Season of Dreams

[00:00:02] Speaker A: Welcome to Faith Break. Finding God moments in your everyday. Each week on Faith Break, hosts Karen Luke and Anne Gallagher bring spiritual refreshment to your daily life. As Advent draws to a close, Karen and Ann reflect on our dreams for a Christmas full of peace and the loving presence of family and friends. And as 2025 draws to a close, we ponder into what deeper dreams God is calling us in the year ahead. [00:00:45] Speaker B: Hi, everybody. Welcome back to Faith Break. I am Anne Gallagher. [00:00:50] Speaker C: And I am Karen Luke. [00:00:51] Speaker B: We are here to help you find your God moments in your everyday as we journey through this Advent season. And we are on week four, week four of Advent. Today we decided to talk about this whole season of Faith Break. We've been talking about the different seasons of life. And yes, last week we talked about the season of joy for Joy Week. And today, as we're heading into the Christmas season, Christmas week. Christmas week. That'd be fun to talk about, like, the season of dreams. Cause, you know, we have to give a shout out every Advent to our man Joseph, who is the master of dreams and praying, holy napping and, yeah, listening for God internally in those days. [00:01:38] Speaker C: I'm very confused by this because the dreams that I have had the last couple of nights. [00:01:44] Speaker B: Oh, your actual dreams? [00:01:45] Speaker C: My actual dreams. I don't know where God is in those. Like, holy cow. I don't know what's going on. I think I'm either sleep deprived. [00:01:54] Speaker B: Yeah, that could be that. [00:01:55] Speaker C: It's just. Or like, I am just so, like, calm from being on vacation that, like, just my brain is, like, wandering. [00:02:04] Speaker B: Or do they say that your brain works out all your issues and things going on while you're sleeping? Right. So you should write them down. [00:02:12] Speaker C: I'm a little scared. [00:02:14] Speaker B: Maybe we won't go into detail about interpreting your latest dreams today then. But, you know, at Christmas we do talk about, like, you know, visions of sugar plumes dancing in their heads and dreaming of a white Christmas. So we're gonna have a little. With this whole idea of, like, dreaming Christmas dreams. Christmas dreams. So let's just start with the, you know, let's look at this. Next week, it's gonna be Christmas week. Our kids have, like, two weeks off of school. I think you and I are both planning on taking some time off to be with family. So what are your dreams for this next, this cozy season of being home with family? [00:02:47] Speaker C: I. My dream is to have the least amount of stress that I can have this year. And every year I say, jeremy, let's rent a cabin up in the Adirondacks by ourselves. Now that is my dream. [00:03:07] Speaker B: Just the four of you? [00:03:07] Speaker C: Just the four of us in a cabin in the Adirondacks with snow falling and a fireplace and just the four. [00:03:15] Speaker B: Of us, you know. And I said to Brian and my kids at one point, Cause you know, we lost my mom in September. And I was like, maybe this is the year I try to get away for Christmas. But can I be honest and say I've never taken a Christmas off in ministry. Except for the two years I had just had a baby. [00:03:32] Speaker C: I haven't either. [00:03:34] Speaker B: I've never not been working at Christmas. [00:03:38] Speaker C: Me either. So that dream may be on hold. [00:03:42] Speaker B: But I was like, maybe this is the year. But then like a week later I was like, no, I can't. I cannot be here for Christmas. [00:03:47] Speaker C: So yeah, it is kind of hard to be away for Christmas and Easter as working in ministry, but. [00:03:55] Speaker B: So that's a dream existence. It is. It's a nice dream. Christmas away would be just once. Just once. [00:04:02] Speaker C: Just once. That's all I'm asking. But I think like this year it's pretty. So far so good. Stress free. [00:04:11] Speaker B: Yeah. And my kids too are not like the presents thing. I feel like as my kids teens get, you know, I have an 18 year old and a 15 year old now. It's like they're just, they're not that into it. They don't, you know, like the whole. So the pressure to like wrap, shop and rap and do all that stuff is like. I feel like a little less with each year. They start valuing more like experiences, trips and you know, theater tickets and things like that that we can do as a family. So you know, we've got some of those plans in the works. But yeah, I think I'm just really hoping for some peace this Christmas. Cause it's gonna be a hard one. It'll be our first one