dream

Cloud and skywise, spring 2017 has been blah, with humidity that, even with pleasant temperature, hits with a blast when the porch door is slid open. I’ll take it anyway.

Cause not yet determined, tv news reports of Saturday’s raging grassfire. I’m guessing someone in the pool area flicked a cigarette and beat a hasty retreat. Or a walker along the sand strip at the shoreline. That’s only my guess, and my only guess unless it was a resident from a porch who, if so, should be evicted permanently. The world is long changed, some for the better some not, but I remember that, when we moved to Japan in 1963 and were subjected to hours of briefings, both in Japanese language and Japanese culture, we were told that under Japan law, with all the paper and light wood construction in Japanese homes, fire was a threat and enormous fear and that anyone who started a fire in a neighborhood was subject to the death penalty. It was because fire in such neighborhoods could cause untold injury and families burning to death. 

In adult Sunday school yesterday we talked at some length, because folks pursued it, about Paul’s opening words to the Areopagus (Acts 17:22), varying by translation:

Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. (NRSV)

Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. (KJV)

Ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, κατὰ πάντα ὡς δεισιδαιμονεστέρους ὑμᾶς θεωρῶ·

δεισιδαιμονεστέρους can mean to be very religious, religious fear, to be very superstitious, to respect a deity, or literally broken apart, to dread a demon. Our issue was whether, after touring the city and being nonplussed at all the religious shrines, Paul was criticizing the Athenians. Although the sense of it varies by translation, I think not. I think Paul, with his missionary zeal, was cleverly taking advantage of their obvious religious bent to introduce the unnamable Hebrew One God Creator of All Things, who had raised Jesus from the dead and who was fixin’ to send him back as ruler of God’s eschatological realm on earth. I think Paul was too wise not to take advantage of the situation, and used subtle flattery, not criticism. And in fact, he seems to have converted a few of the people who where there that day, including two who are named.

On the walk this morning, we were talking about dreams, and our thought that bladder urgency seems to stir bad dreams; which is indeed my experience. In a recurring dream of mine, I am in a car, as driver, generally Linda’s car which has the backup camera. I’ve put the car in reverse, am backing up, press the brake pedal to halt, but the car goes faster and faster, backing up, speeding faster and faster in reverse and i can’t stop it. At some point of sheer panic, I think to move the shift lever to neutral, and do so, but still cannot stop the car. Driving in reverse at speed, and increasing speed, and without brake control to stop, using mainly the reverse camera screen to steer around potholes and other cars, makes for a most harrowing dream. Waking urgently at 2:38 this morning, my first thought was to beat the s… out of Father Nature and you should pardon my French.

Short walk, short visit with Paul who was setting up teacher parking cones, and with a teacher. School’s out at Friday noon. What do I remember? My happiest moments at Cove School: with my “passed and promoted” report card in hand, watching the clock move slowly toward the minute at which summer vacation began.

Stopped along EBeachDrive to watch and hear water lapping ashore

DThos+ well along in +Time+!!