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Every year, we hear of costly studies that confirm the necessity of regular exercise and healthy diet in order to keep our bodies slim and fit.  Common sense tells us that we need to eat good food, and the proper amount, to maintain optimal health.  If we eat junk, the junk affects us, and we eventually just feel ‘junky’. 

 

Knowing this, why do most of us still make so many poor diet choices? 

 

We are tempted by fast foods, sweet foods, foods we crave, foods that appeal, foods laden with unknown and unrecognized ingredients that turn ‘evil’ within our bodies.  We develop bad habits of automatic eating, not thinking about what we are allowing to pass over our taste buds. 

 

Maybe we don’t pause often enough to consider long-term effects of some of our practices. 

 

We treat our minds and spirits the same way.  What we choose to accept and say ‘yes’ to ultimately alters how we think and who we become.  If we allow a negative barrage of ‘input’ to roost within, what we produce via words and actions will reveal the condition of our ‘inner workings’.

 

Garbage in, garbage out….

 

However, if we choose to drink in peace and positivity, the things from God and not the world, deliberately nourishing our bodies and our minds with ‘nutrients’ that make us thrive, we bloom wholesomely wherever we go. 

 

It is never too late to turn the ship around if we discover that a shift needs to be made.  One step at a time, one choice at a time.  We can purge the unnecessaries and embrace the best. The process transforms our perspective, our direction, and our habits-- ultimately our destiny.    

A few days ago I woke up from a couple of startling dreams.  As I journaled them and sought to interpret, Spirit said to me, “Time is running out; something precious is coming to an end.”  The dreams were fairly vague, but I also received a few more insights and was pondering how this would apply to my life.  Then we got the phone call.  

 

Our good friend Karen, a pastor, had just been brutally tortured and murdered by someone she had been ministering to.  The man killed her and then hung himself.  A horrific setup had cruelly trapped my friend and taken her life way too soon for our preference.  She was one of the most positive people I have ever known.  I loved her laugh and her tender, compassionate heart toward everyone, especially those who really struggled with life. She truly walked her talk.

 

That phone call set in motion a weary, whirlwind week brimming with shock, horror, grief, gatherings of friends, unfolding information, dealing with the media, stinging angry tears, and unanswered questions. 

 

It will take us a while to process our feelings about everything.  We may never understand WHY. 

 

As I reflect on it all, I keep coming back to the treasure of my dreams.  They put me on timely alert and prepared me to some degree to receive the bad news. While the dreams were not specific enough for me to know what was happening and prevent it, they showed me some ‘behind the scenes’ instructions and perceptions—from the One who sees all. 

 

I am most grateful, however, for the fact that those dreams also revealed that God was with my friend in her last hours, he knew what was happening.  And, he cared about me enough to clue me in.  The result is the comforting shield of unfathomable Peace—knowing that somehow, he is in control and will ultimately bring good things out of such a painful situation.   

 

Photo above:  Karen Johnson, far left, with Dream Journey dream interpretation class, Unity church, Fall 2008

Lately I have noticed the theme of ‘windows’ popping up everywhere.  When this happens, I try to pay deeper attention to every time the phrase or picture crops up—perhaps God is speaking something we do not want to miss.  Upon some symbolic reflection, some thoughts come to mind:

 

1.    Windows of opportunity:  Many prophetic voices are telling us that a huge spiritual shift is happening at this time.  Can you sense it?  The U.S. economy seems to be improving, but further shakings, financial and other, probably lie ahead.  It would be wise to take advantage of this window or season to pare down, slack back, get our affairs in order, get out of debt, etc., so that we are better prepared for events to come. 

 

2.    Microsoft Windows vs. Mac: More and more folks are asking the question regarding making a switch from something more familiar to something more dependable, and they are counting the cost. (I confess I am a devoted Mac user). Think symbolically—sometimes we have to choose a different ‘operating system’ that is unfamiliar but may serve us better in the long run…even though our choice may require change in perspective and a price to pay.

 

3.    Go Window shopping:  It is time to dream about options, qualities and assets you want to incorporate into your life.  Watch for ideas that God puts on display to grab your attention, then make plans for how to afford and obtain them.

 

4.    When God closes a door, he opens a window:  If plans don’t work out the way you imagined, or if you feel blocked, look for other possibilities that could be your outlet or answer--something in another shape, direction, or form.  Look for where the Light is!

 

5.    Out the Window:  Deal with your issues as they come up.  Clear out the clutter in your life and get rid of it.

 

6.    Be a Window Washer:  I actually did this in most of my house last week—dusted blinds, laundered curtains, cleaned windows—as an act of faith as if to tell the world, “I am ready to see clearly, without any hindrances.” 