without mom. [00:04:48] Speaker C: Right. [00:04:49] Speaker B: And I just want, I wanna have peace in our home. My sister is actually gonna come and stay with us in our house. So she's always stayed at my mom's condo. But now she and her two dogs are gonna be in our house for the week and which is not a situation we've had. I don't think we've lived in the same house for that many days at a time since we were in high school. But I just, I'm looking forward to it. Cause I think it can just be like. I don't know, I'm hoping it can just be very chill and that we can keep things like you said, like Just simple. Yep. I'm in the mood for just a simple, like Christmas Day. Just being in the jammies. [00:05:29] Speaker C: Yep. One thing that we started, we mean, Jer and I, like, the first year that Emma was born, we said, we are not going anywhere Christmas Day. If you wanna see us, if you feel the need to see us, you can come to our house. It has been the best thing for our family because the kids. And then if anybody does come over, we say, after one o'. Clock. [00:05:55] Speaker B: Yeah. And we made that call too. Like, we were. Well, we always. So my family's big thing is Christmas Eve, which I'm always late to. Cause I'll do the Christmas Eve masses, a couple of them, and then I get to dinner. They hold dinner until I'm there and. But yeah, since our kids were little, we haven't really done Christmas morning mass. So we've been home and my mom and Jeannie would come over for, like, the present wrapping. And I'm actually kind of like, it'll be okay to not have that whole drama this year. Cause my mom was big into giving gifts, but she gave. I don't know, it was a lot. She was a lot as a gift giver. So I think it'll be good. But, yeah, we called it a few years ago. We're keeping Christmas Day simple. And we stay in our jammies all day. And Brian sometimes decides to cook, like, a big piece of meat. Cause that's what he does. [00:06:48] Speaker C: But we're coming to your house this year. [00:06:51] Speaker B: Last year. Yeah, last year we weren't planning on doing anything. And at the big Christmas Eve thing, my cousin's like, you want to watch tv? Like, we're just come over and have leftovers. And we watched a movie together. They just came over in the afternoon on Christmas day. We watched a movie together. And it was just very chill. [00:07:07] Speaker C: Yep. [00:07:08] Speaker B: So that's what my dream is for for this Christmas. More presents. Fewer presents with a T. Yeah. [00:07:15] Speaker C: That's wonderful. [00:07:16] Speaker B: Yep. [00:07:16] Speaker C: I love that. [00:07:19] Speaker B: Yeah. So this time of year, too, we're like, we're closing down 2025. [00:07:24] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. Didn't we just start 2025? [00:07:27] Speaker B: I know. It's been a. It has been a year. [00:07:30] Speaker C: Oh, gosh. [00:07:31] Speaker B: It's been a year. Um, so I just thought maybe we could spend a little time as we close out this. This year. Like, what dreams do you have for the year ahead? What do you want your 2026 to. Maybe not. I'm not into, like, goals. I'm not talking about, like, goal setting. [00:07:52] Speaker C: Right. [00:07:52] Speaker B: I Put, like, how do you want to meet? [00:07:55] Speaker C: Like, writing in my gratitude journal every day. [00:07:58] Speaker B: No, it doesn't have to be that. We tried that. [00:08:01] Speaker C: No, I. You know, that's a really good question. And I really feel like my dream for the new year is to continue that peace or not peace, but serenity in our home. [00:08:19] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:08:20] Speaker C: Like, Emma's gonna be. She's gonna be 17 in March, and then she's gonna be a senior, and Connor's gonna be 13 and July and in eighth grade. And, like, even though they're at each other tooth and nail. Right. They do love each other. And I think this past over Thanksgiving, we had so much family time together, and I didn't have to yell or, like, intervene much. So I think that's my goal is to just really have more. Like you said for Christmas, be more present and enjoying the moments that we have. [00:09:07] Speaker B: I love that because we are like, there's just having. Being parents of teenagers. Oh, my gosh. Such a lesson in surrender. Right? Cause, like, especially as they get older, more towards graduating, and, like, these questions about their future come up and, like, you realize you don't have that much time left. I'm living with you. And, like, um. [00:09:25] Speaker C: Like, they're like, oh, whenever they want to play, like, a board game or do something together as a family, Jer