In A Quiet, Familiar Place

SAT., AUG. 21, 1999, 4:55 PM
FARM, PICNIC TABLE

Yes, o son, this picnic table area is a quiet, familiar, place… quiet now for students no longer gather here, for food, fellowship, and some words from you, often in story form. One of your favorite former students… and fellow Presbyterian Christian… was just here for a short, but good, visit. And now it is a time to hear Me, for you need My judgments on your life ahead.

First, be quite clear about what I say concerning “life.” I have always been without a body, but I have been, am, and shall ever be involved in life. Despite the convictions you have developed from your culture, and despite “human experience,” living an earth life in a human body is only one manifestation of “life.” Life is a continuous process, and this human form, despite 73+ “long years” of experience, is usually not a major portion of it.

While there can be catabolism of the body, this does not necessarily drag the spirit with it. In fact, of course, spirit can grow and develop in the midst of loss. You can be your most spiritual in the dying process. Keep this as a mystical goal for yourself – be aware of and appreciate spirit “to the max” as you are close to… and in the process of… dying physically.

For… what I say about life is that it continues, but the quality of it is proportional to the power of your developed spirit. You came into this life as Bob Russell with a fairly well-developed spirit… and desire to develop it further. There was no need (even though you could have chosen this) for a hard, problematic life, with problems and struggles. You had many opportunities to succeed, and you took advantage of many of these. You’ve had a wonderful career and the marriage “just right” for both of you. There were few failures, though you are not comfortably pleased with your “performance” as a father.

And now, in a quiet place, you seek to know to what extent you should “fight” this cancer… or cancers. My first response is – “fighting it” shall only be right if you do so with a joyous, thankful spirit. You may want to live longer for fiscal-spiritual reasons – being sure that all of your Dad’s bequests to you are out of “the system” and in your possession, so that Lenore has a more comfortable transition to life without you, bodily. (You probably will remain close to her here, until she comes across, herself.)

You don’t have much desire to live longer if this is a life with low energy, pain, and time… time… spent or wasted in the medical establishment. For you, such “prolongation” would be wasteful, and you’ll have more regrets when you do come across than if you’d been less desirous of avoiding death, more full of “real life” to the end.

Now, back to the present, and life as it is this day, this week ahead. You are letting Farm chores pile up, and you don’t want to let them seem so onerous that you can’t do anything. You’ve got some lists. Honor them. Each day doesn’t have to be chockful of tasks, but know that it is life-sustaining to accomplish the necessary…and even “extra” ones. Rather than “killing you” these tasks will be life affirming, importantly so.

I am not backing away from My “suggestion” that you give some time and “effort” to contemplation… of these Teachings (naturally!)… of Scriptural passages, of other readings, of televised stories… and of life experiences. This needn’t be your predominant activity now, but allot some time to it. But don’t short Me… and My Teachings to you, those past and those current. ( 5:50 / 5:52 )

(Do you give Me credit for reminding you, in the midst of this Teaching, that your pan on the stove could be burning up? I’ll accept some credit.)

Be increasingly appreciative of those who express a concern for you, even as it is not comfortable to be thought of as “the latest cancer victim.” Accept what people do for and say to you, and develop the “habit” of thanking and praising others, many of whom have been important to you, as Bob Russell.