Be careful what you wish for? Yes, indeed!

We’ve all heard that cliché phrase, “Be careful what you wish for.”

But wishes are natural to the human being and most of us keep wishing and dreaming about what we want in our lives, how we want to make our lives different.

Me too. Through the years, I’ve always kept praying and dreaming and wishing and hoping for blessings in my life.

One of my biggest dreams has been to write a book that would be accepted, published and promoted by a major publishing house. I tried to meet that dream several years ago when I pitched what I thought was a very good book idea to several publishers. Each one said no after no, and I resigned myself to printing the book myself with a photocopier and the plastic comb binding from an office supply store.

However, the wish of having a book published by an actual publisher -- other than myself! – was realized when I pitched another book idea. Within just a few weeks, the book contract arrived, and the wish was answered and my co-author and I began writing our book. (More about all of that in a later blog!)

And I quickly learned that answered prayers call us to new growth. They call us to take responsibility for our wishes. That means if we wish for relationships and friends, we must then take the time to nurture them once we get them. If we wish for that amazing car or big house, we must keep up with payments. If we wish for good health, we have the obligation to take care of ourselves whether we have it or find it.

In my case, the writing the book has meant long evenings of writing, hunched over the computer, with challenges to put ideas and experiences into clear language. It’s meant researching, writing and proofreading on weekends, even sunny ones. It’s meant giving up other work opportunities while meeting deadlines and certainly missing times for lots of fun, especially during the short Wisconsin summers.

To be sure, I wouldn’t have it any other way. But the journey has also been enlightening and has reminded me of many other wishes I’ve made through the years about things that I’ve really wanted, wanted, wanted and the results that the receiving entailed.

Truth is, wishing is easy. Taking hold of the fruits of the wishes is altogether different. Now I have a deeper understanding of that phrase. I know that when I wish, I need to be willing to receive the gift of all of the results.

So I say, "Be careful if you're not ready to take responsibility for your dreams."

And keep wishing for the good gifts of life and the strength to receive them. I know that I will.