Changes

MICHAEL: Daughters and sons, welcome to my [[heart]], my [[throne]], my [[life]], My realm of [[service]] and [[praise]], [[worship]] and [[love]]. My [[blessings]] upon you today.

MICHAEL: Daughters and sons, welcome to my [[heart]], my [[throne]], my [[life]], My realm of [[service]] and [[praise]], [[worship]] and [[love]]. My [[blessings]] upon you today.

As you spoke and sang the words "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp-p7qFI2I Be Still 1.]," [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHlbnNUHQGI 2.] I felt as though you were rocking in My arms, for I felt your acquiescence to My [[nature]], I felt your submission to the [[strength]] which oversees you, the [[light]] which guides you. I am touched by your guileless [[faith]], by your acceptance of one another, for, My children, you all are precious in My [[sight]].

As you spoke and sang the words "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp-p7qFI2I Be Still 1.]," [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHlbnNUHQGI 2.] I felt as though you were rocking in My arms, for I felt your acquiescence to My [[nature]], I felt your submission to the [[strength]] which oversees you, the [[light]] which guides you. I am touched by your guileless [[faith]], by your acceptance of one another, for, My children, you all are precious in My [[sight]].

I would ask that as you learn and [[listen]] from My servant Tomas that you learn more and more to [[become]] giving and [[forgiving]] in your [[nature]]. Many [[steps]] we will take together in this ensuing [[sojourn]]. Many miles will we walk hand in hand. Many members of [[humanity]] will we meet together. [[Work]] with Me, children, in the [[active]] aspects of your life here.

I would ask that as you learn and [[listen]] from My servant Tomas that you learn more and more to [[become]] giving and [[forgiving]] in your [[nature]]. Many [[steps]] we will take together in this ensuing [[sojourn]]. Many miles will we walk hand in hand. Many members of [[humanity]] will we meet together. [[Work]] with Me, children, in the [[active]] aspects of your life here.

===Dialogue===

===Dialogue===

===='''''[[Christmas]]''''', '''''[[Parenting]]'''''====

===='''''[[Christmas]]''''', '''''[[Parenting]]'''''====

Mr. L: Tomas, I have one that I've carried over from last week and I really don't know how to put this question, but it concerns [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_claus Santa Claus]. I'm a grandfather with six grandchildren and, except for perhaps one of them, they all still have what I would call a [[belief]] in Santa Clause, and what I would like for you to do is [[clarify]] how it would be best to handle this [[concept]] and the principles that Santa Clause stands for with little kids, because at this time of the year, Santa Clause kind of reigns [[supreme]] in our [[material]] culture, and yet there has to be something good in Santa Clause, or at least it seems that way. Can you comment on this? Or would you care to do that? If you don't care to do so, that's okay, but I thought that perhaps from above you could give me some [[insights]] on how to handle that.

Mr. L: Tomas, I have one that I've carried over from last week and I really don't know how to put this question, but it concerns [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_claus Santa Claus]. I'm a grandfather with six grandchildren and, except for perhaps one of them, they all still have what I would call a [[belief]] in Santa Clause, and what I would like for you to do is [[clarify]] how it would be best to handle this [[concept]] and the principles that Santa Clause stands for with little kids, because at this time of the year, Santa Clause kind of reigns [[supreme]] in our [[material]] culture, and yet there has to be something good in Santa Clause, or at least it seems that way. Can you comment on this? Or would you care to do that? If you don't care to do so, that's okay, but I thought that perhaps from above you could give me some [[insights]] on how to handle that.

TOMAS: Thank you for your question, my [[curious]] co-worker. I recall our [[discourse]] last week regarding your [[Christmas]] holiday and recall that I indicated I would observe this [[pageantry]] as [if it were] an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGM MGM production] of the [[birth]] of the Christ-child, as portrayed on [[Urantia]] in, certainly, your [[Christian]] community, and I can [[respond]] to your question regarding [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas St. Nicholas] perhaps from a reviewer's [[standpoint]] only, for as a teacher, I would not quite know what to do with Santa Clause (or the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_bunny Easter Bunny] for that matter) except to run any obvious [[parallels]].

TOMAS: Thank you for your question, my [[curious]] co-worker. I recall our [[discourse]] last week regarding your [[Christmas]] holiday and recall that I indicated I would observe this [[pageantry]] as [if it were] an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGM MGM production] of the [[birth]] of the Christ-child, as portrayed on [[Urantia]] in, certainly, your [[Christian]] community, and I can [[respond]] to your question regarding [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas St. Nicholas] perhaps from a reviewer's [[standpoint]] only, for as a teacher, I would not quite know what to do with Santa Clause (or the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_bunny Easter Bunny] for that matter) except to run any obvious [[parallels]].

The [[tragedy]] of these phantasmagoric [[creatures]] in your [[children]]'s early impressions are the beginning of a [[distortion]] which colors much of their [[life]] and the merit to an entity like Santa Clause is only valuable, to my [[mind's eye]], when and as he can be [[compared]] to [[God]] or the Great Giver of Life.

