Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed ...

Genesis 28:11-12

Jacob, with much patience, after many years finally married Rachel. In their nomadic life as shepherds, they, Jacob and Rachel, could have understood a song we sang around the campfire during a summer gathering at Lutheridge.

I had a dream dear,
you had one too
mine was the best dream
I ever knew;

Come, sweetheart, tell me
now is the time
You tell me your dream
and I will tell you mine.

What patience it would take to reach that experience. The story begins years earlier, many, many years.

There he was, Jacob, son of Isaac; Jacob, the grandson of Abraham; Jacob, the future father of twelve sons, the twelve sons whose names would become the names of t…