Daniel Floyd, author of Living the Dream: Uncover the Plan, Fulfill Your Purpose, pp 14-15  writes:

One thing that unites all of us is that we have all dreamed, and our dreams are never ordinary. Yet sadly, somewhere along the line we put away our dreams like toys in the attic. We grew out of them. We traded in those things that breathed life into us—those thoughts or imaginings that ignited fire in our souls—for the ordinary. We settled for what we perceived to be a safe and achievable reality. We stopped risking! 

But is that really how it’s supposed to be? Or could it be that God has designed you and me, the dreamers, to—in fact—dream? Could it be that lying dormant in your heart is not merely make believe, but a God-given dream, a God-breathed vision? Could it be that God has placed something in your heart so great and so uniquely designed for you that you sense it could be what you were placed on this planet to do? Could it be that God has positioned you in this time and place to achieve something of significance? Could it be that God Himself has ignited the imagination of your soul?

But what are your dreams?  Ask a child “What are you going to be when you grow up?” and you will get something remarkable: a superhero, the president, an astronaut. Kids sit with their chins in their hands just dreaming.  When we become adults we start putting aside our dreams and the time it takes to dream.  But what if we were designed to be dreamers and that’s God’s way of spurring us forward to do great things?

How in your life can you make more time for dreaming?  Maybe you have the time, but you haven’t focused on your dreams, you thought that was irresponsible.  I tell you, you have the right to dream big. So take time to dream, and do what the verse that Mike read said – choose life and listen to God.  Maybe Daniel Floyd was right and our dreams are a different way for God to talk with us.  Are you dreaming of being the best mom you can be, or the best student you can be, or the best gardener that you can be.  Maybe it isn’t about being good at these things but about fully appreciating them – have a deeper relationship with your spouse.  Laugh more with your best friend.  Little ways of choosing life can go a long way.  But never stop dreaming or choosing life anytime there is an opportunity to do either.

What if every relationship you were in was a life-giving relationship?  What if you chose to make your relationships be sources of life? An example.  Maybe you are seeing an old friend you haven’t seen in a while.  Instead of impressing them, be totally present with them.  Empathize with them.  Yes, I’ve said it before but it bears repeating – laugh more, smile more, look for the brighter side.

The erses from Deuteronomy  Mike read  are about Choosing life.  Every day all of our thoughts are choices, all of our actions we choose.  Think of how  much control we really do have over our lives. Every choice we make is chance to breathe life back into our lives.  So we can choose life giving  choices throughout our days and nights.  What gives you life?

We are given multiple opportunities to choose life, to dream big. Maybe we can’t be president or an astronaut,  but we can be our very best life-giving  selves by taking the roles that we have and implementing them for good.  You can be the best employee or employer; the best parent or best child; or start smaller and just be a little bit better, every day.  You can take all of your life and hold each role up to the SPICES (simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship) and make life changing choices to be “Spicier” and bigger — Like Uncle Louigie’s meat balls for his spaghetti – think how you can apply the SPICES to the roles you live in every day.   

How can we use the SPICES to think about your life choices? How do you use them to dream?

For instance, if I want this to be my dream job, I need to focus on how the SPICES can positively impact my role as pastor, which I do, so I set about looking at my job description and used the spices to make it spicier and something that is a dream – just out of reach, so that I can reach out and stretch myself to make changes that are lifegiving for my life and for this job.  I wrote this up for M&C.  But I can use it as an example of how we can spice up our roles, as I try to spice up my role as your pastor – that is, apply the SPICES.  It is wordy and long, so I will limit to two of the spices, simplicity and peace to show what I did or set out to do for a job description for me based on the spices. Keep in mind, it’s a dream – I am certainly not there yet, but it definitely breathed life into me to do this exercise.  So I challenge you to pick one of your roles in your life, and make it more life-giving and spicier.

 Pastoral Job description for Klamath Falls Friends Church

• Simplicity in the job description: Gently and slowly guide the development of an ever-widening sacred space by reducing distractions where possible, including drama while supporting Quaker processes. This includes advocating for a simplified space in which everyone can learn to worship seven days a week in spiritual, realistic and emotional ways in their daily lives; creating with the congregation that space particularly on Sundays and in communal gatherings. Helping people take that sense of being unencumbered with them into their daily lives. Make space for reflection, learning, spiritual communion, and joy in their lives.
• Peace in the job description: The definition of peace work for the pastor should be the removal of all barriers possible that keep people from being able to self-reflect and show/feel compassion as well as work with groups working on removing barriers of inequality in the Klamath area. The focus of messages or behaviors is to remain as positive and hopeful as the situation could merit, to seek or be a source of Light and encouragement, and to be the voice of truth in a gentle way when able. The pastor is to prepare and present the message in a way that connects with the congregant with other people or issues in the world that help increase compassion and self-reflection. They will focus on helping others learn to be at peace every day of their lives and become the pattern that others can safely follow for a peaceful existence

Now how do you take the SPICES to make a role in your life a life-giving one? You can consider your friendships, your job, your marriage, your parenting, a neighbor – what role do you play in life and how can the SPICES enhance it – breathe life into it?  But don’t make it about just thinking with your head.  If you are imagining being a better friend to your friends, then you would want to think about your actions, but more about your heart – what would you be feeling to make this friendship your dream friendship?  What kind of time commitment or dependability would this change require? What in your life, or in your soul will have to change in order to make this dream a reality?  How would you speak?  Think about how this feels for you to think of being someone who is mindful of speaking with your friend.  Who is that person, and how do you get there?  How can we help?

• What dream roles are you in (friendship, marriage, neighbor, employee)?
• Can you hold that dream of the best it can be from you, in your heart?
• Can you apply the SPICES to your portion of the relationship to create a better relationship?
• Do you have a dream job?  How can you apply the SPICES to your work?  Home?