 

When we look out our ‘windows’, we can observe what is coming our way—people, deliveries, activities, sunshine, storms.  We are better prepared with our advanced notice for when Life knocks on the door. 

  

Once upon a time, an older married couple quit their jobs working for other people so that they could follow their hearts’ desires to serve people in the Kingdom in their own unique way, using the gifts and abilities they had quietly and painstakingly nurtured for many years. 

 

They began trying their hands at entrepreneurship, learning the ropes and weathering the setbacks and unexpected losses and costs.  However, they were delighted to plow up the new ground and follow the instructive melody of the Voice—the leader of the Kingdom and the one the couple longed to serve and please.

 

One morning, in a dream, the couple found themselves being chauffeured--by the Voice--in a travel trailer on a long journey.  They did not know the destination, but they knew they needed to be prepared for anything. They experienced a sense of excitement for possibilities ahead.  They trusted the Voice’s choice and guidance for their ultimate stopping place.

 

The road seemed endless, touched at times by weariness and discouragement, and the scenery at times was bleak, flat, brown (kind of like Abilene, Texas in the winter time).

 

In the dream, midway through their journey, the couple stopped by the side of the road and discovered a desolate house for sale.  A dormant rose garden caught their eye—they could revive it and enjoy a place of beauty!  Inside, the kitchen was torn up and needed lots of repair.  The homeowner promised to fix it up if they were to buy the house and move in.  The driveway looked like a runway—this place had potential, they thought.  They immediately considered purchasing the house, even though they had not even seen the other rooms. 

 

Just then, knowing their thoughts, the Voice scooped them up, cradling them gently, and whisked them high up into the sky, where together, they could visualize the ‘bigger picture’, including the road yet ahead to travel.  Then, the Voice spoke into their ears, “Don’t settle.”

 

The couple immediately received deep in their hearts the message of encouragement, “Don’t settle down yet.  Don’t settle for less.  This isn’t where it ends, there is MORE. Though you are weary, you are still in transition, not yet to your next assignment. Distractions will arise on your path to tempt you to quit the journey mid-way, and to invest your resources in less-than-ideal enterprises, but if you follow the Voice, you will arrive at the right time to fulfill your destiny.”

 

Moral of the story:  Listen to your dreams, trust the Voice, and don’t give up too soon—you never know what is just around the corner.  Enjoy the journey.  And remember--you are never alone.  

Years ago, I realized I had been allowing myself to be taken hostage by a cruel master called ‘perfectionism’.  At the time, my primary objective was to display a ‘perfect’ external disguise to cover internal wounds and damage—thus, theoretically preventing any peering persons from observing negative stuff in my soul that could be judged or rejected.

 

I spent nearly all my energy attempting to project the image of ‘having it all together’.  Friends praised my neat house, home-cooked healthy meals from scratch, well-behaved kids with homemade clothing and toys, my ‘perfect’ marriage, and perfect figure and appearance. 

 

I knew it was all a lie—inside I was miserable and scared.  My perfect world was fear-based, solely focused on self-protection.  It was an effort to maintain outward control when I felt inwardly chaotic and out of control.  And my fantasy world required increasing efforts to maintain the façade.  Eventually, it all began to fall apart—thanks to God!

 

The turning point was one day when a friend with two young children, (like me at the time), confided that she vacuumed her WHOLE house 5 to 6 times every single day because when her family walked on the carpet and messed up the vacuum lines, she felt she would go nuts.   

 

I saw her ‘prison’—and recognized my own.

 

Conviction set in as I realized the messy misery I was needlessly imposing on my family with my unreachable high standards and expectations. My self-protection constructed a fortress that kept me locked-up lonely inside. 

 

Once I realized the full extent of my dilemma, nothing short of tearful repentance would work for me—renounce, denounce, surrender, cease and desist, find another way to deal with the insecurity I was covering.  My husband and I declared ‘perfectionism’ a dirty word around our house, and went to war against it.

 

It was a difficult journey.  Funny thing though—I discovered that people actually like me better when I make mistakes and can admit them.  Or when they visit my messy house—and I don’t feel the need to apologize. I also began to fathom that God really is in control and he can indeed be trusted with every situation.  Everything works out better when placed into his hands.

 

If you work on your ‘internals’ (deal with your stuff) and allow your sharpened character shine through your ‘externals’, you reveal the REAL treasure of YOU inside—including weaknesses and warts—thus releasing people around you to just be themselves as well. 

 

Life is too short and we are each too valuable to spend significant years hiding and pretending to have it all together. If we embrace each others’ imperfections and lovingly challenge each other in encouraging ways to tackle our issues, we make room for God's glory to radiate Perfect freedom and peace.  

