Dreaming

"'Tell me about your dreams for the rest of your life.'

"I began with some modest stuff and started getting more and more grandiose, but I kept pulling back, saying, 'Well, I know this sounds ridiculous, but...'  Everytime I said that, he would stop me and say, 'Dreams don't come in boxes.  Dreams shouldn't be practical.  Dreams should maybe even appear unattainable.  Never, never put limits on your dreams.'

"...Talk about a freeing experience.  All my life I've felt compelled to dream manageable dreams, to come down to reality and stop being so idealistic - unrealistic...

"...Lest you think I'm nuts to live my life in the netherworld of 'what if' and 'make believe,' let me say that I do realize that dreams have to be bitten off in manageable chunks.  It takes a well-planned strategy and sound tactics to frame up the walls of our dreams.  We can't just live in our hopes and expect to never wake up.  If we do, we wll wake up to unfulfilled dreams.  However, until we dream fully and freely, we won't even want to wake up.  We won't have anything to wake up to.  Too many of us live lives that are patched together with limits, qualifiers, rules, and 'good enoughs.'

"I've got two words for you.  Re-sist!"
--Terry Esau, "Be The Surprise"

Love this.

I'm getting ready to leave on Saturday for a trip to Europe with my hubby.  Last year was our first trip - to Ireland.  Talk about dreams coming true!  I've always wanted to travel, but was stuck in the "let's be realistic" mode of life...  Too many other things need to come first.  I've got too many responsibilities to take off on a trip like this.  Too many... what?

Life is short.  Dream big.

I've got a few more "unrealistic" dreams. 

But I think they'll come true.

One piece at a time.

Things I am thankful for today:

1.  Sleeping in a bit.
2. A fun meeting about Vacation Bible School planning - I'm getting excited!
3.  Getting all my work done for this week and next week - nothing to worry about while I'm on my trip!
4. 2 days til we go!
5.  The hubby brought me dinner at work - so nice.
6.  Linda is doing well!  (She's a friend I've been praying about for months...  Her health is good for now!)
7.  A day off before we leave - great for laundry, packing, and other odds and ends.
8.  Eating the last piece of birthday cake...  Mmmm...
9.  That I don't get motion sickness anymore. 
10.  For all the birthday wishes and safe travel wishes we've gotten this week!