and I look at each other like, yes. [00:09:34] Speaker B: Pounce on the open moment. [00:09:35] Speaker C: Yes, we will. Because if we had suggested it, it. [00:09:37] Speaker B: Would have been, no, mom, we're too big. [00:09:39] Speaker C: No, we're not doing that. So. [00:09:41] Speaker B: I know, but. Yeah, and I think just too, like. So I also have a December birthday. So in December, I'm always like, what's this next year of my life? What do I. You know, how do. How do I want to lean into that? And I just. We talked a few weeks ago. I can't remember which episode it was about. Like. Oh, maybe it was when we were talking about Mary. To say an enthusiastic yes to something means saying a firm no to other things that might also be good. Right? So this. I think the older I get, as I get later, into my 40s, I just, like. I just feel like I want to be more grounded in my purpose and, like, care less about the things I need to say no to. [00:10:25] Speaker C: So you don't want to go clubbing on a Friday night at 11 o'? Clock? [00:10:28] Speaker B: No, no. Although I will say, I was just telling you, we had Thanksgiving weekend. We had a lot of my cousins in town, and, like, we did a lot of social. Like, we went out to see A Barenaked Ladies cover band on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. And we went to see a movie all together. And we went to see a show, like. And it was just. It was a lot of activity, and I'm glad we did it. But when it was done, I was like. [00:10:51] Speaker C: Was your social level like, I need. [00:10:52] Speaker B: To sit on the couch with a cup of tea and have no one talk to me for an hour. [00:10:56] Speaker C: Only an hour? [00:10:57] Speaker B: No, a day. But I didn't have a day yet, so. [00:10:59] Speaker C: But that's impressive. [00:11:01] Speaker B: You know? I don't know. I just feel like this next year I want to go. Like, I want to focus on the depth dimension, you know, and just not feel stretched so thin. And I think some of that will happen naturally because, like, this last year was so full of, like, caretaking for my mom and then, like, handling all the logistics afterward and the business stuff. And, like, it's just. I'm hoping that I can be more expansive in my free time and more focused in, like, the things I want to put my energy in. [00:11:35] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:11:36] Speaker B: You know, so we'll see. And I kind of would like to maybe travel a little. Nice. Because we didn't really go anywhere. We're going to Disney with my sister in February. But, like, I haven't done a weekend away with my sister in forever. Or just, like, you know, we just haven't gone anywhere. We haven't gone anywhere. So that would be maybe if, like, another little more specific dream just to plan a couple of times, even if they're just short times away. [00:12:04] Speaker C: That's interesting. Not interesting. Well, it is interesting that you said that, but, like, Jeremy and I just celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary over Thanksgiving week. And we were talking about doing a trip or something, and I said, oh, what about our 20th? We'll go. Cause we've always wanted to do cruise Alaska and then take a railroad in Alaska. [00:12:31] Speaker B: Cool. [00:12:31] Speaker C: My grandparents did that. They said it was the best trip they've ever taken. [00:12:34] Speaker B: Can I come? Sure. Okay. [00:12:36] Speaker C: But then I got laughing. I was like, dude, that's less than a year away. Like, I don't even know if we're gonna be able to really. [00:12:43] Speaker B: That's the thing. It's. Everything sneaks up on you. [00:12:46] Speaker C: A trip. And then I was like, well, it's over Thanksgiving break, so we wouldn't be. I mean, like, I wanna be able to, like, mindful plan something. [00:12:57] Speaker B: How about that? Okay. This'll be an accountability thing. Cause, like, I feel what always happens to us is that we plan our work events first and then our family Stuff. And then we plan our family stuff. Don't we do that? I know. [00:13:10] Speaker C: Yeah, we do. [00:13:11] Speaker B: Guilty of that. [00:13:12] Speaker C: Except for fourth of July camping week. [00:13:14] Speaker B: Right. But like, maybe in January, put a few things on the 2026 calendar. [00:13:20] Speaker C: Okay. [00:13:22] Speaker B: Maybe not a month long cruise in Alaska. Although that would be. Rob might have something to say about that. [00:13:26] Speaker C: I mean, what if we go to Rome and try to get a podcast with Heaven? That's work stuff. [00:13:34] Speaker B: Yeah. It's good to have dreams. It is. [00:13:37] Speaker C: But you know, the