I had crazy dreams last night, the kind that swirled around each other in layer upon layer of ridiculous fury. But one stood out:

Patrick was preaching again. I sat in the audience feeling proud. He didn’t say much, really. Then he pointed to the video screen behind him.

“I’ve prepared a video for the bulk of the sermon,” he said. “I think you will all find it quite enlightening.”

The first scene horrified me. There was my smiling face, then written across the screen was something I’d only shared with him, about a difficult relationship. Also written was the person’s name. I slunked down in my chair, freaked out. Then I realized, oddly, that my difficult relationship was sitting right behind me.

The presentation continued where everyone’s secrets were projected, and for some odd reason, if they involved another person, that person was in the room. It was like purgatory for relationships gone bad! Imagine the relational mayhem. Awkward!

I swallowed. The sermon ended. I nearly punched my husband. Of course, he conveniently disappeared like a mist (dreams do these kinds of things) and in his stead stood the person I’d had problems with.

So, I said what was on my mind, praying all the while. The person cackled at me, laughed in my face, fell back giggling at some of my words, all while a praise song boomed from the speakers. The song got louder, louder, LOUDER.

I opened my eyes in my bedroom. My clock radio sang its praise tunes. The memory of my laughing friend faded, and I woke up angry at poor Patrick! But he was off to work.

You can bet, though, that I prayed for my difficult relationship as I started my day. Maybe the dream wasn’t so bad, after all.