Dream of Not Being Prepared

Following is a dream I awoke from this morning which I believe the Lord would have me share.  It has some interpretation within the recording of the dream, indicated with (  )’s.  The full interpretation follows the dream.  I will only name some of the characters due to trying to protect people’s anonymity.  I know who these people are and what they symbolize to me as God reveals His interpretation to me, so it’s not necessary to name them.

Dream of not Being Prepared 

October 28, 2012

I was at South Callaway School waiting in the passenger seat in a car.   My dear friend who is in political office, was just outside my window discussing something with someone. She then got in the car and started to drive.  Her husband was seated between us in the front seat.  There were kids in the back seat, (including one who represents discernment for me in my dreams).  Once we were traveling, I could see how uncomfortable her husband must have been in that position so I asked him if he indeed was uncomfortable.  He assured me he was fine.  His legs extended over to my side of the floor but I felt it really was acceptable.

There was an election coming up and I asked my friend how we should vote, (there are decisions we need to make which the Lord should be directing as it is His kingdom which should rule in our hearts.)  She said we definitely should vote for “truncated” (which means shortened).  She said this would put in place a building plan for a road which would go straight to Wal-Mart so those who lived in that school district would no longer have to go all the way around having to come into a nearby town to get to Wal-Mart.  Her husband was all for it too and encouraging a vote for it as well.  I said that it totally made sense to not have to go all the way around any longer as they were located right by it!  When I told the child in the back seat, she agreed, (represents judging all things and submitting to wise Godly council).

In the next scene I was in a class trying to find a seat.  I was tired of feeling like I was always lagging behind so I just went ahead into a little room where I assumed we were all going to move to since we had done it that way previously.  As I was walking over there, my socks were dangling out of the backs of my shoes as they were just tucked in that way because I wasn’t properly wearing them. (Socks represent a foundational garment for shoes.  Shoes represent peace, Eph. 6:15.  This is another nudge from God to seek Him who is the foundation for all peace as He is the Prince of Peace.)  I didn’t have a place to sit comfortably where I was and didn’t feel well anyway so I just wanted to select my place in this other room now.  (When we are uncomfortable in the circumstances of our lives, we just want to get a quick fix and “feel” better.)  

I entered a very small, dark, circular shaped room, almost like a little cave and had to seat myself on the floor as there were no other options.  There was one stream of sunlight beaming in and I wanted to sit right in it so I could feel better from its warmth on my skin, (even though I have my faults, my heart truly desires the Lord and His ways.)  The teacher just kept talking and since no one else was coming into my room I peered out to the outer room only to discover just about everyone had left!  Now I had to scramble to catch up with them because I was determined not to get lost or lose track of everyone.  I tried hard to run but my legs wouldn’t cooperate.  A couple of other kids, who were super slow or somehow challenged, even passed me!  I tried to keep my eyes on where the kids were going as we went outside and into another part of the building.  I couldn’t see anyone, but figured they had to enter one of the three very archaic looking doors now before me.   I chose one and walked into an ancient, dark, and uncomfortable cafeteria.  I could hear kids talking and knew it was lunch time.  I then realized I wasn’t prepared for going to lunch; I didn’t have my own lunch nor did I have any money to purchase one.  I became frustrated because I knew it was going to be difficult for me to go without eating.  

I tried to find someone to sit next to and found a girl named Carolyn, (who was from my drill team when I was in high school.  Drill team represents time of training, boot camp, being prepared in the past).  She was by herself but had an empty desk right next to hers.  I asked if it was saved and she said only for who was going to sit by her, (the Lord saves us and seats us right next to Him in high places above all else, Eph. 1:20, 2:6.)  I asked if I could sit there and she said, “Yes.”  

I started to sit down and realized I was not going to be able to go without eating after all.  With a shudder, I got up looking for a way to get lunch and saw someone getting the last of the “free” or extra lunches.  I asked a guy if I could borrow some money and he begrudgingly loaned it to me.  I got in line as the cafeteria ladies brought out a nice meat tray arrayed with what I thought looked like beautiful Filet Mignon cooked just the way I like: hot pink center, not too well done, not too rare!  Much to my disappointment, however, upon closer inspection, they actually had more of a hash brown flaky type texture.  I asked if it was hamburger and was finally told yes, so I put back the one I had taken.  I exclaimed, “I can’t eat raw hamburger!”  I knew it would make me sick from all the over processing.  I Iooked again and saw the tray was gone.  There were other people behind me in line so I let the cafeteria people know we were out of meat.  They brought another tray, seeming like they truly wanted to help desiring to keep things stocked as best they could but some things were just out of their control.  What the lady laid down this time was individually wrapped meat in white paper.  I couldn’t see what it consisted of so I turned a piece over hoping for a window of clear wrap so I could see what was inside.  (Judge all things and keep what is good, use discernment, ask for God to reveal what you need to know.)  There indeed was a clear window of plastic, in which I could see that it was more of the same kind of meat, only this was cooked more thoroughly, to the point of being even  flakier and completely dried out.  (Anything other than the pure truth of the Lord, will just be dry to our soul and “flaky”, or unreliable, no matter how nicely it’s “packaged”.)  I didn’t really want it but it seemed there were no other options, (I was settling.)  As I tried to take a portion of this undesirable food, that too disappeared and only a few scraps were left on the platter which I unsuccessfully tried to scrape onto my plate.  (The Lord tries to rescue us repeatedly from doing the wrong things but we are sometimes headstrong and won’t listen to Him.)

