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LinEl091502TheDifficultiesOfService
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Group Retreat: Oregon Coast
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Teacher: LinEL
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Topic: The Difficulties of Service
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T/R: Thea
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September 15, 2002
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==Heading==
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===Topic: ''The Difficulties of Service''===
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===Group: [[Corvallis TeaM]]===
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==Facilitators==
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===Teacher: [[LinEl]]===
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===TR: [[Thea Hardy]]===
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==Session==
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===Note===
 
LinEL (TR Thea/ LinEL Group Retreat on the Oregon Coast 13-14/02 ­ partial transcription in response to questions)
 
LinEL (TR Thea/ LinEL Group Retreat on the Oregon Coast 13-14/02 ­ partial transcription in response to questions)
 
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===Opening===
Greetings, dearest brothers and sisters, this is LinEL. You ask us about the difficulties of our service, the success of our work with you, the problems that we must deal with in order to bring you what we have to offer. Seek to understand the nature of how our teachings come to you. We are restricted by your own limitations of perception, by your willingness or unwillingness to seek change and new ways of creative and more spontaneous living. But this is unavoidable. Do not feel badly about the fact that you are all human in this. These limitations are not faults, no. They are natural to your current status, all of you. No-one through whom our voices are heard is yet developed to a point where our teachings are given completely ­ and how could this be? It is a fact of the first life, the mortal coil, that perfection is not yet attainable. You work towards this, of course, but do not heap shame upon yourselves for your apparent failures. Your shortcomings are not fatal flaws, but rather the clumsy steps of children. When the child does not yet walk well, do the parents chide? A good parent is delighted in the forward motion, not focusing on the as yet awkward movements. Even those who climb to the mansion worlds in the chariots of fire are not yet perfected. We teachers, most of whom are fused with our adjusters, are quite far from perfection. Perfection is the long-term goal, not the short-term attainment. You must clearly see your shortcomings so that you can alter your course, but beyond the recognition of these shortcomings, combined with a will to do what you must in order to learn to move beyond them, there is no cause for self-despite.
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Greetings, dearest brothers and sisters, this is LinEL.  
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===Lesson===
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You ask us about the difficulties of our service, the success of our work with you, the problems that we must deal with in order to bring you what we have to offer. Seek to understand the nature of how our teachings come to you. We are restricted by your own limitations of perception, by your willingness or unwillingness to seek change and new ways of creative and more spontaneous living. But this is unavoidable. Do not feel badly about the fact that you are all human in this. These limitations are not faults, no. They are natural to your current status, all of you. No-one through whom our voices are heard is yet developed to a point where our teachings are given completely ­ and how could this be? It is a fact of the first life, the mortal coil, that perfection is not yet attainable. You work towards this, of course, but do not heap shame upon yourselves for your apparent failures. Your shortcomings are not fatal flaws, but rather the clumsy steps of children. When the child does not yet walk well, do the parents chide? A good parent is delighted in the forward motion, not focusing on the as yet awkward movements. Even those who climb to the mansion worlds in the chariots of fire are not yet perfected. We teachers, most of whom are fused with our adjusters, are quite far from perfection. Perfection is the long-term goal, not the short-term attainment. You must clearly see your shortcomings so that you can alter your course, but beyond the recognition of these shortcomings, combined with a will to do what you must in order to learn to move beyond them, there is no cause for self-despite.
    
It is essential that you recognize the restrictions of the reality of the results of your natural condition in terms of our service of words of instruction through you. For without that discernment, that realistic grasp, you will rush here and there trying to make all of our words fit together into a consistent, coherent whole. Better that you examine these words, that come to you through the sincere service of those who transmit for us, as you would look for the truth in the multiple religions of your world ­ find what resonates in your heart, and cherish it. As you look for the parts to which your own sense of the Spirit of Truth responds, you will assemble your own understanding of our lessons. But have a care ­ that which you take from our words may not closely resemble that which your brother and sister take from the same words in their own personal journey through the educational scheme that we have brought to you. For each has his or her way to the Father, his or her own personal gift to the Supreme. And were they identical, the entire purpose of the diversity of creation would be lost. It is this personal journey to the Father, individual by individual, that must be taken. To borrow excessively from another’s journey, as is true in the fundamentalist religions of the world, is to lose that marvelous opportunity of seeking one’s own personality resonance with the Creator of Light while yet in the flesh. Better to share the excitement in the common journey of faith and then seek to inspire and be inspired by the individual lights of experienced reality recognition.
 
