The Fire and Ice of my Dreams

There was something evoking about this picture the first time I saw it. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it; it drew me as I wondered what had been inside this ice blanketed building that caught on fire on January 03, 2014.

Dating back to 1882, The Waterman Opera House of Plattsmouth, Nebraska stands blanked in ice. The rays of light shining through the broken out windows seems an odd contradiction to the destruction that lay at the heart of the building.

I realized that my infatuation with the picture was grounded in the fact that I have lived like this building. A fire, a passion, a light lives in my heart. Dreams, ideas, innovations, a calling that is confined inside the walls of its frozen housing. A destiny that can feel within reach, an open window, an opportunity granted. But once outside the confines of the ice palace my dream is sprayed with a fire hose!

Okay, so maybe a bit dramatic. Or maybe not.

Maybe you understand what it means to have a big dream and at the same time you wonder if your dream will ever be realized. Maybe you, like me, have felt anonymous. Maybe you have waited for someone to notice how amazing and gifted you are and they didn’t.

Here are some things that have helped me understand and make the most of my anonymous years.

1) A little book by Alicia Britt Chole called…you guessed it…Anonymous. Published in 2006, this is one of the best books I have ever read, and I read a lot of books. My take-a-ways: Jesus had 30 anonymous years and 3 years of ministry but none of his anonymous years were unproductive or unimportant. Yours aren’t either.

2) Recognize and be content in your season of life (school, parenting, caring for an aging parent, empty nester…). If you look closely, the gifts that God has given you to use for your BIG dream can be utilized in serving the people around you. Essentially, this is what you were made for, to love God and others with your gifts and talents. This type of gift giving often lack the applause our hearts (and egos) desire but it is what creates life change and a lot of memories along the way.

3) The most important thing: Keep your life in perspective. Always remember that you are never anonymous to God. He sees you, He hears you, and yes, He even applauds you.

May today be a day that we embrace the fire and ice of our dreams and live life to the fullest!