 

When I tell people that I interpret dreams, one of the most common responses I receive is, “I don’t remember my dreams.”  Folks usually continue on with, “I know I’m dreaming, but I forget my dreams after I wake up.”  Indeed, dreams slip away from our memory quicker than a breathtaking sunset morphs on the western horizon. 

 

God’s voice is quite similar—we may dismiss what we hear almost before we even recognize and register that we even heard.  If we are not alert, we may miss the fleeting glimpse of divine revelation that flashes through our mind and spirit.

 

Discouraging dilemma, simple solution:  first thing, write those dreams down! 

 

1.    Just jotting down a few key phrases before you get out of bed will jog your memory when you write the whole dream down. 

 

2.    Use a journal that works well for you as a place where you can keep all of your dreams in one place.  You can use a binder and loose leaf paper, a blank book, a voice recorder, or something online (check out our free, private dream journal). I’ve also designed some worksheets with leading questions to assist serious, dedicated dream interpreters—contact me if you are interested.

 

3.    Date and title your dream.

 

4.    Write as a story, draw pictures, doodle, diagram, whatever method best helps you express the dream.  Try to record as many details as you can remember. 

 

5.    Make note of any significant changes, decisions, or events that you are presently facing in real life--chances are good that your dream may be timely relevant. 

 

6.    As you write, pay attention to 'thoughts' or impressions—because often in the journaling process and giving the dream a title, the interpretation may become clear.  Log anything you sense as you work through the dream.  Take time to ponder and pray, asking God to put the puzzle pieces together for you.  If he gave you the dream, it honors him for you to value the deciphering process.  And, the more you do it, the more he will answer—the more you will receive and understand, and you will avoid Dream Drought.

 

If you need further help remembering your dreams, try these helpful hints.

 

If you don’t understand a dream right now, you can go back to your dream journal weeks or even years later to gain insight by hindsight.

 

To keep a dream journal is to keep a ‘spiritual growth’ record of your life--an ever-changing process of understanding God's night-time dream love language to us.  Incorporating dream interpretation into your life-tool-chest equips you to live each day increasingly wiser and better prepared. You will never regret the time and effort you invested in understanding the meaning of your dreams. 

For Christmas, I received a beautiful clock for a gift.  It is quite an eye-catcher, with a moving pendulum, muted jewel tones, punctuated with a rose design, and it says “Dream” on it—perfect for a dream interpreter who loves color and roses. 

 

Problem is, the clock doesn’t work.  The hands do not move at all.  (Yes, we even installed batteries—the right way).  The pendulum swings and the clock ticks, but it doesn’t tell time.  After several days of fiddling with the clock, we exchanged it for another one exactly like it.  The new one doesn’t work either.  

 

Odd happenings like this often pique my attention, prompting the familiar question, “If this situation were a dream, what would it mean?”

 

The clock looks and sounds like it is working—the power source is active.  There is potential for movement but the reason for the stoppage seems hidden from our understanding.  And yes, the clock is accurate at least twice a day.

 

Our family is currently in a season of transition, desiring to make deliberate decisions in right timing---not outside of God’s timetable.  Celebrating the beginning of a new year and another birthday for me seems to usher in a fresh perspective for goals and schedule.  

 

I believe I’m being shown that the gift of time has been placed in my hands…and that I have more options regarding freedom, timing, and presentation of my life than I would have realized without a deeper consideration.  There is more going on ‘behind the scenes’ than I may be aware of right now.

 

So, for now, my phenomenal prophetic clock displays 8:00—representing ‘new beginnings’. I place my life ‘timing’ into the hands of God, who never changes, but is always the same.  We will keep ‘watch’ for shifts in rhythm or course so we can be alert and punctual when stepping into prime, timely opportunities…not too early, nor too late.

 

If we keep in step with Spirit, things like time don’t ultimately matter much anyway.  

A new walking shoe recently appeared on the shoe market—the Skecher Shape-Ups, a bouncy, high-tech type of footwear.  Since I am a daily, avid walker and a faithful fan of Skechers, I had to check them out.  The shoe package comes with a DVD that helps you ‘change the way you walk.” 

 

The shoes are quite comfortable, though a bit pricey, but check out the amazing benefits a person gains from wearing these shoes (assuming we actually WALK in them): 

 

o     Promote weight loss

o     Reduce cellulite and tone your thighs

o     Firm calf and buttock muscles

o     Easy to shape up without going to a gym

o     Help you walk with a ‘positive impact’

o     Enhance the way you feel and look

o     Change the way you approach your daily activities

o     Appear taller, combat stress, sleep better

 

Sporting these shoes, you find your ‘center of balance’ and you can look good while getting fit.  “There’s no reason to ruin your outfit with unattractive footwear that’s a fashion don’t!”  Shape-Ups will ‘still be right on as you power through your everyday life.”  In fact, “they are portable power in a small package.” 

