Few “Musts”

SAT., MAY 19, 2001, 2:30 PM
FARM, STUDY

You are enjoying and appreciating this “time of life,” with a decreasing number and frequency of “musts”… thing you must do. You are fortunate to have such a time… and am I responsible? Well, let’s just say I still want to guide you in this last year… or years… and your life, as Bob Russell, will be “the longest” if you continue to come and have these Teachings from Me, your Ever-Friendly Holy Spirit.

You do need to put this room in some better condition… for your time in life. I’m not pressing you, certainly, but just reminding you that this is a fine room for you and would be even better if there weren’t so much “clutter.” This is a worthy, small goal for you, in relation to Me and to your Best Self.

You still like the chores you still have to do, even as you are more actively considering reducing them, somewhat. You can reduce the number of rabbits more easily than the cattle. You are quite comfortable with the lack of responsibility you have at the office, but you are reluctant to actually start the “move.” This is a symbolic loss, and it is a harder one to accept than just the retirement from teaching. I’ll predict, however, that when you’ve made the “move” you’ll adapt to the loss rather quickly and easily. It just shall be hard to make yourself take the necessary actions. It is, however one of the soon-to-be pressing MUSTS in your life.

You responded to Lenore’s “invitation,” and reread the letter you wrote to John and Helen Fox’s daughters, about your life “with their parents.” It was interesting to recall that you had both Marybell and Pat in classes during your first two years at Punahou. It was no “great strain” having the president’s daughters in class, for you had confidence in yourself… and you were a “winning enough” coach to satisfy John.

You are a bit surprised that you have such minimal interest in the sports pages these days, in contrast to how you remember yourself in your Punahou years. You probably will still go to some football games here, in the future, but being a “sport spectator” is no longer a “must” with you. You see this as a natural “progression” and are not bothered by your loss of interest in this aspect of life, which was once quite a major life focus.

I’m pleased that you still have a major commitment to Bible Study and your Thursday morning group. Again, you’re not quite sure whether your accepted suggestion for future study was Ecclesiastes or Revelation. I recommend them both, of course, and I do also recommend that you write down the next week’s “assignment” accepting the truth that your memory, even of this important “part” of your life, is ever so faulty.

Most of your adult life has been years with “many musts.” But this response, by you, to many “opportunities” has left you with a legacy that is fun to recall and ponder.

You were active in the church as a youth…and then again after your marriage… as part of family life. And, as I observed, you were active “for the right reasons” – your personal desire to serve Me, as the Triune God of your Christian faith, rather than jut to “be a good example for your sons.” (And… perhaps you were that, too, for your 3 older sons have served their churches well, even as the churches they served have been other than the ones in which they “grew up.” Just remember that I, as Jesus, didn’t follow exactly in My parents’ “way”.)

So… you have fewer “musts” than in most of your life, but there still are some, which you must fulfill. But… consider this “poser” – would you “trade” the pains and disabilities you have now for the busy life of many “musts” that you have lived out? Or, the other way, will you accept this life of very few “musts”, if it is accompanied by some pains and disabilities?