Dreaming is Risky

Dreaming is risky. Creating is risky.
You are finally given the permission to go beyond a dream. You can look beyond the sweet adventures (or not so sweet) that occur during your sleeping time and pursue “exciting or unusual experiences. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.” (Cool Definition. It came from Wikipedia). The Dream is real. It is physical. It is set in your lap. What will you do?
That was a situation that occurred to me this last summer. I received a wonderful camera-second hand EOS 300D Rebel Digital. I am pursuing portions of my dreams.  I take close ups of bee wings on flowers
and grasshoppers on blades of grass.
The dream is to capture portions of God’s creation in a creative way that is poetic and has meaning.
Yea! Fun! Go play with a camera. It turned out not to be all fun and games. With a dream comes a price.
OH NO. You may say—I don’ t want to hear about a price. My life has been too hard the way it is with raising kids, or not having kids. Being married, or not being married. I can finally pursue a dream that has been dormant and now it comes with a price. Well, good-bye.
Don’t leave. This dream has been put inside of you by a Creator that will give you the strength to really obtain it.

In July 2014, my family went to Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant in northern MN for some  “no internet/ no tv /no cellphone” time together. Laughter, skipping rocks, hikes, enjoying the beautiful North Shore, family time.

I cannot move as quickly or as smoothly as I once did. Some of this is due to wearing tri-focals.  Being mobile on uneven terrain and rocks while trying to keep up with others can be emotionally and physically challenging.  My family was walking on the breakwater out to the lighthouse at Grand Marais.  Everyone else enjoyed the surroundings far ahead of me. My son was running from rock to rock having a blast trying to see how close he could get to the water. My daughter was strolling along as if this were a normal side walk in the neighborhood. I am gingerly going step by step trying not to fall or drop my camera. The inner friction of fear inside of me is maddening. Why can’t I just have fun as everyone else is?  There really is a battle going on inside of me. I hate the fear. It is strong. The desire to go for the dream is stronger still. I hear a tender voice inside saying to me, “If you don’t go on, you will not catch the waves”.  Pete has come back to me gently realizing that I am having difficulty keeping up with the rest of the family. He tells me that I do not have to go out to the light house if I don’t want to.
Through tears, I told Pete the inner encouragement that I received. I told him to go on. With camera in hand, I carefully walked  and recorded the beauty.

I made it to the light house and back.

What are your dreams? Just as the dreams in the Old Testament, ours may be challenging in ways  we cannot imagine.  The physical expression of these dreams always included a risk.  God has put dreams into your life. Keep your eyes on Him. Let Him be the one who pulls them out. It will mean taking risks. The fullness of being everything you are meant to be is so worth it.
NIV Ps 32. 4 Take delight in the Lord,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.