Inspired Real Estate For Today

Gifts come in all sorts of different ways.  Sometimes they walk into your life through a dozen pairs of feet.  The first pair belonged to the sleeping baby carried by her Mother.  Then 4 kids ranging in age from 9 ~ 13 each removed their shoes, carefully wiping off the snow.  Finally, their Father entered the foyer and extended his hand to introduce his family. 

Thus we welcomed to our home for Christmas Dinner a family whom we were meeting for the first time. They had recently moved to the Grand Rapids area. Our party was an eclectic collection of family, friends and brand new acquaintances. 

As introductions continued, an amazing thing began to occur. To everyone's surprise...connections emerged.  Here in a Grand Rapids, Michigan living room people who had never met met each other  found that they had lived in neighboring communities abroad and had gone to some of the same schools, albeit at different times. Remarkable!

Later that evening, I sat down for a chat with the Mom.  She had travelled alone to the United States, from West Africa approximately 5 years ago. As a skilled nurse, she wanted to continue her studies.  She was able to get admission into local university, but they demanded payment in FULL for the entire year.  She shared a remarkable story of how her school fees were miraculously payed for within one week through the kindness of strangers.  Then in the most wonderful way her entire family was able to join her after 9 months.  Both Mom and Dad had just completed their PhD's within the last month. Wow!

She summed up her journey with this statement..."I love being on an adventure with God.  He never disappoints."  What an extraordinary outlook on life...An Adventure with God!  What a challenge.  So often, I'm tempted to play it Safe.  There's a part of me that's Wild with Adventure.  Then my cautious Voice of Reason steps in and demands an accounting..."How do you intend to accomplish this?  What's it Going to Cost?  Will it Succeed?"

Just a couple days prior to this dinner , I'd met another young lady in a sparkling dress. Pretty, engaging and articulate; we started to chat. It became apparent quite quickly that she was not happy.  She felt trapped...as though life had passed her by. She had lost faith in her dreams.  Despite my encouragement, she insisted that I was one of those "lucky people."  I sensed deep desperation underneath the shimmer.  I told her I understood...my battles were not unlike hers. Luck had little to do with it. But, she didn't seem to see how powerful her negativity was.  I guess we all have a Choice.

So, it's a constant battle of 2 minds...both perfectly reasonable from their individual perspectives. Two voices...one whispering the sweet song of our inmost desires...the other reminding us of our darkest dread.  An Adventure with God is either remarkably liberating or extremely frightening.  Depends on your perspective.

I'm listening to this woman with 4 kids share her story and thinking...isn't this what we're all called to do. Live Life in a Way that engages the Adventure? Life's dance is supposed to fling us with abandon to the outer limits, freeing us from being trapped by the small boundaries of a shriveled core. 

So, I see the Gift.  Six living examples of where Life can Take Your Dreams when you're willing to Flap your wings and try to fly.  Cause simply Trying guarantees that you won't be in the same place when you land as where you were before you tried.  And that's the essential nature of progress.  I'm thankful that I was given a Special Gift.  A Challenge which stimulated my imagination and challenged me to trust my dreams.  After all, Dreams are labelled individually for a very good reason.

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