A Day In “The Country”

MON., NOV. 23, 1998, 4:40 PM
HAMA’S CABANA, HONOLULU

But first, congratulations on finding this paper, an important part of Our “liturgy”. The University was the place to go, and you now have enough for some months… time to locate a source more local to you. About the two Teachings on yellow paper? Just leave them as originally written. One of those and this one will explain “why yellow?”

Today included several hours in “the country”, Oahu fashion. It still is a string of small towns along the highway, but the contrast with “big city Honolulu” is quite obvious. Mark still seems pleased with his responsibilities and opportunities on that small farm, particularly in regard to the forms of education for keikis that he organizes and conducts. You didn’t see him “in action”, but you can envision some of what he does. As he responded to your query, he does see this as his spiritual contribution to life. He gives… and get “gets back”. That’s a basic formula for the maturation of spirit.

He has found a way that is satisfying for him. Whether it will be spirit-building… or even possible… for a life’s work is still a question. Do I know the answer? Don’t ask.

Consider it good that one in your family is developing a life style in a farm setting, with crops and animals… and opportunities to help children experience a few aspects of rural life.

Fewer and fewer children in this generation will have experiences such as these, and that shall make the energy and pollution challenges to the world’s environment more difficult to meet. Consider that if your sons had grown up on Piper’s Pali or elsewhere on the Punahou campus they would not have experienced what they did in living, for at least part of their youth, on your Farm. Of course I realize that “modern life” doesn’t value the adaptations that must be made when living is more simple. Continue to value simplicity and muscle power as you live these last years of this life. Y2K may help justify such a living style.

As you drove along through those leeward communities you noted the messiness around so many dwellings. I hoped you would let these impressions apply to you and the Farm We love. It won’t take much time and effort to make your home place a neater, less messy place to live. “Make a list” when you return and determine that your Farm will improve in appearance. See this as a spiritual challenge, primarily. I do say so.

Listening to Mark’s friend from seminary, Ron, tell of his work and concerns you felt no desire to be comparably “involved” in the problems of your culture and the world. And you needn’t be. Each generation should have a share of activists, including some Christians, but you are now past such involvements, and My call to you is more to contemplation, meditation, and receptivity to My Counsel to you. You have had enough activity and involvement. Now you must strive… and also not strive… to realize how pervasive spirit should be, in relation to so many of these life “problems” and situations.

There is no perfect “solution” to the conditions of living for many of the earth’s peoples, even for many in your culture. You have done what you could, in the institution where you were for 2/3 of your career, to help a few young people with life issues. You’re reasonably satisfied with the values and life styles of your own sons (with Matthew still one who doesn’t seem to value as you do). You did what you could as a parent. You weren’t as effective as you wanted to be, but “your sins are forgiven”, remember. (5:30 / 5:42)