Dream On...

Have you ever openly shared your heart & your desires with a friend to only hear the words, "Dream on!"?? I've heard that phrase more than once as I told someone about some of the desires in my heart. When I was young, I dreamed that I grew up to live at the Biltmore Estate... I rode the horses daily. I watched deer graze in the lawn below from my balcony. I walked the trails along the Reflective Pond & the Broad River. I read books lying on the shaded hills overlooking the Smoky Mountains. And, I entertained guests at lavish dinners & royal balls in MY HOME.... in my DREAMS.

Do You Like Your Life Ruthann?

It's a little past seven in the evening and, I'm sitting here on the patio beside our cement pond eating leftovers for dinner. The rest of the family won't be home for several hours. The day has finally cooled down enough to be able to enjoy being outside. Beside me is a pool that has an eerie yellow-green tint to it thanks to the mustard algae we've been battling all summer. Earlier today I brushed down the sides of the pool to try to get the cleaning process started again. I'm surrounded by a wooden fence that's rotten and falling down in many places. A big portion of it is now replaced with staked up chicken wire. There's mismatched patio furniture all around me - many of the pieces held together, no doubt, by rust. Assorted hand-me-downs: play sets, swings and slides, that I vowed would never clutter up my yard, abound.

HOPE, Mirror, Mirror On the Wall 10-11-13

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"

Do you remember those words from the Disney movie, Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs :) When I was a little girl, I loved that movie & remember saying that to myself in a mirror. Gazing in the mirror there was a thin face peering back. And yet, I beheld the lovely face of a soon-to-be Princess on her way to a life of luxury in the "castle" of her dreams... Biltmore Estate :) Yes, that was my happily ever after dream destination. 

Ahhh... childhood fantasies & memories, how they occupied my days!

And, as I say pretty often... and then life happened. The image I saw at a very early age was one of hope & beauty. But, over the years, the image that peered back at me often showed a person of insecurities - not a pretty face. It showed someone who wasn't quite enough. It showed a person who was no longer wanted in a relationship. It showed a person who hadn't been chosen for a part in a play or in a circle of friends. It showed someone who felt like a once-cherished-friend had moved on to bigger & better friends.

Recently when visiting a BFF girlfriend, I awoke from a very restful night of sleep. I stretched & gave out a LOUD groan of joy. Suddenly, I caught an image in the mirror across the room which took my breath away. I immediately began laughing loudly & grabbed my cell to captured a picture. The thought came to me... I'm made in the image of God. God is hilarious!

I'm thankful that I can see God in the hilarious... in the image of myself in the mirror... in the hope for today & tomorrow. 

Q: Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the fairest of them all?
A: The One I want to reflect the rest of the days of my life. That's who!

His promises...

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Wow... God sees me as beautiful... because God sees me for what I can be & will be through Him :)

Linking October 2013 with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge

Related Posts:

Dream On...

When Dreams Die 

When Your Story is Not Your Own

Crazy Undone Dreams  

Do You Like Your Life Ruthann? 

Crazy Undone Dreams!

Stained glass window
Basilica of the Annunciation
Nazareth, Israel

I've always been somewhat of a dreamer.  I remember dreams from when I was as young as 4.  One, in particular, stayed with me in life for close to 40 years until I understood the significance of it.  I dreamed of living at the Biltmore Estate - having visited there numerous times as a child.  I dreamed of having my OWN pony who would carry me to school & back each day.  I dreamed that I lived on the side of a beautiful mountain, facing the east & bordered by a cliff with a path leading down to the sea.

My self image as a child, adolescent & young adult was never that great.  And so... I often lost myself in dreams of a better day or a better me. I've conquered that demon at this point in my life, for the most part.  Yet, I still have a peaceful place which I think about if I'm having trouble falling asleep at night. 

But, as we all know, dreams are dreams... and not real life.  How do we cope with dreams that are undone... undone as in not happened yet or undone as in shattered?  Not only do we have dreams for ourselves.  But, we have them for those we love.  I don't know a parent who doesn't want their child to succeed & feel as though they have succeeded at what they pursue.  I dreamed that my father would be at the high school graduations of both our children.  My father went to be with the Lord when our children were ages 11 & 13.  And, there are currently dreams of which I am painfully aware will not happen.

Beauty
from
brokenness!

Even if the healing doesn't come and life falls apart and dreams are still undone... What do YOU do when your dreams are broken?  What do you do when the choices of another prevent them from attaining their dreams?  

The things I've been facing lately drew me to the song "Even If" by Kutless. The words are straight from my heart - but, written by another.  For me, even when dreams are still undone, I continue to believe in a good future! 

REMEMBER: The most beautiful stained glass windows are created from broken shards of glass.

When my dreams are undone, I find hope in the promises I claim from the Bible. Tell me about how YOU cope when dreams are undone!

Take a listen. The lyrics are at the bottom of the page*.

His Words: 

(got this idea from Chase Tibbs' blog; using it because i love the words of God)

• For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 
• "Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph's character."  Psalm 105:19 NLT
• "He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Related Posts:

Dream On...

When Dreams Die 

When Your Story is Not Your Own

Hope, Mirror, Mirror On the Wall 

Do You Like Your Life Ruthann? 

*"Even If"
written by Scott Krippayne performed by Kutless on their Believer album

Sometimes all we have to hold on to
Is what we know is true of who You are
So when the heartache hits like a hurricane
That could never change who You are
And we trust in who You are

Even if the healing doesn't come
And life falls apart
And dreams are still undone
You are God You are good
Forever faithful One
Even if the healing
Even if the healing doesn't come

Lord we know Your ways are not our ways
So we set our faith in who You are
Even though You reign high above us
You tenderly love us
We know Your heart
And we rest in who You are

You're still the Great and Mighty One
We trust You always
You're working all things for our good
We'll sing your praise

You are God and we will bless You
As the Good and Faithful One
You are God and we will bless You
Even if the healing doesn't come
Even if the healing doesn't come