A History of the “Description Paragraphs” Bob Russell used to introduce each edition of his “Russell’s Ruminations” Letter.
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Volume 1, No. 1: “Here Beginneth…” (This was before the Holy Spirit had commissioned Bob with the Teachings.)
“Here beginneth a new venture for me… and, perhaps for you. I like to write, and I have written a great deal and in a number of “styles.” And as I assessed this facet of my career and being this past Fall, I concluded that my greatest satisfactions have come in writing letters and editorials. Why not “go with” my satisfactions, then… and create a letter with editorial flavorings to send out to friends who may ponder over issues and events? This No. 1 is my affirmative reply.
Some of the issues will be EDUCATIONAL (unsurprisingly) because this is my profession and one of my continuing interests. Some will be SOCIAL because I am also fascinated with the ways people relate to one another and how society is organized (and reorganized… and reorganized…). Some will be THEOLOGICAL because God’s influence is everpresent in this world and should be so recognized. Others will be MORAL issues, wherein Right and Wrong will be explored. Still others will be ECONOMIC, for even though my academic training is devoid of any systematic learning in economics, I have some convictions from much reading, and many of the most provocative issues of our time have a sizeable economic component. Finally, issues ENVIRONMENTAL will be looked at, for the earth has certain limits to be recognized by Man, the Marauder (one of the manifestations of humankind). All in all, the focus will be on issues that somehow affect the Well-Being of us humans and of our ecosystems.” 1st Rumination, February, 1978.
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Volume 1, No. 2: “Death, Dying and Adaptation” (This Ruminations was also written before the Holy Spirit became co-editor)
“Here it is, three months further into 1978 and time for another letter of Ruminations, which I shall hopefully label VOL. 1, No. 2. I enjoyed doing the first one, during the cold of winter, and comments received were generally favorable. (Of course, most of the recipients were relatives or old friends, so I did not seek harsh criticism, obviously. And I didn’t really consider what simple silence could mean.)” 2nd Rumination, May, 1978
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Volume 2, No.1: “Leg, Back, and Spirit” (This is the first Ruminations to come AFTER Bob was commissioned by the Holy Spirit to receive the Teachings. This is a rather long description, but explains several things)
“In February of 1978 I began a venture with much promise. It was this that you see emblazoned above as a sort of letterhead … a six page letter dealing with Educational, Social, Theological, Moral, Economic, and Environmental issues. I collected some quotes, then arranged them in some order that allowed a progression of comment from one to another. I wrote, edited, printed it, and sent it out. A few responses trickled back. I did another one in May of 1978 that went nearly eight pages. Then I let the project slip. The summer issue never quite took form … and I just let its priority remain low. But I still remembered, and knew this was something I should continue.
In Vol. 1, No. 2 I included a “Parable of Predestination”, which I identified, sparsely, as having come from “some regular daily Meditative writing”, being “given to me one May morning in 1965”. That meditative writing dwindled during the summer of 1965, as we prepared to change our locale and lifestyle to that of Southern Illinois. I didn’t really miss it … it was just another interesting thing I had done. Then it commenced again in May of 1979, but this time it became a kind of “automatic writing,” with the “teacher” being identified as the Spirit, even the Holy Spirit.
This has continued, with some regularity, usually in the early morning … the first waking hour of the day. I now have eight “books,” with those clamp-type bindings, filled with the “teachings” in chronological order … the original written-by-hand pages. For some time I have received the repeated suggestion, in these writings, that I resurrect Ruminations and use some of these teachings as the basis for comment and analysis. But I still put it off.
Then I was told to gather together all that has been said about my recent back and leg discontent … and I did that. It seems interesting enough to use as the basis for this Vol. II, No. 1.
