Dreams

Dreams

It is one of those mornings when you wake up, make your cup of coffee and sit staring at the flames in the fire place; one of those mornings when you look into your coffee cup and begin to analyze your life, wondering - what on earth, am I here for? Feeling lost in a moment of scattered thoughts. Thinking that I spend more time in my thoughts than I do actually doing something of significance. What is significant? What is my life about? What dreams do I have? Do dreams come true?

Years ago, or was it yesterday? The days go by so quickly. One day goes into the next and the calendar pages flip by year after year. When I was about fifteen years old, I was given a poem written by someone in the family. The title of the poem “Dreams Don’t Come True”.

Lying here feeling lonely

Because its something that I do

When I finally realize

Dreams don't come true

But I'm constantly seeing a vision

Of the person I'd like to find

But it always stays an image

A prisoner of my mind

When I try to go to sleep

Dreaming I refuse to do

Because its not worth the pain

If dreams don't come true

Written by the late: Norman Hand 1982

Years ago, I actually turned the poem into a song using minor chords to fit with the words. Even at that young age, my melancholy personality thought the poem had such a sad perspective on life, but I could relate to the words. The poem was written, as are all songs, with the depth of that author’s feelings, thoughts, and cries of the heart. For him, dreams did not come true.

This morning in my reflections about life, that old song or poem came to my mind. In reality, I have to confess, I tend to believe that in this life, dreams don’t really come true. What are dreams? Dreams are our imaginary wants which enter into our subconscious mind and eventually filter their way into being. Or at least we strive in life to make those dreams or subconscious thoughts come true.

How often do we think that our dreams have come true, only to find years later, that dream was not all it was cracked up to be. It actually has led to another big disappointment in life. Within our subconscious dreams, we usually never get to see the outcome. The dreams change somewhere between thoughts or snores.

Many people have their own definition of success.   One example could be - getting that mansion on the hill, with the corvette sitting in driveway with sunroof open and the sun shining and the gentle breeze blowing.  The white picket fence is sturdy and the mortgage is paid - the dream has come true. In reality there is an empty void in the heart and still in that subconscious mind that no dream on earth can fill. The mansion has many empty rooms.

So often in life, we try really hard to make our dreams come true. That is the purpose which motivates people to get out of bed in the morning to drive their cars to a job they don’t enjoy, so they can make money to pay the bills which keep piling up. On weekends, for some people, they squeeze some enjoyment into their down time. That is if they don’t have to spend the weekend playing catch up. Sounds depressing.

We spend our lives striving to fill the voids with dreams, but the dreams are not all we had imagined. The fairy tale ending never comes. The disappointments in life pile up higher and higher until you find yourself looking into that empty cup or watching old black and white movies with the volume on full so you can hear it. The worn- out electric recliner is where you spend the end of your dream. Body bent from years of striving, working and the body is aching and sore. Your eyes are dim, your pain is old. Oh, yes, Keith Green already wrote that song. “My eyes are dry, my faith is old, my heart is hard, and my prayers are cold. I know how I ought to be. Alive to you and dead to me.”  A song expressing what we should really be focusing our lives on. We can all feel like the words in Keith's song when we make this world and everything in it our God - thinking this world has anything to offer. It never fully satisfies.

The years go by and some people out-live their friends, spouse, siblings and sometimes even their children. When that happens we tend to cling to the good memories and life can seem more like one big dream. Years of yesterday did not really happen, did they? That memory is just a dream of the subconscious mind that we thought happened. It no longer feels real. That was someone else’s life. The great disconnect begins to happen. Slowly, the last remnants of this life are seeping away one day at a time. Life and its dreams almost seem like cruel temptations. The cycle of life will continue long after I am gone. Unless Christ Jesus returns by then. It will seem like my life was just in someone else’s imagination. And time moves on. Eventually, you become two thoughts away, then three, then you become that old black and white movie clip from days long past which fades with time until it is no more. Ecclesiastes King Solomon wrote nearing the end of his life. "Everything is meaningless under the Sun." There is meaning when you bring the Son (Christ Jesus) under the sun and into your life. Solomon was the wisest of men. Looking over his life he came to the conclusion that we should fear God with loving reverence. This is the foundation of wisdom.

Many people are looking into their empty cups these days and sadly don’t find any hope or meaning. This time of year is difficult for a lot of people to cope. This season seems to bring much joy to some and much sadness to others. Some can’t find that happy perspective while trying to live life clinging to hope found in the achievement of that dream. Some people can seem to have it all, but have hit rock bottom. 

I've heard of four suicides in the last two weeks. I've felt the pain of that loss within my own family years ago. I don’t live in my dream world as much anymore. Sure, sometimes my dream world seems like a better place to get lost in once in a while. It seems to ease the pain from years of disappointments. The reality of life can be painful enough at times. To me, dreams don’t come true. Dreams disappoint. Life and all that makes up our little worlds can disappoint. Why? Because everyone is all caught up in their own world of dreams of which you may have a very insignificant role. To God you are significant.

Is this life perfect? Absolutely not. We live in a fallen world with much pain and suffering and sin. My hope is in the Lord my God. Without that eternal hope for something better, for perfection, we are all lost in that time warp where dreams are just a mirage, but His joy comes in the morning while looking into the empty cups and watching the fire. His Hope is an everlasting hope for a new day and a new heaven with a perfect God. Until I get there. Jesus commands my destiny.

"In Christ Alone. My hope is found. He is my light my strength and my song."

Do you have that hope in your life which can far exceed any dream  for this life? Fill your cup this morning with HOPE! Here is a great song lyric. May you find your light, your strength and song to get you motivated this morning and every morning. Check out the utube song. "In Christ Alone".

Blog Author - Rebecca Wills Robinson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLy8ksqGf9w