I dream often. I attempt to record these parables that come in the night watches, but frequently they melt from my memory like a light snowfull on a sunny, wintry morning.  But not this one. The dream stayed with me.

Someone left a dog on my porch.  The dog was golden with soft fur--as soft as those throws that you can buy now at department stores--that if you lie down on the sofa and cover yourself with them, you'll never want to get up.  He was gentle and looked up at me with soulful blue eyes.  I couldn't imagine anyone not claiming this gorgeous creature. I thought, "Could I keep him?"  I hesitated.  He wasn't mine.  I looked for someone he might belong to, but there was no one.  And so I imagined that he could actually be mine.  He could be my friend.  Someone to walk with.  I love talking walks.  I became joyful believing he and I could walk the road by my house together.  His name was Elliott.

I awakened.  I beleive that God can provide messages in dreams.  What might He be saying to me?  Names can carry meaning in dreams, so I looked up the meaning of "Elliott."  It means "Jehovah is God."  A tear leaked from my eye as I thought of God's tenderness toward me.  I can be so terribly self-reliant--depending on my own efforts to get me through--stressing myself out with anxiety trying to do enough, trying to be enough, trying to please.  My mantra: "Do, do, do.  Then do more."  This tendency in me is self-defeating.  God would have me increase my ability to receive from HIm.  Just like this beautiful dog, He drops off gifts to me. They are meant for me.  They are mine.  Gifts of His grace, His friendship; His shelter; His strength; His provision; His mercy; His goodness.  He wants me to fully own them.  And He delights when I walk with Him down my life road.  He and I together, just as I would take pleasure in loving companionship walking with a dog like Elliott.  May I seek to be a better receiver-- walking my path with a loving God, worries and cares, self-effort and anxiety cast away to the shadows, joy encircling me.

Courage! Take heart! God is here, right here...(From Isaiah 35:3, The Message)