So, let me tell you first about the writings. Readers, I’m certain, will exhibit a rather wide range of feeling for the reality of this “thing I do.” I would urge that you concentrate upon what is said rather then be hung up about the credibility of the Source. Still, I have to affirm, on the basis of faith AND experience that I am “receiving” the words, sentences, and ideas in these writings from a source Self-identified as the Holy Spirit. The purpose? … to help make me a better health educator, my profession, and one who can speak and write truly of the spiritual dimension of holistic health. Why me? Basically, because the Spirit works when, and where, and how, and with whom He chooses (good Presbyterian doctrine and also communicated to me). And … I have certain developed capacities that now, with Guidance, can be used in His service. This is what I affirm, but, as I suggested earlier, accept it if you can … or in any way you can … but whatever your judgment about source, hearken unto the words themselves.” 3rd Rumination, March-May, 1981
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Volume 2, No. 2: “Spirit as a Factor in Health” (This is the first Ruminations with the title “A Letter of Analysis and Comments on Issues of Interest to the Holy Spirit)
“All right, for those of you who really don’t yet know what I’m talking about, let me offer an abbreviated version of my spiritual story, the impetus for this publication. I grew up as a good, nominal Christian, participating in activities and programs of the Methodist Church, but with no great spiritual involvement. (I never consciously encountered anything like I am doing now, so there could be no real rejection… or acceptance… of it.) In the 1950’s I realized I was a Calvinist, with a developing sense of predestination to some task for which God wanted me. Also during this decade I became what I have no difficulty identifying as a born-again Christian, though this came in a gradual way rather than through a sudden, dramatic event. In the same time frame I was introduced to present day prophesies from the Lord God… and also to the concept of reincarnation (which later came to be seen in a Christian perspective.) Some of these seemed incompatible with others, but I was not much bothered by this.
In the early 1960’s a prophetic message delivered through my mother-in-law, Mabel, urged me to set aside an hour each day and write down what came to me in a kind of meditation (though the term “meditation” was not used very comfortably then.) I decided to do this and did it for some months, produced some interesting writings, but it was all “me.” I stopped the “practice” before moving to Southern Illinois, and felt neither loss nor guilt.
My spiritual development continued in these diverse ways, and my professional interests, as a health education professor, were moving toward a holistic perspective… health as the quality of functioning and adapting of the whole person or of “whole” communities – body, mind, and spirit. As with most professionals I was generally keeping these developments of self unrelated, consciously and unconsciously. This culminated in an event in May of 1979 in which I was “called” back to a time of meditative writing the first waking hour of the day. I followed this spiritual leading faithfully and was astounded, two weeks later, to have my pen “taken over” by the Holy Spirit, who began to offer me teachings through my own handwriting, vocabulary, and grammatical and punctuative style. The essence of the commission which I was offered in these meditations was to help develop the concept of a spiritual dimension to health for my professional field and colleagues.
These writings have continued. I sit down in a quiet place, usually my study at home, put the date, time and place as a heading and then sit back and wait for a title. Sometimes immediately and sometimes after some “clearing,” I both “hear” and “see” the title. I print it atop the page, and the fulfillment of this “starts flowing.” The result usually comes to three handwritten pages, and the meditation takes about an hour. At this writing I now have ten volumes of these “originals”, each nearly an inch thick.” (Note: at the end of October, 1981, Bob and the Spirit had written 385 Teachings). 4th Rumination, October, 1981
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Volume 3, No. 1: “Environment and Spirit” (In these early years, Bob only did 2 or 3 Ruminations a year. Eventually he did 4 a year, for years)
“Most of you have read the issue of this letter dated last October, identified as Vol. II, No. 2 (If you didn’t get a chance to read that one, please let me know… for you should.) If you remember, the first page and a half of that one explained, in some detail, the original and basis for this publication, and I shan’t repeat the whole story here. In explication of the sub-title, above, however, I shall reiterate that since mid-1979 I have been doing a unique kind of meditation. It usually is in the early morning (though not always), typically 3 or 4 times a week, and in the quiet time I become sort of a “channel” for the Holy Spirit, who “takes over” and gives me “teachings,” written in my own hand and with my developed vocabulary, but using a knowledge source quite beyond mine. I now have thirteen “books” of the original, handwritten teachings, about 35 to a book, so I’m somewhere now around 450 meditative writings as source material. My son, John Patrick, gave me, as a Christmas present, the promise to put the teachings in typewritten form… and he now has completed Books 1 through 4.
As I try to explain it, it still seems a bit odd and unlikely, but I am quite comfortable now with the process, and I’m quite willing to receive these teachings. Willingness to share them with some others is coming slowly, with a Sunday morning adult study class at the Presbyterian Church in Carbondale and these Ruminations as my major vehicles at present.
