Elyon: [Mark] Hello again my dear friends, this is Elyon here to join you once again and to bring my contribution to this glorious pot-luck banquet that you furnish when you agree to all meet like this and bring your spiritual nourishment to be shared amongst all. More and more I find myself coming to a banquet such as this and simply enjoying sitting back and sampling the nourishing contributions that you all bring, to my great delight. Truly these offerings that you bring represent spiritual truths which have become flavored and augmented in their representations of the principles that they would portray. More and more I find myself desiring to reflect on some of the offerings brought to share as I believe these contributions represent active and meaningful current thought patterns which may be embraced and expanded upon as I would add a side dish or salad to the main course.

    So I will pick up a helping of what was offered and reflect on its portrayal of spiritual values. This whole notion you have brought to the banquet today of 'normal', what 'normal' is, how 'normal' changes, what 'normal' evolves from and into and how you would even attempt to define such a concept is indeed a very valuable train of thought for as you have explored in your discussion, this whole idea of 'normal' is rather a myth; that is, it is only representative to the one making the observation and only current in the time the observation is made. That anything could be considered 'normal' is only in relation to all that exists out there.

    In fact you have seen normal constantly morph from one definition to another, sometimes taking years or a generation and sometimes happening instantly or overnight because as you are determining, it is all based on the perception of the observer. No two peoples strict definition of what normal is will be identical as the information that they have which conditions this interpretation will never be identical. What is a constant thread running through this whole idea of normal is that it is in flux, it is a rather moving target so to speak; it is bound to change as your capacity to understand it changes.

    So if you approach this whole idea of the consideration of what is normal with the idea that it is only a snapshot in time and space that you consider, then you will realize the transiency of any attempt to nail down any strict interpretation or definition. Rather I suggest that just like a meeting today where we have gathered for this 'pot-luck' to share spiritual ideas and ideals, what we have in this very moment of this snapshot of time and space is quite normal and yet as you have even discussed, what happens here and now while being routine or normal to those of us who consider it so, would certainly be outside this definition by many others who do not embrace the current reality that we share.

    Nevertheless, I submit to you that what we do here now is normal and to others, what they do in their moments in time and space will be normal for them and there will be no contradictions in both of these truths. This realization should help you embrace with greater capacity, the relative nature of normal or truth or even beauty or even goodness when all of these things are conditioned by the observer, by the one who wields the will to declare it so. Many a hardship has been endured on your world by those who have been declared outside of normal and persecuted for their differences in belief or action, when to the more evolved spiritual being, all such variations on reality are part of what constitutes the whole which in the grandest definition is truly normal.

    Normal must be enhanced to include all that is for if it were not part of the gigantic plan created by the Father, it would not exist. So I encourage you all to, when in consideration of what normal is or might be, view the broadest possible range of perspective to interpret such fleeting conditions as you might consider normal in one time or in one place, realizing that at no other time or place would these conditions appear in the same light and be observed under the same circumstances. I found that offering at the pot-luck today quite tasty and useful.

    Another one I would comment on, since you have graciously offered me this opportunity, would be the very useful idea of using the different forms of 'presence' in an attempt to have a quick method of orienting yourself to provide you quick access to your spiritual plane. I will borrow these terms in faith that they are offered for this purpose. When I refer to these I am referring to the idea of first:

    Coming into the 'present.' This is often accomplished as a step of stillness or meditation where one focuses on the present moment, often using the breath or the body to bring the mind into focus and consideration of the exact moment at hand or the 'present.'

    The next step would be to allow the mind to focus on the 'presents,' that is the gift provided of this life and all the opportunities that abound, and establish a connection to spirit with the attitude of gratitude for all the 'presents' you have received in your life.

    The third step is to relax and let yourself drink the cup of spiritual 'presence,' the 'presence' of your Divine Parents, the 'presence' of God the Father.

    These steps illustrated here today and brought to be shared at this pot-luck are a serviceable method that may be employed to be used as stepping stones in the process of gaining spiritual alignment and access. I found this dish quite tasty as well and I just thought I would reflect on the offering and bring it more into the consciousness of others by use of making it part of this official record.

