Of Cups and Dreams
I scooped up TWO EMPTY CUPS before leaving that Sacred place... and whispered something to two Franciscan priests...
I woke up and reached playfully inside my pocket to see if I brought them home with me then I wrote Lisa Marie Farfalla about this dream.
Empty...cups...
It was the night before the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The next day, Corinne Rodrigues wrote Half Empty or Half Full? . On the 21st, Savira Gupta wrote something about emptiness:
"Emptiness or a feeling of void is a phase or a moment of pause. A time to observe, understand and digest what I have experienced. It is when I am nudged into looking or deciphering what is meaningful and what needs to be discarded. A time to ponder or be with myself....No judgments or labeling....
Making space for what is about to come"
Yesterday, I came across Andy David's This Cup of Mine .
Symbols, colors, numbers, dreams ~ Each of us had CUP in mind...
A CUP always represents the "Symbol of Life" and TWO represents a "Witness (another person), testimony, unity, or double portion" ~ Lisa Marie Farfalla
but mine was empty... I had several more dreams after that and every time, something new was spoken to me...
Wall...wolves...exam...a score of fifty...a book of rules and last night, death of three close friends...
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The world appeared quiet for sometime. Even my needs were stilled. I could remember the details of my dreams and I was drawn to spend more time in the real world.
It was a moment of surrender...
... a season for relearning...
... of finding new ways...
to listen... to God...
to reflect...
....to write creatively...
...to play...
...with the child within...
...and with the children outside...
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| The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist File Folder Game |
to make art...
to eat...
... to breathe...
... to pray...
... to talk and share with others...
to just live...
for all His goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord."
~ Psalm 116, 12-13 NIV
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"I have found the cup to be a powerful teacher for my inner life. The ordinariness of the cup reminds me that my personal transformation occurs in the common crevices of each day. The cup is an apt image for the inner process of growth."
Joyce Rupp, The Cup of Our Life
...
What a moving post, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed how you made the connections with so many blogger friends with "cup". It just reinforces my belief that we are all connected through the Holy Spirit.
And, I'm glad the dream experiences beckoned you to return to the real world, to have fun, to be yourself, to simply live and enjoy each day and each activity. Your cup runneth over, my friend!
Blessings always!
You have defined connection so well Martha :) We are of one heart and mind and we breathe the same Spirit.
DeleteI am still deciphering which cup this is. Thank you so much for your positive input :*
each and every post of yours is lovely
ReplyDeleteShukran jazeelan Izdiher :)
DeleteYou are an amazing woman the way you put that all together and found that it could lead you out and back into the world. Wonderful post.
ReplyDelete*Blush* Thank you so much Jan. It comes one at a time but leads to the same direction.
DeleteAMEN! Beautiful words, Melissa. The CREATOR always finds CREATIVE ways to speak to us and to let us know that He IS here!!! ALIVE inside of each of us!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed Lisa. Grazie tantissimo. You have reminded me what dreams are made of ~ God's voice :)
DeleteWhat an amazing post Melissa...I so wish that I could remember my dreams, but I don't. I do relate to what you are saying though. Being drawn to the real world, enjoying others company, taking fun in the simple pleasure of the day. I have done this recently and it feels good. I have missed that part of my life. Thanks for sharing with us ♥
ReplyDeleteI have forego many things Mary :) It's just letting be.
DeleteI did saw you with Bonnie and the time spent with people esp. with family and friends is so precious.
Thank you so much :*
Wonderful post Mel...finding sings in others' posts, reflecting on them and you come up with such wonderful words.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't understand what my dreams meant but seeing them re-echoed in other people's writings help a lot. It's like a voice that comes to repeat itself over and over again until finally we could touch what it means.
DeleteWOW...I am amazed at how well you've connected and pieced it together to understand -- of cups and dreams!
ReplyDeleteThis REALLY stood out for and spoke to me "... a season for relearning... of finding new ways..." ... PLAY!!! I am going to spend some time reflecting on this. THANK YOU! LOVE>LOVE>LOVE this post! Amy
Thanks Amy :D I could feel such happiness in what you wrote :)
Deletewow!!!words were flowing on the river of wisdom....marvellouse!!!love
ReplyDeleteAlhamdulillah Zarnab :)
DeleteDear Melissa,
ReplyDeleteWoW! What a heart-touching post! I am spontaneous when I write. I get a thought and just write on from there. It's humbling to know I have in some small way inspired this post.
We all have different thoughts, ideas and beliefs, but this post just goes to show that we are all connected, because we were created from love by the Almighty Himself.
I am happy you are finding much joy in the simple things in life. Of course, a little chocolate helps! (LOL) Nice photos & reflective post. Thanks for sharing.
Thoughts Of Beauty In The Stillness Of Dawn...
LOL! You know that my tooth was just extracted recently and when I came home my mom gave me that chocolate :P ~ geez!
DeleteI am inspired by the love you bring out in each and every post you write :) Thanks Andy!
You touch so many little lady.. Your a true cup of joy!!!
ReplyDeleteYEY! I always remember you telling me to go out more often :P Thank you Jim :D
DeleteBeautiful thoughts and words, Melissa.Innocence of children rubs off on us too, lovely pictures of them sitting around you and learning amazing things.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't speak much at that time so I asked the children to play instead :P They are so simple and I love being with them.