other thing too is that hope of those dreams, at least one of those has to be fulfilled in some way, shape or form. [00:13:47] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:13:48] Speaker C: Because then it's just like, eh, oh, that was a dream I had when I was 20. [00:13:53] Speaker B: Right. [00:13:53] Speaker C: And it never came to exist. [00:13:55] Speaker B: And do you feel like your dreams have changed too, as you've gotten? Like, when I was younger, I wanted to have four kids. I'm like, two's enough. I don't know. Like, I just. There were things I thought I wanted that didn't seem as important. And I don't have regrets about how my life has been. But also at the same time, at the point where I'm at now, I feel like I want to be. I want to be intentional about what the next 10 years are going to look like, not just what the next 10 minutes or 10 days are gonna look like. And when you're in this season of life, it's just you're swamped all the time. [00:14:31] Speaker C: Yep. So I think I talked about it before we did new garage doors and I was cleaning out and I found a letter that I wrote to myself back in fourth or fifth grade of where, like my future self. [00:14:47] Speaker B: Wow. [00:14:48] Speaker C: And supposedly I'm supposed to be a marine biologist who had graduated from Boston and has a Porsche. [00:14:58] Speaker B: Oh, dear. [00:14:59] Speaker C: So I think my dreams have really changed. Bet zero here, zero out of three. [00:15:07] Speaker B: Oh, man. [00:15:08] Speaker C: And definitely a Porsche in the winter in Rochester would not be right. [00:15:12] Speaker B: But like, look at your life now. Do you feel fulfilled by. [00:15:14] Speaker C: Totally fulfilled. [00:15:15] Speaker B: Look at your family, look at your work. [00:15:19] Speaker C: I'm glad that that dream did not happen because if that had happened, who knows? [00:15:24] Speaker B: Right? [00:15:25] Speaker C: You know? [00:15:25] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, well, we always talk about, like, God's dream. What's God's dream for our life and how do we bring our dreams in line with what God's dream is? [00:15:33] Speaker C: And I've totally, like, I've totally surrendered the fact that I'm supposed to be in ministry. [00:15:38] Speaker B: Yeah. That ship has sailed, sister. You're here. [00:15:42] Speaker C: There's no other. [00:15:43] Speaker B: But like, this moment. I just feel like, oh, we're at such an open moment with all the church stuff too. Like, I was just talking with. I was talking with Dan yesterday at work, and he was saying he went to a meeting where they talked about how by 2030, there's only going to be 25 priests in our diocese. And there's like, I don't know, 60 now or something. Like, we're facing a lot of change. Not. I mean, yes, in our parishes, probably, but as like. And we're getting a new bishop soon. We don't know who that's going to be. No, no, no. No rumors for. About the bishop. [00:16:18] Speaker C: I wasn't going to say anything. It was something else. [00:16:21] Speaker B: Okay. [00:16:22] Speaker C: It was actually a hope. [00:16:23] Speaker B: A hope for our new bishop. [00:16:24] Speaker C: No. [00:16:25] Speaker B: Okay. [00:16:25] Speaker C: A hope for one of our teens. [00:16:27] Speaker B: Yes. [00:16:27] Speaker C: You know who I'm talking about. [00:16:28] Speaker B: Okay. [00:16:29] Speaker C: One of our teens who went to ncyc, which I totally didn't talk about. [00:16:33] Speaker B: Last time in our NCYC episode. [00:16:34] Speaker C: But I had the privilege of having a wonderful conversation with this young man. And he is thinking, yeah, we actually. [00:16:44] Speaker B: Have a couple who are. We have a couple who are discerning. So that's cool. [00:16:48] Speaker C: And it was like, he. He was just like, I think I'd be a really good dad, though. But I think I'd be a really good priest. And it was just for him to really have that. To have that conversation with me. [00:17:02] Speaker B: I'm like, I could see you doing privileged place. I know. And you're like, you got to, like, you got to hold those conversations with, like, no expectation or pressure whatsoever and just be like, oh, man, it's a gift when you get to hear that kind of stuff. [00:17:15] Speaker C: But, I mean, that was okay. So. Yeah. [00:17:18] Speaker B: Yeah. No, but I'm just like, change for the future. Right. And like, we don't know. I feel like I literally don't know what the church is gonna look like in five years or in 10 years, but I still wanna be serving it somehow. Right. And, like, we just know that change is coming and we, like, if we can meet it openly and intentionally. I