The Present… Past… Future

MON., AUG. 28, 2000, 7:03 PM
FARM, STUDY

You are personally “convinced” that the Present in which you have lived… and are living… is, for you, at least, “better” than the past and the future. You had a pleasant, well-balanced childhood and adolescence. You had successes, more than you might expect. It was a time of economic depression and the world war, but these seemed to affect your life only in positive ways.

Your family went regularly and actively to the Methodist Church, and you were a willing part of that life. You remember, particularly, the Church Camp experience when you had just finished your senior year. As a Navy student you continued to go to Sunday worship services, not rejecting this aspect of your young life.

In some ways it was a terrible war, even though it was before some of the advanced weapon systems now available. Yet for you it presented almost nothing but opportunities. You were on athletic teams – football and track – and you had opportunities to compete successfully (even win, occasionally) which would not have been “yours,” at your size, if there had been no war. It is still surprising that you were the NROTC battalion commander, and, later, a member of UCLA’s Student Executive Council. Obviously you were active in many ways… and also succeeded academically.

In all of these years, the distant past, I was with you, but was mostly observing. But the morning of your interview with John Fox for a position at Punahou School I became more active. I “worked” with you to help you make a good impression, and I influenced him in seeing you as a valuable addition to his faculty. And so you went, and, rather quickly, met Lenore, she who was to be your life companion. I gave you time to have your coaching experiences, but this was not to be your life work.

Your church life at Central Union was satisfying, and you still appreciate those years of singing in such a large, wonderful choir. When you and Lenore were married and returned, now to Stanford, I led you, through her experience, to the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. Before you left there you were ordained as an Elder, and this has been an important part of your adult life.

Then it was back to Punahou for two years, and then back to Stanford, both full of experiences that would enlighten your eventual career. Wasn’t it interesting that you had your final successful football coaching experience there, as well as the whole experience of being a dean and all the “time” that took? The position at Stanford opened, and, surprise!, you were selected, and you had a good start on your university career.

But that wasn’t “the place” for you, and so you were not given tenure, and you were sought by S.I.U. After your interview here, back at home, you prayed to Me, and, shortly, you got the phone call that offered you “your position” here. This was now where you were to be… first, for 7 years in Carbondale on So. Oakland… and then here on this fine Farm, just right for you and Lenore, personally, but also as a unique aspect of your teaching career – classes out here.

You continued to be an active Elder in the Presbyterian Church (2 of them), but then I came to you in an even more mystical way. I called you. You responded. I have told you that I waited until you were quite a comfortable and experienced writer. Then I called, and you were ready to hear Me and write what you “heard” Me, Holy Spirit, teaching you.