Purpose of Dreams

One of my dreams involves living in a large old Victorian style house - full of floors of rooms and rooms. A large kitchen, a spacious dining room, a comfy library, and a welcoming family room. I want to fill the rooms with people - children, guests, boarders, whoever. I'd decorate it with antiques that tell a story - that remind me and of others of distant times and treasured values. I picture large Holiday dinners with people of every age packed around a table sharing a meal.

Another dream has me cozied up inside a small yurt or tiny house (or maybe even an RV?) in the middle of wide open spaces. The view disrupted only by fellow small-dwelling neighbors. Minimalist interior - the only contents the bare necessities. Clean lines, modern, functional, no excess. A testament to the fact that we can live and thrive on far less than our society tells us we need. I dream of cook-outs - people milling around an open yard and sitting under shade trees. Neighbors bringing a dish and everyone spreading out on blankets to eat. Afterwards everyone - adult and child alike - bands together for a game of tag or backyard baseball.

I'm looking for the same thing in both dreams really. In both the dreams I'm harvesting a garden and canning the produce. The size of the garden and the number of jars varies. (I should probably learn how to can . . .) In both I'm interacting with people - neighbors or housemates. In both I'm focusing on something I think is important - in the first on on history and a past through the old house and antique decor. In the latter - on simplicity and not holding on to things that will perish.

I don't really see them as opposing dreams though - yes, I can't really live in both a large house and a small house at the same time. But I think that no matter where God leads me to live - I can live out some of those values that produce those dreams. I think I'm starting to realize that it's not so much about getting to your dream - it's about figuring out how your dreams are suppose to impact your life. God didn't give me these desires to have them put on hold until "one day" - they're here now and should be used now. It's difficult to realize the people part of my dreams as an introvert - but I'm thankful to God who seems to throw me in the middle of people - and often puts someone there who will pull me into being involved. I try to find ways to incorporate the things I value (history, roots, self-sufficiency, minimalism, stories, community, etc) into my everyday life today.