As a child I used to get in trouble in school for daydreaming. I often heard things like, "Earth to Tracey" or "Hellooooo???" in an effort to get my attention that had wandered out the window. I remember during gym class being in the outfield of a kickball game and my classmates being mad at me because I missed the ball. I was in an "outfield" of my own! Daydreamers often get labeled as "flighty" or "drifty". I was affectionately nicknamed "Spacey Tracey" because my mind was often off dreaming instead of attending to the task at hand.
My "spaciness" or absentmindedness has carried over to adulthood and is often a nuisance because it results in lost car keys among other things and sometimes lost time but I have learned to embrace it.
If you can't dream it, you can't have it!
One particular daydreaming episode involved my hubby. I was in 10th grade and the marching band was rehearsing outside my French class window. They were playing "Laughter in the rain" by Neil Sedaka (hey - it was 1981 ok?) Anyway, I had a serious crush on my now husband and remember my mind dancing right out the window following the notes of the band and envisioning him and I holding hands and laughing in the rain, getting married and having wonderful children. You can laugh all you want but 26 1/2 years later here we are!! And I keep dreaming. Dreaming of him and I surrounded by our happy children and grandchildren to come all living out the lives God intended for them. It's more than daydreaming to me - it's vision. And keeping that vision in front of me has given me perspective during the not so fun times. It reminds me of the big picture and what I am working towards.
On the other hand I am very aware that not every dream comes true. I had a dream in my younger years of gathering at my mother's house on Sundays for dinner with all the family around and lots of laughter and love. But life stole that dream. So here's what I had to do.
I dreamed another dream.
I remember one particular Mother's Day feeling a little sorry for myself but knowing that I couldn't stay in that place. It's an ugly place to be. I made a decision that since I couldn't experience those family dinners from the perspective of me going to my mom's house that I would dream a new dream. A dream where my family would gather at my house and there would be lots of laughter and love. I decided to treasure the memories of my time with my mom but to continue making new ones.
This past Christmas trying to serve 24+ people at my Christmas dinner table and the volume at crazy decibels I had to remind myself... You dreamed this! And I wouldn't trade it for anything.
What I love about living this life of faith is that God continually plants new dreams inside of us. These days I dream of ways to spread the message that I believe everyone needs to hear. The message that there is a God that loves them and sees them and is for them not against them and is just waiting to make their dreams come true.
Well this blog definitely went in a different direction than I intended it to but I am going to go with it and believe that someone needed that encouragement today.
Take some time out today to dream a little. If a dream has died - dream a new one today!
As always, I'd love to hear from you. Sometimes speaking a dream out loud is the very first step towards it becoming a reality...so what are you dreaming??
Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
