What do you dream about?

Yesterday I read a poem by Liezel Graham in which she says her nine-year-old self dreamt of being an archeologist. My nine-year-old self was writing poems and editing the family newsletter and taking flute and piano lessons and imagining being a stewardess or a writer or a graphic artist or an architect.  As I grew older I was envious of those who were so focused on being one thing that the course of their schooling was already laid out for them. I finally zeroed in on being a writer because art class got my hands too dirty and stewardesses needed 20/20 vision (I have needed glasses since I was five) and I never got past algebra because the trig class was at the same time as General Hospital and my best friend's mom was at work so we ditched trig to go to her house and watch it.

Now I am a pastor who writes sermons and these occasional blogs, and plays around with art and lettering once in awhile, and fondly remembers the years of being in the worship band even though I always felt like I had to keep moving forward towards an as yet unknown call.

Now I dream about figuring out how to renovate my house and build a better world that will not leave our grandkids with used up resources and so many racial and economic divisions. I suppose my dreams are in some ways like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. He did not live to see them fulfilled and I suppose that's going to be true for some of mine too. 

Have you ever noticed how monochromatic the world can be?  Very few buildings are colorful. So many cars are black or white or grey. It's hard to buy flooring that isn't beige or gray or brown. I crave more color and more freedom to be ourselves with less concern about what other people might think. I dream about making the world more colorful. 

I am still dreaming and I will keep on dreaming.  I remind myself to dream every time I play Wordle because "dream" is almost always my starting word. I dreamed of dying my hair green and now that I have it's another reminder to keep on dreaming. 

I wonder about God's dreams for us and I wonder what sorts of things other people are dreaming about. Who has given up on dreaming? Money and time seem to be my biggest obstacles...oh, and that people think that I am crazy...or maybe they don't and I should hope someday they will because my house will be colorful and we'll have made the church more colorful and painted murals on buildings and made other things in fun colors and encouraged people to dream and keep on dreaming.  

Sooooo.....

What are you dreaming about?

Subtly Answered Prayers

Photo by Rick Gebhardt on Unsplash

It occurred to me this morning that one of my repeated prayers over the last several years was for God to help me be more present in the moment, and more engaged with the people in those moments.  I think (I hope!) I am indeed better about being present, but that also means that if you ask me on Monday what's on my calendar for the coming week, I usually can't tell you.

Now, maybe being present in the moment and less thinking ahead about things are not related, but I really think they are.  And it's not the first time I've noticed prayers being answered in unexpected ways.  Maybe you have noticed this in your life as well?

I should point out that Monday is my day off, so I am particularly intentional about avoiding work-related things like calendars and email on Mondays.  I often feel like I'm playing beat-the-clock on other days, so I try to ignore the time on Mondays as well.  I've learned to set alarms if I have appointments on Mondays because I have missed a few. So, I'm thankful for the capabilities of smart phones that help me let go of concerns about the short-term future and enjoy my free time more.  What helps you let go?

I've also prayed over the years for God to make me more the way I was made to be and less about the ways I've tried to be what I've thought people expected or needed me to be.  The more I'm able to let go of those concerns, the more I am able to be creative and the more I want colorfulness in my clothing and surroundings.

I recently discovered Shel Silverstein's poem "Colors" from the book Where the Sidewalk Ends:

My skin is kind of sort of brownish

Pinkish yellowish white.

My eyes are grayish blueish green,

But I’m told they look orange in the night.

My hair is reddish blondish brown,

But it’s silver when it’s wet.

And all the colors I am inside

Have not been invented yet.

I'm in the process of learning more about all the colors I am inside, and I'm thankful for the space and grace to do that.

Thanks, God

 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” --Matthew 6:34