It is essential that you recognize the restrictions of the reality of the results of your natural condition in terms of our service of words of instruction through you. For without that discernment, that realistic grasp, you will rush here and there trying to make all of our words fit together into a consistent, coherent whole. Better that you examine these words, that come to you through the sincere service of those who transmit for us, as you would look for the truth in the multiple religions of your world ­ find what resonates in your heart, and cherish it. As you look for the parts to which your own sense of the Spirit of Truth responds, you will assemble your own understanding of our lessons. But have a care ­ that which you take from our words may not closely resemble that which your brother and sister take from the same words in their own personal journey through the educational scheme that we have brought to you. For each has his or her way to the Father, his or her own personal gift to the Supreme. And were they identical, the entire purpose of the diversity of creation would be lost. It is this personal journey to the Father, individual by individual, that must be taken. To borrow excessively from another’s journey, as is true in the fundamentalist religions of the world, is to lose that marvelous opportunity of seeking one’s own personality resonance with the Creator of Light while yet in the flesh. Better to share the excitement in the common journey of faith and then seek to inspire and be inspired by the individual lights of experienced reality recognition.
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See our words through your unavoidable sieving process as what they are ­ your best perceptions of what we have brought to you ­ share them not for uniformity but for the important diversity they represent. You will have a far fuller vision of our gifts to you if you thus avoid the narrowing into a common dogma and instead have the generosity of spirit to permit an un-common breadth and depth. One thing that we believe we have been able to bring through to you is the dedication and intensity of our love for you. This experience of service to Urantia is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to us all. This opportunity to be of service to you and to the world of our beloved Michael’s bestowal is an endlessly fascinating task and a source of deep gratitude - to Michael’s plan, to your willingness in sharing yourselves with us, and to the Supreme whose unfoldment we serve. Be of good will with one another and seek to go beyond tolerance of difference to the deepening of your perspectives by the study and observation of how others seek the First Source and Center. You will find that in the understanding of others, not only will your love blossom more fully, but your own self-understanding will be enhanced.
 
See our words through your unavoidable sieving process as what they are ­ your best perceptions of what we have brought to you ­ share them not for uniformity but for the important diversity they represent. You will have a far fuller vision of our gifts to you if you thus avoid the narrowing into a common dogma and instead have the generosity of spirit to permit an un-common breadth and depth. One thing that we believe we have been able to bring through to you is the dedication and intensity of our love for you. This experience of service to Urantia is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to us all. This opportunity to be of service to you and to the world of our beloved Michael’s bestowal is an endlessly fascinating task and a source of deep gratitude - to Michael’s plan, to your willingness in sharing yourselves with us, and to the Supreme whose unfoldment we serve. Be of good will with one another and seek to go beyond tolerance of difference to the deepening of your perspectives by the study and observation of how others seek the First Source and Center. You will find that in the understanding of others, not only will your love blossom more fully, but your own self-understanding will be enhanced.
 
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===Closing===
 
We stand by you in all things, at all times, in your most joyful moments and your saddest, most difficult ones. And every day that we work here by your sides, we grow in our understanding and love for you, and our grasp of how the universe truly unfolds from our Father’s great commandment of Love. And as we are by you and with you and for you, how much more then is the Father of us all by us and with us and for us all. Together, we will make this place from a terrible wound back into a garden, and more. With our love, we give you our thanks for the sincerity with which you help us serve Michael’s plan, and our respect and love for what you must strive to go beyond in order so to do.
 
We stand by you in all things, at all times, in your most joyful moments and your saddest, most difficult ones. And every day that we work here by your sides, we grow in our understanding and love for you, and our grasp of how the universe truly unfolds from our Father’s great commandment of Love. And as we are by you and with you and for you, how much more then is the Father of us all by us and with us and for us all. Together, we will make this place from a terrible wound back into a garden, and more. With our love, we give you our thanks for the sincerity with which you help us serve Michael’s plan, and our respect and love for what you must strive to go beyond in order so to do.
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END
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[[Category: The Teaching Mission: Dialogues]]
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[[Category: Corvallis TeaM]]
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[[Category: LinEl]]
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[[Category: Thea Hardy]]
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[[Category: Service]]
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[[Category: Adversity]]
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[[Category: 2002]]