just. I don't know. It can be a scary time. Right. Cause we know the future's not gonna look like what the past looked like. [00:17:45] Speaker C: Well, we don't want it to. [00:17:47] Speaker B: Right. [00:17:47] Speaker C: Well, some of us don't. [00:17:49] Speaker B: God is calling us to something new. God's calling us to something new, and we don't know what that is gonna look like. And that is. It's a scary place to be. It can also be an exciting place to be. Cause God wants us to dream differently and to dream bigger. That's what the Pope said when we were at ncyc. Right. Now is the time to dream big. [00:18:06] Speaker C: Well, even going as far as the decline of the priests. But when we started in ministry. 20. Almost 25. [00:18:17] Speaker B: 25 for me. Yeah. [00:18:20] Speaker C: We were like that first generation of ministers that this was our. It wasn't only our ministry, but it was our livelihood. [00:18:30] Speaker B: It was our profession. [00:18:31] Speaker C: It was our profession. [00:18:31] Speaker B: Lay ecclesial ministry. And we had a big cohort of young people our age, and very few of them are still around. [00:18:40] Speaker C: But there's not a coming up and. [00:18:43] Speaker B: There'S not a coming up of newly ministers. [00:18:44] Speaker C: Newly ministers. So that was a hard pill for me to swallow at our meetings. It's like, geez, we put decades of energy. Yeah. And like, we did it, we fostered it, but it was a different time. Like, I feel like I came in to the ministry at a good time where the churches did have the money. [00:19:06] Speaker B: And we had mentors to pay for. [00:19:09] Speaker C: Our salaries and we had mentors and, you know, so. Yeah. So I guess a dream would be. [00:19:16] Speaker B: To maybe foster help with whatever is coming next. [00:19:20] Speaker C: Our young generation to think about lay ministry. [00:19:23] Speaker B: Right. [00:19:24] Speaker C: And you know, as a vocation. [00:19:26] Speaker B: Yes. All of that. [00:19:28] Speaker C: So good. So good. [00:19:30] Speaker B: Yeah. And it's. Cause, like, we are sort of. I don't know. I talk about being in midlife a lot, but, like, we're. I don't want anything in my life to change right now, but I do have the sense that I'm, like, on the cusp of whatever the second act is gonna be. [00:19:42] Speaker C: This is not the finale. [00:19:43] Speaker B: No, not the finale. Hi, Summer. [00:19:46] Speaker C: In here. [00:19:47] Speaker B: And you talked last time about the prayer of holding eyes closed and open hands and holding things in trust. And I just feel like that call just gets more and more important the more chaotic things get around us. [00:20:01] Speaker C: And it's so. We've talked about this so many times, but trusting that it will work out and not working it out ourselves or trying to manipulate it. Yep. I have a very difficult time. [00:20:14] Speaker B: Or micromanage it. [00:20:16] Speaker C: Yeah. I have a very difficult time with that. [00:20:18] Speaker B: Right, I know. I know. [00:20:21] Speaker C: Well. [00:20:21] Speaker B: Cause it's easy for us to go in and like, oh, we're gonna do a thing that's gonna address the issue and we'll do a thing. And once we do that thing. [00:20:30] Speaker C: It'Ll be fine. No, because then that one thing turns into like, eight other thousand things that. [00:20:38] Speaker B: Right. And like, no. No program or no event or no new idea is gonna turn the tide of some of the social changes that are and cultural changes that are happening. Yeah. We have to figure out a new way of being, of answering God's call in the world we have not in the world that used to be, you know? Yeah. And I just think as we move through all these tumultuous times, you know, and we don't know what the year 2026 is gonna bring us that, like. Like, practically speaking, what it looks like to listen for God's dream or to live into God's dream is like. It doesn't look like much of anything. Right. It's like those small moments where you're just like, okay, yeah. It's doing that every day. [00:21:27] Speaker C: I can't fathom. [00:21:28] Speaker B: You can't fathom what's coming. [00:21:30] Speaker C: No. And even if you try, it's not gonna be what you expect. Like, I was thinking, I was talking to my friends the other day. We had finally had a girls night. And my one friend's daughters are a year older than my two kids, so her daughter's graduating this year. And I was like, oh, my gosh. When we were 16, 17 years old, her and I, Sarah and I, we were both dating our now husbands, right? And it's like, so cool, but. And, like, going out and hanging out with friends every weekend. And