God’s will often takes you in directions unexpected, but actually ends up filling some desire of His or makes you avoid some problem you will never know about (thankfully). We had a scheduled appointment to make our car ready for towing on our journey (our North American Pradakshina). The shop forgot to order the parts and so we are delayed a week from leaving Palm Desert area.
As a result we have encamped ourselves near the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, a place we had wanted to return to from two years ago but have been unable to do so until now. So, God fulfilled His desire for us to be here through the seeming mistakes of the shop. This is the second week of delay, the other was when we were to begin and had a last minute repair to make before leaving. The Lord, in His infinite care makes for these delays, and through them brings about exactly the right thing through His loving care (we avoided severe snow storms and landslides by the first delay in January).
Surrender to His will does not make you a non-actor, I was sure to make the owner of the company, who neglected to order the part, know that his omission had real life consequences (for one we will not be able to meet Rick and Judy, and Jerry and Lois in Arizona as planned). The owner was apologetic but the parts have to be shipped and the time it takes is now out of his control.
Joshua Tree is one of our favorite places and we have found space on BLM land that has rustic roads and campsites and is available at no charge (always a favorite feature!). Even more than that, we are in blooming season in the desert. From the tiniest flowers flat on the ground to bushes and trees there are buds and blossoms everywhere.
When Larry and Cate were here last week we went to Indian Canyon for a hike through a forest-filled ravine of palm trees and a delightfully cheerful running stream. Cate had tears well up at the beauty this desert oasis exhibited (deserts are often associated with desolation). Mother Hamilton had written about coming to Indian Canyon in mid-century by jeep and spoke of the beauty she found there. In addition to the physical beauty there is a real spiritual feeling to the place, and each time I have been there the purity has been palpably felt in the air.
One feature of being in the desert that attracts me is the easy feeling of expansiveness. For the last few weeks we had been in a county park, and while a very nice place to stay, it lacked this open feeling we have here. While here God is running very strong in this form. It seems I had a few weeks of operating more easily in the world, a welcome time for me to attend to the many tasks associated with this type of travel. However, as soon as this need is over God comes on like a steaming locomotive–His power, His bliss and divine Presence takes complete precedence and He does with me what He wills. It is His Work being done, I am putty in His all-benevolent sculpting hands.
And while all of this beauty of His Presence is absolutely true, I also have this feeling of missing you. When God is in this mode such as He is, it makes me indrawn and it is even difficult to think of doing Skype or YouTube sessions with the Centers, which I hope to do in the future. It is all His Work, and He chooses what form it takes (many times without reference to what I would prefer in a human sense!). Be that as it may, I am always happy to have Him working through me according to what He chooses–for God and Gurus’ will are always uppermost in my life. While they are in charge I know that everything happens according the highest good of all concerned; for that is the nature of God’s will–it is by definition for the utmost benevolence. Therefore, we are always connected through that highest good, and the work that God does here is also done in you, for in Him there is no separation (and still, knowing that through and through, I have this feeling of missing you).
With that in mind, I send you all my love and blessings. All of what I have in God is yours, for I send out all that He gives me without reservation. May all be well my dear ones, and most of all may you ever be filled with the Divine Presence deep within your heart and soul.
Picture: More Desert Bloom
