Friday, March 26, 2010

Daring to Dream


My dream for the future:
I will sleep 8 hours a night, start the day an hour before my kids awake, spend more time reading books than blogs, scrapbook, get outside every morning, have a company-ready house by each day's end and have people over almost every week.

That was my response to a thought provoking post this week inquiring "what's your dream?"  For me to answer that has not been easy.  My husband sometimes asks me "what do you want?", meaning what do I want enough to motivate me to action.  I haven't had a good answer (or any answer) to that for far too long.  

After living abroad for several years and starting our family there, I returned with my husband and daughters in 2006 to start a new chapter.  But how? Honestly, it has been like starting from scratch. And somewhere along the way I stopped believing the truths in the song "I am a Promise" that I grew up singing.

One way "I am tryin' to make the right choices" again is through making to-do lists for the day.  The results haven't been wonderful, but days that I have a list to guide me are generally better than days that don't. Here's yesterday's list:

There are three headings: What is Right and Seemly So to Do, What Would Be Nice to Do, and Temptations to Resist.  This format evolved from an earlier two-column format like this:


If I could, with God's help, accomplish the most important priorities, I believe my dream would be within reach.  I want my dream to be in line with His, and that's only possible when I let Him fill my life.

Do you have a dream for your life right now?


This post is also linked to Messy Monday at Moms in Need of Mercy.

11 comments:

Cari Kaufman said...

I love this (and so need this) right now...thanks for posting!

Megan@SortaCrunchy said...

I LOVE the "do this" "not that" take on this! I need to incorporate that into my outlook for each day, too. Good stuff!

Crissyanna said...

Thank you. I haven't dared to dream in a long time again. I should start. Thank you for suggesting it. And I totally understand the up late having quality time with the husband and the kiddos thinking that they need to wake up with the sun. Someday sleep will no longer be a dream of ours!

Anonymous said...

That's an interesting take. I've never thought of it like that before. Maybe I need to.

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

What a great post! I've been a list maker my entire life, but you put a "slant" to it that I've never thought about. Blessings to you!

One More Equals Four said...

Great idea! I am not a list maker and when I do make them, I forget to look at them. I love the not this category! It gives a great visual to prioritize.

However, list or no list, I am pretty sure, for me anyway, to achieve your dreams I would need at least four more hours in a day!

LydiaCate said...

I too love the "NOT THIS" category. I could fill that one up! Great post! Thanks!
LydiaCate

bashtree said...

GREAT idea with the do this/not this lists! I sure could use one of those, myself.

I have a dream of reading more books than blogs, too. It's been a challenge to whittle down my blog list to something manageable. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there.

Aydan said...

I really like the idea of having a category of things not to do. With me, I'm not sure if it's not better "out of sight, out of mind" but I may try it!

Moms In Need Of Mercy said...

I really like the "Not this"/"Temptations to Resist" as well. So much of one's day can be sucked away by things in that category. A great reminder to be intentional not only with what we do, but what we don't do as well!
Thanks!

Unknown said...

I linked from Moms In Need of Mercy. I love your take on the to-do list. I am forever making lists, but continue to get frustrated when I self-sabotage and don't get much done. Can't wait to try out your new approach. I also look forward to writing out what my dream is. God bless!