A Dream Come True

It was a dream, and now it’s real. They had already dreamed of getting married, finishing college, finding a job, building a house of their own design, and then they dreamed of having a baby to fill the house with love and laughter, questions and challenges, patience and growth, amazement and joy. Ashlynn is a Gaelic word for dream. Sometimes when I see the stork signs in front of a house I wonder if the parents could have ever dreamed how much their life could change – overnight. Once you could go to the grocery store without a second thought; now a trip will take an hour to prepare (or be one of the happiest getaways if traveling solo). Once you could watch a movie from beginning to end; now you’ll be lucky to see 30 minutes if you don’t fall asleep. Once you smelled of name-brand perfume; now there’s a personalized blend of baby powder, ointment and second-hand milk. Once you could plan how the day would be spent; now you’re captivated by a seductress who weighs less than ten pounds. Once you thought the day was successful when you got done the things you wanted; now you consider the day supreme when you’ve spent the day taking care of someone else. Once you were lost, but now you are found. Once it was a vision, and now it’s here, in our arms. Welcome Ashlynn Rose! A dream come true.

My prayer for the congregation?

Dear God, You dream of galaxies, restoration, creation, and love and they become real. Let us dare to dream of peace, compassion, growth, faith, healing and love. We believe that dreams can come to be reality. We also know that dreams need action and sweat, prayers and tears, cooperation and faith. Let us have the courage to dream, the enthusiasm to plan, and the determination to persevere. Let us cradle our dreams, hold them close, feed their needs, and let them grow. Let our lives be changed forever. Amen.