A nightmare not in reality

I had a nightmare the other night, one where you wake up and wonder, "Was that real?"

Somehow it was two years in the future. I couldn't believe how quickly time had gone. I was being judged for the past three years of how I had lived my life. "You've wasted your time, Eric," I remember being told. "You could have done so much better."

I knew what was meant. Some background may be needed. Last year my family and I moved to Utah to work full time with Bill McKeever of Mormonism Research Ministry. It was a decision that was some five years in the making. I knew that moving here would result in many good opportunities. But it was a difficult decision. After all, it wasn't just me who was moving almost a thousand miles away but my wife and three children as well. Life as we knew it would be different. Given a choice, the easier decision for all of us would have been to stay put. The children thrived in the schools they attended (Christian Unified) and there were so many other positives in just staying, including being near good friends and family as well as enjoying the available professional opportunities we had. (I was the Bible department head at Christian High while Terri substituted there, and I also taught at the local community college--we enjoyed it all.)

Leaving Southern California for the unknown? It was a risk. Would we be able to handle doing this full time? From where would the financial support come? Would the children adjust? Would we make new friends? You get the picture. There was a cost to coming to Utah. In the back of our minds, even a year later, there's still a "did we do the right thing?" voice that occasionally calls.

Then this dream from the other night came crashing in. I contemplated on it throughout the next day and came to the realization that it didn't make any sense. My family has adjusted, very well indeed. We're making it financially by having lowered our cost of living and, thanks to MRM and our supporters, our bills are paid each month. We're certainly seeing God work through the ministry we're involved with, as wonderful opportunities are abundant. Just last week Bill and I traveled throughout Virginia and had a number of good meetings throughout that state. We were able to change some minds, instruct some believers, and even share our faith in a loving way with the Latter-day Saint people.

That day of the nightmare, I realized that I felt a little like Scrooge who woke up after his visitations from the three ghosts. I want to do everything I possibly can to make sure the next two years are not wasted. If they're anything like our first year here, I think we're definitely on the right path.