DeleteThanks Sulekha love :*
Another beautiful testimony that we are all indeed interconnected. I am always learning from your reflections, Melissa. Thank you so much for sharing from the "depth" of your soul. God bless <3 :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Irene. Our posts do overlap at times ~ the Spirit blows where it wills ;)
DeleteAwesome thoughts those Melissa! You are a beautiful person and that comes out in your posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kriti. You're very kind :) Lots of love :*
Deletehhhmmm...I'm quite reluctant to make a comment on your post since I'm not a religious person and it would really sound fake.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I do understand the importance of faith. The relevance of having God as the center of our existence. To share what we have to other people, especially to the young ones.
Half empty or half full? For me, it's neither. I don't believe that if you see it as half empty you think negatively and you think positively if you see it as half full.
If you put water in, then it is half full. If you pour water out, then it is half empty. Neither one is positive nor negative.
Thanks for your sincerity and wisdom Key. I do not claim to be anything at all :P LOL! I just wish to be simple(r);)
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful, I remember reading that book in a book study at my church. Many signs shows us how deeply we are all connected.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true Cathy. It's like a vibration we feel... Thanks for visiting :*
DeleteMelissa, this is such a powerful post. It reminds me of a dream I had when I was 19 years old. Here is the dream as written in, All Things Healing:
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 19, and living on my own, I had a dream. I’ve always called it a God dream because of the impact it had upon me. I dreamt that I was in a large room whose floor was covered in plastic cups. These cups were lined up, side by side, in rows, and I was filling them with golden liquid from a beautifully painted clay vessel. I watched myself pour this amber potion into the small cups until my supply was depleted. At that point I turned toward an even larger vessel. It too was decorated beautifully. Beside this tall vessel stood two beings—one on each side. I felt that they were heavenly beings, maybe angels, because of the incredible peace that was emanating from them into me. I lifted my pot and one of them refilled it. I then went back to work filling the empty cups.
I now know that the cups represent people and the golden liquid represents my words of love and truth. At least this is my most recent interpretation. With the release of my book, Cosette's Tribe, I have received many wonderful comments from people on how this book has touched their lives. Isn't that what it's all about Melissa...touching lives with God's love. Thank you for this deep and beautiful post. We all have many cups to fill.
Sending hugs and love,
Leah
I love everything you wrote here. Thank you so much for sharing your dream experience with me. It has indeed come into reality. Yes, you have and are now touching many lives with God's love.
DeleteLots of love to you Leah :*
Isn't it amazing how we're all connected in ways that are sometimes beyond our understanding. I'm so glad to be connected with you, Melissa and with the other beautiful souls in BP. As I read your post I recalled the words of Ray Bradbury (who passed away earlier this month): We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out
ReplyDelete~ Ray Bradbur
Thank you for tipping yourself over time and again ♥
Thank you for your wonderful words BS. Oh I love you so much! I have read of Ray Bradbury's death from JR's blog.
DeleteThere are so many beautiful things to reflect about the cup :)
Thank you for always sharing with me your wise words :*
Beautifully connected the two Cups with Life!
ReplyDeleteAmazing! I never thought this way....Dear One reading you I get to know something new and feels like reading you more and more!
A CUP always represents the "Symbol of Life" and TWO represents a "Witness (another person), testimony, unity, or double portion"
Beautiful and so true!
Keep Sharing Dear One!
Reading you gives me immense pleasure.
Thank you little one :* I'm so glad God led me to visit you in your blog. there's so much I have learned from you there too. You are my little wise angel :)
Delete:) :)
DeleteMelissa, this is absolutely beautiful, not to mention deep. It’s a feat to depict the inner life, but that’s what good writing manages to do, and you’ve done it here.
ReplyDeleteLately, cup has emerged in my consciousness too. I think of, “can you drink from this cup (of suffering)” Jesus spoke to his disciplines.
When I was a teen we sang this song in choir.
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
But then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from the well that never shall run dry".
(Chorus)
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
You can hear the whole song below…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6AuLOHFgQE&feature=related
Thank you so much for sending me that video Debra ~ it is so uplifting :* I know you understand how it is because you nurture a deep interior life.
DeleteLove you so much :*
Melissa, this is absolutely beautiful, not to mention deep. It’s a feat to depict the inner life, but that’s what good writing manages to do, and you’ve done it here.
ReplyDeleteLately, cup has emerged in my consciousness too. I think of, “can you drink from this cup (of suffering)” Jesus spoke to his disciplines.
When I was a teen we sang this song in choir.
Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
But then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from the well that never shall run dry".
(Chorus)
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
You can hear the whole song below…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6AuLOHFgQE&feature=related
Isn't it funny how we can all be miles away but our humanity connects us like a string from hand to hand? Cups and circles have always fascinated me. I think roundness is magical and not having an end as a circle does is profound. Sometimes when we say that someone is going around and around in circles we see it as negative or if a cup is empty we sense hardship, but it is just the opposite. Circles represent completion and a cup is a ready vessel. To have an empty cup (or heart or soul, etc) is an opportunity to receive God's grace.
ReplyDeleteI will be revisiting this post often Melissa. This really touched me in a deep way. Thank you! :-)
http://lyricfire.typepad.com/lyric-fire/2012/07/lyric-fire-pretty-girl-cry-a-poem-.html
You have hit the point Tameka love! It's not always what it appears to be ~ you have to look at things in a way you have never did before :)
DeleteThank you ~ your life is an inspiration to me :*