Hope and a Future

I think one of the hardest things to change about someone else is their drive. I am and always have been very driven. Once I knew what I wanted, I have planned my course of action and gone for it. But I don't really know what makes some people driven and hard workers and others unmotivated and just going through the motions, unable to see past the current to the future.

Recently, Daniel's thinking has changed from one day at a time to more forward thinking. He's been talking about and trying to decide what he wants to be when he grows up and what college he wants to go to and things like that. I know he is just at that age where those things interest him, but it excites me that he's started to dream and have hope and ideas about his future.

Currently he wants to be a police officer. Although that isn't really my first choice for him (for obvious mommy fear reasons), but it is good for him to have aspirations. And it makes this mom happy that the City of Arlington requires police officers to have a 4 year degree (this may be common for all cities, but I just saw this on a career posting lately). We've discussed how when you have a dream, you need to figure out what you need to do to accomplish that and what steps have to be taken to get there. Although I know he doesn't love school, he's shown some maturity by realizing that he has to be willing to do whatever it takes to get where he wants to be. It isn't always what you would choose, but the dream will be worth the work. He is currently wanting to live at home and go to UTA after high school. He wants to be close to us so if he has problems with school, we can help him. I know he doesn't realize how life will be different then and he will be smarter and able to do things on his own, but I'm just glad he has learned to dream and have hope for the future.

Life is so sad when there is no future to look forward to or hope for what could be. I am so glad that God has hope for us even when we don't and he has great plans for our future.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."