For those of you who are Christian, the Source identifies Himself unabashedly as the Holy Spirit, the teaching-counseling-friendly nature of the Lord God who was and is in Jesus, the Christ. In John’s Gospel Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit, and so He has. A few teachings do not appear to agree with most orthodox interpretations of some Scriptures, but the Spirit assures me that they disagree only to the extent that Scripture disagrees with Scripture… where truths stated seem incompatible. Western thinking is to the effect that if one thing is true, its opposite must be false. The Lord God and His Spirit cannot be bound by this cultural preference. Some Christians may fear that this is some satanic force teaching me in the guise of the Spirit. That could be so, I suppose, but it seems unlikely to me… and if, after reading these excerpts, you still have such fears… then I guess you just must have them.” 5th Rumination, March, 1982
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Volume 3, No. 2: “Alcohol and Spirit”
“Finally, here in this first month of the Fall season, I commence this letter which should have been written last May… or at least in late August. My goal (in concert with the Holy Spirit) is to have four of these in each year, but I have not yet established the rhythm that will produce this number. So I feel a tinge of guilt and regret, but this is more than balanced by the joy of getting to the actual writing of a Letter that should be provocative, consoling, and perhaps a bit controversial.
I shan’t repeat the story of my coming to have the Source that I shall quote extensively in these pages. That was in Vol. II, No. 2 and again in Vol. III, No. 1. It is sufficient to say that I still rise early three or four mornings a week and am in a relationship with the Holy Spirit, which produces written Teachings on themes from the very personal to the incredibly universal. I sometimes seek these meditations, sometimes I come to them out of a sense of duty, and sometimes I get a “clear call to get up and hear.” The quality of the Teaching does not seem to be affected by the differences in my motivations.
Certainly it is presumptuous of me to claim that these originate in the Holy Spirit, for the Bible does not tell clearly how the Spirit will manifest Him/Herself. But Jesus says to his disciples in his long discourse in the Gospel of John,
“… the Father will give you another Comforter, and he will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, for it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, for he lives with you now and someday shall be in you… he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you… When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes he shall guide you into all truth…”
And I do humbly aver that these quotes I offer, in this Letter, are part of that truth.
At the end of a Teaching in June of 1980 came this paragraph, and I offer it as my small claim to the heritage promised above.
You remember the story that involved Me as Jesus here in the earth… of the healing of the man blind from birth. “It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that My works might be made manifest in him.” In a more positive way, this is the best explanation of what We do here together. It is not that you are of great virtue… are sinless or righteous. Rather you are a fairly well developed spirit, well established in a field that I can use… so I just manifest Myself through you. You are to be no more glorified than the blind man. You are no one special. Still, you are very special, and, yes, I have elected you to this task. Keep the balance of these two truths. You are not special… and yet you are. This is a fundamental part of your rhythm. Feel it today. Shalom
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The other observation is in relation to my process: I do not read previous Teachings over before receiving a new one. So it is amazing to me how consistent these are. The integrity is with the Spirit. I never refer to Teachings on the subject before writing, and I do no editing whatsoever. Just thought you might want to know this.” 6th Rumination, September, 1982
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Volume 4, No. 1: “For Everything There Is a Season”
“Most of you who receive this letter and have commenced to read it have had some experience with preceding issues. Some of you have no trouble with my affirmation that the quotes I reproduce and upon which I comment are from Teachings offered to me by the Holy Spirit, which I have written down in times of purposive meditation. Now it can’t be denied that my meditations, usually in the early morning, usually three times a week, produce tangible coherent teaching, for I have now nearly sixteen volumes of the original, handwritten pages. I have to accept, however, that some readers shall harbor small to massive doubts about the Source I affirm, but still may be interested, I hope, in the dialogue I produce here. Still others may just assume that I write it all and, again just read on because of some relationship with me, a Russell… who does ruminate, in words.
In total historical perspective there have been six of these letters with this title, with four in the “modern era”, using quotes solely from my meditative writings. The first of these was dated March-May, 1981 and focused on the spiritual aspects of a painful leg and back injury that it had been mine to experience. The next came in October of that year and was concerned with the spirit as the unifying dimension of the individual and of human interrelationships. March, 1982 was the date on another that centered on the spiritual nature of the earth and our physical environment. Then in September of 1982 I sent out the most controversial issue, one dealing with spirit and beverage alcohol.” 7th Rumination, May, 1983
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Volume 4, No. 2: “Gandhi… Rambo… the Clan”
“It commenced in May of 1979, which gives it a four and a half year history. The “it” is a reasonably regular, fairly ritualized time of meditations, in which I receive Teachings from the Holy Spirit on a wide range of themes (Who could speak to a wider range?). Most of these are received in the early morning (in the 5:30 – 7 AM period), and mostly in my study here at the Farm… in front of the living room fireplace in the winter. I have received them at other times and in other places… and sometimes this variation is necessary… but MOST come as I have indicated. (You will notice that one of the Teachings I use in this Rumination was received in the evening in the S.I.U. Medical School Library in Springfield; I taught a course up there this Fall and had a two and a half hour period after my class was finished before the plane brought us back south. That could be a time for meditation… why not?)
