A few years back, I spoke  to a Christian women’s event at a large church on the subject, “Dare to Dream”. It was a success; the ladies seemed to relate and understand the importance of dreaming.

I’m a dreamer and have always been a dreamer. My earliest dream that I can remember was to be a:

1.  Lovely Indian Maiden.Dressing the part was very important in all my dreaming. I put together an outfit most closely matching what I saw  the lovely Indian maidens wear  in the cowboy movie at the Saturday morning Fun Club. I made a teepee by throwing a blanket over a ladder. For fun (short-lived) I would sit on the edge of the little pond in our backyard and make Indian pottery out of the mud. I slept alone in that teepee….at night……once. With every dream comes a problem. Problem: I would wake up with very damp blankets and frizzy hair. I no longer looked like an Indian, especially a lovely one. NO fun.

The closest I ever came to fulfilling this dream was in junior high. Back in the day, we were called Indians and had an annual Pow Wow out on the baseball field. I had the honor of being voted the “Indian Princess” by my class. My Mother made my outfit; I was truly lovely….at least I thought so.

2. U.S. Marshal. I wore my cowboy hat (a perfect Christmas gift for a little Texas girl), a toy gun and holster, and a badge. I looked tough and cast fear into all my little friends. I would create play scenarios, eventually arrest each and every one, and lock them into a make-shift jail my parents let me put together. Problem: Soon there was no one left to play with or arrest. My playmates got tired of being arrested and went home.

3.  Housewife and Mother. My Father and Grandfather built a playhouse in our backyard for my sister and me. It was wonderful; it had a  main room, a loft with a ladder, and a kitchen with a wood-burning fire stove. It even had “running water”. Daddy hung a bucket outside the kitchen and ran a rubber tube through to the kitchen sink. All I had to do was siphon the water from the bucket into my kitchen….until one day an awful looking bug came through the tube along with the water.

I caught minnows from our little pond and fried them over that slow fire…too soggy or gross to eat. I had girlfriends over for sleepovers in my playhouse. I remember one night being awakened by a very strange noise and discovered it was coming from some kind of BIG bird walking right past the door to my playhouse, making a scary noise. I never knew what it was but the sound of the playhouse door slamming scared it away. Now I realize it was probably the hoot owl that lived in our woods. Problem: Scary noise and critters at night and too much work keeping the playhouse clean.

4.  Famous Broadway Star. When the musical “South Pacific” came to my attention, I became convinced I was a natural for the part of Nellie Forbush. My parents let me take dance lessons and took me to see touring musicals. Problem: I was told I would have to move to New York to pursue this dream.

5.  Artist. My Father was a professional illustrator and a fine art painter. He gave me private lessons and helped me get my first job in an art studio as a teenager. I thought this would stick and it has for many years….but I’m still dreaming.

Langston Hughes wrote:

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams, for when dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow.”

____from Dreams

Paul, the great Apostle of Jesus Christ wrote:

 “ Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us,

he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.“

____Ephesians 3:20 The Holy Bible

‘Til He Shouts,