A New Century Assessment, II

SAT., MAR. 4, 2000, 6:32 AM
FARM, STUDY

After yesterday’s clouds and cold you see a clear sky, with expectations of a sun to soon appear. One of your nocturnal awakenings allowed you to light the stove in here, so it is comfortable… as you see the first rays of the sun, through the tangle of tree branches. So, on with the assessment of how your life has been… what is “back of” the “you” who sit here, at close to age 74, and write.

Let’s go back to your church experiences. As I indicated, you were a fairly active part of the Youth Group at the First Methodist Church, even as this was almost apart from your school, athletic, and Comus Club activities. You played those roles rather well, and, in a sense, this was a kind of “preparation” for these latter years when you’ve been an active Presbyterian, a university professor, a reasonably good father… AND… a semi-closet mystic who hears Me, Holy Spirit, and records Teachings in quite a ritual, “liturgical” way, a way quite different from how you otherwise function.

You thought of yourself as a Methodist during your early days away from home, in the Navy and at UCLA. But then you went to Hawaii to commence what would be a long teaching career, and you “repeated” the heritage of the Congregationalist who founded Punahou School, and went to the impressive stone church called Central Union. You enjoyed singing in the wonderful, large choir, and for a short time taught an 8th grade Sunday School class.

When you returned to Stanford, for your doctoral program, now newly married, you let Lenore decide where your church life would be. Enter Don Hall, a fine servant of Mine, who helped bring you into the Presbyterian “fold.” Your recollection is that it was 1954 when you were elected and ordained as an Elder, when you were 28. (Being outside of time I have more trouble than you do now in being specific about dates, years, and… From My perspective, over all of “time” it is of no consequence whether you were 28 or 29 or…)

Yet when you then retuned to Hawaii it was Central Union again… but in two years (Yes, I can force Myself to deal with numbers, but I don’t recommend it, particularly) you were back at Stanford, after capturing a football championship and having a “go” at being a Punahou Dean. This was to be the place for you for some years, the best preparation for your career here. You reestablished yourself as a Presbyterian, but soon you moved to the closer Palo Alto Church, with My odd servant, George, as your pastor and neighbor.

Those were good “young family” years. You had two fine, but different (from each other) homes, you commenced what would be a fine university career, and your sons were, presumably, “good little Presbyterians.”

Then came to move to Southern Illinois, with sons ranging downward from 12 to 2. You and Lenore joined and became active in the First Presbyterian Church of Carbondale. The boys came with you, but as they reached teen years they “strayed.” Yet, to your surprise, the older three ended up as an Anglican, an Orthodox, and a Roman Catholic. And, yes, I did call them in these ways, to more liturgical traditions.

You continued as an active Elder, for a time in the Cobden Church, as well, and you just have resigned from the Session and from your many years as Clerk to be, as you began… just a member… leaving the “business” to those younger… as some did for you, 46 years ago.
[/restrict]
Then, after not quite 7 years in Carbondale, you moved to this Farm, which has been your “best home” for most of the last 28 years. There is still pleasure in the animals, in a small garden, and in the scope of this place, but you realize how age is slowing you and eroding your desires to have this the “showplace” Farm you consider that it once was… (or was it?). I have more to say…

Selah
7:25 AM
[/restrict]