January 29, 2008

This blog is written by Mark Littleton, a Christianauthor with many books in print. You can find most of his books at Amazon.comunder his name.

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I Still Have Dreams Even Though I'm Homing in On Sixty

     Onenight as we sprawled in bed, my lovely wife Jeanette posed a question as sheoften does at such times. "Honey, did you . . . " 

     "Yes,I took out the trash." 

     "No,darling. What I meant to ask was, do you still have dreams?" 

     Mynose stuck to a book (not "in") as I fought to stay awake, Ianswered, hoping she didn't expect me to go into the lurid details of mytypical dreams. They usually involved machine-gun fire, hulking mutants, andArnold Schwarzeneggar, before he was governor of California. Lately, though,Arnold has been replaced by The Rock. "Sure. But I don't remember most ofthem when I wake up. Except for the blood and guts. I remember that." 

     Sheshook her head. "No, I mean goal-dreams, hope-dreams, pipe-dreams, thosekinds of dreams." 

     Forthe first time, I perked up at the thought of one of our scintillating latenight conversations. At fifty-seven years old, I occasionally get suchquestions from her, because she is always trying to find out what really goeson inside my head. I've tried to tell her many times that at twelve-midnightthere's nothing going on inside my head, unless it there's a tie in the finalgame of the World Series, the chance of winning a free shopping day at HomeDepot, or perhaps the idea that we might soon be taking off all our clothing.For some reason, none of that usually stokes up the fire of passion in hersoul.

     "Sure,I have a lot of them," I finally answered with a yawn. "Of course,they've changed over the years." 

     Shepropped herself on her elbow and gazed at me with her mysterious green eyes."Tell me about them."   

     Ithought way back, so far back my head ached. "When I was about six yearsold, I dreamed of becoming Superman." 

     "Really.Why?" 

     "Well,I wanted to fly. And also have X-ray vision." 

     "Really?"

     "Yeah.I wanted to be able to see through walls to see what other people were doing inthere without them knowing I saw them. And flying, well, what could be more funfor a kid?"

     Sheshook her head with amazement and, gave me that look I always get when she saysto me, "You are so hopeless".

     Iwent on to catalogue many other dreams. There was the one about being a middlelinebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. Clearly, that never happened. Anotherrevolved around every woman I ever dated (no need to go into what that wasabout).  Then there was theall-important vision of marrying the love of my life, which I quickly assuredher had been fulfilled with her. Many others about being pastor of amega-church, speaking all over the world to crowds of thousands, and evenhaving a radio ministry like the pastors I revered who spoke every night onstations everything. But finally I got to what I have always thought as the BIGONE.  

     "Itstarted in late high school and college. I really got into poetry, not surewhy. But I dreamed of being a poet, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and becomingthe Poet Laureate of the U.S.A. As I got into writing nonfiction and then fiction,I started to dream about writing a New York Times bestseller."

     "Youwriters certainly shoot high." 

     "Ofcourse." I went on, "I also longed to win the Nobel Prize forLiterature, a couple Oscars for the movies I'd write based on my bestselling novels,having a state dinner in my honor at the White House, and having my picturetaken with on Oscar night with all the multiple winners. " 

     Sherolled her eyes.  "Do you everthink in realistic, it's-possible terms?" 

     "Well,what should I say? 'Yes, I hope my next book sells seventeen copies. I longthat several of those buyers actually read a few pages. I even dream of readinga chapter or two Joe's Crab Shack on all-you-can-eat shrimp night. Is that whatyou think I should want?'" 

     "Okay,okay. It's good to dream big, I'll admit that. So that's still your dream -that bestseller?" 

     "Yeah,I guess. Do you think it will happen?" 

     "Younever know, honey," she said, touching a finger to my nose. "We servea God who can do the impossible, after all." 

     Inodded.

     "Anyway,you've answered all my questions," she said, bonking her behind against mytorso. "Now I can go to sleep in the happy knowledge that my husbandactually thinks something at night besides about the World Series and ArnoldSchwarzeneggar." 

     "TheRock," I corrected. 

     "TheRock?" 

     "Nothing,"I said, sinking down under the covers, suddenly feeling miserable. "Justsome guy."  

*****

     Haveyou ever felt as though your highest dreams were long ago laid in the dust ofoolish early career musings? Do you ever look back on your life like I do - atthe age now of nearly sixty - and tell yourself, "Guess it'll never happennow"? 

     Inthis book, I plan to explore those dreams, early-life, middle-life, andlate-life, and offer some real hope to those of you who face the retirementyears and have to admit little you ever really hoped for has been accomplished.As a writer, I recall reading how some of the great writers of our age camedown to their last years lamenting that little they wanted to do had becomereality. Some of them did win the Nobel Prize, the Oscars and Pulitzers, and soon. How could they believe they'd achieved nothing great or lasting? 

     Thetruth is that few people in any generation leave behind a legacy that trulylasts. Remember Jack London? The highest paid writer of his time? The firstever to make a million dollars in one year? He died a drunk, deeply depressed.

     Ithink of Freddie Prinze, star of the hit show, "Chico and the Man."in the 1970s. He became rich, married a beautiful woman, and brought a son,Freddie Prinze, Jr., who has become a well-known and successful actor. But atthe age of twenty-two, despondent and feeling lost, he took his own life whilehigh on Quaaludes. What a waste, many would say. And truly, such an exit fromlife was. 

     Howabout Ronald Reagan? Despite all he accomplished, he spent his last years avictim of Alzheimers, having little idea of who he was, let alone anything he'dever done. 

     Iflife turns out this way, why is it even worth trying to make a mark, orattempting to build a legacy? 

     Ideeply believe that without God in your life, for many such an outlook will behard to deflect. It's like the biblical story of the rich young ruler, found inMark 10:17-27).  He came to Jesus askingwhat he needed to do to qualify for eternal life. Jesus told him to sell all hehad, give the proceeds to the poor, and then come and become a disciple. Thisrich man found the answer both mystifying and discouraging, and he went awayunsaved and undone. When the disciples asked Jesus what had gone wrong, hereplied the classic answer: "It is easier for a camel to go through theeye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Thedisciples, stunned, asked, "Then who can be saved?" To them, beingrich, young, and powerful was the epitome of a person blessed by God. They wereperfect candidates for God's kingdom, weren't they?

     Notquite. Jesus answered them, "With people it is impossible, but not withGod. For all things are possible with God." 

     WhileJesus spoke with respect to salvation, I believe the same principle applies tous, our dreams, our hopes, our greatest longings. Right now all may lookimpossible. But not with God. He is a God who makes the impossible possible.

     Inmany respects, that's what I want to show you in this book. But don't make themistake of thinking that I plan to tell you your dreams of being rich, owningthat resort chalais in the mountains, attaining the top position in yourcompany, or whatever is what God wants most to do in your life. In fact, yourdreams may be the problem. I want to point you to God's dreams for you.

     Thoseare the only dreams worth obsessing about.  So I hope you'll come along in the pages ahead to find outwhat they might be.