Life Experiences

MON., JULY 1, 1996, 6:20 AM
FARM, STUDY

As you read these final exams you are struck with the variety of experiences these young people have had, along with the varied ways they’ve perceived these. These are not the “cream of the crop” from their age group, but they (with a few expectations) are above average, as they are close to graduation from a reasonably good university. They have managed to have these experiences with alcohol and other drugs and still do fairly well to well in academic work. Many young people let such experiences ruin the educational possibilities, meaning less chance for worldly success and “the good life”.

As you let these accounts take you back to your high school, college, and Navy days you are pleased that you were an abstainer and an accomplisher. You had standards for yourself, and you held to them tenaciously. You realize you were left out of some fun experiences, and you “paid the price” without much concern.

Remind yourself again that you were active in high school activities and also remained with the church youth group. You never rejected the church, even as your activity was minimal during the Navy and college years. You didn’t consider, then, that I, the Holy Spirit, might be guiding you to the life situation We had planned for you. What do you think now?

Did you freely choose to start your career at Punahou? Was it just coincidence that you met Lenore early in your experience there and then persisted until the two of you became one? Was this career you chose just “the easy way” or was it “the one for you”? Weren’t you just “in the right place” when you were first “born again”? Wasn’t the demise of your Department at Stanford the means for your coming here and developing your career and your close relationship with Me as We had planned?

Drug use and abuse beyond alcohol wasn’t much of a factor in the years of your youth. Your experiences with these were more as a parent, and those teen years were tough ones, with the actual loss of only one son. So… you missed some experiences in your youth, but such “losses” were helpful in establishing your life work. Since, you’ve had a good share of hard experiences, in your role as father… but also these experiences with Me that will, in the future, be a more clear focus for your continuing earth life… and the best means of preparing for continuing life in the spirit.

You’ve been able to affect the lives of some of your students. The note from Chris on her exam was a surprise and a bit of tangible evidence that even in this class, that you didn’t consider as highly successful, you were appreciated. Our Ruminations is established as a means of influence that will continue beyond your active teaching life. By this time in your life experiences you should be realizing that you just have to be open to what I offer you. You have developed well. Opportunities will come, as needed.