(Today is the Third Thursday of the month. Time for the Hearts at Home Home Blog Hop! This month's topic: Love Your Dreams/Goals. Head over to Jill's blog to see what other women have to say on the topic.)
"All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to
pursue them." - Walt Disney
We are told our entire lives that we can become anything we
want to be if we only work hard enough. These days, children need to
practically sign away their lives in order to participate in a sport of any
kind. As parents, we are told we are failing if we aren't allowing our kids to
try out every activity in order to discover the one thing that will lead to
fulfilling their dreams.
Like most, I've identified the dreams of my heart... those
things that sometimes feel so out-of-touch I may never actually achieve them. Yet
at the same time, I can taste them the way you taste chocolate before it even
touches your lips simply because the desire is so strong. And while goals
aren't big in my life, I do have them. I've completed a marathon, a handful of
half marathons and many smaller races. These accomplishments don't just happen
by accident. If the goal isn't set, the likelihood of crossing a finish line is slim-to-none.
Maybe I'm not much of a dreamer. Makes me sound kind of un-American,
I know. It's just that I get tired of chasing after rainbows instead of
embracing the gifts that may appear, to others, not quite as shiny as that pot
of gold (and, yes, to myself as well, at times).
It could be that my dreams are just often painted as insignificant.
Since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of growing up, getting married,
having kids and...
Well... my dream didn't really blossom into anything more
than that. I just quit thinking it was a dream. I mean "homemaker"
doesn't sound all that glamorous. We like to spice it up with all kind of
creative descriptions when filling out applications. As a matter of fact, the
conversations I hear out there frown upon being a stay-at-home mom. Are little
girls even allowed to dream about being mommies anymore? ...I mean, without a
career?
My dream was to marry a man that loves God and loves
me and my children. I have that in a way that other women, unfortunately, only wish
for. My dream was to have children and raise them to love God in a community of
believers that feels like family. We have that in a way I never could have imagined. If we
can finish this life loving God and loving others well, I will have reached my
dreams and achieved my goals. No apologies.
Sure, writing and speaking are still a pursuit of mine. God
continues to provide those opportunities to me in the perfect situations. I may
never be a famous Speaker or Writer but God has still given me a life beyond my
wildest dreams. I think it's time I start embracing the gifts He's given me
today and realize I can never dream up a life better than the plans He has for
me. I find I'm much happier trusting the Maker of the Stars than I am to just reach for them.
There's nothing weak about choosing to be a stay-at-home mom. It's what I do and I'm proud of it. Not to mention I am better for it.
"This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength." - 1 Corinthians 1:25
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| *Dream Fulfilled* |
Tristi, I love the caption on your picture! It says a million words!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jill. Hearts at Home and your ministry has played such a big role in my identifying that God has me right where He wants me. What better dream could there be than that?
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