I Had A Dream

So I'll let you know that I am a very vivid dreamer.  I remember my dreams pretty much every morning when I wake up.  Some of them are just ho-hum, pretty much all of them take place in houses, yards, public places, etc... from my past.  In the past few years, I've only had 1 dream that took place in the house I'm living in right now.  I have at least 2 tornado dreams every month, I dream in vivid color, and I've had numerous dreams throughout the years where Jesus is coming, and I'm floating up to heaven - the feeling is amazing!!  Because of my dreams, I feel like I know what it feels like to fly in an airplane, even though I've never done it in real life.  Many, many of my dreams involve birds, clouds, and the sky.  I keep a dream journal, and write down the ones that stand out to me.  I thought this morning that I'd like to share one of my dreams with you.  So...here goes.

October 27'th, 2012

I was lying down on a trampoline on a very lovely, shady yard (that felt unfamiliar to me).  A beautiful tree's branches hung above me, and in them perched an amazing little bird.  I remember thinking to myself that this bird was a cross between a woodpecker and a humming bird.  It was brightly colored, with shades of red on it's body, and it had a soft, fluffy white head and a long thin beak.  I sensed that this bird wanted to fly, but it looked afraid, and perched there looking uncertain.

My Dad showed up then, and noticed the bird too.  He began to make pointing and waving motions with his hands, in an attempt to coax this tiny bird to fly.  The bird would take tiny steps forward, then stop and look bewildered.  My Dad kept trying to persuade the bird to fly, motioning that it was supposed to fly around the house, and to the backyard.  But the bird was just too unsure, and wouldn't budge.

All of a sudden, a brilliantly bright red adult bird came swooping through the air toward the baby bird.  He let out a clear, melodious call to the the little bird, and then turned around and headed around the house toward the backyard.  Without a moment's hesitation, the tiny bird leaped off of its' branch and flew excitedly, following the exact path to the backyard that the adult bird had taken.  

This was a very peaceful, encouraging feeling dream for me.

A Few Of Jeff's Favorite Things

Favorite animal: Penguin
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite Fruit: Grapefruit
Food I crave the most: Icecream
Favorite Movie: V For Vendetta
Favorite Music: U2
Favorite Board Game: Monopoly
Favorite Pizza: Vegetarian
Favorite Restaurant: Irish Pub in Banff
Favorite Things to do: biking, walks with my honey, reading, video games, cooking
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Time of Day: Early morning

A Few Of Cheryl's Favorite Things

Favorite animal: Giraffe
Favorite color: Plum
Favorite fruit: ripe nectarines or plums or pears or peaches or cherries or pineapple or......I love fruit, okay??
Food I crave the most: chocolate
Favorite movie: Inception
Favorite music: The Color
Favorite board game: Ticket To Ride: Europe
Favorite pizza: The Amigo @ Boston Pizza
Favorite restaurant: Jasmine's Tea Room
Favorite things to do: take pictures, bake, read a really good book, go for walks & bike rides, gardening, folk art painting, play board games, go camping
Favorite season: Spring
Favorite time of day: evening

Open The Eyes Of My Heart, Lord

This morning I was mindlessly scrolling through Facebook statuses, but when I read this one it convicted me, BIG time.  A friend and co-worker of my husband Jeff had posted the following story:

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek (pictured above) transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It's something you live by and share with others.

Jesus, please help me to see people through Your eyes.  Help me to stop making flash judgements of people I see when I go for a walk, go grocery shopping, go to church, etc.....Every person on this planet is made in Your likeness God, and you love each and every one the same.  Please, please help me to be more loving, accepting, and compassionate to the people I see every day.  And, fill me with Your strength Jesus, and with a boldness that will enable me to not just FEEL love, acceptance and compassion, but to SHOW these things as well.  

God, Thank You for Your love, thank You for Your faithfulness.

Raby Soup

 Today Bryce and I got a little creative for lunch.  We added some frozen mixed vegetables and leftover pasta to some tins of vegetable and tomato soup.  It was actually really good!  The lima beans didn't go over too well, and by the time everyone had dumped theirs into my bowl I had about a bazillion of them.  But Griffin cheerfully pointed out that now I'm officially the healthiest person in the family.  :)

Bryce was putting her alphabet letters on her spoon, and spelled out RABY, which she said is the singular form of rabies.  And now, thanks to the ever-amazing Bryce - this soup has a name.  Mmmmmmm......Raby soup.

Harvest Festival Fun