Where do dreams come from?

   Last Monday my brother slaughtered two milk cows. Friday evening he called and asked if I wanted some hamburger, then I should come Saturday, help them cut the meat and take some burger along home. Sure, no problem.
   That night I had a dream with he and his son in it. Now when writing Alyssa's Story, this brother was the real life person I had in my mind whenever I wrote about Harvey, primarily because my brother lives on the farm I used as the one in the book. Similarly, Harvey's son Larry represented my nephew, so I will use their fictional characters names as I relay this dream, although in the dream I was actually thinking of their real names. The dream:
   We just started hunting one afternoon. Harvey was walking toward the woods across the flat top of the field behind the spring that I often mentioned in the book (where Larry, Alyssa, and her Dad trapped the geese). Larry and I were walking up a small swale in the field toward the same woods. I was lagging behind, having stopped for a few moments. I knew some of our relatives where taking up hunting posts on the next farm up the valley (Butch and Clare's in the story). I had yelled to Harvey if it was a good idea if I walk through a couple of the small patches of timber we were by-passing. He had answered not to; they had been done yesterday.
   As I resumed my trek, a lightning storm developed. It was broad daylight with not heavy clouds at all and it was not raining. But the lightning itself was something else. It was not the Z-shaped bolts that you see sometimes that strike the ground, but looked bushy, like the roots of some weeds when you pull them from the ground. The bolts were numerous, continuous, fine in diameter, and stretched from high in the heavens toward the Earth. I remembered some safety lessons I had heard about lightning and what one should do in such a storm as it neared. I took my rifle off my shoulder, held it below my waist, and looked around for a low spot to lie down in. But first, I thought I should warn Harvey and Larry.
   Before I got the chance though, a bright, bluish-white, sparkling thunderbolt streaked from my right, across the field toward the woods where my kin were headed. It did not strike down, nor horizontally, but crossed the field at about a 30 degree angle and struck the trees right where the men had arrived. As I started to run I yelled "Help, Help!" several times, in spite of knowing well the others were far too far way to hear me. And I forgot my two-way radio, I thought. What a time to not have it.
   I reached Larry first. He was covered with loose limbs and leaves, but none large enough to severely injure him. He was breathing, conscious, just seemed a little punch drunk, so I hurried to find Harvey. A different story there - he wasn't moving when I found him lying face down. I rolled him over and saw his eyes were open, but the pupils had rolled back up into his head and he was not breathing! I took my fists and pounded his chest where I thought his heart was. It only took a few until he gasped and started breathing. Praise God.
Yet I had to know. I asked him what it was like, what did he feel? He mumbled a few words, the only one I could decipher was, "love". Then I woke up.
  Saturday, I went to my cousin's butcher shop (who I considered Joe in the book) to help with the meat. There, I asked the group where dreams come from. They had interesting answers and when I announced that I had dreamed about two of them overnight, one commented that often happens to him - that he dreams about something or someone that is currently in his activities. I then shared the dream. It was neat for them because they had all traversed the fields in my dream and knew exactly where I was describing the events in my dream, unlike most of you who had to create your own picture in your mind.
   So where do dreams come from? I suppose you can research and research and find some solid answers and some, not so solid. Now the main reason (and you know what's coming here) I was anxious to share the dream because I thought it was serving God's purpose. I didn't know what, but recall that God can reveal messages to us in various ways - audibly is rare, thoughts from the Holy Spirit are more common. Through prayer, the Bible, circumstances, the church and others. In the Bible, visions and dreams were mentioned. Dreams? Suppose God sent me that dream, so that I would share it. Did someone there need to hear it? Did one of you need to hear it? Of course, I could be dead wrong. But if it was from God and brings something, anything good to someone, I was bound to obey and very glad to. Now if we could only figure out what other words were with "love" that Harvey spoke. One day we will perhaps. Keep praying and listening for God and much might be revealed to you.
til next time..........Mort

Fear of Joy?

