Dreaming...And Then Some

Lately, I have been working on making some of my God-given dreams a reality.  The first step in the process was to compile a list of dreams.....100 to be more precise.  Well, after a few days of thinking it through, I purchased a journal to use through this process and began to write down my dreams.  Big, little, and everything in-between that I could imagine.  Things I would love to do if money, time, talent etc were not an issue.  For someone who is more of a realist than a dreamer, this has been a much harder task than anticipated and has taken some significant time.  In total obsessive/compulsive fashion, I have made a commitment to myself to make sure that I jot down at least 100 dreams before beginning to work on them.  I did not put them in alphabetical order or categories, but believe me....I was tempted to do so!  Because I know myself and I know that once I reach 100 I will put a limit on what I think God can do with these dreams He has placed in me.......so I have also committed to adding to it as the Lord directs.  No limits!

Once the list reaches 100, I will continue to add to it as He directs, but I will also take the next steps in making a few of these dreams come to fruition.  This is what I am super excited about!

Having grown up with "less than" most people, I have never really been a dreamer.  My life approach has been to take each day as it comes.  So, the first dream that I have began to work on is to things about Heaven at least once a day.  Seems simple, even logical.  But to me, honestly, it always seemed so frivolous.  The Bible teaches that if you believe in Jesus and that He died on the cross for the sins of all humankind, and proclaim His name as the King of King and Lord of Lords in your heart and live, then you will go to Heaven when you die.  So, my thoughts have always been, "Why think about something that is already promised to happen?  What's the point in thinking about Heaven?"   Is it a coincident that He would have, "Think about Heaven at least once a day" as one of the first dreams that I wrote down in my dream journal?  I don't believe it was a coincident but rather a divinely inspired, long-forgotten dream placed in my heart one evening long ago when I was about 7 years old as I was laying down on the grass in my friend's backyard out under the stars one night wondering where I came from and why I am here.  It has been a blessing to think about Heaven each day for the past few weeks!  One thing I have discovered as I have been dreaming about Heaven is that my thoughts are not big enough to imagine its vastness!  To think that the Lord would have me first work on a dream to think about something each day that is so fast and endless and so unrestricted....yes, pretty sure He is giving me a glimpse of how He wants me to view these dreams as I begin to bring them into fruition in my life.  To dream so big that only He could make it come to pass. Amazing feeling!

Looking forward to working through this list of dreams, adding to it as I go and as He leads and so super stoked to see where it is He is leading me through this journey.  Whoot!

"If your dream isn't big enough to scare you.....it isn't big enough!"

Seagulls, Pecking Orders and Blessings

While driving to work the other morning, I was (as I do each morning) listening to K-Love radio and the morning host shared a recent incident in which the Lord spoke to him.  While feeding seagulls, he came to realize that there are three kinds of seagulls.  When a cracker is held out for them to eat, there are those seagulls who hang back and watch from a distance as though they are afraid to take the cracker.  Also, there are those who settle for hanging out on the ground and settle for the crumbs. Then there are those who go right in and take the entire cracker right from the hand of the giver.  His observation was that we are like the seagulls in that we choose to A.) observe from the sidelines, B.) settle for the crumbs of a blessing, or C.) go right in and take the gift from the Giver.

After hearing this, and knowing much about the ways of seagulls, it dawned on me that the seagulls react in certain ways because in their "culture" there is a pecking order.  The strongest and fittest are the ones to fly right in and take it from the giver's hand.  However, with the Lord, it is not this way!  We ALL have equal access to the blessings He hold out from His children.  While we settle for watching from the sidelines or picking up the crumbs left from others, He desires for all of us to have faith and trust enough to fly in and swoop up the blessings He holds out for us.

Now you, like me, might think that it is selfish to "grab up" the blessings He has in store for me.  Actually, He is FULL of blessings and is overjoyed to share the many blessings He has with each one willing to partake of them!

This insight and the wonderful analogy He gave to me as well has changed my outlook on blessings.  It is not that He is not wanting to, willing to, or going to bless me....it is whether or not I am wanting to, willing to, and going to dive in and take the blessing, giving Him full credit and thanks for His love for me.  It is not out of greed that we receive blessings, it isn't because we have earned the blessing or deserve it...it is that the Father wants to give us blessings and is elated when we accept what He is offering.

Getting Back Into It

It has been since last December that I posted anything here on my blogspot.  Feeling a prompt recently to get back into posting here, I thought it best to do a bit of catching up.

Dec of 2012 was my last post, and I was depressed a bit.  Our son had moved out and moved back in after a roommate issue.  Since then, he has moved back to Eugene, found employment and some great new roomies and is doing well.

Our daughter has moved out....moved back....moved out.....moved back and is now living here but gone much of the days in each month.  She is still "looking" for a job....we'll see where this goes.  LOL!

My husband recently went to Montana to help his sister move and to discuss the possibility of his parents moving closer to us all.  That will be nice.

In March, I took a huge leap of faith (for me anyway) and starting meeting with some other Christian gals at a twice monthly meeting titled Toast the King (part of the Mighty Women of Vision ministry based in Eugene).  It has been great to see who the Lord brings to our meetings!  I have set some goals to get the word out and will see where God takes us.  So exciting!!  It was with humility and honor that I took another leap of faith and spoke at the June Community of Unity (also part of the Mighty Women of Vision ministry) meeting in Eugene.  God had given me an old lesson with a new spin.......you are loved, God can redeem anyone from anything and we are His daughters!

It is wonderful to be doing what I feel God has for me to do.  I plan to start writing a book about God's grace in the lives of women and will begin the process in the fall......Lord leading of course. :)

Wanting to get back into the swing of things and focus on blogging a bit more.  Looking forward to opportunities to use my gifts as He sees fit.