I moved onto the next table to get side dishes but there were only a few measly looking relishes.  I was hoping to get some vegetables but there was nothing that looked healthy or appealing.  One morsel lying on the table looked like an olive (anointing of God) but upon closer inspection, I discovered it was a strange green fuzzy type thing that looked candied like the “fruit” in fruit cake!  (No offense to those who like fruit cake, but for me this symbol represents the fake fruit that tries to present itself as good when it’s so yucky!)  What little bit was left over on this table presenting itself to me, was just crumbs of rubbish I would never want to eat no matter how hungry I thought I was.  I then looked for something to drink but there wasn’t anything!  I asked about that and the cafeteria ladies said they just couldn’t bring it all.  Although this room was specifically set up for our class, it was all worthless!  (Things of this world will not satisfy, only the Lord and His ways will fill us up! John 4:14)

I sat down by Carolyn and now there were three desks configured in an L-shape where there once was only two.  I sat at the leg part of the L instead of right next to her.  I complained about how this place was all set up in such a disappointing manner.  She didn’t say anything but instead seemed to be content being seated and observing.

Interpretation:

The name Carolyn means:  Free Man, which would explain why she was there but just observing; not upset at all.  None of this really seemed to affect her as she was able to maintain her peace. She still offered what she felt she should to help but not in a way that would compromise or jeopardize anything she was to hold onto.  She stayed seated in a restful way which those who walk in peace are able to do.  Initially, if I had sat down and waited with her, I would have been right next to her, in a place of peace, but in striving to get what I felt I couldn’t do without, I then was seated in a bit of a “disconnect” with her (the leg of the L).  I inherited even more frustration at what I had to settle for because I wouldn’t just seat myself in peaceful trust of the Lord in the circumstances of which I found myself.  None of what I tried to obtain in my own effort was satisfying and I had nothing to show for all my endeavors.

I believe the main message is for me to pray for us, that we will be prepared for our circumstances so that we won’t come up short on what will be available, having to settle for the crumbs or at worst…getting nothing.  Also, I am to pray like King David did, that we will not commit the sin of presumption, because that will cause us to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, again getting nothing and lagging behind.  I also need to pray we are not arrogant in thinking we know what we need but instead wait on the Lord to supply our every need, Phil. 4:19.  He will give us grace in our patient waiting on Him, but will have to frustrate the proud who strive in their own strength, James 4:6.

South Callaway represents the south direction which in scripture can mean going through trials, but we can still be doing well even in the midst of them.  Just as in summer with warm southerly winds, we are much happier than when cold northern winds bluster down on us, Acts 27:13-14.  I believe this is saying that no matter what is going on around us, we are to keep our ear tuned into the Lord’s voice and His direction and He will have us in a place of peace, and grace whereby we will be observers and not shaken.  Others may be disappointed and frustrated, feeling they are suffering loss, but those who wait upon the Lord will be sound and satisfied.  

The first scene with my friend, who is actually a very Godly woman holding a political office, represented that there is a wise way to know how to navigate through these times in a righteous and just way…it’s the direct route, which will shorten our time of testing, providing the necessities which will easily be accessible and all in one place, (Wal-Mart represents a one-stop-shop.)  We need to understand the Lord is our Provider-the one place we go for everything!  We are to get rid of our old habits of trying to make our own way which only causes us to have to take a longer trip; just like the children of Israel who took forty years to make an eleven day trip.  

Make us prepared and ready, Oh Lord, to go the route You would have us and let us not refuse to surrender all to You in order to make the trip as short as possible yet still serve Your awesome purpose in our lives!

When we jump ahead, trying to be sure our needs are met, we will be sorely disappointed as it will not end up being anything we can really use anyway.  Just as raw hamburger can make you sick from all the over processing, we cannot over process what God is doing or seeming not to be doing in our lives.  We must trust Him regardless of what’s going on, because of His lovely nature and Who He is.  He, who sees the end from the beginning, knows what is best and knows the perfect timing for everything.  He has good reason for why He does the things He does, but it is not always for us to try to figure out.  He will reveal the “why” in the right time as well.  There’s nothing wrong with asking, but we shouldn't strain to figure it all out.  Once we’re frustrated or angry, we have gone too far in trying to figure things out.  Don’t suffer from “paralysis by analysis.”  

The fact that this dream took place in a school is indicating that this will be a position whereby we can learn something.  Being in an old, dingy building shows that we need to come out of our old ways of thinking and acting if we are going to be served the good things God places in our hearts of desire.  We cannot be deceived into thinking we will get the best from these old places of behavior, (thought I was getting Filet Mignon but it was only bad hamburger.)

My friend’s husband’s name means= lustful. This is not just sexual.  It can be anything/anyone we have an intense unholy desire for in that it promotes itself above our desire for God.  It’s idolatry.  We can have a lust for power, knowledge, sports, food, companionship as well as other more obvious addictions and cravings like porn, nicotine, alcohol.  However, in the dream, her husband was contained between us, the voice of wisdom, (my friend) and my own desires, (me) and was not a problem.  His legs being on my side of the car indicate there is a possibility for these weaknesses of our flesh to rise up and cause us problems, but if we will keep them controlled by listening to the voice of wisdom they will not rise up against the purposes of the Lord in our lives.  God will be in the driver’s seat of our lives; they will not take over control.  If we will take those things we tend to exalt above God or which have had command of us, and instead, make them surrender to the authority of God, then hearing His voice will not be difficult as those things will be restrained. We need to burn with passion for the Lord, yearning for His presence, yet still desiring other things He gives us.  We just need to keep them in proper position in our lives, present but not preventing the true, intimate relationship with our Lord He so deeply desires.  IF we are not careful to do this though, these things can come between the Lord and us.

To simplify this entire message:  We need to stay focused on the Lord, learning ever more to hear His voice and stay in the peace He offers for those who will humble themselves under His mighty hand and allow Him to be Lord over our lives.  He will place us in the right place at the right time and we will not need to struggle.  We will be satisfied where He has us, having entered into that restful place of trust in Him and His wisdom.