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ACTS 2: 17 IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT A PORTION OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND: YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. YES, EVEN ON MY SERVANTS AND HANDMAIDS I WILL POUR OUT A PORTION OF MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS, AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY."

Sunday, June 12, 2011

DREAM AFTER RETREAT

This dream occurred the morning after I came back from an ACTS retreat. 
During the retreat, the passion of Christ was re-enacted.   I guess I got tired of the loud-mouthed Centurion ridiculing us because no one would step out and help Jesus, so I tried.  Of course, I was blocked.  Kind of felt stupid after that. 
I dunno, maybe it touched Jesus' heart, for I dreamed I was standing in a circle holding hands with people I couldn't recognize.  It was as if we were waiting for something.  I was in the driveway of my mother's house and wondered where she was. (She's since moved from that house)  A large, black woman walked through my mother's neighbor's gate and said, 'Now ya'll know ya'll can't start this party without me!'  Everyone I was holding hands with went ballistic, jumping up and down and celebrating.  Except for me, I don't know what is going on.  Through the revelers, I suddenly see my deceased father looking at me, smiling at me.  I called, 'Daddy!', and I ran to him, feeling his hands on my shoulders.  I woke up feeling great peace and shed tears of joy. 
The shining countenance on his face had been rather difficult to behold.  Unspeakable joy, I'd call it.  Must have been how Moses looked when he saw God. 
Before I had the dream I'd sometimes lain my head on my pillow at night pretending it was Jesus' chest.  How lucky John was, I thought, to have been able to lean his head on Jesus' chest.
I felt that Jesus had disguised himself as my father and given me the hug that I desperately needed to carry on.
It was during that ACTS retreat that I was still struggling with the decision of whether or not to get a divorce.  But in less than three months after the retreat, I did leave.

I think back to many many years ago when I was driving by someone in the middle of the road who obviously was in some sort of trouble, but for some reason I felt it might be dangerous to stop and help him.  Meanwhile, a friend of mine who was driving behind me, stopped.  I found out later that the man was mentally challenged, and I really, really felt bad for not stopping.  I accept it now, though, as it being my friend's opportunity to do good, and not mine. 
My chance came again later, after the divorce, when I saw an old man rolling across the road, yes rolling.  I stopped to carefully check out the situation before I got out of the car.  His arm was bleeding.  I decided to go help, and another woman also stopped.  A man in a pickup had also stopped to watch.  I felt an urge to wave him over.  He was a big, African American man, and he was a preacher, he said.  We tried to find out what happened and learned the man had been drinking but had not eaten anything for a couple of days.  The woman said something not very nice after finding out he was an alcoholic and walked away.  I got pretty mad and told her she should have mercy.  I also realized that had been me!   What do I think of her now?  "There but for the grace of God go I".  The preacher helped the old man, who was carrying a heavy, unseen cross, into my vehicle and I drove him two blocks to the Salvation Army, where they were serving the evening meal.  I have to say the whole ordeal seemed pre-ordained.  To me, it was like the streets of Jerusalem that day.  There was a man carrying a cross, Simeon who helped him carry it, and the two sides of the crowd...one side for the man with the cross and one side against.  Although I divorced an alcoholic, I helped one that day.  God gives us second chances, chances to redeem ourselves.  He also has a plan for that woman who turned her back...just as He had one for me.
I feel that saying all this is gonna make somebody think I think I'm something great.  I don't.  Like most people, I've messed up a lot in my life.  I know I owe God a lot.
But I've seen God do some miraculous things since I've striven for a close relationship with Him.

The prophecy for this dream is as follows:  STEPPING OUT TO HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE, EVEN IF YOU YOURSELF ARE ALREADY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES,  GIVES OUR LORD GREAT JOY. 
For some reason, I'm thinking of the widow's mite, too. 
REMEMBER THE POOR...THE POOR IN CHAINS OF SIN, THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THOSE IN POOR HEALTH, THE POOR IN PRISON,  THE POOR WHO ARE HUNGRY, SICK, OR HOMELESS, OR THE POOR WHO JUST NEED SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO THEM.

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