This morning I cleaned the fan blades on the unit mounted on my cathedral ceiling. It was a challenge. I stood on my two-step kitchen ladder and held a tool my daughter gifted me to clean under stoves, refrigerators, and such. It gave me the extra height I needed. But every time I touched one of the blades, they would move out of reach. I grabbed a yardstick which worked great to stabilize each blade as I stretched as high as my arms could reach to clean the top of the blades.
So why am I telling you this boring story? It made me think of how I chased different dreams throughout my lifetime. Some of them alluded me, just like the fan blades. I chased after them, yet they remained just out of reach, taunting me. I believe this starts for us when we are children. I remember standing on a little wooden bridge over a creek in my grandparents’ backyard singing at the top of my lungs in my imagination as I imagined I was a star. That dream never materialized and in fact faded as I grew older. I chased dreams of being a lawyer (one my mother had for me), a teacher, an author (which came to fruition later in life).
Looking back, I realize these were things I wanted, but I didn’t factor God into any of them. What did He want for me? During my writing career, I heard him speak loud and clear to me to change my direction and write books that shared a Christian walk. And I followed His direction. But now in my last season of life, I have retired from writing books. Now God has placed me here to share words from my heart. Was this a dream I sought after? Perhaps it is an extension of my dream of being an author. I know I write for God and it brings me joy.
So what dreams have you chased after? Have you listened to God or prayed for His guidance? Have you identified the gifts He has given you? God is the stabilizing force. Just as the yardstick was a stabilizing force for me this morning. Lifting my cup of tea and wishing you all a day of love and kindness.
Carol Ann Erhardt, Author 