Dreams and Such

This past Saturday, our intern, Anna, and I spent the morning at the Fort Wayne Zoo...meeting the families that came through and watching kids (and kids at heart) spin the prize wheel to win a little something fun. We had an absolutely gorgeous day - not hot, not cold, not windy, not humid - just gorgeous. Here's Anna:

 It was interesting to me to watch the families file through with kids of all ages...and probably because I'm a people person, it made me wonder about their stories. Women who were uncomfortably pregnant walked around anyway, all for the sheer delight on the face of their first little one in the stroller. Grandparents held tightly to the hands of grandchildren, making memories those kids are likely to keep for all time. Young parents...old parents...adoptive parents...biological parents...groups of parents bringing kids for a play date...parents and case workers of those with physical and developmental challenges...teenagers and young adults on dates...

It was a four hour tour of who-knows-what-kind-of-dreams filing past the table, some nodding our way and moving ahead and others stopping to have some fun.

Dreams.

The stuff that caused these two (who just happen to be my parents) to stand at an altar 58 years ago today and pledge forever together...

...and still be together 58 years later...

Dreams.

The stuff that burned in the hearts of today's guests...authors, who dreamed up stories and illustrations and committed them to paper and screen so they could be passed on to those of us who love to read.

One of our authors today was Katherine Paterson, who years ago wrote the book Bridge to Terabithia. I read that book in elementary school and loved it so much that my friend Amber and I created our own little worlds, which we named Carapithia and Farapithia (based on the first letters of our last names) and in those little imaginary worlds, we made dreams too.

When I called Katherine last week to confirm today's interview, I said to her, "I just want you to know how much I loved Bridge to Terabithia..."

I was on the phone with a dream-maker. Someone whose words allowed me the courage to create a dream.

Do dreams come true?

Not usually like you imagine them. They probably haven't for most of the people who filed past Anna, the prize wheel, and me on Saturday. They haven't always for my parents. And Amber and I live in a real world, not in our paradise of Carapithia and Farapithia...but you know what?

God does some amazing things with a heart that dreams. He molds those dreams to fit His and when He brings a dream to pass, it's wildly amazing.

Beyond all we could ask or imagine, in fact.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21