Bearing all Things 2005

The dream opens up and I am walking beside, but a stride behind my husband. He is walking as one stone-faced and hardened. He does not acknowledge me and I won’t waste my breath speaking, it will not penetrate but rather earn me an even more stern look and perhaps a scathing monologue as to the irrelevance of my words…so I saunter to try to keep pace and occupy my expected place at his side.

We are also walking next to what I liken to an urban flood drainage channel, the cement walls were what I saw but I knew it was for flooding an overflow.

As we are walking these young adolescent bears surrounded me, but like puppies, they were looking for pets and hugs and I cannot explain the glee in my heart. I nuzzled them and they me. I buried my face in their necks and embraced them and was trying to keep pace as well. I looked at the face of my husband, looking for his expression at this marvel that was upon me.

Nothing.

He walked stone- faced, would not even acknowledge the presence of the bears. I KNEW he knew they were there….stubborn man.

We trekked on a bit and he headed into a store, like a hardware store.

I bid goodbye to my new companions, knowing they could not follow us in and not imagining they would be lingering when I came out.

I was standing next to my husband as he was looking, and not including me in what he was looking for. His expression was as icy and cold as a high mountain…unreachable. Suddenly these adorable and comforting bears were surrounding me again, what Joy! What bliss!

I looked at my husband thinking, “Come on! This is soooo cool, you gotta at least acknowledge how bizarre and wonderful this is!”

Nothing.

We went outside and continued walking….more towards less travelled places now. The bears walked along side, surrounding me as my heart flooded the gleeful joy at their companionship.

~end

Upon waking I asked the Lord, “Okay, what’s with the bears?”

Simple response, “Love bears all things.”

I was teasingly incredulous, “You did NOT just pun me!” I pun a lot! How well He knows our language.

Very tenderly and compassionate was His response, “I want you to find the joy in bearing all things”.

My eyes welled up and spilled over, certainly, He alone knows the trials and sometimes, seemingly, unbearable anguish of walking in some of our circumstances. With God all things are possible.

He is Jehovah Jireh, providing: the Love, strength, courage, perseverance and hope…He is the Living Source of all those things, but we cannot let this moment define us…we live for the eternal. This light affliction is incomparable to the eternal Glory ahead.

I hope this encourages someone. Remain obedient; trust God’s lead, though you may not see it now but...”love never fails”