A Quiet Winter Day…

THURS., MAR. 1, 2001, 1:31 PM
FARM, DINING TBL.

… a good one for healing. There is music in the background, and both flowers and “mess” as you sit at this familiar oak table. You would like to be out, cleaning up this place, feeding the animals, and enjoying the fullness of physical life. But, realistically, you are here, trying to let your feet heal as they should, which means minimal activity. I have not chastised you for not coming to Me and this “opportunity” more often, but I do have to call and remind you that I have plenty to say about this whole “not-so-great” period in your life.

You realize that you have responsibilities that still call you… and I realize that many of these can’t be undertaken without danger to your heel grafts. But I do want to “keep in touch” and offer observations that may be both useful now and as you re-read them later. You realized, even before you were out of bed, that this should have been the morning for the weekly Bible study. You don’t want that to “slip away” as an important, regular part of your life, so be sure that the other participants are aware of this… that you want to continue to be an active member, as soon as this is “medically” possible.

You, of course, are very appreciative of the concern by and the care given by your life partner, Lenore, and it is quite satisfying to be attended by the two sons here and to hear words of encouragement from your oldest, many miles away. Remember, as well as you can, these acts of kindness and love as life “returns to normal.”

You wonder, however, how close to “normal” you will be, in months… or next year. You have had good (to excellent!) capacities for healing, but you have not had to heal in these ways, at this age. You recognize, and try to accept, that it is unlikely that life will ever again be “as it was.” So, with no “guarantees” do what you can (which includes much that “you shouldn’t do”!) to reach a better functioning “self”, which will have to be consistent with what you still can do. You have told Me that you would prefer a longer life with disabilities than a sudden death “in the fullness.” Yet the compounding of disabilities would make this earth life less desirable. Hear again that I tell you this will be ( 2:04 / 2:05 ) quite a challenge for your spirit.

I also confide ( 2:05 / 2:10 ) that your spirit has developed well during this life (especially during these years that you have been guided by Me), so I expect it to do well with the challenges of older age and disabilities. HOWEVER, I’ll also remind you that you can “lose spiritual power” in these times of “stress.” So, your awareness of this is important. If you “succumbed” to some combination of “downers” it would not be the best for your continuing life. Oh, there are “set-backs” but these are to be faced and overcome. And of course I’ll help, but this is all an important aspect of your spiritual increase, which we both want.

As you look out you see that it is winter, with little evidence, in the trees, that life continues, but in a quiet, “subdued” way. The date atop these pages tells you that Spring is ever closer, and soon the fullness of life shall be evident around you. ( 2:23 / 2:29 ) As I’ve told you, this is, for your culture and even for your dominant religion, a “sign” that life continues, even when the evidence for such is not strongly evident, objectively.

I also tell you that just as you observe some human lives as being short, while others are longer, even quite long, so life in the spirit is also variable in “length.” This is all quite complex (even as it seems familiar and simple to Me) but it is all “designed” to give each human spirit/immortal soul the time and conditions it needs to return to Me as a “perfectly finished product.” I have let you become aware that you are on a “longer journey” than the life of Bob Russell would suggest, and the purpose of this is for your spirit to grow in ways that bring you joyfully back to Me… to become a loving part of Me. Why isn’t this a more “recognized” doctrine of your religion? You’ll understand this all much better as you return to Me from this life (which is not to be soon, I’ll admit).