

Even though deadlines might be the norm for me, I do not always find them easy. There are too many times when the pressure of overlapping deadlines are smothering me. I think sometimes it is like being a deep sea diver. You have to be very careful to monitor your rate of descent and ascent because the pressure can kill you. You are okay in the suit as long as you pay attention.

I think it also matters what I pay attention to. In my own life I need to look beyond my projects and deadlines. There are things that I need in my life every day:

• I need to connect with Christ
• I need to connect with people
• I need to laugh
• I need to dance

All of those things will help me decrease the pressure and increase my feeling of well being. I think it is probably more important than all of my deadlines put together.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come”. Proverbs 31:25

With that in mind, next I think I will go and shock the secretaries with my happy dance… you know that will make me laugh.

Just Connie