 

Wow!  Who doesn’t want all of that?

 

All sarcasm aside and switching modes, have you ever had a shoe dream?  In dreams, shoes can often symbolize the equipping or preparation that we have received to complete a certain task.  They enable us to get where we need to go, and the ‘style’ in which we make the journey.  They can represent peace or good news (Eph 6:15)--or simply, your life ‘walk’ or your destiny.

 

I have experienced past seasons of dreaming I was getting dressed and could not find shoes that fit or matched.  Or that I was shoe shopping, trying to find that perfect pair.  Or that I was given priceless fabulous shoes that enabled me to run or fly at amazing speeds.

 

Our daily activity determines our shoe choice of the morning.  What is on your agenda today?  Are you properly outfitted and equipped?  Or might there be a need to invest in or exercise in some further tools or development so you can achieve a greater level of success or satisfaction?

 

Possibly it could be time to switch to a more positive spiritual ‘posture’ or stance in life, a refined direction, a different path, or an improved ‘balance’ with more power.  We might choose a walking buddy who will help support us and provide some accountability. 

 

Put on your new Spiritual Skecher Shape-Ups—perhaps we can train together out there somewhere on the scenic walking trail and accomplish amazing 'feats' together.   

Christmas is but a heartbeat away—a season of festive friend and family functions, flavorful feasts, gift giving and gift getting. As we enjoy the whirlwind of activities, we greatly benefit by taking some time to focus on the spiritual significance of Christmastime. 

 

Reflecting on the reason for the season puts everything in perspective—we see more clearly how we have been touched and blessed by the Light of the World’s love and presence through past days and months.  We can release pains and regrets and anticipate new promises ahead.

 

When I remember this past year, the struggles and the victories, no words can express the depth of my gratitude and amazement for God’s tender care and love toward me. The icing on the cake is the insight and preparation I have received from my God-given dreams.  That he would speak to me, draw me closer—to warn me and encourage me--seems above and beyond what I deserve.

 

This is my Christmas wish for each of you—that you would experience increasing measures of Spirit’s presence in your waking hours and during your sleep. 

 

I ask the Creator to “make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers.  Oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!” (Ephesians 1:19)

 

I bless you in the tests and thrills of life—may you persevere and succeed in everything you do, and may you encounter the Spirit of Truth every step of the way. 

 

I leave with you with this ancient prayer for the 'present presence'--of God's protection and revelation during dream time:

 

 

Thank you for reading!  Merry Christmas to all!   

Several times last week I listened to people share their ‘green dreams’, and each person held their own unique interpretation of what the green meant. There is no such thing as one ‘universal’ meaning for green.

 

Volumes have been written about light and color and how they reflect and radiate…there is so much to study and understand about our Creator’s use of color. Colors will often complement or support meanings of elements, rather than stand alone.  They can have positive as well as negative import.

 

Let’s unpack some possible meanings based on scriptures and cultural idioms and phrases.  These are the most common meanings, but there can be more.

 

If you have had a dream with something green in it, read through this partial list of possible symbolic clues and pay attention to any that seem more significant or weighty to your particular dream: 

 

o     Life or growth—vibrant (think spring green) (Exodus 10:15)

o     Inexperienced (new or green at doing something)

o     Prosperity or wealth-- lots of money (‘green’)

o     Provision—(food--Genesis 1:30)

o     Conscience or the heart of God

o     Jealous or envious (‘the green-eyed monster’)

o     “Go ahead” –you are given the ‘green light’ to proceed

o     Holistically-environmentally-minded (‘going green’)

o     Refreshing or restful (Psalm 23:2)

 

Example:  Several years ago I dreamed about a much-loved spiritual leader friend whose actions had hurt many people very deeply.  We did not understand what was going on in his heart.  In the dream, he was wearing a vivid green shirt, and a hot iron fell on his chest and sizzled, but he amazingly was not hurt. 

 

I puzzled, prayed about this dream, and waited, but didn’t understand until a year later, when I was ironing.  Spirit reminded me of that dream and told me, “His conscience (green shirt) was seared.”  His heart was hardened toward us.  We heartbreakingly found that to be true as we grieved and tried unsuccessfully to repair relational damage. 

 

Another example:  My daughter loves the color green—it is her life color.  She graduated from Dartmouth College—guess what the school color is? When my dreams are obviously green-hued, sometimes they are clueing me into something that is happening in her life so I can be more mindful of her.   

 

How do you know what green means in YOUR dream?  Here is the key:  listen to the Spirit. Ponder these common possibilities, meditate, and watch for further revelation to unfold.  It takes time to research and pray and wait for dream symbol meanings, but the process of learning and understanding Spirit's love language to us is worth it!