After spending a few days at Disney, I can’t help but sing “Dreams really do come true.” With princesses twirling and characters dancing, evil is destroyed at every turn.
Little boys and girls can’t help but be mesmerized by Mickey’s encouragement that if we only just believe, dreams can become a reality.
Yet when I take away the sprinkle of Cinderella’s fairy dust, what does that really mean for me?
How can I weave God’s calling through the fabric of my every day life without feeling overwhelmed?
The discussions on “Dreaming Big Dreams” have permeated many posts and discussions lately, and as a “Reach for the Stars” kind of girl myself, there’s nothing I appreciate more than surrounding myself with others who dream big dreams, yet often, I’m conflicted with my thoughts on the topic.
For me, whenever I wear my Dream God Sized Dreams bracelet it’s my reminder to embrace the Little Things.
Just recently, I re-read one of my very first Balancing Beauty and Bedlam posts entitled The Little Things. It’s been a theme on my blog for years, and the post began,
“For those who read my blog, you know that one of my passions is CHOOSING JOY.
I love to celebrate the simple things, and stimulate the senses. It is by taking your everyday rituals, and turning them into something meaningful, so that your house becomes a true haven – a sanctuary.
It’s about turning the ordinary into the extraordinary, and that extraordinary is often so simple.
I often get asked, “What is your dream?”
I honestly reply, “I am living it.”
I penned that nearly five years ago. Those are my roots. That’s where I need to return.
Contentment in the midst of simplicity.
Our God Sized dreams vary based on our own personal journey and life stage, and last month on (in)courage, I shared my imaginary conversation. The one where I felt as if I couldn’t keep up amidst this amazing group of women.
The bottom line? I don’t have too. My journey is very different. I don’t share the same dreams, yet that doesn’t make one more important than the next.
Again, I glance at my bracelet, and I’m reminded that my big, crazy, God size realized Dream began by saying “Yes” to the little things which ARE the Big things, and quite often, the most important things.
How did I start to realize my dreams and choose joy on a day to day basis?
I began by saying YES to the little things and not worrying about bigger things.
I said “Yes” to:
- Picking blueberries in the pouring rain
- Choosing Spontaneous Hospitality (for the non-perfectionist) again and again
- Being a Crazy “Yes” Mom whenever I got the chance, since so often I had to say “no.”
- Jumping in a mud puddle, even when I didn’t want more laundry to do
- Eating frozen chocolate chip cookies dough
- Sharing a “backwards night” in which I served ice cream as our main course and encouraged the family to “save” room for our special treat: peas for dessert
- Eating dinner under the table with candles and china
- Buying a Starbucks treat for a stranger in line, even when I wouldn’t buy that treat for myself
As I started saying “Yes” to spontaneous acts of intentional living, my soul was freed up to tip toe into other areas.
- Organizing Kitchen Sisters Clubs (meal swapping groups)
- Sharing Money Saving Ideas
- Serving as a Director for women on their home school journey
Can you see how this slowly evolved?
I didn’t make a chart. I didn’t create a “to do” list. I didn’t have some big “life goals” sheet (shh, I know that goes against all leadership principles).
I allowed my day to day “yeses” to percolate passions that I didn’t even know were imprinted on my heart 20 years ago.
The crazy thing?
From those simple, country girl passions, the desire to become more creative, purposeful and frugal, came a God Sized Dream realized.
It all started with saying “Yes” to the little things.
My co-host and I desired an affordable weekend of encouragement and inspiration for our readers; a place to bring the hands-on topics of our blogs to real life.
I packed up my family room furniture (literally), set it up on the stage and welcomed women from all walks of life to become more intentional with the day to day.
We shared life.
We shared ideas on meal planning, furniture painting, home decor, family traditions, frugal fashion, photography, Trash to Treasure and more.
Honestly, I chuckle because it’s one of my best kept secrets, and I really don’t talk about it much. I guess because this Becoming Conference feels as if I’m just welcoming you all into my home for the weekend, and when you do that, you don’t talk on and on about what an inspiring weekend it is.
You just live life together, embracing both the beauty and bedlam of every day life.
My encouragement to you is to just start.
Tip toe forward and say “Yes” to those little things. My whole Becoming weekend began as a spontaneous idea of mine built on that exact premise.
The theme of “It’s the little things that are the big things” will be sprinkled throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains during the weekend of August 9 -10, 2013
I invited others along for the journey and they said “Yes.”
Won’t you join me too? (Literally and figuratively) 🙂
What’s “Yeses” can you declare today?
Our God Sized Dreams begin by tip toeing towards just one new “Yes.”
(And I highly recommend dancing spontaneously in the rain.)
Shared by: Jen Schmidt, Balancer of Beauty and Bedlam, maker of 10 Minute Dinners and co-host of the Becoming Conference.
Leave a Comment
Jennifer,
What a terrific post about saying “Yes” to the little things. So often we/I get caught up in big dreams, but the real joy is found in saying “I’m in” for the simple things. I need to balance the big dreams with the everyday joys. Some times the dream needs to be put aside to be in the moment that God has put right before me. Thanks for a very pertinent reminder!
Blessings,
Bev
Yes, it’s such a balance, isn’t it? Often I find that I am waiting for that “next” big thing when it’s really right in front of me.
Today I can declare a yes to a lazy summer afternoon on the porch instead of checking something off my to-do list. I completely agree that so often we get caught up in searching for some elusive big moment that we miss the important little moments along the way.
