I've had many failed dreams. Sometimes I get afraid to dream again for fear of another failure. I'm convinced it is my faith that helps me get up and dream again. Perhaps with a bit more wisdom and experience to apply to the next dream, or even better... to share with another dreamer.
Loss of dreams. It happens. The question is, "Is it really a loss, or just another hill to climb?" We need to take some time to positively reflect on this, and avoid the temptation to wallow in self pity (one of my specialties, I may add). Instead we need to ask what do I need to learn from this? What have I learned about myself? What can I do with what I've learned? If we can learn from our experiences, then we are successful. However hard the disappointment and crashing feelings tend to be. We are all made to grow, and to learn. We only truly fail; when we fail to learn.
Sometimes we have to come to the end of ourselves, to to find out who we are. That is a big part of growing. We are not what we accomplish, although it may seem like it on a superficial level...accomplishments tend to fade, while character grows. Yes, I want to accomplish great things, to be recognized for doing good. I crave the accolades of a job well done. I think we all do. Yet if that becomes the focus and purpose of our life, we get clouded with pride and think too much of ourselves. We end up missing the greater truth of who we are becoming.
To make a positive difference in the world requires love. The greater the love for others, the greater and more positive impact you will have. Love is an action, it is desiring the good of another, even at the cost of ourselves. Jesus is the author of love, and demonstrates what love can do. The more I find out about God's love, the more I am able to love myself, and love others. After all, who better to teach us who we are, and what we are to be, than the one who created us?
Sometimes we have to come to the end of ourselves, to to find out who we are. That is a big part of growing. We are not what we accomplish, although it may seem like it on a superficial level...accomplishments tend to fade, while character grows. Yes, I want to accomplish great things, to be recognized for doing good. I crave the accolades of a job well done. I think we all do. Yet if that becomes the focus and purpose of our life, we get clouded with pride and think too much of ourselves. We end up missing the greater truth of who we are becoming.
To make a positive difference in the world requires love. The greater the love for others, the greater and more positive impact you will have. Love is an action, it is desiring the good of another, even at the cost of ourselves. Jesus is the author of love, and demonstrates what love can do. The more I find out about God's love, the more I am able to love myself, and love others. After all, who better to teach us who we are, and what we are to be, than the one who created us?
Watch the following movie clip. Up from the ashes, grow the roses of success. It is from one of my favorite movies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It is fun, playful, has a crazy inventor, and puts a smile to my face every time I see it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GND10sWq0n0
Up from the ashes
- Up from what what used to be seemingly strong, and is now soft and serves as fertilizer to help something else grow. Our strong experiences can become soft fertilizer, a foundation on which new things can grow from.
Grow the roses
- The growing of a beautiful rose is a process. It starts with a seed that dies to itself, and with the help of good soil, light, and water, produces something so much more then the original.
Of Success
- Success is in what you give to others. Our gifts, like a rose's beauty, is not for ourselves, but for others to enjoy.
Jesus talked in the parable of the sower about the value of good soil. Are we allowing God to transform our experiences so they become good soil in which great dreams can flourish? Good soil is not hard, rocky, or filled with weeds. Good soil is soft, rich in nutrients...yes fertilizer.
- Up from what what used to be seemingly strong, and is now soft and serves as fertilizer to help something else grow. Our strong experiences can become soft fertilizer, a foundation on which new things can grow from.
Grow the roses
- The growing of a beautiful rose is a process. It starts with a seed that dies to itself, and with the help of good soil, light, and water, produces something so much more then the original.
Of Success
- Success is in what you give to others. Our gifts, like a rose's beauty, is not for ourselves, but for others to enjoy.
Jesus talked in the parable of the sower about the value of good soil. Are we allowing God to transform our experiences so they become good soil in which great dreams can flourish? Good soil is not hard, rocky, or filled with weeds. Good soil is soft, rich in nutrients...yes fertilizer.
Here is what I'm doing as I seek out my next dream.
- Writing a time-line of past experiences
- Looking at the time-line see where I have put forth energy that has brought about the greatest joy, the greatest good.
- Looking for where I have found purpose and joy, and where that seems to point.
- Trusting that my Father will guide my steps.
I found this in a quick search about how a rose grows. It seems to apply.
There will be disappointments along the way, when many rose seeds fail to germinate, or perhaps they do germinate, only to die several weeks later from damp-off disease. Sometimes a rose seedling will turn out to be as ugly as sin, or very sickly, and you will reluctantly have to throw it away. Other times they will be just ho-hum, or look too much like its parent, and therefore have no value. But, just when you don't expect it, you might discover that one of your rose seedlings turns out to be very special. http://scvrs.homestead.com/HybridizeKB1.html
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