The Dance 

I had a dream the other night -- a very vivid dream. I walked into the office of House of Hope, York, (a non-profit organization dedicated to helping troubled teens and their families) to bring something to them.  I told the woman at the front desk that I was there to drop off my monthly check, but I didn't know how much it was supposed to be for.  After a minute or two of looking around her desk, she told me that the amount was $40. I wrote the check and handed it to her.  End of dream. 

In reality, I have never given money to this organization, although I have helped by providing wish list items from their weekly emails.  I was delighted to learn this past Sunday that my church is planning a gift of $10,000 to House of Hope, York.  Perhaps that is why I had the dream.  Or perhaps because something tugs at my heart with respect to the beautiful work that this organization does for teens and their families. 

The next morning, as I was preparing to leave my house to run errands and do some last-minute Christmas shopping, I remembered the dream.  Then a powerful feeling came over me and I sat myself back down at my desk.  And then this thought:  I am going right by their office today, I should drop off a check.  In an instant I knew without a doubt what I had to do.  I sent a quick email to my husband, asking if we could afford to send $40 a month to House of Hope.  A few minutes later, he replied, "sure, when do you want to start this?"  I said, "today, I am going right by there to drop off something next door to their office."   

I arrived with excitement in my heart and explained the dream to the two women there and wrote out the check.  We then chatted about Living Word (my church) and how excited they were about the support efforts and the visits by Pastor Steve and others to their facilities.  As I was leaving, one of the woman gave me a warm hug and thanked me.  End of visit. 

For the rest of the day, I felt as if God was guiding my every step, and I felt his presence with me.  He was there at the grocery store, he was with me in the car, he helped me with my last-minute Christmas shopping at a local Christian bookstore.  I felt so full of purpose; I felt as if he had taken my hand in a beautiful dance and I was floating along with his lead.  It was a beautiful day. 

But this story is not finished.  There's something hidden, some unknown element, and I believe that I will write again about that $40 gift.  Something wonderful is going to occur, I am sure of that. The next morning, I started writing the account of the dream.  As I finished the sentence above, I remembered that I had written about dancing with God in an earlier journal entry, and felt compelled to search for it.  It was on September 27 that I wrote this: 

     Oh, Father, keep me in the moment, asking you each hour what you would have

     me do, calling on your name for every task.  I want it to be so seamless that I

     feel pulled this way or that, like you have my hand in yours and you are leading

     me as a dance partner.  How beautiful is that?  Flowing, floating on air to the

     sweet music of creation.  So connected -- no words need to be spoken -- total

     unison, loving connection, Great Guide, leading me into the peace of the knowledge

     that you are in control." 

God answers prayer 

So the real hidden element is revealed, not in a $40 check, but in a written prayer from two and a half months ago.  So now I offer another prayer:

Dance with me again today, Father.