    As you see, you have provided the nourishment here today, you have brought the concepts to bear in this arena. I have merely made them public, I  have merely borrowed from you these spiritual truths and principles and reflected on them in a more public forum but they came from you, they originated from the participants in this group and I only access this forum and accept this privilege to elevate these concepts for consideration for those who have ears to hear. Thank you for the opportunity to share this bounty with you, to receive this spiritual nourishment and to be a part of this group. I now respectfully step down to allow this forum for use by others. Thank you.

    Michael: [Mark] Hello my dear ones, I am here to come among you. I am your Father Michael and I offer you my recognition of your observation of my service to your world which you observe on this Easter Sunday at a point you all remember as the point where I rose from the tomb and for all time changed the world. Before my act on this day so many years ago, it was not part of mankind's thinking that one could die a mortal death and then rise from such a state. But after this day, the entire world was made aware that there was a new 'normal,' a new state of being. You well recall, in my life, my statement to all those of my time and even to you now in this time, that you would do all that I have done and more. I stand by my statement.

    You are indeed rising, even now, from the slumber of ignorance and inexperience and before my very perception, rising into your more complete self, exhibiting your spiritual awareness and your spiritual presence as the spring flowers that rise to bloom at this time of year. Likewise will you do exactly as I did on this day when you rise, from your tomb of slumber at your time of transition to begin your work anew, to strike out on your new spiritual progress. Likewise will you be born again of the spirit as I was. So it is ever true that you will do all the things that I portrayed to you in your own time and under your own circumstance. What was natural and normal for me to do in my day, in my snapshot of time and space will be different for you. Your normal will be conditioned by your snapshot in time and space; nevertheless my statement remains true; you shall do all that I am able to do in due time.

    And so on this Easter Day, when you consider my service to your world and how it must have been amazing and exhilarating to discover that I had indeed risen and left the tomb, consider that this is what is transpiring to you day by day, hour by hour, as you rise from your unawareness into your awareness and as you are reborn in spirit day after day. Take this awareness with you that this is an ongoing process, the laying down of one 'normal' and the picking up of another. And so it shall be and so you shall make it with the exercising of your gift of freewill and the choosing that brings you the opportunities and circumstances to rise again, to be reborn, to strike out anew.

    Every year you are graced with such signs as your trees and grass coming into bloom and your flowers rising and blooming to remind you of this cyclical nature. Think of me when you see this rebirth and re-growth and even more, think of you for you are as well being reborn and having new growth season after season and in this way you become strong with many good and strong roots and many a flowering bloom to demonstrate to the  universe your fruits of your spiritual growth. It is so. Drink this cup with me, of joy that it is so. Live your lives in the full awareness that it is so and even use your co-creative capacity to guide this inevitable spiritual principle to its best fruition.

    Thank you Father for the creation of this constant renewal that we see and feel in our lives, in our experience. May we never fail to appreciate the significance of the opportunity and the chance that is presented to us each time we observe this change in season, in orientation, in direction. May we ever be attentive in this process and may we ever use our will as fulcrum in this process to guide and direct in your direction Father. May that be the instrument of our will, may it be our will that this be so. May all those with spiritual eyes perceive what has been offered here and all those with ears to hear feel in their hearts what has been offered here. My peace I leave with you, the Father's love I share with you. Thank you, farewell.

    Cathy: I wish that we could send the peace of this moment to the whole of our world.

    Michael: [Cathy] Rejoice in the connections we share. In all the steps of your day I am with you. Always will my Spirit of Truth lead you to new parameters of living. It is the intended purpose of the Spirit of Truth to infuse you with insight and guide you into new revelations of your spiritual capacity. As we gather today to commemorate the end of my mission on this world, be looking forward for the new opportunities for you to act as my ambassadors. I will uphold you in the expression of your new vision of truth for this world. Always am I available to assist you in this activity. As we actively live in the brotherhood of my kingdom on Urantia, I will be step by step acting together with you in the daily action of your ambassadorship.