In previous issues I have selected and offered rather limited and specific quotes from Teachings, which I have identified by title and date, upon which I have them “ruminated.” This has seemed to be a good format, but the Spirit suggested an experiment this time with another mode of presentation–the whole Teaching, so that readers can experience the total context of the quotes on which I choose to muse. For convenience I shall number the paragraphs so you can go back and see what was said in the “original” more easily. I hope this is sufficient preface/orientation.” 8th Rumination, December, 1983
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Volume 5, No. 1: “The Clan… Marco Polo”
“In ever briefer form I testify again that I have morning meditations with the Holy Spirit (the general promise for such being in John’s Gospel) which result in written Teachings, which are of much help to me in understanding and living in this present world. I have used these as the basis for an Adult Study class at the First Presbyterian Church in Carbondale (the class called “Morning Meditations with the Spirit”), and individual Teachings have been helpful to some specific people. AND… I have done seven issues of this letter, under this title, using quotes from these Teachings as the basis for my ruminations. So this epistle shall follow in this not-so-hoary tradition, a combination of quotes from my recording of communications from the Holy Spirit and my thoughts, aroused by these.” 9th Rumination, April, 1984
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Volume 5, No. 2: “Love and Spirit”
“In each of the eight issues that has preceded this I have made a bold claim, that I know is accepted quite variously by most readers… and just ignored by a few. This affirmation is that I have received these Teachings, that I quote, from the Holy Spirit in a meditative state. I hear and I write… on a wide variety of ancient to modern themes. There is no profound, earth-shaking reason why I have been selected to be the recipient and disseminator of these interesting educative messages. The Holy Spirit simply works when, and where, and how, and with whom He chooses. Each of these Ruminations has a theme, usually suggested or at least approved by my Source, and then the process becomes one of essentially scholarly research… going back and finding appropriate Teachings and then selecting portions to quote, which are then the basis for my comments. And all of this is in letter form, one of the hoary symbols of friendship and modes of teaching/learning. This is an enjoyable task for me, but it is still done with academic standards and verve… and I consider it a definite part of the teaching which is my profession.” 10th Rumination, August, 1984
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Volume 5, No. 3: “Humor as a Part of Spirit”
“Those of you who have read some, most, or all of the eight issues that have preceded this one know that my continuing affirmation is that, with some regularity, I go into a meditative state and receive what are called Teachings, given by the Holy Spirit, the teaching-guiding-inspiring “aspect” of the Triune God. I write these as I “hear” them, and the originals (mostly three pages each, handwritten) now measure nearly a foot in depth in a file drawer.
