Dreams of Restored Houses

I woke up in the wee hours of Wednesday morning from a dream.  It was one of those dreams in which I felt safe and warm.  I had the vague recollection of being at my grandparents' house in one part of the dream, someplace else in another part.  I hadn't crossed the threshold of the house my mother grew up in since I was twelve years old, but I can remember the way it smelled, the way the house was laid out, and the way it looked.  I remember the way the light fell on the house in the afternoon and the sway of the cottonwood tree by my grandmother's bedroom window in the summer.  I can recount the details of cubby holes and hiding places long since ground to dust in the field upon which it once stood.  And yet, I cannot recall the dream.

I wracked my brain all day yesterday; I hoped that some aspect of my day would jar my memory and give it back to me.  It did not.  I awoke so suddenly that I could not recall the dream.  In its place, a single phrase surfaced into my consciousness:  I dreamt of restored houses.  This was intriguing to me, because the home my grandfather built was torn down in the early '80's.  The other place in my dream was lost to me--the only detail I could remember was that I was playing some type of ball game.  I know that there were others playing with me, but I don't remember who they were.  Obviously, my mind held onto the most important aspect of the dream, the truth of the dream that was meant to stay with me. 

I definitely believe in the significance of dreams.  I have believed that God speaks to us through dreams for as long as I can remember.  I often evaluate my dreams for the larger message or meaning that they contain.  From time to time, I interpret dreams for others.  I have meditated on the meaning of the phrase "restored houses".  I certainly believe that God restores houses, both in the physical and the symbolic senses.  In this case, the only house that needs restoration would be my church.  Presently, the church is in the midst of a major renovation.  The contractor on the project ran away with a significant amount of money a couple of months ago, and the situation is not yet sorted out.  We have a group of men working on solving the problems and completing the renovation.  Sometimes, it seems pretty dire.  When I told Brian about my dream, the church was the first thing that came to his mind.  "Maybe it means God is going to restore the church," he said.  I sure hope so.  It is certainly in His power to do so.  Under the circumstances, His is the only power that will restore it. 

For now, I will continue to pray and meditate on the meaning of the dream.  I know that waking from the dream was bitterweet, as I didn't realize how much I missed my grandparents' old house and I didn't want to leave it.  There were so many pleasant memories associated with it.  It was the site of so much joy and fellowship.  I hope that God will allow me to revisit the dream, and perhaps reveal to me what was meant by the words that came to me after.

Many blessings,

Jennifer