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Somehow, I feel this might relate to one of my dream:

Dream (01.24.2010)
From West to East: Sea Voyages and A Garden

I have a very interesting dream last night, feel led to write down.

Last night, before went to sleep, I prayed for an understanding, seems it is answered by the dream. So I will share a bit of the context. I was pondering about this: service in the Lord will land a servant in what way in relationship to those we are to serve? Are we always a fellow plant in the Garden and leave all the work to the Great Gardener? Are we but a peer sheep in the flock and leave everything to the care of the Great Shepherd? The implication of some in their understanding is that because we are evil in the beginning, so everything we do will but mess things up. If we try to serve, it is then doomed to be changed into something alien to God, as pride and selfishness is destined to overcome what we can achieve for God. I then prayed that indeed if it is but my own desire to serve Him in the way I feel led. If that is the case, then may He make me stop and stripe everything down for me. Let me become a child and not take on any “His Business” if it is beyond me, or the season for me.

I thought of two imageries: a forest displays the beauty a natural order and a well-cultivated garden that displays the “man-made” order (things seem have to be arranged and “maneuvered”). In my vague state of contemplation, I could not decide which is better. I thought I’d prefer the nature order, but somehow I knew it isn’t God’s intention as well…Then I rolled into sleep and had this dream in the morning time.

Celebration of My Trip

The part I remembered started with a ceremony. A feast or party was arranged to celebrate the completion of my recent voyage. I captained a ship and made a trip back on a sea. I have charted successfully a new course. In the dream, I saw a huge body of water located south to a massive land, a bit like the Mediterranean Sea and southern Europe. But then my vision changed. I saw a map of it. The sea of a round shape located inland. It is longer from West to East and the trip I made was from West to East then back. The map clearly showed that the water level become deeper and deeper from the northern shore to the south part of the sea. It seems that in the past ships was only able to travel in the deep and treacherous water southern to the two islands in the middle of the sea. My trip was the first one made in the shallow and safe water along the northern land.

We were in the north-west corner to the sea in the land. It supposed to my home, also served as headquarter of my father’s business (Location A on the map). The people invited were all sea voyage people, working for my Father. Strangely, they were all young people. My father had a large shipping business, the only one served to transport things on the sea. It seemed that traveling across the sea had been very difficult and the East part (north to the sea, Location B) reminded a mysterious land, never arrived by one of us before. The people were very happy for my Father and me as they know that my Father was very pleased with my accomplishment.

A Failed Rescue Mission

In the middle of the celebration, however, a message was taken through some radio communication. It was reported that one of our smaller ship was sinking in a raging storm (Location C). So father and I quickly communicated with a captain to recue it. He was just leading his fleet back from a voyage along the southern route. His was the nearest help. After he received his instruction, he began heading to the endangered ship. But the storm was strong, so when he arrived the island (Location D), he hesitated. Lingered for some time, finally, without consulting anyone, he decided to lead his fleet to another island to find safe harbor and left the sinking ship alone. The other ship sank.

It was obviously that the captain was from an older generation comparing to us young people, but a bit younger than my father. I have a sense he was all about business. He was confident that he had made the right decision in spite our strict order that he should go for the rescue mission against all odds.

My father did not want anyone to get lost. Everyone was like family to us.

My Uncle’s Garden

Then the scene changed. Now it seemed that my father and I had journeyed on my ship by the northern route which I charted out earlier to the north-east land (Location B). The land actually belonged to my uncle and he had planted a garden there. Father and I walked in the garden and surveyed it. It was a rich land.
The first portion was planted with garlic, growing up with green leaves sprouting out very well. Father told me: “You like garlic leaves, taste some.” I felt a bit uncomfortable as the garden belonged to my uncle. But suddenly I recognized that all this land, like everything else, actually belong to my father. My uncle was but put in charge of the land. We were here to inspect how well he had taken care of the land. So I picked a leave and tasted it. It was really good.

After that we walked to a section where tomato was planted. Well, it was terribly done. Tomato should spread out plant to plant. But no, this was done as if someone knew nothing of planting tomato. It all cropped together. So the plants grew very thin and tall, with scarcely any fruit even it was season. I searched carefully, only to find to two or three red small tomatoes and ate them. It was ok. But, Father and I knew that this land was wasted. He remained silent this time, only watched me trying hard to find any fruit here and there.

Somehow I knew these were the first produce of the garden. It was never harvested before.

End of dream.