dreamin'

Had a dream last night...strange things those dreams.  Makes me wonder what is trapped in this head of mine.  I have vivid dreams, intensely vivid dreams where I wake up convinced I just experienced the dream as if it just actually happened.  I oftentimes wake up so disoriented that I have no idea what day it is, where I am, or what I am doing.  And sometimes, not often, but sometimes I have to remember who I am.  It's crazy.

I have also noticed that as my stress level rises, the dreams become more bizarre.  In this dream I was some place rather public and I was topless.  It was strange in that it was ok that I was topless; it wasn't bothersome to anyone, including me.  I felt somewhat exposed but yet I was able to engage and interact with the people in the dream.  The exposure or embarrassment was more like a feeling you would have if you were under-dressed, that's all.  But still, I woke up wondering WHAT was THAT all about.

I am sure if I were to explore it more with a psychoanalyst I could decipher my unconscious and find underlying emotions, but I don't need to.  These dreams are what a friend once called 'anxiety dreams.'  We're moving across the world to live and serve in Africa!  Hello?  We have joined a new mission.  Stressful; wonderfully stressful.  I am in a position of great responsibility, therefore adding even more stress and anxiety.  I don't need a therapist to tell me all this stress and anxiety is coming out in my dream life.

But out of curiosity, I googled the Dream Dictionary online and found  a couple of different meanings for nakedness; vulnerability or openness.  Both seem to fit, as extreme as they are.  I am feeling vulnerable and yet have nothing to hide, I am open, as we press forward.  I have to admit, reading the meanings gave me a bit of comfort: A note of commonality. 

Hey, here's a wandering thought....maybe I should keep a dream log.  Oh man, that just might be the next 50 shades of.....Miss Jones.

Vulnerability or openness
Read more at: http://www.thecuriousdreamer.com/dreamdictionary/ Copyright 2012 The Curious Dreamer

Vulnerability or openness
Read more at: http://www.thecuriousdreamer.com/dreamdictionary/ Copyright 2012 The Curious Dreamer

feminism

My journey began as a child of the 70's; during the rise of feminism.  It was a confusing time for a girl, but an empowering time as well.  Back then I remember a story about my friend and me making the cut to be the very first girls to play on the Little League in our small New Hampshire town.  We had two teams back then due to the large interest, the Little League and a a farm league. We played on the farm league.  And me being left-handed I played first base.  But just the fact of having girls in the league at all was progressive for our little town.  I remember the jaunts and jeering well.  But we were pretty good handling and hitting the ball.  And we loved the game and team, and in the end that's what mattered.  Boys are all about balls.

Darrow L. Miller and Stan Guthrie in the book "Nurturing the Nations: Reclaiming the Dignity of Women in Building Healthy Cultures" exposes the age old misogynistic lie that men are superior to women.  A lie that has been passed down and bought by every culture, every religion, every nation since the fall of humankind in the garden.
Boys are not better than girls; and girls are not better than boys.  However, in our world today there are many instances where the preference for men is so deep rooted we don't even recognize it within our family structures. Not to mention the exploitation, abuse, oppression, and murder of women is the global norm.  Global gender inequality is a huge issue--what can one person do to turn the tide?  What can the Church do? Where is our responsibility?  Where do we even begin?  The work is great for even in the Church, many have embraced this very lie.

As for me, my passion has been rekindled; empowering women to speak out while exposing the lie in the our societies, churches, and communities. Today I stand with the feminists, seeking to promote gender equality and exposing oppression in all it's forms.  May God go with me. 

looking ahead

I shared my story with a group of women this past weekend.  It was a humbling and very exciting experience. I think God is up to something because I am sensing that feeling of preparation again.  I know he is leading me and will bring to pass whatever is planned for me.  I just know it will be something, perhaps something big....?

I had a conversation with a couple of key people from our mission and the prospects of what my role could be when we leave in August to serve overseas. Our church partners are requesting from our mission education, empowerment, and encouragement for their women.  They want to address menstruation taboos that are impeding the education of girls and other pertinent issues that are impacting their women from moving ahead.  I will be there in a position to serve them.  But I have to wonder, could it be for me to speak out on women's issues on a broader, potentially national scale? Perhaps all this interest and exposure to gender issues is for such a time as this. 

"Aslan is on the move."