then I look at my kids and they're like, they want nothing to do with dating. Which, thank you, I'm fine with. Jeremy's more than okay with, but it's not. I'm like, dude, I had so many experiences when I was that age that my kids aren't getting. And I'm thinking, is it because I'm not allowing them or it's just a whole different generation that they don't have that sense of wanting to do that. [00:22:45] Speaker B: And I'm like, Or not being ready. [00:22:46] Speaker C: To do that or not being ready to do that. Yeah, definitely. But then again, when we were in Illinois, I share one of my God moments when we were in Illinois. My niece is in college, so she was at her apartment, and she was coming in Wednesday night, so this must have been Tuesday or something. And my nephew, he's a senior, he's the cutest thing. And he said that he was gonna stay out all night. He was gonna sleep over at a friend's house. So we had locked the doors and all this stuff, and I could not fall asleep. I got sucked into a really good book. So I'm laying on the couch, I finished my book. It's like one in the morning. I start to walk up the stairs to go to bed, and I see car lights pull into the driveway. I'm like, what the heck? So then I hear, like, rattling of the door. [00:23:44] Speaker B: And I was like, oh, Max must be home. [00:23:46] Speaker C: So I run over to the door, and I open up the door, and I'm like, max is at you. Oh, thank God. It was like if it was some, like, random person, right? [00:23:52] Speaker B: You're just letting him in the house? [00:23:53] Speaker C: Just letting him in the house. So he's like, oh, Aunt Karen, thank you so much. My phone died and I didn't want to sleep over. And blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he was, like, about to, like, crawl in the backyard, break into his own house, break into the backyard. But, like. And his friend was with him, and I don't know, like, it was just. This has sat with me, and this is my God moment, because I was like, all right, guys, I'm going to bed. Good night. I love you. And I love you guys. Or something like that. I have known Max's friend for literally 10 minutes. [00:24:27] Speaker B: Okay? [00:24:27] Speaker C: And I'm like, I love you guys. [00:24:29] Speaker B: He's like, I love you too. [00:24:30] Speaker A: He did. [00:24:31] Speaker C: He said, I love you too, and. [00:24:32] Speaker B: It was the cutest thing. [00:24:35] Speaker C: So that was my God moment. [00:24:36] Speaker B: I love young people. You just gotta be around them as well. [00:24:39] Speaker C: And Max was just, you know, I don't get a lot of time with my niece and nephew from Illinois, but it was just like, his hugs and his just melts my heart. [00:24:50] Speaker B: I love it. [00:24:53] Speaker C: But with Max, he's completely opposite of my kids. And I was like, man, you're going out again? He's like, well, yeah. So you want to come? I'm like, I was tempted a couple times to go, but that extended family. [00:25:07] Speaker B: Is such a gift. I love a lot of God moments around my cousins and aunts and uncles lately. Okay, what's your God moment? [00:25:17] Speaker C: We didn't do God moments, and I just did mine. So do you have one? [00:25:21] Speaker B: I have lots, I'm sure. But have I thought about it? Let's see. You know, I think just as we're moving through this Advent season and, you know, like I said, trying to spend time with family. I've talked about this a lot, but we, you know, we did the Christmas tree hunt with my. We go with my cousin and her family. We have the big stick that is measured to different people, you know? Do you have your tree? [00:25:45] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:25:45] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, my tree's up. My tree's up. My tree has been up since the. Since Black Friday. It Was the only thing I purchased on Black Friday was Christmas tree. [00:25:54] Speaker A: Okay. [00:25:54] Speaker C: At least you waited until after Thanksgiving. [00:25:55] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, of course. Of course. Okay. But it's just like. I think my God moment is just, like, the traditions. Yeah. So, yes, the specific moment of we got a great tree and we got it up, and we're, you know, we've been enjoying it. My sister was able to be with us for that this year, which was cool. But it's just like having, I don't know, those rituals that help you create the space and to do it with the people who help you create the community is one of mine. And the other little God moment I have that's new this year is, you know, growing up, you know, my mom had certain things where