I Had A Dream

I had a dream a couple of weeks ago.

I was walking along somewhere by myself.

As I was walking down this path, I came across Christian Skoglund and began to speak with him. It seemed to me that we were in some sort of forest and he was sitting on a stump. We were having a wonderful conversation when I finally realized that he was not dead. It dawned on me....

I started jumping up and down, laughing and crying and shouting, "You are not dead! You are not dead! You're here."

He looked at me and laughed and said, "Oh course, I'm not dead!".

And then I woke up.

I was startled. It was so real.

I've been thinking about this dream for some time now.

Wondering.

Death is never natural, even for those like my folks who died in their eighties and lived wonderful, love filled lives. I sometimes feel that I have lost the words, mom and dad, forever, and at those times I can hardly bear it. But it was never meant to be like that. Those left behind, experiencing such excruciating pain and loss. And for those who die young, no, we can not explain that at all. Taken in the prime of their lives.... but we just know it is not right. And we are left wondering why, and what now to do with a life void of that person.


Perhaps we are too focused on this present life. Could that be? This the reality that we know. Here. Now. Flesh and blood. Twenty-four hours.

For me especially, I know the joy of planning and organizing. Having a list and getting through it and feeling so good about goals achieved. A calender filled with events, good ones, that include friends and neighbors, family and community.

We, or should I say I, am not cognizant enough of the fact that life lies endlessly before us in the kingdom of God. We are so attached to this life, what we see and feel, what we try to accomplish, our goals and aspirations for ourselves and our children. Our lives are here and now and we are not anticipating the banquet that is being prepared for us. This is our life, in the here and now, and we are busy arranging it.

For all of us, young and old, this is just the beginning of our lives. We will keep on living and learning, working on things we love, and experiencing real beauty and joy. We have a lot to look forward to. A vast world to explore, people to meet and loved ones to reconnect with. Glory is going to be revealed in us. That's a promise. We are going to a place that perfectly fits us. Fits our gifts, fits our talents, our loves, our personality traits and quirks, our pleasures and our hopes.

And it will be wonderful.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not appear what we shall be, but we know, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, and we shall see him as he is." I John 2.