A Response To March's Topic of The Month

I was recently watching TV and a commercial came on and it mentioned don't be afraid to chase the wind. I pondered the commercial, and even became very excited saying "you know what, I am going to start chasing the wind". Then I turned to Ecclesiastes on the same day, not more than 10minutes later, where the instructions said "don't chase the wind". Okay to be more specific it read "Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless-like chasing the wind".
So ladies here is my interpretation of this verse as well as conversations I have had with other women over the last few weeks. Many times we as humans can get caught in a place where we begin to complain or even become complacent and complain. We complain about our bills, our husbands, or partners, complain about our children, our jobs, our churches, our grocery stores and gas stations. It just seems today not very many people are happy with what they have. On another note though, not only being dissatisfied with where we are in life we are not making the necessary steps to make things better. I am a true believer God has blessings not curses for all of his children. I truly believe he is ready to pour us out a blessing to where our cup will overflow because our cup will not have room to store all the things God has in store for us. Sometimes we make it difficult for God to bless us in over abundance when we can not be satisfied with where we are. Now this does not mean do not aspire for more, or like the good book says, want for more. Simply dreaming about what we want and complaining about what we don't have is not going to cut the mustard and comes off a bit ungrateful.
An example of this is working at a company you don't like, but instead of being thankful for the job you currently have, and actively looking for something better. You sit in that job day after day, complaining about how you don't get a raise, or the raise is small, you can not get a promotion, or you have to come in early, stay late or work weekends. Because of this you start coming into work late, taking longer lunch breaks, spending more time at the water cooler, coffee pot or restrooms, you call in if its raining, snowing, cold, you have a headache or simply wake up and say "hey I am not going to work". So you dream of having something better but you don't take personal responsibility for your part at the job, and your dreams do not move into action with looking for another job, finding a recruiter or a headhunter.
I will never forget about eight years ago I took one of my famous cruises with my group of traveling friends, five of us traveled this time on the trip and we had landed in St. Thomas. So as we began shopping (St. Thomas was known for great jewelry at exceptional prices), we stopped in a jewelry store and one of my dear friends said something to this affect "yall go head and look, I am not a dreamer I realize I can not and will not afford this mess so I am about to go". I am sharing this to say, it is okay to dream, but dreaming alone will not help you to accomplish what is rightfully yours on this earth. I wish I would have said to my friend then what I am saying today. You know, you are correct dreaming alone about traveling, buying something or owning something will not accomplish anything, instead make yourself some goals. Then do what is necessary to accomplish those goals. Having nice things are not only for the privileged, you can own a house, own a car, own property, have investments, travel to Italy, Greece, Morocco and Egypt and so much more. You may not have the ability today to obtain those things at this very moment, but you plan and move the plan into action to reach your goals. Just because you are unemployed today, does not mean you can not dream, then set yourself a goal, then put the goals into action to own a home or travel to Greece. Simply means you have to prioritize and plan accordingly, you may have to purchase your home in 2011, or travel to Greece in 2010. Instead of going to the movies every week or buying a new outfit at Macy's three day sale, you may decide to tuck away your money. You may say I am going to save 100.oo a month, and call this your closing money fund or your trip to Greece fund. Hang a picture of your favorite home or next vacation spot or what ever else you want then do what is necessary to make that dream into a goal and that goal into a reality.
Chasing a dream is meaningless without a call to action! We have to stop assuming because of our current state and circumstances we can not achieve greatness. We have to stop accepting things which are below standards because we can not appreciate our worth. If you are not married today, does not mean you will not be married tomorrow, sitting around and complaining about not being married and all of your friends are married is not going to change your circumstances, accepting trash of a man because you want to be married is not moving towards a positive goal and will ultimately result in your personal, physical and mental demise. Along with sitting in the house or on the Internet is not assisting you in moving you towards your goal of being married either. We can go on and on with different examples of how one chases the wind without action. If you have gained weight in the last 10 years, don't complain that nothing fits, or wonder why our husbands or partners do not find us attractive anymore, and continue to eat fast food, frozen meals and fried foods everyday while the weight continues to stick to you like glue. If you dream of losing weight, dream no more. Set yourself a goal, start off saying I am going to lose 5 pounds in 1 month. Then move your goal into actionable steps by cutting out all pops, sodas, sweet teas and start drinking water. Cut out fried foods from 7 days to 1 day, shrink your portion sizes, shrink your carbohydrates and sugars and increase your vegetables and less sweeten fruits, and you know what walk to the corner and back again 5 times, 3 days a week. Nothing hard, nothing major, small steps to achieving your goal. In 30 days you would have lost those 5 pounds and more. If you fall off the wagon, get right back up and start again. Don't go out to eat, or if you do don't eat the whole plate, eat half and throw the other half away, I know I said it throw it away (how much you wanna bet you will stop eating out until you get your weight under control).
So as we have been talking for the past few months about communication, throwing out the trash and now stop having meaningless dreams like chasing the wind. Chasing the wind alone will not yield any results, as you can spend a life time chasing the wind. Lets put those dreams into goals and goals into action! Rather you are looking for a new job, change of jobs, buying a new home, taking a vacation, purchasing a car, making an investment, getting out of debt, losing weight, adopting a child etc. Don't just dream about it, be about it! Okay my net work of women, as we are taking out the trash, let's turn our dreams into goals and goals into reality. I don't know about you but in the next 4 years I am going to Morocco, Italy, Greece, Spain, Istanbul and Libia and I will own some investment properties which will help pay for my daughters college. Just so you know, this is not a dream, this is a goal I am actively working in making into a reality. What every your dream is, dream no more, stop chasing the wind, move that dream into a goal. It may take 6 months or 5 years, but make the necessary plans to move into reality.
As you do this lean not to your own understanding, pray to God on the next move you should make so he may order your footsteps into the right direction. Keep good circle of saintly friends around you who will support you, and keep a faithful heart even during times of what appears to be uncertainty, as even what appears to be uncertainty is a learning lesson for you!

Useful Scriptures:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
Ecclesiastes 5:3
Ecclesiastes 6:9
Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

From Our Hearts 2 Yours,
knedwards-montgomery

(As always this blog is meant for us to have dialog about the topic of the month or anything else you feel we should discuss. We should support each other, if you know of a good investment opportunity share the information, if you have some job leads share the information, if you know a great weight loss program or doctor share the information, if you attend a great church share the information, if you know a good marriage counselor share the information, if you know a good divorce attorney share the information, if you know great summer camps for children share the information. If you are going through some difficulties and want to reach out for a caring hand don't hesitate to share the information. This blog is for us women to encourage, share, laugh, cry and sing.)