The Spirit either suggests or approves a theme for each of these Ruminations, and then I research the files of Teachings for those that shall give substance to exposition of the theme. Now some folks do note, in the spirit of criticism, that these Teachings sound much like my writing, suggesting that I am just “making them up.” So I shall just attest again that the writing of these Teachings is quite a different “process” than, say, writing this. In writing this page I am searching for words and deciding on ideas and how to express them; in the meditative process I just write what I hear, and that usually flows right along at my writing speed. Further… I had no initial desire or motivation to do this kind of thing. I still don’t wish to be or perceived to be weird in spiritual/religious terms, but I have to admit that the Teachings are so good and so helpful to me and to others that I continue to receive and to share them. And… in response to the original critique… if anyone can tell me, with authority, just how the Holy Spirit does sound, if it is different from what I present, I’d be glad to harken.” 11th Rumination, November, 1984
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Volume 6, No. 1: “Some Stories with Spiritual Messages”
“But first… as is my established custom… a few words about the source of these portions that I refer to as “Teachings.” I won’t repeat all the details. Suffice it to say that on the 11th of May in 19 and 79 I was forcefully led to enter into an early morning meditation in which I wrote. Soon after this beginning I began to “hear” thoughts that did not originate in my head. I wrote these down as faithfully as I could, and the Source repeatedly has identified Himself (Herself) as the Holy Spirit, the very one Jesus promised in John 14-16. I had no previous personal desire to participate in this kind of a “mystical” meditation, but I have continued it because this is a truly loving, friendly, helpful Spirit that speaks. The vocabulary, syntax, and punctuation are basically mine (why not?), but the ideas are those of the Spirit. This I reaffirm. The books containing my original, handwritten pages now number 22. This receiving of Teachings is now a normal, and a continually satisfying, part of my life.” 12th Rumination, April, 1985
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Volume 6, No. 2: “Some More Stories with Spiritual Messages”
“And so I set forth on this “combined” task… of writing a letter about stories. But first… the acknowledgement: I unabashedly aver that the Teachings I offer herein (in whole and in part) are from meditations that I have several times a week (usually the first waking hour of the day) in which I write down, as faithfully as possible, what a Source identified as the Holy Spirit offers to me. The first one was on May 20, 1979 entitled, “Read the Messages”, and the latest was this morning, August 23, 1985, entitled “An Update on Fun and Humor.” (This latest offers some last minute help with a sermon I’m to offer to the Presbyterians in Marion, IL this Sunday, an affirmative answer to the question, “Does God Have a Sense of Humor?”) So I have this rich resource of observations on life and conditions in this time by a Spirit Who has “been from the beginning” and has lots of practice in observing. These Teachings, then, are the basis for my Ruminations, and all of it is this letter.” 13th Ruminations, August, 1985
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Volume 6, No. 3: “Death and Life Eternal”
But first… a brief version of my “commercial” or “this is brought to you by __________________”. In May of 1979 I began a meditative discipline that involved writing, and shortly after this was established as an early morning activity, the Holy Spirit began to offer me what He calls Teachings (yes, with a capital T) – – discourses on a wide variety of themes that I hear and write down. I am to help in some ways to restore a spiritual dimension to the concept of health that is the basis for my professional field of health education, and these Teachings are to be of some use in this calling. In the Spring of 1981 I put together the first of these letters with the above title, each based on some theme (usually suggested by the Spirit) and utilizing Teachings or portions thereof as the substance, interspersed with my ruminating comments.
Originally these went out to family and certain spiritual friends, and these continue, but the mailing list is now quite diverse, and I am most interested in and pleased with the fact that close to 80 health educators now receive this invitation to thought, the increase coming only from word of mouth. This present letter should be of interest to a number of my colleagues.” 14th Ruminations, November, 1985
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Volume 7, No. 1: “Life and Death, II”
“For those of you who are new at this reading experience, the Teachings (to which I refer with a capital T) are the tangible results of morning meditations with the Holy Spirit that I have 2, 3, or 4 times a week. After some “settling” and “centering” I become aware of a title (occasionally I offer one, but usually I just accept what comes). Then I just start to write what I hear, giving it as little thought as possible. It lasts about an hour, and I handwrite three full pages, which then translate to one full page typed (or “word processed”… son John Patrick gave me, as a Christmas present, some number of these on a Macintosh disc… some are now available). I do not edit them, except when I have made an obvious mistake, or when I’ve left out a comma… otherwise they are as I heard them. (The Spirit promises that if I’ve made a mistake He’ll* let me know through some subsequent Teachings.) It sounds kinda spooky, but it really isn’t. Instead it’s enjoyable and very rewarding, so, by direction, I now share some of these latter-day insights in this letter form.
* I’ll note again that the Spirit has indicated, a number of times, that this “He” is just a “convention”… the Holy Spirit is fully female as well as fully male… not either/or, but both/and.”
15th Ruminations, March, 1986
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Volume 7, No. 2: “Teaching and Learning”
“Now comes this one, however, and the issue is teaching and learning, about which the Spirit has had much to say over these more than seven years of interaction with me. For those who are new to this reading experience, I’ll say again that on a day in May of 1979 I was invited in a very unique way to an early morning meditational practice that soon turned into a listening to the Holy Spirit (that communicative aspect of the Lord God) and writing down what I heard. In 1981 I began this “publication”, a letter based in comments by the Spirit, interspersed with my ruminative thoughts about what the Spirit has said.
