Up Above The World, So High…

THURS., APR.19, 2001, 9:05 AM
6TH FLOOR, MORRIS LIB’Y

Yes, o son, here you are, on a beautiful Spring day, high above this campus and the surrounding land, buildings and trees. You seem to be about “even” with the Clock tower on Pulliam and with some of the high-rise apartments, to your left, also rising above the trees.

You were part of a good discussion of Paul’s Letter to the Romans this morning. You still have some nostalgia for the cereal breakfast, but “time moves on”… and sweet rolls and coffee are still adjuncts to that “hour with Me.” You recognize and accept that this gathering in the Parlor is one of the two “hallmarks” of each week. You hope this continues, but you accept that it is not as “stable” as Sunday morning worship. Otherwise, life “goes on” in a much less structured (and disciplined) way than before your retirement. But you see this as a Good…and you should.

Awareness grows in you that your memory and your mind “work” less well as time moves on. You expected this, but not quite “so soon”… at “such a young age.” Consider yourself fortunate that there is less and less that you have to remember. Becoming tense, and “trying hard” is not preferable to just relaxing and letting your mind and spirit “work” as they can, in these years.

You are doing “rather well” with your damaged… but healing… feet. You have almost accepted that it shall be several more months before these feet of yours will be as healed as they will be (not quite as they once were). So, in the rest of this earth life of yours, as Bob Russell, you shall have some discomfort, even pain. Just be appreciative of the many years you have been pain-free… and accept the “here and now” as just another important spiritual lesson.

The Easter season is past, and again you considered the “immediate terrible” pain I, as Jesus, suffered on the cross. But, yes, it was over in a comparatively short time. Was it “worse” than what you feel and shall continue to feel, perhaps for the rest of this life? Or was it “worse” than the pain and disability that your sister, Joanne, has lived with for nearly 60 years?

As you tiptoe or are thrust into the “medical model” you feel a persistent encouragement to focus on your disabilities and “ill-health.” Resist such, say I. Focus on “what still works” in your self and think positively about the life you still are “privileged” to live. In quite a mild way you are experiencing your “version” of “the Cross.” My example says… “give it as little attention as possible and let your life be as much of a blessing to others as possible.”

Continue to give attention to remembrances of “how life has been.” You feel quite assured that you have had an almost ideal human life. It is difficult to have other than positive, thankful thoughts about these nearly 75 years of incarnated life, so I am quite approving of your reviewing and re-appreciating this gift of Mine. Oh, I admit that you and I have “worked together” in “crafting” this life, and this has been one of My many pleasures, here in the earth.

And, as I have told you, not as a “counter” to orthodox Christianity, but as a revelation of “a pearl of great price,” your spirit shall continue on its maturational path, until finally, after some further “growth experiences” your spirit shall willingly return to Me, and I shall willingly accept you “back.” Beyond that it is “pure mystery.” I can just say that this maturation process “ends” with – no further desire and drive to be an individual spirit. You still have much of that, but these final years of this life do offer good opportunities to let this individuality fade and die. Just be aware of such opportunities.

You are, here, high above the young students you see trodding the paths to classes or to this special, useful structure. You once did such… first, in uniform, learning to be an office, even as you were a university student. Later, your site was the Stanford campus, first as a doctoral student and then as a fledgling professor.