Only Trouble Is, Gee Whiz, I'm Dreaming my life away.....

dream - n. - 1. A series of pictures, thoughts or emotions occuring during sleep. 2. A daydream. 3. Something hoped for; aspiration.

I've always been a dreamer. I have a great imagination and can escape into a daydream pretty easily. It's probably one of the reasons I love to read....it's another form of dreaming. And there's nothing like a good nighttime dream and the warm feeling you have when you wake up. I love that! (We won't talk about nightmares right now.)

Through the years my dreams (the #3 kind, see above) have morphed. I can remember being in first grade and dreaming of being a third grader and learning how to write in cursive. I dreamt of the day I would learn to drive and of dating the quarterback (rolling my eyes). I dreamt of being a teacher, a wife, a mom. I dreamt my husband would be handsome (he is), and then later that he would have a good sense of humor (he does), and on and on and on. The list kept getting modified as I met and dated various guys (not that many, don't worry). As I grew, I dreamt more and more that he would be a man of God (he is certainly that). I dreamt of having babies and how wonderful it would be to have about four!! (I have 2 -- and I'm done!)

Then there were dreams of sleeping the whole night without nursing ( I can't complain, they were actually pretty good sleepers). I dreamt of the day my son would talk to me. I dreamt of the day my daughter would STOP talking to me (just for a little while!!!). I had dreams of the day all the potty training would be done. I dreamt of how it would be when they could dress themselves and tie their own shoes. I dreamt of the day they would both be in school all day and I could do something "worthwhile." (And then all day long I dreamt of when they would come home!) Now I dream of homeschooling them until the day God lets me know this season is over.

I have dreamt we would own our own dream home, now I dream that wherever we are and whatever situation we are in will "be" home....warm, loving, inviting, homey. I dream of the church without walls, without borders, without fear....but full of love and grace and urgency. OK, you get the picture. There's so much more, but I'm boring even myself.

My point is that these dreams are all good. Dreams are necessary. I believe dreams of all three varieties are gifts from God. He can work through them (the daydreams and the nightdreams). They spur us on and encourage us to be our best. They sometimes challenge us to do things we never would otherwise. They make life interesting. How boring life would be without dreams!

But right now I dream that I won't dream my life away. I want to enjoy the moment....every one of them. I want to live in the right now while still striving for the hopes and dreams of the future. I want to recognize the blessings that are right in front of my eyes that I sometimes miss because I'm so busy dreaming of something I think might be better. I want to dream "of a White Christmas" while not missing the joys of a "Brown Christmas" (hey, it's easier to drive, the kids can go out and ride their new bikes, there is no shoveling!!) and the smiles and laughter and even the tears that are right in front of me.

How 'bout you?

(The title of this post is a reference to an OLD Everly Brothers song I always liked when I was listening to my mom's old records - you remember those.....don't you? I'm pretty sure a few others have recorded it as well.)