Enjoy it so much. We just built on a porch after we waited to build it (15 years) and I KNOW how re-energizing that time out there can be. 🙂
I love that you are living your dream. Me, too. Contentment in Simplicity. There is nothing more important than nurturing, raising and loving our family.
SO glad to hear you are joining me in contentment. Often, it’s a choice, isn’t it?
This completely resonates with me. I have spent so many years (not “wasted”, just spent, and it has had it’s benefits at times) looking for the BIG thing God wants me to do for Him- the one that puts me up front and center, the one that says, wow, look at what a she’s doing for God – that I’m now finally realizing I need to redirect my attention to the many smaller things all around me, all the time, that I can say “yes” to for Him. Lending a hand, being a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, having some money to lend, being a faithful, diligent employee, cooking for my still-at-home-even-tho-they-are-adult kids, and the list goes on. All the yes’es I can partake of in my day ARE the big things I can do for God. I am thankful to Him that He’s showing me this! Thanks for this post -love, love, love the encouragement it brings into my life.
ABsolutely, Beth. It’s so easy to get lost in the quest for the Big when sometimes they are already in front of us. I forget it too.
What a wonderful post, and how timely this came into my news feed! I am excited to start saying YES to the little things!!
Bekah – on behalf if everyone at A Moment with M.O.M
I am so glad and i LOVE that title, A moment with M.O.M. 🙂
Love this! I have always craved a simple life, to parent these children effectively, to impact those around me. I don’t have to be rich or famous to be happy. I think our culture is loosing sight of that.
For my yes for today, I will engage more with my family than the tasks at hand!
RAchael –
Yes, it so true. Our culture does try to woo us away from it, doesn’t it?
So important to notice the little things, Jen. I think of it as noticing the God Show in my life. He shows up and pours out–do we notice?
Julie – I love that term “God Show.” I’ve used God Watch in the past, but this is PERFECT. He sure does show up. 🙂
I completely agree! I used to think that I was being lazy when I would stop cleaning to listen to a friend who’s called and needed to talk. What a bad mother I must have been because I turned off the stove and went to play in the sand box before it got dark. I know by saying yes to the spontaneous lunches with friends, random ice cream runs and late night, after bed time talks with my kids are all Yeses to God. I do have a schedule that I go by for cleaning, volunteering and other things during the week, but when God calls, I obey even if it ‘s not on my list. More than likely I am more blessed than than whomever I am with. Say YES!
OH Mary – Cheering you on all the way. I LOVE to hear your enthusiasm for saying YES. Your family and friends are blessed, for sure.
Thanks for this Jen! In the fast paced life of momma to eight I find I get caught up in the “no” in order to maintain “control”! The irony of this is that it was one small “yes” to adopt our first child and then six more followed. The biggest blessings in my life resulted from the “YES”!
Karen – that sent chills. What a day that first YES was. 🙂
I had a “God-size Dream” bracelet and lost it in the airport. I just figured God wanted to encourage someone!
Today, my Yes, is, I am beginning to plan a weekend retreat for Women whose passion it is to bring the Word to others. We are going to be talking about the women on the “high-ways and by-ways”. Kind of scary talking and planning a weekend ! But, i said , Yes.
Diane – how wonderful that you are saying Yes to going deep with these women. Just think of the trickle effect that will have on SO many.
Oh, how my heart needed this. I’m very good at doing. I’m not very good at being. The upside is I get a lot done; the downside is I don’t always enjoy getting there or even give myself time to enjoy being there.
I just read on another blog about a family that is doing an around the world trip. It sounds amazing – what a fantastic opportunity for their kids! Then the feeling of, hmmm, I don’t think I’d really want to do that but it would be so great for my kids. Am I being selfish by not wanting to do this?
I spent years traveling for work so my BIG dream is being at home every night and giving my kids deep roots at home. I want to not be on the go so much but to play in the backyard and have friends over.
A day or so after reading the blog post, I realized that it’s an awesome dream – for someone else – but not for me. And that’s okay.
I LOVE this. I am thrilled that you know exactly where you should be for this season.
It is important to say “yes” to little things like a walk with hubby–especially when God calls you into action.
I know that I look for the big, splashy moments in life to bring joy–when all I have to do is say yes to sitting on the porch with my hubby & enjoy the wonderful night air.
And Beth, I too need this reminder. Last night, my hubby said , Let’s go sit on the porch and 100 things went through my mind that I needed to do. At first, I was going to pass. Glad I didn’t. 🙂
loved the article, but I really love the bracelet, where did you find it and can it be ordered. I need to be reminded of God sized dreams. thanks
Val… I think that may be a bracelet from Lisa Leonard designs. Not 100% sure… but I think so. You can google her website… Or try googling the title of the bracelet. I hope you find it!
I tend to hold back, instead of saying “yes”. However, this past Sunday I stood up front and sang “The Lord’s Prayer” solo, with the children’s Sunday school classes signing the song. I have never done a solo of anything! But, I said “yes” to a good friend who knew I could do it! What fun to try something new! =)
Love this article! My only problem is trying to figure out how to be a “yes” mom in my current season of bed rest…any suggestions? 🙂 Thankfully I have lots of friends I can say “yes” to, when they ask if they can help with housework or taking my 4 yr. old for the day. Thanks again for this encouragement!
Thanks for this post. It is a real blessing. I am one of those that are trying to coming into my own and just enjoy what I enjoy and be me instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak. ( A little embarassing to admit, never thought I would be that way.) I will endeavor to just ‘start’ like you encouraged. So often I would start and then stop. Thanks. I read your blog from time to time and have it emailed to my email account, but I don’t often comment. Thanks for encouraging us fellow sisters in Christ!