Josh Tilford

It’s the age old question that I think is most fun to pose in the abstract: “What ‘chickens’?”

I dream of chickens before the eggs hatch. A lot of my time is spent thinking about the future, because dreams get me moving, keep me going. They are the ignition and the fuel.

I don’t know what I’d do without dreams. If you ask me about them, I’ll show you how every area of my present life is coupled with aspirations for the future. For example, I ride my bike to campus most days and I have dreams of our entire society becoming more biker friendly. I also think a lot about doing an ironman sometime in the near(ish) future. So is bicycling to campus the terminus of this two-wheeled journey? Hmmm, nope. I also currently rent a townhouse here in Virginia Beach. It’s a lovely stoop and I’m blessed to be here. But I hardly desire to rent the rest of my days.  And then I have many dreams which have seemingly little to do with my present life.

Dreams which are difficult to connect with the present can be the toughest to reconcile and hold on to, because I have no clue how on earth, or even if, I will attain them. I enjoy biographies because I can trace the person’s path from points B-Z back to A pretty easily. In hindsight, one always says “Of course that’s where I ended up! It all makes sense”. That’s why they call it 20/20, even though that’s not really perfect vision. But when I’m sitting at point C, and staring at X way off in the distance, the quandary seems almost silly.

Some people don’t think the Bible has much to offer, practically speaking. Some get lost in the “Thines” and “Wherefores” of the text. If this is you, I have 2 things to say: 1) Get a translation that’s up to date with the English language, and 2) You’re missing out. I know this because the Old Testament is filled with stories that bring insight to our daily 21st century lives. I think the story of Joseph, in the book of Genesis, goes case in point with the question I’m addressing here: Are dreams just silliness if you can’t trace your route to the mountain top??

Joseph’s story begins in Genesis 37. We’re introduced to a cocky young fellow, who has a lot of weird dreams at night, and has the audacity to tell his brothers about them; especially when they include acts such as his brothers bowing down to him. Not too long into this story, his brothers hate him and conspire with one another about how to rid themselves of this pesky little rat. Murder is too much for them to stomach, and so they sell him to people movers. And then BAM, BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM, Joseph is the 2nd in command over all of Egypt, an unbelievably powerful nation of that era!! A foreseeable end to this story..

UM, WHAT? Likely? How on earth did this nomad from an unknown family become Obama’s Biden? You’ll just have to read and find out The point is, Yes!, it will always feel a little silly to dream about, or speak of point T when you’re sitting on the curb at M (job at McDonalds). But history tells us that dreams aren’t silly in and of themselves. In fact, history begs us to realize that dreams are essential to this world, to society specifically, and for the livelihood of each person in particular.

If you’re with me, and think about chickens when all you’ve got is a handful of unfertilized eggs, then smile, because I think we’re on track