What's Your Dream?

I think most of us have dreams.  No, I'm not referring to the ones we have during sleeptime, but dreams of what our lives will be, what we will accomplish, what - or who - we will be.  What has happened to those dreams?

When we are young, we want to be 'just like mom or dad' - depending on our closeness to which parent.  Or maybe it is a favorite aunt or uncle we want to be like, because they always have time for us, always are open to us, always listen to us - after all, our parents were always too busy with providing with us to be that special person in most cases.

Or perhaps as we grew older we wanted to be a nurse.  Or a teacher. Or a scientist.  Or an engineer. Or an architect.  Or a ??.  What were your dreams of becoming?

I remember reading nurse fiction books when I was growing up, and although I enjoyed the books, I can't say that I wanted to be a nurse.  It seems like my dream was more of being a librarian because I love books so much.   In fact, at one time I wanted one room in my house to be wall to wall books - and looking at all the books I have - and have given away over the years - I've tried to accomplish that.  Reality set in a few years back though, that in the current house we are in, a room full of books was just not going to happen.  I gave up on that dream.  I still love books and still try to read as much as I can.  My taste in books isn't always what others like - I'm not big into fiction, nor do I read sci-fi.  I used to love the mysteries by Phillis Whitney and Victoria Holt.  I know, same person, but I didn't know that for a long time.  I loved the tales of happenings in the old mansions, the love found between two people who didn't like each other at the beginning of the book.  They were always fun to read.  Grace Livingston Hill was also a favorite author.  At one time I think I had read every one of her books - but then life took over and I didn't read for a long time.  It's nice to read a good, clean, love story.

But I get off track.  Sorta.  One of my dreams growing up - and still is - is to write a book.  I keep telling myself I won't get it written if I don't start at some point.  But I often wonder if from all the books I have read, if what I write won't be pulled not from my own thoughts, but from those I've read.   I still won't know until I start.  One of these days, perhaps.....

I've had other dreams of where I thought I could be of value.  Dreams that have gotten shattered along the way.  Perhaps shattered is not the correct word.  Sacrificed, perhaps?  I can't remember where I read this yesterday, or was it this morning - but whatever and whenever it was, it talked about what have we sacrificed for God.

What has God asked you to give up?  I guess the next question is - 'Did you?'  Sometimes we may be prompted to give up doing something because it isn't good for our health, our marriage, or well-being.  I don't really consider those a 'sacrifice'.  To me a sacrifice is surrendering something you enjoy or love for something even greater.

Webster says sacrifice is....

: an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar

: something offered in sacrifice

a : destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else

b : something given up or lost <the sacrifices made by parents>
 

Things that make you go hmmmm.  Yes, in the Old Testament we have read about child sacrifices offered to Molech, calf and other idols of gold and the things sacrificed to them.  We also know about the sacrifices parents make FOR their children.  It makes me pause and smile for I know my children now are realizing the sacrifices that were made for them - for they are now making these sacrifices for their own children.  Sacrifices of time, space, energy. 

We also have sacrifices of dreams.  I know I had a dream...... and sacrificed my dream.  Just like you do many times.  I want to believe that I didn't get my dream because it wasn't God's dream for me.  Just as our choices in life cause our dreams to change, circumstances and other people can cause your dreams to change.  You sacrifice your dream for specific reasons.

But there are other dreams you hold on it.  Or are they just wishes?  I wish I had..... I dream of the day I can.... Some day I will....

Why not begin today?  What is keeping you from beginning on that dream today?  I know, I'm speaking to myself too.  I think of a son who is an avid reader and can write really cool stories.... what if he put them all together and published a book of short stories?  I am confident he can do it - even as an e-book.  It would be so exciting to me if he would do it.  It may not have been his dream, but I know it is something he can do.  (Son, I also have a 'how to' book on Kindle on publishing an ebook if you want to see it.)   I also think that I need to sit down and pull stories from my blog and put in book form.  I love to cook - why not pull those recipes together to pass on to my granddaughters?  See - I speak to myself as well.

I wrote most of this yesterday and got sidetracked when one of my coworkers came in and started sharing some things.  Trying to pull my thoughts back to where I was going with this - I'm thinking it was how we have dreams of what we would like to be when we grow up - and to do - and how we often either have to give them up because life gets in the way, or we choose to give them up because life gets in the way.  Or, because of life, dreams get changed.

But what if you kept that dream, but just allowed it go dormant for awhile?  What if today - now - is the time for you to flame that dream alive and go after it?  What if.... the dream you had came do-able for you.  Take some time to sit down and think about that dream.   What is the first step?  Take it.

What's your dream?  Dream big.... take a deep breath.... and go for it!

Blessings!