Under Pressure

Waiting.  I'm learning a lot about waiting.


Waiting for different times of the day, waiting for the end of a lengthy work set, waiting for news, waiting for results, waiting for Spring, waiting for decisions, waiting for my little guys' words to develop, waiting for information... there's a lot of waiting these days.


I love this quote cited by Joyce Gulliford in "The Waiting Place" Wisdom of Dr. Suess:
"Waiting is the springboard to the rest of my journey. Waiting is active participation in what is today and leaving behind yesterday, not worrying about tomorrow."

While I'm waiting, I'm listening to some pretty amazing artists; from my favourites on the playlist these days: Remind Me Who I Am, Ocean, and Awakened.


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Stress.  I'm learning a lot about stress.  

My husband's shift work and production-focused work environment are sources of pressure; being a mother of four, I feel diverted in every direction of the compass: surveying toddlers, redirecting a preschooler, supporting the learning of an active grade 1 student and taking care of a (chaotic) household is a juggling act; working through health challenges (additionally losing my voice last week then battling a cold this week) is exhausting as well as frustrating; and although we know change is on the horizon, for now everything is uncertain; ultimately, this leaves me in a state of pressurized waiting.  

I am learning the intricacies of faith and trust in action.  I finding myself meditating on Psalm 62 and insights of wisdom from trusted mentors and perspective found in a myriad of resources.

Wait for the Lord: "Right timing is critical in a believers walk with the Lord. However trusting His timing in important decision, uncertain direction, or pressing needs is extremely difficult when everything within us cries, "Do something!" Because we want action, waiting for God seems so passive.  To wait for the Lord means to pause for further instruction while remaining in the present circumstance. It is a purposeful, expectant focus on God- a choice to be actively still and quiet in out heart, listening for His voice and watching for His intervention. The wait is not for events to work out as we want, but rather for God's will to be done. [...]  Are you seeking Him or the thing you want from Him? Because He alone knows what is best for you, let go and trust His choice." ~ From August 2010 In Touch magazine by Dr. Charles Stanley

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In some moments of fleeting chaos, I am aware of the situational pressure I am facing.  It is hard to ignore when it takes 20 minutes to get out the door with four children in different states of duress.  I haven't seen the movie, but here's the version of Under Pressure from Happy Feet 2.  

Why - why - why ?
Love love love love love
Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one more chance
Why can't we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves

~ David Bowie/Queen "Under Pressure"

I feel these lyrics.  I also connect with two other songs connected to the movie: Don't Stop Believin' and Bridge of Light (you can read the lyrics and see the video here).  Hope is possible only through belief.   

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Hope also involves the individual recognizing the reality of a given situation and acknowledging the challenges that she needs to face.  


And hope is what gets you through to the other side.


On the one hand, my reality is this:

It is undeniable that I am overwhelmed in ways that are immeasurably more than I could've imagined; however, my family and I are blessed in ways that are impossible to enumerate.

Therefore, on the other hand, my reality is this:

Hope in meaningful gestures: touching my life by coming alongside and connecting with my children, spending their time and energy on us in a time of need, applying their skills and talents to pour love into our family, we have been surrounded by individuals and families who care deeply about both the daily and big picture challenges that we've been facing.


They 
give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
'Cause love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care
...pressure is made manageable
and lives are changed.


Thank you.