Dream Away

The following poem was written after I had a series of dreams
in the spring of 1982, in which I was playing with two small
children whom I knew to be my own. At this time in my life,
my husband and I had been married for 16 years, and had
been trying unsuccessfully to have children for more than 14 years.
At the time, I thought the dream was simply my
wishful thinking, and it was not until more than two
years later that I realized it was actually a
prophetic dream---a promise that God was making to me.
Almost exactly nine months later, our adoptive daughter,
Laura, was born, and on that very same day, I learned that I
was 6 weeks pregnant! Our son Robbie was born 7 and 1/2
months later. God had blessed us with two adorable
babies in less than a year.

Ghosts

They come to me in morning light,
Their voices sweet and clear,
And bid me leave my mournful night,
Their lips pressed to my ear.

So from my bed, I rise and sweep
Them both into my arms,
And, glad to leave my restless sleep,
Surrender to their charms.

They lead me on a merry chase
Through flower-scented fields,
And though I run a sturdy race,
They always know I'll yield.

Their childish faces, filled with glee,
Seem different every morn.
Can apparitions really be
Of someone never born?

Saralyn McAfee Smith
April, 1982

I have recently written the following poem,
explaining that I now know the dreams to have
been a prophecy and a promise from God.

Ghosts, Revisited

Sometimes, it's only later
That we can realize
A prophecy was given,
A gift of great surprise.

When my dreams came of children,
Who played and sang with me,
I thought it only wishful thoughts,
That could never come to be.

It was almost two years later
When I had a daughter and a son
That God reminded me of the dream
And the things that He had done.

Against all odds, or so t'would seem,
He'd given us the chance
To adopt a darling baby girl,
A beauty at first glance!

And the very day that she was born,
He sent a message clear:
A baby would be born to us
Before the end of the year!

And when I looked back at the date
The dreams had come to me,
It was when our daughter was conceived,
Though to another family.

But, from the start she was meant for us,
To be part of our family,
And only God could work it out
So that everything came to be.

The "ghosts" in my dreams were promises
To send a daughter and a son,
And it was God's way of showing me
That the process had begun.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us
Our precious family,
And thank you for giving us the hope
Of being joined eternally.

Though Robbie had to leave us
Much sooner than we knew,
We know someday we'll see him,
For he returned to You.

Saralyn McAfee Smith
October 27, 2008