What Difference Does It Make?
Part 1What Difference Does It Make? Part II
What Difference Does It Make? Part II
Five Part SeriesWhat difference does it make? What if we give up when reaching our dreams seems completely unattainable? How will it matter in the grand scope of things, after we’re gone if we never realize our dreams? Have you ever wondered if you stay the course and attain your dream, how many others it might impact?
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.
– Langston Hughes
What I “do” doesn’t define who I am; the world gives us labels for the purpose of categorizing our social worth or ability to earn income. Today, my “labels” include Writer, Poet, Author, Graphic Designer, Crafter, Artist, Blogger, Brand Partner, Affiliate Partner, and struggling Web Administrator. It’s no wonder life gets messy, especially since these skills were learned along the way.
Through the years, I have tried my hand at crafting, cooking, writing, design, and sewing; just about anything that captured my interest. I found abundant joy in sharing those things with other people as handmade gifts or favors. My love for creating things became known through word of mouth mostly, and often I found myself creating commissioned work. What if I had given up? My daughter wouldn’t have the memory of a beautiful princess gown for Halloween, or the cakes we learned to decorate for a show and the ribbons we brought home. My son’s cake won 1st place in his category; he wouldn’t if I had given up when the royal icing failed over and over. If I had given up after the 20th rewrite, my book wouldn’t have made a 4th grader want to learn to write. Hobbies have a way of evolving into the fulfillment of lifelong dreams, but if we give up it says more about who we are than what we do.
Writing has been one of the ways I get to do some of those things, Blogging is another. It gives me an outlet to do some pieces on the journey of just living life. It also provides me, a place to give others voice in commenting, a platform to market my book along with upcoming work; still others a voice talking about issues they are passionate about.
. . . And over the past 9-10 months a place to partner with some families who are helping thousands of others improve their lives. In fact, for a very short time the Langfords and their team are offering a free mini e-course in audio format on living healthy “Natural” lifestyles . (This offer is no longer available – but there will be more from there team )
Who ‘I am’ defines what I do. Who I am is a child of God, a daughter of the King of Kings, firstborn daughter in a family of six, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a dreamer, an encourager, a listener, and friend; changing and affecting change in my world every day.
Having a thirst for knowledge, a desire to learn new software and technology; an insatiable curiosity about the changing world we live in is both wonderful and consuming. It is compounded by the awesome power of the love of my God. It has no bounds and every day is an adventure with Jesus at my side. How exciting it is to see ways we were created to reflect a magnificence we can barely comprehend. All things created by Him are fascinating to me; His words are precious and make me want more.
More than all the labels I mentioned, I want to be known as a friend, a lover of people and children and animals; someone to be trusted with the hopes, hurts, and dreams people would share with me. I want to share my heart, my joy, my prayers; my hope. We can endure and survive amazing things when we have hope that is rightly placed in God’s love for His children.
What’s more, retirement doesn’t have to put an expiration date on our enjoyment of life. Let’s remain relevant and keep our body and brains healthy so we can live life with a fullness of heart. Let’s remember the child in each of us and reconnect with our hopes and dreams. Maybe, just maybe, we can fire up those dreams again; maybe we can achieve that image we once had in our head.
What is your dream?
What difference will it make to you if no one else hears the message in your hearts or reads the book you dream of publishing?the
What difference will it make if you don’t reach your dream?
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What difference does it make if we live life halfheartedly – who will even notice? What difference does it make if we do something forbidden just once; after all isn’t that what learning is all about? What difference does it make if we don’t get to take in the speaker’s message because we are busy working behind the scenes doing an important job so others can hear it? What difference does it make if we are so hungry for the message that we don’t volunteer so that a dedicated worker can have a chance to be in front of the message? What difference does it make if, if, if….we could go on forever with the ‘what difference does it make’ questions. The truth is everything we do or don’t do makes an important difference to someone. We hear that said throughout our lives, but perhaps some of us never truly hear it. It passes our eyes and ears, shielded by preoccupation with what is now or has happened in our lives. Some people remain stuck in their world view, refusing to seek out and fully live for, honor, or thank the God who gave them life. While preparing a lesson for my Team Kids and Mission Friends, God reminded me of some powerful truths; truths we sometimes overlook. Truths like…
- We are uniquely made.
- We are each given our own gifts and talents.
- We are by nature seekers of recognition.
- We are by nature guilty of making wrong choices.
- We have free-will to choose the paths we will take.
Truths like … It hurts to have regrets The paths we choose will either alter or build on the blueprint God chose for our lives. Is it really so hard to believe the One who created every living organism in this World, every molecule in our body, every natural element, did so with a specific purpose and connection to each other? Science understands the physical application of this truth. Take cooking for example; if we choose to omit the baking powder in the biscuit recipe it changes the end result. The Law of Physics tells us – if a builder chooses to use undersize support beams and cover up some shortcuts he took in a structure it is weakened and somewhere along the way it will fail to meet its expected use. So why is it so difficult to see the spiritual application of these truths in our lives today? Take a look at the ‘first’ human parents, Adam and Eve; we already know what their “what if” cost the world. Their example of self-indulgence set the stage for the lives their offspring would lead; it cost them every pure joy and privilege they had known. At this point they no longer lived in the Garden of Eden, where they could eat luscious fruit from the trees God provided and permitted. One choice, followed by another, their World and ours changed forever. The God who graciously provided for and lovingly fed them from the fruit of the trees removed His blessing. Now they would know pain and hard work as they toiled to find food from the plants of the field and know shame in their nakedness. Again, God provided… He made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
