The American Dream

The American Dream:

Who doesn't fantasize about it? We would be crazy not to dream of it. It is in our blood, I would argue. Part of our rearing from infancy on up, really. Like learning to walk and talk...it comes naturally to us after so long. Part of who we are, who we are told we are at least. Life without it, well life without the American dream...would be...well, what?

What would your life without the American Dream be? Would you dream about your wedding day, ladies? Your future children, yeah the ones that you are going to make with the cute boy who sits in front of you in bio class. Guys- would you pursue that law degree with the same enthusiasm and eagerness? Would your yearning to have that new TV with the newest, most up-to-date games so that all of your friend will envy you and beg you to entertain still yield the same satisfaction? What about the nice house with the white picket fence, the dog running through the green grass on a warm, breezy day. The kids all sitting at the table finishing their homework, the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven while mom starts dinner, in anticipation of dad coming home after a long days work, ready to roll around on the floor with the kids until bedtime. After which, mom and dad finally retreat to he couch, all snuggled up, a bowl of popcorn in one hand, remote in the other as they laugh their way through the newest reality TV show that is on that night. Tomorrow...well, tomorrow is strikingly just as beautifully perfect. For the past 20 years of my life, well as long as I can remember, this has always been my dream. In fact, I could dream of settling for nothing less. The American dream. The Ultimate dream. The Life.

Even in the past year or so, people will ask me what my major is and what I want to do with it. After the awkward laugh and explanation to accompany it of just how many times my major has already changed in my first couple years of school and that currently, I am studying ____, but not really sure if this is what I am suppossed to be doing, because honestly, I will tell them, I just don't care what I graduate with...I wish I could just go to school to be a wife and mom because that is what I feel called to do with my life anyways. They often nod their head and smile, assuring me of the importance of a college education and how one day I will be glad I have one. I hear this as, "Well, lemme know how that works out for you...you'll be wishing you had a real job in no time. That won't last you long."



I smile and laugh inside. Oh how many more times must I hear this?



Yet lately, I hear, "Courtney, my sweet, precious daughter. You think that you are special, which you are to me, but you think that something should be given to you...a pat on the back maybe, for standing firm in what you feel you are called to do, particularly since it does not often make sense to the typical American non-believer in today's society. You think this is persecution. I mean what could be worse...they are putting down everything you dream about, right? You think you understand what sacrificing for me means? You think you know, huh? Well let me ask you this: what if I told you to give it all up? What if I told you that you were never going to marry? That you would never carry or birth your own flesh and blood? That you would never live your version of the American Dream?"



Would you give it all up for me? Would you still praise me? Would you still love me? Would you still passionately proclaim my Name through all the earth? Am I really worth EVERYTHING to you?



It seems in a matter of days the life that all I have always dreamed about is coming tumbling down before me and oddly, I am okay with that. What if, just what if, this isn't my dream anymore?



The more time I spend here, the less I want it. The more time I spend here, the more disgusted I become....with the culture, Hollywood, Television, food, music, hypocrisy, money, fashion, education, the church, education, and more then anything else, myself.



Is there something wrong with me? I would tend to say, yes there is something very wrong. My family would gladly agree. And yet, in weird and only God provided ways, I can now see His gentle preparation of proposing this seemingly crazy concept to me actually began several years ago and has been slowly building to now. I will share more about this later.



Would you give it all up for him tomorrow, if He asked you to? Do you trust Him with your life? Do you know Him like that? Is He more important to you then the American dream? Is He really worth it all? Your dreams? Your boyfriend? Your friends? Your education? Your dream job? Your clothes? Your money? Your stuff? Your comfort? Your status? Your family? Your LIFE?


For now, I leave you to battle it out with this: Is He really worth everything?