Dreaming

dream-beauty-observed

I’ve been reading a lot of books lately that all have the same theme:  dreaming big.  Some of the books are about dreaming big for God.  Others are about just dreaming big, setting goals, and conquering things with shear willpower.    I’ve also been reading blog posts and online articles about vocation that touch me deeply.

Pink peony with ant from Beauty Observed

Pink peony with ant

When I was a child, my dreams were very simple. I wanted to be married and have a family. I wanted to live in a big old house with an attic.  It wasn’t that I wanted a big=expensive house. I wanted big=old house. I wanted my house to be filled with love, laughter, books, and music. I wanted to adopt children. I loved Jesus and I wanted my future family to go to church together on Sunday mornings and evenings.

Pink peony from Beauty Observed

peony

As I entered junior high and then high school, being a stay at home mother no longer seemed acceptable and so I traded that dream in for the dream of become a teacher, a CPA, or English major.  I was accepted to college and signed up to be an English major with a minor in education.  However, at the last minute, I gave up all of the scholarships and decided to marry Ed.  After all, this was my original dream!

Macro of the center of a pink peony from Beauty Observed

peony

Achievement seems to be the end goal of dreaming.  What can you achieve for God?  How high can you climb the ladder of success in your job?  I often feel small when I’m reading these books.  But then I hear God’s voice in my ear or read something that reminds me…I am living my dream.  I live in an old house with an attic.  Our house is filled with love, laughter, stacks and stacks of books, and beautiful music.  There is a flower garden outside.  We attend church together on Sunday.  And best of all, three children that I am so blessed to love, care for, and educate.  We’ve adopted.  Our home is a place of safety and healing.  I am living my vocation, my calling.  I am doing exactly what God created me to do in this season.  I am content.

Be encouraged.  No dream is too small.  Living out the life God called you to is a beautiful thing!

Delicate pink peony from Beauty Observed

peony

Peony prints and cards available in the Etsy shop.

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8 thoughts on “Dreaming

  1. Laura Connell

    Wonderful! You echoed my sentiments of the last little while. I grew up thinking I always had to achieve and when I had my daughters all of a sudden they seemed more important than anything else. I believe God put that in me as a mother. I never worked full-time after having my kids who are now 14 and 10 but I always felt like I was somehow less than or missing something. Finally, today I realize that my most important goal is mothering these children and the more time I spend with them the better they seem to turn out! Mothering is a dream and a full-time job.

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  2. Jill Foley

    Ahhh….so refreshing to hear that you are living out your dream. So many people are still waiting for the next phase of life to really big “living”. I am so thankful that I set out to be a violin teacher and that I’m still able to do that. I feel like I’m living the life God created for me…pursuing my passions right here, right now.

    For a different take on dreaming, you should read Phil Vischer’s memoir – Me, Myself and Bob. In it he talks about how he was doing big things for God – living the life he’d dreamed – and then God took it all away. I always try to keep this perspective in mind when I start dreaming or hearing the encouragement to dream big for God.

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  3. Ceil

    Hi Elizabeth! What a gift to be living your dream? God is so good. And that you are content with what you have, that is a great grace. So many walk around wondering what else, what if…

    I wish you continued blessings with your husband and children! We also adopted our children, but I never prayed for that. Sometimes you get blessings you never dreamed about 🙂
    Peace,
    Ceil

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  4. ~Karrilee~

    Hello there! We are neighbors today over at Jennifer’s place and I am so glad I stopped by! First off – OH MY goodness, those photo’s are breathtaking! Secondly – I have been blessed to live my dream of staying home as well… and now I am an empty nester and entering a whole new season of dreaming new dreams! Loved this post! Dream on, my friend!

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  5. bettyl - NZ

    Love your flowers. It’s funny how dreams change over the years. I never had big dreams but lived each day wanting to be where God wanted me to be. And now, I live in New Zealand, content that God sent me here.

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  6. June

    So blessed, Elizabeth!!! Laura Boggess {The Wellspring} said something on her blog this week that really resonated with me, and I think you may feel it too, our calling is “to tend this life well, loving those I encounter each day, seeing the beauty in the ordinary moment. ” Those words fill me with such peace. Thank you for sharing your dream. I love your dream – – your “heart’s desire” – and when our desires, line up with God’s,, magical things happen, just as you’ve described here. Have a blessed week! 🙂

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  7. ~ linda

    Oh, peonies are a dear favorite flower of mine and one we are not able to grow in South Texas. I just love them and can almost…almost smell them.
    And, I am so grateful for having come by to read your words.
    Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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