she would, like, be like, this is for you, and this is for Jean. And the things that I wanted when she died, where she had a hope chest, a cedar hope chest that, like, she put her wedding gifts in. And they've been sitting there for decades and decades and never used, but it was, like, in her living room. And I was like, I want the hope chest. And I want. She has a crush that her brother and sister made her. My uncle John built. He built the manger out of one. [00:26:57] Speaker C: This is the NASA. The NASA girl. [00:26:59] Speaker B: No, this is the other uncle. [00:27:00] Speaker C: Okay. [00:27:00] Speaker B: This one is also an airplane engineer. They're both engineers. [00:27:03] Speaker C: Well, that makes sense. [00:27:04] Speaker B: So, yeah. But he constructed the. The stable. And my aunt Cecilia, my godmother, made ceramic statues and glazed them. I don't even know how she did it. I'm gonna have to call her and ask her for all the things. So I've always wanted the crush. My mom hasn't even put the creche out in the last several years. Cause things just got away from her. But I cleaned out our guest room, and now I have, like, the hope chest is there. And on top of the hope chest is my mom's creche from her siblings. And so we have a second little place in our home now. This is all in the guest room where we had just a little, like, a little thing for Mom. Yeah. So that's a God moment for me too, you know? So, yeah. Dreams this year of Christmas, I think, are just hunkering down with your family, spending that time together, and hopefully being able to walk into what lies ahead with a spirit of trust and openness and being willing to dream in surprising ways. You got any closing wisdom? [00:28:08] Speaker C: I can't beat that closing wisdom that you just bestowed on us. [00:28:15] Speaker B: I got some scripture references, but I'm not really sure they're relevant anymore. [00:28:20] Speaker C: We'll put them up underneath if you want to search them. [00:28:23] Speaker B: Yeah, well, I mean, I called out Matthew, chapter one, Joseph streaming. We talked about that a lot, how Joseph listens and then that's the only. [00:28:31] Speaker C: Time we ever see Joseph in the scriptures, when he's sleeping and God's talking. [00:28:36] Speaker B: Right, Right. There's a quote from numbers 12. If there are prophets among you, in visions I reveal myself to them, and in dreams I speak to them. So there is in, like, scripture, this whole idea that, like, God sends us dreams, you know, for us, like sleep dreams, but also, like vision, you know, visions for our future. [00:28:59] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:28:59] Speaker B: And then the last one is from Joel 3. It shall come to pass. I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. So that getting back to the NCYC thing from. From our last episode, like, I don't know, listening to the prophetic voice of our youth. Because they're thinking about the future of the church now, too. [00:29:22] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:23] Speaker B: And we're going to have to dial into their needs while their dreams and their visions of how the future is going to play out. [00:29:30] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:29:31] Speaker B: Because the mission never ends. [00:29:33] Speaker C: Nope. [00:29:34] Speaker B: All right. [00:29:36] Speaker C: Okay. [00:29:36] Speaker B: Well, we hope you guys have a beautiful Christmas. [00:29:39] Speaker C: A blessed Christmas. [00:29:40] Speaker B: Blessed Christmas week. Be present. [00:29:44] Speaker C: Yes. [00:29:45] Speaker B: We hope all your dreams come true, all your best dreams. And we'll see you. We'll see you next year. [00:29:52] Speaker C: Next year. [00:29:53] Speaker B: We'll see you next week. We have one more. One more in 2025. I think. [00:29:57] Speaker C: You do. [00:29:57] Speaker B: Yeah. Feast of the Holy Family. [00:29:59] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will see you. [00:30:02] Speaker B: We'll see you next week. Okay. [00:30:03] Speaker C: Bye. [00:30:03] Speaker B: Next week. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Thanks for taking a faith break with us today. Karen, Luke and Anne Gallagher are lay ministers with the parishes of St. Catherine of Siena in Menden, New York, and Church of the Transfiguration in Pittsford, New York. More about our parishes, including weekly live streamed Sunday Mass, can be [email protected] or transfigurationpittsford.org Engineering Today is by Jeff Beckett. Join us for new episodes of Faith Break each week in Studio on YouTube or on your favorite audio podcast or music app.