A minor

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." So sung John Lennon in his infamous song, "Imagine." While aspects of his vision seem like candy-coated lies straight from Hell, he's at least right to note that he's not the only dreamer. I believe we all need dreams. Some are more grandiose than others, some are more pure than others, some are more from above, but all indicate a basic human need, and I believe all indicate that we're made in the image of God. I'm reminded of a couple famous dreams. The Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr spoke of his dream:

I have a dream that one day, right down in Georgia and Mississippi and Alabama, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to live together as brothers. I have a dream this afternoon that one day, [applause] one day little white children and little Negro children will be able to join hands as brothers and sisters. [...] Yes, I have a dream this afternoon that one day in this land the words of Amos will become real and "justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

And there's the account of Solomon's dream in the First Book of Kings (3:5-15):

At Gibeon, Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask what I should give you." And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?" It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." Then Solomon awoke; it had been a dream. He came to Jerusalem where he stood before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. He offered up burnt offerings and offerings of well-being, and provided a feast for all his servants.

My own dream is to earn an MDiv, get ordained, and become a (Protestant) staff chaplain at one of Monroe's Catholic hospitals. On the side, I'd love to help out with parish ministry, work to aid cooperation between local churches, and maybe teach Latin, biblical languages, etc. Hopefully I'd eventually be able to take a "sabbatical" to write a dissertation in, say, pastoral theology & counseling in one of these programs; or in ecumenics at Bossey/Geneva, Trinity College Dublin, or Princeton Seminary; or in intercultural/cross-cultural studies at Reformed Seminary in Jackson or the ecumenical DMin program in Chicago. This is my vocational dream. Not your everyday dream, but I don't think it's too much to ask - or at least I hope not, because I'm asking. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.