Sunday, April 1, 2012

Dream Big


I watched them from the back window.  As they stared up the steep hill together, Bubbs standing at his bike's side gripping the handle bars, I sensed there was a consultation in progress, a plan brewing.  I surveyed this field that holds wild grasses and wildflowers, their wild hearts unleashed, ready to explore, conquer, live abandoned.  A place where their uncontainable sense of adventure can be uniquely cultivated.  In the midst of miniature mountains and valleys, snakes and bugs and birds, flora and fauna abundant, my naturalist and my dare devil find common ground.  


This field holds something for each of them.  Baby Girl, she delights in the wonder of God’s animals, His creation, exploring every nook and cranny of this landscape.  Bubbs?  He’s all boy.  He believes God’s greatest work is found in speed, gravity and the law of motion and physics, which don’t always work in his favor.   But he doesn’t seem to mind and it only makes him hungry for more.  He dreams big.


As I watch, their plan is starting to unfold.  And I decide mama better be on-site for this one instead of struggling to let go from inside the house.  The Chef has a wide grin and a bit of pride spilling out as he assures me it will be alright. He’s all boy too and that apple staring up a hill clinging his bike didn’t fall to far from this tree. 

As we exit the house and find our places for the evening show, Bubbs faces his mountain, pushing his bike upward, Baby Girl close behind.  These two are thick as thieves, and I love how they continually educate me in relationships.  An adventure like this, it’s not a solo mission.



He’s got twenty yards, ten yards straight up.  I see his body double over as he starts his ascent pushing relentlessly higher, excitement building over the glory waiting on the other side of his labor.  And as the incline turns straight towards the clear blue sky, his strength gives out and he can’t push anymore.  He slips and his bike falls over.  But Baby Girl, she’s right behind him.  And she can taste his sweet victory almost as much as he can. I can barely hear her. “It’s okay, Bubbs.  Get up. I’ll help you.” 


I see him gain his footing, pick up his bike and the two of them push that Huffy straight up, conquering his mountain together. Because he dreams big.  And she loves well.  

With them at the top of their mountain, I’m at the base of mine.  Standing there with my mama heart outside my body as it mounts a two-wheel contraption meant for smooth bicycle paths, ready to ride straight down this dirt slope and there’s no stopping him.  And just like Baby Girl did for Bubbs, the Chef is by my side helping me push up my mountain, whispering his sweet comfort once more before show time.

And he wraps his arms around me just as the eeks and screams sound off and we all let go a little as that Huffy holding my dare devil teeters over that ridge leaving gravity to do its thing.  Bubbs comes blazing down the hill, living his dream, like there is no greater delight in life, laughing his contagious laugh and when he makes it to the bottom (in one piece and a New York minute), I exhale hard as I hear him scream, “That was awesome! I'm TOTALLY doing that again!”  And in that brief moment, our hearts are all wrapped in the joy of a little boy who dreams big, without fear.  Him? He’s already dreaming bigger.

And I got to thinking… maybe it’s time I started dreaming big too.  Because there are bigger hills than this around the corner.  And when we dare to dream big, isn’t that just saying we have big faith?  That Mt. Burden doesn't make us tremble or take us off course?  That we hope in this God who can dream bigger still. That we believe in El Shadday, God Almighty, who moves mountains with faith the size of a puny mustard seed? And what if I have the courage, a faith that is bigger than a mustard seed? 

Because really, the size of my dreams is only limited by the size of my faith.  And I just can't out-dream God.  I want to dream so big that I need help pushing. Afterall, God's blessed me with so many who love well.  I want to dream so big that when I'm riding down my mountain like there is no greater delight in life, laughing my contagious laugh, people turn to look only to find Christ.  Because it was His dream afterall, and I finally found the courage to take hold of it.

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