The other night, I had a dream with spice in it. (No, not THAT kind of dream, get your mind out of the gutter!)

I rarely remember my dreams. So, to recall this one, with so much detail, is worth noting.

I had a dream that I sitting in the pews of a church, no church in particular, in the middle pews. I was there for an assignment, and it was to listen to the lessons, then get up and preach with NO preparation ahead of time. I think was in lay person’s clothes, not clerical wear.

All I remember is about the reading is that the reader mentioned spices. That’s when something clicked in my brain, I thought, “Okay, I’ll talk about spices.”

My mind started to race and I was thinking of things to say, like how we need spices and how use them, and that like spices, we- people- are all different and all have different purposes. Life be bland and boring without spices!  Can you imagine? People are like spices. All are needed. And make life interesting.

Then I thought “Maybe I should mention salt? Like, ‘It’s so hard to live on a salt free or low salt diet. Because it’s bland.’ ‘Should I mention the ‘pillar of salt’ story? Actually in real life, I did once preach on salt and “salt of the earth.”

I felt confident about the preaching I was about to do.

Then I woke up!

I was amused, and amazed because I usually don’t remember my dreams.

I was a little annoyed that it ended before I was due to preach.

I had to write it down before I forgot it.

I looked up readings for the day and the coming Sunday to see if spices were mentioned. They were not. I would have been a little freaked out if they did!

I had no idea why I dreamed this.

By the way spices and  spice are mentioned several times in the Bible. Especially on Old Testament but in the New Testament too.

It got me thinking about how people are like spices.

They can be:

Strong

Sweet

Some you’ll like, some you won’t like.

Rare

Unusual

Things change once they are added

A little amount from them can make a big difference

Too much can ruin a good thing.

Some are good for you

All are unique

They are good to keep around.

All have a purpose

Which spice are you? Imagine your church community as individual spices coming together to make something great and interesting.

Take away a spice, and it is not the same.

Now, I am going to scan the lectionary for any readings to mention spices, and I will volunteer to preach that day. I’m ready.