Dreams

I know all about having big dreams. After all, I'm the one who drove my family nuts ever since I could talk by saying "When I grow up, I'm going to________" every day. I have had and still have a LOT of dreams! That may help explain the last sentence on my bio up on the right there! LOL

Recently I've been reading in several places about what I'm going to call "false dreams." The website that finally made me write this was one called horsemanpro.com. The guy who writes it seems like quite a character. He doesn't seem to know what mercy means, and he's only interested in the truth, the bottom line of what something means or what is really supposed to be done in a particular situation. Still, even though his writing is quite, shall we say, abrasive, he has a lot of great points, and I've been learning quite a bit there.

One theme throughout his writing is the subject of amateur horsepeople, people (often women) who dreamed of getting a horse someday and finally did. He is very critical of amateur owners, mainly because he can't stand when people mistreat or abuse an animal because of ignorance and the lack of ability to see problems in what they are doing. He talks a lot about how people grow up watching Black Beauty or reading Black Stallion books and then go out and buy a horse someday and use it to fulfill their dream of long ago, often in the process not learning much about horses, not being willing to be taught or to accept correction, and usually causing damage to the horse mentally or physically because of that (and often to themselves, too). Obviously, that is very selfish to use an animal solely to fulfill your own dreams without learning to do what the horse needs you to do. I don't believe most people ever even have a clue of the extent of what they do to their animals from that cause, which is sad.

I disagree with the guy because he seems to feel that there are very few, if any, real horsepeople out there anymore who consistently attempt to learn and get better and try to do whatever their horse needs, not what they emotionally think it wants. I actually know a lot of people who fit that description of a good horse owner! :-)

So anyway, I've been thinking about the subject of dreams a lot. Dreams are incredible! We just need to make sure that we keep them grounded in truth and reality. For example, if you dream of getting a horse, realize it's going to be a huge commitment. You are taking on the life of a living being, and making certain implicit promises to that horse. You cannot anthropomorphize the horse, and you must not make important decisions out of emotions and feelings. Being responsible for a life means being sober about the impact you will have on that life, and if you cannot afford the time the horse needs anymore, for example, then guess what? You have to either figure out some way to find the time, or sell it ASAP before the horse suffers from neglect. Sure, you can be as goofy or sentimental in small things as you like - go ahead and braid ribbons in the mane & tail if the horse doesn't mind, or put glitter on, or take 10,000 pictures! Have FUN with your dream!!! Just be mature/realistic/emotionally grounded about it.

On a slightly different note, a favorite author of mine, Randy Alcorn, (www.epm.org) says often that "our dreams are always too small." Meaning that what God wants to do in our lives, and what we are hoping He might do for us, are too incredibly different things. Warning: Not talking about riches and power type dreams here, though. A lot of the dreams God has for us have to do with our character, and how we see Him. One of the most amazing songs I've ever heard is called the "Martyr's Song," by Todd Agnew. If you want to catch a tiny glimpse of God's huge heart toward each of His children, listen to this song! It is based on Zephaniah 3:17. Wow, wow, and wow.


L