Again with the personal. Since last post I received a few messages from God. And again, nothing super-spectacular or world changing - just God's way of improving our relationship. The first three I acted on and each produced fruit, including I did make the decision to enter the book in the contest. All three required me to make some adjustment to my life. The fourth I acted on within one half our of being directed. It was received well by my wise and faithful brothers and sisters. It even prompted a visit by our pastor in which we had a necessary, spirit filled, enjoyable discussion.
The latest I acted on in a few minutes. A young mother in our church started a non-profit called Gifts of Cheer, which supplies gifts bags to hospitalized children. It has been operating successfully for about a year. She thinks she has all the legal aspects required of such an organization covered, but has some anxiety as to whether she has all the (i)s dotted and the (t)s crossed. She is also unsure if she is doing all the bookkeeping properly. Before approaching her, I knew none of her concerns - just heard her use the word "non--profit" in her conversation. It was enough, though, to make the Holy Spirit prompt me to offer her my assistance. After hearing her concerns, I offered to investigate some avenues.
On the way home, four names were revealed to me. Again I acted by e-mailing a neighboring lawyer. He answered overnight, he and her connected during the day and are going to meet. More fruit. But why? Why did my actions produce?
First because of my love relationship with God. Then because He wants me to join Him in his work. That is all I was doing - joining Him. It wasn't my idea or goal or mission - it was His. When you have that relationship, you are able to receive His messages more clearly. But then you have to act - which I did. And even if the outcome is not spectacular or maybe even not recognizable, the fact that you obey Him and act pleases God  immensely, just as you are pleased (if a parent) when your child obeys you. This strengthens your love relationship with God, which in turn leads to more opportunities to join Him in His work, and this all produces great joy. Yours and His.
All good right? Then why do we fear this joy too often? Why do we ignore God's directives and disobey? Many reasons I am sure. Our relationship might not be strong enough, then we do not hear the messages. They might not be clear enough or we are not listening well enough. Sin in our life could be interfering with the messages. Perhaps we just chose not to obey, out of lack of faith possibly. So much figures into the equation - you must each evaluate your own walk with God and make the necessary adjustments to experience Him more.
How many times did God say in the Bible, "Do not be afraid."? Please do not be afraid to obey Him - do not  fear the joy that comes through obedience.
til next time,   Mort

Listening for God - Part 2

Some developments since the last post. Let me note that although I am touching on some personal reflections, it is not meant to be perceived as me reaching out for help, but more so to present the concepts in a way that will bring some objectivity to the discussion.
I reported earlier that I received three messages from God - "Thank you," "Everything will be OK,"
and "Keep on doing what you're doing." I determined the meaning of these three fairly easily. The next one is more perplexing.
Remember I believe God wanted me to make my story a book, and then He helped me get it published. When published, I told God that I would depend on Him to get people to read it if He willed it, figuring that was the purpose He had in mind. In business terms, that meant I wanted Him to market the book. Back then, I really had the idea that the task was God-sized and that only He could accomplish the daunting task. I thought it a simple matter for God - turn on a switch here, push a button there. God is all powerful - He could just make it happen. Agreeably in His time - regrettably, we do not always understand His time and so far, book distribution has been dismal.
Therefore, after beginning "Experiencing God" and recognizing I was to join God in His work, small hints about marketing started showing up. I took advantage of a publisher's newsletter listing sites where I could promote my book for free. Then, the opportunity to enter my book for an award was presented. Winning or being a finalist in its category would yield some free marketing and get my book on several lists. That however, would cost a few bucks to enter, which I would have to borrow, for funds are short right now. About that time, I received that third message, "Keep on doing what you're doing." So I thought God was directing me to pursue these activities.
Problem was I have been convicted for several years in my walk with the Lord, to avoid borrowing money, and even secular wisdom would concur I stick to that conviction. So I was tossing the idea back and forth when sometime later, while listening for God, the message, "Trust Me," came.
"Wow! Just what I needed!" was my initial response. Then the doubts started. Did God mean to forge ahead, borrow the money, and trust Him to provide the means to repay, OR did He mean to forget my miniscule, mortal plans to promote the book and trust Him to do the marketing as I first thought?
To complicate the dilemma, the book I entered into the contest would be donated to a library in the Los Angeles area - talk about promotion, but who knows?
I was advised to continue to pray, ask God for clearer direction, wait and listen for God to answer. Some times God's answer comes quickly, other times not, some times the answer is silence. Pray I can discern His message. I pray you all can pray, wait and listen for God as well and enjoy the fruits of His grace.
til next time,   Mort