Friday, January 08, 2010

Friday Five: "Beautiful Dreamer" Edition

This week's RevGalBlogPals Friday Five sends us to Dreamland -- our own!

1. Do you tend to daydream?
Sometimes I think that's my usual state of consciousness.


2. Do you usually remember your night dreams? Do you find them symbolic and meaningful or just quirky?

I used to remember them almost every night, quite vividly...went through a patch, during my last employment, when they came few and far between...now seem to remember more of them again. I have had some dreams in my life that were indeed very meaningful to me whether metaphorically or in a very direct, smack-upside-the-head way. And others -- well, I chalk up last night's dream, in which I found myself tasked with driving part of a multi-unit float in a Presidential motorcade, to eating kale chips at suppertime. Sometimes a cigar is just a bad burrito.

3. Have you ever had a life changing dream which you'll never forget?

Oh, yes. I once dreamed that I was being embraced by God -- it was not only a visual dream but a tactile one. It was during a time in my life when I didn't feel particularly spiritual or connected to God; it seemed to come out of nowhere. I will always remember that. (And how does God feel? some of you may be asking. It's really hard for me to describe what I felt; something warm and all-encompassing and electric, with a definite personality and ability to communicate.)

4. Share a long term dream for one or more aspects of your life and work.

Having come up in the 80's when we were schooled to always have a very targeted and aspirational plan for personal and professional success -- my long-term dream is to divest my psyche of whatever's left of that b.s. and instead cultivate real openness to whatever God may be up to in my future.

5. Share a dream for 2010....How can we support you in prayer on both the short and long term dreams?

One of my current magnificent obsessions in ministry, as constant readers know,  is the concept of the domestic church. I think that as denominations continue their slow deconstruction and as the cultural/civic Christianity of past generations gives way, this is going to become a more important element of Christian self-identity and of spiritual formation. I've touched on this on our church blog, providing our readership with links to various online resources for Christian households. Maybe one of my dreams is to do more with this idea in the future, although at this point it's a very freeform/unfocused idea.

Bonus share: While trying (competitive person that I am) to come up with a good "bonus" dream reference, a song I haven't heard or thought of in years, if not decades, popped up in my head: "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream." I did a little YouTube research and came up with this clip of a young John Denver, in 1971, singing it at an antiwar demonstration. For a moment I was overtaken by a profound wistfulness for the idealism of those times, and the sadness of their passing and of John Denver's passing. I miss that simple, unaffected voice from back in those early days of his career. Requiem in pace.

9 comments:

Sally said...

wow # 3 is really powerful! Love that song.

Mrs. M said...

I love your answer to number 4!

altar ego said...

Wonderful number 4! Tips along the way for the rest of us would be much appreciated!

I hear Pete Seeger's voice when I think of that song, but I love John Denver as enjoy his take as well.

Prayers for matters around the domestic church. I get occasional glimpses of the church transitioning to something more relevant/meaningful/in touch periodically, so I keep my eyes and ears open around such conversations and doings. I'll be on the watch to learn from you!

revhipchick said...

"sometimes a cigar is just a bad burrito" love it!

you are extraordinarily blessed--what a wonderful dream to experience. beautiful.

i adore your life long dream of getting rid of all the bs lies fed to you as a child--we all need that dream, or at least i do!

blessings upon you always

Barbara B. said...

WOW on your life changing dream!

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

john denver takes me back to hearing music at the bar when i was little and my folks were there... a neighborhood joint... i'd always be treated to a Pepsi and Lays potato chips... and when i hear john denver's "country roads take me home"... i think not of west virginia but my mouth starts watering for Lays!

domestic church... intriguing concept. perhaps in many ways the corner bar of my childhood was just that.

Jan said...

Wow--John Denver; thanks. How wonderful to have a tactile dream of God. Lovely.

Naomi said...

Your dream of God embracing you was awesome but John Denver brought tears.
Naomi

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