American Dream

There is a song by Casting Crowns called "American Dream." A part of it reads:

His American Dream is beginning to seem
More and more like a nightmare
With every passing day
"Daddy, can you come to my game?"
"Oh Baby, please don't work late."
Another wasted weekend
And they are slipping away

--
As I get older, I realize that a career and family are hard to mesh together. I have never really wanted "The American Dream", whatever that is. I feel as though the American Dream is a cycle...repetitive. The American Dream reminds me of a 9-5 job. When I think of a 9-5 job, I think that it is difficult to pursue happiness because it seems as though you hardly get a break, downtime.

Most of you know that I have always wanted to live overseas. I love traveling because it reminds me of how great God really is. Going out into the world reveals His creative imagination of land and people groups. Personally, living in the States makes it so easy for me to live in my own little world. I truly believe that living overseas, especially in a place where you must learn the host country's language due to English not being dominant, making an individual "forced" (or obliged) to make connections with the locals. Sometimes, I learn the most when I am exploring God's creation and talking with His people all around the world.

The American Dream is different for everyone, but do you even want your dream to be "American"? Make the best of reality, but don't let "reality" stop you from chasing your dreams.