@Hidden In Him , I'm B-A-C-K!
I've had two different (seemingly unrelated) dreams with dead people in them in the last two months. Here's the one from last night:
"Porch visit with Grandmother"
I dreamed my husband's (deceased since 2003) Grandmother Agnes came to visit! We were all outside on the front porch. Our front porch has two different sitting areas. One on the east side of the front door and one on the west side of the front door. Both areas have a chair and a bench or church pew. The pew came from the old Baptist Church we used to attend and closed a long time ago. When we sit on the porch, we usually sit on the non-pew side, 'cause it has a better few of the road, the west side view is blocked by a massive lilac bush.
Back to the dream. In my dream Grandmother Agnes choose to sit on the church pew! Which was fine and we were more than happy to sit on that side with her.
Anyways, she looked as I remembered her when she was living, tiny (ie small statue), frail and elderly. I was thrilled she was there. I also didn't seem surprised to see her, it was almost like she hadn't died in the dream, but the timeframe of the dream was current. We were having a great visit, and eventually she fell asleep on that hard wooden pew. Taking pity on her, I picked her up to bring her inside the house. I couldn't believe how light she was! My daughter opened the front door and I settled Grandma comfortably on the couch in the livingroom. END OF DREAM.
EDIT#1 - I should add, my husband's grandmother was a lovely, God-fearing, gentle lady, very active in the church who lived to 98 years old!
EDIT#2 - We live in her old house. We purchased it from her after she wasn't able to stay living here on her own anymore.
Ok, sister.
A teaching on Hebrews 12 is in order first. Starting in Chapter 11, several characters from scripture are mentioned: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Sara, Isaac, Moses, Joseph, Rahab, Samson, and David. Then he starts the next Chapter by saying:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Who is the cloud of witnesses here? The same people he mentioned in the previous Chapter, who are now looking down upon him and those he was writing to, watching them run the race with endurance. The analogy is of Christians running in a marathon, which was the premier athletic event of ancient times. The runners all began far away from the city, running 26 miles, until they finally emerged in the stadium before a crowd of spectators who were watching and applauding as they completed their final lap.
We all have our own cloud of witnesses in Heaven. They are our fathers and mothers in the faith, now witnessing our own race and cheering us on. In many cases they can be actual family members, and in your case your Grandmother Agnes is one of them who is watching you and your family, and rooting you on. She was 95, and by your description she ran her race very well, enduring until the end. But this is the reason for her sitting on an old pew you have at the house. It is an appeal to longevity, and remembering those who have gone before you. She seems like she hasn't died in the dream because she hasn't; her "falling asleep" in the dream simply represents that she has gone on to be with the Lord, and she is incredibly light when you carry her because she is now in spirit (not just because she's tiny). You "carrying her" to your living room likely represents her desiring you to "carry" on her legacy; of a woman of God who in your words was "a lovely, God-fearing, gentle lady, very active in the church." In keeping with Hebrews, she was obviously a woman who laid aside the weight of sins and ran her race with endurance until the end.
It's a wonderful dream : )
I have another thread the Spirit is bringing back to my remembrance right now that you might also enjoy. It's along these lines, and I may add this testimony to it if that's alright with you. I didn't get many responses, but I also could add my own as well. My great grandma Grace was the only Christian in my family growing up, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually her who prayed me into becoming a Christian, though she passed away a few years before I got saved.
If you would like to read it, Post #3 is the one I was referring to specifically, although the first two posts set the stage.
God bless, and I hope this helps.
- C
Preserving Our Christian Heritage