Jan 6, 2011

Of Dreamers and Dreams...

I am a dreamer... I guess that's part and parcel of being a bookworm. As a child I usually had my head in the clouds, lost in my world of daydreams building a picture perfect future. Back then my dreams were childish and fanciful, not surprising since they mostly revolved around the plot of whatever book I happened to be reading at the moment.

As I grew older my dreams changed. They lost some of the childlike fantasy and evolved into plans and goals for the future. As I dreamt I happily wrote them down as advised in Habakkuk 2:2 Write the vision, and make it plain on tables, that he may run that reads it (AKJV) The problem was, after I write my dreams I often simply closed the book and continued on with life.

Recently I had an opportunity to reflect after watching the movie Last Holiday. In the movie the main character Georgia Byrd was always dreaming about the future and deferring her dreams for a later day. She kept a journal which she called her book of possibilities. Between the pages were pictures and scribbled thoughts of all the places she wanted to go, people she wanted to meet and things she wanted to do some day. However she was contented to live in her world of dreams until one day her life was interrupted. All of her dreams of someday went out of the window when she was told by her doctor that she was terminally ill and had only weeks to live.

Georgia then stopped dreaming, cashed in her savings and started living. She began to do some of the things that she only dared to imagine between the pages of her journal.

Have you had those Georgia moments? In your mind the possibilities are endless but the weeks and months and years go by and hardly anything gets checked off the list.

The movie resonated with me because I’ve had entirely too many of those moments. I too often find myself living in my world of dreams about the future and not spending enough time working at achieving them.  I convince myself that I have faith yet James 2:14 states What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Yes there is a time for dreaming but like everything under the sun there is a time to refrain from dreaming and work on achieving.

I'm learning that life is meant to be lived not dreamt about or pushed aside to be lived when the time is right. Hence I'm taking steps to ensure that 2011 will be the year where I not only dream but achieve also.

What about you? What's on your heart at the beginning of this year? I'd really love to hear about it.

Trusting Him,
~Bernadine~

7 comments:

  1. I just decided to stop by YOUR blog and read a little (LOVE the title...so true and so beautiful!) and this post caught my eye.

    It is so easy to dream and forget that dreams are the substance of life. I know I am guilty of dreaming much and living, but not taking time or effort to make those dreams a part of my reality, either. Sometimes dreams are easier dreamed than done, though, and yet it doesn't hurt to keep trying. :)

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  2. Loved your post!I too am guilty of dreaming but not really taking the time to work on those dreams!
    Have a great day!
    Blessings

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  3. Wow, Bernadine, this is truly a challenge. I am right now in the holding pattern. Not sure if I should move forward or not. I have never been so unsettled about my next step as this year. I will continue to pray and hopefully God will open some doors :)

    I haven't seen the movie, but I might have to check it out :)

    Love & peace,
    <>< Iris

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  4. You are so right. A neighbor told me her husband--retired and had his first real vacation and then died. She said they never went on vacations when they were young. They plannned to spend their golden age traveling.

    MMM, I thought. What a waste of many years of potential fun. I believe you should live each day and enjoy. Tomorrow is not promised.

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  5. Oh boy Bernadine. My sweet friend you are right where I live as they say! I've never seen that movie but can relate to what you shared.

    I too, having been a huge dreamer/visionary person since childhood and a huge bookwork as you called it. I mainly say, I'm a book junkie (smile). I think yours sounds nicer (smile...but having been that way I tend to push people lovingly toward 'getting it done' whatever the it is for them that GOD is leading them but I see my journals over the years FILLING UP but in lieu of recent events I've been changing that.

    Love you friend. Praying for you!

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  6. So lovely Bernadine. I, too, am a dreamer. I think it's good to hold on to dreams, perhaps they can give us a bit of a 'push' toward action. Great thoughts for 2011.
    Andie

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  7. Hi Bernadine -

    Thank you for sharing about your goal to achieve.

    My aim is to pray that more sinners will be saved and that more Christians will love because without love, we are nothing.

    Also, I pray that more Christians will learn more about the Word of GOD, and cease to fear the Devil. Instead, to learn how to fight effectively against the forces of evil, and to triumph through the power of GOD - consistently.

    Fear not...

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