I realize that if what I say is true about these Teachings I write down, then this letter is a frightful mixing of the divine and perfect with the imperfect human comments I generate. The Spirit says, “Worry not… just be faithful… and do what I purpose for you to do.” So this is a task/opportunity that is both scary and fun. And here I go with this one!” 16th Ruminations, June, 1986
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Volume 7, No. 3: “Observations on Modern Life”
“This whole spiritual experience began in early May of 1979, and, in one of the first writings in which He “came through”, the Spirit said,
Instruction is for your edification and for the building up of your self and spirit. They must be reviewed and studied, and their meanings must be applied to life as it is lived. You do other kinds of writing, and you review and polish it. Alike and different. You are not to edit nor to polish these lines, for they come as they are meant to be. But you are to digest and assimilate them, and expose your soul to their truths… and walk accordingly.
The world knows some of what you pen, and certainly the Scriptures bring similar messages. Yet this is new and fresh, my son… an update of the Lord’s thoughts… a new quickening of the Holy Spirit. They will not counter, these messages, the missive of the Scriptures, but they will illuminate. New times bring new truths. Yet new truths are old truths in new guise, for all truth IS…
The trend of the times is to seek “scientific” answers to human questions. Thou art one who has been called to a ministry of sorts – – one of matching truths from the Spirit with those of the world. Again, remember… TRUTH IS. Synthesize and illuminate. Become adept at causing the truth to shine and in bringing people to say, “Hey, of course!” (“Read the Messages”, May 20, 1979)
So I have followed this direction in that I do not “edit nor polish” (except when I obviously make a mistake), and I consider these as Teachings to me and not some universal insights that must be shared with all of humankind. I feel that they match pretty well with the Holy Scriptures, differences being like unto differences between the Gospels of John and of Matthew, between Leviticus and Romans, and between Ecclesiastes and Jeremiah. Most of us Christians assume that Scripture agrees, essentially, with Scripture, and I just assume that these Teachings of mine are also scripture (small s), a strange and wonderful form of holy writing.
As the second paragraph says, these are an “update of the Lord’s thoughts”, and this particular letter might be called “thoughts on modern life”, for the Teachings selected have been ones that comment on life right now or on developments that simply were not part of life 2,000 to 4,000 years ago. I just have faith that I can synthesize and illuminate new truths… that are part of Truth. But the invitation is eternally out to you readers who are also writers – – let me hear of that which you like and of that which doesn’t seem to ring the bell of truth.
OK… I’m almost ready to begin, but I have a couple more comments on process and purpose, with the title a kind of transition. Another Teaching in that first month in 1979 was entitled “Select the Channel”, and the referent was the channel selector on a television set… a concept not to be recorded as such in the Holy Scriptures. These three paragraphs contain some theology and some just plain friendly direction for me… one willing to turn the selector switch.
Within you (and within each who calls My name) I am… and worry not over whether it is a small Me or the Mighty Me. It is both/and, not either/or. I can talk with you intimately and patiently and yet manage the Universe as well. I am the Lord, and conceptions of Me can never contain Me. Remember this: there is NOTHING I cannot accomplish. EVERYTHING is possible. No law binds Me. I use laws to My purposes, but My laws can never limit Me and what I purpose.
And now you must consider what this means for you as you “dial My Channel.” It means, o son, that nothing is impossible for you, for we co-create, we work together. Fear not that I lose My majesty by working with you, a fairly insignificant earthling by the standards of men. I delight in doing many things that seem unlike My style. You discerned years ago that I enjoy this world, that “I enjoy My job”, and that I approach my relations with you all (My essential Being) with a twinkle in my eye…
Yes, I am available. I shall guide your pen (though the penmanship mistakes are mostly yours!), and I shall guide your use of the knowledge that flows. You shall not be instantly popular, o rash son, because we communicate in this way. Many, sadly, just could not “turn the selector switch” and give the control away. Sad, because I really don’t take control. You are you in an ever mightier sense. I want to be you only to make you better, not to diminish you. You are one who may be able to make some, even many, believe this Ultimate Truth. (“Select the Channel”, May 25, 1979)
So I have direction to do these letters (four a year… from a Spirit Who talks a lot about timelessness), but I do them not because I have to or because of some “burden” that the Lord has heaped upon me, but because I have the opportunity, and because it’s fun. Yet again I have more material than I can possibly put into this letter, so let’s see where it goes from here.” 17th Ruminations, August, 1986
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