Another Class

FRI., JUNE 16, 1989, 6:52 AM
FARM, STUDY

Hear Me, o son, for you are home again, in this familiar, cluttered place. You are not quite reoriented, but that should be accomplished by today. About half of the grass has been cut, and the mail has been sorted. You have some letters to write, with some Teachings to select and send. Unfortunately, you have no time to truly rest. Such is your life, for now.

Another class looms, which, of course, is another spiritual opportunity. You must try to see it as nothing other than this. It shall be quite a special group of people, even as they will be together for only a few days, and you will never see many of them again. That is the opportunity… to make some difference in thinking and in lives in this short session. The class theme lends itself to success in this way, but it is still Our, your, and My, responsibility to organize and conduct this class in ways that enlighten spirit.

You know that summer classes have this special quality of short term intimacy. Commence with this as a “given”, and develop this from the very first day. Learn names, and encourage them to know one another. Remember that for this class the factual material is not as important as the interactions among the participants and the films and other presentations with feeling. The text lends academic respectability to the class, and your use of it is a good compromise. Let it be an important resource, but not dominant.

Give a bit more attention to AIDS than you have in previous classes. Yet emphasize that this is a spiritual challenge. The video that you now have will help to emphasize this. This is a disease that, at present, results in early death. Your culture has a hard time with the death of young people, even as the behaviors that are responsible for the transmission are not approved. Consider some activity that allows class members to express themselves in relation to AIDS. This will carry a certain risk, but… go ahead.

Continue the emphasis on the perspectives, assessing them again at the time of the final exam. By now you are confident that these are important as ways of thinking about life in relation to death. Take a little more time to explore various combinations of the perspectives. Remember that for something to be truly learned there must be repetition and revisiting in several ways. These are too important to just present and then let lie fallow.

Yes, o son, you had best start a list, for it worked well before you left. You have a Ruminations to print and send out before the end of this month. Then you have your sabbatical paper that is still unprinted, and this must be completed during this summer session. Your Synod School class must also be organized. And you shall have no late summer flowers if you don’t plant them now.

You have had your time of rest and leisure. Spread your responsibilities now so they don’t all “come due” at once, creating stress. But be clear that you have a busy time ahead and not a vacation. You have done well in including this time for Teaching in your summer schedule and your traveling. Continue this inclusion, for I certainly have not exhausted My advice and My instruction to you. Continue to have faith that these times of listening are truly important to your living of life at this time. There is no better use of an hour of each day, but I do not require “daily attendance.” Just maintain the discipline and attention you have been showing, and I shall be pleased.