This past Friday, on my way to volunteer in the Pre-K 4 year old class, I heard a song on the radio whose lyrics really resonate and bless my soul.
For those of you who know me well by now will be shocked to hear that the song was actually NOT by Third Day! 😉
The song is entitled Dream Small, by Josh Wilson.
If you have never heard the song before or want to take a few minutes to listen to it once again, feel free to click on the title above to hear the song or you can read the lyrics below.
DREAM SMALL
It’s a momma singing songs about the Lord
It’s a daddy spending family time
That the world said he cannot afford
These simple moments change the world
It’s a pastor at a tiny little Church
Forty years of loving on the broken and the hurt
These simple moments change the world
Dream small
Don’t bother like you’ve gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small
It’s visiting the widow down the street
Or dancing on a Friday with your friend with special needs
These simple moments change the world
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with bigger dreams
Just don’t miss the minutes on your way, your bigger things, no
‘Cause these simple moments change the world
So dream small
Don’t bother like you’ve gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
So dream small
Keep loving, keep serving
Keep listening, keep learning
Keep praying, keep hoping
Keep seeking, keep searching
Out of these small things and watch them grow bigger
The God who does all things makes oceans from river
So dream small
Don’t bother like you’ve gotta do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Yeah, five loaves and two fish’s could feed them all
So dream small
Dream small
Songwriters: Josh Wilson
Dream Small lyrics © Audiam, Inc
Aren’t those lyrics so powerful and such great truth?
Don’t we so often say that we should dream big rather than dream small? I think it is an interesting take to consider dreaming small!
For me, I can relate so easily because it is all about the simple, small things in life and a great reminder that every little thing we do has such an impact; a never ending ripple effect!
Photo courtesy of 语录 图说 under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
This year, enrollment for the Pre-K 4 class is up to 16 children, the most I have seen in my seven years of helping out. For the most part, I do not interact with the children too much as I assist more with sorting the papers, stuffing their Friday folders, and labeling names on the papers. Some years are a little more interactive with the children if the timing is such that it is playground time.
Walking in the room with so many children and not being familiar with the children’s names….well, not being able to put a face with the names that I keep writing on the papers, can be a bit daunting. 🙂
Last week, the teacher had the children bring their papers over to me individually and had them politely introduce themselves when handing me their paper so I knew the appropriate cubby to put their papers next to. I took a second to introduce myself individually to each of the children as well.
This week as I was at my window sill where I can be found labeling the papers, this cute little, blonde haired blue-eyed boy gave me the biggest smile and said “I bet you don’t remember but I am Bentley.” I smiled at him and thanked him for reminding me of his name. It was very sweet!
The teacher also commended him for so politely reintroducing himself to me.
Him doing that reminded me of the story of a little, ironically, blonde hair, blue-eyed little girl two years ago, when I walked in the room for the very first time, held out her hand to shake mine, and ever so politely and grown up like introduced herself to me. She always had a soft spot in my heart because of the many things, she, in her short life, had already gone through. I continue to pray that she is blossoming into the beautiful creation that God intended for her to be.
That simple, little gesture that little Bentley did reminded me of the Dream Small song. Something as “small” as introducing himself while sharing the biggest smile with me, brightened my day and made me feel special. For the record, Bentley was proud that he remembered my name with no help!
Photo courtesy of 语录 图说 under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
A facebook friend of mine recently posted this sincere invitation~I thought a perfect example of a simple gesture and example of “Just let Jesus use you where you are; One day at a time.”
God made YOU! There is no condemnation in Jesus. YOU are precious. YOU are valuable. YOU are a treasure…TODAY not tomorrow or next week. So many are brokenhearted, my heart grieves! Wanna do coffee together? I would be honored to spend time with YOU, to know YOU right where YOU are right now. I have posted in the comments my availability, pick a time and its on! Coffee’s on me😍
(Unfortunately for me, this friend lives in the state of Washington very far from me! Otherwise, I would have taken her up on the invitation!)
I wonder how many of us, in the busy-ness of our lifes, need a little reminder to reintroduce ourselves to God? That thought crossed my mind when Bentley did that small gesture to me.
Maybe this will encourage you to take a moment every now and then in your busy day, smile at God, and say Hello, God! This is <insert your name>. Thank you for the way you bless me. Thank you for dying for me so that I may spend eternity with you! Shine through me so people will see you~
Therein lies your “homework” and encouragement for this week~
What simple moments can you do to change the world today? And, remember, dream small!
Be mindful to keep conversing with God smiling as you see Him at work all around you and in your life!
I pass this house on the way to the school and noticed this for the past two weeks~What a lovely idea reminding me of my friend and the coffee invitation!
“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” –Zechariah 4:10 (NIV)
We actually fell in love with Josh’s music at a Third Day concert so even though it wasn’t a Third Day song, I still felt the connection!
This is a great reminder of a quote I love, “you may be the only example of Jesus someone sees today, make sure you are a good one!”
How nice that you love Josh’s music too!! I really think the song has a great, catchy tune with such powerful lyrics! Thank you for reading and sharing that quote which does fits perfectly. I believe Jesus lived sharing those simple moments! Blessings, Jen!