The [[tragedy]] of these phantasmagoric [[creatures]] in your [[children]]'s early impressions are the beginning of a [[distortion]] which colors much of their [[life]] and the merit to an entity like Santa Clause is only valuable, to my [[mind's eye]], when and as he can be [[compared]] to [[God]] or the Great Giver of Life.

There are realities that develop in the [[process]] of [[communication]] which are seldom realized between [[mortals]] because of their inability to maintain a sustained, [[focused]] [[discourse]] in a soul-satisfying manner. This practice is developed as we sit and [[commune]], one with another, and focus on matters which evolve/revolve around our [[growth]] as individuals and as a [[community]], and [[eventually]] and ultimately as [[The system|a system]].

There are realities that develop in the [[process]] of [[communication]] which are seldom realized between [[mortals]] because of their inability to maintain a sustained, [[focused]] [[discourse]] in a soul-satisfying manner. This practice is developed as we sit and [[commune]], one with another, and focus on matters which evolve/revolve around our [[growth]] as individuals and as a [[community]], and [[eventually]] and ultimately as [[The system|a system]].

You may [[interrupt]] at any time! I am not intending to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesmerism#Mesmerism mesmerize] you into not [[thinking]]! Indeed, it is important that you not allow an [[intonation]] to transfix you into not knowing academically what is [[transpiring]]. I am not in a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seance séance]. My transmitter/receiver is not in a [[trance]]. But there are certain melodic aspects of [[truth]]. I believe you read recently about the [[orators]], and I have a long way to go, but there is an art in [[communication]] and [[expression]], which we would all do well to [[practice]].

You may [[interrupt]] at any time! I am not intending to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesmerism#Mesmerism mesmerize] you into not [[thinking]]! Indeed, it is important that you not allow an [[intonation]] to transfix you into not knowing academically what is [[transpiring]]. I am not in a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seance séance]. My transmitter/receiver is not in a [[trance]]. But there are certain melodic aspects of [[truth]]. I believe you read recently about the [[orators]], and I have a long way to go, but there is an art in [[communication]] and [[expression]], which we would all do well to [[practice]].

And many other things I could say in response to your [[observation]], but I will not dwell on that now.

And many other things I could say in response to your [[observation]], but I will not dwell on that now.

It is not required nor am I going to [[prescribe]].

It is not required nor am I going to [[prescribe]].

Mr. C: Some years ago, I was down in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas Texas] and I met a very [[wonderful]] person down there who was sort of a [[holy]] man and he made the comment that eating meat was not as bad as many people say, for the simple reason that he said that if we [[bless]] the meal that we eat, we raise the [[consciousness]] of the [[atoms]] in that meat so that they in turn will be able to perhaps become part of our [[body]] and [[everything]], that we actually can raise the [[consciousness]] of the meat that we eat. Could you comment on that?

Mr. C: Some years ago, I was down in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas Texas] and I met a very [[wonderful]] person down there who was sort of a [[holy]] man and he made the comment that eating meat was not as bad as many people say, for the simple reason that he said that if we [[bless]] the meal that we eat, we raise the [[consciousness]] of the [[atoms]] in that meat so that they in turn will be able to perhaps become part of our [[body]] and [[everything]], that we actually can raise the [[consciousness]] of the meat that we eat. Could you comment on that?

TOMAS: I could. I will, but only briefly. Any ingestion, as I indicated in my previous [[response]], can be absorbed and utilized by the [[body]] in a well way if the circumstances warrant. Indeed, in like manner, it has been noted and appreciated that smoking tobacco, when it is done as an offering to [[the gods]], as a person-to-person [[communication]] in a spiritual vein, is a non-harmful and non-[[habit]] forming [[practice]], and, indeed, augments the [[camaraderie]] of the individuals or the [[worship]] of the [[individual]] in his or her gift of giving the smoke. And this is the [[truth]] that I suppose [[atoms]] augment, but the [[attitudes]] with which one approaches one's habits and patterns are most certainly the key to either well or ill [[behavior]] and attitude [[manifestations]] in the arena wherein one works and plays.

TOMAS: I could. I will, but only briefly. Any ingestion, as I indicated in my previous [[response]], can be absorbed and utilized by the [[body]] in a well way if the circumstances warrant. Indeed, in like manner, it has been noted and appreciated that smoking tobacco, when it is done as an offering to [[the gods]], as a person-to-person [[communication]] in a spiritual vein, is a non-harmful and non-[[habit]] forming [[practice]], and, indeed, augments the [[camaraderie]] of the individuals or the [[worship]] of the [[individual]] in his or her gift of giving the smoke. And this is the [[truth]] that I suppose [[atoms]] augment, but the [[attitudes]] with which one approaches one's habits and patterns are most certainly the key to either well or ill [[behavior]] and attitude [[manifestations]] in the arena wherein one works and plays.